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Erie PA News and Events for Thursday April 6, 2006
Posted by Dennis on April 6, 2006
Dennis Vickery, a teacher at Erie Villa Maria Academy, is in jail after being charged with possession of child porn. Police found over 100,000 images of children as young as 12 months old on his computer. This is the third member of the Villa Maria Academy arrested this school year for perverted actions involving kids.
Earlier this week Kevin Kulhanek plead guilty to molesting a 12 year old girl while he was a coach at Villa. Megan Fecko, an English teacher at Villa Maria, was charged with molesting a 15 year old girl.
Two brothers from Erie PA got together this week in Japan. Navy Master Chief Charles Blanks, command master chief for Commander, Task Force 72 at Naval Air Facility Misawa Japan, received a visit from his brother, Billy Blanks. Billy Blanks, of Tae-Bo fame, spent time with brother Tuesday, the first day of a five-day visit to five US military bases in mainland Japan. Charles is US Armed Forces weight-lifting champion the last two years. Charlie Blanks was a great high school running back who went to Ohio State on a football scholarship before enlisting in the Navy. Ironically, Billy was the only one in the family that wasn’t a star high school athlete in Erie.
Three Mercyhurst College students are among the winners of the first ever Public Service Advertisement Student Competition sponsored by the American Advertising Federation (AAF) and Heineken USA. The Mercyhurst students, advertising major Amy Hopta and graphic design majors Melissa Jack and Mickey Girardi, each won honorable mention and a cash prize of $500 for their entries in the underage drinking awareness campaign aimed at parents of teens.
Dennis Donohue is a candidate for the position of mayor of Salinas, CA. He’s the company’s president of European Vegetable Specialties in Salinas, the largest radicchio grower in the world. Donohue earned his master’s in religious education from Gannon University in Erie, PA, before coming back to California and working for a variety of high-tech firms: Microsoft, Verbatim and Atari.
Erie SeaWolves Manager Duffy Dyer announced the starting rotation for the 2006 season. Nate Bumstead gets the opening day nod for the Dyer. While in Lakeland last season, Bumstead led the team with a 2.58 ERA and was second in wins going 12-4. In the two hole is returning starter Humberto Sanchez who went 3-5 with a 5.57 ERA. The number three starter, Virgil Vasquez, also spent time in Erie last season going 2-8 with a 5.27 ERA. Preston Larrison will be the fourth man in the rotation. He split time last year with Lakeland and Erie going 4-3 with a 5.23 ERA for the SeaWolves. Rounding out the rotation is returning starter Jeremy Johnson. In 24 starts last year for Erie, Johnson went 9-8 with a 4.91 ERA. Three of the five starters are ranked in the top 30 of prospects in the Detroit farm system (Sanchez-6, Vasquez-26 and Bumstead-29). The 2006 season opener is April 6 as the SeaWolves travel to the Harrisburg to take on the Senators (Washington Nationals). The SeaWolves home opener is April 13 against the Bowie Baysox (Baltimore Orioles). Fans can catch all 142 games live on The Fan Sports Radio 1330 AM and at SeaWolves.com.
Erie Strong Vincent assistant football coach Jeff Gibbons reported that Maurice Williams has received the offer of a football scholarship to Maryland to go along with ones he’s received from Pitt, Syracuse, and West Virginia. Williams is a 6’ 3” 195 lbs junior.
Creating “heart-healthy families” is just one goal of the Gannon University Villa Maria School of Nursing. Toward that end, the school of nursing today, Thursday, April 6 will host its annual community health fair. The event, titled “Family Fun Day: Get Up … Get Busy,” will be held from 4-7 pm at the Community Center at the John E Horan Garden Apartments, 2110 East 10th Street in Erie. A number of activities will be offered for young children, including Dino Jump, hula-hoop contests, and other games. Food and prizes also will be offered. The event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by the Villa Maria School of Nursing and the Housing Authority of the City of Erie.
The Builders Association of Northwestern Pennsylvania 46th annual Home Show takes place at the Family First Sports Park, 8155 Oliver Road, today through April 9.
Stand Up Against Hunger will take place tonight at 6 pm at JR’s Last Laugh Comedy Club. Headliner is Jimmy Carroll along with guest humorist Sheriff Bob Merski and Bill Rosenquest, JR’s Home Emcee. Two shows: 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 and must be purchased in advance. Call JR’s at 461-0911 for reservations. Proceeds benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania.
The musical “Brigadoon” will be performed at the Erie Playhouse tonight through April 9, 2006. For tickets and times call (814) 454-2852.
