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Erie PA News and Events Tuesday August 21, 2007

Pennsylvania State Superior Court Judge Michael Joyce pleaded not guilty to mail fraud and money laundering charges. Joyce was not present for his arraignment but instead his attorney entered the plea. Maybe Joyce was busy golfing. Joyce did announce he will not seek reelection. Joyce was scheduled to be on the November ballot for a retention vote for another 10 year term. He will instead retire come January. Joyce was indicted by a grand jury of defrauding two insurance companies out of $440,000. The two insurance companies, Erie Insurance and State Farm, rubber stamped his claim as he was a judge.

Andrew Beyer is probably the best known horse racing columnist in America. Beyer is a native of Erie, PA. He was a story today on Presque Isle Downs and Casino in the Washington Post that is being run in numerous newspapers. “Racing Tries to Find Its Way in a Place That’s Well Out of the Way” makes some interesting points. Beyer points out that Erie didn’t support thoroughbred racing before but might find success locally and even nationally with large purses and 5:30 pm post time. Beyer won’t be getting any chamber of commerce award for his cracks on Erie - title of the story, “situated in unglamorous Erie, Pa”, and “Dreary Erie.”

There is a spotlight on the Erie PA real estate market in the USA Today. “Low jobless rates in Erie, Pa., keep market stable” is pretty accurate. It states that sales volume in the Erie area is down 3.4 percent from last year while it’s down 4.6 percent in Pennsylvania and down 12.1 percent nationally. Cute little graphic which says that the median house price in Erie County is $145,147, up 4.8 percent year over year. I’m not seeing prices increasing no matter what the numbers say. I’m seeing sales of existing single family homes about what they were in 2005. note: I’m a Realtor with CENTURY 21 Stover Real Estate in Erie.

Erie Homes for Children and Adults received a $150,000 state grant from the Children’s Trust Fund which were awarded to 11 community organizations that have developed programs to prevent abuse and neglect.

Lakeside Aviation of Erie PA has terminated their lease as fixed-base operator of the Ashtabula County airport. They will continue to operate the airport through September. Lakeside Aviation is a division of Erie Management Group, an investment holding company based in Erie PA.

It’s now been 10 years since the first I-86 summit. The goal was to turn Route 17 into an interstate highway. A little more than half of the 381 mile thruway from Erie PA through the Southern Tier to metro NYC has been completed. American Cancer Society Relay For Life teams are helping preserve the environment while raising hundreds of dollars to battle cancer. In Denton, TX, Gail Martinez and the Cancer Crashers Relay for Life Team have tried numerous fundraisers over the last five years. Martinez says few are as easy as the FundingFactory Recycling Program which recycles printer cartridges and cell phones. “At a Relay meeting, we heard Funding Factory was a great, year-round fundraiser so we started recycling,” she said. “We raised $500 in one year.” The Cancer Crashers are among over 20,000 groups that are currently working with FundingFactory to collect used printer cartridges and cell phones that can be refurbished and resold. FundingFactory provides free boxes, shipping, promotional materials, online accounting and weekly payments. To date, FundingFactory groups have earned over $10.5 million by recycling.

The Erie SeaWolves game against Akron was rained out. The two teams will play a doubleheader at Jerry Uht Park. First pitch is 5:05 pm. SeaWolves season ticket holders have until Friday August 24 to purchase the same seat for all 2007 home playoff games. A maximum of six games could be played at Jerry Uht Park during the semifinal and championship rounds beginning on Wednesday, September 5 and ending no later than Saturday, September 15.

The Mercyhurst College baseball team signed 11 recruits. The class includes Trey Archer (transfer from Xaiver), Jonathan Gonzalez (drafted in the 33rd round by the Los Angles Dodgers (drafted in the 33rd round by the Los Angles Dodgers), and Thurman Schaetzle (Erie Mercyhurst Prep).

Familiar Spirit and Tab Benoit perform this week at 8 Great Tuesdays. Eight Great Tuesdays is the free live music concert series at the Pepsi Amphitheatre in Liberty Park on the bayfront. It starts at 6:30 pm. Familiar Spirit could be the most underrated band in Erie. They’re great.

Today, Tuesday August 21 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and the Millcreek Community Hospital Orthopedic Surgery Residency Program will present a total joint replacement workshop at the LECOM campus on West Grandview Boulevard. Patients can learn about the signs that indicate when joints need replacement. If you are interested in attending contact LECOM at (814) 866-6641 or Email: communications@lecom.edu.

