ErieBlogs.com: Erie PA News and Events Tuesday July 17, 2007

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Erie PA News and Events Tuesday July 17, 2007

Posted by Dennis on July 17, 2007

The Pennsylvania House and Senate approved a $27.2 billion budget, a 4.4 percent increase from last year. The Pennsylvania Senate stuck to their guns and defeated 7 tax increases proposed by Governor Rendell while the state had a $650 million surplus.

The 1933 Barbara Stanwyck film “Baby Face,” whose racy content inspired the Hays Production Code which changed movie making for the next thirty years, was shown last night on Turner Classic Movies. “Baby Face” helped pave the way for the industry’s self-regulatory Hays Production Code, which curbed all nudity and racy language. Stanwyck plays the daughter of an Erie PA speak-easy owner who turned her into a prostitute at age 14 and her adult life consisted of sleeping her way to the top.

Diving into summer on a fun beverage note, Erie Plastics has introduced Pop N’ Shake, a new *, patent-pending closure technology allowing consumers to create their own “blended” drinks on demand. How does it work? Ingredients dispense with the turn of a tamper-evident dust cover and subsequent “pop” of an inner-cap chamber, allowing consumers to watch a favorite flavor, vitamin or mineral fuse with their preferred bottled drink. A few shakes and moments later, they enjoy a great tasting beverage fortified with healthy, active ingredients. Adding a spark of creativity to beverage consumption, Pop N’ Shake closures are customizable to meet a wide range of beverage needs across the bottled water, juice, dairy, tea, coffee and health drink markets. The closure is also well suited for nutraceutical and organic applications. * Here is the 2003 press release by the Pop N’ Shake Development Company.

U S Rep Phil English (R-Pa) announced the inclusion of $500,000 for the Presque Isle Shoreline Erosion Control Project in H.R. 2641, the Energy and Water Fiscal Year 2008 Appropriations Bill. Last week in a joint statement, the Senators Specter and Casey announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $1 million in federal funds for the project. H R 2641 the Energy and Water Fiscal Year 2008 Appropriations Bill will now await action on the House floor. The next steps toward securing the designated federal funds are Senate passage of an energy and water appropriations bill, then final passage of a Conference Report by the Congress.

Cyanne and Curry, red pandas from the Erie Zoo, now make their home at the Cape May (NJ) County Zoo.

Erie PA based RAVtech launched their redesigned web site. RAVtech manufactures bearings, magnetic seal and related products. The company has leveraged its motorsport and BLIS experience to diversify into becoming a leading global supplier of high quality, cost effective components and assemblies to the industrial, off-highway, aerospace and automotive markets.

Jackson Melian’s two-run homer in the sixth inning last night helped the Erie SeaWolves to a 7-4 win over the Reading Phillies. Eddie Bonine went seven plus innings for the ‘Wolves allowing four runs, two earned, on five hits as he picked up his 10th win of the season. The SeaWolves are now a season high 13 games over .500 at 53-40. The SeaWolves and Phillies meet in the middle game of a three-game set on Tuesday night in Erie, 7:05 first pitch. LHP Jon Connolly takes the mound for the ‘Wolves against RHP Zach Segovia.

The New York Islanders and Chris Campoli have agreed to terms on a three-year contract that will keep the 23-year-old defenseman an Islander through at least the 2009-10 season. Campoli was the captain of the Erie Otters in his last season of junior hockey in 2003-04, was named the CHL’s Humanitarian Player of the Year in Canadian Major Hockey and was awarded the Dan Synder Memorial Trophy, given annually to the OHL’s Humanitarian Player of the Year.

Eight Great Tuesday’s is a free concert series on Tuesday nights begining at 6:30 pm at the Pepsi Amphitheatre inside Liberty Park. East Ave and Ana Popovic, the excellent female singer/songwriter/guitarist from Belgrade will be performing. The guys from East Ave said Popovic is “REALLY hot!”

Get up close and personal with Presque Isle while learning to be a Junior Naturalist (and get a patch to prove it) - use field guides, cool gear, bike around the park and more! Class meets July 17 through July 20 from 9 am to 12 pm. $15.00 fee, registration required. Meet at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center. Appropriate for ages 9-12. For more info call (814) 835-4550 or email mcrotsley@state.pa.us.

Roger Knacke, professor of physics and astronomy and director of the School of Science at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, will host an Open House Night in Astronomy on Wednesday, July 18, titled “The Summer Stars.” Beginning at 8:30 pm, Knacke will lecture in 101 Otto Behrend Science Building on the astronomical splendors of the summer sky. Weather permitting, astronomical viewing of the moon, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, stars, and nebulae using the college’s Mehalso Observatory will follow from 9:30 until 11:00 pm. Open House Nights in Astronomy are free and open to the public, and intended for a non-technical audience age 6 and up. For additional information, call (814) 898-6105.

Lvsitanvs, a pair of Portugese sister-carillonneurs, will perform duets on the Floyd and Juanita Smith Carillon at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, the evening of Thursday, July 19. The performance is part of the college’s summer Smith Carillon Concert Series. It begins at 7 pm and is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be served. Seating will be on the lawn of the John M. Lilley Library, so concertgoers are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket.

