Good news, iPhone owners. It looks like AT&T has finally turned on 3G coverage in the area. Though, according to Steve Platz, the new speeds leave a bit to be desired. From Twitter:

Brand new AT&T 3G speeds are terrible. 298 Kbps average = .19 times faster than Edge.

Let’s hope the slow speeds are due to bringing the system online and that they will improve. There’s additional feedback here.

Thomas and Tammy Jordan have been found guilty of third degree murder in the 1991 killing of Sabrina Kowal.

City of Erie police are search for the person responsible for leaving 2 bottle bombs on E. 7th Street yesterday. The bomb squad was called in. It’s not clear what sort of bottle bombs these were. A quick google search yielded several different types.

A bill sponsored by Rep. Jane Earll has been approved in the state senate. The bill, dealing with gaming in the state, includes reforms such as outlawing casino employees and officials from contributing to politicians and making Gaming Control Board members wait two years after leaving the board to take a job with a company that will work with the board.

Judy Miller, former superintendent of schools in North East has been hired by ReThink Erie to assist in developing plans and the application for the proposed community college.

Erie gets a quick shout out in this Engadget story. Writer Joseph Flatley, who we’re assuming is a local, writes this in the story:

When we were fifteen we were too busy smoking Winstons behind the Country Fair on Pennsylvania state route 99 to do anything of real value for society, so perhaps that’s why whenever we cover one of these “teenager does good” stories it’s with a slight tinge of regret.

The Manufacturer & Business Association (MBA) will host a public forum on cap-and-trade legislation at noon Tuesday, July 14, at the Manufacturer & Business Association Conference Center, 2171 West 38th Street.

Sports

A night after scoring 19 runs on 17 hits, the SeaWolves were shutout by the Altoona Curve, 1-0 on Wednesday night at Blair County Ballpark, ending a three-game winning streak.

We blogged last week about Mercyhurst’s experience at the prestigious Henley Regatta, and team coach Adrian Spracklen posted this to the school’s Facebook page.

I would like to thank everyone for their support of the rowing team competing at the Royal Henley Regatta. I do not have the words to give 160 year old regatta the justice it deserves, but I would like to share with you one of many memorable experiences we had. Leander Club is situated on the Henley course and is the most prestigious rowing club in the world. Whilst relaxing (in their very sharp looking Blazers with the Mercyhurst shield)after Sundays race, a high ranking official approached me and offered the rowers the opportunity to join the Leander club. Membership is usually only a privilege to those that have won at Henley, but members of the club were so impressed by these young men and the way they raced during the week, that they felt they were of the right ilk. It was indeed an honor. I was a very proud coach and Mercyhurst Alumni on the banks of the River Thames that day. Thank you.

Events

Grace Church is hosting a Leadership Summit live via satellite on August 6-7. Tony Blair, Bono, etc. Learn more here.

Chautauqua Institution’s annual Robert H. Jackson Lecture on the
Supreme Court of the United States will be given by former Solicitor General Paul Clement on Monday, July 13, 2009, at 4 p.m. at the Hall of Philosophy on the Chautauqua Institution grounds.