Man, was Saturday a beautiful day or what? Personally, we needed a bit of time away from the family and all the holiday stuff and took a long walk. Presque Isle was crowded and some people even got in a few holes of golf. For a second there, we almost thought it was April. We could have done without the very strong winds, which brought some branches down in various areas.
Thank you to everyone who entered our holiday gift certificate giveaway. We’re excited to give away three $25 gift certificates to Latino’s Restaurant and to George’s Restaurant. The three winners are Karen Paradise, Philip Rock and Joel Natalie. Congratulations! For the geeks out there, we used Random.org’s random number generator to pick the winners.
Please hum “Crazy Train” during this next sentence. On Saturday, a GE Transportation locomotive went a little too far on GE’s test track and got stuck and had to be lifted out of the muck.
Good news for local anglers. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a story about plans the PA Fish and Boat Commission has to restart a brown trout fishery to feed our area.
The battle between Greg Rubino and the enforcement group of the PA Gaming Control Board continues. Rubino wants to keep working with Presque Isle Downs, including selling some property to them. The Enforcement folks don’t want Rubino to do so. A hearing was held in November but there’s been no ruling yet. Ed Palatella of the Times-News has more. We’re still waiting for our property taxes to go down, as was promised to us by Harrisburg. Taxpayers = stunned.
LECOM faculty member Sunil Jambhekar was named pharmaceutics sections secretary for the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. Jambhekar is a professor at LECOM’s School of Pharmacy Bradenton campus, which is near St. Petersburg, Florida.
You may remember Frank Roylance who is a forecaster in Maryland and has blogged about Erie and the weather. Roylance was here over the Christmas break and commented how drastic the weather changes were from freezing temps to high 60’s. That’s Erie for you.
In a letter to Annie’s Mailbox, a syndicated column, there was this gem involving the Boston Store:
When I was a young girl back in the ’30s, my mother took me to Erie, Pa., for a treat – dinner at the Boston Store. We ordered pork chops, and I proceeded to chew on the bone. My mother discreetly whispered to me to put it back on my plate. In my loudest voice I said, “Why? We eat bones at home.” My lovely mother was mortified.
Sports
NFL:
The Pittsburgh Steelers punctuated a strong regular season with a 31-0 beatdown of the Cleveland Browns, who finish the season a very disappointing 4-12. If he hasn’t by the time you’re reading this, expect coach Romeo Crennel to be fired any moment now. Big scare for Steeler fans: QB Ben Roethisberger was carted off the field in the second quarter with a concussion. No word yet on his condition or if he will play in the Steelers playoff game in 2 weeks. The Steelers have a bye in the first round of the playoffs.
The Buffalo Bills lost to the New England Patriots 13-0 in a windy day in Buffalo. Bills fans must be bummed as well – the Bills came out on fire and fizzled about halfway through the season, finishing 7-9 for the third consecutive season.. After finishing 1-15 last year, the Miami Dolphins won the AFC East.
The Erie BayHawks beat the Reno Bighorns on Saturday 88-83. Erie’s Ivan Harris posted a game-high 30 points. Yesterday the BayHawks utilized a smothering defense to dominate the league leading Bakersfield Jam to win by a convincing 112 to 94 before a crowd of 2,850 at Tullio Arena. The BayHawks will hit the road for a New Year’s eve showdown with the Dakota Wizards. The game will air on Fox Sports Radio 1330 AM the Fan with the pre-game at 7:45 pm.
Erie Otters beat the Brampton Battalion 5-4 at the Powerade Centre, home of the Battalion.
The Mercyhurst women’s basketball team was unable to overcome a nine-point halftime deficit, falling 73-58 to Wisconsin-Parkside Sunday in the first game of the San Diego Surf ‘N Slam Classic.
The Gannon men’s basketball team, ranked No. 4 in the latest National Basketball Coaches Association (NABC)/Division II Top 25, continues a nine-game homestand by hosting the 35th annual Porreco Cup Monday, December 29 and Tuesday, December 30 at the Hammermill Center.
Events
The Erie Playhouse will hold its traditional New Year’s Gala concert December 31 at 7:30 p.m. wit a pre-show champagne and hors d’oeuvres reception will kick-off at 6:30 p.m. The Gala concert will feature highlights from the most produced and popular Erie Playhouse shows since opening night at their current West 10th Street location on December 31, 1983 – 25 years ago. Tickets are $35.
Jr’s Last Laugh will hold a New Years Party with live music with the M-80s, dancing, light appetizers, party hats and a champagne toast at midnight. There will also be a breakfast at 1:00 a.m. including french toast, pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, home fries, juice, and coffee. Tickets are $35 per person. Reservations required by calling (814) 461-0911. Jr’s is 100% smoke free.
The Zem Zem Shrine Club on 38th and Zuck will hold “2009 at the Shrine” New Years Eve Party on December 31, 2008. Entertainment includes Digital Thunder Mobile DJs and Dynamic Sounds with a light show, the area’s best entertainers, a huge projection screen with NYC ball drop, champagne toast, multiple full bars, and a full food menu. For more information visit the official website (beware of annoying audio ad that starts whether you want it to or not).
The Bayfront Convention Center presents “Boogie on the Bayfront,” to be held on New Year’s Eve, December 31. From 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., you can catch music by the band Redline, dancing, food, drink and free parking. Tickets are $40 per person and proceeds benefit the City of Erie Police and Fire departments. Here’s a flyer for the event.
Gannon University’s Schuster Gallery will host the exhibit “The Art and the Artist,” through January 16, 2009. The exhibit will feature the work of Vitus J. Kaiser who is a longtime art teacher in the Erie School District. A reception open to the public will be held from 3 – 6 p.m. on the opening day. The exhibit will be at the Schuster Gallery located in the Nash Library. For more information call (814) 871-5467.
Through December 31, turn your canned food into a FREE TAN & help those less fortunate this holiday. Sun Your Buns Tanning Salons have once again teamed up with the Second Harvest Food Bank this Holiday Season. Enjoy a FREE TAN with your canned food donation while helping to support a very needed and worth while cause in our community.
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.
