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Erie PA News and Events for Saturday May 10, 2008

Along with Mothers Day, three area colleges have their commencements this weekend. Hotels are packed and there are waits at restaurants. The Edinboro University of Pennsylvania commencement will be held today at 1 pm at McComb Fieldhouse with 831 students receiving degrees. The Gannon University commencement will be held today at 2 pm at the Tullio Arena. The Army ROTC Commissioning Ceremony takes place at 8:30 am at the Waldron Campus Center. The 655 graduates include 24 students who will be receiving doctor of physical therapy degrees, two receiving doctorates in counseling psychology, 247 receiving master’s degrees, 358 receiving bachelor’s degrees, and 24 receiving associate’s degrees. His Eminence Theodore McCarrick, PhD, DD, Archbishop Emeritus of Washington, will be the ceremony’s keynote speaker. The Allegheny College commencement will be held Sunday at 10 am with 554 students graduating.

Reuters reported that GE close to a 170 million euro ($263 million) deal with Bosnia to rebuild their rail system. It doesn’t hurt that there are hundreds of Bosnians in the Erie area that arrived here as refugees. GE manufactures locomotives in Erie and provides every rail part and service imaginable.

The Erie Bayfront Convention Center released a summary of events which shows the facility is well ahead of projections. In 2007, the convention center was projected to hold 56 events with attendance of 26,800. For the first five months it was open, it hosted 157 events with a total attendance of 62,736. For the first quarter of 2008, the Erie Bayfront Convention Center has hosted 8 consumer trade shows, 6 banquets / wedding receptions, 52 meetings and 5 other events. The projection was for 4 conventions in 2008 and they have 7 booked.

No wonder Logistics Plus has grown so much and been so successful. Just check out their eShip Plus, the free web based automated LTL (less than truckload) quoting and scheduling program. Eshipplus.com allows users to instantly secure cost effective LTL freight rates from reliable regional and national carriers. Users can schedule pick-ups on line while receiving live support from on-site transportation experts. Eshipplus.com will reduce your freight related administrative costs by creating shipping documentation including bills of ladings and shipping labels. Check out their demo to see how easy to use it is.

The Port Burwell Business Development Association recently became the Otter Valley Chamber of Commerce. A Lake Erie ferry and other economic growth initiatives are at the top of their agenda. The Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority wants to have ferry service across the lake but without facilities in Canada, it’s not possible.

This year’s student-driven Relay for Life at Allegheny College raised nearly $40,000 to fight cancer, approximately $6,000 more than last year’s total. Relay for Life events, the American Cancer Society’s signature fundraising activities, are designed to provide an annual opportunity for people within local communities to celebrate cancer survivors, to remember those lost to cancer and to fight back against the disease by raising money and awareness. During the 12-hour Relay for Life event at Allegheny, 420 participants walked laps on a luminary-bordered Brooks Walk and, along the way, visited the decorated campsites of Allegheny’s 36 participating teams.

Upper St Clair has hired Matthew Serakowski as township manager. Serakowski is a graduate of Allegheny College in Meadville with a degree in economics and public finance, and earned a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Pittsburgh.

The Agora Cyber Charter School is holding a End-of-the-Year Celebration in six locations throughout Pennsylvania including one in Erie on May 14 at the Erie Zoo. The event is open to both current Agora families and those interested in learning more about the online public school education Agora provides to Pennsylvania students in grades K-12. Register here.

The Erie SeaWolves suffered a heart breaking loss on Friday night as they fell, 4-3 to the Harrisburg Senators en route to the club’s season-long fifth straight losing streak. The SeaWolves continue their three-game series against the Harrisburg Senators on Saturday night…6:35 First Pitch. RHP Ben Fritz (1-0, 3.86 ERA) takes the mound for the ‘Wolves against LHP Cory VanAllen (1-0, 1.59 ERA). SeaWolves Rally Towel giveaway presented by The Caring Place.

Ride Em Cowgirl won the $100,000 Inaugural Stakes at Presque Isle Downs and Casino paying $8.20 to win. Attendance on the first day of the 2008 meet was 2,439 with $69,600 placed in the mutual pool. Complete results can be found here.

The Penn State Behrend Lions opened the AMCC Baseball Championships right where they left off during regular season conference play, winning against 4th seed Pitt Bradford (21-17) by a score of 8-0 on Friday, May 9 at the Behrend baseball field. The blue and white got a monster effort from junior pitcher David Koerbel (Pittsburgh/Central Catholic) who threw a complete game shutout to advance Behrend to Saturday with a win. Behrend and Frostburg will start the day off on Saturday with a game at 9 am.

