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Erie PA News and Events for Sunday March 16, 2008
Posted by Dennis on March 16, 2008
There is an excellent must read article by Mackenzie Carpenter in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette today entitled “Erie voters fret about theirs and their children’s futures.” Maybe it’s that Pittsburgh is two hours from Erie but the story was fair and pointed out many of the positives that Erie has and not just the few negative obstacles that we must overcome.
The Community Blood Bank is hoping people will share their luck of the Irish this Saint Patrick’s Day by donating blood. The first 70 donors who come to the blood bank will receive a pot of shamrocks generously donated by Joel’s Flower Shoppe. The Community Blood Bank is still recovering a serious blood shortage and wants people to start their Saint Patrick’s Day off right by wearing green and giving red. Monday morning will offer some excellent photo opportunities as an event in contrast to the normal Saint Patrick’s Day activities.
“We are still recovering from last week’s lows.” Said Dan Desrochers, Director of Marketing at the blood bank; “We hope people will share their good luck and good health by taking just a half an hour out of their day to give blood.” All donors are strongly encouraged to donate at the Community Blood Bank, 2646 Peach Street. Community Blood Bank is open from 9-6 Monday through Friday and until 7:30pm Tuesday night and Saturday 9am-12:30 pm. Photo ID required.
The Family Life Church of New Jersey today has their grand opening of a new church at the Clearview Cinemas in Succasunna, NJ with Dan Stauffer as Pastor. A transplant from Erie, Pa., Stauffer served as associate pastor and youth pastor for nearly 10 years at the Erie Christian Fellowship Church.
The Mercyhurst College Social Work Department and Art Education Club will partner again on Sunday, April 6, to host the third annual Empty Bowls Meal and Auction from 3 to 5:30 pm at the Masonic Temple, 32 West Eighth St. For a $15 donation, guests receive a simple meal of soup, along with bread and beverage, and then have the pleasure of selecting a bowl from hundreds of one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted bowls donated by student artists from Mercyhurst College and Mercyhurst Prep. Festivities also include an auction, which begins at 4:15 pm, and live entertainment. Although tickets for the event are $15 apiece, meal-only tickets for children (no bowl) are available for $3. Please call Shirley Greene at (814) 824-2266 to order tickets in advance so as to ensure enough bowls for everyone. Any remaining tickets will be available at the door. For more information, email Abbey Bloomquist or phone her at (814) 824-3667.
The Golden Knights will battle No 7 Findlay for the fourth time this season in Sunday’s March 16 first NCAA Great Lakes Regional semifinal at 5 pm. The Oilers improved to 27-4 with a 64-57 victory over Lewis (Ill) in Saturday’s first game. Gannon defeated Findlay 66-61 at the Hammermill Center on January 10, but dropped decisions to the Oilers at Findlay on February 16 (90-61) and on a neutral floor at Grand Valley State on March 7 (95-73) in the GLIAC semifinals.
The Gannon game will be webcasted through the Grand Valley State Web site. The webcasts are FREE of charge. All the information regarding the webcasts and how to log in can be found on the main page. In addition to the webcast, all Gannon games can be heard live on Jet Radio 1400 and via the Internet. Chris ‘Red’ Hughes will handle the play-by-play duties. Live gameday statistics will also be available through Gametracker.
A combination of turnovers, foul trouble and poor shooting generally spell defeat for most teams, even the best, and Edinboro found that out on Saturday afternoon. Playing in the first round of the NCAA East Regional at California (Pa)’s Hamer Hall, the Fighting Scots suffered a 64-61 loss to Millersville. The loss concluded Edinboro’s season at 24-7, tied for the second-most wins in school history.
Mount St Joseph Academy beat Erie Mercyhurst Prep 53-43 for the Pennsylvania PIAA Class AAA Girls Basketball State Championship. Junior Kirsten Olowinski had 18 points and 12 rebounds, and senior point guard Lindsay Moore had 12 points in Mercyhurst’s try for a fifth state championship.
