Latest news with #JoeSchember
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Light up the night: when, where you can watch Erie's annual fireworks show
The vibrant eruption of color and thundering sound returns to the the skies over Presque Isle Bay on July Joe Schember announced on June 5 that the city's annual Lights Over Lake Erie fireworks display returns to Dobbins Landing one day before the July 4 holiday. The fireworks show, presented once again by Pyrotecnico Fireworks of New Castle, will begin at 10 p.m. 'We are grateful that we can continue this tradition,' Schember said, noting that the event is co-sponsored by Highmark and the Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority. The event is funded in part by a $15,000 events grant from the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority.'We know how much these fireworks mean to the community,' said Julie Slomski, the Port Authority's executive director. As is the case annually, residents and visitors can view the fireworks from various vantage points along Erie's waterfront, including the east and west bayfront bluffs and Bayview Park near East Second and Cherry streets; Presque Isle State Park; from a boat in Presque Isle Bay, or from almost anywhere that provides a view of the Bicentennial Tower. Gabi Watson, the city's events manager, said Dobbins Landing and the lower State Street area will be closed to vehicle traffic during the event. The Erie Parking Authority will provide free parking at select downtown parking garages for those attending the fireworks. That includes the garages near West Seventh/West Eighth and Peach streets and East Eighth and French streets. The Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority will run free shuttle buses to/from downtown areas near those garages, Watson said. More information is available at Citizens can also check the city's Facebook page for updates. Contact Kevin Flowers at kflowers@ Follow him on X at @ETNflowers This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie fireworks: City releases 2025 schedule of events
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Daria Devlin stuns two-term incumbent Erie Mayor Joe Schember to win Democratic primary
Daria Devlin's time is now. The 47-year-old Democrat scored a stunning upset in the May 20 municipal primary, defeating two-term incumbent Erie Mayor Joe Schember and retired educator Sheila Woeger for their party's nomination for the top job in city government. According to final unofficial vote totals from the Erie County Courthouse, Devlin, the director of social impact for Hamot Health Foundation, garnered 5,117 votes, or 50%, to 4,694 votes for Schember (46%) and 359 votes, (3.2%) for Woeger. 'I need to say thank you to the most amazing campaign team,' Devlin said. 'We did it, and it's amazing.' It was an improbable win for Devlin, who first confirmed her primary run to the Erie Times-News in October. Devlin defeated a two-term incumbent devoid of major scandal or damaging public missteps, a mayor in Schember who was first elected in 2017 and rolled to re-election in the 2021 primary by defeating two Democratic challengers and walking away with 74% of the vote. But Devlin, who raised a staggering $217,000 for her primary run, campaigned on a platform of change, fiscal responsibility and the aggressive pursuit of solutions to blight, the city's housing crisis, and workforce development. She also pledged to develop better programs to nurture local youth. She said her campaign heavily leaned on reaching people through various social media platforms and face-to-face interaction with voters. She also felt her televised debate with Schember in April exposed a lot of voters to her campaign platform.'I really believe people were ready for something different,' Devlin said in an interview. 'People want to see real change in their city and I don't think they saw that (under Schember). They're hungry for it.' Devlin, who thanked Schember for eight years of service to the city, also described Schember during her campaign as status-quo and out of touch with the needs of Erie's citizens. She hammered Schember about the city's finances, saying Erie was heading for a 'financial crisis' without better leadership. She also secured a rare endorsement from the Erie County Democratic Party's city-based committee members, who typically stay away from backing one candidate over another in primary elections. The party's chairman, Sam Talarico, said that several committee members 'thought it was time for a change.' And Devlin brought that change home in the municipal primary. She celebrated her victory with a raucous crowd of supporters at the 1020 Collective, 1020 Holland St., in downtown Erie. 'You guys delivered this tonight!' Devlin said. Devlin will now face Republican Matthew Thomas in the Nov. 4 municipal election. Thomas, a 37-year-old Erie lawyer, claimed the GOP nomination in the primary; there were no other GOP candidates in the race. However, Devlin will be a huge favorite in the municipal election because of the city's more than 2-1 Democratic voter registration edge. No Republican has been elected mayor of Erie since Charles Williamson in to Erie County Voter Registration Office data, there are 31,093 registered Democrats in the city of Erie and 13,850 registered Republicans. Erie County municipal primary: Review from May 20 live coverage Devlin made a point of reminding her supporters that 'this is the primary. We have a general election to win. And we're going to fight just as hard… So we can be right back here in November to celebrate.' A disappointed Schember said he 'will accept the voters' result' and will focus on 'serving the city and moving our projects forward' for the remainder of his term. Asked about the loss, Schember said, 'I honestly don't know what happened. My door-to-door was very good, I thought, and I talked to over 1,000 people face to face. I really thought I was going to win by a lot tonight. Turns out, I lost by a little.' The Erie mayor's annual salary will increase from the current $95,000 to $120,000 a year in January 2026. The new salary tops the list of annual pay that mayors receive in Pennsylvania's third-class cities. Devlin said that between now and November, she will focus on 'bringing Democrats together, because I want the support of the people who didn't vote for me.' She also said she's taking nothing for granted in terms of the municipal election. 'What we've seen in national politics is, nothing is a given anymore,' Devlin said. 'Look, we didn't have a huge victory here, a huge margin. I want to unite the party and build trust, and we can be even stronger for November.' Contact Kevin Flowers at kflowers@ Follow him on X at @ETNflowers. This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie mayor's race: Devlin defeats incumbent Schember in Dem primary
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
2025 Primary Election Results: City of Erie Mayor
