If you have a chance, please stop by the Community Blood Bank this week. Donors all week can win a box of stuff including a Country Fair Gas card, meals from Taco Bell, Ice cream from Ben & Gerry’s and a CBB sweatshirt, Polo shirt & even a coveted blood bank clock with 24 hour time!
U.S. District Judge Sean McLaughlin has ruled that Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong has recovered to the point that she could understand the charges against her and assist a lawyer in her defense in her trail as the ringleader of the Brian Wells murder.
If you call Lake Erie Biofuels, don’t be surprised if you hear another name. It was announced yesterday that their new name is HERO BX. And, yes, it’s all in capitals. Of note in their press release, HERO BX mentions they should be producing algae-based biofuels within five years and their support of the documentary, FUEL. (Yes, also in all caps.) The Algaeus, the algae-biofuel-powered plug-in Prius hybrid car, is coming to town is sponsored by the filmmakers of FUEL and another algae biofuel company.
First Niagara Financial Group said Tuesday it has completed its purchase of a set of National City branches in western Pennsylvania including Erie and Warren.
Giant Eagle is making ten broadly used generic prescription antibiotics in 46 common dosages available for free at all of its 210 in-store pharmacies including those in the Erie area. For more information, visit Giant Eagle’s website.
As part of a series of articles, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette highlighted the state’s efforts for problem gamblers has gotten off to a slow start. As part of the 2004 legislation that legalized slots in Pennsylvania, the law mandated $1.5 million be spent yearly into various programs including treatment. In 2008-2009 spending, less that $400,000 has been spent. Currently, Erie County does not have any counselors particpating in a state program where gambling addicts can get subsidized treatment.
LORD Corporation announced the $1 million expansion of a 1,000-square-foot production cell for Magneto-Rheological suspensions in their Cambridge Springs plant. The expansion is due to demand for the suspension in military vehicles and heavy-duty trucks.
Mercyhurst College received a grant from the National Science Foundation for $72,650 to purchase a new LI-COR Odyssey Infrared Imaging System. Mercyhurst plans on using the system in student and faculty research including using it to search for pathogens in the water around Presque Isle State Park.
The Regional Center for Workforce Excellence, fiscal agent of the EARN (Employment Advancement and Retention Network) Program proudly sponsored the Annual Local Management Committee (LMC) Luncheon Monday August 31, 2009 at the Riverside Inn in Cambridge Springs, PA. The Northwest Pennsylvania Local Management Committee (LMC) is comprised of Erie, Clarion, Crawford, Forest, Venango and Warren County Assistance Office Executive Directors, PA CareerLink Site Adminstrators, the Regional Center for Workforce Excellence, as fiscal agent, and various representatives from local education and economic development agencies.
More than 70 individuals attended the luncheon to honor participants of the EARN Program (facilitated by the Saint Benedict’s Education Center) and the Work Ready Program (facilitated by the Community Action Agencies). Twelve awards were given to outstanding individuals in the region who have demonstrated their ability to rise above hardship through education, training and employment.
The Bayfront Convention Center got a mention for The Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Association’s trade show in the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin mentioning ‘record participation’ in the event. Also of note, the article mentions a patch of natural gas in New York’s Southern Tier referred to as The Marcellus Shale that many companies including local area companies are looking to capitalize on.
Prior to 1910, a wedding dress was not necessarily white. In 1874, Emma Rockwell Luce of Girard wore a plaid taffeta dress for her wedding. If someone else is going to pull off a plaid dress for their wedding, please let us know because I have a feeling that wedding is going to be a lot of fun.
Sports
The Erie RiverRats announced yesterday that Shawn Liotta has agreed to return for his third season as the team’s Head Coach and Director of Football Operations in 2010. Also, the RiverRats said they will announce “important things” including the introduction of the full investor group.
Gannon men’s and women’s soccer were at California University of Pennsylvania yesterday for the start of PSAC play. The men won 4-1 while the women weren’t as lucky as they lost 3-1 to the nationally ranked team.
