One of the programs slated to be cut in Gov. Rendell’s budget is the Governor’s School of Excellence program. Started in 1973, 15,000 students have attended one of the eight schools spread out across the state, including one at Mercyhurst College. We hope the program will be put back in the budget.
One of the other things in the budget was the plan to allow counties to add 1% to the sales tax. We’ll give you two guesses how long it will take for counties to jump all over that bad boy. Erie County Executive Mark DiVecchio is putting together a group of politicians and business leaders to study the feasibility of the tax. If the budget is approved at the state level, expect that tax increase.
From the “you’re doing it wrong” department: Christopher Sims, 25, of Erie was face charges he solicited a girl online who he though was 13 years old. He allegedly also sent nude webcam videos of himself. We wonder if Chris Hansen was there to break the bad news.
Channellock Inc, based in Meadville, will soon be switching to a four-day workweek. Workers will not make up the hours and will receive a 20% pay cut. Their benefits including health care will remain the same.
Anthony R. Kestle of Erie, has graduated from the State Police Academy in Hershey. He will report for duty at Troop E in Erie on February 16.
Speaking of police, they are looking for a six foot tall white man who robbed Cappiabianca Travel on State St. yesterday. The man didn’t show a weapon and made off with $300 in cash.
Sports
Ryan O’Reilly scored his third shoot out winning goal of the season to lead the Erie Otters to a 4-3 win over the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in an Ontario Hockey League game played last night in front of 3,157 at the Tullio Arena. Jaroslav Janus also shone in the shootout stopping all three Greyhounds attempts to go along with 32 saves in regulation and overtime.
Brian Shaw, Shawn Szydlowski and Tyler Hostetter scored in regulation for the Otters, who won their fourth straight to move to 27-23-2-0 on the season.
The Erie RiverRats are proud to announce three returnees to the team from 2009. Defensive back Sam Reynolds, fullback /nose guard Robert Hammer and linebacker/defensive end DaJuan Smith have all re-signed for the 2009 campaign.
The Erie Admirals amateur soccer club will field a team in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) in 2009. If you are interested in joining this team, tryouts are set for Friday and Saturday, February 6 and 7 and again on Friday and Saturday, March 6 and 7, 2009 at Family First Sports Park in Erie PA. You can learn more here. The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), is the successor of the Men’s Premier Soccer League (MPSL) which formed in 2002. In 2005, the league had been recreated into an expanded national league to accommodate teams from the Midwestern region, and in 2007 a Northeastern Region was added. In 2008, the National Premier Soccer League has become truly a national league with the addition of a Southeastern region. Each team plays a minimum of 10 to a maximum of 16 regular season games. The teams are comprised of players who play at the highest levels of soccer available to men.
Events
Gannon University’s Dahlkemper School of Business Administration will host a one-day fair for high school juniors and seniors interested in pursuing a business career. The School’s annual Business Day will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20. The event is free and open to high school juniors and seniors and their parents. It is designed to help them learn more about career opportunities in business and related fields, the programs and services offered by the Dahlkemper School, and what undergraduate students majoring in business can expect from their education.
Science journalist Dava Sobel, the award-winning author of the best-sellers Galileo’s Daughter and Longitude, will speak at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, this month. Sobel’s appearance is jointly sponsored by the college’s annual Speaker Series and the School of Science’s Open House Nights in Astronomy outreach program. Her presentation, titled “The Planets,” will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 26, in the Samuel P. “Pat” Black III Conference Center in the college’s Research and Economic Development Center (REDC). Admission is free and open to the public; parking will be available in the REDC deck located on Technology Drive, off Jordan Road.
Upcoming Erie Concerts and Shows:
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 Erie events list to see what’s coming up for the week and months ahead. If you would like your event posted here, please contact us via our online form.
