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Erie PA News and Events for Sunday February 10, 2008

The flap caused by Peter Marsh in a Financial Times article calling Erie “unfashionable” was picked up by the Albany Times-Union, with Don’t disparage Erie and Unfashionable unpardonable. They must have picked up on Peter Panepento’s Erie’s Best Spokespeople. Before this I think the only people that had ever heard of Peter Marsh were his close family members.

Put another one in the win column for the Little Italy neighborhood. The properties at 504/506 West 18th sold for $362,730. The rehabed building at 504 W 18th is two apartments and retail/office space. 504 W 18th is new construction with retail on the first floor and office space on the second floor with both units already leased.

The former location of Grace Baptist Church at 38th and Colonial went sale pending. The asking price was $1,095,000. It’s been listed for 3 years. After outgrowing the old location, Grace Baptist Church moved to 7300 Grubb Road in McKean.

Also going sale pending was the former Port Erie Boat Works manufacturing facility at 2567 W 20th St. The company made catamarans.

I went to the Gannon basketball games yesterday afternoon. As I approached the Hammermill Center, a car alarm goes off in the parking ramp. Loud enough for the dozen or so people around to hear me say “DiVecchio must be around.” Got a good laugh. That’s the third time this week it’s worked.

Saw on Books, Toys, and Games that H Leon Ben-Ezra, Pastor of Faith Reformed Church in Erie is now blogging at Reformed Sermons.

The Gannon University men’s basketball team are now one victory away from guaranteeing themselves at least a share of the GLIAC South Division title after a 73-47 victory against Wayne State Saturday afternoon before a crowd of 2,248 on a “Think Pink” day, an effort to promote breast cancer awareness. Dave Wilson (Vidalia, La/Vidalia) led all scorers with 16 points, six rebounds, and three blocks in 18 minutes off the bench. Vince Mosley (Boynton Beach, Fla/Dillard) and Kyle Goldcamp (Pittsburgh, Pa/Central Catholic) also reached double digits in scoring with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Gannon, ranked 10th in NCAA Division II and third in the Great Lakes region, improved to 21-2 overall and 13-1 in the GLIAC with its sixth consecutive victory and its ninth consecutive home win.

On a day where nothing came easy, Edinboro handed head coach Greg Walcavich his 500th career victory with a 70-62 come-from-behind win over visiting Shippensburg. The victory boosted the 25th-ranked Fighting Scots to 16-5 overall and 6-1 in the PSAC West.

Hillsdale entered Saturday’s pivotal match-up with Mercyhurst as the top-scoring offense in the GLIAC. It was the Lakers, however, that used three career scoring performances to run away with an 90-80 Senior Day victory and extend their winning streak to six games. Junior Brian McTear struck for a career-high 25, junior Iddo Cohen added 17 on 6-of-7 shooting, and TJ Mathis, playing his final regular season game in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center, matched his career-best with 24 points.

Edinboro posted its second win over a top-five team in the East Region in four days on Saturday afternoon, as the Fighting Scots upset Shippensburg, 77-65, at McComb Fieldhouse. The victory boosted the Fighting Scots to 13-8 overall and 3-4 in the PSAC West.

Despite shooting 55 percent from the field and leading by as many as 10 points in the first half, the Allegheny men’s basketball team (10-11, 5-7 NCAC) fell 78-66 at conference-leading Wittenberg (15-6, 11-1 NCAC) on Saturday. Junior guard Doug Price (East Grand Rapids, Mich/East Grand Rapids) led the Gator effort with a career high 22 points.

The Gannon women’s basketball team missed a golden opportunity this week. With Ashland dropping two games on the road, the Lady Knights had a chance to overtake the Eagles and move into second place in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) South Division, giving the squad a quarterfinal home game. Instead, Gannon fell for the second time in three days with a 70-67 loss to Wayne State Saturday afternoon before 1,185 fans on “Think Pink” day at the Hammermill Center. Gannon dropped to 13-10 overall and 7-7 in the GLIAC.