Minnesota Duluth rallied for three third period goals, including two power play, to erase a one-goal deficit and defeat the Mercyhurst College women’s hockey team 5-4 in an NCAA Quarterfinal game at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center. UMD advances to the Frozen Four next weekend while the Lakers, who lost their fourth successive NCAA playoff game, all by a goal and three in overtime, ended their season at 26-8-3.
So often it’s been said that momentum is key to playoff success. Saturday in Rochester, NY, in the semifinals of the Atlantic Hockey Final Five, the fifth-seeded Mercyhurst men’s ice hockey team certainly had momentum on its side, scoring two goals in the third period for a 4-2 upset win over top-seeded Army and a trip to the AH championship game.
Kelly Geoffrey and Justin Hodgman each scored two goals and an assist to lead the Erie Otters to a 7-5 win over the Guelph Storm in an Ontario Hockey League game played last night in front of 4,814 at the Tullio Arena. A loss by the Otters would have clinched a last place finish and a better draft pick. The Otters finished the year with a record of 18-46-2-2 and missed the playoffs for the third consecutive year.
Erie RiverRats linebacker Roosevelt Benjamin forced a fumble at the Erie 1-yard line and returned it 49 yards for the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter as the RiverRats broke a tie game and went on to win 38-24.
Marietta College has named Jeff Filkovski its new football coach. Filkovski comes from Heidelberg College in Tiffin, where he was offensive coordinator last season. He was named 2007 Ohio Athletic Conference co-Assistant Coach of the Year. Previously, Filkovski spent four years as quarterback coach at the University of Cincinnati. Filkovski played football and baseball at Allegheny and led the Gators’ football team to the NCAA Division III national title in 1990. Filkovski was the Football Gazette’s Division III Player of the Year.
The Northwest PA Maple Association Taste and Tour Weekend continues with local sugarhouses opening their doors to the public today, Sunday March 16, 10 am to 4 pm. There are many members of the Northwest PA Maple Association covering five counties: Crawford, Erie, Warren, Venango, and Mercer. For a list of participating sugarhouses, click here.
The Erie Civic Music Association presents Lost in the 50’s at the Warner Theatre today, Sunday March 16 at 3 pm. Brought back by popular demand from our community are the New Chordettes and the Crew Cuts. Some of their top hits included classics like “Eddie My Love”, “Lollypop”, “Never on Sunday” and large selection from The Supremes, The McGuire sisters, The Shirelles and a selection of Doo Wop songs with blended harmony. Remember the Crew Cuts with “Til Then”, “Shangri-La”, “PS I Love You” and many more.
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.
Cure those winter doldrums by learning to throw a pot at the Erie Art Museum’s ClaySpace Open Studio at 1505 State Street, 3rd floor, on Friday, March 21. Instruction is $6 per person and is on a first come first served basis. Complimentary pizza will be served. Demonstration and workshop sessions are at 6:30, 7:15 and 8 pm. Erie Art Museum instructors will introduce participants to the art of wheel throwing. Stop by and try the wheel, wear old clothes and shoes, and be prepared to get a little messy. All ages are welcome.
The Allegheny College Art Department will present its annual Student Show, an exhibition open to all Allegheny College students, in the Bowman, Penelec and Megahan Galleries from Tuesday, March 25 through Wednesday, April 16. The opening of the exhibit will be celebrated with a public reception in the Art Galleries on Tuesday, March 25 from 7 to 9 pm. The Doane Prize awards will be presented at 8 pm. The Student Show, featuring works in a variety of media, is juried by a professional artist and educator. This year’s juror is Mark Franchino, gallery director and assistant professor of art at Clarion University of Pennsylvania.
