DNA tests on the body found inside the burned down home on W. 29th Street have concluded that it was indeed Robert Daniels, 42, as police had suspected. On January 6, Daniels barricaded himself in the home after firing shots at police and set the house on fire.
Remember when we blogged a couple of weeks ago about the vehicle that was pulled over on I-79 after other motorists noticed a person in the car was waving a gun. WJET is reporting that Erie District Judge Tom Carney was detained as part of that stop. Carney and his legal counsel are saying that Carney was the victim of a road rage incident in Mercer County. From JET:
“What he did was, with his thumb and forefinger, take a licensed pistol, permitted to him and held it up with his thumb and forefinger. Judge Carney did not point a gun. He knows better. Judge Carney has to deal with people who do that every day. He wouldn’t be doing anything like that, he was trying to get himself out of a situation.”
We hope Carney made this noise while holding the gun: “pew pew pew.” Say that out loud, it’s much funnier.
A 15-year-old male has turned himself into Erie police to meet with police and DA Brad Foulk regarding the shooting this week at an East High basketball game. No charges have been filed and the boy’s name has not been released.
We reported yesterday that the Polakowski family of Erie is suing the Ohio State University after their son, Andrew Polakowski, was killed in a dormitory elevator accident in 2006. You can read the 9 page complaint filed by the family here [PDF]. Attorney S.E. Riley, Jr. of Conner Riley Friedman & Weichler of Erie is representing the family in the matter with assistance from Cleveland, Ohio counsel Spangenberg, Shibley & Liber. Although reports state that the family is seeking more than $50,000 in the law suit, the final amount could be much more (in the millions?). Here’s an excerpt from the complaint:
Andrew was either the last or one of the last persons to enter the elevator car, and as he did so, without any warning or notice and with both doors open, the elevator car began to fall or drop down the hoist way. Andrew attempted to step off the elevator, but as he did, the upper torso of his body was caught and pinned between the top of the interior of the elevator car and the threshold of the third floor landing.
[Emergency personnel] opened the outside or lobby doors to the elevator which were against both sides of Andrew’s body and found that the interior doors to the elevator car were completely open and the car was stopped between the third and second floors. Andrew was unresponsive and the firemen were unable to move his body. He was declared dead.
It appears a lot of thought and preparation was put into the complaint, detailing in 36 sub-paragraphs why the University was negligent in operating the elevator. The complaint is also notably devoid of sensationalism. One of the two claims brought in the law suit is for wrongful death which has a two year statute of limitations and it has been more than two years since Andrews death. During previous discussions, the University agreed to extend the period in which the family could sue.
At last night’s EDCEC’s Employer of the Year dinner, Accuride and St. Vincent Health System were recognized as employers of the year. Congratulations to both companies. One commenter to this site had this to say about the event:
One little nit to pick. The GEIDC often misrepresents the affair as if all companies in Erie are evaluated for the honors. Truthfullly, the only qualification for recognition is that your company simply utilized grants or loans or other services provided by the GEIDC. Therefore, all the great Erie companies that invested their own hundreds of thousands of dollars in new facilities and machinery and who added employees ( like the company I work for ) were not eligible for any recognition. Not a huge issue but the GEIDC should really try to be clear on what they are saying to the press and to the community.
With state and local budgets a general mess, one place that could see funding cuts soon is Presque Isle State Park. These cuts could include half the staff of the park, which will affect areas such as maintenance and lifeguards. We recommend a giant tip jar in the way in and out of the park.
The ETN reported that a Wattsburg man was picked up by state police for drunk driving on I-90 yesterday. How were police able to spot him? He was only traveling 20 m.p.h. on the interstate where the posted speed limit is 65 m.p.h. Brilliant.
Mark your calendars – the 2009 BaySwim is scheduled for June 27. Swimmers will swim from Presque Isle to the Erie Yacht Club. Last year, 175 people took part in the swim.
Governor Rendell signed a bill into law yesterday that is designed to allow law enforcement to better track the illegal trade in scrap metal, and reduce scrap-metal theft in Pennsylvania. Under the new law, scrap processors and recycling facilities must maintain records on all transactions of more than $100 and keep those records for two years. In addition, the law prohibits scrap processors and recycling facility operators from purchasing certain materials other than from commercial sellers. Those materials include items that are often stolen and illegally sold to scrap processors, such as beer kegs and detached catalytic converters. The legislation was originally introduced by state Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski of Luzerne county.
The Governor’s Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing and Conservation is seeking qualified candidates to fill an upcoming vacancy on the board of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission in District One, which includes Erie, Crawford, and other surrounding counties. Currently the district is represented by Samuel M. Concilla of North East whose 8 year term expires in June. In order to qualify as a commissioner, the applicant must be a resident of the district and be well-informed on the subjects of conservation, restoration, fishing, and boating. While commissioners are not compensated, they do receive a travel reimbursement. Individuals interested in applying for this seat should send a resume with a detailed cover letter and mailed to Robb Miller, 7th Floor – Rachel Carson State Office Building, P.O. Box 8767, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8767.
Catch a movie this weekend. New movies include Inkheart, Revolutionary Road, and Underworld: Rise of the Lycans.
Sports
The BayHawks lost to the Sioux Falls SkyForce last night by a score of 101-86. This weekend the ‘Hawks play against the Iowa Energy on Saturday and Sunday nights at 7 p.m. Get your tickets here.
