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Erie PA News and Events Thursday January 11, 2007
Posted by Dennis on January 11, 2007
A propane tanker wrecked near Union City taking out a telephone pole and ended up with power lines and transformers wrapped around the tanker. It would have looked like a nuke if it exploded but the tanker was engineered for just such a case as this. A crew unloaded the 10,000 lbs of liquid fuel and the truck was towed away without incident.
The post-holiday blood shortage actually worsened with blood levels dropping significantly over the past 24 hours. Everyone is encouraged to donate as soon as they can to save live locally. All blood types are needed. Continued heavy usage by area hospitals and lighter than expect donor turn out is to blame. New York Blood Centers, one of the nations largest blood banks, just announced that they are also suffering from a critical blood shortage. January is National Blood Donor Month. The reason Congress chose January is because it is one of the hardest months of the year on the nation’s blood supply. The CBB needs about 350 extra donors to bring the supply back up to safe levels. “We are surprised at the lackluster turnout we’ve had.” Said Dan Desrochers, Director of Public Relations at the blood bank. “We know people are busy, but it only takes about 30 minutes to save a life!” All donors are strongly encouraged to donate at the Erie 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.
Chris Rodgers, Director of Strategic Development, passed along the press release for 2006 passenger traffic report for Erie International Airport, Tom Ridge Field. “In addition to being the last month of 2006, this months report is the last one containing US Airways mainline service. It has now been over 5 years since mainline service ended on 1/5/02. 2006 concluded with 161,083 enplanements, good enough for 6th best ever! This number represents a decline of 14.2 percent from last year’s record year, 9 percent lower than our second best year, and just 5.3 percent off from our third best year. Another interesting perspective on 2006 is to compare the combined growth of 2004 and 2005 at 32.3 percent to our decline of 14.2 percent. That puts 2006 up 18.1 percent over 2003. Most notable in 2006 was US declines in passenger count (-23.4 pct) and load factor (-4.5 points). NW had the smallest decline in passengers (-2.5%) and gained the most marketshare (4.0 points). Co was right behind NW with a decline of -2.9 percent and a gain of 1.3 points. DL reduced a frequency in Nov, causing a drop in passengers (-18.3 pct) and a small drop in marketshare (-0.9 points). 2007 is expected to compete for a top 5 best ever year on the strength of capacity growth at CO expected (DH-8 upgrade to fleet) in the second half of the year. Capacity enhancements at US (CLT), DL (3rd ATL) and NW(SF3 to CRJ) are not certain, but are possible in the 2nd half in light of recent high load factors and positive financial performance at the ERI stations. 2006, a pretty good year considering all the turmoil in the industry!”
The Microtel Inn of Erie, Pennsylvania at 8100 Peach St was recently acquired by Starways Property, LLC. The new owners plan to make “significant cosmetic renovations.”
Mercyhurst College and Hamot Medical Center unveiled plans for the $2.9 million Hamot Healthcare Center at Mercyhurst North East JC, the culmination of two years of planning and a testament to the strength of collaboration. During the past two years, Mercyhurst and Hamot have explored a joint venture to bring a wider range of healthcare services to the North East community. Besides serving the needs of the community at large, the new center will house an infirmary for Mercyhurst North East students and create opportunities for new academic offerings. The 17,000-square-foot building will house the primary care offices of Dr. William Mix and Dr. Margaret Shanley, their physician assistants and their staffs. TRAC Rehab services will also be housed at the center with a new state-of-the-art aqua-exercise therapy being offered for the first time in North East. Hamot Imaging services will bring diagnostic x-ray, mammography and ultrasound with the potential for expanded diagnostic services such as CT and MRI in the future. An ACL lab will also be established. Medicor Associates, Inc. will offer cardiology diagnostic services including nuclear stress testing, echocardiography, and vascular exams (arterial, venous, and carotid dopplers). There will be cardiology clinics staffed by cardiologist, Robert J. Ferraro, MD, FACC. One of the most unique components of the project is the student infirmary that will be operated through Hamot’s Primary Care office. The new facility will have 12 exam rooms and offer health services including vaccines, physical exams, and appointments for students needing medical attention. The infirmary is also open to Mercyhurst staff and will be operated five days a week. In addition, the new facility will enable Mercyhurst and Hamot to collaborate on new health-oriented academic offerings on the North East campus. Among those being explored are medical lab technician, occupational therapy assistant and respiratory therapy assistant, according to Dr. Gary Brown, executive vice president of Mercyhurst North East.
Adults interested in obtaining a General Equivalency Diploma (GED) now have a new option when it comes to preparing for the test. “GED for Me!”, an online distance-learning program introduced by WQLN Education, utilizes the Internet to connect students with tutors who oversee their progress in studying for the written exam. The online format allows students to work from home and on their own schedule.
