ErieBlogs.com: Erie PA News and Events for Tuesday January 29, 2008

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Erie PA News and Events for Tuesday January 29, 2008

Posted by Dennis on January 29, 2008

Erie County Executive Mark DiVecchio still hasn’t resigned or been arrested. Improprieties about the misuse by DiVecchio of county employees, equipment and materials continue to mount. Clueless, arrogant DiVecchio still doesn’t realize what he did was wrong.
DiVecchio used county employees on county time with county equipment to plow his home driveway. Other instances of impropriety include using county employees on county time to help for his catering business, using county employees on county time at his sisters house and operating his catering business without a food service license.
Peter Panepento at Outside Erie printed County Controller Sue Weber’s letter to DiVecchio.
And the Erie newspaper has an editorial on the controversy - DiVecchio’s use of workers outrageous.

Former State Correctional Institution in Albion superintendent Marilyn Brooks has retired from the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections effective Jan 26. Malcolm Kysor, who is still on the loose, hid in a garbage can and escaped from SCI Albion on Nov 25. Brooks was relieved of her duties on Dec 14. Think it was easier to let her retire than go through a court battle to fire her.

Got an email late yesterday afternoon saying that Dan O’Brien, executive director of the International Institute of Erie, had resigned. Guess it’s true since I saw an article on GoErie.com this morning. The job still hasn’t been posted on the site for the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants.

Holy cow. Chalk one up to increased tourism and the growing popularity of the wineries in the region. The Chautauqua-Lake Erie Wine Trail Wine and Chocolate Weekend will take place 10 am to 5 pm, Feb 9-10. Tickets are sold out. You can still visit the wineries for wine tastings, but you won’t get to sample the goodies and get the recipe cards.
Wineries in Erie County, PA are: Mazza Vineyards, 11815 E. Lake Road, North East, Pa, (814) 725-8695; Arrowhead Wine Cellars, 12073 E Main Road, North East, Pa, (814) 725-5509; Penn Shore Vineyards, 10225 E Lake Road, North East, Pa, (814) 725-8688; Presque Isle Wine Cellars, 9440 W Main Road, North East, Pa, (814) 725-1314, (800) 488-7492; Heritage Wine Cellars, 12160 East Main Road, North East, PA, (814) 725-8015, (800) 747-0083; South Shore Wine Company, 1120 Freeport Road, North East, PA, (814)725-1585; and the newest winery in the region, which is scheduled to open by May 1, Lakeview Wine Cellars, 8440 Singer Road, North East, PA.

Infinite Power and Design won the Gannon University SBDC $25,000 Big Business Idea contest in December 2006 under the name Performance Engineering. They have taken on a new name, effective March 2007, and have seen great success in the local market. Infinite Power and Design manufactures electronic modules for diesel engines and provide service with installations of their modules, custom cold-air intake systems and exhaust systems. They are on the verge of releasing an electronic module for Class 8 trucks (road tractors). IP and D is expecting to work up some statistics as to how much fuel they have saved customers since they have gone into business. Their modules/electronic tune, cold air intakes and exhausts have the capability of saving at least 5 mpg and oftentimes see more fuel savings depending on the combination of parts purchased by the customer. Also, the most intriguing benefit of the Infinite Power and Design is that not only do their products save in fuel consumption, they also increase horsepower at the same time. Save $$ on fuel AND gain horsepower. Not a bad combination.

News music on WERG this week includes “Mother Mary” by the Foxboro Hot Tubs (the alter ego of Green Day) and “Foundations” by Kate Nash.

Atrial Fibrillation is the most common abnormal heart rhythm and is newly diagnosed in an estimated half a million people every year. The heart specialists at Saint Vincent Health Center in Erie, PA have been successful in offering several treatment options for their patients including a new minimally invasive procedure developed over the last several years called the Mini-Maze.
To learn more about atrial fibrillation and how this procedure can help some patients, the Saint Vincent Cardiac Support Group invited heart survivor, author and speaker, Mellanie True Hills to tell her story about how the mini-maze procedure cured her atrial fibrillation. The public is invited to attend this one hour presentation on Thursday, February 7 at 12:00 pm at the McGarvey Learning Center at Saint Vincent.
Join Mellanie for a discussion about atrial fibrillation and the new innovative treatment, Mini-Maze, at Saint Vincent Health Center. Seating is limited. To reserve your seat call (814) 452-7273. For more information on Mellanie True Hills or about atrial fibrillation and her mission to help those suffering with it, please contact her at StopAfib.org.

