Today is the first day of deer hunting. If you’re going out, please be careful and don’t shoot the animals with the orange vests. Unfortunately, the weather doesn’t look that great for hunting–snow isn’t expected to start falling until later in the day.

Congratulations you survived Black Friday.  Today for internet retailers is their Black Friday.  Try to get some work done while you’re shopping Amazon and other online stores for great deals.

Philip Freidman, the attorney representing former Mercyhurst College student Teri Rhodes, plans to head to court today to plead for a sentence reduction. Rhodes is currently in the Erie County Prison, and Mr. Friedman claims she is on suicide watch.  In regards to her current incarceration, Rhodes attorney is quoted as saying, “It is an awful thing to do to anyone, let alone a kid.”  Rhodes is 20 years old but Freidman makes it sound like she’s 12 and clutching a Cabbage Patch doll.  Rhodes is serving a sentence of 9-18 years for killing her newborn baby when she was 18 years old.  National media is sensationalizing the matter by dubbing Rhodes the “campus baby killer” which sounds more like a title to a B-rate horror movie that would be filmed in Erie.

Some Canadian and U.S. businesses organized under the name Continental 1 are pushing for a new highway to be built extending from Bufallo straight down to Maryland.  If built the highway would circumvent the traffic flowing from I-79 and I-90.  The reality of such a project, as one individual put it, is unwarranted and in reality unlikely to ever happen.

Because of expected money from casino revenue, the City of Erie is cutting funding to the Erie Zoo and Erie Council for the Arts for 2009. The zoo will no longer receive funds from the city for it’s operations budget, but will continue to receive money to pay for gas. The Arts Council is completely cut from the budget in 2009, and is expected to receive no funding. Gambling revenue for the zoo next year is projected to be $390,000, while arts funding should be around $95,000. Arts council officials plan to petition City Council to ask for their funding to be restored.

Speaking of the Erie Zoo, it closed for the season yesterday. It will reopen March 1st. The zoo has been closing during the winter months for the past few years to save money.

Erie Police are looking for two suspects who held up the Kwik Fill gas station at 26th and Greengarden on Friday night. The men are described as young, light skinned black males, about 5 foot 10 inches tall. Both were wearing dark hooded sweatshirts. If you have any information, you are asked to call Erie Police at 870-1100.

Sports

The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the New England Patriots 33-10 yesterday. The Steeler D was huge.

Browns fans, your team played well–until Derek Anderson fumbled and the Indy D returned it for a score and you lost 10-6. More bad news–Anderson will likely miss the rest of the season with an MCL injury and your new starting QB is Ken Dorsey. Ouch, babe.

Bills fans, you also have our sympathies. The Niners beat the Bills 10-3. The Bills are now 6-6.

The Erie Otters weren’t so hot last week winning only 1 of the 3 games scheduled.  On Thanksgiving they lost to the Belleville Bulls 4-2, Friday winning against Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors 4-3 only to lose against the Major’s the next day 4-3 in overtime.  There will be an Otters fan club fundraiser at Max & Erma’s by the Millcreek Mall tomorrow.

Events

Remember to check our weekly Events post published every Sunday for upcoming events and activiities.

Pennsylvania writer Tom Noyes will read from his work at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3 in room 2W16 of the Memorial Student Center on Marshall University’s Huntington campus. Noyes has taught in the creative writing programs at Indiana State University and Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn. Now a consulting editor for Lake Effect, he teaches at Penn State-The Behrend College in Erie, Pa.

Erie’s downtown d’Lights will be held Friday, December 5th beginning at 6 p.m. The annual lighting of downtown Erie kicks of the Christmas Season with a number of events.

Gannon University’s Schuster Theatre will present “A Tuna Christmas.” Ridiculous characters from the insane town of Tuna, Texas compete in an over-the-top seasonal decorating contest. The production does include some mature language. All performances will begin at 8 p.m.; Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m. Gannon University’s Schuster Theatre is located at 620 Sassafras St. Ticket prices for the general public are $5. For more information, contact the Theatre at 814-871-7493 or at 814-871-7720. Shows run December 4, 5, 6, and December 11, 12, 13, 14.

Gannon University’s Erie Chamber Orchestra: This concert will be the annual Christmas Concert Sing-Along with the St. Paul Episcopal Cathedral Children’s Choir and choral director Sharon Downey on Friday, December 5. The performance is free and open to the public and will begin at 7:30 p.m. at St. Patrick Church, 130 East 4th St. Gannon University’s Erie Chamber Orchestra is conducted and directed by Bruce Morton Wright. For more information call 814-871-7755.

Galleries downtown and throughout Erie will host a holiday-themed Gallery Night on Friday, December 5th, from 7-10 pm. Participating galleries include Accents By The Bay, Allen Stoneware Gallery, Artworks, Bayfront Gallery, Cummings Gallery at Mercyhurst College, Geary’s Studio 7 Gallery, Glass Growers Gallery, Kada Gallery, Ralph Miller Jewelers & Gallery, Urraro Gallery and the galleries at the Erie Art Museum. Visitors will have a chance to get a start on their holiday shopping, and may even win a $50 gift certificate.

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.