Erie PA Today News, Events and Info for today, Monday, October 13, 2008

Rep Phil English was one of eight House Republicans from across Pennsylvania that joined together in signing a letter calling on state authorities to heighten their ivigilance over the left-wing group the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, better known as ACORN, in the days leading up to the election. In the letter, the Pennsylvania delegation calls upon state officials to be extremely vigilant in investigating and preventing any attempts to unlawfully influence the upcoming Presidential election by ACORN or any other organization that would submit false voter registrations, encourage or engage in vote fraud, or otherwise use illegal means to disrupt this election. "The right to vote is a fundamental pillar of American democracy and it is critical that we preserve the integrity of our electoral process to ensure the voices of the American people are heard," English said. "Fraudulent voter registration corrupts our democratic form of governance and taints the validity of the American election process. I am appalled by the cynical behavior of ACORN and urge Pennsylvania state officials to remain vigilant in their efforts to protect the process and prevent Pennsylvania voters from falling victim to such a crime."
According to a story in The American Spectator, there have been cases of suspected voter registration fraud by ACORN in at least six Pennsylvania counties including Erie, Philadelphia, Allegheny, Centre, Dauphin and Delaware.

The industrial property at 8140 Hawthorne Dr in Summit Township sold for $1,860,000. The manufacturing and warehouse building was owned by Toy Factory Inc.

The Mercyhurst men’s golf team took third place in the 2008 Mercyhurst College Men’s Golf Fall Invitational, contested at Downing Golf Course Saturday and Sunday. The Lakers bested Gannon by two strokes, 604-606, in taking third place.

The No 25 Mercyhurst women’s soccer team scored three goals in the first 15 and a half minutes of play on the way to its 6-0 win Sunday at Clarion. Senior Sarah Powell recorded two goals in the game, including the 60th of her collegiate career.

The first offering in the ever-popular concert series at the Erie Playhouse for the new season, The Music of Alan Menken, takes a look at Broadway shows and movies composed by Menken. Performances will be held at 7:30 pm today, Monday October 13 and Tuesday, October 14. Tickets available at the door. All seats $14 (includes tax and fees).

The corn maze Corn Stalking USA in Edinboro is now open. Age 5 and under, FREE; Age 6-12, $6; and Age 13 and up, $8.

The Mercyhurst College Cummings Art Gallery is hosting Dinomania, a collection of dinosaur casts and fossils. The exhibit continues to October 16. Gallery hours are Tuesdays through Sundays, 2-5 pm plus Thursdays from 7-9 pm. For more information, call (814) 824-3000.


The Halls of Fear is Erie's premiere Haunted House attraction presented annually to benefit the Wesleyville Hose Company. It features a brand new 4800 sq ft building at the intersection of Station and Shannon Roads, with new rooms, and new characters along with some of your traditional favorites. With live radio coverage, Auxiliary refreshment stand, The Tombstone Tent selling Halls of Fear books, t-shirts, mugs and more, and Igor's Pumpkin Patch with $2 Pumpkins, the Halls of Fear promises to be better than ever in 2008! A Halloween tradition since 2001, the Halls of Fear was recently rated 67th of over 20,000 haunted house nationwide! It was also rated by Haunted House Online as having 46 out of 50 skulls for thrills and chills! Cost is $6 per adult and $3 for children under 12. Not normally recommended for children under the age of 8, or for those susceptible to strobes, heart conditions, or similar physical restrictions. You can also PreOrder your tickets and save money and time by picking up your tickets at the Will Call window. This event runs October 17-19, 24-26, 30 and NOW OPEN HALLOWEEN NIGHT after Trick-or-Treating. They offer a special discount on tickets on Halloween Night for those that attend in costume, good only that night! Free trick-or-treating on location for everyone! Hours of operation are from 7 pm to 10 pm on weekdays, and 7 pm to 11 pm on weekends. On Halloween Night, the special hours will be from 9 pm to midnight, after Trick or Treating! Parking is located near the intersection of Station and Shannon Roads. For all the information you need to plan your visit, plus photos, multimedia, great links and more, visit www.wesleyvillehose.com/thehallsoffear/ or contact them at hallsoffear@wesleyvillehose.com.

Belle Valley Fire Department presents it's annual Halloween haunted house "Valley of the Ghouls" October 17, 18, 24, 25, and 31. Time 7:30-11 pm. Cost is $5.

