Everybody off the ice, bay’s closed

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Teachers of all disciplines and grade levels are invited to an evening of great art, music, and camaraderie during the Erie Art Museum’s annual teacher Cabin Fever Getaway

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We’re feeling sorry for all those poor folks who live in the Pittsburgh area as the G-20 Conference opens today.  It looks and sounds like everyone in the country with something to protest or an agenda to push has descended on the City.  Several groups couldn’t wait for the official opening, and started their shenanigans [...]

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Lilly Broadcasting will carry the second annual Community for Kanzius Cancer Research Fund Telethon this evening on WSEE, WICU, and the CW.  Let’s all do our best to help them top last year’s total of almost $100,000 dollars.
Patricia Fronzaglia, of Warsaw Ave, became the first recipient of the Maleno family-to-Family Fund’s Home Makeover.  Mrs Fronzaglia has been disabled [...]

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If you have a chance, please stop by the Community Blood Bank this week. Donors all week can win a box of stuff including a Country Fair Gas card, meals from Taco Bell, Ice cream from Ben & Gerry’s and a CBB sweatshirt, Polo shirt & even a coveted blood bank clock with 24 hour [...]

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The 17th annual Erie Art Museum Blues & Jazz Festival returns to Frontier Park on Saturday, Aug. 1 & Sunday, Aug. 2, 2009. For two days and two nights, Frontier Park comes alive with what has proven itself to be the region’s most dynamic musical event; this free community event is held rain or [...]

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For Erie Art Museum Education Coordinator Stephanie Campbell, launching the Museum’s newest art class is about discovering a new facet of your abilities.
“In this relaxed studio atmosphere, new art projects are started each week exploring different media, artists and styles of art,” said Campbell. “Each project is created following a guided step-by step process which [...]

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Hop on the trolley and visit some of the areas finest galleries! Gallery Night, June 12th from 7 – 10p.m. is hosted by the Erie Art Museum, and features the exhibitions of twelve local galleries. This event is free and open to the public- including transportation along the Gallery Night route on the EMTA Bayliner [...]

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Erie Indemnity Company has announced financial results for the fourth quarter and year end 2008. You can read the full release here. A few highlights:
Net loss per share-diluted was $0.12 per share in the fourth quarter 2008, compared to net income per share-diluted of $0.55 per share in the fourth quarter of 2007. This was [...]

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Many thanks to the Conneaut, Ohio officer Tim Rose who conducted a seemingly routine traffic stop on I-90 yesterday morning. Cornelio Ramon of Erie and Moises Pena of Oxnard, California were caught bringing in two packages of cocaine that was meant for sale in Erie measured at 2 lbs and with a street value of [...]

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During a visit to the Erie Art Museum, did you notice the retired cigarette vending machine near the reception desk? It’s an Art-o-Mat, one of only 82 active machines in various locations across the country that have been converted to vend art.
For many Erie Art Museum visitors, the experience of pulling the knob alone is [...]

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If you would like your event considered for posting here on ErieBlogs.com, please send us your information using our online contact form. Make sure you check our daily News & Events for new event listings and events happening that day.
Upcoming Erie Concerts and Shows:
Feb. 13: The Temptations, Warner Theatre (tickets)
Feb. 19: Jerry Seinfeld, Warner Theatre [...]

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The big news out of Harrisburg is the proposed budget by Governor Rendell for 2009-2010.  The proposed budget is $29 billion dollars –  $26.6 billion plus another expected $2.4 billion in yet to be seen federal funds.  In total, it is a 2.5% increase over last years budget. In his speech before legislators yesterday, Rendell [...]

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If you would like your event considered for posting here on ErieBlogs.com, please send us your information using our online contact form. Make sure you check our daily News & Events for new event listings and events happening that day.
This Week’s Events
Willy Wonka will be at the Erie Playhouse January 16-18. This play is adapted [...]

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The Erie Art Museum offers art classes and workshops for children and adults year-round. Beginning in January, the Museum offers classes ranging from African Drum and Dance to Still Life Painting and Pottery.
Classes are available to beginners and more experienced artists and are offered
in quarterly sessions lasting three to ten weeks. All Museum classes are [...]

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The Fox television series America’s Most Wanted posted a bulletin on its website regarding a recent string of robberies in the Erie area by the same man.  Two different PNC Banks were robbed; one on October 27, 2008 and another on November 21, 2008. The robber has made no attempt to conceal his identity [...]

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Indianapolis Colts DB and Erie native Bob Sanders was profiled by WISH-TV in Indianapolis. The station traveled to Erie to interview Bob’s parents.
Stephan Koller of GE Transportation in Erie had his letter to the editor of the Jakarta Post published in today’s edition.  He responded to the newspaper’s previous coverage of Erie and the presidential [...]

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Today is Veterans Day. From the President of the United States:
On Veterans Day, we remember those who have served in previous wars, those who are serving today, and those who did not live to become veterans. Our Nation is blessed by these brave defenders, and we owe a debt of gratitude to all [...]

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If you would like your event considered for posting here on ErieBlogs.com, please send us your information using our online contact form. Make sure you check our daily News & Events for new event listings and events happening that day.
Events for this Week
Catro Jazz will perform at the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville on Tuesday, November [...]

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Last night two people were seriously injured when the motorcycle they were riding crashed on Route 8 near Wattsburg. Both riders were not wearing helmets.
The 14th annual Juvenile Diabetes Walk was held yesterday at Presque Isle. Organizers hoped to raise $250,000. You couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day for a walk.
THE S.O.N.S. [...]

