The Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority will hold a public meeting 5-7pm today at the HO Hirt Auditorium at the Erie County Blasco Memorial Library, 160 East Front St, to discuss the proposal to ban unaccompanied minors from the 8 Great Tuesday’s concert series. Maybe at the meeting someone will ask what happened to the $700,000 [...]

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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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Zachary Dunbar of Erie arrived in San Francisco and today will begin a 2 month cross county bike ride to raise money and awareness for the John Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation. You can follow him on his travels on his blog Cycling For A Cure. (It’s about 2,600 miles from San Francisco to Erie.)
The Community [...]

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A driver, traveling on Route 8 near Wattsburg, hauling 10,000 gallons of gas lost control of his truck. It rolled over and burst into flames. The smoke could be seen for miles.Holy cow was there a lot of smoke. I’d almost bet you could see it from almost anywhere in Erie County. A couple of [...]

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Dan Mulligan didn’t know what to expect when the US Army summoned him from his civilian life as instructor at the Institute for Intelligence Studies at Mercyhurst College to active duty in Iraq last January. He hadn’t fired a weapon since he retired from the military 15 years ago; what’s more, he was 48-years-old. He [...]

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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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BetaJohn has tried and tried to get Erie Times News and GoErie to fix their problem with the employment classified links. The Help Wanted link was recently fixed to reflect their switch over to HotJobs but none of the links for the sub-categories work. Maybe one of the job listings is for help in their [...]

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The Erie area enjoyed another glorious day on Sunday – bright sunshine with a high of 88 degrees. About 80,000 people visited Presque Isle State Park over the weekend. The forecast today calls for a high near 90, the fifth day in a row with temps hitting the mid 80’s.
The Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority (EMTA) [...]

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The official high temperature in Erie was 92 degrees on Friday. Temps on Saturday and Sunday might be near 90. There was a great crowd along the bayfront and at Presque Isle State Park. I’m a bit jealous of how Ella, daughter of Holli and Jason, kept cool.
Get out of the heat for a few [...]

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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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Measuring Up was founded by Tony and Tammy Craig, a husband and wife team with a combined 30 plus years in the rent to own industry. Measuring Up does customer satisfaction surveys, analysis and employee training. The company recently produced a report for the US Congress, documenting the fact that rent-to-own has the highest level [...]

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All around great guy Jack Tirak passed away last night. Jack was a partner at Erie ad firm Engel and Tirak and many of us knew him through his blog, Erie Media Go Round. We’ll fill you in on the funeral details when they become available. Condolences to his family.
Casting call for you actor types. [...]

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WICU reported that the Erie County Employee Picnic has been canceled due “to too much scrutiny.” The food was going to come from DiVecchio’s Catering, the business owned by Erie County Executive Mark DiVecchio. This is one the numerous reasons Erie County Controller Sue Weber is planning an Ethics Workshop on July 1.
The blood shortage [...]

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Jack Sundberg passed away on Sunday morning. Jack had an inoperable brain tumor. As they say on his web site Jack’s Battle, he won his battle and now is in a better place. The Sundberg Family – Craig, Megan and Robin – would appreciate your thoughts and prayers. Hopefully, they can get some peace in [...]

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Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine will hold commencement ceremonies for its largest medical and pharmacy classes, along with the school’s second class of master’s degree candidates. Today at 2 pm at the Louis J Tullio Arena, 218 medical students, 123 pharmacy students and six Master of Science in Medical Education students will receive degrees. [...]

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Lisa Maas was murdered in her Pittsburgh apartment. Maas was a 2006 graduate of Harbor Creek High School near Erie. She was attending school at the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute. Terrence Andrews, who occupied an apartment in the same building as Maas, stabbed her with a pair of scissors. Andrews admitted to police he did it. [...]

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Erie County middle and high school students are reporting a higher incidence of alcohol use than their national peers, but much lower levels of participation in antisocial behaviors such as “being arrested” or “bringing a weapon to school,” according to the newly released 2007 Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS), conducted locally by the Mercyhurst College Civic [...]

