From the Editors The only local voice for Keeping your head above water in this news, arts, and culture. CONTENTS: Editors-in-Chief: inharmonious flood Brian Graham & Adam Welsh t least two things will and the future of our city Managing Editor: October 26, 2016 Nick Warren happen during the schools. Erie School District Copy Editor: JRL RIP – 4 Acourse of this issue: Superintendent Jay Badams Katie Chriest Halloween and the presiden- was there to offer his per- Contributing Editors: Looking back on the life of an Erie tial election. One of those spective, answering ques- Ben Speggen things is getting a lot more tions as well as posing his Jim Wertz sports icon attention, and it’s not accom- own. Afterwards, he chatted Contributors: Lisa Austin, Civitas panied by trick or treaters. with state Senate candidate Ed Bernik At long last, this tumultuous Dan Laughlin. A few days lat- Mary Birdsong cacophony of Donald Trump er, Erie Arts & Culture hosted Tracy Geibel Lisa Gensheimer versus Hillary Clinton is their 2016 Fall for Arts and Gregory Greenleaf-Knepp coming to a close. Trump’s Culture Awards. There, they Dan Schank Tommy Shannon chances have grown increas- presented awards to Jude Ryan Smith ingly dim since our last is- Shingle of Box of Light stu- Ti Sumner Matt Swanseger sue. While there’s certainly a dios, Mark Tanenbaum of Bryan Toy great deal of schadenfreude PACA, Grove City’s George Cover Design: to be had watching the idea Junior Republic, artist Ron Nick Warren Photographers: of a Trump presidency slip Bayuzick, and a lifetime Ryan Smith CONTRIBUTED PHOTO away, as the late Yogi Berra achievement award to the Brad Triana said, “It ain’t over till it’s over.” Erie Playhouse. Publisher’s Assistant: Emily Hanisek Just a Thought – 6 Our next issue will arrive the Intern: morning after Election Day. Angie Jeffery ‘All across the nation, such a In one way or another, the From climate change, strange vibration…’ world will be different. to homeland security, 1001 State St. Suite 901 While there’s no shortage some of the world’s of election coverage, there Erie, Pa., 16501 top minds will [email protected] Considering the City – 8 are plenty of other things converge on our city, The Buki plan, the Viaduct, and Erie happening to stimulate one’s The Erie Reader is the local voice for mind. The Jefferson Educa- while local leaders news, arts, and culture, and is Erie’s CPR tional Society’s eighth an- only independent, alternative newspa- build a home for fresh per. Founded in 2010, the Reader has nual Global Summit offers new ideas. quickly become the region’s award-win- something not only for polit- ning source for arts coverage, a strong News of the Weird – 11 ical junkies, but also for any- cultural compass, and a dynamic re- source for news and opinion. With a Be on the lookout for smiling one open to educating them- Events like these are what dedication to long-form journalism and Frenchmen and corn-shooting selves. In this issue, Dan fill our pages. Things are a commitment to provoking thought- Schank details the entire happening all the time. ful discussion, the Reader tells the sto- hermits ries of the people and places making schedule of speakers. From That’s why we’re here. “I and shaping Erie, while highlighting climate change to homeland must say there is magic in the events and issues influencing life security, some of the world’s these moments,” expressed in northwestern Pennsylvania. The The Jefferson Education Erie Reader is published every other top minds will converge on Global Summit speaker Do- week and distributed at over 250 high Society’s Global Summit VIII – 15 our city in a two-week series ris Kearns Goodwin at her foot-traffic locations in Pennsylvania beginning Monday, Nov. 7. 2008 TED talk. The Pulitzer from North East to Girard to Edin- Working to make sense of a crazy boro. In addition to appearing in print, year With similar innovative spir- Prize-winning presiden- Erie Reader adds new content daily at it, while on a slightly smaller tial historian detailed her ErieReader.com as well social media scale, TEDxErie is doing the passion. “I shall always be sites. All rights reserved. All content © Flagship Multimedia, Inc, 1001 State St., Spotlight on Erie – 19 same thing. Ten speakers grateful for this curious Suite 901, Erie, Pa, 16501. No part of this with ties to the area are pre- love of history, allowing me publication may be reproduced with- Bonfires burning bright. Pumpkin senting their own captivat- to spend a lifetime looking out permission. The