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Erie PA News and Events for Thursday December 13, 2007

Chytoria Graham was sentenced by Judge Rusty Cunningham to 5-10 years in prison for swinging her 4 week old baby like a baseball bat at her boyfriend, the father of 2 of her 5 children. The baby suffered a fractured skull and other injuries in the Oct 8 incident after Graham came home from a night of drinking.

The Erie Downtown Improvement District named Brenda Sandberg President and Chief Executive Officer of the non-profit organization. Sandberg is currently Zoning Officer for the City of Erie.

Accents by the Bay, 29 West 5th Street, held their ribbon cutting ceremony yesterday. The store sells home and gift items.

The Board of Directors of Erie Indemnity Company (Nasdaq: ERIE) approved increases in shareholders’ dividends and set the management fee rate charged to Erie Insurance Exchange. The Board increased the regular quarterly cash dividend from $0.40 to $0.44 on each Class A share and from $60.00 to $66.00 on each Class B share. The dividend is payable January 18, 2008, to shareholders of record as of January 4, 2008, with a dividend ex-date of January 2, 2008. This represents a 10 percent increase in the payout per share over the current dividend rate. This is the 74th consecutive year Erie Indemnity Company has paid dividends. In a separate action, the Board voted to maintain the management fee rate paid Erie Indemnity Company by Erie Insurance Exchange at 25 percent, effective January 1, 2008. The management fee rate was 25 percent for the period January 1 through December 31, 2007.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and Union Pacific announced a 57 percent over-achievement of the contract goal for emission reduction in Texas with the help of 98 new environmentally friendly ultra-low emission switch locomotives. Manufactured by Railpower Technologies, the 98 new 2,000-horsepower “Generator-Set” or “Genset” locomotives are powered by three 667-horsepower, ultra-low emissions EPA Tier 3-certified off-road diesel engines. Each engine turns a generator that produces electricity for motors connected to the axles of the locomotive wheels. Railpower’s corporate headquarters is in Montreal, Quebec, with the US office in Erie, Pennsylvania.

The 25th annual Lake Erie Fanfare Drum and Bugle Corps competition will be held Monday, June 30, 2008 at McDowell

After scoring 65 points or fewer in seven-straight games, the Mercyhurst men’s basketball team lit up Urbana for a season-best total of 83 Wednesday evening in an 83-67 win, snapping a two-game skid and evening its season record at 5-5 in the process.

The Penn State Behrend women’s basketball team (5-5) beat Hiram 67-56 in a non-conference game.

The Erie Otters (7-20-2-1) are having such a disaster of a season that Al-Qaeda wants to claim responsibility. The Otters complete the opening half of the season with three games in three days this weekend. The closing stretch begins with two road games, Thursday in Saginaw against the Spirit followed by a Friday game in London against the Knights. Saturday the Otters return home to meet the Kingston Frontenacs at 7:30 p.m. at the Tullio Arena. The first 2,500 fans into the game receive a free taco courtesy of Taco Bell. In addition, make a donation to Toys for Tots or the City Mission and receive two free tickets to the Otters game on January 2 (limit two tickets per person) and all children 12 and under are admitted free with a paying adult.

Mercyhurst sophomore forward Meghan Agosta has been named the USCHO Offensive Player of the Week. It’s the second time this season she has been recognized. Agosta had three goals (power play, shorthanded, even strength) in Mercyhurst’s 1-1 weekend against the nation’s previous No 1 team New Hampshire. She scored twice in last Friday’s 4-3 win and collected her power play goal in a 5-2 setback Saturday.

Edinboro University senior Ryan McLemore has been named the PSAC West Men’s Basketball Player of the Week. He posted career-highs of 18 points and 19 rebounds to pace Edinboro to a 69-59 win at Mercyhurst. Against Gannon he had 9 points, pulled down 14 rebounds and had 6 blocks.

The Erie Maritime Museum has a ship lighting event today.

Get the family together and take them to the Erie Playhouse for the heartwarming holiday musical “It’s a Wonderful Life”, through December 16. The lights will shine bright at the Erie Playhouse throughout the holiday season with the mounting of this classical seasonal tale. This new musical is a faithful adaptation of the 1946 film, which has entered into our national mythology, and has become as much a part of the Christmas holiday as the evergreen tree and fruitcake.

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 IT Network’s next Lunch’n Learn tackles the complexities of Blackberry Integration. It will be held today, 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.

The War at the Shore quad-dual wrestling tournament tickets are now on sale at local schools. The event includes two high school matches that pit McDowell and Cathedral Prep with Fort LeBoeuf taking on North East. Opposite of the Division II match with 13th ranked Mercyhurst vs 20th ranked Gannon, is Division I action with 15th ranked Edinboro taking on Eastern Michigan. The 3rd annual War at the Shore will be held at the Erie Civic Center Tullio Arena on Friday, Dec 14.

The Lake Erie Ballet 49th annual production of the Nutcracker will be held Sat Dec 15 at 7 pm and Sun Dec 16 at 2:30 pm. Purchase tickets at the Erie Civic Center box office or at Ticketmaster.

There will be a Benefit Dinner and Concert at Luther Memorial on Sat, Dec 15 at 5:30 pm for 3 year old Jack Sundberg. Jack has an inoperable brain tumor. Dinner will be served from 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm and music will start in the main sanctuary at 6:30 pm. Performers will include, but not be limited to, Preston Gorman, Jelena Holmberg, Mariah Miller. There are no reservations needed, just come and join in. Luther Memorial is located at 225 West 10th Street, Erie, PA 16501. Your donations will be subsidized by the sponsor Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Erie County PA Chapter.

The Mercyhurst College Concert Choir and Carpe Diem Chorale will present their annual holiday concert on Sunday, Dec 16, at 2 pm in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center on the Mercyhurst campus. The program is free and open to the public as a Christmas gift to the community. The Concert Choir and String Orchestra, directed by Rebecca Ryan, will perform Vivaldi’s “Gloria.”

While you are finishing your last minute shopping at the Millcreek Mall on Saturday, December 22, stop by the Center Stage located by Burlington Coat Factory between noon and 1:30 pm. The 20-member Gem City Jazz Ensemble will be filling the halls with Christmas carols and other jazz selections. Join the band for the entire show or just a couple songs to keep you in the holiday spirit!

The 25th annual McDonald’s High School Basketball Classic will be held in Erie PA on Friday, January 18 and Saturday January 18, 2008 at the Gannon University Hammermill Center. St Edward of Lakewood Ohio, Rice High School of NYC, Saint Patrick of Elizabeth NJ and Erie Cathedral Prep are in the powerful field. Adult General Admission tickets are $7 and Student General Admission are tickets are $5. Reserved tickets are $12.50.

The Association of Program Members (APM) of General Electric Transportation in Erie PA announced that it will be sponsoring the 13th Annual Winter Wishes Benefit Gala for the Foundation of Western Pennsylvania on February 16, 2008. Each year, the members of APM reach out to the community to collect donations for the silent auctions, live auctions and raffles that are held at the event. They also solicit “table sponsors” from local businesses. As a table sponsor, the business’ name appears on the centerpiece showing their support for this wonderful event as well as in any promotional materials that they put together for the function. The money raised with the auctioned items donated by local businesses will help provide funding for Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy. Community support of this event is recognition of the importance of this cause are greatly appreciated. Along with your assistance, GE will be able to make an impact on the day-to-day life of children whose lives are threatened.

Dennis Weed

Posted by Dennis at December 13, 2007 7:10 AM

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