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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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An arrest warrant was issued by University of Iowa campus police for Abe Satterfield of Erie and another man for charges involving sexual abuse. The incident allegedly occurred on October 14 at Satterfield’s on campus apartment. Satterfield and other person, Cedric Everson, were both members of the Iowa football team. They were both suspended from [...]

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Railpower Technologies announced that it will build an assembly plant in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, creating some 125 new jobs, mainly in manufacturing and development. I thought Erie had a good shot at landing the plant. The company is headquartered in Quebec while their US operations are located in Erie. Railpower produces rail yard switching locomotives and [...]

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Please take a moment today to remember and honor those Americans who died while defending our Nation and its values. They are responsible for the freedoms you enjoy today.
To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the “National Moment of Remembrance” resolution was passed in December, 2000 which asks that [...]

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One person died in their home last night of an apparent natural gas leak or by carbon monoxide poisoning. The home is on Page Street in SE Erie. An official from the Erie County Coroners Office was called to scene as crews from National Fuel worked to repair the leak. Natural gas does not have [...]

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Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong spent another day at a mental competency hearing. It could be months for a judge to decide if she’s competent to stand trial. Of course she’s nut but she’s well enough to know what’s going on. Normal people don’t kill their boyfriend and stick them in a freezer nor are involved in some [...]

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Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong spent 9 hours in court in the first day of two in a mental competency hearing. What a wast of time. Expert witnesses differed in their opinion according to who was paying them, the prosecution or the defense. I think everyone agrees she nuts, ie a wacked out bi__. The question is, does [...]

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The 2007 Erie Summer Festival of the Arts wraps up today. Perfect weather has brought out large crowds. This is a FREE event and open to the public. It’s being held at Liberty Park on the Erie Bayfront. The theme is “You Gotta Have Arts.”
 
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry Center for Workforce Information [...]

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John Fuhrmann, CEO of The Greater Erie County American Red Cross, announced he is retiring. Fuhrmann has led the organization for the past 10 years. A replacement has not been named.
 
The Gannon University Small Business Development Center held its 17th Annual Small Business Awards Program on Friday.
The honorees were:
New Start-up – Software Technology Concepts, LLC, [...]

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Attorneys Norman A “Buddy’ Stark and Eric S Yonkin agreed to a $21,500 settlement on behalf of Invest Erie Development Corporation in their suit against the City of Erie. If you ever need a lawyer, call everyone else in town before these two jerks. Invest Erie Development Corporation has done more damage to investment and [...]

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Kim Berdis is a genius. Erie City Council voted unanimously for the idea of a skate park. The organizational skills and determination by Berdis is why a skate park will be built. And to think this in the same city that cited Tony Hawk for skateboarding. Congrats to Kim and the entire Skate Erie group. [...]

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TSI Terminal Systems and Railpower Technologies Corp (TSX: P) announced that they have completed the preliminary testing of Railpower’s first ECO Crane hybrid power plant recently installed on one of TSI’s 60-ton rubber tyred gantry cranes (RTGs). This installation is the first of three units slated for TSI. The diesel/ battery hybrid power plant has [...]

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Gannon University and Mercyhurst College were extended an invitation to join the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. (PSAC press release.) Hallelujah. The PSAC might not be the perfect fit but it’s tons better than the GLIAC. The long, expensive travel has hurt Gannon and Mercyhurst athletic departments and athletes, and the unfamiliarity and lack of anything [...]

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“You weren’t had, you were chosen.”
A young lady that was put up for adoption found her birth parents just by chance. Her boss at work was her birth mother. The July issue of Reader’s Digest features the story of Erie’s Missi Meely and Laurie Thompson. Thanks to former ETN reporter Peter Panepento for passing along [...]

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Mary Beth Buchanan, US Attorney for Western Pennsylvania, said the investigation into the Brian Wells collar bomber murder was nearing an end. That was in February. She said the case was solved. After a long time with no word, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, the wacked out bitch in jail for killing her boyfriend, wrote a letter to [...]

