Hoping for Spring?  Keeping hoping.  You can blame the groundhog for temperatures that are not supposed to get above 30 degrees today and tomorrow, 45 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday, and back down to the 30′s on Friday.

If you’re scoring at home, that’s an error on VisitErie in their new Erie video they promoted on YouTube last week. The very first slide of the video claims Erie was founded in 1896. That’s only about 121 years off. Erie was founded in 1795 (remember the big bicentennial we had in 1995?), the city itself was incorporated on April 14, 1851. That should probably be fixed. Also, why aren’t the Seawolves mentioned at all? There are few places better to spend a summer afternoon then the Uht.

The funeral for John Kanzius will be held today. The service will begin at 10:30 am at the Cathedral of St. Paul Episcopal, and burial will follow at Laurel Hill Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the John Kanzius Research Fund, Palace Business Center, 915 State St., Erie, PA 16501.

Jim Martin of the Erie Times-News had a story in yesterday’s Inc. section about local companies and groups using Twitter. Of course, if you’ve been reading ErieBlogs then you’ve known about Twitter for at least a few months now and probably used our Erie Twitter Guide to find interesting people and businesses to follow. We’re sure it was just some oversight that our Twitter feed and the guide were not included in the story.

Professional violinist Irene Cheng has been sharing her expertise with the orchestra students at McDowell High School this semester. Ms. Cheng is associate concertmaster with the Erie Philharmonic, as well as a violinist with Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and concertmaster of Buffalo’s Camerata di Sant’ Antonio Chamber Orchestra. She has been working with students on a weekly basis as her schedule allows, and has already improved the group’s sound.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has an article on the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) — a national repository for missing persons and unidentified decedents who have died and whose bodies have not been identified. As part of the story, the Post interviewed Joni Lapeyrouse, of Pensacola, Florida who has used the system to help find out what happened to her aunt, former Erie resident Nellie Florence Cornman Flickinger.

Congrats to all the teams that participated in this weekend’s Barstool Open. The event raised over $37,000 for MECA United Cerebral Palsy.

The Waldablog has posted a new photo of the park’s new Mega Disk-O ride set to open this summer. Check it out here.

Erie native Maria Sansone co-hosted live the countdown coverage last night for the Academy Awards.

Sports

The Erie Otters beat the Plymouth Whalers 7-4this past Saturday.  The Otters have one more away game Friday night against the London Knights before returning to Erie on Saturday to play the Ottawa 67s . Get your tickets here.

There will be an Erie Otters player appearance at the Taco Bell on lower Peach Street tomorrow from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

The Erie BayHawks held off a fourth quarter run by the Sioux Falls Skyforce to earn their sixth consecutive victory Saturday night at the Sioux Falls Arena. Four BayHawk players scored over 20 points in the 98-96 win. The ‘Hawks play another away game tonight against the Iowa Energy before returning to Erie this Thursday, February 26 to play the Dakota Wizards. Get your tickets here.

Events

Terrence Cavanaugh, the recently appointed president and CEO of Erie Insurance Group, will be the guest speaker at the Manufacturer and Business Association’s February Eggs ‘n’ Issues briefing, starting at 8 am Tuesday, February 24 at the Association’s Conference Center, 2171 West 38th Street at Pittsburgh Avenue. To register for this briefing, contact Tracy Shepard at (814) 833-3200 or (800) 815-2660. Cost is $30 for members, $60 for nonmembers.

The Women’s Round Table of Erie presents “Interesting Women Doing Interesting Things” by Atty Nadia Harvard at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, February 24 at the Erie Maennorchor Club, 1607 State Street in Erie, PA. The presentation will be on ethical wills. For reservations contact Hospitality Director, Jill Marince, (814) 392-1577.

Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, and LORD Corporation will host an information session for the LORD Scholarship Program—a unique program for students enrolled, or planning to enroll, in engineering, technical and science disciplines at Penn State Behrend. The information session will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at 7 p.m. in the Samuel P. “Pat” Black III Conference Center located in the Research and Economic Development Center (REDC) at Penn State Behrend. Parking will be available in the REDC deck located on Technology Drive, off Jordan Road.

State Representatives Michele Brooks (R – Crawford, Lawrence and Mercer), Pat Harkins (D – Erie), John Hornaman (D – Erie), Brad Roae (R – Crawford) and Flo Fabrizio (D – Erie) will address area business and community leaders during a legislative luncheon starting at noon Wednesday, February 25, at the Association’s Conference Center, 2171 West 38th Street. Registration begins at 11:45 a.m. The legislative panel will provide insight on issues such as health-care reforms, business taxes, labor laws and tort reform, and the 2009-10 state budget. Following their discussion, they will take part in a question-and-answer session. To register for this briefing, contact Tracy Shepard at 814/833-3200 or 800/815-2660. Cost is $30 for members; $60 for nonmembers; and includes lunch.

Upcoming Erie Concerts and Shows:

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.