ErieBlogs.com: Erie PA News and Events for Wednesday November 22, 2006

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Erie PA News and Events for Wednesday November 22, 2006

Posted by Dennis on November 22, 2006

Mayor Joe Sinnott will present his 2007 budget to the Erie Chapter of the Flat Earth Society, aka Erie City Council, this morning at 9 am. Without a shadow of a doubt, it will call for an increase of property taxes. Property owners will have the double whammy of lower property values along with the tax increase. It will also most likely call for increases in fees and the sale of Erie Golf Course, the same golf course for which the city just asked for RFP’s for the lease of the property. A number of police and firefighters were laid-off last year but I doubt if there will be large scale layoffs of city workers this year. City workers are the campaign workers and contribute to reelection campaigns. Can’t let them go. The mayor and council knew 12 months ago they would be millions of dollars short for 2007 but no real effort has been made to cut expenses. Business as usual in Erie. They don’t want change.

The Erie Otters (5-17-0-2) have traded Ryan O’Marra to Saginaw for center Zack Torquato plus second round and fourth round picks in the 2007 OHL Priority Selection Draft. O’Marra was a first round draft pick of the New York Islanders in 2005. Torquato is a sure NHL first round draft pick in 2007. The Otters return to action with their annual Thanksgiving game on Thursday at 7:30 pm against the Belleville Bulls.

One hundred years ago today, November 22, 1906 the steam barge Resolute with a cargo of 430 tons of coal left Erie PA bound for Toronto. The ship was unable to navigate the old Western Channel at Toronto which was shallow and not properly maintained by dredging. A storm hit and the Resolute overturned, spilling her crew of 12 into the waters. Six drowned. Work began on a new Western Channel in 1908 and it opened in 1911.

There is an excellent article in today’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette by Gretchen McKay on Ryan Ballou, an Edinboro student. Ballou has muscular dystrophy and is confined to a wheelchair. Edinboro is one of the top schools for students with disabilities and the entire campus is wheelchair friendly.

Kendle (Nasdaq: KNDL), a clinical research organization, announced the promotion of James (Hiller) Hardie, CPA to Vice President, Finance. Hardie earned his BS degree from Allegheny College and MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.

Next year, 2007, is the year in which many RFID mandates must be met. The CPG, retail, DoD, and pharmaceutical industry players find themselves up against the wall. You better be ready for RFID. Retail Solutions Online and RFID Solutions Online have partnered with Penn State Erie’s RFID Research Center to provide learning opportunities. Courses are led by Frank DeWolf, chief operating officer of the Center for eBusiness and Advanced IT (eBizITPA). Introduction to RFID will be held December 11 and February 7. RFID Training, a two day course designed to prepare attendees for the CompTIA RFID+ examination will be held January 17-18 and March 7-8.

In men’s college basetball, Mercyhurst held Roberts Wesleyan to just 8-of-27 shooting in the second half to break open a close game and cruised to an 89-63 win.
Trailing 32-21 at the half and by 12 with 12:27 remaining in the second half, the Allegheny College Gators out-scored the Penn State Behrend Lions, now 1-2 on the season, 24-11 to end the game, closing the victory in strong fashion for the 56-55 win.

Slippery Rock blew out the Mercyhurst Lakers 99-53 in women’s basketball action Tuesday. The Edinboro women’s basketball team made their home opener a memorable one with an 81-71 upset of14th ranked Charleston.

The Mercyhurst men’s hockey team had to settle for a 4-4 tie with Yale.

Rivals.com reported that Maurice Williams of Erie Strong Vincent has narrowed his choices to four schools - Penn State, Pitt, West Virginia and Iowa.

Thomas Straughn of Perry High School in Massillon, Ohio has signed a national letter of intent to attend Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. Straughn won the Ohio state championship as a junior wrestling at 135 lbs.

Michael Acri Boxing Promotions 22nd annual Erie Boxing Classic will be held tonight, Wednesday, November 22, at The Avalon Hotel, 16 West 10th Street in Erie, PA. The first bout will begin at 8 pm. The headliner will be Jesus Francisco “Panchito” Zepeda vs Paul Spadafora (38-0-1, 15 KOs) in a 10 round junior welterweight bout. Tickets, priced at $60 (Golden Ringside), $40 (Ringside) and $20 (General Admission), can be purchased at The Avalon Hotel, Dee’s Cigar Store, Johnny’s Sports Bar and the Ringside Restaurant.

The The excellent movie “Everest” opens Friday November 24 at theTom Ridge Environmental Center Big Green Screen Theater. Experience the only large format theater in Northwest Pennsylvania with its 4 story high, 33 foot wide screen that brings you as close to reality as you can get without being there.

The Gannon University men’s basketball team opens the 2006-07 regular season Friday, November 24 by hosting the 20th annual Gary Miller Classic. Lock Haven faces Pitt-Johnstown at 6 pm and the Golden Knights open against C W Post in the nightcap at 8 pm.

The Erie Central High School Class of 1996 will hold their 10 year class reunion on Saturday November 25 at 7 pm at the Siebenbuerger Club, 2114 French Street. Tickets are $20 per person. For more info, call (814) 898-6063. or email echs1996reunion@yahoo.com .

