People

In the 1960s, Weis Library might have faded away quietly if Ester Bundy and more than 400 concerned citizens of northwest Pennsylvania hadn’t stepped forward to fight for it. Ester embodied what Robert K. Greenleaf later called servant leadership. “The servant-leader is servant first . . . it begins with the natural feeling that one wants to…

When one bequeaths money for a specific good, it’s often to leave a legacy—something to keep alive the values they held dear. Over time, though, immediate memories of the donor’s vision fade. Times, values, and cultures change. The donor’s original vision may not hold as much importance to future generations, but it is still important…

I always thought I didn’t care for Lisa Kudrow. Turns out, I just didn’t like Phoebe Buffay. My aversion to Phoebe on Friends kept me from trying out The Comeback on HBO Max/Disney+/Hulu. One day, I was rowing in the basement, and whatever it was I was watching ended before I my time was up,…

Out of curiosity, I recently dug through the particulars of the old Kmart property in Millcreek Township, a suburb west of the City of Erie, PA. What I found may shed some light on the situation. A long-term lease is often cited as the reason this property stands largely vacant, but any lease can be…

What a milestone—125 years of service for the Presque Isle Chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in Erie, PA. The chapter celebrated with a luncheon and celebration at the historic Kahkwa Club on Saturday, October 22, 2022.  I am the vice-regent (former treasurer) of the Presque Isle Chapter and volunteered to…

As one who has done a fair amount of research on World War One and whose great uncle died in that war, I was especially eager to read Bill Welch’s book, Duty, Terror and Survival: The World War One Diary and Art of Doughboy Cp. Harold W. Pierce. Bill and I were part of the Erie…

Would any of us today in North America have the fortitude to resist a fascist government or dictatorship? To withstand prolonged periods of cruel torture? To lose our lives? To see our children killed before our eyes because of our own actions, though noble? Thousands of Italian women during World War II said yes. Of…

It’s been a long time coming, but the Dimorier Project finally has something to show for decades of research and writing and thousands of dollars to honor a good man—William E. Dimorier. After numerous efforts to get William’s story published in the traditional way, I finally decided to publish his biography myself. It is now…

When an infuriated ex-soldier took a Veterans Administration official hostage in Erie, Pennsylvania, Sgt. Leo J. Waldinger and Patrolman Walter R. May rescued the victim and sacrificed their own lives.

If only I could go back and hand this girl the list. . .