Happy Friday. If you’re looking for something cool to do this weekend, check out the Thurston Classic in Meadville. Taking place at Allegheny College’s Robertson Field, beautiful hot air balloons will take the sky all weekend. Hopefully the weather will cooperate a bit. Last night was the night glow, and activities are schedule throughout the weekend.

President George Bush’s visit to Erie has been making headlines across the world. While not directly criticizing President Barack Obama, Bush did criticize the strategies of the new administration. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs responsed yesterday, saying “I think we’ve had a debate about individual policies. We had that debate in particular – we kept score last November and we won.”

More local layoffs yesterday, this time at Plastek Industries where 70 workers lost their jobs.

Another suspicious fire was found at Granada Apartments last night. This time, a fire was started in a trash can in the basement of one of the buildings. Seriously, what is going on over there? Have they installed all the safety items they were previously fined for not having?

The moderate blood shortage that began last weekend worsened this
week as more blood was transfused than was donated. Officials are worried about the weekend if this trend continues. What began as just a shortage of type A negative & O negative has now spread to other types as well. All donors are strongly encouraged to donate at the Community Blood Bank, 2646 Peach Street. Community Blood Bank is open from 9a.m. 6p.m. Monday through Friday and until 7:30pm Tuesday night and Saturday 9a.m.-12:30 p.m. Photo ID required.

REThink Erie has pushed back the anticipated opening date of the community college a year to September of 2011. This will give them time to complete their application.

If you want to apply to be a firefighter in the city of Erie, you must have your application in today. There is a $50 application fee and your materials must be notarized. 300 people have applied so far.

Tens of thousands of students across Pennsylvania will continue to benefit from quality nutrition services through the help of nearly $2.9 million in new grants to purchase food service equipment, Education Secretary Gerald L. Zahorchak said today. Here’s a list of schools in the Erie School District and what they will receive:

Wayne School – $8,873
Edison Elementary – $8,873
Pfeiffer-Burleigh School – $8,873
McKinley School – $8,873
Emerson-Gridley Elementary – $8,873
Wilson Middle School – $8,873
Irving School – $8,873
Diehl Elementary – $8,873
Lincoln School – $8,873
Glenwood Elementary – $8,873
Jefferson School – $8,873
Perry School – $8,873
JoAnna Connell School – $8,873

Could medical plastics processing be a shot in the arm for Pennsylvania’s ailing manufacturing sector? The Commonwealth thinks so, and has awarded funding for a new research initiative at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, to make the diagnosis. A $150,000 Keystone Innovation Zone Starter Kit grant will be used to help establish a Medical Plastics Research and Technology Center within the college’s School of Engineering. The Center will assist plastics processors interested in producing medical devices using multi-component molding and silicon rubber molding techniques—two potential growth areas in an industry that is otherwise contracting.

LECOM and the School of Pharmacy are proud to announce the opening of The Center for Drug Information and Research (CDIR), an innovative Internet based drug information service. CDIR is dedicated to improving public health by disseminating best evidence analyses and commentary on drugs and drug policy. The Center’s website is located at http://cdir.lecom.edu.

Studio potter Kurt Weiser gives new life to the centuries-old tradition of
painting china. His beautiful teapots and jars will be on view at the Erie Art Museum’s Main Gallery, 411 State Street, June 26 through Sept. 13, 2009. Eden Revisited: The Ceramic Art of Kurt Weiser is comprised of approximately 40 ceramic sculptures and several drawings illustrating Weiser’s signature style that fuses the art of ceramics with advanced china-painting techniques. Weiser’s porcelain vessels range from classically inspired lidded jars and teapots to unique mounted globes that are richly decorated with otherworldly imagery, full of allegorical and mythological references and lush landscapes.

Sports

The Seawolves beat the Portland Sea Dogs 5-1 in Portland last night. The Seawolves travel to New Hampshire to play tonight at 7:05 p.m.

Reigning Eastern League Pitcher of the Week, SeaWolves starter Alfredo Figaro, has been called up to the Detroit Tigers and will start on Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers. Figaro takes the spot of Dontrelle Willis who was placed on the disabled list, retroactive to June 15, with anxiety disorder.

The NBA Development League Erie BayHawks are pleased to announce the promotion of Matt Bresee to the position of team president. Bresee served as vice president of business operations for the team and his elevation to the top post is part of a planned transition that moves him into the top role. Bresee will be directly responsible to the ownership group for all marketing and business functions of the team. Sertz will remain with the BayHawks in a consultant and sales role during the transition this season.

Events

Singers ages 7 to 18 are invited to attend the first Young People’s Chorus of Erie summer choir camp this August. The camp will be held on the campus of Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, from August 3-7. Elementary-school singers ages 7 to 10 will be day campers and participate in choir activities from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. each day; singers ages 10 and older will live in a Penn State Behrend residence hall for the week.