The After Dinner Opera Company, which is in residence at Mercyhurst College, is readying a production of Warren Martin’s comic opera “The True Story of Cinderella” - a spoof that features a knight singing “The Notre Dame Fight Song,” a wizard who sings the blues, and a prince with laryngitis. A dozen Mercyhurst music students will perform the show at Helen’s Supper Club in New York City using traditional opera, as well as blues, rock and rhythm style. Before leaving for the Big Apple, they’ll offer a free public preview on Tuesday, Nov 28, at 3 pm in the college’s Walker Recital Hall.

Gannon University’s Schuster Theatre production of James Joyce’s “The Dead” opens November 30. Set in 1904, the last and best known of the short stories collected in the Dubliners, this intimate musical portrays a homespun Yuletide party with Irish music, dancing, food, drink, and good fellowship. Sparkling songs, many of them traditional-sounding Irish melodies that are performed as entertainment by the partygoers, are all original. Book by Richard Nelson, music by Shaun Davey, lyrics adapted by Davey and by Richard Nelson. Directed by Shawn Clerkin, assistant professor, theatre, and director of the Gannon theatre program. Additional performances will be given Dec 1-3 and Dec 7-9. All shows are at 8 pm, except for Sunday matinees at 3 pm. Schuster Theatre is located at 620 Sassafras St. For more information, call the box office at (814) 871-7494.

Downtown Erie will sparkle this holiday season with thousands of holiday lights and live entertainment at this year’s Downtown d’LIGHTS on Friday, December 1 from 6-8 pm. Enjoy horse drawn carriage rides, ice sculptors, live entertainment and the lighting of Perry Square.

For the fifth year, Penn State Behrend offers the perfect antidote to treacley, tinkling holiday hot air: Christmas carols performed with the collective power of over 100 student, amateur, and professional tuba and euphonium players. It’s called TubaChristmas Erie, and it will be held at 2 pm Saturday, Dec 2, in the McGarvey Commons of the Reed Union Building. Even better, it is free and open to the public. TubaChristmas debuted at Rockefeller Center’s ice rink in 1974 as a tribute to the late tuba legend William J. Bell, who was born Christmas Day 1902. The event has since grown to the point that it is held in 200-plus cities each year. All area tuba, baritone, and euphonium players are invited to participate in TubaChristmas. Registration begins at 8:30 am that day, and rehearsal at 9:30.

Experience Erie’s premier holiday tradition with an outstanding group of musicians and everyone’s favorite newsworthy entertainer, Amanda Post. Singing along with Amanda this season is the ever popular and talented Brenda Evans, close friend and celebrated song master Bob Martin and of course sister Abby Daggett. Lead by piano virtuoso James Madden, the band includes perennial string masters Brian Hunt and Carl Hultman along with James Abate (drums), Dave Stertevant (violin), Derf Hopsecger (bass), and Chris Dempsey (horns). “One Voice for Christmas with Amanda Post” will be performed Saturday December 2 at 8 pm and Sunday, December 3 at 2 pm at the Warner Theatre. Tickets are on sale now at the Warner Theatre Box Office (814) 452-4857. Cost is $12, $18, VIP seating $25.

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

Charles M Telesco, a professor of astronomy at University of Florida, will host “Worlds in Collision” during an Open House Night in Astronomy program at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. Telesco’s presentation will be held at 7:30 pm on Thursday, Dec 7, in 101 Otto Behrend Science Building. It is free and open to the public, and, weather permitting, will be followed by astronomical viewing from the college’s Mehalso Observatory.

The Gem City Jazz Ensemble will also be providing entertainment at this year’s St Vincent Festival of Trees on Friday, November 24th at the Ambassador Banquet and Conference Center on upper Peach Street. Take a break from your hectic and exhausting Black Friday shopping and enjoy the relaxing sights and sounds of Christmas, featuring 50 professionally decorated trees. You’ll probably be out-and-about anyway, so stop in and see them. Gem City will be playing from 7-8:30 pm that evening.

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 War at the Shore II wresting showcase will be held Friday, Dec 1 at the Tullio Arena. Fort LeBoeuf vs Mount Pleasant and McDowell vs General McLane takes place at 6 pm. Edinboro vs Michigan State and Mercyhurst vs Gannon go at it at 8 pm. Tickets are $10 day of event at the door or only $6 in advance through Ticketmaster.

The Chillers, the dance team for the Erie Freeze, will hold a tryout on Saturday, December 9 at the Avalon Hotel, 16 West 10. Registration is from 9:30 am - 10:30 am with tryouts from10:30 am - 1 pm. The dancers will be taught a 30 second hip-hop dance and 1 sideline dance, which they will then perform. Each dancer will need to bring 4 “8 counts” of their own dance of hip-hop style that they will add to end of the dance they learn. Other various dance routines may be included though out the tryout. The dancers will be asked to do a series of high kicks, double-turn and an optional leap. The music for all routines will be provided. Each dancer will be notified by the end of the tryout, whether he or she has made the team or not and will be required to attend a meeting scheduled by the team’s captains. Everyone will need to bring the following: Black dance pants, black sports bra, tennis/dance shoes w/socks, and a valid ID. Each girl should be in full make-up and hair.Audition fee: $10 (cash or money order). For more information or to register, call (814) 454-0200 or email christina@eriefreeze.com .

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