You know what we need in Erie? A Sonic. For some reason, they play commercials in our area all the time yet the closest ones were in Pittsburgh and Akron. Actually, a new one just opened this past weekend in Parma, south of Cleveland. I hit it up over the weekend and it was cool. I think Erie would dig it, except maybe in January when its 3° and blowing snow.

Did you attend Senator Casey’s town hall meeting yesterday? If so, what was your experience?

A bit more about Tom Ridge, this time from Fox News:

Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said in an interview that he did not feel “pressure” from the Bush administration to raise the terror alert level before the 2004 presidential election, but that officials “expressed an opinion” different from his.

Ridge’s book goes on sale today.

You may remember Lisa Miceli of Meadville who made headlines last year for claiming that she had a relationship as well as a child with Michael Jordan (yes, that Michael Jordan). DNA tests have proven, shockingly, that Jordan was not the father. She even violated a restraining order by contact Jordan and his associates. This year, she sued MTV and others to stop the filming of Paris Hilton’s show “My New BFF” claiming it was her idea and that she has had a romantic relationship with a member of the Dubai royal family. She’s got a Twitter account.

Governor Edward G. Rendell today announced the following recent confirmations by the Senate, as well as other nominations and appointments he has made. Nicholas James Barcio of Erie has been named a student member of the Board of Governors of the State System of Higher Education. Marlene D. Mosco has been named to the Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission. All that is fine, but we still don’t have a state budget. #justsayin.

Sports

The Erie Seawolves won their last home game of the season, beating Altoona 4-3. If you want to catch the Wolves at home, you’ll have to wait until next year.

Senior Emily Warren of the No. 10 Mercyhurst College field hockey team has been selected as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division Player of the Week, announced Monday afternoon by PSAC league officials.

The Erie Otters are proud to name Paul Roper as the Media Relations Manager and Broadcaster. Roper spent the 2008-09 season with the Trenton Devils of the ECHL as their Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations. He was named to broadcast the 2009 ECHL All-Star Game in Reading, Pa. Previous to Roper’s time with Trenton, he was employed by the Newark Bears of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball as a Media Relations Assistant and Broadcaster.

Events

The Gem City Concert Band, the 45-member wind ensemble under the direction of Dr. Scott Tomlison and Assistant Conductor Brett Woomer, will be presenting the final outdoor concert of the summer tomorrow evening, Tuesday, September 1 from 7:00 – 8:30pm. We will be playing in the parking lot of St. John’s Lutheran Church at 2216 Peach Street, Erie PA. The weather is looking very promising, so bring your lawn chairs and a light jacket to enjoy the performance. (In case of rain, the concert will be held inside the St. John’s Parish Center.) There is plenty of off-street parking, including space for retirement center transportation. Some of the selections for the evening will include Phantom of the Opera (we promise to not cut it from the program this time!), Broadway in the 90s and America the Beautiful. The concert is free and open to the public. Free-will donations will be accepted.