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Erie PA News and Events Tuesday January 9, 2007
Posted by Dennis on January 9, 2007
The state is returning $1.5 million in tax money to Erie County. Here is the complete press release. The highlights -
GE Transportation Systems in Erie received $500,000 to implement lean manufacturing techniques at its rail plants in Erie and Grove City, Mercer County, a project that is expected to cost $12.8 million. GE has already fulfilled its commitment to the commonwealth to create 120 new jobs, and is also retaining 4,486 existing jobs in Erie and 915 additional jobs at other Pennsylvania locations.
Erie Shipbuilding received $702,250. A $6.4 million expansion project by Erie Shipbuilding will create at least 205 new jobs within three years and retain 26 existing employees. The company is purchasing equipment for its shipbuilding operation, including a first-of-its-kind, multi-million dollar robotic welding system. DCED’s offer to Erie Shipbuilding included a $200,000 Opportunity Grant, $92,250 in CJT (Customized Job Training), and $410,000 in Job Creation Tax Credits (JCTC).
National Steel Products received $207,000. They will be leasing the former Cooper Ajax plant in Corry. The company, which provides cut steel products for the rail industry, will purchase new machinery and equipment and make leasehold improvements to the facility in Corry. National Steel Products will create at least 60 jobs within three years.
The final police report in the death of Andrew Polakowski an Erie McDowell grad and Ohio State freshman states that students encouraged others to pile into an already crowded elevator. The elevator exceeded it’s weight capacity by over a half ton. Polakowski was killed Oct 20 when he was pinned between the top of the elevator doors and the third floor in Stradley Hall.
The Community Blood Bank of Northwest PA managed to defy the odds and not have a blood shortage during the difficult holiday season even as about 75 percent of blood banks nationwide did. However, the blood supply has never recovered from being below normal and now that the hospitals are back in full swing blood usage has increased. Routine surgeries that have been delayed so patients could enjoy the holidays at home are now taking place. The CBB is asking for people of all blood types to come and donate as soon as they can. The Community Blood Bank had been struggling to prevent this shortage, which is an annual shortage for most of the country. Levels have been low since New Year’s but dropped to critical levels over the weekend. All donors are strongly encouraged to donate at the Community Blood Bank, 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.
Dr William L Kindler, who currently serves as headmaster at Erie Day School, will be taking the same position at St Edmund’s Academy in Pittsburgh on July 1.
Mercyhurst College and Pennsylvania CareerLink, Erie County, are joining forces in an effort to better serve individuals in the community who seek career advancement and training. This recently formed partnership is the first that PA CareerLink, Erie County, has formed with a traditional college. Through the partnership, admissions staff from Mercyhurst’s North East and West campuses, as well as its Adult College, will be at PA CareerLink, Erie County office, 1309 French St., three to four days each week to provide information, assistance and guidance to interested clients. The Mercyhurst staff will help them locate financial aid resources, fill out admissions applications and financial aid forms, and advise them on appropriate educational and career paths.
The Erie SeaWolves announce that their beloved frog, “One Hopper,” which stands in front of Jerry Uht Park, has been sent to the disabled list. Over the weekend, the bill of “One Hopper’s” cap covering his left eye was smashed away. This marks the second time in three years that artwork has been injured in front of the stadium. “Fan Fish” received severe damage during the 2003 season and was force into early retirement. “One Hopper,” designed by artist Ben Gibson, was part of the 2004 Lake Erie Art Project in the City of Erie.
The Eerie Horror Film Festival has announced that actor, director and special effects legend Tom Savini will be appearing as a special guest at their annual event in October of 2007. Savini is best known for his astonishingly realistic make-up effects in such horror classics as “Dawn of the Dead” (1978), “Friday the 13th” (1980) and “Maniac” (1980).
Gem City Concert Band of Erie, PA, is seeking new members for the Spring 2007 season. The concert band, currently consisting of 40 members, is very versatile, playing music such as old overtures, show tunes, traditional concert band pieces, movie scores, and marches. The band presents a spring and fall concert at St. John’s Lutheran Church, as well as numerous other nursing home and community performances throughout the year. Rehearsals are held Tuesday evenings from 8 to 9:30 pm in the lower-level meeting room of St. John’s Lutheran Church at 23rd and Peach Streets. Spring 2007 rehearsals begin this evening, January 9th. Interested musicians should contact the director, Betty McKinney, at 814-602-9247 for more information. All instruments are welcomed. Membership is free.
The visiting Scientist Lecture Series brings current research and hot topics to the general public on the second Tuesday of each month. The next event will be held at the Tom Ridge Enviromental Center Room 112 this evening at 7 pm. Tammy M Zimmerman, from US Geological Survey, will speak on “Modeling to predict Escherichia coli at Presque Isle Beach 2 in Erie, Pennsylvania.” For more information, contact the Regional Science Consortium at 814-835-6975.
The musical “Stand by Your Man” will be performed at the Erie Playhouse Jan 11-14, 18-21.For tickets or more info call (814) 454-2852 ext 0.
The Roadhouse Theatre production of “The Last of the Red Hot Lovers” will run Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm from January 12th - February 10. Admission: Regular seating $12, Riser seating $15, VIP table seating $20. Reservations can be made by phone at 814.456.5656. The Roadhouse Theatre 145 West 11th Street, Box Office hours: 2-6 pm Tuesday - Saturday. The Theater accepts cash, checks, Visa, MasterCard and Discover. It has been twenty years since Scott McClelland toured the country in Neil Simon’s Biloxi Blues. After 625 performances of that Tony award winning play, Mr. Simon’s timing and comedic style had become part of McClelland’s acting arsenal. Now for the first time since Biloxi Blues the actor returns to a play by the greatest comic writer of the American Stage. The show is being directed by his wife Kim McClelland who acted in this same play on the stage at 1505 State Street several years before the McClelland’s met.
