Carhartt Carl has been caught! The man suspected of robbing 12 banks in Pennsylvania and Ohio, including a recent hold-up of a Cleveland branch National City Bank this past Monday, has been arrested. The FBI report that 33-year-old Kenneth Gibson of Cleveland was charged in Monday’s holdup and is suspected to be the same robber that held up two banks here in Erie.

Please have fun and be careful out there tonight. Call the Care Cab if you need a ride, don’t drink and drive. Down in the events section you can find a bunch of different stuff going on. Also, make sure you defrost your pork and sauerkraut for New Year’s Day.

Quick question – who paved the parking lots at Target? We were driving there yesterday and man, that lot’s a disaster full of gigantic potholes that tried to eat Mike’s car.

As their holiday leave comes to an end, the 56th Stryker Brigade is readying to head to Iraq. Good luck over there and thanks for serving.

Millcreek Township supervisors have passed a 2009 budget that includes no tax increases. There will be services cut and positions will not be filled as they open up.

Several groups have been approved for gaming revenue funding. The funds were collected in 2007 and will go to many organizations and community organizations. CelebrateErie received the most money, over $36,000. Also receiving monies were the Millcreek 4th of July Parade, Erie’s 4th of July fireworks, Key West Fest, Stairways Arts for Wellness program, Lake Erie Fanfare, Erie Chamber Orchestra and the Erie Downtown Partnership.

Starting January 1, all cigarettes sold in Pennsylvania must be “fire-safe.” If left unattended, it will put it itself out, which in theory should stop fires. Joe Camel = stunned.

In the wake of Daniel Hill resigning his seat on the PA Game Commission’s board of directors so he may join the staff of congresswoman-elect Kathy Dahlkemper, the state is now looking to fill the position. The Governor’s Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing and Conservation is seeking a qualified candidate to represent northwestern counties on the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s board of directors. Individuals interested in applying should send a resume and detailed cover letter explaining their desire to serve to Robb Miller, Governor’s Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing and Conservation, Rachel Carson State Office Building, 400 Market St., 7th Floor, P.O. Box 8767, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8767.

A new national wildlife refuge in eastern Pennsylvania has been approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The refuge spans Monroe and Northampton counties, near Allentown, Pa. There are only two other wildlife refuges in Pennsylvania including the Erie National Wildlife Refuge near Meadville, Pa.

Sports

The Erie BayHawks will play the Dakota Wizards in Bismark, North Dokota tonight. The Hawks will then play the Sioux Falls Skyforce on Friday and Saturday in South Dakota.

The Erie Otters will play the Niagara IceDogs tonight in Ontario and will return to the Tullio on Friday to play the Brampton Battalion, and on Saturday the Kitchener Rangers. On Saturday, January 3rd, 2009 the Erie General Electric FCU and the Erie Otters will be teaming up for an Otters Game again! The doors open at 6:30pm and the first 1,000 fans through the door will receive a special giveaway from EGEFCU and the Otters! Don’t forget we will have discounted tickets that will be sold at each of our Erie General Electric FCU branches for $8.50 beginning November 10th, 2008 for adults and kids! The normal ticket price is $11.50 at the door.

The Mercyhurst women’s basketball team dropped a 70-60 decision to UMass-Lowell Tuesday in their second game of the San Diego Surf ‘N Slam Classic. Amy Achesinski and Stephanie Prischak were named to the Surf Division All-Star Team for Mercyhurst, while Megan Berry and Jen Valente were honored for UMass-Lowell.

The annual Pittsburgh Pirates caravan will hit Erie and Meadville on January 28. They will appear at Dick’s Sporting Goods at the Millcreek Mall from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Coaches, players and broadcasters are expected to attend. The team hasn’t had a winning season in 16 years.

The Gannon women’s basketball team traveled a long way to make a loud statement to the rest of the Atlantic region Monday evening. The Lady Knights led from start to finish and routed 15th-ranked Shippensburg 72-45 at the Grand Canyon Classic played at Skyline High School in Mesa, Arizona.

The Edinboro men’s basketball team tasted defeat for the first time on Tuesday night, as the 23rd-ranked Fighting Scots dropped an 85-83 decision at Alderson-Broaddus. Edinboro is now 8-1, with the loss snapping the longest winning streak since 1989-90. Alderson-Broaddus is 7-1.

The Edinboro wrestling team turned in an outstanding showing in the 2008 Southern Scuffle but had to settle for second place in the two-day event.

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.