ErieBlogs.com: Erie PA News and Events for Saturday November 24, 2007

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Erie PA News and Events for Saturday November 24, 2007

Posted by Dennis on November 24, 2007

Waitressing in an Erie diner was a necessity for Kathleen Valentine while she attended college at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. Now, nearly forty years later, that experience is the background for her first novel The Old Mermaid’s Tale, released by Parlez-Moi Press. Set in the fictional town of Port Presque Isle, Pennsylvania in the early 1960s, The Old Mermaid’s Tale is the story of Clair Wagner, an Ohio farm girl attending Chesterton College. Valentine admits that Chesterton is a thinly disguised version of Behrend-Penn State and that the streets and businesses of Port Presque Isle will be familiar to those who know Erie. The author said she originally wrote the book using Erie as the setting but revised it to a fictional town so she could expand the story line. “What I really wanted to do,” Valentine says, “is tell the story of Lake Erie and its importance in the lives of the people who live near it. I live in Gloucester, Massachusetts now and there are many books about the maritime world here like Sebastian Junger’s The Perfect Storm. But I wanted to write about the maritime world of the Great Lakes, especially Lake Erie.” Readers are encouraged to visit the book’s web site or the author’s web site, both of which have links to the first chapter.

For the week of Nov 12-18, Presque Isle Downs and Casino reported wagers of $34,881,073 and payouts of $31,902,014.

Erie Cathedral Prep crushed previously undefeated Pittsburgh Brashear 48-14 in the first round of the PIAA Class AAAA playoffs at Cupples Stadium in Pittsburgh. Akeem Satterfield rushed for 222 yards on 21 carries and had TD runs of 15, 1, 17, 53 and 47 yards.

Erie Strong Vincent blew away General McLane 41-6 to win the AAA District 10 title. Calyn Hamilton rushed for 119 yards and Deonte Flemings had 80. McLane beat SV 14-13 back in October.

Wilmington beat Harbor Creek 18-6 in the PIAA Class AA football championship game.

Erie Mercyhurst Prep (13-0) edged Mercer 21-19 to win the District 10 Class A title. The Lakers will face the District 9 champion next weekend.

The Gannon University men’s basketball team will be playing in the Gary Miller Classic title game for the 11th time in the last 12 years. The Golden Knights showed a balanced offense for the second consecutive game and rolled into the championship game with an 85-64 victory against visiting Roberts Wesleyan Friday evening at the Hammermill Center. Four Golden Knights reached double digits in scoring. Vince Mosley led all players with 20 points, hitting 8-of-12 shots from the field and 3-of-3 attempts from the free throw line. Tyler Stoczynski (Erie, Pa/McDowell) added 17 points while hitting 3-of-4 three-pointers. Pierre Howard and Kyle Goldcamp (Pittsburgh, Pa/Central Catholic) chipped in 16 and 14 points, respectively. Saturday’s consolation game between Slippery Rock and Roberts Wesleyan will tip off at 6 pm. The title game between Gannon and Point Park follows at 8 pm. Tickets will be available at the door.

Sophomore forward Meghan Agosta scored twice and junior netminder Courtney Drennen made 20 saves as No 7 Mercyhurst got back on the winning track with a hard-fought 3-1 win at Princeton. The Lakers improved to 9-2-2.

The Mercyhurst College men’s hockey team (2-10-1 overall, 2-4-1 Atlantic Hockey) led, 2-1, after two periods, but could not hold on as the visiting Sacred Heart Pioneers (4-5-1, 4-1-1) rallied to defeat the Lakers, 3-2 in overtime, on Friday at the Ice Center. The loss was the Lakers’ seventh straight to SHU. The same teams will meet tonight at 7:05 pm. Once again, all youth hockey members and parents will get into each game without charge by wearing some of their hockey garb. Selected youth hockey players will also accompany Mercyhurst’s starters to the blue line and another youngster will have the opportunity to skate the game puck to the referee. Also, any fan bringing a used coat or non-perishable canned food items will also be admitted free. All donations will be turned over to Mercyhurst College Campus Ministry for distribution to the area’s needy.

Joe Guenther was traded to the Florida Everblades. Guenther played for the Erie Otters 2000-02.

Join your friends at the Watson-Curtze Mansion for the 28th annual Victorian Holidays program Whimsical Wonderland. Included in this exhibit are professionally decorated evergreens, fireplace mantles, doorways, windows and other displays that will be open to the community. Whimsical Wonderland features more than ten different themed rooms; including a Seussical room decorated in all things Dr Seuss, a wintertime teddy bear picnic, a Victorian garden and much more. Participating decorators includes Traditions, the Carrie T Watson Garden Club and Melody Potratz of Potratz Garden Shop. Try you luck with the annual Chinese auction and win gift certificates from local eateries and specialty shops, or a holiday wreath. Victorian Holidays will run until December 30. Wednesday - Saturday 11 am - 4 pm, Sunday 1 pm - 4 pm. Museum Admission: $4 Adults, $3 Seniors, $2 Children.

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 Winter Wonderland Art and Craft Show will be held at the Warner Theatre in Erie on Sat Nov 24, 10-5 and Sun Nov 25, noon-5. Holiday gifts for everyone on your shopping list. Free, guided theater tours, chinese auction, pictures with Santa, refreshments, free parking. Adults $3, Seniors $2. Save $1 off admission with a food donation to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania.