(WJET/WFXP) — The 2025 Pennsylvania primary election took place on May 20. This year's election for the City of Erie Mayor featured Incumbent Joe Schember against Daria Devlin and Sheila Woeger on the Democratic ticket. The winner of this race will go up against Matthew Thomas, the uncontested candidate on the Republican ticket, in the November general election. You can view election results as they update in real-time for the City of Erie mayoral race below: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why a new motorcycle rally aimed at helping youth will rumble into Erie this summer
The city of Erie will lend support to a motorcycle rally this summer — the first time that has happened since Roar on the Shore, which was discontinued in 2021. Mayor Joe Schember announced May 19 that city officials are working with the organizers of the inaugural 'Rides for the Rise: The Ultimate Motor Music Festival,' a motorcycle rally that benefits youth, to finalize details for the July 19 event. The rally's organizer is Save the Youth 814, a local nonprofit whose mission is 'to build resilience and hope to the city's youth and families exposed to violence,' according to its Facebook page. Rides for the Rise 'will kick off with a motorcycle parade through the city which will end at Liberty Park,' Schember said. The rally had been previously announced by organizers; the city's support/involvement was finalized over the last few weeks, said Renee Lamis, Schember's chief of staff. Most of the rally's events will take place July 19 at the Rebich Investments Amphitheater at Liberty Park on the city's west bayfront. Schember said city officials, including police and public works employees, are working with rally organizers on the logistics of the planned motorcycle parade, including its starting location and route through the city. "Due to construction on the Bayfront Parkway and State Street, it is likely that the ride will originate on the west side of the city," Schember said. He added that since this is Ride for the Rise's first year, the city has offered to help organizers with planning the event "such as creating a system for vendors, sponsors, musicians, and riders to register," as well as marketing and promotions. Following the parade, Schember said, the rally 'will feature live performances by local artists, amazing food from local food trucks, local vendors, and a festive family-friendly atmosphere at Liberty Park.' A portion of the proceeds from the rally will go to various youth development programs in the Erie region. "This event spoke to me and my team because it's all about our youth," Schember said. William Grant, Save the Youth 814's vice president, said the rally's goal is "bringing people together to support better futures for our youth." He said it was the brainchild of the nonprofit's president, Jose Moya. Lanisha Chimenti, Save the Youth 814's treasurer, added, 'We would like for local vendors, food trucks, DJs and entertainers to get involved in the festival. Our goal is to fill as many spots with all local options.' Roar on the Shore, launched by the Manufacturer & Business Association, drew tens of thousands of people to Erie each year and raised nearly $1 million for charity. It became one of the largest free motorcycle rallies in the northeastern United States and was focused on downtown Erie for years. However, Roar on the Shore was moved to Lake Erie Speedway in 2019 when organizers of the event and Schember's administration could not come to terms on payments to offset the city's costs related to the event. "The issue with Roar is that it had gotten so big that the cost of overtime for police, especially, was excessive and the city was subsidizing it. We didn't think that was appropriate. "Because this is just a one-day event, we believe the organization will be able to raise the funds to pay for whatever costs come up," Lamis said. "We're helping with promotions and getting the word out as an in-kind service. And for the parade, there are motorcycle officers already working their normal shifts that day so that should not be an (overtime) issue." For more information about Rides for the Rise or to sign up to be a vendor, participating musician or a rider in the parade, visit Contact Kevin Flowers at kflowers@ Follow him on X at @ETNflowers. (This story has been updated to add new information.) This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: What to know: Erie's upcoming 'Rides for the Rise' motorcycle rally
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Erie County voters' guide to the May 2025 primary election
Voters in Erie County will hit the polls May 20. Poll hours across the state are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. There is no-excuse mail-in voting allowed in the state, but the deadline to register to vote was May 5. Follow throughout primary day for local and state news and updates. Return once the polls close at 8 p.m. for more frequent reports throughout the night. Looking for your polling place? Polling place locations are found here. Confirm your voting rights in Pennsylvania at Brush up on how to use Erie County's voting machines: Learn how to use Erie County's new voting machines Learn how to fill out your mail-in ballot properly here. Some Erie County polling sites have changed for primary. See which voters are affected. Do you need a REALID to vote in the primary? Find out here. Incumbent Erie Mayor Joe Schember is seeking his third term, and is running against Democratic challengers Daria Devlin and Sheila Woeger. The winner will face unopposed Republican mayoral candidate Matthew Thomas. In the race for Erie County Executive, incumbent Republican Brenton Davis is unopposed. Christina Vogel and Perry Wood are seeking the Democratic nomination. Six Erie County districts have races for school board nominations. Here's a look at who's on the ballot. Girard and Wattsburg boroughs have contested races in the May 20 municipal primary Erie County will elect a judge on May 20. Jeremy Lightner, Emily Mosco Merski and Leigh Ann Orton are all running for one seat on the Erie County Court of Common Pleas. Current Erie City Council members, Ed Brzezinski and Chuck Nelson, along with Erie resident Brooke Sanfilippo are all seeking the Democratic nomination for city controller. Erie City Council primary includes six Democrats, including two incumbents. Meet the candidates here. Meet the four Republican candidates in the Erie City Council race. Erie elections: Four controller candidates state why you should vote for them The race for Erie mayor: 3 questions for Democrats Schember, Devlin, Woeger Wood outraises Vogel in Erie County executive race Schember, Devlin raise big money in Erie mayor's race. Here's the breakdown Who leads fundraising in Erie County judge's race? Big in-kind contribution tips totals Find out where the candidates stand on the issues. Read what they have to say in our Erie Times-News opinion section: City of Erie Mayor candidates Matthew Thomas: City of Erie is a 'dead man walking,' but solutions are not hard Joe Schember: A record of financial stability, safety, growth and renewal Daria Devlin: Erie, it's time for change and real solutions to serious problems Sheila Ellyn Woeger: Erie needs a paradigm shift - a government for the people This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie County voters' guide: May 2025 primary election
