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Erie PA News and Events for Thursday June 22, 2006
Posted by Dennis on June 22, 2006
The Erie School Board passed a no tax hike budget. Wow. Maybe the directors are finally learning. The high school taxes have chased families to the suburbs and have kept down property values. Up to 60 staff and teachers could be let go due to budget cuts. The district is teaching fewer kids with the growing popularity of charter schools and cyber schools. The budget as passed is about $116 million which means it costs about $10,000 for each student.
Former Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge of Erie was in Pittsburgh on Wednesday and gave a talk about protecting the city against terrorism. Ridge blamed Congress for lack of funding for Pittsburgh and other cities.
Alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the former Saint Mary’s Seminary in North East, PA are invited to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Redemptorist Fathers’ preparatory college and high school during a reunion weekend, August 4-6, hosted by the school’s current owners, Mercyhurst North East Junior College. Also known as St Mary’s College, the order’s minor seminary was home for 106 years to thousands of young men from parishes in the Redemptorist’s Baltimore Province and its vice provinces, which included the Eastern and Southern United States, as well as portions of the Caribbean and South America. From its founding in 1881 to its closing in 1987, some 2,100 young men graduated from the school. For more information, those interested should log onto the celebration’s website.
Dena Canfora was with her husband and son at Splash Lagoon Indoor Waterpark in Erie on Easter weekend when she met Gary Coiro. If you have some time, read the story in Cleveland Scene. It sounds like a movie on Lifetime: an affair, a suicide, a pastor’s secret affair, a court case, a letter to Dear Abby, brainwashing, a call to 911 with an arrest during a church service - this story has everything.
Beginning July 1 through October 1, 2006, the Erie Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and GoErie.com are holding the “2006 Amateur Photo Contest”. They are currently seeking photos of people, people and more people enjoying area attractions and events. The photos help us promote Erie and surrounding Erie County. Cash prizes will be awarded to first, second and third place. Here’s a sample what they are looking for this year:
Festivals, Fairs, Concerts or other Erie/Erie County celebrations with crowds of people
Performing Arts
Erie Places (Downtown nightlife, Bayfront Activities, Shopping, etc.)
Due to last year’s tremendous response, their office is filled up with pictures of sunsets, the Brig Niagara, Erie Zoo and Presque Isle State Park. Please limit your submissions to the above mentioned categories. Only two photos per applicant. Winners will be notified at the end of the contest. In addition, your photo may be used in upcoming promotional efforts including our annual Visitors Guide and web site! For contest guidelines and application form, please visit their website at www.VisitEriePa.com/photocontest.
Former all-star Randy Wolf on a rehab assignment in Reading gave up six runs as the Erie SeaWolves beat Reading 9-3.
Ben Swank of General McLane High School near Erie announced he will attend The United States Naval Academy. Navy recruited him as a quarterback. General McLane uses the same option offense as Navy.
Paul Mokha of Barry University has been named College Rowing Coaches Association Division II National Coach of the Year. Mokha is a native of Philadelphia, who grew up in Erie, Pa.
The 2006 Erie Summer Festival of the Arts takes place today through Sunday at Liberty Park. This year’s fest features demonstrating artists, crafters, a song contest, award winning children’s area, ethnic foods, student video and digital media competition, juried panorama art show, computer intruction programs for children and adults as well as strolling musicians.
Dr Roger Knacke, director of the School of Science and professor of physics and astronomy at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, will host a Summer Night in Astronomy event on tonight. Knacke will speak on “Jupiter, The Giant Planet” beginning at 8:30 pm in 101 Behrend Science Building. Weather permitting, astronomical viewing from the college’s Mehalso Observatory will follow from 9:30 until 11 pm. Summer Night in Astronomy is free and open to the public, and is intended for a non-technical audience age 6 and up. For information, call the School of Science at 814-898-6105.
On Friday, June 23 the Erie Art Museum Board of Directors will host “Une Soiree d’Enchantement” in celebration of the opening of “Charting a Century of Change: French Nineteenth Century Drawings and Sculpture from the Collection of Herbert and Carol Diamond.” The evening includes a 6:30 pm Champagne Reception at the Museum where guests will get the first look at an exhibit of French Art from masters like Rodin, Cezanne, Delacroix, Matisse, Gauguin and many others. Dinner follows the reception at the Erie Club at 8 pm. The night’s main event is a fine wine auction. Featuring world famous wines with a 93 rating or above, the auction boasts an exclusive list assembled for the delight of Soiree attendees. A complete list of wines is available on their website. The event is by reservation only and benefits the Erie Art Museum’s ongoing Capital Campaign.
During the 1920s and early 1930s, commercial fishermen along the Lake Erie shore unloaded thousands of pounds of a cargo they called “midnight herring.” These “herring” weren’t pickled, but the people who bought the precious cargo surely were. “Midnight herring” was alcohol smuggled across the lake from Canada during Prohibition. This colorful era is recalled at the Erie County History Center with an exhibit called Midnight Herring, a cooperative venture between the History Center and the Port Dover Harbour Museum. It opens June 23. Through photographs, objects and memorabilia, the exhibit brings the colorful characters of the era – the Semple family, the Sisters of St. Benedict and Westfield Jimmy – to life. The exhibit opens in conjunction with the publication of Dr David Frew’s newest book about the cross-lake traffic in contraband, also titled “Midnight Herring” (the cover of which was designed by Eric Armbruster of Bensur Creative).
Performing in Erie on June 25th, 2006, Tanglefoot, Lake Erie’s most exciting maritime musical group, will perform In conjunction with the Midnight Herring exhibit opening and book release, Tanglefoot returns to Erie after ten-year absence to celebrate the Erie County History Center annual History Makers event. Tickets for the concert are $15. Call (814) 454-1813.
The Peek n’ Peak Classic takes place June 26 – July 2. The Golf Channel will provide live coverage of the Nationwide Tour event.
Posted by Dennis at June 22, 2006 7:04 AM
Comments
That story at CleveScene is something. And to think it all started at Splash Lagoon.
My favorite part was on the first page: "He'd handed her his inner tube and helped her situate Dominic in the slippery doughnut." It kind of sets the tone for the rest of the story. What a mess those people are.
Posted by: Eden at June 22, 2006 8:50 AM
Dennis,
No school tax increase...meanwhile the Erie School Board wasted well over $100,000 of Erie taxpayer money by destroying a grand house in an historic district.
The restoration of that house could have been made possible by historic preservation grants and tax credits. The School Board was never interested in preserving this beautiful Erie home. The offer of $10,000 to move a masonry building was patently absurd.
But the board dumbed the argument down to have people believe the building destruction was needed
to provide more parking. The board president screamed at a tv reporter that the building had to come down because of its condition. Which was was it? Neither really.
In the end it was just another sad day for people who truly love Erie. I hope people remember this violation of the public trust and misappropriation of taxpayer funds when the school board members are asking to be re-elected.
For a lot of us, this abuse is worse than the Harrisburg's 'pay raise'.
Posted by: Disgusted by the School Board at June 23, 2006 11:19 AM
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