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Erie PA News and Events for Friday February 8, 2008

Erie County Executive Mark DiVecchio got away with it. GoErie.com reported that DiVecchio paid $285 in reimbursements for snowplowing and parking fines. DuhVecchio still doesn’t comprehend that what he did was wrong. The article by Kevin Flowers quoted him as saying “I just want this over with.” If you get caught, all you have to do is pay it back? Must be if you get elected in Erie County since his business “DiVecchio Catering” got caught without a food service license and just had to pay the money for the license.
DiVecchio used county employees on county time with county vehicles on a number of occasions to plow his home driveway. He also used county employees on county time to set up a booth at the Celebrate Erie festival and also to do work at his sisters home.

The Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General announced no criminal charges would be filed against Erie County Judge John Trucilla stemming from a Halloween night incident with teenager Andrias Horton. The family of Horton could appeal or file a civil lawsuit against Trucilla.

The City of Erie will soon be accepting applications for people wanting to become an Erie Police Officer. Applicants must already be Act 120 certified to sit for the civil service test which is scheduled for mid May. Applications will be available March 31 to April 4 in Room 300 of Erie City Hall. More info is available here.

VisitErie (formerly the Erie Area Convention and Visitors Bureau) released the latest Erie County hotel tax figures. In December 2007, the tax brought in $26,879 - an 18 percent increase from the $22,865 received in December 2006. Year over year, revenue from the tax is up 15 percent. Of the 5 percent collected tax, VisitErie receives 1 percent and the Erie County Convention Center Authority receives the remaining 4 percent.

Mazza Vineyards of North East, PA was highlighted yesterday on a story on ice wine on Chicago Public Radio’s Eight Fourty-Eight. Thanks to Erie native David Kendall for the info.

The Plastics Training Academy created last year at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, has announced its spring workforce development classes. “Formalization of a Plastics Training Academy through Continuing Education produced a convenient, one-stop information center for companies and individuals,” said Brad Johnson, chair of the Society of Plastics Engineers’ nationwide Injection Molding Division and a lecturer in engineering at the college. “This is a natural extension of the courses, workshops and seminars we’ve provided to industry for years.” The Plastics Training Academy also offers company-specific contract workshops and seminars on site; most recently Penn State Behrend instructors have traveled to Texas, Georgia, Alabama, and New Jersey to present in-house training. Classes scheduled this spring in Penn State Behrend’s 10,500-square-foot plastics processing laboratory

Saint Vincent Health Center is now offering heart patients in the region the latest advance in cardiovascular technology. The newest generation of drug-eluting coronary stents has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and represents a significant improvement over the previous stents available in the United States. Cardiologists at Saint Vincent on Wednesday, February 6 implanted the first of this newest generation of drug-eluting stents, Medtronic’s Endeavor stent.

Continuing Education at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, will host the course “Students With Autism in Inclusive Settings” on three consecutive Saturdays in March. “Students With Autism in Inclusive Settings” will meet from 9 am until 1 pm on Saturdays, March 1, 8 and 15, in 69 Kochel Academic Center on the campus of Penn State Behrend. Registration must be made by Friday, February 29; early registration is encouraged. The course can be taken for either two Act 48 graduate credits, or for noncredit personal development. For more information or to register, call Continuing Education at (814) 898-6103.

Erie Cardiologist, Manuel Forero, MD, FACC believes in promoting wellness and preventative healthcare and that is the idea behind his latest book: “The ‘T’ Zone: Health and Fitness Sports Energy and Nutrition.” This 120 page paperback book focuses on the person who wants to commit and develop a healthier lifestyle and focus on the path to good health through nutrition and physical fitness. Dr Forero is a well respected cardiologist with Consultants in Cardiovascular Diseases, Inc in Erie and has been counseling his heart patients for more than 27 years. His message is targeted to all the people who believe in staying healthy and who have already taken steps to rediscover their body and its potential and his book is designed to help them achieve those goals. Dr Forero’s book provides information on the health-related benefits of exercise and good nutrition towards the development of physical, mental and social wellbeing in addition to disease prevention. His book is designed to help readers have a better understanding of how exercise and nutrition can have a positive impact on their lives. “The ‘T’ Zone: Health and Fitness Sports Energy and Nutrition” book will soon be available in bookstores everywhere and can currently be ordered through online major book retailers. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book will go to support the healthcare programs of Mama Maria Clinic in Kenya, Africa.

Twelve high school students will spend a night at Gannon University as part of an initiative to help minority students become more familiar with the campus and its programs and offerings.The group of high school seniors, which includes local students as well as one from Ohio and one from the Philadelphia area, will arrive on campus on Sunday, Feb 10. As part of the program, titled Multicultural Overnight Stay, the students will sit in on two Gannon classes and meet with Gannon University faculty, staff, and alumni.

