ErieBlogs.com: Erie PA News and Events for Saturday February 25, 2006

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Erie PA News and Events for Saturday February 25, 2006

Posted by Dennis on February 25, 2006

Erie Mayor Joe Sinnott appointed Ron Komorek acting city finance director.
Komorek was the Erie County Finance Director for a number of years. He retired when Rick Shenker took office. Komorek started the job less than 18 hours after City Finance Director Gary Peterson announced his resignation. This might have been in the works for some time. While Komorek has a background in government finances it might have been nice if Sinnott would have hired someone with a good financial background, new ideas and put some organization into city hall.

Bob Nardelli began the practice of hiring former military when he was running GE Transportation in Erie. His father served in Europe during WWII with the Pennsylvania National Guard. He hired dozens for junior military officers for the management program. Jack Welch expanded the program throughout GE. After Welch retired and Nardelli didn’t get the top job at GE, Nardelli left GE to become CEO of Home Depot. A number of the top staff for Home Depot in Atlanta spent time in Erie with Nardelli. In the management training program at Home Depot begun in 2002, over half are former military officers. More than 1 in 8 Home Depot employees have a military background.

At its board meetings during the week of Feb. 20, 2006, the Board of Directors of the Erie Family Life Insurance Company (OTC Bulletin Board: ERIF), voted to maintain the regular quarterly dividend paid to shareholders at $.22 per share. The dividend is payable April 3, 2006, to shareholders of record as of March 20, 2006, with a dividend ex-date of March 16, 2006. At its Board meetings during the week of Feb. 20, 2006, the Board of Directors of Erie Indemnity Company (Nasdaq: ERIE) agreed to the expansion of the Board from 13 to 15 members and to the nomination of two additional directors, Thomas W Palmer and Lucian L Morrison. Mr Palmer of Toledo, Ohio, is a managing partner of Marshall and Melhorn law firm. Mr Morrison of Houston, Texas, is an independent trustee and consultant in trust, estate, probate and qualified plan matters. They will be added to the slate of nominees for directors announced by the Company in January 2006. The Board expansion will be effective at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders scheduled for April 18, 2006, at the Company’s headquarters in Erie, Pa. According to AM Best Company, Erie Insurance Group, based in Erie, Pennsylvania, is the 15th largest automobile insurer in the United States based on direct premiums written and the 23rd largest property/casualty insurer in the United States based on total lines net premium written. The Group, rated A+ (Superior) by AM Best Company, has almost 3.8 million policies in force and operates in 11 states and the District of Columbia. Erie Insurance Group ranked 425 on the FORTUNE 500 and Erie Indemnity Company is included in Forbes Magazine’s PLATINUM 400 list of the best-managed companies in America.

Sheryl Crow has cancelled her concert in Erie PA which was scheduled for March 22. Refunds are available at point of purchase. Crow postponed her tour indefinitely because of breast cancer surgery.

I just saw the national home ownership figures for the 4th quarter of 2005. It stood at 69.0 percent. The figure for Erie County for 2004, the latest avaiable, was 71.2 percent.

The 2005 AIFL regular season champion Erie Freeze are set to kick off the 2006 AIFL campaign with a team unveiling and community Pep Rally today from 1-4 pm on the main stage at the Millcreek Mall. In anticipation of the 2006 opener in Reading, Pennsylvania on Sunday, February 26, the Freeze organization will introduce the 2006 team led by new head coach Jerry “The Condo” Crafts with a “Meet and Greet” pep rally that is open to the public. In anticipation of the 2006 opener in Reading, Pennsylvania on Sunday, February 26, the Freeze organization will introduce the 2006 team led by new head coach Jerry “The Condo” Crafts with a “Meet and Greet” pep rally that is open to the public.

The Allegheny College Playshop Theatre will present “The Caucasian Chalk Circle” written by Bertolt Brecht and directed by David Jortner, visiting assistant professor of communication arts and theatre. The play will be performed tonight at 8 pm and Feb 26 at 2:30 pm in Arter Hall on the Allegheny College campus.

Erie Youth Hockey Association Joe McCallion House Select Tourney will take place this weekend in Erie.

The theater group All An Act Productions is performing the comedy “The Middle Ages” by AR Gurney. The show will run Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 3 pm through March 5th at East High School, located at 1001 Atkins Street, Erie, Pa 16503. General Admission is $5.

The Erie Philharmonic performs at the Warner Theatre tonight at 8 pm.

Brian Regan will be at the Warner Theatre on Sunday night. Some tickets are still available.

The Erie Zoo re-opens on Saturday March 4th.

Bob Learn Jr of Erie finished in 15th place at the PBA Tour 2006 GEICO Classic. He received $3,500 in prize money. Learn announed this would most likely be his final PBA tournament as he is taking a job with the United States Bowling Congress working in proprietor relations.

Evan Brophy scored what turned out to be the winning goal five minutes into the third period to lift the Plymouth Whalers to a 4-2 win over the Erie Otters in an Ontario Hockey League game played last night at the Compuware Sports Arena. The next Otters home game takes place tonight when the Ottawa 67’s visit the Tullio Arena for a 7:30 pm start.

Indianapolis Colts All-Pro Safety Bob Sanders in back home in Erie visiting family and friends. He just had surgery and is wearing a soft cast on his left wrist.