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Erie PA News and Events for Saturday November 10, 2007

Paragon Promotions of Erie is suspected running a fundraising scam. Greenville-West Salem (PA) Township police are investigating the company for running a bogus fundraising campaign for the Greenville Fire Department and its union. Numerous phone calls were made to Greenville area residents asking for donations so the fire department could purchase fire safety books for area students. Paragon’s phone number listed on their web site was bogus too. The companies address is listed as 201 German St.
The Greenville Fire Department did have a contract with a Paragon Promotions in Erie back in 2005 however, the company info on their site lists their incorporation date as July 27, 2007. It’s unknown if it’s the same people or if someone else was using an old calling list.

In an expected but still shocking development, an agreement was reached to provide local funding for the Erie International Airport runway extension project. Erie County will provide $23.6 million in exchange for 4 of the 9 seats on the Erie Airport Authority. The deal also involves over $2 million to pay off debt by the City of Erie which they incurred in golf course renovations. Erie Golf Course ownership will go to Millcreek Township and the Millcreek Golf and Learning Center will be closed and the property used to extend the runway. Kudos go to Erie County, the City of Erie, Millcreek Township and the Erie Airport Authority for getting this deal done. The runway project is vital to the future of the entire area.

The United States Attorney’s Office, Western District of Pennsylvania, charged Robert Dodsworth of Erie with money laundering, wire fraud, bank fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud in a mortgage fraud scam. Hopefully, this will the first of many such charges of mortgage fraud in Erie. Dodsworth is accused of illegally inflating bank accounts, providing false info on government documents, and not properly providing info to lenders.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns game on Sunday at 1 pm will not be televised locally. Unless you have the NFL Sunday Ticket, head to a bar or club to watch the game. Even through there are only a handful of Bills fans Erie is in the Buffalo market. Complain to the Bills about the situation. Here’s the Buffalo Feedback Central where your voice can be heard. I hope the Bills move to California so we don’t have to deal with this crap.

Eight years ago today, on November 10, 1999 the City of Erie v Pap’s A M (“Kandyland”) reached the US Supreme Court. The question was - does Erie, Pennsylvania’s public indecency ordinance, as applied to prohibit nude dancing, violate the First Amendment’s guarantee of free expression? The conclusion in an opinion delivered by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was no, it doesn’t.

Although Erie doesn’t have a defense contractor, Erie companies do some subcontracting work. Bath Iron Works was awarded a $141,999,995 cost-reimbursement modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-06-C-2303) for DDG 1000 Zumwalt Class Destroyer with 2 percent of the work being done in Erie, PA. Also, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems was awarded a $90,000,000 cost-reimbursement modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-06-C-2304) for DDG 1000 Zumwalt Class Destroyer with 5 percent of the work being done in Erie.

Railpower Technologies (TSX: P) announced that the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan has agreed to invest $35 million in Railpower. The private placement is expected to close in early January, 2008. “We chose to invest in Railpower because of its market potential. We expect that increasingly stringent environmental regulations in North America and globally will open up new markets for Railpower’s current and future emission reducing products and technologies,” said Mr Brian Gibson, Senior Vice-President, Public Equities, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. The US office for Railpower including their engineering unit is located in Erie, PA. RailPower manufactures yard and road locomotive switchers.

Listed among the top 100 most popular film festivals in the world, the 7th annual Great Lakes Independent Film Festival has officially opened its Call for Entries and will accept submissions internationally of independently produced feature length and short length films and scripts in the genres of documentary, horror, experimental, Religious/Spiritual, animation, and all genre of music videos and Gay/Lesbian for the 2008 festival, September 25-28. They shall accept all ranges of music videos, along with entries of short and feature length screenplays, stage plays, and teleplays of all genres and niches.

The National Assocation of Manufacturers posted a video produced by the Pennsylvania Cable Network of the GE Transportation’s locomotive manufacturing plant in Erie, PA. The video is over 50 minutes long. Click to view the video on this page.

Erie area high school playoff football scores:
Erie Cathedral Prep 15, Erie McDowell 13
Erie Mercyhurst Prep 21, Linesville 20
Farrell 21, Iroquois 0
Saegertown 32, Conneaut Lake 14
Mercer 14, Eisenhower 7

Senior captain Adrienne Sluga gave Mercyhurst all the offense it needed as the Lakers defeated Quincy 1-0 in the opening round of the NCAA Playoffs Friday. Mercyhurst moves on to play the top seed in the Great Lakes Region, undefeated Grand Valley State, Sunday at 1 pm.

