ErieBlogs.com: Erie PA News and Events Thursday July 19, 2007

Of Note: Open Thread for August 24-30, 2008 (13 comments) , Gas Price Finder

« Erie PA News and Events Wednesday July 18, 2007 | Main | Erie PA News and Events Friday July 20, 2007 »

Erie PA News and Events Thursday July 19, 2007

Posted by Dennis on July 19, 2007

No wonder Brian Wells was named an unindicted co-conspirator in the bank robbery that led to his death. Court documents unsealed on Wednesday said that Wells had his neck measured for the collar bomb placed around his neck. Excellent job by reporters at the ETN including Ed Palattella that must had had to dig through a mountain of paperwork to find things and explain the story. A must read - Wells’ deadly meetings.

Erie PA native Michael Gainer was living in the Boston area and wanted to be closer to home. Gainer ended up in Buffalo. Buffalo has suffered from a population decline. The city has a large number of abandoned and vacant buildings and houses, nearly 20,000. The city was going to spend millions tearing them down so he founded Buffalo ReUse, a building disassembly company. Buffalo ReUse salvages as much possible material as possible from cabinets and doors to nearly all wood and metal. Up to 98 percent of materials is diverted from the landfill.

Bishop Daniel of Erie, head of the Russian Church Outside Russia, met with a delegation that just got back from Russia. The group included Archpriest Pimen Simon, rector of the Church of the Nativity of Christ in Erie. They reported that the ROCOR enjoys respect and that the Church in Russia has experienced a ‘rebirth.’ Opponents of reunification between the Russian Orthodox Church inside and outside Russia tried to persuade Bishop Daniel of Erie in charge of the ROCOR Same-Faith faithful to lead a schism.

Welcome to the Keith Family who are relocating from Salt Lake City to Erie PA.

The recent acquisition of eDynaQuote by Vista Auctions was a strategic move that positions the State College, PA-based supplier of procurement consulting and reverse auction services to capitalize on a growing national trend by companies to streamline the purchasing process through use of electronic tools. Vista purchased eDynaQuote on June 28 from the Center for eBusiness and Advanced IT (eBizITPA) located in Knowledge Park, Erie, PA. eBizITPA developed and incubated eDynaQuote. Vista recruited Bret Grady specifically to run the eDynaQuote operation. “Our first order of business is to expand upon eDynaQuote’s recent sales growth while seeking new office space in Erie,” said Grady. “We appreciate the flexibility of eBizITPA that enables us to make the move to new quarters as seamless as possible.” Marty Barclay, formerly General Manager of eDynaQuote, has been named Chief Operating Officer, responsible for day-to-day operations in Erie, PA. Ryan Milliron, IT Manager, and Douglas Luthringer, Client Services manager, will continue in those positions.

Railpower Technologies (TSX: P) recalled 65 units of its Green Goat series of yard switcher locomotives. The company has estimated the overall cost of refitting 25 locomotives belonging to its third generation of Green Goats at approximately $2 million. The technical analysis on the 40 remaining locomotives, belonging to the Green Goat Generation I and II and Green Kids series, has not yet been completed. However, it has been determined that the conversion of all these units into a more recent model is the only valid option. The new design will take more time to complete. Preliminary estimates show that the total cost of such a retrofit is likely to range between $10 and $13 million. Railpower is headquartered in Montreal. Its U S office is located in Erie, Pennsylvania.

King Kyle Foust made it official and said he would run for Erie Republican Phil English’s seat in the U S House of Representatives.

Th Reading Phillies took a doubleheader from the Erie SeaWolves. Erie faces the Bowie Baysox tonight at 7:05 pm at Jerry Uht Park in downtown Erie.

Former Minnesota head coach Glen Mason will do color commentary for a third broadcast team covering college football for the Big Ten Network. The 35 year coaching veteran was at one time an assistant coach at Allegheny College.

Andy Kountz, a Penn State-Behrend recruit who pitches and also plays first base and the outfield, hit two homers in Monday’s regular season finale for the Bethel Park American Legion baseball team.

The Classic Rock / Rock / Metal band Hammerd and The M80’s will be performing a FREE concert tonight in front of Peccadillo’s for this weeks Thursday Night Block Party.
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 Block Party 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.

Tin-Shi Tam, the Cownie Professor of Music and university carillonneur at Iowa State, will close the summer Smith Carillon Concert Series at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, with a concert on Thursday, July 26. Tam’s performance on the Floyd and Juanita Smith Carillon will begin at 7 pm and is free and open to the public. Audience seating will be on the lawn of the John M Lilley Library, so concertgoers are encouraged to bring a blanket or chair with them.

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