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Erie PA News and Events for Wednesday March 12, 2008
Former President Bill Clinton will make a campaign appearance for his wife in Erie today, Wednesday March 12 at 11:30 am. His public appearance will be held at Erie East High School, 1001 Atkins Street. Doors open at 10 am. There are no tickets, just show up. Use the gym entrance at the rear of the school. Security will be tight and they’ll be using metal detectors so empty your pockets. Only a few hundred people will be allowed in as Democratic officials and bus loads of students will be allowed in early.


Mercyhurst College President Dr Tom Gamble unveiled plans for an unprecedented $32 million in new construction and acquisition projects over the next five years. The projects will add a technology-rich academic building and a 300-bed freshman residence hall to the 75-acre Erie campus. In addition, at Mercyhurst North East, the college will proceed with construction of a new residence hall and complete major renovations to its newest acquisition, the First National Bank building at 5999 Station Road, North East.
Joe Weindorf, the county’s public safety director, has some work to do that should already have been done. As it stand now only Erie, Millcreek and Corry will be using the 911 Call Center at the $14 million Erie County Public Safety Building. The West County Communications Center and the East County Communications Center both are refusing to have their operations transferred. Both the West and East County centers have their little fiefdoms and don’t want to change. Erie County is the ONLY county left in Pennsylvania where 911 call center operations have not been consolidated.
Research and Markets has announced the addition of Cost and Value Management in Projects to their offering. This book addresses cost from a strategic perspective, offering thorough coverage of the various elements of value management such as value planning, value engineering and value analysis from the perspective of projects. The authors are Ray R Venkataraman, PhD, Associate Professor of Management at the Sam and Irene Black School of Business, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College and Jeffrey K Pinto, Andrew Morrow and Elizabeth Lee Black Chair in Management of Technology in the Black School of Business, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College.
The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced its men’s basketball awards on Tuesday, with three Edinboro players recognized. Ryan McLemore (Cleveland, OH/St Peter Chanel) was named the PSAC West Player of the Year, and he joined Joseph Jones (Erie, PA/Cathedral Prep) as a member of the All-PSAC West first team. Devon Knight (Pittsburgh, PA/Penn Hills) earned a spot on the second team. All three are first-time honorees.
The two national polls agree. The Mercyhurst College Women’s Hockey Team remained No 7 today in the latest USA Today/USA Division I Hockey Women’s Poll. USCHO.com’s latest rankings, also had the Lakers in the seventh spot. Harvard remained No 1, followed by New Hampshire and Minnesota Duluth, Mercyhurst’s opponent Saturday in the NCAA Quarterfinals.
The Penn State Behrend junior pitcher David Koerbel (Pittsburgh/Central Catholic) was selected as the AMCC Pitcher of the Week for March 10. Koerbel threw a complete game in Behrend’s first game of spring trip play in Florida as he got the win 4-2 over Manahattanville.
The Gannon women’s lacrosse team remained sixth and Mercyhurst was eighth for the second consecutive week in the latest Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II Top 10 poll.
The Erie SeaWolves announced a special ticket offer for the second annual Second and Third Shift Workers Games. Groups of 10 or more to either of the following games can receive discounted rates of just $4 per ticket: April 15 vs Bowie Baysox, 12:05 pm First Pitch and April 16 vs Bowie Baysox, 9:35 am First Pitch. Additional food specials to both games will be announced at a later date. To book your group today, contact the SeaWolves at (814) 456-1300. The 14th season of SeaWolves baseball begins on April 3 when the team opens at Bowie (Baltimore Orioles). The ‘Wolves 2008 home opener is April 10 against the Binghamton Mets (New York Mets).
Every Wednesday is FREE admission to all four Erie Art Museum galleries from 11 am to 5 pm.

