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Erie PA News and Events for Thursday September 14, 2006

There are a lot of deer in Pennsylvania and in the other states Erie Insurance serves. One in every 100 drivers nationally is likely to have a collision with a deer. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates that deer-vehicle crashes rack up $1.1 billion in property damages, tens of thousands of injuries, and more than 200 deaths every year. In the past year, ERIE saw a 6 percent decline in deer claim frequency. This is the fourth consecutive year that deer claim frequency declined, and the second straight year that the actual number of deer claims declined. ERIE’s deer claim frequency has improved 23 percent during the past four years. In ERIE’s operating states for 2005, there were 10 deer claims for every 1000 vehicles the company insured. Still, deer pose a serious and ever-present threat to drivers. ERIE’s paid losses from deer collision claims totaled $54.6 million in the company’s marketing territory for 2005, and that was nearly $2 million lower than in 2004. The average cost of a deer claim increased by 4% to $2,200. However, Erie Insurance saw a 9 percent company-wide decline in the number of deer claims during the peak months of October through December.

I’d like to thank Erie assistant finance director Paul Lichtenwalter for the added business he has brought me. In a newspaper story about city finances, Lichtenwalter said the city had a $12 million deficit and would have to raise taxes and fees. (God forbid the city would ever consider cutting expenses.) I had someone who owns a house and a rental property in the city that decided to sell because the property taxes were killing him now and were only going higher.

Hint to someone at the Erie - Western Pennsylvania Port Authority looking for tenant for the Intermodal Transportation Center that has been half empy since it opened in 2002 and is not even mentioned on their website. Megabus.com offers service to nine Midwest cities: Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, St. Louis and Toledo but not Erie.

In the last Fun with Search Terms entry a couple of days ago, I thought the person was wacked who was looking for info on machine guns being manufactured in Erie. Rick wrote to pointing out that it actually happened. During WWII, GE produced AAA (Anti-Aircraft Artillery) guns at the Erie plant.

Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier Park (LEAF) received a state grant of $4,967 to develop activities and lessons that correspond with state academic standards on environment and ecology.

Erie Brewing Company will be participating in the Slippery Rock Beer and Wine Festival this Saturday.

Saw on Alexa.com that Erie Blogs is ranked Number 485,569 of all websites. That’s the one week average. The 3 month average is Number 971,358. Pretty big leap. The reach is 4 people per million, which doesn’t sound like a lot until you realize there are 6.5 billion people on the planet.

The Gannon men’s soccer team lost to Ashland 2-1 in overtime.

The MErcyhurst men’s soccer team blanked Myers 4-0.

The Ashland women’s soccer team outlasted Gannon 1-0.

Edinboro University women’s soccer player Angie de Almeida was named the PSAC West Player of the Week.

The Albion Area Fair is taking place now through the weekend.

The final block party of 2006 takes place tonight on the 500 block of State Streeet in front of Sherlocks. One Sweet World, the excellent Dave Matthews tribute band, performs. The event is FREE. Food and beverages will be available for sale.

Barbara Hurd will open the 2006 Creative Writer’s Speaker Series at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, with a reading today, Thursday, Sept 14. Hurd’s reading will begin at 6 pm in the worship space of the Smith Chapel. A reception for her at 4:30 pm in the chapel living room will precede her appearance; both are free and open to the public. Hurd is the author of two literary nonfiction books, Stirring the Mud: On Swamps, Bogs, and Human Imagination, which was named a Los Angeles Times Best Book of 2001, and Entering the Stone: On Caves and Feeling Through the Dark, and a book of poetry, Objects in This Mirror.

Art begets art at Mercyhurst College as it celebrates the inauguration of a new president - and the unveiling of a newly renovated Cummings Art Gallery - with a pair of art exhibits opening today as part of Inaugural Week festivities. At the request of new President Thomas J. Gamble, PhD, the first show in the new Cummings Gallery showcases alumni of the college’s highly regarded art department. “From the Past to the Future - Alumni Art Teachers” includes the work of 17 Mercyhurst graduates who are career educators and also actively produce their own art. Simultaneously opening in Old Main is “The Friends of Mercyhurst College Art Show” featuring the work of more than 20 artists who are in some way “friends” of the college, be they faculty, students, or longstanding supporters. The exhibit is an initiative of Dr Gamble’s wife, Mary, whose hope is to use this as a springboard to create Mercyhurst’s first permanent art collection. Both exhibits open from 5:30 to 7 p.m. with receptions and live entertainment provided by Marty O’Connor and Friends at Cummings Gallery, and the Jim Madden Trio in Old Main.