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High school football scores from last night:
McDowell 43 Prep 23
Mercer 26 Mercyhurst 14
Harborcreek 19 Warren 14
Girard 7 Eisenhower 0
Union City 14 Lakeview 0
Greenville 12 North East 0
Corry 42 Titusville 14
Maplewood 12 Cochranton 6
Northwestern 16 Reynolds 6
Linesville 44 Cambridge Springs 7
Slippery Rock 35 Fort Lebouf 0
Fairview 16 Bradford 6
Saegertown 41 Conneaut Lake 8
Iroquois 27 Conneaut Valley [...]

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CelebrateErie continues tonight and runs until Sunday. You can catch a number of rock bands, activities, and family orientated entertainment in downtown Erie during the celebration. A few highlights include Taste of Erie featuring a number of local restaurants and a grand finale fireworks Sunday night at 9:30. The old name for this [...]

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This week’s Erie YouTube of the Week gives us a view of the Erie Art Museum’s exhibit of works by local artist Joseph Plavcan (1908–1981). Plavcan moved to Erie as a small child and, after studying in Europe, returned here in 1932 to teach at Erie Technical High School for nearly 40 years. The exhibit [...]

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The King’s Ship Ontario, aka the HMS Ontario, a British warship that sailed during the American Revolutionary War, has been found in Lake Ontario. It went down on October 31, 1780 with about 130 aboard. Included in this story in the Whig Standard by Ian Elliot is information which must be a reference to the [...]

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The Pennsylvania House and Senate passed a smoking ban. Philadelphia Governor Ed Rendell said he would sign it. Hotels must have 75 percent of their rooms non-smoking. Casinos such as Presque Isle Downs and Casino in Erie must have 50 percent of their facility non-smoking. Exempted are bars with less than 20 percent food sales, [...]

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Scores of people in the Erie area have called off work with symptoms of the flu and other illnesses. Most will head to Presque Isle State Park for ‘treatment.’ The forcast for today is sunny with a high temperature approaching the record of 95 degrees.
The Community Blood Bank is air conditioned and can take some [...]

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In November 2007 just before her new son was born, Tia Peterson, soon to be a new single mother, made the decision that she would stay home to raise her son. She began freelancing as a virtual assistant and has never looked back. Instead, she has moved on to form a virtual assistance firm called [...]

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A local political story (GoErie) is making the national rounds (MSNBC, FOXNews). Sam Glenzer walked into the Clinton campaign office in Erie. Campaign workers were suspicious of him trying to gleam info on their operations. They game him a campaign sign and he left. They Googled his name and saw that he was an Obama [...]

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Got the word last night that Erie PA native Maria Sansone is leaving ‘The 9′ on Yahoo! and will be doing a new show on YouTube. Her new yet to be named show will launch in a few weeks.
The US Census Bureau released their yearly metropolitan and micropolitan statistical area population estimates. They guessed that [...]

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Truck Company, 4th Marine Division, the USMC Reserve Unit based in Erie will be coming home on Monday March 31. Welcome Home Marines!
Funeral services for Erie PA native the Rev Dr James R Bailey, Jr will be held on Friday in Erie. Rev Bailey was murdered in Dayton, Ohio on Saturday March 22. He was [...]

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Candidate for Congress Kathy Dahlkemper was to speak today at Gannon University. The engagement was canceled. An official with the school said that they didn’t want an individual candidate to speak as it might appear that they were supporting one candidate over another. Sounded reasonable. You still have to wonder if it had anything to [...]

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The Supreme Court on Monday let stand a federal policy that allows employers to reduce their health insurance expenses for retired workers once they turn 65 and qualify for Medicare. In which may have been the last time Erie County did anything to try and save taxpayers money, the county offered non-Medicare eligible retirees the [...]

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It’s no wonder people have so much disdain for lawyers and unions. Just read the story by Kara Rhodes in todays paper. Mary Wolski was fired as a City of Erie Firefighter in 2007 for setting her father’s house on fire in 2006. Wolski is suing to get her job back. A job with Zippo [...]

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Happy Easter!
The new Erie visitor guides are in. The perfect resource for Erie tourism information from lodging to restaurants to attractions to shops, maps, background information, handy tips and more, this 80 page full color guide is a must-have! Order your free copy today. Simply send us an email with your complete mailing [...]

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The ice might be melting from the lake but not fast enough. Great story by Jeff on Erie Shipping News. The 647 feet long, 70 feet wide Cason J Callaway left the Port of Erie on Friday to begin her shipping season. It got two miles into Lake Erie before it got stuck in [...]

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The Warren Times Observer reported that a fire in a vacuum tower occurred at the United Refining Company refinery in Warren. The crude oil unit will be down for a few days, although production at the refinery will continue, but at a reduced rate. The refinery processes a max of 70,000 barrels of oil per [...]

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There are reports of an explosion at the United Refining Company in Warren, PA. The company operates an oil refinery in Warren that can process 70,000 barrels of oil into gasoline, diesel fuel and other petroleum distillates per day. Any problems at the refinery could mean a spike in gas prices in Northwestern PA.
This is [...]

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Erie, Pennsylvania has been awarded an NBA Development League franchise, it was announced yesterday at a press conference at the Bayfront Convention Center in Erie. The team will join Reno, NV – which was awarded a D-League franchise on Feb. 29 – for their inaugural seasons in 2008-09. “When we decided to pursue the opportunity [...]

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A private meeting is planned for members of Erie’s business community at 2 pm with a press conference at 3:15 pm today announcing that Erie will have a team in the NBA Developmental League for the 2008-09 season. The NBA Development League, or D-League, is the National Basketball Association’s officially sponsored and operated minor league. [...]

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Bars in Erie, especially the Irish bars, will be packed today with people celebrating St Patrick’s Day while they attempt to fill out their brackets for the NCAA basketball tournament.
The Center for eBusiness and Advanced IT (eBizITPA) reached a major benchmark in February by awarding its 300th IT implementation grant to The Hite Company in [...]