The 24th edition of the McDonald’s High School Basketball Classic will be held in Erie on Friday, January 12 and Saturday, January 13, 2007 at Gannon University’s Hammermill Center. This year’s event features nationally renowned programs from California and Ohio, featuring rosters replete with top-ranked players.
The field is highlighted by the appearance of two of the most renowned players in Classic history. Delvon Roe, a 6’7” wing player for St. Edward of Lakewood, Ohio, is currently ranked as the Number 2 player in the junior class by PrepStars Recruiter’s Handbook, and is regarded as one of the best players in the nation regardless of class. Dallas Lauderdale of nearby Solon, Ohio, also is slated to perform, and the 6’10” explosive athlete is on everyone’s list of top centers in the nation.
Also entering the field for Classic 2007 is vaunted Westchester High of Los Angeles, California. The Comets, competing in their third McDonald’s Classic, are annually one of the nation’s top interscholastic programs.
The Classic will tip-off on Friday, January 12, with a first round, 7:00 PM match-up between Westchester and St. Edward. The 8:30 PM nightcap will feature Solon High and the host team Cathedral Prep.
St Edward is making their second appearance in the Classic, having won the title back in 1997. Head Coach Eric Flannery has been guiding the Eagles for eleven seasons and boasts of a 177-60 record including seven District titles, four regional crowns, and one state championship. His top players include current professionals Sam Clancy (USC), Jawad Williams (North Carolina), Steve Logan (Cincinnati), and Steve LePore (Wake Forest).
Also coming from neighboring Ohio is Solon High, featuring 6’10” All-American Dallas Lauderdale, who will play next season for Ohio State. The Comets are coached by highly-successful mentor Todd VanReeth, who in an 18-year career has compiled a 302-120 record, including a 92-29 record with Solon. His squads at Solon have won four league titles in the last six seasons, and have twice been a regional finalist.
The other visiting squad always brings impressive credentials and high aspirations for national championship recognition. Westchester High was California’s AAAA State Champions in 2005 and will feature 6’7 Dane Suttle, the reigning Los Angeles player of the year and junior Oscar Bellfield, who has been offered a scholarship by USC. The Comets are hoping their third trip to Erie ends with their second Classic crown.
Making a return to the Classic for the 24th consecutive year will be the Cathedral Prep Ramblers who are under the direction of head coach Brian Flanagan, who has gone 48-11 in his two seasons on the bench.
In his first season in 2004-‘05, he led the Ramblers to the Final Four in Pennsylvania with a banner record of 26-5, the fourth highest win total in school history. The Ramblers return just one starter from a year ago in junior Mark Blazek, but also have three seniors who saw regular minutes in guards Josh Licata and Ryan Heidt, along with center Jeff Wisinski.
General admission tickets cost $7 per night in advance for adults and $5 in advance for students, and went on sale to the general public on November 29th, 2006. Any remaining reserved tickets will also be on sale beginning on Wednesday, November 29th at the Cathedral Prep athletic office. General Admission tickets will be available on the same date at the Erie Sport Store, the Avalon Hotel, Dee’s News, and select McDonald’s Restaurants while they last. No phone orders will be accepted, and no tickets can be held. Another sell-out crowd is expected, so fans are encouraged to buy their tickets early.
A comprehensive, hands-on, 2 day RFID training will be offered in Erie, PA on January 17-18, 2007 from 8 am - 5 pm. This course is designed to prepare attendees for the CompTIA RFID+ examination, at a fraction of the cost of other national trainings. CompTIA certification is the industry standard for foundation-level information technology skills. Individuals interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of RFID technology, hardware and software capabilities, RFID system implementation and system maintenance should attend this course. The course is presented by the RFID Center of Excellence at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, and the Center for eBusiness and Advanced IT (eBizITPA).
Martin Luther King III, oldest son of Martin Luther King, Jr and Coretta Scott King, will speak at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, as part of the college’s 2007 King holiday celebration. King’s address, “My Father’s Dream, My Mission,” is part of Penn State Behrend’s annual Speaker Series and will be held at 7:30 pm on Thursday, January 18, in the Reed Union Building’s McGarvey Commons. Admission is free and open to the public, and King will take questions from the audience following his talk.
There will be a fundraiser for the proposed skate park in Erie on January 20 at Forward Hall. Admission for the all age show is $10. The bands that will be playing include Common Enemy, Whiplash, Cardboard Box, Piranha Deathmatch and Last of a Dying Breed.
The Erie Chamber Orchestra in residence at Gannon University presents “The Annual Tribute Concert to Dr Martin Luther King, Jr” on January 19 at St Patrick’s Church, 130 East 4th St. The Shiloh Baptist Church Choir, under the direction of Evangelist DM Jamerson, will honor Dr King’s memory at 7:30 pm. The performance is free and open to everyone.
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, will host only the third performance of “Inspired by America,” a groundbreaking program that fuses live music performed by Cypress String Quartet with an original film based on Jacob Needleman’s best-selling book The American Soul. Directed by Emmy and Peabody winner Michael Schwarz, the film uses American art, landscapes, news footage, readings, and other images and sounds to reflect the diversity of the American story. The event, part of Music at Night: The Logan Series, will be held at 7 pm on Thursday, February 1, in the Reed Union Building’s McGarvey Commons. Tickets are required. Music at Night tickets can be purchased at the door on February 1, or in advance at the Reed Union Building main desk or online. Ticket prices are $10 for adults, $8.50 for adults over 60, $5 for Penn State Behrend students, and $4 for children under the age of 16.
Posted by Dennis at January 9, 2007 6:54 AM
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