The Penn State Behrend softball team was eliminated from the 2008 NCAA Softball Tournament on Friday, March 9 with a 11-0 loss to Rochester. The Behrend Lions finish the 2008 season with a 33-14 overall record after claiming the 2008 AMCC Championship title.

Port Jervis senior Sean Floor, the NY state runner-up at 140 lbs, announced he will attend Gannon University and wrestle for the Golden Knights.

The Stamp Out Hunger food drive is today, Saturday May 10. Simply leave any non-perishable food items by your mailbox for your letter carrier.

Visit the Erie Planetarium, 356 West Sixth Street in Erie, for a day-long celebration of the stars! The Erie Planetarium is hosting a National Astronomy Day event that includes solar-observing telescopes, shuttle presentations, constellation classes under the planetarium dome, space station presentations, a meteorite display, astro-photography demonstrations, children s activities and crafts, and 50 percent discount on planetarium shows! The following is a listing of event partners: PSU Erie The Behrend College Physics and Astronomy Department, Erie Astronomical Society, Erie County Mobile Observers, WQLN, and the expERIEnce Children s Museum. Planetarium Show Costs: $2 Adult, $1.50 Senior, $1 Child.

The Erie Playhouse presents “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” today, May 11 and 16-18 as part of their Youtheatre Series. Show times are Friday 7pm, Saturday 2pm and 7pm, Sunday 2pm. All seats $10 (+tax).

All An Act Theatre Productions presents Ron Clark’s “A Bench in the Sun” through May 25. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 3 PM. All An Act Theatre Productions is located in Columbus Square, 652 West 17 Street, Erie PA 16502. Tickets are $8 for Adults and $5 for Students and Seniors. $1 of each admission benefits Community Shelter Services, providing shelter, help and hope to Erie’s homeless.

The Presque Isle Audubon Society, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, presents The Festival of the Birds at Presque Isle through May 11. Enjoy the height of spring migration at Presque Isle State Park, a natural concentration point along the Atlantic flyway where 320 species of birds have been recorded. Take part in workshops and field trips geared for the beginner and the seasoned naturalist led by experts in the field such as Ted Floyd, Jerry McWilliams and Jen Brumfield. Attend the premiere of a film highlighting the birds, habitat and hot spots of Presque Isle in all seasons. Experience the rich variety of Presque Isle’s six distinct ecological zones including beaches, cattail islands, shrublands, aquatic habitats, and deciduous and pine tree forests. Registration will be held at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center on Friday. A single day registration for either Saturday or Sunday is $40. The full weekend registration is $65. For details, call (814) 860-4091. Schedule of events.

In celebration of The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2008 Preservation Month theme, “Place Matters,” the Erie Center for Design and Preservation is hosting a lecture, seminar and walking tour on May 9-10. All three events are FREE and open to the public. The internationally-known founder of the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation, Mr. Arthur Ziegler, will be the featured speaker at the Erie Center for Design and Preservation’s first public event. Ziegler’s lecture, “The Good Works of Historic Preservation,” will be delivered Friday, May 9 at 7 PM in the Orientation Theatre of the Erie Maritime Museum, adjacent to the Blasco Memorial Library on Erie’s Bayfront. Ziegler says “historic preservation should be looked upon as both a cultural and economic development tool, leading to community revitalization, local investment, jobs, and a better quality of life.” On Saturday morning, May 10, the Erie Center for Design and Preservation (ECDP) will sponsor a seminar on historic preservation. Topics include: an overview of the National Register of Historic Places, the economics of preservation, and the tax credits afforded to property owners who rehabilitate historic buildings. The seminar will be held Saturday, May 10 from 9 AM to Noon at the Erie Art Museum Annex, 20 East 5th Street. On Saturday afternoon, May 10 , Mr Jeff Kidder AIA of Kidder Wachter Architecture will offer a 90 minute architectural walking tour of lower State Street and Perry Square. Kidder will meet members of the tour on the front steps of the Erie Art Museum, 417 State Street at 1 PM. Kidder will discuss the history of the City of Erie, neighborhood changes and attributes of the remaining historic structures. Kidder believes that “historic preservation in Erie is an effective tool for managing growth, revitalizing neighborhoods, fostering local pride and maintaining community character while enhancing livability.” Kidder serves on the City of Erie Planning Commission, the Downtown Improvement District board, the Erie Center for Design and Preservation board, and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Historic Preservation board.