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Former President Bill Clinton yesterday yesterday spoke to a crowd at Erie East High School. The gym was filled with the crowd estimated at 1,200 to 2,000 people. More than half were students happy for any reason to get out of classes. Clinton is a very good speaker and the length of the talk at [...]

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Two car washes are for sale. One is a bit of a surprise. Splash’s Auto Bath House at 2968 West 12th St is for sale. The listed price for the property is $599,000. Business and equipment is $90,000 extra. Splash’s has been operating for about a dozen years. If I remember right a doctor owns [...]

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The Erie Zoo reopens today after being closed for the Winter. Hours are 10 am everyday until 5pm. During the summer months, the zoo is open until 6 pm on Sundays. The Zoo is closed December, January and February. Admission prices are $7 for adults, $6 for senior citizens, $4 for children 2-11, children [...]

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An American Black Bear has been spotted on Presque Isle State Park. This isn’t Winnie the Pooh or Yogi Bear so don’t feed it. It’s believed to be a young male weighing about 200 lbs. Adult black bears usually are between 250 and 600 lbs. There are an estimated 15,000 black bears in Pennsylvania and [...]

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Oops, Erie County Executive Mark DiVecchio did it again. Another report of DiVecchio breaking the law and costing the over burdened taxpayers of Erie County more money. Erie County got a bill for a parking ticket DiVecchio received. He received a $30 parking ticket for illegal parking in Washington, DC. DiVecchio, possibly thinking he has [...]

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Unless you have suicidal tendencies, PLEASE stay off the ice dunes at Presque Isle State Park. You could easily step through and drown in freezing cold water.
The moderate blood shortage in our area turned critical for type O suddenly with extraordinarily heavy blood use by local patients over the past few days. There has been [...]

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Megan and Craig Sundberg recently found out their young 3 year old son Jack has an inoperable brain tumor. Jack has Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), also known as grade 4 astrocytoma, which is the most common and aggressive type of primary brain tumor, accounting for 52 percent of all primary brain tumor cases and 20 percent [...]

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The Best Places to Work in PA winners were announced and 3 Erie companies made the 2007 list for large size companies. Saint Vincent Health System was 5th, Stairways Behavioral Health was 16th and Hamot Medical Center was 48th. No area companies made the list in the medium size category. Registration for the 2008 nominations [...]

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Way to go Phil! Ensuring public dollars support American families not an addiction is the goal of legislation recently introduced by U S Rep Phil English (R-Pa). HR 3656 would require states to administer drug tests for welfare recipients if the state has substantial evidence that an individual welfare beneficiary is abusing controlled substances. “My [...]

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WJET-TV ran a story in which Sheriff Bob Merski said he was looking into the possibility of putting a temporary halt to sheriff sales in Erie County. Sheriff sales are done to recoup back unpaid property taxes. Merski is asking the County Solicitor’s Office for an opinion. You know things are slow building-wise when an [...]

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Last month the Commonwealth Court rejected a 2005 lawsuit by Erie area hotel operators against the Erie Convention Center Authority that is building a Sheraton Hotel with money coming from a hotel room tax. It’s being appealed to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The operators were crying unfair. You would think they would have to go [...]

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Today is the final day of the season at Waldameer Amusement Park and Water World. Good weather means good crowds and Erie has had good Summer weather. Construction work continues on the Ravine Flyer II, a wooden and steel roller coaster. The coaster will traverse Peninsula Drive (State Route 832). The ride will open in [...]

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The Pennsylvania Supreme Court suspended Superior Court Judge Michael Joyce of Erie, who was indicted on federal charges of defrauding two insurance companies out of $440,000. Joyce was ‘injured’ in a 2001 car accident and said he had so much pain he couldn’t hold a cup of coffee. Joyce had been seen playing golf, scuba [...]

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Mercyhurst sophomore Teri Rhodes gave birth in her campus apartment. Police found the baby dead and in a plastic bag. An autopsy was performed to see if the baby was alive at birth or if she had a miscarriage. There are many more questions than answers at this point.
Pennsylvania Housing and Redevelopment Assistance funding grants [...]

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In Erie County last year there was just under 650 foreclosures. The latest figure I heard for Erie County and Northwest PA in 2007 is over 1,400 foreclosures. Yipes. Get help before it happens. Call your lender. Refinance through another lender. Take action. Do something. The National Association of REALTORS has a brochure in pfd [...]

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WJET-TV ran a story on the 26 laid-off Erie Firefighters returning to work. Erie didn’t find a bundle of money to re-hire them, they are taking the place of firefighters retiring.
 
Erie PA native Anthony David Adams is the owner of CreditCovers. The company makes plastic skins that consumers can use to personalize their plastic [...]

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The Nina, a hand built replica of Christopher Columbus’ ship, arrived in Erie yesterday. It will be in Erie until Sunday June 10. It will be open for tours with a cost of $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $3 for students.
 
A fight inside Peccadillos spilled out onto the streets. Police made a number [...]

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Jenna Walker and Maggie Kovski died tragically when they drowned in a pond. I thought it was heartless that police were investigating the babysitter. I thought they should just put the poor 19 year old babysitter on suicide watch. I was wrong. Police charged Brittany Steward with two counts each of involuntary manslaughter, endangering the [...]

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The Tom Ridge Environmental Center at Presque Isle has now been open one year. It’s been an overwhelming success. What has surprised me is the sheer number and variety of events they have going on from nature hikes to evenings of jazz music to lectures to family movies.
The Tom Ridge Environmental Center is a must [...]

