Outside Erie

We continue to get some great nominations for our “Globie Awards” — GlobalErie’s attempt to recognize the best in Erie in 2008.
Thus far, we’ve asked for your nominations for Erie’s Person of the Year and Business of the Year.
Today, we ask for your suggestions for Erie’s “New Development of the Year”.
The rules are the same […]

Thanks to everyone who has offered nominations for the annual GlobalErie Person of the Year award. I’ll be accepting nominations for the next few days, so please feel free to share your thoughts.
Along the same lines, I’d like to solicit your suggestions for Erie’s Business of the Year.
The idea is to highlight a business that […]

We started what we hope is a new Erie tradition last December when we launched our first “GlobalErie Awards”.
Last year, we solicited reader input and selected award winners in categories such as “Person of the Year”, “Business of the Year”, “New Development of the Year”, and “Erie Expatriate of the Year”.
I’m going to be doing […]

When Kathy Dahlkemper embarked on her campaign for Pennsylvania’s 3rd House District more than a year ago, the country wasn’t facing the economic meltdown.
Detroit’s Big Three automakers were not on the verge of bankruptcy.
Credit was easier to access. Unemployment was low.
Now, as she prepares to take office after her victory over incumbent Phil English, […]

This week’s top comment comes from Matt, who wrote to weigh in on the issue of broadband access in Erie.
Here’s what he had to say:
As a local techie - this issue has been around for years and several projects in the last few years have brought significant investment to the region.
The main issue with fiber […]

Gotta love it when Erie makes the fake news.
According to The Onion:
ERIE, PA—Local fast food consumer and occasional motorist Don Turnbee announced his decision Wednesday to bypass I-79’s Greenville exit in hopes that the following turnoff would lead to more appealing fast food options. …
While holding out for a superior option, Turnbee has passed on […]

I recently received a note from an Erie businessman who is worried about the region’s continued troubles with high-speed Internet infrastructure.
This is an issue that received a lot of attention in this space about a year ago. And, frankly, it’s still a significant problem.
Here’s what the businessman (who chose not to use his real name) […]

The USA Today has an interesting feature on the air quality at schools nationwide.
As part of its package, it has an interactive database that allows readers to see where individual schools rank nationally in terms of air quality.
Not surprisingly, many Erie schools grade quite poorly.
The lower the percentile, the worse the air.
Check out the air […]

The deadline is fast approaching for the annual Ben Franklin Technology PArtners $100,000 Business Plan Contest.
The contest offers $100,000 in capital to start-up, technology companies in northwestern Pennsylvania.
And the contest isn’t just for companies that are located in the region. It is open to firms that are willing to relocate from elsewhere.
“The business does not […]

Many Rust Belt cities are becoming more aggressive in making sure their communities are open to immigrant groups — with the hopes that new-to-America inventors will use their communities as the homes for their new businesses.
Immigrant entrepreneurs, after all, were responsible for much of Erie’s early growth.
And first- and second-generation immigrants continue to fuel considerable […]