In keeping their promise to bring new and exciting shows to the Erie Playhouse, they offer the funny and heart-warming play "Over the Tavern", which is about a Polish-Catholic family living over the family tavern in 1959 working class America. Performances will be held Oct 16-19, 22-26. Tickets.

The 21st annual Peek n' Peak Fall Fest will be held 10 am to 5 pm daily October 18-19.

Calpulli Mexican Dance Company will give a free performance at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, on Tuesday, October 14. The group appears as part of the college’s Rhythms of Life cultural series. Its presentation of Mexican dance, music and theater begins at noon in the Wintergarden of the Reed Union Building.

The Technology Council of Northwest Pennsylvania will hold a 'Green IT' Lunch 'n Learn on October 16, 11:30 am - 1 pm, at the Ambassador Banquet and Conference Center in Erie. Members - FREE, Non-members - $40. With energy efficiency becoming more important to companies, many organizations have made it part of their RFP process. This will be a discussion of why energy efficiency has become this critical, how you should be approaching the issue, the impact on operating expenses, etc. Advanced registration is required.

Educators from Erie County will embark on a safari at the Erie Art Museum, 411 State Street on Thursday, October 16 from 4-7 pm. Educators from all disciplines and age levels can earn Act 48 credit. Activities will focus around the Museum's African textile exhibition Kanga and Kitenge: Cloth and Culture from East Africa and the Museum's visiting delegation from Lamu, Kenya. The Museum will also be donating loads of paper to teachers for their classrooms. Additionally, event sponsor Erie Federal Credit Union will be giving away special gifts to those in attendance. Cost is $10 per person and includes a snack and light dinner.
Registration is required by contacting Kelly Armor, (814) 459-5477.

Ann Pancake, a former member of the faculty at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, will give the final reading in the college's fall Creative Writer's Speaker Series. Pancake will read from her works on Thursday, October 16. An author reception for her will be held at 4:30 pm in the first-floor living room of the college's Larry and Kathryn Smith Chapel. The reading takes place at 6 pm in the chapel worship space. Both events are free and the public is welcome to attend.


The March of Dimes 5th Annual Rubber Duck Regatta will be held at Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park and Resort in Erie at 7 pm on Thursday, October 16. Floater ducks (different from the souvenir ducks) will be numbered to correspond with the raffle ticket numbers and released down the Big Kahuna at 7 pm. The first ducks to cross the finish line indicate the winners of the raffle. Several prize packages will be awarded. The grand prize this year is a two-person hot tub donated by Presque Isle Hot Tubs. The ticket sales benefit the March of Dimes, the leading nonprofit for pregnancy and baby health. Each raffle ticket is sold for a $5 donation, and purchasers get to take home a souvenir Super Duck. Tickets are on sale now at participating locations including The Breakfast Place, Curves, Erie Book Store, Erie Eye Clinic, Erie Federal Credit Union, E-Z Clean, Gerlach's Floral, Gohr's Printing, Hair Expressions, Kuhn's Picture and Gift Shop, Lorie's Wildridge Restaurant, Mike N' Dangelo's, Panache,
Pinecrest Family Practice, Pulako's Locations, Rosebud Floral Shop, Sloppy Duck Saloon, Syd's Place, Two Friends Italian Market, Victorian Princess Office, March of Dimes Office, or by calling the March of Dimes office at (814) 833-4941. For more information, please contact Jessica Olmstead-Armant.

Jack Speer, an award-winning newscaster with National Public Radio, will discuss "Election 2008: Is the Economy Still the Essential Issue for the Candidates and the Voters?" at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania on Thursday, October 16, in the Frank G Pogue Student Center multipurpose room at 7:30 pm. Speer is a 1981 graduate of Edinboro University. Speer's lecture is FREE and open to the public.

The National Federation of Independent Business is holding a Small Business Roundtable on Friday, October 17, 8-9:30 am, at the Erie Port Authority Intermodal Transportation Center Building Rotunda, 208 East Bayfront Parkway, Erie, PA 16507. Congressman Phil English (PA-3) to discuss issues of critical importance to small business including: improving access to quality, affordable health insurance, simplifying the code and reducing taxes, securing a comprehensive approach to reducing energy costs and easing the burden of excessive regulations and intrusive laws. There is no cost to attend this program. Simply complete the registration form and return by toll-free fax to (866) 635-0670. If you have questions or would like additional information, contact Angie Berkey toll-free at (866) 518-6701.

