Erie PA Today News, Events and Info for today, Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Erie received the first snow of the season. On October 27. Cripe. It didn't stick but it counts. Brooke, Bojosmom and Ang seemed to enjoy it but some of us shed a tear or two and made sure their snow shovel was ready.

The PNC Bank Legion Road branch was robbed yesterday at 12:23 pm. The robber got away. What was remarkable was that GoErie.com predicted the robbery when they published the story at 11:51 am and then again with an update at 12:01 pm. I'm thinking that maybe their time stamp is off an hour but I still checked to see if the lottery numbers were published before the drawing. They weren't.

Value City Department Stores filed for Chapter 11 and will liquidate. The only Value City store still open in northwest Pennsylvania is in Meadville. The Erie stores closed previously. Value City Furniture stores are a separate entity and will continue to operate.


Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) announced their quarterly results and reported a 31 percent increase in net income. Along with growth in wireless was news that they added 233,000 FiOS (Fiber-Optic Television) television customers and 225,000 Internet subscribers during the last quarter. Verizon said their FiOS TV will be in operation in Erie, PA within a year. This could bring much added revenue to the City of Erie as Verizon will have to pay a franchise fee. The city needs to jump on that contract NOW.

An Editor and Publisher article cited the Erie Times-News as one of the top 10 daily newspapers for a circulation size of 50,000 or more with growth for the six months that ended in September with an increase of 1.8 percent to 56,124. That's got to make the company happy after years of big circulation losses.

The Ben Franklin Center of Excellence for Northwest Pennsylvania received a $1.5 million technology development grant to support the Center for eBusiness and Advanced Information Technology (eBizITPA) in its ongoing work to raise the awareness, use, and advancement of information technology throughout Pennsylvania via educational offerings and technical and financial assistance. EBizITPA is expected to assist at least 800 companies statewide in the areas of IT and e-business implementation, technology transfer and advanced IT product development, and IT workforce development. The project is expected to create 200 jobs and retain another 500.

Girard Borough received an $861,000 PENNVEST loan to replace nearly 3,000 feet of a sanitary sewer interceptor to prevent the wet weather discharge of raw sewage into publicly accessible areas and a tributary of Elk Creek.

Mercyhurst forward Taylor Hilinski (Harbor Creek) has been named PSAC West Women’s Soccer Athlete of the Week, as announced by conference officials. Hilinski scored three goals in the Lakers’ 4-2 win over Indiana (Pa) Saturday in which Mercyhurst clinched a spot in the PSAC tournament.

Dan Teliski, Director of Athletic Media Relations at Gannon University, wrote an excellent outlook on the Gannon Men's Basketball Team. Gannon returns four starters and every player except one from last year's team that finished 26-5 overall.

The Center for eBusiness and Advanced Information Technology (eBizITPA) is holding a webinar called Outsourcing IT (in Your Own Backyard) today October 28, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm. Cost is $49. Information technology (IT) is an integral part of any successful business. The shift from in-house computing to outsourcing (locally or beyond) is rapidly accelerating, and business innovation is being driven by this shift. This educational Webinar will provide persons responsible for securing IT support with information about when, why and how to outsource their IT work. Participants will learn the function of an IT provider, how to determine if outsourcing IT is the best solution for their business, and how to choose an IT provider to fit their needs. More info and registration.

Gannon University’s Nash Library will host a book sale today and Wednesday. The sale will run 10 am to 6 pm both days. On the first day, hardcover books will be $2.50; videos, audiobooks, and paperbacks will be $1; and pocket paperbacks 50 cents. On the second day, all items will be sold at half price. Thousands of titles will be available in areas like fiction, children’s, history, engineering, business, psychology, science, education, and medicine. Patrons should enter through Nash Library’s West 7th Street entrance. All proceeds from the sale will benefit the library’s book budget. For more information, contact the library, 619 Sassafras St, at (814) 871-7666, or (814) 871-7554.


The Erie Broadway Series presents The Pajama Game today, Tuesday October 28 at 7:30 pm at the Warner Theatre.

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 Port Farms Corn Maze and Fall Harvest Festival run until Oct 31. Activities include hayrides, tricycle track, rope maze, tunnel slide, scavenger hunts and more. Admission: Ages 3 to 60 - $5.50, over 60 - $3, under 3 - FREE.

The Burch Farms Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch is open till Halloween. Review by Brooke and Freeland.

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 through Tuesday, October 30. The gates are open to the public from 6 pm to 9 pm each night. Pre-sale / advance tickets are available for sale online.


