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Maple magic: 18 places to try pure maple syrup, sugar, candy, coffee and more around Erie

Winter is losing its grip and we're heading into what maple producer Janet Woods of Hurry Hill Farm calls "mud season." The ground is starting to thaw, and wet precipitation will make a special kind of mud that might suck the boots right off your feet.

But put them on anyway to go see what these 18 regional magicians do with maple sap. Sugar houses are fired up, ready to boil sap down to every form of that pure sweetness: maple syrup, candy, sugar, cream and more. It's cause for celebration, and celebrate we can with a festival at Asbury Woods and a five-county tour of 17 producers dotting the rural landscape.

Tap into it:Maple magic: 18 places to try pure maple syrup, sugar, candy, coffee and more around Erie

Erie Zoo reopens Wednesday. Six things to see and know this season.

The Erie Zoo begins its 2023 season Wednesday. Here's what's new and what to expect when you go.

Animal exhibits:Erie Zoo reopens Wednesday. Six things to see and know this season.

Where to get fish, pierogis, mac & cheese and fun during Lenten fasting in the Erie region

Ash Wednesday starts the Christian season known as Lent, during which many faithful abstain from eating red meat on Fridays. Several churches and organizations around the Erie area host fish dinners on these Fridays as fundraisers and fellowship opportunities. These are the dinners we could confirm. If you know of a dinner missing from this list, please send details in an email to jgeisler@timesnews.com.

Lent 2023:Where to get fish, pierogis, mac & cheese and fun during Lenten fasting in the Erie region

Here's why Meadville hockey coach Jamie Plunkett is retiring after 37 seasons, 1,100-plus wins

Jamie Plunkett, who transformed Meadville hockey into a statewide powerhouse with eight PIHL titles, will retire at the end of the Bulldogs' season. Plunkett, 67, announced through Facebook on Sunday that he'll retire after 37 seasons.

The Bulldogs' Feb. 27 game against Mars Area at the George S. DeArment Ice Arena will be his last behind their bench. Plunkett helped turn Meadville from a fledgling program in the mid-1980s into one that won more than 1,100 games and eight Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League championships during his tenure.

High school hockey:Here's why Meadville hockey coach Jamie Plunkett is retiring after 37 seasons, 1,100-plus wins

Take your pick among our Top 20. Vote for D-10's boys Breakout Basketball Player here

Fans from throughout District 10 and beyond will have the opportunity to make their selection for the D-10 Male Breakout Basketball Player of the Year from Tuesday through Thursday on GoErie.com.

The Erie Times-News picked 20 players who were not among the Preseason Top 50 list. Those 20 players were placed into a poll, and readers will have until Thursday at 5 p.m. to pick the top Female Breakout Player.

Boys basketball:Take your pick among our Top 20. Vote for D-10's boys Breakout Basketball Player here

Who had a breakout season in District 10 girls basketball? Make your pick here

Fans from throughout District 10 and beyond have the opportunity to make their selection for the D-10 Female Breakout Basketball Player of the Year from Tuesday through Thursday on GoErie.com.

The Erie Times-News picked 20 players who were not among the Preseason Top 50 list. Those 20 players were placed into a poll, and readers will have until Thursday at 5 p.m. to pick the top Female Breakout Player.

High school basketball:Who had a breakout season in District 10 girls basketball? Make your pick here

🔒 East Side Renaissance continues bringing hope, opportunity to Parade Street one year later

Nearly a decade ago, Pradip Upreti took a chance on Parade Street.

Upreti, 33, is co-owner of the UK Supermarket, 1105 Parade St., which specializes in serving a largely Asian and Nepalese clientele on Erie’s east side.

The 4,000-square-foot market, which opened in 2013, once housed a music store. It now features fresh and frozen vegetables, meats, spices, lentils and scores of other products that many grocers in the Erie region do not carry.

Upreti’s ties to and affinity for Parade Street are a key reason why he’s a fan of the East Side Renaissance, an ambitious, multiyear, multimillion-dollar plan to invest in the real estate and people of Erie's east side.