Haunted Tours of Union Station will be held Friday, October 17, 24, 31 (Halloween). Learn about the history, urban legends and hauntings of Union Station. You’ll explore the underground tunnels and perhaps have a visit from the resident ghost Clara! Tour times are 8 and 10pm and run about an hour. Tickets are $7 per person and available at the bar at the BrewErie at Union Station. Reservations are recommended.

Glass Growers Gallery first of two fall exhibits 'Oceans of Mercy', newest paintings by Jeremy Beightol, will be held October 17 to November 18. The public is welcome to meet and greet the artist at a reception on Friday October 17 from 6 to 9 pm.

ZooBoo is a spooky, but not too spooky, fun-filled event at the Erie Zoo featuring a variety of Halloween displays, costumed characters, a spooky train ride, our endangered species carousel, crafts, facepainting, games, and trick-or-treating for children 11 and under. Erie ZooBoo 2008 will run from Friday, October 17 through Tuesday, October 30. The gates are open to the public from 6 pm to 9 pm each night.

The Erie Philharmonic Pops concert "Broadway Rocks" at 8 pm on Saturday, October 18. Tickets.

National Chemistry Week, an annual public outreach and education effort of the American Chemical Society (ACS), takes place October 19-25. Tracy Halmi, lecturer in chemistry at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, is the national chairwoman for the ACS subcommittee responsible for developing programming for National Chemistry Weeks 2006 through 2009. Halmi, her committee, and the Washington, DC based ACS create experiments, demonstrations, and publicity materials for nationwide use. “This year’s theme explores the chemistry of sports - everything from how materials science improves equipment safety to advances in nutrition and hydration that optimize athletic performance,” Halmi said. “Each year we choose a unique theme to stress the importance of chemistry and how it impacts peoples’ lives.” The Erie Section of ACS has won four ChemLuminary Awards from the national organization for delivery of outstanding National Chemistry Week programming. This year, area college students from Penn State Behrend, Allegheny College, Edinboro University, Gannon University, Mercyhurst College, and University of Pittsburgh at Titusville who belong to the Erie Section will present three public programs. All events are free and open to the public. “Having a Ball with Chemistry” Demonstrations about careers in science and chemistry: Saturday, October 25, 10 am to 3 pm, Millcreek Mall, “Halloween Demonstrations” Demonstrations and hands-on activities; Monday, October 27, 6:30-7:15 pm, Blasco Memorial Library, 160 E Front St; ExpERIEnce Children’s Museum, Saturday, November 8, 11 am to 2 pm, 420 French St,and Free museum admission sponsored by the John Nesbit Rees and Sarah Henne Rees Charitable Foundation. As part of the week’s festivities, the American Chemical Society also is sponsoring a poster contest for children in grades K-12. Winners will be selected both at the sectional and national level in four age divisions. Age division poster winners at the Erie Section level will win a t-shirt and a classroom visit from a chemist for age-appropriate demonstrations. For more information about the poster contest or other National Chemistry Week activities, visit the Web site chemistry.bd.psu.edu/halmi/ncw.html, e-mail Tracy Halmi, or phone the Penn State Behrend School of Science at (814) 898-6105.

Local Erie photographer John Huegel will be conducting a family portrait photography marathon on Sunday October 19 at Presque Isle State Park. 100 percent of the session fees will be donated to the Baker Family to help address medical bills. The portrait marathon will begin at 8 am and will continue until the park closes at sunset. Huegel's goal is to photograph two to three families per hour in various settings around the beach and waterworks area. The goal is to photograph 20 or more families before the park closes at sundown. In the summer of 2008, Scot Baker was severely injured in a motorcycle accident. Though recovering slowly, he is still in need of extensive rehabilitation, and the family's medical bills continue to increase. The Baker family are customers and friends of Photography business owner John Huegel. Friends of the Baker family will also volunteer their time in providing support and refreshments for the event. Families interested in participating may contact John Huegel Photography at (814) 881-2840. The suggested donation in lieu of session fees is $100 per family. Sessions will be scheduled at specific times throughout the day. After the families' sessions, each will receive a private web gallery and a discount code for prints and products.

Cattle call auditions for CATS, THE GRADUATE and THE SPITFIRE GRILL, will be held at 6 pm on October 19 and 20 at the Erie Playhouse rehearsal hall at 1158 East 12th Street in Erie.

