In a news conference Wednesday, Erie County Executive Brenton Davis, along with senior officials from Gannon University officially announced the advancement of a Great Lakes water research facility at the Blasco Library. Gannon Provost Dr. Sarah Ewing said that the University has hired an architect and contractor, and plans to engage the public during the construction process. The facility’s phase of the greater Project NePTWNE project will cost around two million dollars and is slated to be completed in the Spring of 2025. The post Gannon’s water research facility at Blasco Library adva ..read more

The Pennsylvania Western University Presidential Search Committee has invited three presidential candidates to visit the institution’s three campuses next week. The candidates are, in alphabetical order, Dr. Jon Anderson, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs/Professor at Southern Utah University (Cedar City, Utah); Dr. Philip Cavalier, Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at University of Tennessee at Martin (Martin, Tennessee); and Dr. Wade Weast, Founding Dean, College of the Arts at Georgia State University (Atlanta, Georgia). “The search committee worked dili ..read more

Federal funding advances Project RESOLVE Penn State Behrend has been awarded $2.5 million in federal funding to develop a battery-testing facility in the college’s Knowledge Park, where a planned Center for Manufacturing Competitiveness will support the transition to battery-powered heavy-haul equipment in the rail, marine and mining industries. U.S. Sen. John Fetterman secured the funding, which was included in a consolidated appropriations bill. The funds will be used to equip a test rig where researchers and industry partners can study a condition known as thermal runaway – a chain-reaction ..read more

The Millcreek Township Supervisors approved the purchase of an ambulance to the Millcreek Fire Department (MFD). The approval was at the Mar. 12, 2024, Board of Supervisors’ regular meeting. The ambulance is a used 2012 Ford F450 Lifeline Ambulance, Type 1. The purchase included various upgrades, fitting the MFD’s mission to uphold community safety.   “The ambulance will create new paths for the MFD, which includes trained paramedics, to respond to medical emergencies across the township,” said MFD Chief Mike Cliff.   The MFD ambulance will be available 24/7 to supplement ..read more

Gannon University will host its annual Celebrate Gannon on Friday, April 19 on both Erie and Ruskin campuses. The Erie campus will gather from 1 to 3 p.m. and the Ruskin campus will gather from noon to 2 p.m. Celebrate Gannon is an annual event that recognizes the culmination of a year’s worth of scholarship, research, engagement and fine art collaborations between students, faculty and staff. The students’ work will be on display in the Waldron Campus Center and Ruskin Academic Building for the Gannon and surrounding communities to engage with the student presenters, some of whom will be giv ..read more

On Thursday evening, Erie County Council took a vote to override Erie County Executive Brenton Davis’s veto of an ordinance that council had passed to rescind the county’s lease with Gannon University for a Great Lakes research center. The lease for what is commonly-known as Project Neptune had been passed by last year’s County Council, but last month, listening to loud opposition to the lease, Council passed the ordinance to rescind the lease. The vote was Thursday was 4-3, not enough to override Davis veto, meaning the lease stands. The post County Council fails to override veto appear ..read more

The Pennsylvania House passed a bill sponsored by state Rep. Bob Merski that would allow for the lease of land on Lake Erie for the purpose of harnessing clean energy solutions for Pennsylvania. Merski, D-Erie, said his legislation (H.B. 254) — which passed the House along party lines  — represents a beacon of innovation, a path to sustainable economic growth, and a commitment to the stewardship of our environment for future generations. “When everyone is brought to the table, we can bridge the gap between good-paying jobs and renewable energy,” Merski said. “This bill brought stake ..read more

Pastors and leaders from parishes in Erie County met with the Most Rev. Lawrence T. Persico, bishop of Erie, April 11 as he unveiled a new configuration of Catholic parishes for the county. Parishioners in the area have been awaiting the announcement since a preliminary plan was put forth Aug. 29, 2023. The plan involves: Mergers, through which one parish community is absorbed into another; Partnerships, through which two or more parishes share one pastor; A combination of merger and partnership that involves one parish community being absorbed into another before partnering with a third par ..read more

Pennsylvanians are one step closer to crucial safeguards concerning artificial intelligence after the House today passed legislation co-sponsored by state Rep. Bob Merski that would require a disclosure on content generated by artificial intelligence.  Merski, D-Erie, said the legislation (H.B. 1598) is needed to protect the public as proliferation of false information becomes more widespread. “Although artificial intelligence can be a force for good in many areas, including medical research and disease diagnosis, it also poses potent risks, particularly in the hands of bad actors d ..read more

The PA Student Teacher Support Program will help address critical teacher shortages across Pennsylvania and ensure students have the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed. The program will provide eligible student teachers with up to $15,000 in stipends and applications will open tomorrow at 9 AM EDT at pheaa.org/StudentTeacher. Today, Governor Josh Shapiro joined a bipartisan group of legislative leaders including Senator Vincent Hughes (D) and Senator Ryan Aument (R) and the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) to announce t ..read more