Dr. Paul W. Heberle has had nine additional counts added to previous charges of trading prescriptions for painkillers for other drugs, such as crack cocaine. Heberle has been in Erie County Prison since November.

Yesterday we asked our readers to come up with a clever nickname for the serial bank robber who has hit the Erie area and parts of Ohio. Some media sources in Ohio have dubbed the man the “tall bandit” or the “cold sore bandit”. Keep looking.

Office Depot announced it will close 112 underperforming stores in North America over the next three months. 11 stores will close in Pennsylvania including the one located in Erie on upper Peach Street.

Local institution Hector’s Restaurant will be closing after 65 years. Frank Filippi, who owns the restaurant with his children (including former Erie mayor Rick Filippi), will be retiring. They purchased the restaurant in 1994. The bar was named for Hector DiTullio, who bought the place in 1943. It’s for sale or lease if you’re interested in keeping this local institution going. Contact Jeff Gault at Re/Max.

The Erie School Board has withdrawn a proposal to rename Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy for retiring superintendent James Barker. Several board members had supported the idea, but are now studying other ways to honor Barker. This seems like a smart move–it may cause confusion to rename nationally ranked Collegiate.

Note to shoppers – if you want to spend the holidays with your family, don’t steal Nintendo DS’s and PSP’s from Best Buy. Joshua Thompson of Erie tried that at the Summit Best Buy but was caught and is facing several charges.

Yesterday was the first day of the three day deer hunt on Presque Isle, and the weather was not ideal for hunting. One buck and 8 does were taken, and park officials are hoping for a more thinning of the herd, which is currently estimated at about 50. The park can only support about 10 to 15 deer.

We posted earlier this week about people pushing phone companies for better broadband coverage in rural areas. Reader John posted a link to where you can request broadband coverage through Verizon here. When people contribute and share information for betterment of everyone, it really makes us feel good. If more people did that instead of being negative and nitpicking, the world (and Erie) would be a much better place.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is taking the USA TODAY reports on air poolution at schools seriously. The DEP is going to conduct tests of school’s that were mentioned in the article. Testing has already been conducted since before the article was published and the DEP found chromium levels well below what was reported by USA TODAY.

A 2.8 percent cost-of-living increase was automatically given to a number of state employees and elected officials.   Governor Rendell and a number of other officials who are refusing to accept the raise in light of the economic downturn must write a check back to the state government.  Yes, they must still pay taxes on the amount received and any money given back to the state will go to the general fund.

Sports

Tonight is the big Erie BayHawks home opener at Tullio Arena. The BayHawks take on the Iowa Energy at 7 pm.

The Otters are away this weekend: Friday and Saturday the Otters play the Sarnia Sting, and Sunday they play the Windsor Spitfires.

The Seawolves are gearing up for this Saturday’s “Fill a Truck at the Uht” event benefiting Toys for Tots. New, unwrapped toys will be collected at the front gates of Jerry Uht Park between 10 am and 2 pm, and donors will get to enjoy free Smith’s hot dogs, Pepsi, hot chocolate, coffee and donuts. Santa and C. Wolf will also be on hand to help out!

Events

Mercyhurst College announced a program entitled “Creating a Culture of Trust: Conflict of Interest and Business Ethics” on December 11th at 8:15 pm. The event is being presented by Mercyhurst’s Evelyn Lincoln Institute for Ethics and Society, and will feature P. Kelly Tompkins, the executive vice president, chief administrative officer and chief financial office for RPM International, Inc., and a 1978 Mercyhurst grad. The talk is free and open to the public.

There will be a Gingerbread House Workshop at the Watson-Curtze Mansion, December 13 and 20, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Kids of all ages are invited to make their very own graham cracker gingerbread house, complete with a gumdrop chimney. Cost is $4 per gingerbread house.

Erie Philharmonic Chorus & Friends presents Come Home for the Holidays on Saturday, December 13, 2008 at 8 p.m.

‘‘Tis the Season to be Jolly.’ On December 13 , don your Gay apparel and join us in celebration of the truest meaning of Christmas – Peace on Earth – Good will toward all! An Oil City Gay/Straight Alliance social at the Latonia in Oil City Saturday, December 13th at 8pm. BYOB $5. Jill from Pittsburgh will DJ along with a live performance surprise or two. Contact: Linda Henderson or Roxanne Hitchcock. Phone: (814) 677-1260. The Latonia, 1 East 1st St, Oil City, PA.

On Saturday, December 13, “TREC The Halls” will be held from 10 am to 4 pm at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center in Erie. Breakfast with Santa will be served 10 am to 1 pm and is just $6.95 per person (Ages 2 and under are free). The holiday movie “The Muppet Christmas Carol” will be shown on the Big Green Screen at 12 pm and 3 pm. at no cost.

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.