The Technology Council of Northwest Pennsylvania Manufacturing Technology Luncheon "Going from 2D to 3D" will be held 11:30 am to 1 pm on October 21. Prism Engineering will have a presentation on CAD/CAM with info on SolidWorks 2008, DimXpert, SWIFT Instant3D and COSMOSWorks Design Insight. Advanced registration is required. FREE for members, $40 for guests.

Peter Leyden, the first managing editor of Wired, the magazine that introduced the Web to the wide world, knows change, and the Next Big Thing he foresees is a demographic shift of epic proportion. "The Rise of the Millennial Generation: The Young Generation That Will Change America and the World" is the title of the Speaker Series lecture Leyden will give at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, on Tuesday, October 21. He will speak at 7:30 pm in the McGarvey Commons of the college's Reed Union Building; admission is FREE and the lecture is open to the public.


The 12th Annual Trail of Treats will be held Wednesday, October 22 and Thursday, October 23 from 5 pm to 8:30 pm at the Millcreek Mall. Cost is $2 for advance tickets and $3 at the door. Tickets are available at the Millcreek Mall, the Erie Achievement Center and the Sarah Reed Children's Center.

TREC or Treat 2008 will be held 11 am to 4 pm on Saturday, October 25 at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center at Presque Isle in Erie, PA. It's all FREE, no registration, no fee. If you think Halloween is full of tricks and treats, just wait until you find out what nature can do. See creepy-crawlies up close. Join in a costume parade and contest at 2 pm. TREC through our treat stations to learn why those Halloween creatures aren't so scary after all. Join us for a FREE Halloween movie on the Big Green Screen sponsored by the National Grape Cooperative and Welch's. Spookley (rated G) will be shown at noon and The Last Mimzy (PG) will play at 3 pm.

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine Military Medicine Club will sponsor a collection drive on Saturday, Oct 25, 2008, to send essential items to troops overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. Donated items can include food and snacks, toiletries, entertainment and sports items, and cards and letters. For a complete list of donation items, visit www.give2thetroops.com. The LECOM Military Medicine Club is working with Give 2 The Troops, a non-profit organization which supports the physical, moral, and spiritual health of America's armed forces in combat zones around the world through the letters and packages prepared and shipped by volunteers. For more information about this event, contact Duy Tran.

Applications are now available for the Department of Environmental Protection's 2009 environmental education grants, which support projects and programs that increase environmental awareness and understanding in Pennsylvania's communities. Schools, universities, intermediate units, non-profit groups and county conservation districts are eligible and encouraged to apply.
Grants will range from $3,000 to $20,000 and support programs that promote environmental education in Pennsylvania. The deadline to submit a pre-application form for the grants is December 12. Beginning January 16, DEP will notify approved pre-applicants to prepare a full application to submit to the department by March 6. To encourage more successful grant applications, a workshop will be held November 3 at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center at Presque Isle in Erie, PA. To register, contact Ann Devine in DEP's Environmental Education Center, (717) 772-1644. The workshop registration deadline is October 27. To request a pre-application form, write to the DEP Environmental Education Grants Program, PO Box 2063, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2063, or call (717) 772-1828.

The Erie Book Store will hold a reading and book signing by Sisters Mary Lou Kownacki and Joan Chittister 5-7 pm on Wednesday, October 29. Each of them will share favorite excerpts from their latest books. Sister Mary Lou - "A Monk in the Inner City" and Sister Joan - "The Gift of Years."


The Howl-O-Ween Dog Costume Party and Contest will be held Wednesday, October 29 at 7 pm at Horstman and Son's Dog Park, located at 3803 West 26th Street in Erie, PA (corner of 26th and Powell Avenue). Admission is FREE. Registration fee is $2 per dog. Registration starts at 6:15 pm. All proceeds benefit Therapy Dogs United.

Michael A’Hearn, professor of astronomy at the University of Maryland and winner of the American Astronomical Society’s 2008 Gerard P Kuiper Prize for outstanding contributions to planetary science, will speak at the next Open House Night in Astronomy at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. A’Hearn’s presentation, “ EPOXI: Deep Impact Glued to Extrasolar Planets,” takes place at 7:30 pm on Thursday, October 30, in 101 Otto Behrend Science Building. It will be followed by astronomical viewing from the college’s Mehalso Observatory, weather permitting. Both are FREE and open to the public.