Gannon University’s Small Business Development Center is presenting the first annual WILD Conference on Thursday, March 13 from 8 am to 2 pm. The Conference will be held at the Ambassador Conference Center located at 7792 Peach Street, Erie, PA 16509. The Conference will involve “women presenting to women” and focus on the areas of: wellness, leadership and personal development. It is anticipated that 150-300 women from Northwestern Pennsylvania will attend this unique event. The nationally prominent Keynote speakers highlighting the day are: Soni Dimond, Publicist, Speaker, author of Life’s A PITCH! As well as CEO of Soni Dimond Media; Jean Gatz, author of Mama Said There’d be Days Like This: Stories and Strategies for Less Stressed Life. The First Annual WILD Conference Chairwoman is Leah Elizabeth Humphries, Owner and President of the following companies: Apple Creative Group, Leah Elizabeth Jewelry, and My Heart Ties. In addition, women businesses will exhibit their products and services throughout the day and there will be several opportunities to learn from seminars, panelists and individual speakers focusing on the knowledge, passion and energy of women helping women. Limited seating. Tickets $75 (includes breakfast, lunch and gift bag). Make your reservations now. Call (814) 871-SBDC (7232) or toll-free (877) 258-6648.
Are you ready to take your company global? The web is your opportunity to expand your market reach without ever leaving your office. Discover the economic benefits of reaching and selling to international markets with the eBizITPA seminar Globalizing Your Web Site. On Thursday March 13 the seminar will be held at Penn State Dubois and on Thursday March 27 the seminar will be held at the Gannon SBDC in Erie.
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.
Under the direction of Ronald Stitt, Allegheny College’s student jazz band will perform a free concert on Thursday, March 13, at 3:15 pm in Shafer Auditorium. The 30-member ensemble will play from a repertoire of Big Band favorites including pieces by composers Stan Kenton, Sammy Nestico and Quincy Jones.
Dan Desrochers of the Community Blood Bank will be a guest bartender at Molly Brannigans in Erie from 6:30 to 7 pm on Thursday March 13 for a fund raiser for the Erie Hall of Fame. The entire celebrity bartending night runs 5:30 to 8:30 pm. Tommy Fleming will be there to preview his performance at Mercyhurst’s Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center on Friday. Tommy will be joined by Erie’s Rince na Tiarna Irish Dancers - a wonderful grand start to the Saint Patrick’s Day weekend.
Under the direction of Bruce Morton Wright, the Erie Chamber Orchestra will perform at the Gannon University Mary, Seat of Wisdom Chapel with soloist Erik Mann on guitar at 7:30 pm on Friday March 14. The performance will begin at 7:30 pm.
The Gannon University Theater Department presents Jane Austen’s Love and Freindship March 14-15 at the Gannon Schuster Theatre. Adapted for the stage by Fr Shawn Clerkin, this collection of letters by Jane Austen will be performed at the Schuster Theatre in conjunction with the Alex Clemente Fund for Performing and Related Arts. With music by Andrew Rainbow, this world premier promises to be a charming theatrical event. Performances will begin at 8 pm both nights, and tickets are $15. For tickets, call the box office at (814) 871-7261. Proceeds will benefit the Clemente Fund for Performing and Related Arts at Gannon University.
The Presque Isle Parrothead Club will hold a St Patrick’s Day Bash on Saturday March 15 at the Cathedral Center, 160 West 11th Street. Free parking behind Cathedral Center on West 10th. Music 8-midnight by DJ Michael John. Doors open at 7 pm. Ticket price includes beer, pop and snacks. BYOB, if you don’t want beer. $10 advance ticket, $12 at door. Prize for best dressed St Patty’s Day Attire. Basket of Cheer, raffle for an iPod Touch, raffle - $5/chance, 50/50 and more. For tickets call Heidi
Grumblatt at 384-0741 or via email her at heidi_grum@yahoo.com.
CNN special correspondent Soledad O’Brien will speak “From the Special Investigations Unit” at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, on Tuesday, March 18. O’Brien appears as part of the college’s annual Speaker Series. Her presentation begins at 7:30 pm in the McGarvey Commons of the Reed Union Building; admission is FREE and open to the public.
The Manufacturers’ Association of Northwest Pennsylvania will host an economic development forum featuring members of Erie’s lead economic development team during the monthly Eggs ‘n’ Issues briefing, starting at 8 am on Wednesday, March 19 at the Association’s Conference Center, 2171 West 38th Street. Guests will include: Jake Rouch, Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership; Rick Novotny, Erie County Redevelopment Authority; Monica Brower, Economic Development Corporation of Erie County; Bob Spaulding, Erie County; and Kim Green, City of Erie. These leaders will discuss how the economic development system works, the importance of teamwork, review success stories, highlight special programs and need for collaboration. “Economic development is clearly a vital part of our future,” said Manufacturers’ Association President Ralph Pontillo. “This forum will provide our members with an opportunity to learn about the programs and resources available in Erie County.” To register for this briefing, contact Tracy Shepard at (814) 833-3200 or (800) 815-2660. Cost is $30 for members, $60 for nonmembers.