The Mercyhurst women’s basketball team led Hillsdale 23-21 with 6:48 left but the took over from there and handed the Lakers a 90-55 loss Saturday. Paris Pugliese led Mercyhurst with 14 points and five rebounds.

Feeling no ill-effects from a hard-fought one point loss Friday night, the Allegheny women’s basketball team (8-13, 5-7 NCAC) bounced back with a 75-60 win over Earlham (3-19, 2-11 NCAC) on Saturday afternoon. Sophomore guard Brittany Bell (Greensburg, Pa/Hempfield) continued her hot streak by matching a career-effort with 20 points and six three-pointers.

The No 7/6-ranked Mercyhurst women’s hockey team and the visiting Wayne State Warriors battled to a 2-2 overtime tie Saturday afternoon before 760 fans at the MIC. The Lakers’ record now stands at 19-6-3, 4-1-1 in the CHA, while Wayne State is 17-6-3, 5-0-1, respectively.

The Mercyhurst men’s hockey team (10-15-5 overall, 10-7-5 AHA) lost to visiting Air Force (14-11-5, 11-9-4) by a score of 7-0 Saturday evening at the MIC.

The 12th ranked Gannon University wrestling team improved its dual record to 6-2 after defeating Shippensburg University 29-13 Saturday evening at the Hammermill Center. The Golden Knights are ranked third in the East Region, while the Red Raiders are ranked sixth.

Ryan McDonough scored three times and added an assist to lead the Saginaw Spirit to a 5-1 win over the Erie Otters in an Ontario Hockey League game played tonight in front of 5,200 at the Tullio Arena. Jordan Skellett netted the lone Otters goal. Erie lost for the fourth straight time to drop to 11-39-2-1 on the season. At the halfway point of the first period a total of 5,200 people opened their complimentary bag of Troyer Farms chips and ate in unison to establish a record “most people eating chips at the same time” that will be published in the Guinness Book of World Records.

New York Rangers backup goaltender Steven Valiquette shut out the Philadelphia Flyers on their home ice for the second time in nine days. Valiquette was the Erie Otters goaltender in the 1997-98 season.

Jennifer Swoyer (Erie, Pa./McDowell) scored four goals as the Bucknell women’s water polo team easily defeated UC Santa Cruz 18-8.

The Florence RedWolves have announced the signing of Jamie Walczak and Steve Grife from Mercyhurst College in Pennsylvania.Walczak is a 6 foot 2, 190 pound infielder/outfielder and Grife is 6 foot, 175 pound right-handed pitcher.

The 14th annual Sarah Backstrom Memorial Women’s and Girl’s Hockey Tournament wraps up today. 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 final performance of the Erie Playhouse production of Crowns will be performed today, Sun Feb 10 at 2 pm.

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.

Director J T Petty will be present for a screening of his controversial new film, “S&Man” at Penn State Behrend’s REDC Conference Center on Monday, February 11, at 8 pm. “S&Man” (pronounced “Sandman”) is a documentary which explores America’s obsession with violence and sexuality in horror films. It contains mature material and although unrated by the MPAA, would probably get an NC-17 if it was rated. Following the screening, there will be a Q and A session with the director, Dr Eric Corty (PSU Psychology Department), Dr. Joshua Shaw (PSU Philosophy professor) and Mark Steensland (Vice President of the Eerie Horror Film Festival). The film has played at several prestigious film festivals, including South by Southwest and the Midnight Madness segment of the Toronto International Film Festival. The free event is sponsored by the University’s Communication Department and the Eerie Horror Film Festival and is open the public. You must be 18 years or older to attend.

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.

The SafeNet Chill-E Cook-off will be held 2-5 pm on Feb 24 at The Brewerie at Union Station in downtown Erie. Tickets priced at $10 can be purchased at the door or at participating restaurants. Participating restaurants: Brewerie At Union Station, Latino’s, Alto Cuncia, Calamari’s, East Erie Turners, Make it Fabulous, plus many more. All proceeds will benefit SafeNet, the domestic violence safety network.

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 10, 2008 8:03 AM

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Posted by: Steve Platz at February 10, 2008 11:59 AM

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