Wow! Sometimes only one word is needed to describe a game. That was definitely the word to describe Thursday’s Gannon-Hillsdale men’s basketball game before 1,340 fans, who witnessed an unbelievable finish. And there were probably many more who wished they would have come to the Hammermill Center. Gannon, ranked 10th in NCAA Division II and third in the Great Lakes region, overcame a six-point deficit with three minutes left in regulation and rallied for a 90-75 overtime victory. The Golden Knights held the Chargers without a field goal for the final three minutes of regulation and the entire five-minute overtime session. As a result, the Golden Knights clinched their first GLIAC Quarterfinal home game since 2003-04. Joe Lindsey (Spring Valley, NY/Spring Valley) led Gannon with a career high 24 points, hitting 6 of 8 shots and 12 of 15 free throws.

Behind 20 points from senior Terry Smith, the Mercyhurst College men’s basketball team pushed its winning streak to a season-best five games by outlasting Wayne State 57-50 Thursday evening at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.

The Gannon women’s basketball team will not repeat as Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) South Division regular-season champions. Hillsdale put an end to those hopes with an 83-47 victory Thursday night at the Hammermill Center. Kim Vargas hurt her knee and could miss some games.

Stephanie Prischak (Erie Villa Maria) scored a career high 26 points and tied her career high with four three-pointers, but that effort alone could not stand up to the Wayne State Warriors as the Mercyhurst women’s basketball team suffered an 83-81 loss Thursday.

The Mercyhurst College women’s hockey team (19-5-2, 4-0-0) will have its hands full this weekend when conference-rival Wayne State (16-6-2, 4-0-0) visits Friday and Saturday for games at 4:30 and 3:00.

The Erie Playhouse production of Crowns will be performed Fri Feb 8 at 7:30 pm, Sat Feb 9 at 7:30 pm and Sun Feb 10 at 2 pm.

The Erie Chamber Orchestra will hold their annual “Guess the Composer” concert with the Orchestra Ensemble on Friday, February 8 at 7;30 pm at Mary, Seat of Wisdom Chapel, 512 Peach St in Erie.

All An Act Productions presents Ray Cooney’s classic farce “Funny Money” at their space in Columbus Square on Friday February 8 and running , Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm through March 1 (no show Friday Feb 15) and Sundays at 4 pm February 10, 17, and March 2.

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 Gannon and Mercyhurt women’s basketball teams are asking the community to “Think Pink” on Saturday, Feb 9. Games at each school are scheduled for 1 pm. At Gannon, all proceeds will be donated to the Erie Unit of the American Cancer Society - Making Strides Against Breast Cancer; all funds raised stay local. All proceeds at Merchyhurst will benefit the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund and The V Foundation for Cancer Research.

The Mercyhurst Dancers will present the 10th edition of their “Raw Edges” series of concerts of student choreography on Feb 9 and 10. The annual dance concert is a showcase for the Mercyhurst Dance Department and is the culmination of the work of Choreography II and III classes taught by dance faculty members Mark Santillano and Tauna Hunter, respectively. “Raw Edges X” will be presented Saturday, Feb 9, at 2 and 7 pm and Sunday, Feb 10, at 2 pm in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center on the Mercyhurst campus. Tickets are: Adults, $15; Seniors/Students, $12.50; Youth under 15, $5; Mercyhurst Students, $1, President’s Cardholders, $7.50. They can be purchased at the door or by calling 824-3000. Each performance will include an intermission chat during which some of the young choreographers will speak about their new works and answer questions from the audience.

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. Too late - SOLD OUT.

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 public is invited to join the Allegheny College community for the college’s annual soul food dinner at 5 pm on Sunday, Feb 10 in Schultz Dining Hall. Tickets are $5. The dinner is one of the highlights of the college’s Black Heritage Month celebration, which is sponsored by the Association for the Advancement of Black Culture. This year’s dinner will feature home-cooked catfish, fried chicken, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, homemade corn bread, baked beans and a variety of other dishes. Vegetarian options will also be available. Tickets will be sold all this week in the Campus Center lobby from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. Tickets will also be sold at the door starting at 4 pm on Sunday if space is available.

The Erie Civic Music presents the Duquesne University Tamburitzans on Sunday Feb 10 at 3 pm at the Warner Theatre in downtown Erie. The Tamburitzans are dedicated to preserving and perpetuating the cultural heritages of Eastern Europe and its neighbors through their incredible performances. A wide variety of folk musical instruments, singing, vast array of costume changes and dazzling dance performances will thrill you and keep you on the edge of your seat. A joyous explosion of youth spirited dance with music. This is for the entire family and grandchildren. Tickets are $22 for adults and $12 for students. Call (814) 864-5681.