The circus is coming to Erie, PA. Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey presents 'Boom A Ring.' Circus-goers will enjoy an up-close and personal experience as they sit feet away from beautiful white tigers, majestic Asian elephants and thrilling acrobats from around the world. The action features a daring crossbow demonstration, a gravity-defying performance on the whirling Wheel of Steel, a high-wire extravaganza and breathtaking aerialists soaring over the audience's heads. 'Boom A Ring' will be performed in the Tullio Arena Thurs-Sun, Oct 30-Nov 2. Thurs and Fri - 7 pm; Sat 11 am, 3 pm, 7 pm; Sun 2 pm. Tickets.

The Lawrence Park Halloween Parade will be held, Thursday, October 30 at 6 pm. Kids can dress up in their scariest costumes and be at the furtherest north GE parking lot on Main Street by 5:45 pm. Along with the Iroquois High School Band and the LP fire truck and police, they will parade down Main Street. All children will be given a treat at the end of the parade. the Holiday Committee will serve up hot dogs and a drink. Children under 6 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Parents, you may want to park your car at the High School before the parade for your convenience after the parade. In case of rain, notices will be placed on the Fire Hall doors but there will be refreshments at the township building.

Halloween Trick-or-treat hours for Erie, PA and Northwest Pennsylvania (subject to change as I'm posting previous years hours until I hear of any changes):
Friday, October 31 from 6:30 to 8 pm - Union City.
Friday, October 31 from 6 to 8 pm - Corry, Cranesville, Edinboro, Erie, Fairview, Girard, Girard, Harborcreek, Lake City, Lawrence Park, McKean, Millcreek, Mill Village, North East, Wattsburg and Waterford.

Theatre 145, 145 West 11th St in Erie, PA, hosts The Rocky Horror Show as the opening for their annual Halloween party. Doors open at 7:30 pm on n October 31 (Yes, Halloween Night) and the after party will start at 10 pm and run until ?? The party will feature drink specials including $2 shots and $10 all you can drink drafts. ID's will be checked.

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Erie presents their Art, Antique and Gift Auction on Saturday, November 1, 6-9 pm, that is open to the public. It is located at 7180 New Perry Highway, Erie PA. (0.5 miles north of I-90, Exit 97.) A portion of the proceeds will go to the Kids' Cafe (located at the Trinity Center on 18th and Walnut Streets.) Beautiful art, fine antiques, and great gifts. There will be live music and refreshments. For a description of the art and antiques, visit http://www.uuerie.org after October 26. Phone: (814) 864-9300. Email: uuerie@juno.com.

Pennsylvania Sea Grant will facilitate a two-day Best Management Practices workshop for landscapers, Realtors, environmental engineers, surveyors, municipal officials, and other professionals whose work touches our region’s environmentally fragile shorelines. The Best Management Practices for Professionals workshop is scheduled for Thursday, Nov 13 and Friday, Nov 14. Thursday will be a full day of presentations at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center in Erie; Friday will be used for site visits. Topics to be covered in the worship include coastal geology, hydrology, and the ecological impact of shoreline erosion; public access issues; the US Army Corps of Engineers’ permit process; similarities of and differences between the permitting processes in New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio; landscape solutions for erosion-prone areas; habitat impacts of riparian projects; and in-stream habitat and bank stabilization devices. The cost to attend the two-day workshop is $25. The workshop is approved for Penn State Continuing Education credit by the Pennsylvania Board of Realtors and the State Board of Landscape Architects for an additional fee of $35. For more information or to register for the workshop, contact Marti Martz at (814) 217-9015, or visit the Pennsylvania Sea Grant web site.

The Great International Beer Festival will be held on Saturday, November 15 at the BrewErie at Union Station. Two 3 hour sessions will run from 12-3 pm and 4-7 pm with unlimited samplings. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 the day of the event. Tickets are limited to 250 per session.

Many communities and individuals in Northwest PA are frustrated by the lack of high speed Internet access. The Bona Fide Retail Request (BFRR) program is producing results in helping many communities obtain high-speed Internet access, but is it producing results fast enough? How sustainable are the results of the BFRR program? What could we be doing, individually and as a region, to become more effective in developing broadband infrastructure to serve our homes, businesses, and communities? Please join the Northwest Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission on Wednesday November 19 to explore these issues in results-oriented detail. All attendees will receive a "BFRR Took Kit" for going directly back to their communities and starting or completing a successful Bona Fide Retail Request for DSL service. The event is FREE. To Register emal name, organization, email address, and telephone number to Randy Rice or call (814) 677-4800 ext 100.