The Ontario Hockey League announced today that Ryan O’Reilly of the Erie Otters has been selected to play for the Western Conference at the 2009 OHL All-Star Classic. The Erie Otters will be away for four games and won’t return until next weekend. Here’s the away schedule: tonight against host Kingston Frontenacs; Saturday the 24th against host Belleville Bulls; Sunday the 25th host Ottawa 67s, and; Thursday the 29th against host Niagara IceDogs.
Mercyhurst student-athletes Bryan Boyce and Taylor Hilinski have been named Fall Top Ten Award winners by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, league officials announced today.
Penn State Behrend’s men’s basketball squad picked up an important league win on Thursday night against the La Roche Redhawks in the Junker Center in front of 344 fans.
The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference today announced its Fall 2008 Top 10 award recipients, with a pair of Edinboro University student-athletes among the ten honorees. Quarterback Trevor Harris (Waldo, OH/Marion Pleasant) was named to the Top 10 for the second straight year, one of three repeat winners from last year. Ashley Jones (Erie, PA/Fairview), a member of the women’s soccer team, was also selected.
Events
Upcoming Erie Concerts and Shows:
Feb. 3: Harlem Globetrotters (tickets)
Feb. 19: Jerry Seinfeld (tickets / use code COMEDY or FUNNY)
March 7: Motley Crue w/ Hinder, Last Vegas, Theory of a Deadman (tickets)
March 22: New Kids on the Block (tickets on sale 1/24)
The Erie Art Museum will exhibit The Notebooks of Frank Novel beginnig on January 23. Self taught artist Frank Novel has been relentlessly filling notebooks with page after page of detailed drawings for more than two decades. In a unique and personal way, Novel’s work exemplifies the universal human urge to create. In the Frame Shop Gallery.
The Shiloh Baptist Church Choir, under the direction of Frederick Dixon, will perform a concert in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on Sunday, Jan. 25, at 4 p.m., in St. Mary’s Chapel at Mercyhurst North East, 16 West Division Street, North East. A reception will follow. The concert is free and open to the public. Call (814) 725-6277 for more information.
The drum and bugle corps, Lake Erie Thunder, will hold its first rehearsal on Sunday, January 25th at East High School from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Brass players and percussionists are invited to attend. Camp fee is $15. Click here for more information.
Mayor Joe Sinnott will address the direction of the City of Erie, during a legislative luncheon with area business and community executives at noon Wednesday, January 28, at the Manufacturer and Business Association’s Conference Center, 2171 West 38th Street. Registration begins at 11:45 a.m. All media are invited to attend. To register for this briefing, contact Tracy Shepard at 814/833-3200 or 800/815-2660.
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.
Pew pew Pew! that was the best laugh I've had in a long time! When he gets really angry he throws bullets at you.
“What he did was, with his thumb and forefinger, take a licensed pistol, permitted to him and held it up with his thumb and forefinger.”
Check the state concealed weapon permit regulations – You are not allowed to draw or even show your weapon unless you are convinced you are in MORTAL danger – in a car going down the highway is not mortal danger –
Even if you are carrying a concealed weapon – and you get into a fistfight – it is a fistfight – you cannot draw unless you are convinced that unless you use deadly force you are going to die.
This should be filed n the guilty column as an intimidation or terroristic threat, but we will see –
“Pew Pew Pew” is that the sound of his gun or the smell of the situation if he get off?
You can show your weapon, you just cannot draw or “brandish” it as the judge did.
PA is an open carry state. Anyone can carry a holstered pistol in the open with or without a permit.
“In Pennsylvania, persons 18 years of age and older whom are not prohibited by law from owning firearms may openly carry a handgun in plain sight with no license except in vehicles*, cities of the first class** (Philadelphia) and where prohibited specifically by statute.
Open carry in a vehicle requires a valid PA License to Carry Firearms (LTCF) or a carry license from ANY other state. Ref: Title 18 §6106″
I have known many law enforcement officials – that will tell you – If you brandish or show the weapon to intimidate for what ever reason – you are in fact committing a crime. Go ahead – Try it. Someone gets your license and reports you – I bet you do time.
http://www.pafoa.org/law/carrying-firearms/open…
While Pennsylvania has a specific law that requires a License To Carry Firearms for the concealed carry of a firearm, and the carry of firearms in vehicles, the law is silent on the legality of openly carrying a firearm in other situations, making it de-facto legal.
There is however a law that requires a License To Carry Firearms to carry either way in “cities of the first class”, which as defined by law is only the city of Philadelphia.
18 Pa.C.S. § 6108: Carrying firearms on public streets or public property in Philadelphia
* No person shall carry a firearm, rifle or shotgun at any time upon the public streets or upon any public property in a city of the first class unless:
o (1) such person is licensed to carry a firearm; or
o (2) such person is exempt from licensing under section 6106(b) of this title (relating to firearms not to be carried without a license).
To summarize, open carry is legal in Pennsylvania without a License To Carry Firearms except in “cities of the first class” (Philadelphia) and vehicles where a License To Carry Firearms is required to do so.
With that said, we would like to point out that there is much debate among firearm owners about whether openly carrying firearms is really a good idea. While we will leave that choice to the individual we will state that in many urban areas (namely Philadelphia) doing so will draw unwanted attention from law enforcement that may include (but not be limited to) the following repercussions:
1. Being stopped and questioned by law enforcement.
2. Having your License To Carry Firearms seized and sent back for revocation.
3. Being arrested either improperly or for other charges like disturbing the peace or creating a public nuisance.
While this may not happen should you choose to carry openly, many urban law enforcement officers we have talked to have expressed a very negative opinion towards the idea. Some have suggested that law enforcement will do everything in their power to make your life difficult should you choose to.
BTW – I loved the hidden link – “Pew Pew Pew” – LMAO!!