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Erie PA News and Events for Saturday May 5, 2007
Posted by Dennis on May 5, 2007
AARP joined US Representative Phil English (R-PA) as he announced bipartisan legislation designed to help workers save for retirement. HR 2167, the Automatic IRA Act of 2007 would allow the nearly 75 million American workers who don’t have access to an employer sponsored retirement plan to save for retirement through automatic payroll deposit individual retirement accounts (IRAs). “AARP is pleased that Congressman English has introduced important legislation that will provide a savings option for millions of hard working Americans currently without access to an employer sponsored retirement plan,” says Estella Hyde, a member of AARP Pennsylvania’s Executive Council.
The second annual Take Your Best Shot photo contest, sponsored by the Mercyhurst College Office of Marketing and Public Relations, saw double the entries, double the prize money and double the fun for those fortunate enough to judge the talent of the many photographers who set their lenses on the Mercyhurst landscape. Senior Alison Fisher produced the “best shot” and took home a certificate of achievement and $200 for her efforts.
Mercyhurst College has announced the recipients of its student awards, which will be presented during commencement exercises on May 19 and 20. The Catherine McAuley Award is presented to an outstanding adult undergraduate student in recognition of superior work and personal and professional achievement. This year’s recipient, Ruby Lauffenburger, lived under the mantle of domestic violence for many years with her young son. The desire to make a comfortable life for her and her son brought her to Mercyhurst’s Adult College. To avoid uprooting her son, she commuted to Erie daily from Russell, Pa., a two-hour round trip. She also worked part-time at the Warren County domestic violence shelter that was once her safe haven. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Sciences Education in just four years and now looks forward to being a teacher. The President’s Award for Adult Excellence will go to Lynn McBride, who has earned a bachelor’s degree in business management and a minor in communication with a journalism concentration. While she started working as a waitress after high school, she decided to pursue an associate degree and move into accounting. She now works as an insurance rater and endorser at Erie Insurance. The 2007 Carpe Diem Award, the highest award given a traditional-age student, will be presented to Daniel Schuler. He will graduate summa cum laude with a mathematics education major. He served as student government president during 2006-07. He played football for four years, earning all-conference academic and athletic honors. He has also been a member of the concert choir, with which he traveled to Italy and Poland, and with which he leaves for Ireland the day after graduation. Now student teaching at Erie East High School, he has been offered a position there this fall. A pair of seniors have been named co-recipients of the Bishop’s Award for Academic Excellence, given to the top scholar among the graduating class. Julia-Anne Anderson graduates summa cum laude with a degree in sportsmedicine and a pre-physical therapy concentration. She expects to return home to Canada next year and attend graduate school in physiotherapy. She’s been a standout on the women’s basketball team as well as in the classroom, ranking among the all-time leaders at Mercyhurst in scoring, rebounding, steals and free-throw shooting. The second Bishop’s Award winner is Hope Randall of Erie, an English major with a minor in history. She also graduates summa cum laude. Her future plans include working in the museum field and also pursuing graduate studies in history. Known for her compelling strength in writing, she received the first P. Barry McAndrew Essay in Literature Award last month.
It was the Eulogio De La Cruz show at Jerry Uht Park on Friday night as the Erie SeaWolves downed the Harrisburg Senators 2-0 to win their second consecutive game. De La Cruz tossed his second complete game in as many outings. He shutout Harrisburg allowing just two hits. The ‘Wolves will be back in action tonight at 6:35 against the Senators in game two of the three-game weekend series. RHP Eddie Bonine throws for Erie while RHP Collin Balester throws for Harrisburg.
John Faulkner of the Sarnia Blast of the Western Ontario junior B hockey league won both the People’s Choice Award along with the Most Valuable Player award. Faulkner has two more years of junior B eligibility but may join the Erie Otters.
Joey Chrisman of Broad Run High School will continue his academic and lacrosse career at Mercyhurst North East Junior College. The Saints compete in Western New York Athletic Conference of the NJCAA.
Ian Ostlund was returned to the Erie SeaWolves from the Toledo Mud Hens. Next off-season Ostlund is putting together a hunting and fishing show for national syndication.
The Chautauqua-Lake Erie Wine Trail will host a “wine and cheese weekend” May 5-6, with 15 wineries participating.