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 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 31. Time 7:30-11 pm. Cost is $5.

Make your plans now to join us for the 8th Annual Northwest PA Nonprofit Day on Wednesday, October 29 from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at Erie's Bayfront Convention Center. This year's theme, Mission, Message, and Money - Moving Your Organization Forward, focuses on the three imperatives for nonprofits in 2009 and offers 20 compelling workshops in management, governance, marketing, communication, and fundraising - something for everyone on your management and leadership team. The keynoter this year, Annette Simmons, has helped hundreds of organizations use story to connect with audiences in powerful and emotional ways. Annette is a successful public speaker, consultant, and author of four influential books on the use of story as a primary tool in meeting nonprofit mission. Nonprofit Day is presented in concert with the NW PA Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and is sponsored by Malin, Bergquist and Co, LLP. To register, please complete the fields in the Nonprofit Day Registration Form. To download the conference brochure and detailed workshop listing and schedule, please click here.

The Warner Winter Wonderland Art and Craft Show will be held 10 am-5 pm on Saturday November 29 and noon-5 pm on Sunday November 30 at the Warner Theater in downtown Erie. Free, guided tours of the theater, chinese auction, pictures with Santa, refreshments, free parking. Save $1 off admission with a food donation to the Second Harvest Food Bank. Adults $3, seniors $2, children 12 and under FREE.

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.

The e-Marketing Learning Center class "Fundamentals of Successful Search Engine Optimization" will be held in Erie on October 30. This half-day course is committed to establishing a basic foundation of SEO fundamentals that can help your company increase traffic to its Web site at a minimal cost. Attendees will learn how the search engine process works, how to successfully optimize a Web site using keywords and copywriting, how to create an SEO strategy and more.

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.

Haunted Tours of Union Station will be held Friday, October 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.

Halloween Trick-or-treat hours / times 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 - Oil City, 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 first annual Northwest Songfest at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, will end with a FREE public performance by a massed choir of 180 voices. The concert will be held at 7 pm Saturday, November 1, in the McGarvey Commons of the college’s Reed Union Building. Songfest, a one-day choir workshop for school-age youth, is hosted by the Young People’s Chorus of Erie, a new outreach imitative of the college’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Inspired by the philosophy and artistic vision of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, YPC Erie offers a comprehensive choral music experience to children of diverse backgrounds and abilities. At the public concert, Songfest’s elementary school, middle school, and high school choirs will perform the music that they have worked on over the course of the day. In addition, the Penn State Behrend college choirs will perform a short set taken from the program for their upcoming December holiday performances.

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.


The talented, multicultural Harlem Quartet will perform at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, next month as part of Music at Noon: The Logan Series. Harlem Quartet’s FREE performance begins at noon on Wednesday, November 5. It is open to the public and will be held in the McGarvey Commons of the Reed Union Building. While in Erie, Harlem Quartet also will give two mini-concerts for students at Diehl Elementary, Penn State Behrend’s Adopt A School partner.


Schism by Erie film maker John C Lyons is playing Wednesday, November 5 at both 2 pm and 8 pm as part of the Guelcher Film Series at Mercyhurst College in the Mary D'Angelo Performing Arts Center. Tickets are available now online and by phone (814) 824-3000 as well as at the door.

The Technology Council of Northwest Pennsylvania is hosting the TechQuest Exaflood presentation in Erie, PA at 4 pm on Thursday, November 6. Speakers are Kelly Lewis, President and CEO of TechQuest Pennsylvania, and Philip Magistro, Director of Information Technology for the Governor’s Office of Health Care Reform. Exaflood is the exponential growth of the Internet. Just two years ago, the Internet used one (1) exabyte. Now, the Internet is using seven (7) exabytes per month, and usage is growing rapidly. TechQuest Broadband is focused on connecting every region in Pennsylvania with advanced broadband, and the technologies that run on advanced broadband applications. The event is FREE but advanced registration is required.

Erie Philharmonic presents "A Night in Old Vienna" at the Warner Theatre on Saturday November 8 at 8 pm. Daniel Meyer, conductor and featuring Rachel Barton Pine on violin. Tickets.