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Pennsylvania State Police responded to a domestic dispute which ended with Richard Vargo taking his own life. Police were warned he might hut himself or police responding to the scene. Vargo came out of a house and took a shot at Trooper Joseph Short. It hit Shorts’ flashlight and ricocheted away. The picture of [...]

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Augustus Allen III, who was recently fired by the EMTA (Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority, the bus company), was arrested for making terroristic threats after he said he’d shoot the place up. Three adults and one juvenile in Erie have been arrested for threatening to repeat the Virginia Tech massacre.
 
The U S Brig Niagara is scheduled [...]

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GAF Materials Corporation has closed their Erie roofing shingle plant. In January the company announced they were shuttering the 120 year old plant on the bayfront. Around 160 people were laid-off. It will be interesting to see what becomes of the property. It’s located on the bay directly to the left of the Erie [...]

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On Tuesday, County Council Chairman Fiore Leone had a sheriff’s deputy remove Dan Galena from Erie County Council Chambers. Galena is a Republican who is running for the District 7 seat on council. Galena accused council of violating county rules and the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act. Here is the email I received from Mr Galena with [...]

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Three fires claimed three lives in less than 24 hours. Richard Hunt of Corry died in his East Main Street home in a fire that broke out around 1 pm. A fire at 457 West Front St broke out around 2:45 and claimed the life of a women. I’m selling the home next door at [...]

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Erie City Council refused to re-hire fired Erie Police Detective Ed Dickens. After a 2 day hearing, council voted unanimously not to let him return to work. Dickens was convicted of harassment for a 2005 incident involving his wife, they were split up at the time, and her male friend.
Tomorrow is the worst day of [...]

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Erie School District Superintendent James Barker had his contract extended for 5 years by the Erie School Board. He`ll get a 3 percent salary increase each year plus cost of living adjustments. He’ll be making about a quarter million dollars a year by the end of the contract. Barker doesn’t live in Erie so [...]

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Chytoria Graham pleaded guilty to charges that swung her month old baby like a baseball bat to hit her boyfriend. She will be sentenced on May 8.
Edinboro University’s Eighth Annual Frank G Pogue Honors Scholarship Luncheon takes place today at the Courtyard by Marriott Ambassador Banquet and Conference Center. Sharon Stone, who attended Edinboro, will [...]

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Presque Isle Downs and Casino is crushing the projections of the handle they said they would do. On Saturday, the slots parlor took in $13.6 million in wagers and paid out $12.4 million. Presque Isle Downs is located at Exit 27 (Route 97) of Interstate 90. It’s open from 9 am to 4 am daily. [...]

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According the Brookings Institution study – From ‘There’ to ‘Here’: Refugee Resettlement in Metropolitan America – an analysis of refugees as a percentage of overall immigrants, the Erie PA area ranked third in a list of Medium-sized USA metropolitan areas. From 1983-2004, 4,545 refugees made Erie their new home including 2,969 from 1990-2000. The International [...]

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Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy won the United States Academic Decathlon (USAD) Pennsylvania state competition and will move on to the national competition, which takes place in Hawaii this year. This year’s team comprises Amy Babay, Matt Faytak, and Samantha Ohmer (honors); Amal Abukar, Alexa Johnson, and Alicia Quick (scholastic); and Josh Ohmer, Celeste Trombetta, and [...]

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Erie County Judge John Bozza granted a permanent injunction preventing the county wide smoking ban from taking effect. The judge concluded that the county ordinance violated the Pennsylvania Clean Indoor Air Act. Congrats to Eric Purchase on the win. This is exactly what the county solicitor told Erie County Council would happen. The arrogant members [...]

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The numbers for the opening day of Presque Isle Downs and Casino were staggering. I think company officials were even a bit stunned at how well they did. Here are the unofficial, unaudited figures from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. The amount wagered was $8,881,234. The amount paid out as winnings was $8,068,267 for a [...]

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Presque Isle Downs and Casino opened yesterday to huge crowds. They estimated that 10,000 visited on opening day. I think that number is being very conservative. I think it was closer to 15,000. It seemed that about 60 percent of the cars in the lot had Pennsylvania tags. There were a ton of people from [...]

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The Erie PA casino will open today at 9 am. Presque Isle Downs and Casino will be opening, including 2,000 slot machines, following receipt of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board’s final approval to open the facility. Situated on a 272-acre site, approximately 58.4 acres of which are dedicated to the public as open space, Presque [...]

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Saint Vincent’s finally released a press release, 4 days after their announced “affiliation” -
Saint Vincent Health System announced plans to affiliate with Catholic Healthcare Partners (CHP), a national health system based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Saint Vincent Health System President and CEO Angela Bontempo made this historic announcement for Saint Vincent, the Erie community and the [...]

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Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen A McGinty toured the site where Lake Erie Biofuels is constructing a state-of-the-art facility that will produce 45 million gallons of biodiesel each year, and spoke with company and local officials about the economic opportunities created by the governor’s Energy Independence Strategy. Biodiesel is becoming an increasingly important piece [...]

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Presque Isle Downs got some great news yesterday when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court dismissed the lawsuit opposing licensing the facility. The decision came much sooner than expected. Now the only real hold-up is the vacancy on the PA Gaming Control Board. Gary Sojka was named to fill the seat on January 29. A required state [...]

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Pennsylvania Governor Rendell announced his proposed budget for fiscal 2007-08 which includes $1 billion in increased spending and $2 billion in borrowing which all will be paid for with a number of tax hikes. The tax and spend Democrat Rendell wants the sales tax raised from 6 percent to 7 percent, a tax increase in [...]

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The Willow’s Tavern in Erie and Corner Tavern and Grille in Corry have filed a lawsuit against Erie County to halt the smoking ban that is scheduled to take effect February 17. They are also seeking an injunction as the case winds it’s way through the court system. It seems that the ban is indeed [...]