Mercyhurst Prep has a production of “Hello, Dolly!” playing April 6, 7, 8 at 7 pm as well as matinee performances April 8, 9 at 2:30 pm. Tickets are $4 for students, $6 for seniors and $7 for adults.
Geriatrician and medical ethicist Jerald Winakur, MD, will speak at Allegheny College tonight at 7:30 pm in the Tillotson Room of Cochran Hall. The talk, part of the college’s Lehman Medical Ethics Lecture Series, is free and open to the public.
The Roadhouse Theatre will perform “Reservoir Dogs” Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm through May 6. Reservations are a must for this show and can be made by phone at (814) 456-5656 or in person at the Theatre Box Office, 145 West 11th Street. Box Office hours are 2-6 pm Tuesday – Saturday. The Theatre accepts cash, checks, Visa, MasterCard and Discover. Tickets remain ever affordable at the Roadhouse, $8 regular, $10 riser and $12 VIP. Students with ID can see the show for just $5.
On Saturday, April 8, an interactive, hands-on workshop on how to energize gifted children will take place from 9 to 11:30 am in the Audrey Hirt Academic Center at Mercyhurst College. The “Raising Champions” workshop, sponsored by the Mercyhurst education department and the Erie and Millcreek school districts, is free and open to the public. Please RSVP to (814) 824-3631.
The Erie Philharmonic will perform on Saturday April 8 at 8 pm at the Warner Theatre. This is Maestro Hugh Keelan’s farewell concert.
Jesse Cook returns Erie with his five piece band and his fiery passion of rumba flamenco guitar. Cook will be performing Saturday April 8 at 8 pm at the Mercyhurst College Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center. To order tickets, call the box office at (814) 824-3000.
The Westminster Figure Skating Club of Erie annual spring show, “A Night on Broadway on Ice” takes place at Mercyhurst College Ice Arena in Erie PA at 7 pm on Saturday, April 8, and at 2 pm on Sunday, April 9. Professional figure skater Caryn Kadavy will perform in the show to Celtic Woman’s “Nella Fantasia.” Skaters of all ages and ability levels will take part in the two-hour show, which will feature nine solo performances by advanced skaters. Groups of skaters will perform to music from popular Broadway shows like “Mamma Mia,” “A Chorus Line,” “Oliver” and “The King and I.” The club’s three synchronized skating teams will perform as well. Advance tickets can be purchased from March 15 through April 8 at Debby’s Dance & Skate Shop, 3410 W 26th St., and The Dancewear Center, 3834 Liberty St. Tickets will also be available at the door. Tickets for adults are $8 in advance and $10 at the door. Student and senior citizen tickets are $6 each and tickets for children 12 and under are $3. For more information about the show, contact show director Eileen Bidwell at 835-1478.
Luther Memorial Church, 225 West Tenth Street, is holding a four organ concert as part of their Luther Memorial Concert Series on Sunday April 9th at 10 am. Performing will be Walt Gaber, Bill Lasher, Erik Meyer, David Ruler, and Wallace Weise. The event is free and the public is encouraged to attend.
The Erie Highmark Quad Games Swim Race is scheduled for Sunday April 9 at 1 pm at Edinboro University’s McComb Fieldhouse Pool. Here’s the schedule: 9 am - All swimmers with last names beginning A-F, 10:30 am - All swimmers with last names beginning G-L, NOON - All swimmers with last names beginning M-R, 1:30 - All swimmers with last names beginning S-Z.
Three national leaders of the modern environmental movement will explore the themes of “Revolution, Sustainability, and the Eradication of Domination” at Mercyhurst College at 3 pm, Sunday, April 9. Award-winning author Derrick Jensen will lecture at the event on culture and environmental issues. He will be accompanied by John Zerzan of Eugene, Ore., and Kevin Tucker of Greensburg, Pa. Donations will be $5 at the door.
As part of its Holocaust Remembrance Film Series, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, will show the documentary “Paper Clips” on Monday, April 10, at 7 pm in 117 Reed Union Building. “Paper Clips” tells the moving story about how students at Whitwell Middle School in rural Tennessee responded to what had been to them a completely unfamiliar chapter in human history, the Holocaust. The film is free and open to the public.
Acclaimed as one of America’s most imaginative and inventive writers, Robert Coover opens the Mercyhurst Literary Festival on Tuesday, April 11, when he speaks in Taylor Little Theatre at 7:30 pm. His talk is free and open to the public.
The Erie office of Pennsylvania Career Link will hold a job and career fair, the 2006 Erie CareerFair on April 25, 2006 from 11 am to 4 pm at the Zem Zem Shrine Club, 2525 West 38th Street, Erie PA.
Posted by Dennis at April 6, 2006 7:06 AM
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