The Federal Reserve has formally approved PNC Bank‘s plan to purchase National City Bank based out of Cleveland, Ohio. With the acquisition, PNC will be the 8th largest depository institution in the U.S. As we blogged last week, PNC is required to sell 61 National City branches, including locations in Erie, Crawford and Warren counties.

Troyer Farms will be sold to the Lancaster-based Bickel’s Snack Foods with the deal to be final at the end of this year.  Bickel’s was bought by Hanover Foods in 1998.  (Hanover formerly owned Snyder’s brand.)  The Waterford based potato chip and snack maker has been a part of the Erie community for years and it appears it will remain that way with no plans to move or close.

Accuride Corporation has announced plans to significantly reduce its fixed costs. The company will close its Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio plant and shift all its manufacturing to its Erie plant. Accuride is one of the largest suppliers of commercial vehicle components in North America.

A female student at East High School was arrested for cutting another student with a box cutter. The victim is being treated at a local hospital and the assailant will be charged as an adult and will most likely be expelled from school.

The Parade Street revitalization project is set to begin after the official groundbreaking ceremony was held yesterday with a number of local officials. The $2.3 million dollar project is mostly cosmetic with improvements to sidewalks, curbs, and new lighting.

The “Season of Giving” continues at the Community Blood Bank.  This week is Smith’s Provision week and Tuesday, the first 60 donors get Smith’s newest product, Ham Steaks. These fully cooked pre-sliced Ham Steaks are delicious and very easy to prepare. In 2006, Smith Provision won a national competition with this ham as they placed FIRST out of 506 entries for taste and quality. Donors all week long can enter to win a beautiful gift basket worth over $250 put together by Smith’s Provisions featuring some of their old favorites and more. This package can be sent Fedex any place in the US.

We blogged about it last Friday, but Mercyhurst College has officially announced that WMCE will be switching to an all-jazz format next year.

The Erie Philharmonic and its musicians have agreed to a new contract. The five year contract calls for annual wage hikes and an increase in travel reimbursements as many of the orchestra members travel here from other cities to practice and perform. . That’s music to our ears. I’m telling you – sometimes this stuff writes itself.

New York Governor David Paterson signed a bill into law that now taxes cigarettes sold by Native Americans. Erie residents up until recently would travel to Salamanca to purchase cigarettes in order to get the best price possible.

Sports

In Monday Night Football, the Philadelphia Eagles easily handled the Cleveland Browns, winning by a score of 30-10. The Browns play Cincinatti at home next week, then finish the season on the road at playoff-bound Pittsburgh.

The Erie BayHawks play the Dakota Wizards this Thursday in another home game at the Tullio.  Friday the Hawks are on the road and play the Fort Wayne Mad Ants who they narrowly beat this past weekend.

The Otters are home this weekend playing the Guelph Storm on Friday, and the Sudbury Wolves on Saturday.

Sophomore Amy Achesinski made a put-back layin with four seconds remaining to give the Mercyhurst women’s basketball team a 54-53 win over Le Moyne Monday at Ted Grant Court. Achesinski and senior Stephanie Prischak powered the Lakers’ late 9-4 surge that culminated in Achesinski’s game-winning bucket.

Edinboro University freshmen Renee’ Brown (Pittsburgh, PA/Mount Alvernia Catholic) and Micki Cerchiaro continue to dominate the PSAC West Women’s Basketball Rookie of the Week award. Brown captured the award the first week of the season and was named the PSAC West Rookie of the Week for this past week. Cerchiaro has also earned the award twice.

Gannon’s Chris Murphy (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) has been named to the 2009 Valero Cactus Bowl East team announced Monday afternoon. The senior lineman becomes the fourth Golden Knight to play in the all-star game and first since David Levens played in the event when it was called the Snow Bowl in 1995. John Blanks and Mike Palermo participated in the 1994 all-star game.
Denayne Dixon of Edinboro was also selected for the game.

Events

Lorenzo Simonelli, president and CEO of GE’s Transportation business, will be the guest speaker at the Manufacturer & Business Association’s December Eggs ’n’ Issues briefing this morning starting at 8 a.m. at the Association’s Conference Center, 2171 West 38th Street at Pittsburgh Avenue. All media are invited to attend.

Victorian Holidays will be on display in the Watson-Curtze Mansion at 356 West Sixth Street, and will include traditionally decorated trees, seasonal workshops for children and adults, lectures, and elegant Victorian teas. Victorian Holidays will run until December 28 on Wednesdays through Saturday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sundays 1 – 4:00 p.m. The cost of museum admission is $4 for adults, $3 for seniors, and a whopping $2 for children.

The Roar on the Shore Board of Directors will formally present the proceeds of the 2008 Roar on the Shore® bike rally to administrators at the Shriners Hospitals for Children – Erie, during a press conference at 9 a.m. this Thursday at the Shriners hospital, 1645 West Eighth Street.

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.