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Here’s a warning to area politicians and economic development officials so they don’t look like deer in the headlights and can’t say “We had no idea” on the news. Erie is in danger of losing the International Institute of Erie. Refugees from Bosnia to Sudan have settled in Erie and have become part of [...]

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It’s 3 degrees. The high today is expected to be 8 degrees. We’ve had about a foot of snow in the past 24 hours and the wind has been howling. A large number of churches cancelled Sunday services. Another 10-16 inches of snow is expected with wind chills reaching 20 below zero.
A powder outage in [...]

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A train derailment in Westfield NY, about 30 miles east of Erie, caused train traffic delays from Chicago to NYC. The CSX freight train had only a half dozen of the cars jump the track. There were no injuries. Traffic was diverted to the Norfolk-Southern line.
Erie is experiencing it’s coldest temperatures in nearly 4 decades. [...]

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The city is taking away a $300,000 state for the proposed grocery store at 19th and Parade Streets. The grant must be used by June. The city wants to use the money to demolish the Warren Radio building at 14th and French Streets. The Erie Redevelopment Authority wants to have townhouse built at that location.
Invest [...]

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Hall of Famer and Super Bowl XI MVP Fred Biletnikoff announced he has retired as the Oakland Raiders’ wide receivers coach after spending more than three decades as a player and coach for the franchise. Biletnikoff spent the last 18 seasons on the Raiders’ coaching staff, including 10 as receivers coach. As a rookie, he [...]

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I received more info on the City of Erie health care insurance. The city budgeted $16,500 per employee and councilperson for 2007.
In response to the questions you posed related to my e-mail, I have some additional information for you. First of all, the City of Erie is “self insured.” They pay the actual costs of [...]

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Herbert Fiss passed away earlier this week. Fiss is the guy who tricked the city in to giving him a quarter million dollars when he said he was going to build a fruit juice plant in the Erie area. He called his sceme IFP North America. Erie was at least the third city where he [...]

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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Erie received an inch or two of snow overnight and we’re due for another inch or so today. The roads aren’t too bad but everyone has forgotten how to drive in the snow so drive slow.
The Edinboro men’s basketball team beat West Chester 75-57 while the Edinboro [...]

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Erie City Council held a Saturday budget session and rubber stamped the budget submitted by Mayor Joe Sinnott making only one minor change of $24,000 to the $59.9 million budget. The formal vote on the budget will be held at the regular council meeting on December 20. Council made no cuts to the budget only [...]

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The National Weather Service reported Erie received 13 inches of snow. Erie Kansas, not Erie PA. It rained here. A ton of rain. Many places received more than 2 inches. Riviera Estates Mobile Home Park at 14th and Marshall Dr in Millcreek flooded, as usual. The quicker the Erie International Airport runway expansion happens the [...]

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Auditor General Jack Wagner released an audit of the City of Erie Aggregate Pension Fund, which found that a new retirement provision enacted by the city in 2004 resulted in the city’s receipt of $893,745 of excess state pension aid from the commonwealth. Wagner said the $893,745 of excess state aid identified in the audit [...]

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Presque Isle Downs will be opening on February 16, 2007. The thoroughbred racetrack with pari-mutuel wagering and a slots-only casino is located at the intersection of I-90 and Route 97 (Exit 27).
Job applicants may apply online by clicking here. They will be hiring soon and should employ 600-900 people. They need all sorts of people [...]

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Mohammed Abdelhady, who owned Moe’s One Stop convenience stores in Erie, pleaded guilty to operating a check-cashing business without a license. Well, that’s what they got him on. What he was doing was running a fencing operation and laundering money for drug dealers. That’s why the guilty plea. He forfeited $252,000 and could be sentenced [...]

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Temperatures of over 60 degrees made for better golfing than deer hunting. The bucks hunters harvested had good size racks but the numbers were low. There was one hunter death in the area. Kirk Miller had a heart attack and passed away. He was hunting in the woods near the EMSCO Group plant in Girard.
 
The [...]

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Here’s the 2006 election results for the major area races:
Ed Rendell defeated Lynn Swann for Pennsylvania Governor.
Bob Casey, Jr defeated Rick Santorum for US Senate.
Phil English defeated Steven Porter for US House of Representatives.
Patrick Harkins defeated Christine Pontoriero for State House, 1st District.
Flo Fabrizio was unopposed for State House, 2nd District.
John Hornaman defeated Matthew Good, [...]

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A theft of nearly a half million dollars has occurred at 19th and Parade. The police have not been notified. Why? Because it was only taxpayer money. In the past few days the sign on the lot announcing that Invest Erie Community Development Corporation was developing the spot for a grocery store has been removed. [...]

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The Erie SeaWolves have a press conference scheduled for today to announce that Detriot GM Dave Dombrowski will name Matt Walbeck will become the team’s next manager. For the past three years Walbeck has managed Single A West Michigan. He had an 11 year career in the majors with six teams. Tom Brookens is expected [...]

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Lucy Ladd Stratton was a painter from New Hampshire. She spent decades in Europe but called Erie PA her adopted hometown. She and her husband had money and built a library in West Swanzey, NH. She donated some of her paintings to the library. As for her others, when she died in 1937 she willed [...]

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The Greater Erie Board of REALTORS released the Erie County property transfer report for October. For Oct 2006, 432 properties were exchanged for $47,279, 377. The Oct 2005 figures were 512 transactions for $61,760,628. This marks the fifth straight decline year-over-year. Year to date, the 2006 totals are down $29,904,788 and 280 transactions compared to 2005. [...]

