The Gannon Women’s Basketball Team’s “Sixth Annual Free-Throw-A-Thon” is also right around the corner. This year, the Golden Knights will be traveling to play in the Disney Tipoff Classic in Orlando, Florida as well as the North Star Invitational in Alaska Fairbanks. The proceeds from this year’s Free-Throw-A-Thon will be used to assist with travel [...]

In October 1984, the Pennsylvania Wilderness Act designated Hickory Creek and Allegheny Islands as Wilderness Areas in the Allegheny National Forest, forever protecting these special places in their natural condition for future generations to use and enjoy. One of America’s most unique folksingers and backcountry travelers, Walkin’ Jim Stoltz (http://www.walkinjim.com), on tour from the mountains [...]

Say a prayer today if you get a chance. Sean Wiley, director of administration for Erie County, is leaving his position to work for St. Vincent Hospital. According to the Erie Times-News, Wiley will serve as a liaison between the hospital and surgeons. Pulakos 926 Chocolates has been sold to Joseph Hilbert, who previously worked [...]

While visiting University of Dallas I captured this image of my daughter.

Let’s Play As a child, I often went to movies in downtown Erie at the Warner or at a place with a name many people will not recognize – The Strand.  Now, as an adult, at least once a year… I try to get to the Erie Playhouse.  Same building, different name.  Last night, I [...]

When people who used to live here talk to us or send us emails, they often say one of the things they miss most about Erie are the Smith’s hot dogs. Some people like the skinless and some really like the natural casing ones. No matter which one you nom on at a picnic, they’re [...]

  The Erie County United Way kicked off its 2009 fundraising campaign today.  The agency hopes to match last year’s contributions of 5.7 Million dollars, but the sagging economy may constitute a problem.  The fund drive runs through November.  33 agencies and 100,000 people were served last year. On Tuesday, employees with the Mental Health [...]

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 [...]

Under a murky sky, in the ruins of a war-ravaged future, humanity carries on in the form of nine tiny, burlap-skinned doll-people. These little homunculi have camera-lens eyes & zippers running up their bellies where they’ve been implanted with human consciousness. They have numbers on their backs, & the last of the line is the [...]

They’re almost home! Late Monday night, nearly 400 Cambridge Springs-based National Guard Stryker troops stepped foot on U.S. soil for the first time in almost nine months. The troops should be arriving in Cambridge Springs next week. Check out the Meadville Tribune for more details.

Our oldest son is a musician and just graduated from the University of Pittsburgh. I created this image as part of an announcement for a small concert. It’s one of my favorites. You can also view this photo on our website in the Portrait Galleries …

We hope you enjoyed your Labor Day Weekend. Even though summer is unofficially over, there is still plenty to do in town. If you have some time this week, you can check out the Waterford Fair, which runs through next Saturday. We don’t understand all the hubbub about the President of the United States addressing [...]

ErieBlogs.com is teaming up with DiningVerse to give away two $50 gift certificates to any restaurant listed in DiningVerse.

First some introduction is in order: I’m Joel Natalie, an old school, old media guy who has been playing in the new media space since 1996, when I launched Erie’s first radio station website for WCTL. Since 2005 I’ve been a regular blogger on my Radio Free JoJo blog, and for Press and Tower, the [...]

While on a national book tour, Tom Ridge will stop home to talk about his book: Test of our Times, Wednesday, September 16, at the Avalon Hotel. The breakfast is open to the public and presented by the Rotary Club of Erie. The talk will center on Ridge’s account of his up-close and personal journey [...]

Happy Labor Day! The first Labor Day in the United States was celebrated on September 5, 1882 in New York City. ErieBlogs.com is teaming up with DiningVerse to give away two $50 gift certificates to any restaurant listed in DiningVerse. DV is cool because they’re based in Erie, and the guys and gals there are [...]

Well, it’s the last weekend of summer, which means its your last chance to do things like swim at Presque Isle, ride the Ravine Flyer II and more. The weather should be great so get out there. If you want some great food, beer and music, check out the German Fest. I married into a [...]

Mike Judge’s 1999 Office Space was about the miseries of being an employee, at the mercy of dimwitted, petty, officious, passive-aggressive bosses. In his new film Extract, which opens today, the ever fair-minded Judge focuses on the miseries of being a boss, at the mercy of dimwitted, petty, officious, passive-aggressive employees. Having managed to spend [...]

On Friday, September 4, Pennsylvania travelers can take their “Travel Info to Go” as PennDOT officially launches its 511 system — 511PA. 511PA provides free, 24-hour information services including traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, regional tourism information, and links to transit agencies and major airports. The service is available by calling 511 from cellular phones [...]

I adore interesting architecture, especially that of Frank Lloyd Wright, which has led me to visit some really awe-inspiring architecture. Erie has some Frank Lloyd Wright homes practically in our back yard.

Corry resident Chuck Trimble seems to have gotten the words to the classic baseball song wrong – it’s not “Take Me Out At the Ball Game.” Trimble suffered a heart attack at PNC Park a few weeks ago and happened to be sitting right in front of Dr. Christopher Post, a doctor at nearby Allegheny [...]

Fans of independent cinema will have a reason to rejoice this Labor Day weekend as The Spirit Quest Film Festival makes its debut at the Erie Playhouse in Erie, Pennsylvania. The three day Festival will feature screenings of inspirational and thought provoking films from around the world including two shot and produced in the Erie [...]

Unemployment figures were released yesterday and Erie had the highest unemployment rate for Pennsylvania’s largest metropolitan areas at 9.7 percent for July.  In terms of county-wide unemployment, Erie County was at 9.7 percent while Crawford County was at 10.4 percent.  Since July 2008, Erie County’s unemployment rate has increased by 4.1 points.  Also noted, Erie [...]

Officials at the Community Blood Bank are worried about the last big event of the summer for the blood supply. Labor Day Weekend is traditionally one of the three worst weekends of the year; the 4th of July and Memorial Day are the other two. Right now there is a moderate blood shortage but this [...]

The Waterford Hotel looms kindly over Waterford, Pennsylvania, three stories of stout brick as inviting as Grandma’s cookie jar.

The EMTA and Gannon University are now offering free transportation for students,faculty, and staff with a Gannon I.D. card. Kudos to Gannon & EMTA for providing this service. Wonder if other local colleges will do the same?

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. [...]