Given that current trends in higher education reflect enrollment numbers that skew in favor of women, it can be surprising, especially for today’s students, to learn that as late as the 1950s experts fretted about the wisdom of permitting women on college campuses. Author Lynn Peril, whose writing takes a witty look at women’s history through popular culture and advertising from the turn of the century through the 1970s and beyond, will visit Allegheny College to help the women’s studies department celebrate 25 years at the college. In addition to talking to students in a number of classes during her campus visit, Peril will present on Wednesday, March 26 a FREE public lecture based on her most recent book, “College Girls: Bluestockings, Sex Kittens, and Coeds, Then and Now.” The talk will be held at 7:30 pm in Quigley Auditorium and will be followed by a book signing and reception.
Are you ready to take your company global? The Web is an opportunity to expand your market reach without ever leaving your office. Register for “Globalizing Your Web Site,” presented by eBizITPA and the Gannon University SBDC on March 27 in Erie, PA. Discover the economic benefits of reaching and selling to international markets, and take your business to the next level.
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.
Erie Gymnastics Center is the host for the Pennsylvania Level 9 and 10 State Gymnastics Championships which will be held at Family First Sports Park, 8155 Oliver Road in Erie on March 29-30.
Allegheny College’s 7th Annual Executive Roundtable will take place on Monday, March 31, from 4 to 5:30 pm in the Tillotson Room of the Tippie Alumni Center at Cochran Hall. The event is hosted by the college’s Department of Economics and is titled “Health Care Costs: American Business Crisis.” The event is free and open to the public.
The Northwest Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission is holding an informal and relaxed FREE breakfast roundtable to hear from international marketing professionals. I will be held 8-9 am on Tuesday April 1 at Knowledge Park Center, 5240 Knowledge Parkway in Erie, PA. The following 5 topics are for discussion: Attorney Jon L Woodard on Intellectual Property and Technology for patents, trademark, copyright and trade secret law; Carver International, Inc on international freight; M and T Bank on export credit insurance; Newbridge Group on marketing opportunities in doing business with Russia; and PA Center for Trade Development and Northwest Commission on Pennsylavania is the Premier State for Export Assistance on assistance available to expand your business in the international arena. Contact Lori Kenyon to register, or phone (814) 677-4800 Ext 104.
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.
The Edinboro Film Series, in cooperation with The Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts program, Eerie Horror Film Festival, Edinboro University Student Government Association, Cinemark, and Lyons Den Productions, is pleased to announce its event for spring 2008. A special advance screening “The Ruins” will be shown on Thursday April 3 at 8 pm at the Tinseltown Theater, 1910 Rotunda Drive in Erie. Tickets are FREE for EUP students and $5 for General Public. Tickets are available at EdinboroTickets.com.
Modern rockers Third Eye Blind bring their semi-charmed musical sensibilities and monster alternative hits to Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, on Friday, April 4. The concert begins at 8 pm in the college’s Junker Center with an opening act to be announced. Doors open at 7 pm. Tickets cost $20 for the public and $15 for Penn State Behrend students (two per ID) and can be purchased online, at the Reed Union Building main desk, or over the phone with a credit card by calling the Office of Student Activities, (814) 898-6171.
From the creator of “Buddy Holly: The Day The Music Died” and in association with the Roadhouse Theatre for Contemporary Art, the Great Lakes Film Association announces The Man In Black, The Johnny Cash Show. The Man In Black production was a labor of love and respect that will star local Erie celebrity Shannon Solo and was designed to celebrate the music and the man who is widely considered to be one of the most influential American musicians of the 20th century. The Man In Black musical production will enjoy a short run with only eight performances with opening night being Friday April 4 at 8 pm to be followed by a reception and then continuing on Saturday April 5, Thursday April 10, Friday April 11, Saturday April 12, Thursday April 17, Friday April 18, and will close on Saturday April 19. The final performance will include a closing night party. Show times for each of the limited run performances will be 8pm with doors opening at 7:30 pm. Ticket prices will range from $10 to $15 depending on seating preference. Advance ticket sales and reservations will be available starting on Friday March 21st by visiting TheTheatre145.com or by calling (814) 879-0733 or 814-873-5069.