opinions of our columnists and contributors are their faces in the night. ing talks at the Warner The- back into the past. Allowing own and do not always reflect that of atre. After the success of last me to learn from these large the editorial board or organization. year’s inaugural franchise, figures about the struggle Direct sales inquiries to 814.314.9364. For editorial inquiries, email contact@ 5 Manhattans, 5 Erie these local leaders, many of for meaning for life. Allow- ErieReader.com. Establishments – 36 whom have been featured in ing me to believe that the our pages before, are coop- private people we have loved No drink is an island in this shot for erating to build a home for and lost in our families, and shot comparison fresh new ideas. the public figures we have re- There are so many events spected in our history, just as in our city to keep you en- Abraham Lincoln wanted to Erie Faces Erie – 38 lightened and entertained. believe, really can live on, so A look through photographer Ed Last week, our very own Jim long as we pledge to tell and Bernik’s lens Wertz delivered a talk at the to retell the stories of their JES outlining the history lives.” October 26, 2016 ErieReader.com | Erie Reader | 3 NEWS & VIEWS JRL RIP Looking back on the life of an Erie sports icon him as the guy who invited the Reader editors and writers on air back in 2011 to talk politics, sports, and Erie – things we were all passionate about. Although our political philosophies misaligned at various points and I’d of- ten get into heated debates on air with him, we could always agree to disagree without being disagreeable. I admired his fire. I’d like to think he admired mine, too. And if things did get too heated, at least we could talk sports – and about how damn good some local pizza had gotten. James R. wore many hats in Erie – ed- iting the Lake Shore Visitor, working at the Erie Times-News and Mercyhurst University, jockeying behind the mic in the studio or on the road, rooting for Gannon University and Cathedral Prep, penning a column for an alt. weekly. But the hat he wore best was Erie. We all knew Jim as an Erie guy – a guy who’d opine about the region’s future, praise its sunsets, grumble about its CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Cheerleaders who aren’t By: Ben Speggen knowledge,” folks would say. But he afraid to be critical because never bragged about it. Never flaunt- they believe in the potential e’s quite a character. ed his talent for remembering even of what they love are few That’s what most folks would the most obscure stat from a game and far between. And now in Hlead with when I told them played decades ago (I swear he’d even that I’d regularly go on air with Jim have remembered the weather, down Erie, we’re one fewer. LeCorchick to talk politics – something to a degree, for most games). Genuinely I’d been doing for the past three years humble, if you ask me. And genuinely with the Erie Reader. Although I’m sure in love with sports and in awe of the winters, browbeat its local politicians I’ll hear the former for years to come, athletes who played them. and quickly offer his opinions, be seen it’s with heartache that I’ll never say “Pigs” is what he’d say, often and loud- at its plentiful free events, without the latter again, since James Richard ly, when talking politicians. He even reserve shell out a few dollars for the LeCorchick went to meet his Maker on recently apologized on air to pigs for paid events, and always be willing to Thursday, Oct. 13. associating them with politicians. Jok- greet new friends with a smile – espe- His death was unexpected, a heart at- ingly – I think – he would brag that he cially his faithful companion Gypsy, a tack in the early hours of the morning wasn’t a regular voter – and at times border collie mix he adopted after the when most of us were just then tossing couldn’t remember what his party af- shelter brought her to the studio that off the sheets, or slugging down the filiation was. He knew how to rile up became her second home. first cup of coffee, or trying in some callers, firing up his audience to give I’ll miss hearing Gypsy barking on air. other way to get the day started. Jim a damn about the people making de- I’ll miss Jim’s barking, too. had been at work an hour already. He cisions that affect us all. A smart guy Cheerleaders who aren’t afraid to be had done it for years that way. who knew how to work the mic – and critical because they believe in the po- For many of us, that some-other-way- his audience.