The Gem City Concert Band, under the direction of Scott Tomlison, will present their annual Spring Concert at two venues this spring. The first performance will be Sunday May 11 from 2:30 to 4 pm at All Season’s Marketplace and Flea Market at the Millcreek Mall Pavilion. While spending time with Mom, treat her to this FREE and open to the public performance. If you miss the Sunday show, you can catch the next performance on Tuesday evening, May 13th from 7:30 to 9 pm at the St John’s Lutheran Church Parish Center on 23rd and Peach Streets. This concert is also FREE and open to the public with plenty of off-street parking and handicapped accessibility. Some of the music on the program includes Alfred Reed’s Festival Prelude, Francis McBeth’s Chant and Jubilo, Robert Jager’s Carpathian Sketches, and a lively medley of sailing songs from Clare Grundman’s Fantasy on American Sailing Songs. For more information about Gem City Bands or the Spring Concerts, please visit online at www.GemCityBands.org or call (814) 899-8467.

The Awesome 80’s Prom is a brand new blast-from-the-past interactive show in the style of Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding set at Wanaget High’s Senior Prom…in 1989! The Erie Playhouse production will be held at the Masonic Temple, 8th and Peach. The Awesome 80’s Prom has a short run with shows on Sat May 10, Fri May 16, Sat May 17 and Sun May 18. Show time at 7 pm each evening. Tables of eight with ticket packages: General Admission - $20.60 per person. Prince/Princess Package - $31 per person includes: admission to the prom, prom photo, 1 free drink, favor, 80’s candy, after party. King/Queen Package - $52 per person includes: admission to the prom, prom photo, 2 hour open bar, favor, 80’s candy, after party.

The Northwest Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission is holding a seminar called Gaining Access to Europe on May 13 at the Ambassador Banquet and Conference Center, 7794 Peach Street in Erie. Cost is $50. You must register by May 6.

Discover RFID in the Food Industry with the 2008 RU ready for RFID? Conference on Wednesday May 14 at Penn State Behrend’s RFID Center of Excellence. This year’s conference features five sessions presented by companies experiencing the benefits of RFID, as well as organizations that are providing RFID solutions throughout the food industry. The information presented will not only help you understand ways in which RFID is being utilized in this industry, but also how to increase your productivity and improve processes related to food manufacturing, distribution, and retail. Also, be sure to check out the 2007 RU ready for RFID? Conference Highlights, containing downloads of the 2007 speakers’ presentations, and images from the event.

The musical “1776”, the first play in which members of the Erie Cathedral Prep Alumni have been invited back to perform, is scheduled for a four-day run in the Erie Cathedral Prep auditorium on the weekend of May 15-18. This production is the third and final performance for this year by the Prep Performing Arts Department, which is under the direction of Father Michael DeMartinis. The special guest director for the show is Almi Clerkin, the managing director of the Erie Playhouse. Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance at the Prep bookstore for $8 (adults) and $6 (children and seniors). Performances will be at 7:30 PM on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and Sunday’s performance will be at 2 PM.

This May, the world’s best travel destination is on French Street as the Arts Council of Erie presents ‘Passport to Paris!’ The historic Warner Theatre lobby transforms into a Parisian boulevard for one night only Friday, May 16 - complete with artists, street performers, French cuisine and more! It’s an evening that’s sure to be tres magnifique! Tickets are $60 and benefit the Arts Council of Erie.

The 16th annual Edinboro Highland Games and Scottish Festival takes place on May 16-18 in Edinboro, PA. Events will be held in downtown Edinboro, Saturday on the campus of Edinboro University, and Sunday at venues around Edinboro. This year’s musical guests include the Chelsea House Orchestra, Melinda Crawford (2003 National Scottish Fiddle Champion), Maidens IV, and Bare Bones. Pipers and other musicians should check out the new Freestyle Piping competition. Come to the Edinboro Highland Games and “Take a cup’o kindness home!”