Gannon women’s volleyball hosted Lake Erie College and won 3-0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-23.)
Mercyhurst men’s soccer will be hosting Ohio Valley today at 4pm.
This past Saturday, Lake Erie Speedway wrapped up their 2009 season with their Championship Night.
Former Edinboro wrestler Donald Walker is profiled in Stars and Stripes about his current experience as a wide receiver with the Stuttgart Scorpions of the German Football League. Walker is a US Army morale, welfare and recreation marketing specialist in Germany and his father is a former Edinboro wrestler as well.
Senior Sarah Shinn placed first, Junior Kat Zimmerly placed fifth, and Senior Claire Everhart placed sixth in Ohio Wesleyan University woman’s cross-country tri-meet against Kenyon College and Denison University last week. All are products of General McLane.
On September 3rd, Sophomore Courtney Mercier scored the first goal of her collegiate career to help the University of Michigan women’s soccer team to a 4-3 victory over Central Michigan. Courtney is a graduate of McDowell.
Alfred University women’s tennis team defeated SUNY Brockport 5-4 last Saturday. Alfred got a singles win from Sophomore Griffin Currie, a graduate of Mercyhurst Prep.
Also last Saturday, Youngstown State football lost 38-3 against Pitt. Junior kicker Stephen Blose, a graduate of Harborcreek, scored a field goal for the Penguins.
IUP Junior wide receiver Javon Rowan had a touchdown in IUP football’s victory over CW Post on Saturday. Senior defensive back Andre Henderson also had nine tackles. Rowan is a graduate of Catherdral Prep and Henderson is a graduate of Strong Vincent. IUP has 6 players with Erie connections.
Events
Doing a quick search of concerts listed as coming to Erie but not advertised include the Creation Festival Tour with Jars of Clay at First Assembly of God on October 17th and Darius Rucker of Hootie and the Blowfish fame and current country music success at the Warner Theatre on November 11th.
Tickets are on sale for this year’s season of events at the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center at Mercyhurst College. Some fantastic things are in store including Live from NY’s 92nd Street Y series, live broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera in HD, dancing, jazz, movies, and much more. Visit the D’Angelo Performing Arts Center website for more information. (By the way, all of the films coming are excellent but I highly recommend Moon, In the Loop, and Joyeux Noel.)
Master potter and painter Kurt Weiser will conduct a free workshop at the Erie Art Museum’s ClaySpace, 1505 State Street, 3rd Floor today at 6 p.m. Weiser will demonstrate his clay and glazing techniques in conjunction with his Erie Art Museum Main Gallery exhibition Eden Revisited: The Ceramic Art of Kurt Weiser on view through September 13, 2009. Also, Weiser will host a free gallery talk discussing his works and painting style and technique at the Erie Art Museum’s Main Gallery, 411 State Street, on Thursday, September 10, 2009 at 8 p.m.
On Monday, September 14, at 4:30 p.m., Penn State Behrend will open its new Economics and Liberty Lecture Series with Dr. Scott Beaulier at the Black Conference Center located on the first floor of the Research and Economic Development Center (REDC). Beaulier, an assistant professor of economics at Mercer University, will give the presentation, “A Tale of Two Countries: The Economic Experiences of Botswana and Zimbabwe.” The lecture is free and open to the public. Parking is available in the REDC parking deck on Technology Drive or in the Junker Center lot.
The Erie Irish Festival will be held on September 18, 19 and 20 at Rainbow Gardens. Festival hours are 5-10:30 p.m. on Friday, 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday. The Irish Great Mass will take place on Sunday, Sept. 20 at 10 a.m. in Rainbow Gardens. Admission is $3 with a canned/dry good donation to help support St. Patrick Food Bank or $5 without donation. Children under 16 are free.
H.W. Brands will kick off Mercyhurst College’s year long series entitled “Fear Itself: The Great Depression, The New Deal and Today’s Search for Economic Security” with a lecture on Thursday, September 24. Brands was recently selected by President Barack Obama for his insight on the current economic situation.
