Erie Insurance reached the milestone of four million policies in force after reaching 3 million policies in force just eight years ago in 2001. Erie Insurance has been in business for 83 years and is a Fortune 500 company.  According to A.M. Best Company, Erie Insurance is the 16th largest automobile insurer and the 21st largest property/casualty insurer in the United States. Congratulations to Erie Insurance for the milestone — especially in this economy.

GE Transportation announced yesterday that it has been awarded a $15.5 million contract from the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District in San Francisco, Ca., to provide a new advanced communications and information system. The project includes a public safety radio communications component, automatic vehicle location, transit fleet mobile data, new computer-aided bus dispatch systems and new real-time announcement and information systems for riders. Very impressive.  The project begins this month and is scheduled to last two years.

WJET has a story about how the people of Erie are tired of snow. Shocker: there’s like 4 more months of winter yet.

If you get WICU over the air – good news. They will be broadcasting the Super Bowl in high definition. If you receive WICU by cable (either from Time Warner or Armstrong), you’re already set. Once you watch football (or any sport for that matter) in HD, you’ll never want to go back.

City of Erie firefighters finally have a new contract since the previous one expired just over a year ago. In an economy where most people are experiencing pay freezes or worse, losing their jobs, city firefighters will get at least a 3.5% pay increase retroactive to last last year and for the for the next 3 years. However, this is the first time they will have to contribute toward their health insurance.  The contract negotiations, which involved an arbitrator, will require the hiring of additional fire fighters.

The Erie School District will be installing additional metal detectors for all of the city high schools and middle schools because of the recent spate of violence at East High School.  Of course this will cost a lot of money to implement.  Our humble suggestion: start off with East High School and monitor the other schools.  It seems like the district is overcompensating for dropping the ball at East.

Local attorney Damon Hopkins has announced his candidacy for Erie County Judge now that John Bozza will not seek re-election.

The deal to transfer the Erie Golf Course to Millcreek has been delayed. Members of the airport authority wanted to further review some language in the contract. It will now go back to the lawyers.

Today, there will be a hearing in Erie to determine whether the retrial of Pittsburgh pathologist Cyril Wecht will move to Erie. The government wants to move the trial due to media coverage in the Pittsburgh area, where Wecht is a bit of a celebrity.

VisitErie reports tax revenue of $130,115 for December or 2008. Compared to December of 2007, revenues were down 3%. VisitErie gets a part of that revenue and so far in FY08 they’ve raised $297,182.

Sports

The Erie Otters will won against host Niagara IceDogs 5-3 last night.  The Otters are back in Erie tonight to play the Oshawa Generals and tomorrow against the Guelph Storm. Get your tickets here.

Tonight the Erie BayHawks play the Anaheim Arsenal and Saturday they play against the Bakersfield Jam. The BayHawks are on the road until February 4th before returning to the Tullio to play the Idaho Stampede. Get your tickets here.

The Gannon women’s water polo team remained 10th in the first Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Top 10 regular-season poll released Thursday afternoon. The Lady Knights were also tabbed 10th in the preseason poll.

Events

The Main Street Grille and Brewing Co located in Garrettsville, Oh. (between Cleveland and Youngstown) will hold a beer festival on Saturday. In addition to beer from Main Street and other Ohio breweries, there will be a large representation of Erie area breweries including the Blue Canoe Brewery in Titusville, Brewerie at Union Station and the Erie Brewing in Erie, and the Voodoo Brewery in Meadville. Saturday’s festival will have two separate two-hour sessions, beginning at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. The cost is $20 in advance and $30 at the door. Participants will receive a 5-ounce sampling glass. For reservations or more details, call 330-527-3663 or online.

Upcoming Erie Concerts and Shows:

Feb. 3: Harlem Globetrotters (tickets)
Feb. 13: The Temptations, Warner Theatre (tickets)
Feb. 19: Jerry Seinfeld, Warner Theatre (tickets)
Feb. 22: Rain (Beatles Cover Band), Warner Theatre (tickets)
March 7: Motley Crue w/ Hinder, Last Vegas, Theory of a Deadman, Tullio Arena (tickets)
March 22: New Kids on the Block, Tullio Arena (tickets on sale 1/24)
March 29: Comedian Lewis Black, Warner Theatre (tickets)

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.