Gannon’s Kyle Goldcamp (Pittsburgh, Pa/Central Catholic) has been named Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Men’s Basketball Player of the Week. Goldcamp led Gannon to a pair of big GLIAC South Division road victories last week, winning at Wayne State (65-39) and Hillsdale (80-75). The junior center averaged 20 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and 1.5 blocks in two games. He shot 60 percent (18-30) from the field and 80 percent (4-5) from the free throw line. Gannon (17-2, 9-1), ranked 15th in NCAA Division II, returns to action Thursday, January 31 against Saginaw Valley State at the Hammermill Center.

Allegheny College senior Emily Pfeufer (St. Mary’s, Pa/Elk County Catholic) and freshman Rebecca Lendyak (Cowansville, Pa/Ford City) were named North Coast Athletic Conference women’s indoor track and field athletes of the week for their performance at the Mary Phillips Invitational hosted by Fredonia State last weekend. Pfeufer, the conference’s field athlete of the week, captured first place in both the long jump (5.34m) and the triple jump (10.86m). Lendyak was named the conference’s athlete of the week in sprints and hurdles after claiming second place in a pair of events at Fredonia, the 55m dash (7.66) and the 200m dash (28.31).

Sophomore forward Meghan Agosta is ranked either first or second in five national categories today while freshman Jesse Scanzano was named College Hockey America (CHA) Rookie of the Week for the second straight time and fifth overall this season. The Mercyhurst College Lakers, 19-5-2 overall, are now tied for sixth in the latest USCHO.com Division I Women’s Poll.

Ohio Junior Blue Jackets defenseman Pat Goebel has given a verbal commitment to play hockey at Mercyhurst College. The lefty is a native of Parma, Ohio.

A history-making former lieutenant governor of Colorado will be at Gannon University today, Tuesday, Jan 29 for a special guest lecture. The lecture, to be given by Joseph B Rogers, will begin at 7:30 pm in the Yehl Room of the university’s Waldron Campus Center, 124 West Seventh Street. Rogers will discuss the memory and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The event is FREE and open to the public and is part of Gannon’s observance of Black History Month.

The Department of Modern and Classical Languages at Allegheny College and the Academy Theatre in Meadville will present an international film festival on Tuesdays on Jan 29, Feb 5 and 26, and March 4 and 11. The schedule of critically acclaimed films includes: Jan 29: Jehane Noujaim’s documentary “Control Room” (USA, 2004) takes a look at the war in Iraq from the Arab perspective. Feb 5: “Paris, Je T’aime” (France/Liechtenstein, 2006), a film by Olivier Assayas and Frederic Auburtin, is an anthology of 18 five-minute shorts by well-known directors. Feb 26: “Das Leben der Anderen,” or “The Lives of Others” (Germany, 2006), by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, tells the story of an informant for the secret police in East Germany. March 4: Jorge Gaggero’s “Cama adentro,” or “Live-In Maid” (Argentina/Spain, 2004), tells the story of a complex relationship between an upper-class woman in Buenos Aires and her longtime housekeeper. March 11: Ping He’s “Tian di ying xiong,” or “Warriors of Heaven and Earth” (China/USA, 2003), set in the Gobi Desert, is a compelling historical epic. General admission to each film is $6. The cost to senior citizens and students is $5, and Allegheny students are admitted free. All shows are at 7:30 pm at the Academy Theatre on Chestnut Street in Meadville.