Neighborhood revival:East Side Renaissance continues bringing hope, opportunity to Parade Street one year later

Flagship City Food Hall restaurant helps Dominican family achieve American dream

Dina Csir learned how to cook when she was 12 beside her mother and grandmother.

Csir, 32, of the Dominican Republic, brought those skills with her to America and to Erie's Flagship City Food Hall, much to the delight of diners there, where Dina's Authentic Dominican Kitchen is one of the most popular attractions.

She said she used to cook for her family, including her husband, John Csir, an Erie native she met while he was in the Dominican Republic doing mission work for Frist Alliance Church. John Csir, 35, is the co-owner of the kitchen.

Cooking for crowds is right in Dina Csir's wheelhouse.

"In my country, we always make big meals," she said. "And when we cooked, it wasn't just for us. Neighbors and extended family would wander in. We always cooked for at least 10."

Home cookin':Flagship City Food Hall restaurant helps Dominican family achieve American dream

Waldameer's new $9 million water ride likely to miss opening-day deadline

Paul Nelson, the owner of Waldameer Park and Water World, was in no hurry for the summer of 2022 to come to an end.

On the heels of two disappointing seasons, this past year was a record-breaker. The weather was good, the crowds were large and, for the most part, the park was able to find the staff it needed.

But there was a silver lining to the end of the season.

It meant work could begin on Waldameer's new $9 million water coaster, a 67-foot-tall ride that will use water jets to blast riders uphill.

"It's going to be a very thrilling attraction," Steve Gorman, the park's president, said in August. "You can go up and down and you will be intertwined with other existing slides."

Close call:Waldameer's new $9 million water ride likely to miss opening-day deadline

🔒 Now permanently closed, Scotty’s Cigar & Martini Lounge in east Erie set for demolition

Roughly three years ago, the convergence of crumbling infrastructure and a public health crisis became too much for Scott Little and his business to overcome.

Little, 67, had owned and operated Scotty’s Cigar & Martini Lounge, 301 German St., since January 1999.

For more than two decades, Scotty’s was a popular gathering spot where patrons could enjoy fine cigars, signature martinis and some of the region's best live jazz in a space rich with ambience and a unique sense of cool.

East Bayfront:Now permanently closed, Scotty’s Cigar & Martini Lounge in east Erie set for demolition

Fairview million-dollar home features 'breathtaking' kitchen, secluded guest house

A Fairview Township home with high-end appliances, private beach access and a secluded guest house is on the market.

The 7,295-square-foot mansion at 700 Dutch Road features six bedrooms, four bathrooms, two fireplaces and a recently expanded gourmet kitchen. It's listed for $1,024,999.

Built in 1900, the home includes much of the original architecture and woodwork. Most of the vaulted ceilings in the upstairs portion of the house contain that initial woodwork.

"There’s a lot of people who build $1 million dollar homes and own a brand new home, but you’re not going to get a house like this with the architectural detail and woodworking that was done years ago, so that has a ton of value in itself," said Dorotha Argaez, a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty.

Erie real estate:Fairview million-dollar home features 'breathtaking' kitchen, secluded guest house

Millcreek Township to buy Bel-Aire, Joe Root's Grill, Sandbar and more West Eighth parcels

Millcreek Township will be the new owner of some well-known businesses on West Eighth Street.

The township's new Millcreek Township General Authority voted Monday to buy the former Bel-Aire Hotel and the former Joe Root's Grill as well as the Sandbar Draft House & Grille and Manor Motel. Total price tag: $7.17 million, to be paid from proceeds from the 2015 sale of the Millcreek Township Water Authority.

The township doesn't plan to operate the businesses. The buildings will be demolished for future development in keeping with the township's Presque Isle Gateway District plan.

Sold!:Millcreek Township to buy Bel-Aire, Joe Root's Grill, Sandbar and more West Eighth parcels

Erie's magic and comedy club set to open 2023 season in February with Michael Winslow

Bobby Borgia has a goal: to deliver both comedy and magic to Erie.

"I want to bring Erie something very positive," he said.

