When her grandson wouldn’t finish his homework, Sheila Martin slapped him. Rodney Payton didn’t like that and told her to stop. Martin responded by threatening them both with a knife. Payton shot a gun at her. Both are in jail facing assault and endangerment charges. No word if the homework was completed.
A large number of people from Erie parked at a lot on Liberty Street and boarded Coach USA buses to attend the Browns game in Cleveland. They returned to an empty lot. Bizzarro Towing towed every car from the lot–forced by the owner of the lot (who is in New Jersey.) No word from Bizzarro on why this happened but it seems a bit harsh as well as shady. Did you or someone you know get their car towed? Post a comment letting us know what you’re heard about why this happened, how much did you have to pay to get your car back and if you are planning legal action against any of the companies involved.
If things seemed a little unruly at WalMart on Elm Street this weekend, it may be due to the manager quitting. Local blog I’ll Get Your GrocEries blogged yesterday that the manager walked out facing pressure from management to replace his management staff. The store loses a large amount of money due to theft and other product loss, such as perishables.
A lawsuit was filed last week on behalf of three pro-life female protesters who were arrested during a protest in Maryland this past August. One of those plaintiffs is from Erie. Apparently the young ladies appeared dangerous enough to perform a strip search and in one case, in front of another man who was being detained by the Maryland police. There were a number of other civil rights violations including preventing the ladies from contacting an attorney or even knowing what they were arrested for.
Jim Martin of the Erie Times-News had a story yesterday saying the pace of foreclosures in our area has declined, despite increases in many other areas of the country. The end of the day today is the deadline for scheduling a Sheriff’s sale to be held in 2008. It’s not clear what effect the government takeover of FannieMae and FreddieMac may have on foreclosure rates in our area and across the country.
Erie Insurance has earned J.D. Power and Associates’ award for “Highest in Customer Satisfaction with the Auto Insurance Purchase Experience.” This award recognizes the top rankings in J.D. Power’s 2008 Insurance New Buyer Study, which assesses customers’ experience in purchasing a new auto insurance policy.
Big ups to Dan’s Route 8 Boardwalk bar and grill for donating all their proceeds from Saturday to the Milani family who were badly burned in a house fire recently. Thanks for stepping up in the community.
The PA smoking ban goes into effect this Thursday, September 11.
Reminder that there is a new format on ErieBlogs.com. You can read about the changes in last Friday’s News & Events post.
Sports
The Pittsburgh Steelers opened their season on a strong note, beating the Houston Texans 38-17. Local blog Steelers Gab has a great recap.
The Buffalo Bills handily beat the Seattle Seahawks 34-10. Buffalo Rumblings has recap and reaction.
The Cleveland Browns fell to the Dallas Cowboys 28-10. Dawgsbynature.com has the story.
College football action from the weekend:
East Stroudsburg 23 Gannon 10
Mercyhurst 35 Cheyney 0
Edinboro 34 Shippensburg 11
Allegheny 34 Juniata 18
Shawn Szydlowski scored with under five minutes remaining in regulation to lift the Erie Otters into a 2-2 tie with the London Knights in an Ontario Hockey League pre-season game played Saturday night. The Otters are now 0-3-1 in exhibition play. The Otters’ last exhibitiongame will be away this Thursday against the Niagara IceDogs.
A.J. Baginsky, Brian Colvin, Erik Hultgren, Sean Washek, Max Lorei and Russ Tattersall scored for Prep as they beat Bradford 7-0 in soccer action this weekend.
Events
The nineteenth annual Silberman Recital Series at Allegheny College will feature performances by one of the country’s newest chamber music groups as well as musicians who have earned critical acclaim over decades of work on the concert stage and in the recording studio. The series will open with Manhattan Piano Trio on Monday, Sept. 8.
The eMarketing Learning Center @ eBizITPA’s course, Fundamentals of Successful Search Engine Optimization, will take place on September 18, 2008 with breakfast and lunch included. The half-day course, to be held at the Center for eBusiness and Advanced IT (eBizITPA) Conference Room. This course is being offered at an introductory rate of $299. Space is limited. Registration can be completed online at www.ebizitpa.org or by calling (814) 898-6500.
There will be an Erie Bloggers Get Together/Billiards Party tomorrow from 7 p.m to 9 p.m. at the Fox and Hound pub by the Millcreek Mall. Come to play billiards or just to socialize! You don’t have to be a blogger to attend. Anyone with an interest in Erie, blogs, or technology is welcome to come and hang out and meet some local Erie bloggers. For more info, contact Michael Mahler at (814) 456-9833 or info@eriegaynews.com.
View this past Sunday’s comprehensive events list to see a list of events for the week and months ahead. If you would like your event posted here, please contact us via our online form.
I did not get towed that night, but I was towed during a Block Party one night and was furious. I did not come out until later and there was no where to park, so I parked at an Arby’s where many other people were parked. I went in, ordered a sandwich, came out and went down to the block party. When I returned to the parking lot at 2 AM, my car along with about 10 others had been towed. Arby’s was closed but there was a sign saying where we could get it back. When I saw my towing ticket, it said I had been towed after midnight.
To put it bluntly, what some of these companies do is pure bullshit and I swear that they get kickbacks from the towing company. They charged me $200 for being towed THREE BLOCKS.
My recommendation is to call the police and have the towing company charged with theft. Seizing ones property in lue of payment is a violation of your 4th amendment rights. Think of it this way. If your dog was in your neighbors yard could they legally capture and hold your dog for a ransom? Look into the city code for towing. By law in the city, no one can tow any vehicle without the owners consent unless the CHIEF of the police department requests it. It can’t even be requested by a cop. (unless it’s an emergency) All towing must also go through the towing review board.
So how many laws were broken yesterday?
527.14 VEHICLES TOWED FROM PRIVATE PROPERTY.
All towing services under contract with the City, as well as all other towing services in
private business, shall notify the Bureau of Police whenever a vehicle is towed from private
property at the direction of the property owner with the following information: the date of the
tow; the license number, vehicle identification number and make of the towed vehicle; the
location from which it was towed and the reason for such tow; and the location where such
vehicle is impounded. (Ord. 3-1989 ’1. Passed 1-25-89.)
Was all this information provided to the police?
527.15 TOWING REVIEW BOARD.
A Towing Review Board shall be established which shall consist of a member of Council
appointed by the President of Council, two City residents appointed by Council, an Administrator
appointed by the Mayor, and a member of the Bureau of Police, appointed by the Chief of Police.
(Ord. 9-1989 ’1. Passed 2-8-89.)
527.16 DUTIES OF BOARD.
The Towing Review Board shall hold regular meetings to be determined by the Board
members and shall be for the following purposes:
(a) Conduct administrative hearings pursuant to Title 2 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes Chapter 5, Subchapter B to hear appeals concerning the
removal of abandoned vehicles; and
(b) Review noncriminal disputes concerning vehicles towed by wrecker services
under contract with the City to tow vehicles pursuant to this article and to make
final determinations. (Ord. 9-1989 ’1. Passed 2-8-89.)
Last time I called the City Solicitors office, they had no idea this law was even on the books.
527.05 CHIEF OF POLICE TO NOTIFY OWNERS.
Within twenty-four hours from the time of removal of any vehicle under authority granted
by this article, notice of the fact that such vehicle has been impounded shall be sent by the Chief
of Police to the owner of record of such vehicle. Such notice shall designate the place from
which the vehicle was removed, the reason for its removal and impounding and the pound in
which it shall have been impounded. (Ord. 48-1982 ’1. Passed 7-14-82.)
How many of you were notified by the chief of police?