The Roadhouse Theatre at Theatre 145 presents An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein directed by Kim Mc. The show runs two weeks only: May May 16-17 and May 23-24. It will be held at Theatre 145, 145 West 11th St. The Roadhouse Theatre continues its Independent Stage Series with An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein starring the husband and wife comic duo Jeff and Kelly Rodland. This series of short skits are laugh out loud funny and the one-act evening offers several unpredictable surprises. But the style is unmistakable. Lauded poet, songwriter and author of children’s books, the incomparable Shel Silverstein’s short plays are deeply infused with the same wicked sense of humor that made him famous. All show times 8 pm - Doors open at 7:20. Tickets are $8 - General Seating no reservations necessary. Limited VIP seating is available at $12 - pre-paid reservations required; phone 459-8215. As usual BYOB with proper ID.

Join your friends for the 6th Annual Bike Around The Bay in Erie, PA. Gather with hundreds of tri state bicyclists on Saturday, May 17, in Erie, PA at the Intermodal Transportation Center on the Bayfront Parkway to bike around beautiful Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie. The event is a fundraiser for the non-profit youth environmental education organization Lake Erie-Allegheny Earth Force. There is a 10 mile Town Tour, a 30 mile Bay Tour and a 50 mile Endurance Tour. Registration is $17 for individuals and $35 for families.

There will be a fundraiser for Drew Kauffman 4-9 pm on Saturday May 17 at the Knights of St John, 660 West 26 St. Tickets are $10 per person. Drew is being treated for brain tumors. For more information, call (814) 453-3248. Tickets will be available at the door. Donations can be made to Friends of Andrew Kauffman at any PNC Bank location.

In celebration of International Museum Day, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) will offer a “buy one general admission, get one general admission free” deal on Sunday, May 18. In Pennsylvania’s Great Lakes Region, the offer applies to both the Erie Maritime Museum and US Brig Niagara and the Drake Well Museum.

Theatre 145 will be holding open auditions for cast members of the musical “Remembering Janis.” This play a tribute to singer/songwriter Janis Joplin. “Remembering Janis” is set for a three week run starting on Friday, June 13, 2008. Cast members needed are: Speaker - This role is for a male or female, aged 30-50 years of age. The character is a 1960’s-70’s hippie type. There is no singing involved with his role. The speaker relates his/her memories of Joplin during her career between sets of “Janis’” songs. Be prepared with a 1 minute, in character, monologue. Auditions for the role of the speaker are scheduled for Monday, May 19 at 6 pm at Theatre 145, 145 West 11th St. For more information about the auditions please call Steve Opsanic at 814-873-5069

The Gannon University Small Business Development Center along with Paulsen Productions are sponsoring “From Service To Success”, a seminar for entrepreneurial veterans. It will be held May 20 at the Gannon Yehl Ballroom, 124 West 7th St in Erie. Cost is $15 and registration is required.

The Technology Council of Northwest PA brings you the 5th Annual Business Intelligence and Technology Summit (BITS) event that will be held on Wednesday, May 21 at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. This event presents an opportunity for IT managers, CEOs, and professionals to gather, discuss, and learn about the forces shaping our regions IT industry. This year’s BITS theme will focus on Emerging Technologies for Business. This one-day event will be host to a full day of seminars, workshops and product demonstrations. They will have 15 topic speakers, as well both a morning and luncheon keynote address. Morning keynote speaker is Nortel President and CEO Michael Zafivorski who is a graduate of Edinboro. Register online.

Alzheimer’s Association- Greater Pennsylvania Chapter presents “A Celebration of Caring, An Afternoon of Enlightenment and Recognition” on Thursday, May 22, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm. Luncheon at The Regency at South Shore, 322 Washington Place, Erie, PA 16505. Featuring: Melanie Titzel, MS, Co-Chair Greater Pennsylvania Board of Directors and the presentation of the “Caring Touch” Award honoring outstanding performance in dementia patient care. Join us for an afternoon of enlightenment and recognition as you hear the touching story of Melanie Titzel’s journey with Alzheimer’s disease on a personal and professional level. The Caring Touch Awards are reserved for the “the best of the best” and offer you an excellent way to salute a deserving caregiver and recognize employee accomplishments This event is open to all professionals and family caregivers, and the community. For questions, please email Kristen Bires or call her at (814) 456-9200.

KillerWolf Films is holding meetings/open auditions for their new feature film “Warriors of the Apocalypse” on Friday May 23 and Friday May 30. They will be held at the Erie Playhouse Rehearsal space at 12th and Brandes Streets in Erie from 6-9 pm both days. Shooting commences Saturday July 19 and wraps Sunday July 27, with filming being in the Northwestern PA area and possibly a few dates on the NJ/PA/NY border. KillerWolf Films latest release, “Fist of the Vampire”, is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com and is to be released worldwide July 8 from Maxim Media International/Brain Damage Films. KillerWolf Films is co-owned by Erieite Len Kabasinski and Meadville,PA native Lisa McQuiston.

