Tonight is Erie’s downtown d’Lights beginning at 6 p.m. The annual lighting of downtown Erie kicks of the Christmas Season with a number of events. If you take pictures of the event and upload them to your Flickr or some other image repository, let us know and we’ll link to your pictures in tomorrow’s news and events. Photo above by Ron Richardson.
The Erie Times-News Old Newsies will be out in force around the area collecting monies to make food baskets for those less fortunate in our area. If you see one, please help them if you can. Thank you to the Newsies for doing this each and every year.
The Union representing driver David Justka voted to seek arbitration in his case. He was recently fired by EMTA after striking a pedestrian. Justka has a history of incidents, including hitting and killing a local surgeon. The union voted 15 to 15 and Union President Ben Carrick was the tie-breaker, voting to go to arbitration. Yesterday, prior to the vote, Carrick left two comments on a post from a few weeks ago about Justka and partially explaining the situation. We’ve asked him for more information, but here’s a snippet of his comment:
The most unfortunate thing here is the fact that we had offered to place Mr Justka in a garage position after his 2005 accident, EMTA refused forcing the Union to go to arbitration.
Crystal Sherlock of Corry pled guilty to conspiracy to commit aggravated assault for helping her husband kill a man suspected of molesting her husband’s son. Terry Sherlock was convicted last month for third-degree murder for shooting Kenneth Himrod, who was being investigated for molesting Terry Sherlock’s 10-year-old son.
Here’s the unemployment rate for the month of October: Erie 5.9%, Crawford 6%, and Warren 5.6%. As reported last month, Pennsylvania’s overall unemployment rate for October was 5.8% and the national average at 6.5%.
You may remember Brittany Steward, the babysitter who was hungover and allowed the two children under her care to drown in a nearby pond. Now 21, she gave birth yesterday. No more information has been released. Her attorney attempted to get her into a social services home for mothers who are inmates, but a judge said no, and said she must serve the minimum of her 11 to 23 month sentence.
MTR Gaming finally made a decision regarding its Jackson Harness Raceway in Jackson, Michigan. MTR has consistently lost money on the race track (no pun intended) since it bought a 90% ownership interest in 2005. In all 150 workers will lose their jobs, most of them seasonal. It was previously reported that MTR had until December 15 to come to an agreement with the Michigan Harness Horsemen Association or be unable to hold live horse racing at the Jackson Harness Raceway. It appears that MTR has been considering the closing of the race track for at least a couple of months.
Captain John Still, a native of Erie, was awarded the Army Commendation Medal at an awards ceremony at Camp Taji, northwest of Baghdad, Iraq. Captain Still was recognized for helping to rebuild the Iraqi economy. Maybe we should call Captain Still back to the U.S. to help with our current economic crisis.
The Parade Street Revitilzation project can finally proceed, as bids have been accepted on the streetscape project. The project will include new streetlights and more pedestrian-friendly features among other improvements. State Street = stunned.
The School of Science at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, has announced its sixth professional program affiliation agreement, a 3 + 4 optometry program with The Ohio State University College of Optometry.
This article about our area in The Onion made us LOL this week. Sadly, there’s not a Roy Rogers in Saegertown. They did however predict the new Millcreek Mall food court over three years before it existed, so kudos to them. Thanks, Steve, for sending us the stories.
Movies to catch on a snowy weekend: Cadillac Records, Punisher: War Zone, Frost/Nixon.
Sports
The Erie Otters will play the Windsor Spitfires tonight with the first 2,500 adults into the game to receive a PA lottery scratch-off ticket coupon. Tomorrow night, the Otters play the Sarnia Sting. Bring a new or gently used stuffed animal to the game and receive a free ticket coupon to a future Otters game (certain restrictions apply). When the Otters score their first goal of the game you can throw your stuffed animal onto the ice (items will be donated to local children’s charities). Visions of Sarnia players getting pelted by teddy bears comes to mind.
The Gannon University men’s and women’s swimming teams competed in the Wooster Invitational Thursday. On the event’s first night, the women’s 200 freestyle relay team won, setting a school record in the process. The Lady Knights are the third-place squad in the team results, while the Golden Knights placed fifth on day one. The event features 11 schools competing over three days.
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.
Erie Dance Conservatory presents “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” which runs from December 5 – 7 and will be held in the Hirt Auditorium at the Blasco Library. For more information call (814) 476-7123.
The Gannon University Center for Social Concerns on Friday, Dec. 12 will host a fundraiser to help Gannon students who will be making service trips in the spring. The fundraiser, a Fair Trade sale, will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Yehl Room of the University’s Waldron Campus Center, 124 West 7th St. The wide range of items to be sold include jewelry and jewelry boxes, Christmas decorations, ornaments, and musical instruments, among others. A percentage of the proceeds from the sale will benefit the University’s alternative break service trips, a Gannon tradition of service. During the University’s spring break, March 1-8, 2009, students will make service trips to Florida, Guatemala, New Orleans, New York, and South Dakota. The public is welcome to attend the sale. For more information, call 814-871-5602.
Hundreds of Mercyhurst College students will partake of one of the college’s most beloved traditions when they welcome more than 100 Erie area children to the annual “Christmas on Campus” celebration Saturday, Dec. 13, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Carolyn Herrmann Student Union.
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.