Numerous events and activities await students and their families when Gannon University hosts its annual Fall Open House on Sunday, November 9. Registration will begin at 11 am in the Waldron Campus Center, 124 West 7th St. Students and their families also may attend optional masses at 11 am and at 4 pm in the Mary, Seat of Wisdom Chapel, 512 Peach St. Gannon University President Antoine M. Garibaldi, PhD, and others will offer welcoming remarks at 1 pm in the Hammermill Center, Peach Street and South Park Row. In addition, students can compete in Scholarship Contests in several academic disciplines: English Writing (room 210 of Beyer Hall); Spanish (Beyer 212); French and German (Beyer 213); Biology (Beyer 214-215); Education (Beyer 209); Chemistry (Zurn 101); and Engineering (Zurn 333A). All exams will begin at 10 am. Four year scholarships in each contest will be awarded to students who enroll at Gannon. First-place winners will receive $3,000 annually, second place $2,000 annually, and third place $1,000 annually. Advance registration for Open House is not required. For more information, contact the Gannon University Office of Admissions at 814-871-7240, or toll free at 1-800-GANNON-U, or log on to www.Gannon.edu.

The annual Chautauqua at Gannon Lecture will be held Monday, Nov 10 and will feature nationally known academician and political pundit Terry Madonna. The lecture will begin at 7:30 pm in the Yehl Room of Gannon's Waldron Campus Center, 124 West 7th St, and is FREE and open to the public. Madonna is the director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa. Madonna in 2004 joined Franklin and Marshall, where he is also a professor of public affairs and director of the F and M College Poll. For more than 30 years, Madonna has taught and written about his two academic specialties: the American presidency, and American political parties and political behavior. As a pollster, he has written extensively about voters and voting behavior. Madonna holds a doctoral degree in political history from the University of Delaware. For more information, call (814) 871-7231.

The Erie Art Museum’s Contemporary Music Series presents Lou and Peter Berryman in concert at the Erie Art Museum Annex on Wednesday, November 12 at 8 pm. The performance will be held in the Erie Art Museum Annex, 423 State Street, admission is free; a $10 donation is suggested.

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.

Gannon University's Erie Chamber Orchestra will hold its next concert at 7:30 pm Friday, Nov 14 at the Central Tech Auditorium, 3325 Cherry St. The concert will feature as soloist the Edinboro University Singers, with choral director Peter Van den Hornert. All concerts of the Gannon University Erie Chamber Orchestra are free and open to the public. The orchestra is conducted and directed by Bruce Morton Wright. For more information, call (814) 871-7755.

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.

The Disco Spectacular Dance will be held 7-11 pm on November 15 at Rainbow Gardens in Erie. The dance features radio great Captain Dan. There will be two giant video screens, a dazzling light show, prizes for best retro outfit, a dance contest, a chinese auction and more. Tickets cost $10 and are available at both Erie area Wegmans and the Voices for Independence office. Tickets at the door will be $12. Proceeds to benefit Voices for Independence.

Gannon University's Schuster Gallery will host its next exhibit, "The Art and the Artist," from Nov 16, 2008 through Jan 16, 2009. The exhibit will feature the work of Vitus J Kaiser, a member of the Northwestern Pennsylvania Artist Association and a longtime art teacher in the Erie School District. An artist's reception will be held from 3-6 pm Sunday, Nov 16. It is free and open to the public. The exhibit will feature about 50 watercolors that depict mostly outdoor scenes. Schuster Gallery is located on the third floor of the University's Nash Library, 619 Sassafras St, and is open during regular library hours: Monday-Thursday, 8 am to midnight; Friday, 8 am to 9 pm; Saturday 10 am to 5:30 pm; and Sunday 12:30 pm to 12 am. Access to the gallery is FREE and open to the public. For more information on the exhibit, contact Gannon's Schuster Program for the Arts at (814) 871-5467.

Gannon University's Office of Graduate Studies will hold an Open House from 3:30-6 pm Tuesday, Nov 18 on the third floor of the Palumbo Academic Center, 824 Peach St. Attendees can learn more about academic programs and talk with faculty and program directors. For more information, contact Graduate Admissions at (814) 871-7474, or toll free at 1-800-GANNON-U.

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.

The Zone Dance Club Think Pink - Breast Cancer Weekend will be held November 21-22. Show your support and come join in at the Zone Dance Club for a weekend of awareness and fun as they help raise money for a great cause. Friday - the Zone Divas and a few special guests will host the Pretty in Pink Benefit Show. Bring your dollar bills and tip them well. Saturday is the Zone's Pretty in Pink Party. Wear pink and black and join us for a night of dancing and fun. We will also be having a Pink Chinese Auction and Pink Bake Sale with items donated by the local community. Help raise money and awareness for a great cause. Think Pink! Phone: (814) 452-0125.