The owner of Kellar's: A Modern Magic & Comedy Club, 1402 State St., thinks he's done all that with his 2023 season, which kicks off Feb. 2 with comedian Michael Winslow, also known as "The Man of 10,000 Sounds," following an opening by local comedian Lisa Chimenti-Foster. Borgia, who is both the club owner and a magician himself, and Erie native James Warren, who worked at Hollywood’s Magic Castle, will perform that weekend at Kellar's magic performance bar, Cocktails & Conjuring.

"We have some amazing shows coming up," Borgia said.

Just for laughs:Erie's magic and comedy club set to open 2023 season in February with Michael Winslow

🔒 22 from 2022: Erie region's top sports moments from the past year

One can only hope 2023 will measure up favorably to what this past year offered up in Erie-area sports.

From the record-setting performances, high school state titles, franchise-best playoff efforts from the SeaWolves and more, the region was gifted with memorable moments in sports.

In chronological order, here are 22 of the Erie area's top sports moments in 2022.

22 from 2022: Erie region's top sports moments from the past year

🔒 Meet the 2022 Erie Times-News Sportsman of the Year: Greg Coleman, SeaWolves president

Greg Coleman was named Erie Times-News Sportsman of the Year for organizing events and promoting the SeaWolves during a postseason run to the Eastern League finals.

Erie sports:Meet the 2022 Erie Times-News Sportsman of the Year: Greg Coleman, SeaWolves president

🔒 Meet the 2022 Erie Times-News Sportswoman of the Year: Lisa Goddard McGuirk, Gannon AD

Lisa Goddard McGuirk was named Erie Times-News Sportswoman of the Year for guiding the Gannon athletic department to its first Dixon Trophy for PSAC excellence and helping to get renovations approved.

Erie sports:Meet the 2022 Erie Times-News Sportswoman of the Year: Lisa Goddard McGuirk, Gannon AD

🔒 Fairview's Walker Scobell talks about 'Percy Jackson' on Disney+, his career, family at home

In Vancouver, Walker Scobell is a demigod. But at home in Fairview Township, he's a 13-year-old who wears super hero pajama pants, eats chocolate chip cookies, wants to go sledding over the holiday break and worries his parents with the amount of time he spends playing video games.

The teen has already starred in the films "The Adam Project" with Ryan Reynolds, which was released on Netflix in March, and "Secret Headquarters" with Owen Wilson, which debuted on Paramount+ in August. Now, Walker is close to wrapping up the first season of "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" for Disney+. After his holiday vacation, he has another three weeks of filming as the title character, who is the son of the god Poseidon and a mortal woman.

Hollywood star:Fairview's Walker Scobell talks about 'Percy Jackson' on Disney+, his career, family at home

Franco Harris, Steelers legend best known for making 'The Immaculate Reception,' dies at 72

Franco Harris, the Hall of Fame running back whose heads-up thinking authored “The Immaculate Reception,” considered the most iconic play in NFL history, has died. He was 72.

Harris’ son Dok told The Associated Press his father passed away overnight. No cause of death was given.

His death comes two days before the 50th anniversary of the play that provided the jolt that helped transform the Steelers from also-rans into the NFL’s elite and three days before Pittsburgh is scheduled to retire his No. 32 during a ceremony at halftime of its game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Pittsburgh Steelers great:Franco Harris, Steelers legend best known for making 'The Immaculate Reception,' dies at 72

🔒 'Avatar: The Way of Water' visual effects master, a Center High grad, discusses trailblazing work

The waves look amazing, the new sea creatures astonish, everything from the forest fauna to menacing war machines pops off the screen to dazzle the mind in "Avatar: The Way of Water."

Pioneering technology spearheaded by Beaver County native Joe Letteri has begun entrancing moviegoers as the long-awaited sequel to the largest-grossing movie ever plays in theaters globally.

One key reason it took 13 years to release this sci-fi blockbuster: New technology and techniques needed to be crafted first by Letteri and his team at Weta FX to realistically portray detailed, underwater movements for computer-generated characters and creatures.

Special FX:'Avatar: The Way of Water' visual effects master, a Center High grad, discusses trailblazing work

Who are the best athletes in fall sports? Check the 2022 Erie Times-News All-Star teams

The Erie Times-News District 10 Fall All-Star series has concluded, but with the New Year soon arriving, it's time to take a look back at all of the District 10 and region all-stars.