Your Day In Court: An Internet Security Workshop features William Shore of the Pittsburgh FBI office. The workshop will be held Noon-3 pm on Thursday, Jan 31 at the Ambassador Hotel and Conference Center; 7792 Peach Street in Erie. After a security breach, it is often too late to back track, recreate and document the environment in which the security breach occurred. From a strategic management viewpoint, this pitfall is often fatal. In court proceedings, the lack of defendable evidence can impact the success of litigation and create liability issues for your organization. This workshop is specifically designed to explain what steps should be taken following a security breach. Click here to register. This event is sponsored by: Software Technology Concepts, eBizITPA, the FBI and the Technology Council of Northwestern Pennsylvania.

The Young Erie Professionals (yep!) Professional Leadership Development committee will host an Etiquette Dinner on Thursday, January 31 from 5:45 pm - 8:00 pm at the Colony Banquet and Catering facility, 3014 West 12th Street. Cathy Mester, senior lecturer in speech communication at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, will discuss dinner etiquette and appropriate conversation. A three-course meal will be provided by the Colony Pub and Grille. Dinner choices are Prime Rib, Apricot Chicken, and Broiled Sole. The dress code is business casual. Seating is limited and advance registration is required. The charge for the presentation, meal, and gratuity is $25 for yep! members and $35 for non-members, payable by credit card, cash, or check made payable to Young Erie Professionals. Contact Phil Gallagher for additional information or to make a reservation.

The Erie Art Museum’s First Fridays program for preschool kids ages 3 to 6 is slated for Friday, Feb 1, 10-11 am at the Erie Art Museum, 411 State Street with activities inspired from the Museum’s Zoo.Logic exhibit. First Fridays is a special program for 3-6 year olds and their families. Led by Museum staff, children and adults explore the art right in the galleries with storytelling, art-making and music. Cost is $5 per child and free for families with an Erie Art Museum family membership. Participants meet at the Erie Art Museum Annex, 423 State Street. Space is limited. Please call ahead to reserve a place, (814) 459-5477.

Darkwood Consort, the world’s only touring viola and bass clarinet duo, brings an impressive repertoire spanning 10 centuries of music to its February performance at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. Darkwood’s concert takes place at noon on Thursday, February 7, in the McGarvey Commons of the college’s Reed Union Building. The performance is sponsored by Music at Noon: The Logan Series and admission is FREE to the public.

The 14th annual Sarah Backstrom Memorial Women’s and Girl’s Hockey Tournament will be held in Erie February 8-10, 2008. Admission is FREE to all games. About 1,000 young ladies plus family and friends will be in town for the weekend. Hotel rooms will be hard to come by and expect delays at restaurants. Who was Sarah Backstrom? She was a feisty red headed defensewoman who gave all off her love of the game and passion to play it to the Erie Lady Lions. Sarah fought every battle to the end, with passion and determination. The Erie Lady Lions lost Sarah to Leukemia but have never lost her spirit.

The Chautauqua-Lake Erie Wine Trail Wine and Chocolate Weekend will take place 10 am to 5 pm, Feb 9-10. Tickets, which can be purchased online or by phone, are $21 a person. None will be sold after Friday Feb 8. If you are unable to get tickets to the event, you can still visit the wineries for wine tastings, but you won’t get to sample the goodies and get the recipe cards.

The 6th annual “Spirit Against Cancer” Dance and Cheerleading Competition is scheduled for February 9 at 10 am in the Junker Center. “Spirit Against Cancer” was created in memory of Becky Hubler Decker. Her commitment to the community included serving as dance coach at Penn State Behrend, cheerleading coach at Edinboro University, she was captain of the Invaderettes dance team, and a member of the Buffalo Bills (Jills) dance team. All proceeds from this special event will benefit the American Cancer Society. For more information, please contact Assistant to the Director of Athletics, Stacy Pondo at (814) 898-6240 or by email at slp15@psu.edu.

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.

Mark your calendars for Sunday, February 17 from 12:30-3:30 pm and/or 8-11 pm and get ready to “rock and bowl” with the Erie Playhouse Family at Eastway Lanes, 4110 Buffalo Road. The cost for a Family/Team (4 or 5 bowlers) for one session is $80. Individual bowlers are welcome - Adults $20 and $15 for children 12 and under. Teams registering by Feb 14 will recieve a $10 discount. The cost includes 3 games, shoes (no discount if you bring your own) and unlimited pop and pizza. A cash bar and additional food will be available. Contests and games of chance throughout each bowling session.