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If the opportunity for a number of good paying jobs falls out of the sky, do any Erie area economic development officials hear it?
In May 2007, Railpower Technologies announced that it was exploring the possibility of operating its own manufacturing facility. During the second quarter of 2007, an offer was made to purchase an existing [...]

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The ponytail wearing environmentalist hippies held a misrepresentational information meeting on the Erie Renewable Energy proposed tire to energy plant. They would have you believe the plant will cause everything from cancer to autism to children not wanting to do their homework. Energy Products of Idaho, the company that will design the plant in Erie, [...]

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Boxer Paul ‘The Pittsburgh Kid’ Spadafora waived his right to a preliminary hearing for a parole violation and will remain jailed at the State Correctional Institution at Albion. Spadafora was arrested May 30 in Erie after filing a PFA against Nadine Russo, who then accused him of assaulting her. Spadafora and Crystal Dawn Conner got [...]

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Invest Erie Development Corporation handed over a check for $119,000 to the City of Erie for the land at 19th and Parade Street. The City of Erie had given the group $450,000 in grant money so at least we got some of our taxpayer money back. They want a $1 million state grant to build [...]

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Chytoria Graham was granted a request to withdraw her guilty plea by Judge Rusty Cunningham. Graham had pleaded guilty back in March but Cunningham wasn’t convinced she knew what she was doing. I think he just didn’t to see her change her mind in a couple of months. Graham used her 1 month old baby [...]

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Erie County might have to reassess all properties and change how real estate is taxed due to a ruling by a Allegheny County judge. Judge R.Stanton Wettick, Jr of the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas for Allegheny County ruled that the county’s use of a base year system to assess property values is unconstitutional and [...]

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Never screw with Erie Insurance. The IRS and FBI are investigating insurance payments made to Pennsylvania Superior Court Judge Michael Joyce of Erie. Joyce received $390,000 from Erie Insurance and $50,000 from another insurance company following a 2002 car accident.
Daniel Meyer was named the new conductor of the Erie Philharmonic. Meyer is currently the resident [...]

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John Brigham has been named President and CEO of Erie Management Group following the resignation of Stan Shumway. No idea why Shumway left. Samuel P “Pat” Black III founded the company with Shumway when Black decided he wanted to invest his family fortune in Erie. The Black family made their money though Erie Insurance. I’d [...]

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Kayley M Brabender, a graduate of Villa Maria Academy in Erie, took second place in the Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities’ annual High School Senior Essay Scholarship contest.
The 2006 Erie Summer Festival of the Arts at Liberty Park wraps up today. The crowds have been huge. Stop by if you haven’t already. This year’s [...]

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Spectrum Control (NASDAQ: SPEC) skyrocketed 2.19 to $9.53. The 29.84 percent increase came the day after their quarterly earnings were released. Net income for the three months ended May 21 was $1.7 million, or 13 cents per share, compared with $1.3 million, or 10 cents, during the same period last year. The company recorded sales [...]

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NanoLogix (OTC Pink Sheets: NNLX), a nanobiotechnology company engaged in the development and commercialization of technologies for the creation of hydrogen utilizing hydrogen bioreactors, announced that it has signed an agreement for the construction and operation of a prototype hydrogen bioreactor at the City of Erie wastewater treatment plant. This project will utilize the proprietary [...]

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The Erie School Board passed a no tax hike budget. Wow. Maybe the directors are finally learning. The high school taxes have chased families to the suburbs and have kept down property values. Up to 60 staff and teachers could be let go due to budget cuts. The district is teaching fewer kids with the [...]

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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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National Fuel Gas has some big balls. National Fuel Gas Company announced that they filed a request with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) to increase annual operating revenues by $25,892,000 to cover increases in the cost of providing service to the Utility’s customers in northwestern Pennsylvania. It’s not the fact they asked for an [...]

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Rebecca Hart of Erie is a national champion. Hart riding Nordkap (Noble Roi x Este) won the USEF Para Equestrian Freestyle, scoring 78.519 percent, making a clean sweep of the three rounds in the USEF Para Equestrian National Championship at the USET Foundation Dressage Festival of Champions in Gladstone, New Jersey. Hart’s hat trick included [...]