Following are links to all of the District 10 All-Stars from the fall seasons:

High school sports:Who are the best athletes in fall sports? Check the 2022 Erie Times-News All-Star teams

'Our plans didn't go past Friday night': How an Erie man has lived with HIV for 32 years

HIV/AIDS was still considered a death sentence in March 1990 when Erie native Don Stroz tested positive for the virus.

The former nurse wasn't surprised. His partner was HIV-positive and many of the couple's friends in southern California, where they lived, were dying from the disease.

"It became almost a routine," Stroz said. "You visited them in the hospital, went to their funeral, and you mourned."

Stroz, now 76, would not have predicted 32 years ago that he would be back in Erie, collecting Social Security and working part-time at a hardware store.

World AIDS Day:'Our plans didn't go past Friday night': How an Erie man has lived with HIV for 32 years

Presque Isle Lights driving tour highlights beauty of the season, the state park

Lighted woodpecker, snowflake, deer, tree and more displays will shine around Presque Isle State Park in December.

Presque Isle Lights, a self-guided evening driving tour, will kick off Thursday. The seasonal lights will be on Thursdays through Sundays through Dec. 18 and then Thursdays and Fridays, Dec. 22, 23, 29 and 30. Lights will go on at 6 p.m. and the park gates close at 9 p.m.

Christmas lights:Presque Isle Lights driving tour highlights beauty of the season, the state park

Wit, characters, staging all help bring to life classic play 'A Lion in Winter' at PACA

There’s no shortage of holiday productions this Christmas season, but one of the best might also be the least expected.

“The Lion in Winter,” which opens Friday at the Performing Artists Collective Alliance, 1505 State St., is certainly the smartest. With a script that won a 1968 Academy Award for the screenplay for James Goldman, “The Lion in Winter,” is a masterpiece of wit and humor that is a joy to watch.

“The Lion in Winter” is a family drama set at the Christmas court of King Henry II of England in 1183.

Now playing:Wit, characters, staging all help bring to life classic play 'A Lion in Winter' at PACA

Vietnamese restaurant opens, more bubble tea coming, fundraiser held for Erie restaurateur

Saigon Nights opens in former Khao Thai, Bubblehouse on the way to the Millcreek Mall, fundraiser to help ill restaurateur; Creek's cancels breakfast.

Just opened:Vietnamese restaurant opens, more bubble tea coming, fundraiser held for Erie restaurateur

An Erie tradition: Looking back at memorable Otters moments on Thanksgiving

Hockey is an annual Thanksgiving Day tradition in Erie. The Otters took on that tradition when playing their first season in 1996-97.

For the second straight year, the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds will visit Erie Insurance Arena on Thanksgiving Night. Faceoff is slated for 7 p.m. Thursday.

Let's take a trip down memory lane to revisit some memorable Thanksgiving Day game moments in Otters history.

Erie Otters hockey:An Erie tradition: Looking back at memorable Otters moments on Thanksgiving

Cashier's House restaurant to open, art brunch, find FIFA, much more

The Cashier's House, 417 State St., is slated to open in January as an American steakhouse called Bricks at the Cashier's House, co-owned by Chris Adams, 42, and Justin Stoll, 39.

The two met 20 years ago and worked together at Edinboro University's dining service, which changed hands last summer when the school merged with two other universities and changed its name to Penn West.

Open in Erie:Cashier's House restaurant to open, art brunch, find FIFA, much more

Save your money for presents. Here is a list of cheap holiday events around Erie

Christmas can be the most wonderful time of the year, but it can also be the most expensive.

Gifts, holiday dinners and special events can cost lots of money, especially during times of inflation. The price of everything, from stocking stuffers to a boneless ham, is much higher than in previous years.

But families can still have fun this December without spending their last dollars on entertainment. Here is a list of area events that won't empty your wallet or purse. To qualify, the event must cost $100 or less for a family of four.

Holidays in Erie:Save your money for presents. Here is a list of cheap holiday events around Erie

🔒 Proactive inclusion: Erie's Hispanic/Latino community 'making our presence known'

In several ways, many of the Erie region’s Hispanic/Latino residents are visible, active and promoting communitywide diversity.

