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Erie PA News and Events for Tuesday November 14, 2006

Millcreek School District teachers voted in favor of authorizing a strike. Negotiations have been going on for nearly a year with most issues cleared except for salary, health care and retirement. If they want more money, lets hear how the teachers have improved since the last contract. Have the test scores improved? Has the graduation rate improved? Can kids read and write when they graduate? Maybe a valid, educated argument on why they should get more money will work better than the “give us the money or we’ll strike” tactic.

Erie County Council meets today at 4 pm to work on the budget. The regual council meeting will follow at 5 pm. Both meetings are open to the public. At least for this year they aren’t talking about a tax increase but to balance the budget they will taking money out of the emergency surplus fund account.

The trial of Monsignor Charles Kavanagh, a NY Archdiocese Catholic priest accused of sexual assault, began in Erie yesterday. Although the decision will be public nobody is talking about the trial itself. A New York Archdiocese spokesman wouldn’t even that the trial was going on. This would have been a media circus if it was taking place in NYC. In Erie, there were 3 reporters standing outside the doors of St Mark’s Catholic Center, 429 East Grandview Blvd.

Penn State Behrend has received a $496,788 S-STEM grant from the National Science Foundation to support scholarship opportunities for female students and students from underrepresented groups enrolled in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields of study.

Former Erie SeaWolves starting pitcher Justin Verlander was honored yesterday by the Baseball Writer’s Association of America as the American League Rookie of the Year. Verlander is also the second Rookie of the Year to play in Erie. Sam “The Jet” Jethroe, who played for the Erie Pontiacs, won the NL Rookie of the Year in 1950.

Virgil Vasquez has been named the Arizona Fall League’s pitcher of the week for November 6-11. Vasquez spent the 2006 regular season with the Erie SeaWolves.

The Division III Allegheny Gators men’s basketball team played Yale on Sunday. Yale won 98-55. Allegheny coach Rob Clune and Yale coach James Jones are both alumni of the University of Albany so they set up the matchup. Looking back over the records they saw that the two school played each other before, in 1906. Allegheny won that game 27-17.

Ronald Dombroiak of North East, Erie County, harvested an antlerless elk during the state’s sixth modern-day elk season.

The Bloomington PrairieThunder acquired the rights to left wing Brad Bonello to complete a six-player trade with the Port Huron Flags. Bonello captured a championship at the junior level with the Erie Otters in 2001-02.

Box of Light Theatre brings its multi-dimensional stage performance of “Pavlov’s Clown” to Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, on Tuesday, Nov 14. The one-hour lunchtime show will begin at 12:30 pm in the Reed Union Building’s Bruno’s Cafe. A presentation of the college’s Rhythms of Life cultural series, “Pavlov’s Clown” is free and open to the public. A full menu of hot and cold lunch items will be available for purchase at the cafe.

The Erie School District will hold a public hearing tonight at 7 pm at East High School reguarding the referendum question which will be on the next primary election ballot.

Join the Pittsburgh Regional Knowledge Management Consortium, the Pittsburgh Technology Council and the Center for eBusiness and Advanced IT (eBizITPA), as they partner to present “IS Peer Network: Visual Display of Information and Explanations”, a live Webinar on Tuesday, November 14, 2006 from 5:30-8 pm. IT professionals interested in participating in this FREE educational opportunity should register by calling (814) 898-6500. The Webinar will be broadcast from the Center for eBusiness and Advanced IT (5340 Fryling Road, Suite 201, Erie, PA). Seats will be filled on a first come, first serve basis. For additional questions, please contact Melissa Newell, education program coordinator, at melissa.newell@ebizitpa.org. Amanda Parker, from Bechtel Bettis, will provide a captivating overview of how to create superior visual displays of data and information. For more than 50 years, the Bettis Laboratory has been developing advanced naval nuclear propulsion technology and providing technical support to ensure the safe and reliable operation of our nation’s submarine and aircraft carrier fleets. Based on landmark texts by Edward Tufte, professor emeritus at Yale University and expert in statistical evidence, information design and interface design, Parker will explain what features make it possible for viewers to compare, comprehend and consider causality.