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Erie received it’s first sizable snow storm. The city and the airport, where the official totals are measured, got about 3 inches. There was about 9 inches near the Millcreek Mall and a foot was connon in other places. I think I heard the phrase “This sucks” over 100 times yesterday. O course people don’t [...]

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Erie Insurance (Nasdaq: ERIE) announced financial results for the third quarter 2006. Net income was $52.8 million for the third quarter of 2006 compared to $53.0 million at September 30, 2005. Net income per share increased 7.9 percent to $0.82 per share, compared to $0.76 per share in the comparable quarter of 2005. [...]

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Barb Dougherty, a postal carrier, was attacked by a squirrel and bitten several times while delivering mail in Oil City. Dougherty was taken by ambulance to the hospital where she was treated for bites, cuts and scratches, and given rabies shots. The squirrel was shot and will be tested for rabies.
 
The Avalon Hotel in downtown [...]

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Levonne Rowan of Erie was arrested in Madison, Wisconsin for carrying a concealed weapon after a traffic stop on the University of Wisconsin campus. Levonne, Dywon Rowan, his brother and a running back on the Wisconsin football team, and younger brother Javon Rowan were three of five individual that were in a vehicle after police [...]

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A Jeep driven by Maurice Bort of Erie going West on I-90 drove over median and struck another Jeep head-on which was travelling East on 90. Both drivers were killed. Traffic was tied up for nearly 3 hours. Drivers from out of town that exited the thruway trying to find a way around the accident [...]

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Developer Brad Fairfield announced he received funding to begin construction of Koehler Brewery Square. Hallelujah. National City Bank has joined Sky Bank in providing the financing. Construction is expected to start by the end of November and the building for Cornerstone Healthcare Group should be move in ready by the end of 2007. Fairfield has [...]

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Brad Fairfield, developer of the Koehler Brewery Square Project, has a press conference scheduled for 10:30 am this morning. He was still looking for over $3 million in financing last I heard and if he got it you would think he’d let the world know immediately.
The Seattle Post Intelligencer ran a good story that mentions [...]

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Presque Isle Downs received a slot machine operating license from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
Let’s see if I can write about this without getting a phone call at work like I did at the end of September because of this post. It took me a week to get over the apprehension of starting my [...]

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Paragon Print Systems formally opened their new building at Joyce A Savocchio Business Park, the former junkyard turned into an industrial park by the Greater Erie Industrial Development Corp. The Paragon Print Systems story has been the story of Erie economic growth for the past decade and will be a story repeated many times in [...]

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The Erie County Department of Health Board of Directors – Anthony M Ruffa (877-7686) , Johnie M Atkinson, Paul F Burroughs (833-2222), Richard A Ortoski (866-8446) and William W Cobert (835-5039) – voted unanimously on a resolution to ban smoking in public places in Erie County including restaurants and bars. The resolution goes to [...]

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Christian Huckaby of Cleveland, a student at Mercyhurst North East, died when the car he was riding in went off the road on Interstate 90 near I-271 in Willoughby Hills, Ohio. Marcus Hawkins of Cleveland, also a student at Mercyhurst NE, was transported to a local hospital with non life-threatening injuries. The two were on [...]

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The Erie Redevelopment Authority received a $950,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency for the Mercantile Building revitalization project. Plans call for retail space on the first floor, offices on the second and third floors and residential condos on the top 2 floors. The Erie Redevelopment Authority took over the building earlier this year [...]

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The best argument against democracy is five minutes of an average Erie City Council meeting. However, they did pretty well last night electing Joseph Schember to fill the counicl seat caused by the resignation of Dr Lonnie Gatlin. Gatlin resigned for ‘health reasons’ which was a polite way of saying the actual reason which everyone [...]

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Erie City Council yesterday held a meeting to talk about the city amusement tax. The tax raised about $36,000 for the four month period of June through September. Council had thought the tax would raise $500,000. It would have raised that amount if there were 56 months in a year. There are in fact 12 [...]

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The Center for eBusiness and Advanced Information Technology (eBizITPA) is selling it’s web-based reverse auction tool eDynaQuote. eBizITPA provides education and training programs in e-business and advanced information technology processes. “eBizITPA has effectively completed its role as originator and incubator of eDQ,” according to Susan Breon, president of eBizITPA. “The business possesses a solid fixed [...]

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I had to laugh yesterday at the news (newspaper story, WJET-TV story) that Erie Convention Center Authority is counter suing Nick Scott over the old convention center plans. Scott owns the big, empty plot on the NE corner of State Street and the Bayfront Parkway. The was where the contention center and hotel were originally [...]

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Erie Traffic Court manager Deborah Steff was sentenced to 11½ to 23 months for stealing more than $272,000. She was also ordered to pay full restitution for the money she embezzled. If you paid a traffic fine or a parking ticket in cash between 2002 and 2005, there is a very good possibility it went [...]

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Great story in today’s Erie newspaper about Erie photo blogger Ron Richardson and his pics of his rubber duck.
Erie blogger Michael Mahler was mentioned in a Slate.com article about his comments concerning former Rep Mark Foley.
Some drunk hit a telephone pole on Pine Avenue at 2:15 am breaking the pole in two. Power in the [...]

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The Erie Freeze and 13 other teams are leaving the AIFL and joining the AIFA – the newly created American Indoor Football Association. This seems like just a name change for the league and the booting out of league founder Andrew Haines. According to a press release issued by the new league, AIFL teams in [...]

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An of campus party in Meadville of mostly Allegheny College students got a little loud and a number of police agencies arrived and broke up the party. Over 100 people wee cited for underage drinking. Hint – if you keep down the noise and have a couple of dozen people, the police won’t come.
I have [...]