The Gannon men’s soccer team’s (16-3-1) first trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament did not end the way it had visioned. Northern Kentucky (21-1), the NCAA Division II top-ranked team, exploded with four first-half goals and rolled to a 5-2 victory over the Golden Knights Friday evening in a NCAA Tournament first round match.

3rd ranked Michigan State scored a pair of goals in each period to trim the Mercyhurst College men’s hockey team 6-2 Friday night in the opening of a weekend set at Munn Arena. The Spartans won their seventh straight game in a 7-1-0 season while the Lakers fell to 1-7-1. The game was the first-ever between the teams. The finale will be played at 7:05 Saturday.

The Edinboro University men and women’s swim team competed against Bloomsburg University on Friday night with the men’s team losing 105-100, while the women’s team won 117-88. The women’s team is now 5-0.

The Behrend women’s soccer team traveled to Springfield, OH Friday, November 9 to take on the Wittenberg Tigers (17-2-2) in the first round of the NCAA Division III tournament. The women would end up losing a hard fought battle, as they were defeated 4-0.

The Erie Otters lost their 12th straight game.

The National Catholic Wrestling Invitational, hosted by Mercyhurst College, is set to begin on Saturday, Nov 10 at 9 am, at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center. This year’s event features nine programs and 150 wrestlers. Along with Mercyhurst, Duquesne and Sacred Heart, both Division I squads, will be in action. From the Division II ranks, Belmont Abbey, Seton Hill and Gannon will be in attendance. Wrestlers from Mercyhurst North East, Notre Dame College and No 13 John Carroll of Division III are also competing.

The Erie Veterans Day parade begins at 9:30 am today. State and French Streets from 26th to 38th will be closed at times to traffic.

The Erie Area Film Makers present the First “Films For Food” Drive to benefit The Second Harvest Food Bank of Erie, Pa. The event, being held November 9-10 at the Historical Roadhouse Theater in Erie, PA, features 24 Continuous Hours of films produced by Erie Area Film Makers. Admission to the Theater is simply a Donation to the Second Harvest Food Bank in the form of cash or a non-perishable food item. Films to be featured include “Fist Of The Vampire” by Len Kabasinksi, “Chasing Darkness” by Jason Hull, “Virgin Pockets” by Paul Gorman as well as the World Premiere of “Aspiring Psychopath” by Ryan Cavalline plus films by local favorites Dustin Austin, Monster Mark, Matt Detisch, Lisa Seelinger and many more. Many of the Film Makers will be on hand with members of their cast and crew to accept donations at the Theater. Todd Humes (“Chasing Darkness”), Marie Madison (“Virgin Pockets”) and Shannon Solo (“Wolf At The Door”) will be among the many local Actors and Actresses on hand to accept donations. This event is designed to put focus on the local issues of poverty, homelessness and hunger during the Thanksgiving Holiday when far too many families in our community go without enough food. And absolutely no one will be turned away. The event’s organizer and local Film Maker Paul Gorman explains. “Poverty is one of the issues we’re dealing with locally. If there’s anyone in the community who couldn’t afford to attend a local film during the year, now is a great opportunity to do so. Even with the relatively low cost of ticket prices here in town, many families are still unable to afford tickets to our shows. This is one of the ways the film makers here are offering a remedy. Anyone with a donation of any kind will be let into the screenings. And if someone comes down who just can’t afford a donation, well, they’ll be let in too. Keep in mind that films like Len Kabasinki’s “Swamp Zombies” and Jason Hull’s “Chasing Darkness” sold out during their initial releases here in Erie so here’s another opportunity to see these great films and make a much needed contribution to our community.” It will continue through 8 pm Saturday when their last film is screened. After, The Great Lakes Film Association is hosting a Wine and Cheese Reception for the Erie Area Film Makers that’s open to the public, so anyone interested can come meet the Film Makers and learn a bit more about the growing, vibrant film community in Erie, PA. For a complete schedule of films, please visit Films For Food at www.myspace.com/filmsforfood. For more information on the event, or to make a contribution, you may contact Paul Gorman at gmdfilms@verizon.net or by phone at (814) 572-1461. This event is made possible by generous contributions from The Roadhouse Theater, Hagen Business Machines, The Great Lakes Film Association as well as the Film Makers, Casts, Crews and Technicians in the Erie Area Film Community.