Holy Trinity Catholic Church located at 2220 Reed Street in Erie will host the Zabawa Polish Summer Festival August 24-26. Polish foods, polka music, and traditional dancing. Hours are: Friday, 5 to 10 pm; Saturday, 2 to 10 pm; Sunday, noon to 6 pm. For more information, call 814-456-0671.

The Fuller Hose Company of North East will sponsor the annual North East National Rib Festival at Gravel Pit Park August 24-26. Automobile shows, crafters, petting zoo, live entertainment, and plenty of food. For more details, call (814) 725-9211.

Winds on the Lake, a professional wind and percussion ensemble, will present a FREE outdoor concert titled “Salute to America” at 3 pm on Sunday, Aug 26. Fittingly, the performance will take place in the gazebo of the Pennsylvania Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home, which is located on Erie’s bayfront at 560 E Third St. In the event of rain, the concert will be held inside the facility. Winds on the Lake performs under the direction of Gary Viebranz, director of instrumental ensembles at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, and Matthew Inkster, director of bands at West Virginia’s West Liberty State College. In addition to patriotic favorites, “Salute to America” will include a performance of Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” and a special tribute to the armed forces.

The 2007 Erie County Fair will be held August 26 to September 2.

The 11th annual Erie German Heritage Festival will be held at the Shriner Club, 38th and Zuck, September 1-2.

Family First Sports Park is hosting the Challenge Cup soccer tournament September 1-2. The National Premier High School Challenge Cup will feature some of the top high school boys and girls teams in the nation. Every hotel room within 50 miles of Erie is booked that weekend.

The 7th annual triathlon on Presque Isle State Park will take place Saturday, September 8, 2007, the first Saturday after Labor Day. All segments of the triathlon…the swim, the bike and the run…will start, transition and finish at Beach 6. PI TRI 07 is open to individuals and 2-3 person relay teams.

The 9th annual Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier Park Festival of family fun and environmental learning will be held September 8, 10 am - 3 pm. From the children’s tree climb to horticulture presentations, there will be something for all to enjoy. The day includes children’s games and crafts; hands-on demonstrations; musical performances; an animal petting zoo; food and more. FREE admission.

Where economic freedom rings, political freedom is sure to follow, says an economist who will speak next month at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. The Sam and Irene Black School of Business will host Robert Lawson PhD, co-author of the annual Economic Freedom of the World report, for a lecture and question and answer session on Monday, Sept 10. Lawson’s presentation will take place at 5 pm in the lecture hall of the Research and Economic Development Center (REDC). It is free and open to the public.

The PA Department of General Services (DGS) is hosting a “Doing Business with the Commonwealth” workshop in Erie PA on September 12. Please contact Gayle Nuppnau at 412-442-5872 or gnuppnau@state.pa.us for details.

The Northwest Regional Planning and Development Commission is sponsoring meetings with18 overseas trade representatives September 12-13 in Erie. One-on-one appointments on September 13 will run from 8 am - 11:30 am and 12:30 pm - 3 pm. The following overseas trade representatives will be available: Australia / New Zealand, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China-Beijing, China-Shanghai, Czech Republic, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Singapore/ASEAN, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Vietnam. Click here for the registration form.

The Scions of Britain (the SOB’s), The British Motoring Group of Northwestern Pennsylvania, proudly presents the 15th annual All British Car Gathering, Sunday September 16, 2007 at the Waterford Square, Waterford, PA. 12 Noon to 4 PM. For more information contact Tom Lee - (814) 725-5992 or rthomaslee@aol.com.

The famed Cavani String Quartet returns to Erie in September to open the 18th season of Music at Noon: The Logan Series. Cavani String Quartet will present its free Logan Series public performance at noon on Wednesday, Sept 19, in the McGarvey Commons of the college’s Reed Union Building.

Mercyhurst Men’s Basketball Alumni are organizing an Alumni Basketball game for charity. The event is scheduled for September 29, 2007 at 7pm at the MAC. Come See some of your favorite Mercyhurst players from the past and some of the Mercyhurst stars of the future compete in 3-point contests and a dunk contest. All proceeds from the gate will benefit the Alheimer’s Association of Erie.

There will also be a 50/50 raffle. Players include Brent Swain, Keith Nies, Matt Thielker, Gerry Battle, and Dion Brown, Jason Ioppolo, and Jody Crymes.

The 2007 Wine Country Harvest Festival will be held in North East, PA September 28, 29 and 30.

Dennis Weed

Posted by Dennis at August 21, 2007 7:07 AM

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