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The Brewerie at Union Station is now open. If you go, send in your thoughts. I’ve heard good things about the beers available. The food is another story. It could be a matter of working about the kinks and details but “slow service” and “cold when it should have been hot” is what I’ve heard.
The [...]

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Erie County Executive Mark DiVecchio submitted his proposed 2007 budget on Friday. It doesn’t call for a tax increase but it’s $1.7 million more than anticipated revenue. The money to balance the budget would be taken from a reserve account. The reserve fund was designed to be used for emergencies. Not being able to cut [...]

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Delta announced they are dropping the Erie to Cincinnati route as of November 1. That sucks. Delta has a large number of connecting flights. A pilot told me this joke – What’s Delta stand for? Don’t Ever Leave The Airport.
Nice story in the Erie newspaper about the BrewErie at Union Station not receiving their liquor [...]

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Erie native Eric Michael Hopper, now living in Buford GA, will make his TV debut this morning on CBS’s “The Early Show.” Hopper won “The Early Show’s Living Room Live” talent competition. He will perform “I Want to Be.” His songs recently hit the 1 millionth play on MySpace.
US Rep Phil English of Erie has [...]

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NY State Police Trooper Joseph Longobardo, who was shot sniper-style during a stakeout seraching for Ralph “Bucky” Phillips onThursday night in Chautauqua County, has died. Trooper Donald Baker Jr, who is recoverying in an Erie hospital, was upgraded from critical to serious after a third surgery.
Phillips is the main suspect in the shootings and now [...]

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Rae Sherred of Edinboro University was honored with the 2006 NCAA Sportsmanship Award. Sports isn’t just about winning and losing, it’s about building character. Sometimes the worst conditions bring out the best in people. In the PSAC women’s basketball title game against California of Pennsylvania with the score tied and with 7 seconds to play, [...]

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The Community Blood Bank of NW PA is open Saturday 9-12:30. Please help alleviate the current crisis of the blood supply. A New York State Police Officer that was flown to Erie for treatment after being shot in the Bucky Phillips case has used a TREMENDOUS amount of blood. The trooper needed over 40 units [...]

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The state returned $17 million in tax dollars to the Erie area on Friday with five grants through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program.
The Erie Bayfront Convention Center received $6.5 million for a 300 space parking ramp, Gannon University received $4 million for their Erie Technology Incubator which will allow for the renovations to the [...]

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A woman has filed a protection from abuse (PFA) order against Erie City Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. Jones, who is married, had a relationship with the woman who gave birth to this child. This affair was going on during his campaign for council. This is the person we’re trusting with our tax dollars and the [...]

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Get your rear end downtown. Celebrate Erie 2006 runs through Sunday. This event was formerly known as “We Love Erie Days.”
The complete schedule of events and musical acts is too big to print here but here’s the Celebrate Erie music schedule for today:

South Stage at 11th and State: 5 pm Heather Rosso 6:30 pm Money [...]

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Like a crackhead that’s got to have their drugs and a welfare bum that needs a big screen TV when they can’t afford food or rent, Erie City Council will discuss hiring 5 police officers at their weekly meeting tonight even though the city is millions over budget, has millions in unpaid bills and faces [...]

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Rent-A-Center announced they are buying Rent-Way for $10.65 in cash per share of Rent-Way common stock. The transaction is valued at approximately $567 million. Bill Morgenstern founded the company in Erie in 1981 and built it into a 784 store chain in 34 states. Last year William Short was named President and CEO of [...]

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The “Beach Boys” will be the headlining act at Celebrate Erie on Friday August 18. The free concert takes place at 8:30 pm on the stage at 4th and State streets.
Of course you already knew that if you’re a regular reader of this blog. I announced the band on Sunday thanks to a tip I [...]

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Former City of Erie Finance Director Chuck Herron has your social security number, tax records, employer information and income information for all people that lived or worked in Erie in 1999. This is what the thief Chuck Herron stole from the city when he was fired. The white collar criminal Herron used those records to [...]

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Erie based RentWay (NYSE: RWY), an operator of 790 rent-to-own stores in 34 states, is up for sale and has hired investment bank Citigroup to oversee the process. Rent-Way shares jumped 7.5 percent to $8.14 on the New York Stock Exchange after Reuters reported the news just before the closing bell. Shares closed at [...]

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A couple of kids, 13 and 14, attempted a hold up with a gun last night at the Wendy’s on Buffalo Road. State police troopers quickly caught them as their cars went faster than the kids making their getaway peddling their bicycles.
The Bayfront Center for Maritime Studies in Erie will be given a wind turbine [...]

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The blood supply dropped to the lowest levels of the year, endangering patients of all types at area hospitals. The Fourth of July holiday proved to be the worst holiday weekend in years for the blood supply with very heavy blood use at regional hospitals. Everyone is urged to take the 30 minutes out to [...]

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In November 2004, Snow Contractor John Allin sold his Erie, Pa based Snow Management Group, one of the nation’s largest snow-removal firms at the time, to Symbiot. Symbiot has been a mess ever since. Allin stayed on with the company as corporate vice president of operations until December 2005, when he left to start his [...]

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The Erie Community Foundation is one of Erie’s best organizations. Where would we be without it? The founders were way ahead of the curve and through the years it’s been very well managed. Other, larger cities wish they had what we have. The Erie Community Foundation’s 70/70 Anniversary Event will be held at the Warner [...]

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Yesterday marked the first direct flight from Erie International Airport Tom Ridge Field to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Delta is offering one daily flight to and from Atlanta. While this is great for the pleasure traveller, this is huge for the business community.
The Erie Art Museum announced a $9 million expansion and a renovation of [...]