Soprano Kyoung Cho will perform with the Erie Chamber Orchestra in their first concert of the 2006-07 Music Season on Friday, September 15, 2006 at 7:30 pm at St Patrick’s Church,130 East 4th Street. The concert is free and open to the public.

The Erie Playhouse production of “Smokey Joe’s Cafe” will be held September 15-16, 21-24, Sept 27-Oct 1. For ticket information call 814-454-2852 ext 0.

The Erie Irish Festival will be held September 15-17 at Rainbow Gardens on the grounds of Waldameer Park. Adult daily admission $2; all weekend only $3. Children under 16 admitted free.

The International Coastal Cleanup will be held on September 16. Here are the sites and coordinators. You can register to help by clicking here.

The Erie Walk for Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) will be held Saturday, September 16 at Presque Isle State Park. This is a 2 mile walk to raise funds for research. Registration is from noon until 1 pm at the Cookhouse Pavilion.There is a $15 registration fee to walk and you may get donations from others. For your registration fee, you get 10 tickets and one extra ticket for every $5 donation after that for prizes which are set up like a Chinese auction. For more info contact Cathy Podgers at cpodgers@velocity.net .

The Roadhouse Theatre’s 6th Biennial Art Auction will be held Saturday, September 16 at 6:30 pm. Come enjoy the fun of the LIVE AUCTION! Includes lots of art—all kinds—from some of the best of the area’s artists, as well as plenty of other fun stuff like entertainment packages, music, quality automobile models, and much more. A Chinese auction, too! Snacks and drinks available. Tickets are a measly $5 per person. Admission fee will be deducted from live auction purchases you make. This is a fun event that helps the Roadhouse keep it doors open.

The Scions Of Britain Car Club (the SOB’s) will hold their 14th annual ‘All British Car Gathering’ meet at the Gazebo Park in Waterford, Pa, about 12 miles South of Erie, on September 17 from noon to 4 pm The event is informal - no vendors, no judging, no fee - drive it, drag it, or just talk about it kind of event. There are usually about 75-80 cars and a few motorcycles, and they usually have door prizes for everyone. For more info, please contact Tom Lee at (814) 725-5992 or rthomaslee@aol.com .

The Erie Civic Music Association had its beginning in 1929 with a handful of local music lovers who wanted the community to enjoy quality concerts at affordable prices. Their first concert of the 2006-07 season is Sunday, Sept 17 with The Incredible Diamonds. You can pruchase tickets online here.

Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month with a lunchtime presentation of traditional South American Andes music and dance. Inca Son will perform on Tuesday, September 19, beginning at 12:15 pm in the Reed Union Building’s Bruno’s Cafe. The concert, part of the college’s Rhythms of Life cultural series, is free and open to the public; a full lunch menu will be available for purchase.

The 2006 Great Lakes Film Festival will be held at the Roadhouse Theatre For Contemporary Art, 145 West 11th St in Erie PA September 20-24.

The Northwest PA Entrepreneur Club (E-Club) will be holding a Networking Event on September 20 at 6 pm in the Oil City library. It’s open to entrepreneurs at all stages of a business’s life who want to benefit from networking and education. Featured Speakers will be Mike Snyder, Attorney and Mike Klapec, Small Business Owner. RSVP by September 13 by calling Ethel Rodebaugh at 814-677-4800 x113.

Richie Havens will be performing a concert at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center Big Green Screen Theater on Friday September 22 at 8 pm. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased at the TREC Administrative Offices between 10 am and 4 pm Monday thru Friday. Cash, Check made out to Presque Isle Partnership, or Money Orders only.

The 25th Annual Wine Country Harvest Festival takes place in North East, Pa September 22-24, 2006. The festival features two venues, Gibson Park in downtown North East and Gravel Pit Park just 1.5 miles west of downtown. You’ll enjoy wine by the glass, tour buses to the five local wineries, Arts and Crafts, Main Stage Entertainment, a Children’s Area, Cruise in on Sunday, Bike Wine Country Tours, wine and food seminars and a champagne breakfast.

Posted by Dennis at September 14, 2006 7:25 AM

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Posted by: Dan at September 14, 2006 9:37 AM

Posted by: Tim at September 14, 2006 5:38 PM

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