The 41-year-old Expo Erie is set to become a technology summit of industrial leaders. The Technology Council of Northwest PA has partnered with the Erie Engineering Societies Council (EESC) to host the first Great Lakes Industrial Technology Summit on February 12 and 13 of 2008. The two day summit will feature regional products, address workforce development, innovation, technology and other competitive advantages for industry in the PA Great Lakes Region. Technology Council CEO, Perry Wood said, “The direction change in the Summit is part of the Council’s strategy to create an Advanced Manufacturing Network in northwest PA.” The Summit’s theme is Global Competitiveness and will host a series of speakers and special presentations on the topic. The term “advanced manufacturing” connotes a network of industry that embraces emerging technologies in order to tackle new markets, create efficiencies and innovate product lines.

Join The Ophelia Project for a Girls Night Out on February 15, 2007 from 5:30-8:30 pm at Grace Church. Girls in 6, 7 or 8th grade and the special woman in their lives are invited to a night out where they will learn how to keep their heart happy and healthy by promoting a positive self-image and discussing issues facing girls today, such as friendships, cliques and bullies. Participants will also be treated to a special self defense lesson from Rachel Cheeseman, owner of Street Smart Defense, a hip hop dance instruction and a healthy snack. The cost is $10 per couple and check-in starts at 5:15 pm. For more information and to register call The Ophelia Project office at (814) 456-5437. Grace Church is located at 7300 Grubb Road in McKean. The Ophelia Project is a national nonprofit organization headquartered in Erie, Pa. Recognized as a leader in assessing social conditions and advocating healthy, safe relationships, the organization partners with educational, civic and community leaders to educate and empower kids and adults across North America.

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.

On January 28, 2008, asteroid 2007 TU24 came within 300,000 miles of Earth—a safe distance, but one that reminds us that ours is not the only chunk of rock hurtling around the sun. Nearly 1,000 potentially hazardous asteroids, or PHAs, orbit the sun in the vicinity of Earth; one, Apophis, will be the subject of the next Open House Night in Astronomy at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. Darren Williams, an associate professor of physics and astronomy at the college, will present the one-hour program “Asteroid Apophis: Will it Hit the Earth?” at 7:30 pm on Thursday, February 21, in 101 Otto Behrend Science Building. His FREE lecture is intended for a non-technical audience and suitable for children at least 8 years of age; astronomical observing at the college’s Mehalso Observatory will follow, weather permitting.

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.

On Friday, February 22, the Penn State Behrend RFID Center of Excellence and the RFID Project of the NWPA Technology Industry Partnership will host Eric Domski for a talk on Auto ID Technologies with SAP. Eric is the Auto ID Solution Director for SAP Labs. Eric will speak from 10-11am at the Research and Economic Development Center, Room 180 on the campus of Penn State Behrend in the new Black School of Business Auditorium. Although the talk with be centered around SAP, the concepts will also apply to other ERP and enterprise applications and will be a great source for solution ideas to anyone using, or considering use of AutoID. Eric will be available for questions after the talk. An early lunch is planned, so attendees must RSVP email Brian Zentis or call him at (814) 898-6704. This event counts as participation in the Technology Industry Partnership of Northwest PA, a partnership of the Technology Council, eBizITPA, Ben Franklin Partners CNP and Penn State Behrend’s RFID Center of Excellence. Why is that important? Participation allows your business access to grant dollars to offset training costs. The training dollars come from the PA Department of Labor and Industry in conjunction with the Workforce Investment Board of Northwest 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.

The American Heart Association’s 2008 Erie Heart Gala will take place 6 pm to Midnight on Feb 23 at the Ambassador Banquet and Conference Center in Erie, PA. In addition to providing an exciting night of glitz and glamour, the Heart Gala has become Erie Division’s largest fundraising event. Contributions received support cardiovascular research, professional and community education, and advocacy efforts. The affair also promotes the American Heart Association’s mission to reduce disability and death due to this nation’s leading cause of death….cardiovascular disease. The festivities will begin with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at 6 pm, followed by dinner and dancing as well as both live and silent auctions. For info email Gina Klofft or call her at (814) 836-0013.

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.

Documentary filmmaker Christopher Quinn and John Bul Dau, one of three Lost Boys of Sudan profiled in Quinn’s prize-winning feature film God Grew Tired of Us, will visit Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, in February as part of the college’s Speaker Series. Quinn and Dau will speak at 7:30 pm on Thursday, February 28, in the Reed Union Building’s McGarvey Commons. Additionally, the film God Grew Tired of Us will be shown at 7 pm on Wednesday, February 27, in 117 Reed Union Building, and at noon on Friday, February 29, in the Samuel P “Pat” Black III Conference Center in the college’s Research and Economic Development Center. Admission to all three events is FREE and open to the public.

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.

Posted by Dennis at February 8, 2008 7:01 AM

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