Gannon University’s Schuster Theatre presents the 4th Annual Shakespeare Summer Nights with performances outdoors on the Friendship Green located near the Gannon Arch on West 7th Street. Shakespeare’s magically, romantic fantasy, The Tempest directed by Paula Barrett will run July 19th, 21st, and 27th. The mysteriously, deceptive tragedy Macbeth with a modern twist is directed by Zach Flock, with performances July 20th, 26th, and 28th. All performances begin at 7:30 pm, and are FREE and open to the public. For more details, call (814) 871-7493.

The Presque Isle Parrothead Club 2007 Key West Fest will be held July 20-21 at Liberty Park on the bayfront in Erie PA. Admission and parking are FREE.

The Greater Erie Youth Symphony Orchestra D’Angelo Summer Music Camp will be held July 23-27 at Penn State Erie, the Behrend College. The camp is for beginning, intermediate, advanced string, bass, wind, percussion students ages 8-18. To register call (814) 898-6243.

The summer heats up on Thursday, July 26 for the BBQ, Blues and Brews benefit event for the Erie Art Museum from 5 pm to midnight. This FREE event features a smokin’ BBQ prepared by Pufferbelly Restaurant, live music and a scavenger hunt throughout the Museum’s galleries. The Museum’s 5th Street parking lot transforms into an outdoor dining courtyard from 5-8 pm. The event moves to State Street from 8 pm to midnight where State Street grooves to the music of One World Tribe and a performance by Erie’s African Dance Troupe, Sylla Kunda. Ol’ Dogs grills up their gourmet hotdogs. Of course the brews will still be on tap. A portion of the proceeds from the BBQ and beverage sales will be donated to the Erie Art Museum.

The Wattsburg Erie County Battle of the Bands and Music Festival will be held Friday evening July 27 and Saturday July 28 at the Erie County Fairgrounds.

Discover Presque Isle will be held July 27-29, 2007 at Presque Isle State Park. No matter what your age or interests, there is something for everyone. Admission and parking are FREE.

The Native American Festival will be held at the Wooden Nickel Buffalo Farm 11 am - 6 pm daily July 28-29. Admission is $3 per person, 3 and under are FREE. Parking is by donation to the Edinboro Lions Club. Opening ceremonies at 12 Noon each day. Intertribal dancing all day with special dancers performing at 1pm, 2pm, and 5pm.

The Counting Crows, Live and Collective Soul will play a concert at Jerry Uht Park in Erie, PA on July 31 as part of “The Rock ‘n’ Roll Triple Play Ballpark Tour.” Tickets can be purchased at the SeaWolves box office at Jerry Uht Park and on SeaWolves.com. Children under 12 get in FREE with each paid adult ticket holder.

The Motorcycle, Car, Boat and Truck show called the Lake Erie Classic will be held August 3-5 at Erie International Airport, Tom Ridge Field.

The 15th Annual Erie Art Museum’s Blues and Jazz Festival, the largest jazz and blues event in the Erie region, is a 2 day Festival held August 4 and 5 at Frontier Park in Erie, Pa. Bring a blanket or lawn chair. A variety of festival fare will be available from local vendors and restaurants. Admission to all Festival events is free. Saturday August 4 - 12 pm One World Tribe with the UpRise African Drum and Dance Ensemble, 2 pm Familiar Spirit Band, 4 pm Geoff Achison, 6 pm Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials, 8 pm Junior Brown Sunday August 5 - 12 pm Gem City Jazz Band, 2 pm Cats A Bear, 4 pm Babik, 6 pm Stew Cutler Trio, 8 pm Rashied Ali Quintet Ongoing: WQLN Kids Tent, Festival Fare, LEAF Arboretum Tours/Green Tag

The Lake Erie Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association will host its 2007 steak fry on Saturday, August 4, at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. The annual event, which will be held at the Wilson Picnic Grove on the campus of Penn State Behrend, begins with a social hour at 5 pm, followed by the dinner’s signature “grill your own” steak fry at 6 pm. The fund-raiser is open to all Penn State alumni. Proceeds benefit the Lake Erie Chapter’s Robert W Sparks scholarship fund, which has awarded more than $55,000 to local students in the past 16 years. Tickets for the annual steak fry fund-raiser are $19 per person. For more information or to RSVP, contact Phil Mobilia, president of the Lake Erie Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association, at 814-725-1999 (home) or 716-483-7219 (office), or via e-mail at Phil.Mobilia@psualum.com. Please respond by July 30. Visit www.behrend.psu.edu/alumni for more information about the Lake Erie Chapter or to become a member.

Representatives of the waterfowl organizations, individual sportsmen and the public are invited to attend a briefing on Friday, Aug 10, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the Northwest Pennsylvania Duck Hunters Association, on the status of Atlantic Flyway waterfowl populations and proposed preliminary federal frameworks for the 2007-08 hunting seasons. The briefing will begin at 1 pm, in Room 112 of the Tom Ridge Education Center at Presque Isle State Park in Erie.

Titled “Local Government and the Erie Economy,” the 2007 Economic Research Institute of Erie (ERIE) conference will address topics relevant to Erie and its surrounding communities, including the debate about consolidating the area’s local governments and the smoking ban. The institute’s sixth annual conference will be held on August 14, in McGarvey Commons, located in the Reed Union Building at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. The cost to attend this year’s conference is $149 and includes printed materials, breakfast and lunch. A reduced rate of $75 is available for nonprofit, government and economic development officials. For more information or to register for the conference, call (814) 898-7149.

Dennis Weed