Allegheny College Assistant Professor of English Kerry Neville Bakken has won the Fiction and Literature: Short Story category of the Best Books 2006 Awards sponsored by USABookNews.com for her work “Necessary Lies.” Bakken’s first collection of short stories, “Necessary Lies” has also been awarded the G.S. Sharat Chandra Prize for Short Fiction. She teaches fiction writing, environmental writing and American literature at Allegheny College and lives in Meadville, PA, with her husband and two children. Her stories have been published in “Glimmer Train,” “StoryQuarterly” and “Cimarron Review.”
Michael Martunas has been hired as Environmental Compliance Coordinator for Dragon Products. Dragon Products is New England’s only cement manufacturer and Maine’s largest distributor of ready-mix concrete. Martunas will oversee environmental compliance monitoring and implementation at Dragon’s Thomaston cement plant and will support compliance activities for the 10 ready-mix concrete batch plants located throughout Maine. Martunas graduated in 1998 from Mercyhurst College in Erie Pennsylvania.
The Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League announced today that they have traded goaltender Ryan Ludzik to the Windsor Spitfires in exchange for goaltender John Faulkner. Ludzik, an 18 year-old selected 251st overall by the Otters in the 2004 OHL Priority Selection, spent the last two seasons with Erie appearing in 29 games and posting a record of 4-14-1-1. Faulkner, originally selected 104th overall by the Spitfires in the 2004 OHL Priority Selection, is currently in his second season with the Sarnia Blast of the Western Ontario Junior B Hockey League. In 31 games this season the 18 year-old Sarnia, Ontario native has an 18-12 record with one shutout, a 3.55 goals against average and a .910 save percentage. The Otters (9-29-0-2) return to action with a pair of road games Thursday and Friday.
The 2007 NHL Central Scouting Mid-Term Rankings were released. Four members of the Erie Otters were listed: 36th Zack Torquato, C; 43rd Nick Palmieri, RW; 49th Josh Kidd, D; and 154th Anthony Peluso, D/RW.
Mercyhurst sophomore goaltender Tyler Small has decided to leave the team. Small had assumed the number 1 goaltender’s job late last season and began the year in the same position. He played and started 14 games this season with a 3-8-3 record, a 4.04 goals-against-average and a .896 save percentage. The Kincardine, Ontario, native totaled 36 games in his career with a record of 17-14-4, a 3.25 goal-sgainst-average, and a .911 save percentage.
TJ Kemp was selected to play in the AHL All-Star game. The Mercyhurst College grad plays for Manchester.
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.
Shake off the winter blues during with a day of fun during the “Winter Adventure Day” at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center on Saturday, January 20. Learn to snowshoe, check out cross-country skiing, test your winter survival skill, venture into ice fishing and more! No fee, No registration. Various locations on Presque Isle. 11am - 4pm. Meet at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center. Call 814-833-7424 for more info. Check out some true survival skills on the BIG Green Screen during Winter Adventure Day: Adventure Movie Package - Buy Two regular priced Movie Tickets and get a FREE Large Popcorn! Not valid with any other discounts. Or “Two” True Adventure Package - See Everest AND Lewis and Clark for only $2 more than the regular price of 1 ticket. (valid for same day movie only)
Everest (Showtime’s at 12N, 2pm, 4pm)
Lewis and Clark Adventure Package (Showtime’s 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm)
Curtis Granderson, the Erie SeaWolves Centerfielder and 2004 Eastern League MVP Canididate will be in Erie on Wednesday, January 24 at the annual Erie SeaWolves Hot Stove Banquet. The event begins at 6 p.m. with a cocktail hour. Individual tickets are on sale now for $35 Fans can also purchase a table of eight for $240 ($5 discount per ticket). The event will be hosted by Jim LeCorchick and will feature many special guest speakers including Detroit Tigers Director of Player Development Glenn Ezell, Mandalay Sports Entertainment VP of Development Rich Neumann and 2007 SeaWolves Pitching Coach A.J. Sager. For more information or to purchase tickets for the event, contact the SeaWolves at (814) 456-1300.
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.
On Feb 25, the Brewerie at Union Station in Erie hosts the Erie Illusion women’s football team Beer Fest.
Posted by Dennis at January 11, 2007 7:14 AM
Comments
Dennis,
Count me in on signing the petition. The sooner we get Act 47 going the sooner our taxes will be hopefully be lowered. Then we'll really get to see how government should be run with a shoe-string budget just like in the private sector. (sorry for the late reply on this)
Posted by: Pete at January 11, 2007 10:20 AM
"the primary care offices of Dr. William Mix and Dr. Margaret Shanley" ... and, formerly, Hawk. This has been a long, long time coming and is much overdue. I can't help but think that if Hamot had been faster on this (the money was there, via a bequest), we may still be in North East.
Posted by: Eden at January 11, 2007 12:58 PM
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