Join both the Gem City Bands - the Gem City Concert Band and the Gem City Jazz Ensemble on Saturday, November 24 at the 2007 Saint Vincent Auxiliary’s Festival of Trees at the Ambassador Conference Center on upper Peach Street. The Concert Band will perform from 5:00 to 6:15 p.m. and the Jazz Ensemble will perform from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. The performances are open to the public and the cost of admission to this year’s Festival of Trees is $5 for adults and $2.50 for children ages 3-12. There will be 50 professionally decorated trees on display, and the Festival will also feature a Christmas Marketplace.

The Erie Broadway Series presents Annie at the Warner Theatre on Tues, Nov 27 at 7 pm.

The Erie County Technical School (ECTS) is holding an Open House on Wednesday, November 28 from 6:30-8:30. As your son or daughter enters high school, the Erie County Technical School can lead to a variety of career pathways including college. ECTS has over 70 articulation agreements with colleges and universities offering college credit for students that complete one of our 16 technical programs.Visit the Open House and check out the career choices available at ECTS. ECTS is located at 8500 Oliver Road Erie, PA 16509. Contact them at (814) 464-8600.

The Mark Steensland film “Peekers” will premiere on Thursday November 29, in REDC Room 180 REDC, the Samuel P “Pat” Black III Conference Center, on the campus of Penn State Behrend. Based off Kealan Patrick Burke’s story, the approximately 10-minute short-film “Peekers” is one that quite literally seeks to “play” with your mind. Steensland workws with many other talented individuals to produce this film locally in Erie, PA on October 20 and 21. “Peekers” starts at 8:15 pm; Steensland’s earlier films, “Sucker,” “Lovecraft’s Pillow,” and “Dead@17” will be shown at 7:30 pm.

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.

Celebrate the Christmas season by visiting Santa Claus himself at the Experience Erie Children’s Museum. Enjoy a picnic breakfast, singing, a puppet show, and time for the children to make gifts for their loved ones. Picnic Breakfast with Santa Giftmaking Workshop takes place Saturdays, 9-11 am, Dec 1, 8, 15 and 22. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Admission is $8, $6 for members and free for kids under 2.

Erie’s Sixth annual TubaChristmas Concert will take place on Saturday, December 1, in the McGarvey Commons at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. The performance begins at 1:30 pm and is FREE and open to the public. As its name implies, Tuba Christmas Erie 2007 is songs of the season interpreted by a choir of Tuba, Euphonium and Baritone performers. All student, amateur, and professional musicians are invited to join the concert choir; registration is 8:30-9:30 am in the Reed Union Building, Wintergarden Area; rehearsal will be from 9:30 until 11:45 that morning. Performer’s fee is $8 and includes registration, commemorative button, and a barbecue lunch.

Family First Sports Park is holding a FREE Youth Football Clinic for kids 7-13 on Saturday, Dec 1 from 9 am - 12 noon. The clinic is hosted by the Mercyhurst College Football Program and Head Coach, Marty Schaetzle. Participants will learn fundamentals as well as individual positions of the game. Register online here. For more information, please contact Mat Carpinello by e-mail or at
(814) 866-5425 ext. 247.

The Gannon University Social Work Club Christmas Dinner and Wellness Fair will be held in the university’s Hammermill Center, Peach Street and South Park Row, on Sunday, Dec 2. The event is FREE and open to the public. Doors will open at 10 am, and meals will be served starting at 11:15 am. Santa will arrive at 12:15 pm to meet with the children on hand and pass out gifts. The Dinner and Wellness Fair provide a full turkey dinner, Christmas presents, and clothing. In addition, representatives from local agencies and organizations will be on hand to provide attendees information on housing and human services as well as important health screenings. Last year organizers served nearly 800 meals. The university’s Student Government Association (SGA) helps fund the event. In addition, the dinner has been well supported by the local community. Gifts for Kids and Erie Insurance are among the event’s many contributors. Again, the event is FREE and open to the public. For more information, contact the Gannon University Social Work program at (814) 871-7263.

The Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy will hold their annual Recruitment Open House on Sunday, December 2, 1:00 to 3:30 pm. Over 500 eighth graders apply for approximately 225 freshman openings making admission harder than many colleges. Admission requirements include a minimum grade point average of 3.0, national standardized test scores at the 75th percentile or above, and two teacher recommendations. Please visit the Applying section of their site to learn more about applying to NW PA Collegiate Academy.

Family First Sports Park is in the process of making youth football more than just a seasonal sport. This year they are introducing a Winter Indoor Tackle Football League. The league will focus its emphasis on the basic fundamentals of football rather than the competitive nature of the sport. “We are very excited to start an instructional program during the off season, a place for youth to focus more attention to their individual skill,” said Mat Carpinello. The league is open to children ages 7-13 and will start on Dec 10. For more information, please contact Mat Carpinello by e-mail or call him at (814) 866-5425 ext. 247. You can register online here.

The Erie IT Network’s next Lunch’n Learn tackles the complexities of Blackberry Integration. It will be held on Thursday Dec 13, 11:30-1:00, at the Ambassador Banquet and Conferece Center, 7792 Peach Street in Erie. Data phones and PDAs are gaining prevelance in today’s workplace. More and more executives, sales agents and IT professionals are using hand held wireless devices to monitor servers, check emails and manage contacts. The speakers are with Research In Motion (RIM), the group that brought you the Blackberry. Join them for a technical seminar as they discuss the Blackberry Enterprise solution, including a look at the advanced security features inherent in the server software, as well as the framework used to deploy mobile applications. Register now, by clicking HERE. Or contact Karen at karen.kimet@technwpa.org or call (814) 451-1174.

Dennis Weed