After four years of work on land and at sea, Daniel Barnard’s full 10 movement “Requiem for a Sailor” will be publicly sung in its entirety for the first time on Sunday, May 6. “Requiem” grew out of research undertaken after Barnard, a member of the music faculty at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, decided to create the first major musical effort that honors Erie’s maritime heritage. To underscore the piece’s celebration of community, Barnard invited the voices of the Behrend College Choir, the Erie Philharmonic Chorus, the Edinboro University Chamber Choir, the Harbor Creek High School Choir, and soloists from Mercyhurst College to perform the 40-minute work under his direction. Fittingly, the concert will take place in the H O Hirt Auditorium of the Erie Maritime Museum, 160 E Front St. A composer lecture with Barnard will begin at 3:30 pm, to be followed by the performance at 4 pm; both are free and open to the public.
The fifth annual Communication Campaigns mock trade show takes place Tuesday, May 8, from 10 am to 3 pm in the Great Room of the student union. The event, “Experience Erie Expo,” is free to all students and faculty. Communication students in the class were asked to devise plans for businesses and services that would be likely to succeed and benefit Erie residents. Some of the companies featured include an old-fashioned candy kitchen, jet ski rentals, a charter fishing company, and a cosmic arcade. Communication Campaigns is a class that focuses on proper marketing tactics for a new or existing company. Each group is required to complete backgrounders, brochures, press releases, and a form of electronic media in order to accurately express the overall feel of their company.
On Wednesday, May 9, Mercyhurst College welcomes Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jack Rakove, the W. R. Coe Professor of History and American Studies and Professor of Political Science at Stanford University, where he has taught since 1980. His 8 pm address in Walker Recital Hall is titled “The Dilemma of Declaring Rights” and it is free and open to the public.
The Salvation Army in Erie will be celebrating National Salvation
Army week starting May 14. Throughout the week The Salvation Army will have several events ongoing to bring attention to the Erie Community of the many services and programs they provide. One of the major events that week will be the Kettles for Kids campaign. The recognizable Red Kettles will be located at numerous entrances of the Millcreek Mall. All proceeds from this fund-raising event stay in the Erie area, which will allow them to send less fortunate children to summer camps. The Salvation Army is looking for members of the community to help with this campaign by volunteering their time and standing with the Red Kettles. The Camp for Kids campaign kicks off on Monday, May 14 and continues through Saturday, May 19. They offer 2 separate shifts for individuals; they encourage large groups and organizations that have many volunteers to take a location for the entire day. Should you have any questions, please contact Dan Hanson at The Salvation Army at (814) 454-6497.
The Tragically Hip play the Warner Theatre in Erie, Pa on May 18. Reserved seat tickets are $31.50.
Penn State Behrend’s popular College for Kids returns this summer with over 150 weeklong classes to educate, entertain, and inspire young people ages 6 to 18. College for Kids courses begin June 11 and continue through August 10, with the exception of Fourth of July week. Classes are organized by age and held during morning or afternoon sessions, with before- and after-care available for an additional fee. Returning classes include past favorites in guitar, golf, knitting, word processing, PowerPoint, model rocketry, acting, sign language, and scrap booking instruction; World War II history, “Engineering MythBusters,” and “Dinosaur Discovery.” New courses this year: “Storm Chasing 101” taught by WJET-TV meteorologist Tom Atkins; two finance classes, “Kids and Money” for the younger student and “Show Me the Money” for teens; “Let’s Cheer,” “Conversational Spanish,” “Introduction to Chess,” “Star Wars and the Roman Empire,” “Crafts from the Beach,” “Space Camp: Return to the Moon,” and an investigation of the paranormal called “X-Files.” “We also have a very special opportunity this year for kids ages 12 to 18—a chance to paint a mural on the fountain in Perry Square under the direction of local artist AJ Noyes,” Mary Trott, College for Kids program coordinator, noted. “Because of the significance of this community service project, this will be one of the rare College for Kids classes that meets for a full day.” Perry Square fountain painting will take place the week of July 23. For artists not old enough to participate in the mural project or unable to commit to a full-day class, Noyes also will teach College for Kids courses in hand-sewing and beading, craft painting, nature drawing and painting, and portrait drawing. Costs vary by course but start at $70 per weeklong class. Before- or after-class supervision is available for an additional $10 per week. Schedule and registration information will be distributed through area schools and also is available by calling 814-898-6212 or clicking here. Mail and online registration will begin in early May. Participants are encouraged to register early for best class selection.
Posted by Dennis at May 5, 2007 8:18 AM
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