KaleidAScope, Inc, The Child and Family Guidance Center of Erie, the Northwestern Pennsylvania Autism Society (NWPA-ASA), and ARC of Erie County will be hosting the first annual Autism in Our Community event on April 5, 2008 at the Greene Township Building, 9333 Tate Rd in Erie. KaleidAScope, Inc is a local non-profit agency establishing services for individuals with High Functioning Autism / Asperger’s Syndrome from the ages of 15 to adulthood. Child and Family Guidance Center of Erie provides individual, group, and family therapy, specializing in families/children on the Autism Spectrum. NWPA-ASA is our local Erie chapter for the Autism Society of America and has made strides in the Erie community in establishing awareness of Autism Spectrum disorders. The Arc of Erie County is a large advocacy group that promotes community inclusion to citizens with disabilities. The focus of this event is to provide information about the goods and services available to families influenced by, and managing, autism in their lives. The event is funded by a grant from the NWPA-ASA. The event will be held from 12-4 pm. Each agency and organization will provide a table highlighting their services as related to autism. Presentations will occur by local providers every half hour beginning at 12:30 and ending at 3 pm. The event will conclude with networking opportunities for families with local providers, agencies, organizations. Light snacks and beverages will be provided, as well as opportunities for families to win gift baskets. There is no cost to families to attend this special day. For additional information and to RSVP, please contact: Jennifer Do 814-824-4515, ext 93.
The Erie Art Museum will offer a henna body art workshop on Saturday, April 5, 2008 from 1-4 pm at the Erie Art Museum Annex, 20 East 5th Street. “We are so excited to offer the public an opportunity to learn about this ancient temporary tattoo tradition. Erie’s best henna practitioners from Somalia, Sudan, and India will be on hand to apply a beautiful henna tattoo or visitors can learn how to apply one themselves,” said Kelly Armor Erie Art Museum Director of Education and Folk Art. The art of henna, or mehndi, is thousands of years old. A reddish dye extracted from the henna plant is applied, often with elaborate designs, to the hands and feet. Women across Africa, the Middle East, and India paint themselves with henna as part of social celebrations. In many cultures the bride is adorned with especially intricate patterns for her wedding night. The tattoo is temporary and usually lasts two weeks. “Erie now boasts several henna experts. Gannon has a large population of Indian students including several who are adept at henna. Erie is also home to many Somali and Sudanese women who learned the art traditionally, from other women, in their native countries,” said Armor. Registration is required by calling 814.459.5477 or visiting online at www.erieartmuseum.org. Cost is $12 for non-members and $10 for Erie Art Museum Members.
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.
The Mercyhurst College Social Work Department and Art Education Club will partner again on Sunday, April 6, to host the third annual Empty Bowls Meal and Auction from 3 to 5:30 pm at the Masonic Temple, 32 West Eighth St. For a $15 donation, guests receive a simple meal of soup, along with bread and beverage, and then have the pleasure of selecting a bowl from hundreds of one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted bowls donated by student artists from Mercyhurst College and Mercyhurst Prep. Festivities also include an auction, which begins at 4:15 pm, and live entertainment. Although tickets for the event are $15 apiece, meal-only tickets for children (no bowl) are available for $3. Please call Shirley Greene at (814) 824-2266 to order tickets in advance so as to ensure enough bowls for everyone. Any remaining tickets will be available at the door. For more information, email Abbey Bloomquist or phone her at (814) 824-3667.
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.
OneRepublic and Fabolous will perform an outdoor concert on April 29 at 7 pm at the Gannon University Athletic Field. In case of rain it will be moved indoors to the Gannon Hammermill Center. Tckets go on sale Monday March 17 at GannonTickets.com.
New Found Glory will perform a concert at the Edinboro University McComb Fieldhouse on Saturday May 3 at 8 pm. Tickets are available online or at the Edinboro University Pogue Student Center SGA Convenience Store.
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 16, 2008 8:02 AM
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