Proactive inclusion: Erie's Hispanic/Latino community 'making our presence known'

A closer look at Erie's Latino/Hispanic population in terms of Census numbers and country of origin

Take a quick look at the makeup of Erie's Hispanic/Latino community in terms of population and country of origin.

US Census:A closer look at Erie's Latino/Hispanic population in terms of Census numbers and country of origin

Erie's Room 33 Speakeasy is changing hands. Who are the new owners?

Room 33 Speakeasy, a State Street lounge that opened on New Year's Eve 2017 with a secret entrance through a bookcase, has a new owner.

But co-founder Rebecca Styn said familiar faces will remain in charge at the business, located at 1033 State St.

Styn said the majority interest in Room 33 has been sold to Shawn McCall, general manager of the business, and Elizabeth Heffernan, the bar manager. The new owners, each of whom will have a 45% stake in the business, have both been with Room 33 since it opened.

Lounges in Erie:Erie's Room 33 Speakeasy is changing hands. Who are the new owners?

🔒 This 198-foot Erie landmark could be changing hands. What is the plan for the building?

An Erie landmark and the city's tallest building could soon have a new owner.

That and other changes could be coming for Erie's Renaissance Centre, the 14-story building at 1001 State St. that opened in 1928 as the Erie Trust Co. building. The building, owned by Erie developer Tom Kennedy, was recently the subject of an $8 million funding request submitted to the state's Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program.

The request, which was not approved, called for upgrading the 160,000-square-foot building and re-purposing it as a hotel.

Erie landmark:This 198-foot Erie landmark could be changing hands. What is the plan for the building?

Renowned Erie business on the market: Art's Bakery for sale for $1.1 million

Gordon Evans, 65, started working for his father, the late Art Evans, as a stock boy at the age of 12. Now he's ready to retire, and has placed the legendary Art's Bakery, 4380 West Ridge Road, up for sale with a price tag of $1.1 million.

"It's been (on the market) for a few months," Gordon Evans said, adding that he's had some nibbles. "People are interested."

The building was the original Art's Bakery, though through its history there have been up to four additional locations.

"This is the original and it will be the last," Evans said.

According to the real estate listing, Art's Bakery specializes in baked goods, deli items and locally sourced grocery items.

Up for sale:Renowned Erie business on the market: Art's Bakery for sale for $1.1 million

Shuttered Bel-Aire Hotel set for sheriff's sale as Erie-area landmark fades further

The Bel-Aire Hotel's slide into financial collapse has reached another low point.

The once-bustling complex at 2800 W. Eighth St. in Millcreek Township, just east of high-traffic Peninsula Drive and just south of the entrance to busy Presque Isle State Park, is headed for a sheriff's sale on Nov. 18.

The move — announced in legal advertisements in the Erie Times-News, most recently on Friday, and publicized online by the Erie County Sheriff's Office — comes after the Bel-Aire had its mortgage foreclosed in March 2021, was placed in a court-approved receivership in April 2021 and was permanently closed this past spring.

Faded Erie landmark:Shuttered Bel-Aire Hotel set for sheriff's sale as Erie-area landmark fades further

A new Corry moonshine distillery and a pair of Erie bakeries are set to open

There's a brand new kind of distillery in Corry, Before the Barrel, at 11 S. Center St.

Owner Bernie Blore, 31, specializes in what he calls "un-aged spirits, including flavored moonshine and age-your-own products."

He features unaged spirits made from corn and white rum and offers flavored products such as salted caramel and lemonade. You can drink them as is, or age them yourself by soaking wooden oak blocks in the liquid for an aged taste to make whisky and rum.

New to Erie:A new Corry moonshine distillery and a pair of Erie bakeries are set to open

Girard's Marc Blucas to star with Candace Cameron Bure in holiday TV movie

Girard native Marc Blucas co-stars with Candace Cameron Bure of "Full House" and Hallmark fame in an original holiday movie premiering this month on Great American Family.