From the Master of British Farce, All An Act Theater Productions presents Run For Your Wife! Performances of Run For Your Wife! will run Fridays and Saturdays through November 24 at 7:30 pm. Sunday performances at 3 pm on November 11 and 25. $1 of every ticket is contributed to Community Shelter services, which houses the theater. Community Shelter Services provides shelter, help, and hope to Erie’s homeless. All An Act Theater Productions is located in Columbus Square, 652 West 17th Street, Erie PA 16502. Tickets are $8 for Adults and $5 for Students and Seniors. For information call (814) 450-8553.

The Erie Playhouse production of Frankenstein runs through Nov 11.

The associate degree in nursing program at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, will hold an admissions information session for prospective students on Monday, Nov 12. The event begins at 6 pm in 101 Otto Behrend Science Building. It is free and open to both traditional and adult students.

The Hot Club of San Francisco, an ensemble of accomplished and versatile musicians celebrating the music of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli’s pioneering Hot Club of France, will perform at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, on Thursday, November 15. Hot Club of San Francisco is brought to Erie by Music at Noon: The Logan Series. The lunchtime performance is FREE and open to the public, and takes place at noon in the McGarvey Commons of the college’s Reed Union Building.

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” will be shown at the Roadhouse Theatre, 145 West 11th St, on Thursday Nov 15 at 8 pm. Proceeds benefit the Great Lake Film Association.

Do you want to know how to expand your sales to the European markets? Learn about product regulatory aspects for goods entering the EU. Understand the importance of Exhibitions in the EU and how trade shows weigh into the overall concept of doing business in the EU. The Northwest Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission is holding a workshop in Mercer on Nov 15. Cost is $35. To register please contact Lori Moore, or phone (814) 677-4800 Ext 104.

Gem City Concert Band will offer a concert on Thursday, November 15 at the Blasco Library’s H O Hirt Auditorium. The hour-and-half-long program will begin at 7:30 pm. The concert is free and open to the public, although a free-will offering will be accepted to benefit Gem City Bands. The 40-member band, under the direction of Betty McKinney and Assistant Director Brett Woomer, will perform such pieces as Lieutenant F. J. Ricketts’ Colonel Bogey March from the 1957 film Bridge on the River Kwai; Warren Barker’s Themes Like Old Times, a medley including Alexander’s Ragtime Band, Peg O’ My Heart, I Want a Girl, By the Light of the Silvery Moon, and 12th Street Rag; and Ralph Vaughan William’s English Folk Song Suite. To kickstart the Christmas spirit, several Christmas selections will also be included, including Leroy Anderson’s 1948 favorite, Sleigh Ride. The concert is part of the 07-08 Blasco Library Concert Series and is sponsored by the Erie County Public Library and the Friends of the Library. For more information, visit the Gem City Bands Web site or phone 899-8467.

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Student Scholarship Auction Committee has announced that the College will hold the 14th Annual Student Scholarship Fund Auction at the new Erie Bayfront Convention Center on Friday Nov 16 with the purpose of providing scholarships to their students. The program opens at 6 pm with a silent auction, followed by dinner at 7 pm and a live auction at 8 pm. For reservations contact the LECOM Communications Office (814) 866-8125 or (814) 860-5125. You may also send a request for ticket information by Email: communications@lecom.edu. RSVP by November 2.

Presque Isle Downs and Casino is giving away $5000 with their Harvest Cash Giveaway on Nov 17 from 10 am to 2 pm. Eight winners will received $500 and one winner will receive $1000.

The Erie Central High School Class of 1997 Reunion is holding their 10 year reunion on Saturday, November 24 at the Cornerstone Bar and Grill, 809 East 38th St.

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Pharmacy has scheduled an On Campus Day on November 29, 3-5 pm, to provide opportunities for prospective students to tour the campus facilities and learn about the Doctor of Pharmacy Program. It includes a tour of the facility, a Pharmacy Compounding and Dispensing demonstration, an opportunity to meet with current students and faculty, an overview of the LECOM Doctor of Pharmacy programs and information on the admissions process and financial aid.

European and African tradition meet in the annual holiday performance by the Penn State Behrend Concert Choir and Chamber Choir. The concert takes place at 8 pm Friday, Nov 30, in the college’s Larry and Kathryn Smith Chapel. Tickets are $5 for general admission and $3 for Penn State Behrend students, faculty and staff. They can be purchased at the Reed Union Building information desk and at the door.

Dennis Weed

Posted by Dennis at November 10, 2007 8:02 AM

Comments

Posted by: Richard at November 10, 2007 11:16 AM

Posted by: Robert Hess at February 11, 2008 10:02 AM

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