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Erie PA News and Events for Wednesday March 15, 2006
Posted by Dennis on March 15, 2006
Opening statements were held yesterday in the trial of former Erie mayor Rick Filippi. A trial so fun you’d want to bring popcorn with you to watch it. On the surfact it doesn’t look like Filippi committed a crime. It was just stupid and showed poor judgement. In 2001, MTR Gaming already had plans for a race track and casino in Erie. They registered the name “Presque Isle Downs” with the state and even registered the website url presqueisledowns.com. In 2002, the city tried to buy the vacant IP/Hammermill Paper plant site to get MTR to build there. The question is did Filippi and buddies buy the 5 properties around the Hammermill area before, during, or after there were negotiations or talk for MTR to build there.
The buzz coming out of Harrisburg continues to be about House Bill 2454, the State Police Services Bill. As written, it would impose a fee of $100 per resident in municipalities of over 9,000 people without their own police force for pay for state police services. Harborcreek and Fairview Townships would be affected. Currently not only are Harborcreek and Fairview saving a bundle by not not having their own police, they are getting a check from the state for relying on the state police for coverage. The fines collected by state police each year are divided between the municipality and the state. The split is based on the mileage and population of a municipality. Both Harborcreek and Fairview are likely receiving over $10,000 each year from the state. Nice system.
The January seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for both Erie County and Crawford County fell to 4.7 percent. In January 2005, the unumployment rate for Erie County was 5.6 whil in Crawford County i8t stood at 5.9 percent. For more information, you can view the complete Pennsylvania civilian labor foce data in pdf format here.
Gannon University was one of only 20 colleges and universities to be chosen for the Teachers for the 21st Century program, an initiative of the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) to strengthen teacher preparation programs, developed with the support of a grant from the Microsoft Corporation. CIC’s Teachers for the 21st Century program will, over a four-year period, assist Gannon faculty and staff members with integrating information and communication technologies, content, skills, and literacies into courses taken by prospective teachers (undergraduate students). A team of expert faculty and staff, who are involved in teacher preparation, drawn both from the education department and from the arts and sciences disciplines in which teacher education students major, will represent Gannon University. Gannon University and the other 19 selected institutions will work with CIC to develop a series of in-person workshops and online seminars, and to disseminate exemplary instructional materials.
In an effort to recognize graduating seniors who exemplify the college’s mission of “service to others,” Mercyhurst College has established the new Mercyhurst College Service Honor Society. The first induction ceremony is scheduled for early May. According to Vice President of Strategic Planning Dr Heidi Hosey, who is coordinating the service honor society committee, prospective members must demonstrate the following: Significant and sustained service to the college or community at large; marked achievement in leadership; meritorious academic accomplishment; and integrity and commitment to excellence.
Enjoy fine music, fine artwork and fine company at a Howl at the Moon Party benefiting Erie Villa Maria Academy, tongiht, Wednesday, March 15 at the papermoon Restaurant and Jazz Club, 1325 State Street. Bid on artwork by Villa students and faculty, have your drinks poured by “celebrity” bartenders, and listen to the music of local jazz favorite Mary Alice Brown from 6:30-9:30 pm.
Fiction writer Aimee Bender will open the spring season of the Penn State Behrend Creative Writer’s Speaker Series. Bender will read from her works at 6 pm Thursday, March 16, in the college’s Smith Chapel. Her presentation is free and open to the public. A public reception will proceed the reading at 4:30 pm in the Smith Chapel living room.
John Corvino will speak at McGarvey Commons in Reed Union Building, Penn State Behrend on Thursday March 16 at 7:30 pm. His topic “Homosexuality, Morality, and Diversity.” This event is free and open to the public.
Folk singer and songwriter Izolda will hold a free concert on Friday, St Patrick’s Day at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, with a lunchtime performance. Her concert will begin at noon in Bruno’s Cafe in the Reed Student Union Building. It is free and open to the public. Izolda characterizes her music as “folk nouveau” – expect traditional Irish-Celtic folk music, Celtic-jazz fusion, a capella singing, and audience-participation rounds. The multi-talented artist plays guitar, violin, flute, recorder, fiddle and drum, often during the same song.
The Northwest PA Maple Association Taste and Tour Weekend will be held Saturday March 18 and Sunday March 19 from 10-4 each day. There are a number of sugarhouses participating in Crawford, Erie, Venango, and Mercer counties.
Rova Saxophone Quartet will appear in concert at the Erie Art Museum on Saturday, March 18. The show begins at 8 p.m. but it is preceded by a special “Meet the Composer” session starting at 7 p.m. for young musicians. Concert admission includes the pre-show session. Tickets for this event will be available at the door. General admission is $12, with members paying $10 and student/senior tickets going for $6.
The Erie Philharmonic will perform a pops concert on Saturday night March 18 at 8 pm. The Phil and singers celebrate the swing era from 1937-1955. For tickets call (814) 455-1375. They cost $45, $32, $24 and $15.
Erie Youth Soccer Association sign-ups for the 2006 season will be held Saturday March 18 at 9 am to 1:30 pm at Outback Steakhouse. Registration is $30 per player. Player’s age limits: as of September 1, 2006 for girls age 5-16 and boys age 5-15.
If you’d like to join the Millcreek Kiwanis Club, here’s your chance. On Monday, March 20, the Millcreek Kiwanis Club is opening its Membership Charter and is holding an evening meeting. The social begins at 5:30 pm and the meeting begins at 6:00 pm at the Blasco Library, the Admiral Room. Discover what fun it is to be a Kiwanian. Learn how they serve the Erie Community. Learn how you can become a member. Millcreek Kiwanis also meets each Wednesday morning at 7:30 am at the Avalon Hotel for a brief business meeting, informative local speaker and breakfast. Guests are always welcome.
The Mercyhurst College women’s water polo team got three goals from senior Cassie Rand, including the game-winner early in the fourth quarter, in turning back Gannon 6-5 Tuesday night at the Mercyhurst North East Aquatic Center.
The Mercyhurst College men’s hockey team is tied for 28th nationally according to the latest USCHO.com Division I Poll released yesterday. Mercyhurst will meet Bentley Friday in the Atlantic Hockey Conference semifinals.
Looks like Brent Clevlen, last year’s Tigers Minor League Player of the Year, will likely play for the Erie SeaWolves in 2006. He’s just tearing it up playing for Detroit at spring training in Florida bating over .500. The Tigers should start making assignments in the next couple of weeks.
Posted by Dennis at March 15, 2006 6:51 AM
Comments
In May 2002 I was hearing from political buddies that MTR planned to go to IP. Check that against the trial's timeline.
Posted by: Bill Welch at March 18, 2006 10:15 PM
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