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Jason Dudjak will be returning to family in Erie on Wednesday after a 15 month tour of duty in Iraq. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has a good story about him being reunited with his college class ring. He lost his clas ring from Virginia Military Institute that his father had given him. Shortly after that he [...]

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A 38 foot boat, a Donzi, slammed into 2 Jet Skis on Presque Isle Bay killing both riders. Killed were Andrew Miller and his girlfriend Amber Miller (no relation) both of Washington, PA. The boat was believed to have the right of way. I’m guessing the operator of the Sea Doo was inexperienced and veered [...]

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There was a high speed chase through the city on Wednesday involving a man who exposed himself. A shooting, yeah, chase the suspect. But for a lewd act? It was just luck that not kids riding bikes or playing in the street were seriously hurt. Here is the Erie newspaper story on the incident. And [...]

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Yesterday evening, a young woman was hit and killed by an SUV at East 8th and the Bayfront Connector. She and her friends were attempting to cross against the traffic light.
The Tom Ridge Environmental Center at Presque Isle State Park won the top prize in the 2006 Commonwealth Design Awards. The interior is divided into [...]

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The Erie newspaper did a story the other day on the pay phones in front of Bradley’s Shur-Fine Food Mart on West 8th Street. Nobody knows who owns them so they could tell them they are in such disrepair – broken glass, graffiti. I went past them yesterday and there are now stickers on them [...]

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Motorcycle riders don’t have to wear a helmet in Pennsylvania. Yesterdays accident involving Ben Roehthlisberger showed it might be a good idea to wear one even if you aren’t forced to.
Thanks to Lou Baxter, Brian and and the crew at WJET-TV for the story on Erie Redevopment Authority plans to improve central Erie. In [...]

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A neighbor near the Pennsylvania National Guard Armory at 6th and Parade Streets in Erie said that officials with the School District of the City of Erie toured the property. They could be interested in buying it. The 1st Battalion of the 112th Infantry will be moving from the facility in Erie in a couple [...]

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Former Alaska Commissioner of Fish and Game Jim Brooks recently passed away. Brooks was a native of Erie PA. During his life he was a B-24 Liberator bomber pilot during WWII, Ketchikan dishwasher, Southeast Alaska commercial salmon troller, Alaska Railroad gandy dancer, Willow gold miner, Nenana grease monkey, Kantishna dog musher and a trapper.
Portland swept [...]

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State Represenative Linda Bebko-Jones of Erie introduced a bill that would provide health insurance for all state residents. It would be funded with a 10 percent payroll tax on businesses and a 3 percent personal income tax. Bebko-Jones didnot run for reelection as representative for the 1st District.
The City of Easton paid $3,559 to a [...]

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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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The Invest Erie Community Development Corporation was founded for one mission. To build a grocery store at 19th and Parade Streets. So far they have failed and wasted over $400,000 in your tax dollars doing so. They also have a stack of unpaid bills. In a more perfect world, this would be illegal and those [...]

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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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Congrats to Jenny and Mike on the birth of their son Grady Matthew. Grady was 7 pounds, 9 ounces. Both mother and son are healthy and doing great.
Me: When is the Erie Management Group going to start the move to the former Hammermill/ IP plant and have their groundbreaking?
Boss man: They have already begun to [...]

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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 kids from Harborcreek Youth Services carjacked a van from their counselor on Saturday. Police caught them shortly afterwards. The pair faces of long list of charges.
The Pennsylvania Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) has named Kasandra Botti, DO, an emergency physician at Mount Nittany Medical Center in State College, as 2006 [...]

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In the late 1990’s, Norfolk Southern removed their circa 1882 line through the center of Erie known at the 19th Street tracks. The land was given to the City of Erie. It wasn’t very valuable, NS would have had to pay taxes on the property and they received a nice tax break for doing so.
In [...]

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A man was killed after being struck by a truck on I-90 near the Route 97 interchange (Exit 27). More questions than answers on this one.
Thomas McNutt of Erie lost control of his truck Thursday morning, crashing into a concrete barrier wall on the median just west of the Lordstown, Ohio interchange. He was flown [...]

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