The 20-piece Gem City Jazz Ensemble will present a concert on Tuesday, November 14 at 7:30 pm in the Blasco Library HO Hirt Auditorium. Under the direction of Tim McKinney, the jazz ensemble will perform many great jazz standards and big band favorites such as New York, New York, ‘Lil Darlin’, and Killer Joe. More modern charts will include a remake of the classic I’ve Been Workin’ on the Railroad by Tom Kubis, a jazz rendition of St Louis Blues, and Santana’s Smooth. The concert is Free and open to the public; free-will offerings will be accepted.

The opening reception of “Victorian Holidays: A Holiday Heritage Festival” will be held November 16 at the Erie County Historical Society Watson-Curtze Mansion, 356 W 6 St, from 6-9 pm. Cost is $20, from reservations call (814) 454-1813. Victorian Holidays is a multi-faceted exhibit which has been annual tradition for the Erie County Historical Society for more than 25 years. The 2006 exhibit, titled a Holiday Heritage Festival, features traditional seasonal decorations from several ethnic-oriented groups. Exhibit runs through December 31.

Gannon University’s Erie Chamber Orchestra, Conducted and directed by Bruce Morton Wright, will perform on Friday, November 17. The performance will feature the Edinboro University Singers. It is free and open to the public and will begin at 7:30 pm at the Erie Central High auditorium, 3325 Cherry Street.

The Goo Goo Dolls will play a concert at the Warner Theatre in Erie Tuesday December 5. Tickets are on sale now.

Organizers of the Heart of the Alleghenies Folk Music Festival will present a special afternoon of workshops in the folk music tradition on November 19 from 1-3 pm at the Erie Historical Society Watson-Curtze Mansion, 356 West 6 St. Learn to play a mountain dulcimer, with no musical talent required. Mountain dulcimers will be provide, however participants are encouraged to bring their own if possible. Reservations required. Cost is $30.

The next production at the Roadhouse Theater is “SantaLand Diaries” and “Season’s Greetings.” Playwright, author, and National Public Radio commentator David Sedaris compose two entertaining, irreverently witty essays which were adapted for the stage by Joe Mantello. The production opens with a post-show reception the evening after Thanksgiving, Friday, November 24 and continues through Saturday, December 23. Admission: Regular seating $12, Riser seating $15, VIP table seating $20. Reservations can be made by phone at (814) 456-5656 or in person at the Roadhouse Theatre for Contemporary Arts 145 West 11th Street. Box Office hours are 2-6 PM Tuesday - Saturday. The theater accepts cash, checks, Visa, MasterCard and Discover.

Two facets of the choral music program at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, will be showcased at its annual fall concert on Tuesday, Nov 28. The concert will begin at 8 pm in the McGarvey Commons of the Reed Union Building. The College Choir and the Studio Singers both will perform under the direction of Daniel Barnard, lecturer in music. Tickets for the concert are $5 for adults and $3 for students and are available at the door or at the Reed Union Building information desk.

Shangahi Quartet, a versatile ensemble known for its passionate musicality, impressive technique, and multicultural innovation, will perform at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, on Friday, Dec 1. Their lunchtime appearance, part of Music at Noon: The Logan Series, will begin at noon in the McGarvey Commons of the Reed Union Building. It is free and open to the public.

The Holiday Toy Drive (benefiting SafeNet Erie) and Gift Wrapping Party will be held at the Plymouth Tavern, 1109 State Street, on Wednesday, December 13 at 6 pm. Contact Melissa Newell at melissamnewell(at)gmail.com for information regarding the Toy Drive. Yep! has partnered with United Way Young Leaders for this event. Please join them in providing gifts for local families currently being sheltered.

The movies for the Holiday Film Series at the Big Green Screen Theater are The Lion King (Dec 5), The Incredibles (Dec 12), the excellent 1961 version of 101 Dalmations (Dec 19) and Toy Story (Dec 26).

Dennis Weed

Posted by Dennis at November 14, 2006 7:09 AM

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