Blucas, who appeared on TV as the boyfriend of the title character in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" from 1999 to 2002, and Bure, who also starred in "Fuller House," play husband and wife in "A Christmas ... Present." Airing Nov. 27 at 8 p.m., the movie is one of 18 titles making up the network's "Great American Christmas" holiday franchise, according to a Great American Family news release.

Holliday movie:Girard's Marc Blucas to star with Candace Cameron Bure in holiday TV movie

Erie's Pineapple Eddie plans to move to the former location of another popular restaurant

Pineapple Eddie Southern Bistro, which opened 10 years ago in April, has purchased a new property that will eventually become the restaurant's new home.

But the popular restaurant, Which Tripadvisor ranks third out of 286 Erie restaurants, isn't going far.

Sisters Adrienne Paul and Karen Thomas, who are both partners in the restaurant and owners of Pineapple Real Estate LLC, have purchased the former Pie in the Sky restaurant building at 461 and 463 W. Eighth St.

Pineapple Real Estate paid $395,000 for the property, according to documents on file at the Erie County Courthouse.

Erie eats:Erie enters November with art, music, theater, wine and Darth Vader for entertainment

'Elf,' 'Wonderful Life,' Erie Phil holiday pops concert, more December shows around Erie

Lots of theater plus some holiday pops and art are in the entertainment lineup around Erie as November ends and December begins.

"Our Town" will be on stage at Mercyhurst University, "The Lion in Winter" will be performed at PACA, "Elf" will be coming to the Erie Playhouse and "It's a Wonderful Life" will be presented at Meadville Community Theatre.

More details on these and many other events in the Erie region are below. But we couldn't list them all. You can find additional events by visiting GoErie.com/calendar.

Entertainment in Erie:'Elf,' 'Wonderful Life,' Erie Phil holiday pops concert, more December shows around Erie

🔒 Erie musician runs studio decades after hanging with Beatles, opening for Sinatra

Do you remember the day that changed the world in music and pop culture?

If you are a fan of a certain age, you can recall not only when it occurred, but what you were doing when it happened. It was Feb. 9, 1964, the day The Beatles first appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” an electrifying event that few of the millions of viewers who tuned in can forget.

They include Walt Slivinski, an Erie native living in New York at the time. He wasn’t in the screaming crowd in the Ed Sullivan Theater at Broadway between West 53rd and West 54th streets because he was at work 10 blocks downtown at a place called the Peppermint Lounge. Maybe you’ve heard of it?

You’ve probably heard of the club’s guests that he and the other members of Erie’s Fabulous Epics hung out with that night after their set was over and later that week: four blokes from Liverpool named John, Paul, George and Ringo.

For Slivinski, that legendary evening is part of a jewel necklace of memories that now read as a concordance to one of the most memorable eras in modern music history, observed by someone who stood just outside the spotlight.

But what a spotlight.

The music is still playin':Erie musician runs studio decades after hanging with Beatles, opening for Sinatra

Pools, lakefront views, multiple garages. A list of million-dollar homes for sale in Erie region

Luxury living is available for a price, and for some homes in the Erie region, the right price is around $1 million. The area always seems to have at least a few single-family homes available that are priced near or above seven figures.

Here’s a look at some of the top-priced homes listed for sale this month, with information available from Realtor.com.

Erie Real Estate:Pools, lakefront views, multiple garages. A list of million-dollar homes for sale in Erie region

🔒 Millcreek Township couple selling dream home that includes horse trough, 200-year-old tree

Rebecca Stoczynski first saw her future home while riding bicycles with her husband, Neal Stoczynski, in 1983.

The former cottage, built in 1930, grabbed her attention so thoroughly that Stoczynski told him that she wanted to live there. Three years later, she got her wish.

The couple purchased the house at 921 W. Arlington Road in Millcreek Township and has lived there for 36 years. They are now selling it because they have each retired and are moving to Pittsburgh to be closer to their children and grandchildren.

They are only the third owners of the two-story, 2,200-square-foot house. It was built by Joseph F. Kennedy in 1930 after the Buffalo, New York, man joined an Erie shipping company.

For sale:Millcreek Township couple selling dream home that includes horse trough, 200-year-old tree

Erie's Brooke Surgener draws from personal experience for songs on new album 'Moon Waves'

Brooke Surgener is ready to release an album that's been in the works for a long time.