The 2008 Erie Home and Garden Expo will be held February 21-24 at the Erie Bayfront Convention Center. Hours: Thursday 4-9 pm, Friday 2-9 pm, Sat 10 am - 8:30 pm and Sun 11 am to 5 pm.

10th annual MECA Bar Stool Open in Erie, PA

The 10th annual MECA Bar Stool Open will be held on Saturday February 23, 2008 in downtown Erie, PA. Entry fee is $100 per team of 4 golfers, $25 per person. Must be 21 years of age or older to participate. Click here to for the registration form.

Want a cure for the winter blahs? Got cabin fever? Come to the Community Board Game Night at Community United Church on Saturday Feb 23. Doors open at 7 pm, Games begin at 7:30 and end at 10 PM. Admission Donation: $2. Snacks and beverages will be provided. Under 18 years old must have guardian. This is an alcohol and smoke free event. Open to the public. We will play board games for groups such as Scruples, Pictionary, etc. Want to save on the admission? Bring grocery bags of empty recyclable aluminum beverage cans. For each bag, the admission will be reduced by 25 cents.

There will a fund raiser for Marine Sergeant Art Fuller on Saturday Feb 23 from 6 pm to 1 am at the North East Vet’s Club at 28 Vine Street in North East, PA. SGT Fuller suffered a stroke and is unable to return to work. The cost is $6 at the door which will cover food (chili, hot dogs and macaroni salad) from 6-9 pm. There will be a Chinese auction and cash bar available and the band Black Diamond will be playing from 9 pm - 1 am. SGT Fuller, an Iraq veteran, is from Corry Pa.

The 2008 Erie Outdoor Sport and Travel Expo will be held February 29 - March 2 at the Erie Bayfront Convention Center. Hours: Noon-9 pm Friday, 10 am-8 pm Saturday and 10 am-5 pm Sunday.

Erie CareerLink is hosting Crystal Reports Training in both introductory and advanced sessions on March 3-6. Info and Registration form. Crystal Reports is a business intelligence application used to design and generate reports from a wide range of data sources. Several other applications, such as Microsoft Visual Studio, bundle an OEM version of Crystal Reports as a general purpose reporting tool. Crystal Reports became THE report writer when Microsoft released it with Visual Basic.

Pennsylvania Sea Grant is sponsoring a FREE one and a half day workshop March 13-14 at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center in Erie. The workshop will provide an update and overview of current ballast water policy, legislation and research as it applies to the Great Lakes. Scientists, legal experts, legislators, industry personnel and agency staff will discuss the current state of ballast water policy, pending legislation, proposed ballast water treatment methods and evaluating the current risk of introduction and spread of AIS to Great Lakes ports by foreign and domestic ships. For Registration form email Karla Kaczmarek, or Marti Martz.

As the signature event for Young Erie Professionals (yep!), the Generation-E Leadership Awards recognize young professionals who are paving the way to the future of Erie, Pennsylvania. Yep! has honored 34 individuals over the past three years who not only have chosen to live, work, and play in the Erie area, but who have made a lasting impact on our region. The 2008 winners will be recognized the evening of Friday, March 28 at the Ambassador Banquet and Conference Center.

The GE (NYSE: GE) 2008 Annual Meeting of Shareholders will be held on April 23, 2008 in Erie, Pennsylvania at the Erie Bayfront Convention Center.

There will be a Rust Belt Bloggers Summit on July 11-12 in Erie. People from Youngstown, Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and other area cities will be attendance to discuss economic development issues in the region.

The Manufacturers’ Association and Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority annual Roar on the Shore motorcycle rally will be held July 17-20, 2008. While downtown Erie serves as the hub of the rally, related events take place throughout the city and region. Most notably, two outdoor concerts featuring major artists will be held Friday and Saturday, July 18 and 19, at Liberty Park along Presque Isle Bay.