ErieBlogs.com: Erie PA News and Events for Friday December 1, 2006

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Erie PA News and Events for Friday December 1, 2006

Posted by Dennis on December 1, 2006

Auditor General Jack Wagner released an audit of the City of Erie Aggregate Pension Fund, which found that a new retirement provision enacted by the city in 2004 resulted in the city’s receipt of $893,745 of excess state pension aid from the commonwealth. Wagner said the $893,745 of excess state aid identified in the audit must be repaid to the commonwealth. Failure to do so could result in the withholding of future state pension aid to the city, he said. He also noted that because city officials used the state aid overpayments to pay the city’s annual required contributions to its police and firefighter pension plans, the bulk of the repayment would have to come from a source other than the pension plans.

The unemployment rate for the Erie area dropped to a seasonally adjusted rate of 4.8 percent in October. The non-adjusted rate was 4.2 percent. The bad news is that the number of people employed is down 1,600 and the labor force is down 2,300 from October of 2005 as it seems people are moving out of the area. Here is the Erie data in pdf format.

The expected holiday blood shortage came early this year. Heavy use by local hospitals and weaker than expected response to the annual “Season of Giving” promotion are the major factors. Currently the blood supply is at 486 units, where 800 is considered safe. Anything below 500 is considered a shortage. The blood supply has been steadily declining in recent weeks from the early November high. Last year the CBB avoided a major shortage until the beginning of January. In December 2005, more than 70% of all blood banks nation wide were experiencing a serious blood shortage well before the Christmas holiday. Current national levels are below last year’s levels. As part of the “Season of Giving” Promotion, donors all week long can enter to win a beautiful Ceramic lamp with a stained glass lampshade generously donated by the Campbell Pottery Store in Cambridge Springs. This lamp retails for about $800. All donors are strongly encouraged to donate at the Community Blood Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania, 2646 Peach Street. Community Blood Bank is open from 9-6 Monday through Friday and until 7:30 pm Tuesday night and Saturday 9 am - 12:30 pm. Photo ID required.

Marc Blucas of Girard is now filming The Jane Austen Book Club. He has the role of Dean, one of the starring roles. Plot - Six Californians start a club to discuss the works of Jane Austen, only to find their relationships begin to resemble 21st century versions of her novels. Chick flick.

Former Gannon basketball great Glen Summors passed away. Summors averaged 19.1 rebounds per game in his college career from 1967-72. He finished with 1,822 points and 1,819 rebounds.

In men’s college basketball, Wayne State beat Gannon 70-67 and Hillsdale beat Mercyhurst 72-69. In women’s play, Gannon beat Wayne State 87-66 and Hillsdale crushed Mercyhurst 91-59.

Maria Rossettie of Corning East has signed a letter of intent to attend Mercyhurst College and play lacrosse for the Lakers.

The Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League return to action this weekend with a pair of games beginning Friday night in Guelph against the Storm. Saturday the Otters return home to take on the Mississauga IceDogs at 7:30 pm at the Tullio Arena.

The 2007 Erie SeaWolves season is just a few short months away and the team has officially announced the 2007 game times. Once again, all night games during April and May will begin at 6:35 pm. The ‘Wolves will feature five, mid-week day games as well in the first two months of the season. Included for the first time will be a 9:35 am game on April 26 against the Akron Aeros. This game is targeted towards giving second and third-shift workers a game of their own.

The War at the Shore II wresting showcase will be held today, 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 through Ticketmaster.

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 exhibit “Artists of the Commonwealth: Realism and Its Response in Pennsylvania Painting, 1900-1950” opens today in the Erie Art Museum Main Floor Gallery. The show featuring works by John Sloan, Mary Cassatt, N C Wyeth, Maxfield Parrish and Henry Ossawa Tanner runs through April 8, 2007. The Erie Art Museum is located at 411 State Street in Erie, Pa. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday 11 am to 5 pm and Sunday 1 pm to 5 pm. Cost to the Main Floor and Ground Floor Galleries is $4 for adults, $3 for students and seniors and $2 for children under 12. Annex Gallery and Frame Shop Gallery exhibits are always free. The Museum’s Main Floor and Ground Floor Galleries are free to all on Wednesdays.

The Erie Playhouse production of A Christmas Story will be performed today, Dec2- 3, 6-10, 14-17. For info or tickets call (814) 454-2852 ext 0.

Gannon University’s Schuster Theatre production of James Joyce’s “The Dead” runs 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.

The Mercyhurst Green Team Alternative Gift Fair will be held today, Friday, December 1 and Saturday, December 2 from 11 am-4 pm each day. This will help local non-profit organizations to raise funds by inviting members of the community to give donations on behalf of loved ones and friends as holiday gifts. There will also be local artisans selling handmade gifts for sale.

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

Allegheny College’s Civic Symphony and Chamber Strings will perform this evening at 7:30 pm. The concert, conducted by Allegheny music instructor Robert Rudolph, will take place in the Henderson Campus Center lobby on the Allegheny campus. The event is free and open to the public.

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.

Join Erie-native artist Don Joint on Sunday, Dec 3 from 1-4 pm for the opening of his show at papermoon restaurant and gallery, 1325 State Street. Joint has created 10 original, framed wood block monoprint paintings for purchase. Each 27 x 36 image boasts unique colors and configurations. Works by David Seitzinger and Evan Everhart will also be on sale at the reception. The Joint show runs until Jan 1, 2007 and all proceeds from sales benefit the Erie Art Museum.

Take a “Musical Tour Across Europe” at the Penn State Behrend Concert Band’s annual winter performance. The concert will be held at 8 pm Monday, Dec 4, in the McGarvey Commons of the Reed Union Building. It is free and open to the public.

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).

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

Fish! philosopher Harry Paul will be the next lecturer in the Speaker Series at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. Paul, an author and management consultant, will speak at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, Dec 6, in the McGarvey Commons of the Reed Union Building. His presentation is free and open to the public.

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 2006 Stairways Behavioral Health Holiday Art Show and Sale will be held Friday December 8 from 3-6 pm at 2810 State Street. Choose from hundreds of one-of-a-kind gifts including artwork, ornaments and NEW for 2006—glass nightlights and handmade jewelry. Admission is Free and open to everyone in the community.

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 .

Westminster Figure Skating Club, Erie PA

The Westminster Figure Skating Club will be performing at the Mercyhurst Ice Center on December 10 from 4 - 6 pm. Free will offering benefitting the Erie City Mission at the door for admission. Please come and support Erie’ finest and oldest Skating club and one of our most charitable organizations, the Erie City Mission and feel the uplifting spirit of the season!

The annual Dance Studies “Cookies and Milk” holiday concert will take place on Sunday, Dec 10 in the Montgomery Performance Space at Allegheny College. There will be two showings, the first at 2 pm and the second at 4 pm. Cookies, milk and coffee will be served in between the two performances, at 3 pm in the Campus Center lobby. The concert will include a wide variety of dance styles, including a welcome dance from Ghana, jazz, ballroom and contact improvisation pieces. The concert is free and open to the public, but reservations are recommended. For more information about this year’s “Cookies and Milk” concert or to reserve a seat, call the Dance Studies office at 332-2813.

The Gem City Concert Band will be presenting its annual Holiday Concert at St John’s Parish Center, adjacent to St. John Lutheran’s Church, 2216 Peach Street. The performance will be on Tuesday, December 12 at 7:30 pm and will include many holiday favorites and a Christmas Carol Sing-Along. Plenty of off-street parking is available. The concert is free and open to the public; free-will offerings will be accepted.

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.

Dennis Weed