The 18th annual Erie Wild Rib Cook-off and Music Festival will be held May 28-31 at Perry Square in downtown Erie. Admission is FREE. This popular annual family event includes eight Professional National Award Winning Rib Cooking Teams offering the very best in BBQ cuisine. Added attractions include a selection of delicious festival foods, ongoing stage music, the “Kid ZONE” - a children’s fun area featuring scheduled Ride-A-Ribba-Rama packages, artist and crafts booths, educational and informational displays, specialty vendors and more. This festival has grown to attract over 50,000 visitors to Perry Square Park and the adjacent streets in Erie’s downtown district.

JR’s Last Laugh Comedy Night Event to benefit Because You Care will be held at 6:30 pm on Thursday, May 29. Comedian: Juston McKinney. Food and drinks are available before and during the show. Ticket price: $15.50 Juston McKinney is one of the hottest comedians in the country. Coming to us from New York City, he has headlined many of the clubs in NY such as Caroline’s, Comic Strip Live, Dangerfield’s, and Stand-up NY. He’s been featured at the Toyota Comedy Festival and on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and had his own show on Comedy Central. He is a US Comedy Arts Festival Award Winner, and delivers a funny, original, high energy performance, which has made him a huge hit all over the country. Call (814) 899-0061 to buy single tickets or blocks of tickets. Circle May 29 on your calendar today and plan to enjoy a great night of entertainment. Get your party together and share the night with friends and family! A big thank you to JR’s Last Laugh Comedy Club for sponsoring the 6th annual Comedy Night event. The money raised will help Because You Care pay for the spay and neuter of the many kittens taken in during April and May.

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.

The Saint Vincent Sports Medicine 2008 Edinboro Triathlon will be held March 31. You can register here.

Preview dresses owned and worn by nationally-recognized celebrities like Martina McBride, Beyonce, Amy Grant, Ann Curry, Raven Symone, Patti LaBelle and many others from 12:30-3 pm June 1 at Lake Shore Country Club. The Celebrity Dress Preview event will benefit My Father’s House of Erie, a nonprofit transitional program for homeless/abused women and their children. The organization operates the retail store Bella Designs, 4801 Peach Street, in which women in the program have the opportunity to learn vocational skills and work experience. “These dresses are telling of the personalities who owned them ,” said Connie Miller, My Father’s House Of Erie, special projects administrator, “and this event will be a casual Sunday afternoon here in Erie by the lake to see them before they travel to Los Angeles for our live on-line fashion show auction in the Fall,” she added. The event will also feature guest speaker, Pete McDaniel, Senior Writer, Golf Digest Magazine and “Training a Tiger” co-author with the late Earl Woods, will entertain the audience with his storytelling and will auction four original Tiger Woods autographed photos from the legendary golfer’s PGA 20007 victory. Sponsored by Fishtank creative, an Erie-based marketing advertising and communications agency, powered by the Velocity Network, the host committee is comprised of Melanie Johnson, Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership, Cynthia Phillips, Motivational Speaker, Alan and Angie Rossum, NFL San Francisco 49ers (formerly of the NFL Pittsburgh Steelers), Shaun and Shonda Smith, NFL Cleveland Browns, and Dr. and Mrs. Matthew Thomas, St Vincent Health Center. Tickets are $35 per person or $50 per couple and available at the following locations: Bella Designs, 4801 Peach Street; All GE Federal Credit Union branches; and National City Bank, 801 State Street. For more information, please call (814) 879-0880.

On Saturday, June 7, 2008 there will be a Nautical Flea Market from 10 am to 1 pm at the BCMS (Bayfront Center for Maritime Studies) 40 Holland Street, Erie, PA. The event is FREE and is held in conjunction with Erie Safe Boating Day. All boaters (power/sail) are welcome. Tables for selling nautical wares are available FREE of charge but table reservations MUST be made by calling Linda Dunbar before May 28th at (814) 456-9060. A bulletin board will also be available to post items too large to display.

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.

The eMarketing Learning Center at eBizITPA will hold a roundtable titled Aligning Marketing and IT for Success from 4 pm to 5:30 pm on June 18.

The Erie Summer Festival of the Arts will be held June 27-29 at Liberty Park.

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 May 10, 2008 8:08 AM

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