After Pluto’s discovery in 1930, astronomers began wondering if this eccentric dwarf might be a member of a large population of similar objects. Sixty-two years passed before the discovery of a second body in orbit beyond Neptune, the blandly named but fascinating 1992 QB1. Another 1,000 similar objects have been found since, forming what’s come to be called the Kuiper Belt. Keith Noll, PhD, principal investigator of the Hubble Heritage Project at the Space Telescope Science Institute, will lead a tour of this weird and wonderful addition to our solar system during the next Open House Night in Astronomy at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. “The Kuiper Belt: The Solar System’s Frigid Edge” takes place on Thursday, March 27, beginning with a talk by Noll at 7:30 pm in 101 Otto Behrend Science Building and followed by astronomical viewing from the college’s Mehalso Observatory, weather permitting. The event is FREE and open to the public.
Literary nonfiction writer Joe Mackall will read from his works at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, on Thursday, March 27. Mackall’s public reading is part of the college’s Creative Writer’s Speaker Series. The reading begins at 6 pm in the Larry and Kathryn Smith Chapel; a 4:30 pm reception for Mackall in the chapel’s first-floor meeting area precedes the reading. Both events are FREE and open to the public.

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 Erie Playhouse Youtheatre presents Around the World in 80 Days March 28-30, April 4-6. Adapted from the novel by Jules Verne, Around the World in 80 Days, delightfully tells the story of Phileas Fogg’s and his servant, Passepartout’s, whistle-stop journey, as they try to satisfy a wager that they can circumnavigate the world in eighty days. Performances on March 28 and 29, as well as April 4 and 5 will begin at 7 pm. Performances on March 20 and April 6 will begin at 2 pm.
The Penn State Behrend Concert Band’s upcoming “Evening of Musical Tomfoolery” will be held, appropriately, on Tuesday, April 1. The fun begins at 8 pm in the McGarvey Commons of the Reed Union Building. Admission is FREE. The concert band will perform a selection of witty, whimsical pieces under the direction of Gary Viebranz, director of instrumental music at the college. On the program are works by Leopold Mozart, PDQ Bach (“the 21st of JS Bach’s 20 children”), film composers Danny Elfman and Luis Bonfa, and percussionist Lamar Burkhalter, who also holds the title of musical director for the NFL’s Houston Texans. “We’re presenting this concert in the spirit of April Fool’s Day, so we also have several surprises in store,” Viebranz promises.
Calling all artists and those who love art! A community art show, “Throughout The Spectrum: Exploring Autism Through Art,” will be sponsored by the Barber National Institute in commemoration of Autism Awareness Month. The show, which provides an exciting opportunity to come together to discover all aspects of autism through various forms of artistic expression, will be held April 4-9 at the Barber National Institute. Who can submit art work include: Children and adults with autism spectrum disorders who want to share their creative work; Family members or professionals whose lives are touched by autism; and Artists from the community who want to show their support for autism. Entries will be accepted on Friday, March 14 and Monday, March 17 from 9 am - 4 pm, and on Saturday, March 15 from 9 am - noon in the north lobby of the Barber National Institute. The art show will be open for public viewing in the north complex of the Barber National Institute on Friday, April 4, and Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, April 7, 8, and 9, from 9 am - 4 pm, and on Sunday, April 6, from 1-4 pm. Admission is FREE - all are encouraged to attend! For more information about making a submission, including an entry form, please call (814) 878-5903, or click here.
Michael Acri Boxing Promotions presents the 2008 debut of undefeated former IBF lightweight champion “The Pittsburgh Kid” Paul Spadafora. Returning to the ring for the first time in over a year, Spadafora (40-0-1), fighting in a 10-round welterweight bout against an opponent to be named shortly, headlines a six-bout card at The Avalon Hotel in Erie, PA (16 West 10th Street) on Sunday, April 6, beginning at 2 pm. Tickets, priced at $60 (Golden Ringside), $40 (Ringside), and $20 (General Admission), go on sale Monday March 10, and can be purchased at the Avalon Hotel, Dee’s Cigar Store, Pony Express (1903 W 8th St) and the Ringside Restaurant. The card will also feature Cincinnati super middleweight Stephan Pryor (10-3-1), Erie heavyweight Rocky Mullooly (2-1), Pittsburgh middleweight Chris Archer (9-2), and the pro debut of heavyweight Andres Taylor from Johnstown, PA.

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.
The charity bellydance event, “Shimmy for a Cure”, will be held May 31 at the Erie Playhouse in downtown Erie, PA. This event will benefit the John Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation.
Head Coach John T Reilly of Gannon University will conduct three sessions of basketball camp this summer. Sessions will be held June 9-13, June 23-27 and August 4-8. His coaching staff, area high school coaches and several of his players will serve as camp instructors. The sessions are designed as teaching camps that emphasize the fundamentals of the game of basketball. The camps are for students in Grades 3-10.
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.

Posted by Dennis at March 12, 2008 7:01 AM







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