Surgener, of Erie, has grown up in the Erie music scene. She graduated from Seneca High School and attended PennWest Edinboro, formerly Edinboro University, for one semester before realizing college wasn't for her.

She plays at various bars, wineries and community events and opened up for local band First to Eleven on its tour in the spring.

When Surgener is not performing, she works at Rock School Studios in Erie, soon to be renamed Monochrome Studios.

Now, she's ready to debut her first professionally produced album "Moon Waves" on Oct. 14.

Erie Music scene:Erie's Brooke Surgener draws from personal experience for songs on new album 'Moon Waves'

Gannon student walked in NY Fashion Week, defends women's health through pageants

For Waterford's Haley Poe, the last three years have managed to be challenging, frustrating and exciting all at the same time.

From starting her pageant career, to being diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), studying pre-med at Gannon University and walking three weeks ago in New York Fashion Week, the 19-year-old has managed to balance it all.

But Poe has big aspirations for becoming both a successful model and a doctor of osteopathic medicine.

"It’s cool to have both because I would be mentally exhausted if I was in the lab all the time but I would be mentally exhausted if I were modeling all the time," she said. "When you do a lot you learn to handle a lot, so doing both at the same time has really gotten me used to figuring that out."

Walking the runway:Gannon student walked in NY Fashion Week, defends women's health through pageants

Changing music: How a Mercyhurst professor became the biographer for a revolutionary inventor

In December 2009, Mercyhurst University music professor Albert Glinsky received an unexpected phone call that would alter the course of his life.

On the other end of the line was Michelle Moog-Koussa, executive director of the Bob Moog Foundation, asking if Glinsky would be willing to write a definitive biography of her father, Robert Moog, the inventor of the Moog synthesizer.

Twelve years, 496 pages and countless hours of interviews later, that biography, “Switched On: Bob Moog and the Synthesizer Revolution,” was published by Oxford University Press on Sept. 23.

Changing music: How a Mercyhurst professor became the biographer for a revolutionary inventor

New restaurants: Barista's Roast in Corry, Rodney's Bar & Grill in Girard now open

Three new restaurants open in Erie County: Pueblo Real (Mexican) and a sports bar (Rodney's Bar & Grill) in Girard, and breakfast place in Corry (Barista's Roaster).

Find out all the latest restaurant news here.

Erie restaurant news:Union City Dinor razed; Erie restaurants shift gears into fall with events, specials

How much money are Erie-area food shoppers saving buying store brands? Here are the results

When "generic" products came out in the 1970s, in white packages labeled simply "potato chips" or "green beans," shoppers were curious but wary. The stigma of buying them turned the term "generic" into shorthand for "cheap and inferior."

Now stores proudly display their own and other "private label" brands in fancy full-color packages containing diced tomatoes and breakfast cereal, sometimes at two or three separate price points. But the products are almost always cheaper than the brands that marketers have made into household names, such as General Mills and Hunts.

Check out our survey to see what Erie residents have to say.

Penny pinching:How much money are Erie-area food shoppers saving buying store brands? Here are the results

Lavery Brewing Co. buys closed downtown West 12th Street pizza shop to expand seating, kitchen

Anyone who's enjoyed the libations and food at Lavery Brewing Co., tucked behind the former Hungry Howie's, 128 W. 12th St., knows how much they need to expand.

A main issue were public bathrooms that required a trip out of the tavern and into the commercial building in addition. And there was a lack of seating on popular nights and full table service as well as a kitchen to support their fine dining chef's creativity.

Co-owners Jason and Nicole Lavery have put money where their beer is, purchasing the vacant unit to fix all of that and more. They bought the unit for $340,000. Builders have already started demolition, Jason Lavery said last week.

New ownership:Lavery Brewing Co. buys closed downtown West 12th Street pizza shop to expand seating, kitchen

New bed and breakfast named for 'widely known' North East woman who owned home built in 1865

NORTH EAST — A new bed and breakfast in North East is once again the "abode of hospitality" that it was more than 150 years ago.