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Someone broke into the North East PA Wine and Spirits Store, the state run liquor store with overpaid union workers, and waled out with thousands of dollars of booze. The break-in happend between late Sunday to early Monday morning. Anyone out there planning a big party?
The Erie Art Museum has a press conference scheduled for [...]

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An Erie man drowned in Presque Isle Bay in an apparent suicide. Gerald Michalski of West 8th Street, walked into the water near the foot of Virginia Ave and Ravine Drive near the Erie Yacht Club. Witnesses at Ferncliff Beach said he left some personal items on shore and simply walked in over his head. [...]

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Two 14 year olds and a 13 year old are in police custody after they stole a van early this morning and were involved in a high speed chase. The van didn’t make the curve along the Bayfront Parkway and crashed, downing a metal power pole.
The state has purchased 3.5 acres, known as the Brugger [...]

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Three more guys from Erie could be playing in the NFL next year. None of the three were chosen in the NFL Draft but have signed free agent contracts. CB Jovon Johnson signed a deal with the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers, WR Ed Hinkel has signed with the Baltimore Ravens and Wisconsin CB Levonne [...]

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Matthew Perez-Jefferson entered a plea of guilty to third degree murder in the Noverber shooting of Paul Martinson outside the Antigua Blue Tavern. The sentencing is scheduled for May. He faces 5-40 years.
The Erie Redevelopment Authority held a groundbreaking yesterday on a $5 million housing project in the “Hood”, the area of East 21st and [...]

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Thomas Giusti was arrested for the murder of Stacy Watral. Watral was found stabbed to death in Greene Township on Friday. Poilce attempted to interview Giusti on Saturday. He agreed to drive to the State Police barracks but as he was going there with the troopers following him, he jumped out of his vehicle at [...]

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Erby Conley of Erie is a leading candidate to become the police commissioner of Easton, PA. Conley was Commander of Troop E of the Pennsylvania State Police in Erie and also served as Public Safety Director for the City of Erie.
Penelec has filed for a rate increase of $157 million to $206 million. Rates could [...]

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A microbrewery is being planned for the old Porter`s Restaurant in Union Station. I’m guessing they will be buying a Price-Schonstrom system. Chris Sirianni said they are planning to be open by July. The BrewErie At Union Station will be a brew-on-premises (BOP) brewpub. That I believe. The talk of a number of a number [...]

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In Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the Black Knight wanted to continue to fight even though he had lost both arms and legs. King Arthur said “What are you gonna do, bleed on me”? This sounds like what’s happening in Erie with members of United Auto Workers Local 832 and Steris Corporation.
Steris is moving [...]

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Opening statements were held yesterday in the trial of former Erie mayor Rick Filippi. A trial so fun you’d want to bring popcorn with you to watch it. On the surfact it doesn’t look like Filippi committed a crime. It was just stupid and showed poor judgement. In 2001, MTR Gaming already had plans for [...]

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Adell Gaines was found guilty of one charge in the traffic death of Mercyhurst student Matthew Milgate. The accident happened last St Patricks Day. Milgage was at a party across the street from the school. As he walked across the street back toward the college, he was struck by two cars. Milgate never looked to [...]

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Jury selection begins today in the trial of former Erie Mayor Rick Filippi. The trial will be held in Washington County, 130 miles south of Erie. Filippi and two friends are accused of using inside info to profit on a land deal. The company the three formed, Aiko Acquisition, purchased parcels near the former IP/Hammermill [...]

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The loud flushing sound heard in Erie PA on Thursday was a campaign going down the toilet. Gubernatorial candidate Bill Scranton made a campaign stop in Erie and made national news firing his campaign manager James Seif for making racial remarks about Lynn Swann. Seif appeared late Wednesday on a television call-in show about the [...]

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Brad Fairfield of Koehler Brewery Square, LLC today is holding a press conference and signing ceremony with Cornerstone Healthcare Group. Cornerstone will sign a lease to occupy the top two floors with a long term care facility of the soon to be built main building. Cornerstone will employ about 150 healthcare workers.
Yesterday was the dead [...]

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Two Erie School District teachers were reportly suspended for having downloaded porn onto district owned computers. Note to other Erie teachers – after deleting the images you have downloaded, empty the recycle bin. The District blocks sites such as Xanga and MySpace but teachers can download porn. Sounds about right.
Former Erie mayor Rick Filippi is [...]

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Dale McBrier defeated Mark DiVecchio by 6 votes, 32,168 to 32,162, to win the face for Erie County Executive. Holy cow. The official count will be held on Monday.
Other election results:
Erie Mayor: Joe Sinnott defeated Jack Anderson by over a 3-1 margin. Proving that shit hasn’t changed, nearly the first thing out Sinnott’s mouth [...]

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City of Erie Police expect to file charges next week against a long time employee of the traffic court department. Your average lemonade stand has better cash controls than anything at city hall. If you received a parking ticket in the city in the past few years and you included cash in the return envelope, [...]

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Michael McQuillen, interim president of Mercyhurst College, said he will not change the name of Garvey Park. The faculty senate recommended changing the name because former president, Dr William Garvey, has been accused of inappropriate sexual contact with children whe Garvey was a basketall coach. McQuillen and Garvey are buddies and wrote a book [...]

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The Erie School District Board of Directors wants to spend $153 million in the next 20 years to renovate schools. They are much better at spending money than actually educating children.
There was an electrical fire last night at the Smokey Bones Restaurant on upper Peach Street. The restaurant will be closed for a few days.
Score [...]

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MTR Gaming is now asking for $29 million from the Summit Township Development Authority, down from the previous amount of $37.5 million, from intrastructure improvements for the building of Presque Isle Downs. If it means MTR build build more buildings to add to th tax base and hire more people worth $29 million, give them [...]

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