The Elsie Greer House Bed and Breakfast at 45 Park St., in what is believed to be one of the oldest homes in Erie County, is named for the woman who owned the house after the Civil War.

Elsie Greer's "abode of hospitality" was where friends and colleagues of her husband, Judge John Greer, gathered. But Elsie Greer was a force in her own right. She was a patron of the arts and education and donated the property for the Methodist Church's Lake Shore Academy, later St. Mary's Seminary and Mercyhurst North East.

New in town:New bed and breakfast named for 'widely known' North East woman who owned home built in 1865

Fairview Township mansion boasts luxury living with lakeview setting on 10 acres

The word "mansion" doesn't have an accompanying photo in Webster's Dictionary. But if it did, a photo of the French Country-style manor in Fairview Township might suffice.

The stunning home, located at 7000 Pinegate Road, and which is on sale for $1,450,000, is the stuff of dreams: a 10-acre property with 23 rooms, 7.5 baths, seven bedrooms, three kitchens, a nine-car garage and a waterfront view of Lake Erie.

If that wasn't enough, there's also an indoor pool.

Luxury on the lake:Fairview Township mansion boasts luxury living with lakeview setting on 10 acres

Giant slides at Erie's Frontier Park reopen; city says safety test showed no problems

The sliding is no longer stalled at Erie's Frontier Park.

After temporarily closing the park's three giant slides on Aug. 19 due to safety concerns, the city reopened the slides on Wednesday.

The city inspected the slides, built into a hillside on the northern edge of the park near West Sixth Street, and "the report came back indicating that the slides are installed correctly and safely," City Solicitor Ed Betza said on Tuesday. "No suggested revisions."

Safe to slide:Giant slides at Erie's Frontier Park reopen; city says safety test showed no problems

Can you get in and out of the newly opened Five Points roundabout in Summit Township?

The new roundabout in front of the Erie County Technical School in Summit Township is open.

Individual "spokes" of the circle had been opened in turn as they were completed earlier this summer. All five spokes — at Oliver, Hamot and Flower roads — opened Wednesday.

And drivers seemed to negotiate the single-lane roundabout without incident as school buses arrived at the tech school Thursday morning.

"I haven't heard any complaints," said ECTS Director Joe Tarasovitch.

Open to traffic:Can you get in and out of the newly opened Five Points roundabout in Summit Township?

After a record season, Waldameer is looking to make a $7 million splash with new attraction

In recent years, Waldameer has gone into most summer seasons with the goal of adding a new ride, slide or other attraction between the end of one season and the start of the next.

But for each of the past two years, Waldameer has taken a wait-and-see posture toward improvements.

Thanks to COVID-related shutdowns and restrictions, along with a widespread reluctance by many to venture into public places, gross revenues were only 27% of normal in 2020.

And while crowds were bigger in 2021, staffing problems forced the park to operate some rides on a limited basis and shift to a weekends-only schedule earlier than usual.

What new 'thrilling' attraction is being planned?

Thrill ride:After a record season, Waldameer is looking to make a $7 million splash with new attraction

Tall Ships come to Erie: Explore the vessels that have sailed along the coast throughout the years

Tall Ships Erie returns Aug. 25-28 with seven sailing ships and the World's Largest Rubber Duck scheduled to appear in Presque Isle Bay.

It's the first time the festival has been held since 2019, but the delay was not due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is scheduled every three years.

If you plan on going, here is the information you need to know to enjoy the family-friendly event.

Tall Ships come to Erie:Explore the vessels that have sailed along the coast throughout the years

🔒 Cruise ships are sailing the Great Lakes in growing numbers, but will they dock in Erie?

Pearl Seas Cruises starts its six-day voyage on the Great Lakes in Toronto, Canada, and ends in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Viking Cruise Lines has trips that visit Thunder Bay, Ontario, Milwaukee and Alpena, Michigan.

Meanwhile, the Great Lakes Cruise Company has cruises that dock in 31 ports on the Great Lakes.

Those and other and others cruise ship lines that sail on the Great Lakes have one thing in common. None of them makes a stop in Erie.

Cruisin' along the Great Lakes:Cruise ships are sailing the Great Lakes in growing numbers, but will they dock in Erie?

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