TalkErie.com - The Joel Natalie Show - Erie Pennsylvania Daily Podcast

On Tuesday, the CEO of the Erie Downtown Development Corporation, Drew Whiting, gave us an update on the timing of another brand-new building coming online in the 5th Street corridor.

Erie City Councilman Chuck Nelson has been in the news lately, discussing the LERTA tax abatement program and his assessment that it isn't performing as promised. He is proposing a TIF, which is discussed in our Monday podcast.

It was an education focus Thursday, as we spoke with Dr. Christopher Gray, President of the Erie County Community College. We learned about their recent open house event, linstant enrollment, and discussed the new Spring programs.

March is National Nutrition Month, so we are discussing nutritional health. Are we really what we eat?! Our guest is Janet Chrostowski, a Registered Dietitian with Masters Degree in Public Health and is an Advanced Practitioner in Nutrition with 35 years at UPMC Hamot; and more than 40 in the field of Dietetics.

Groundbreaking Erie County-based startup companies completed the Ben Franklin Technology Partners Erie TechCelerator program and were presenting their pitches as they compete for $15,000. The companies we interviewed included: Zenedge, Bodha.ai, Erie Applications, Eventive AI, Brokenstraw Outdoors, Hikes & Hose, Hydrantcare.us.

A lively visit with Erie County Executive Brenton Davis, discussing economic development, the library controversy, and his views on the gaming revenue authority.

On Friday, Erie Mayor Joe Schember made his monthly walk to our 429 State Street studio to discuss the significant topics facing City Hall.

Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, and Erie loves to celebrate this holiday. On Thursday, we talked to John Melody, owner of the U Pick 6 establishments, about the importance of St. Patrick’s Day for local restaurants and taverns. We also heard about Melody’s work with his new charity Success by Sport.

On our Wednesday health focus, and the four-year anniversary of the COVID-19 shutdowns of schools and businesses, we caught up with Erin Mrenak, Erie County Director of Public Health, and Breanna Adams, Director of Environmental Health Services. We covered public health topics including respiratory illnesses like the flu, where are we with Covid, and that recent Hepatitis A scare.

On our Monday program, we welcomed in officials from Ascend Erie, the new rock-climbing gym that soars opposite our studio at Fifth and State. Ascend CEO and Co-owner Alex Bernstein and Erie location General Manager Christ Rosato were our guests, talking about their first few months of operations and what they are looking forward to this year.

On Friday, March 8th we were exactly one month from the Total Solar Eclipse, a celestial event that won’t happen again in Erie until 2144. With as many as 260,000 people coming to Erie to witness the Eclipse, we were getting prepared with Visit Erie. Christine Temple joined us to talk about VisitErie’s SHINE campaign, learning more about the preparations and safety tips.

Our Wednesday focus was on the Erie International Airport, with the executive director Derek Martin, and the President of the Erie County Regional Airport Authority, Dan Giannelli. Are things “looking up” in terms of air travel to and from Erie?

On our Monday program, we were happy to welcome Troy Bingham back to the microphone. Troy is the Owner of Erie Sports Center, and he is kicking off a new program with Erie neighborhood community centers called “Sports for All.”

On the final day of Black History Month, we learned more about Historical Institute of Culture & the African American Experience, a new museum and gathering place founded by Bishop Curtis Jones, Sr., who was our guest. We learned his personal story and the idea and promise of the Institute.

US Congressman Mike Kelly (R-PA) from the 16th District joined us Wednesday to speak about the budget, foreign aid, and other legislative priorities in Washington.

Our studio is right in the heart of the Erie Downtown Development Corporation, so on Tuesday we had our quarterly review with the CEO of the EDDC, Drew Whiting. We learned what’s new at the Flagship City Food Hall, apartment rentals, new construction, and so much more as the face of downtown goes through exciting changes.

If you’re planning to buy a car in the near future, you’ll want to listen to our Monday interview with Ben Jefferys, General Marketing Manager for Hallman Auto Group. We discussed the current market for car buyers, got the latest on electric vehicles, and more.

On our fun Friday episode, we were talking to musicians in the band, First to Eleven. The band started playing together here in Erie, then took off to national fame with their viral videos. Before they headed out on tour, we chatted with lead singer, Audra Miller, teacher and musician Ryan Krysiak, and newcomer Trevor Vogt.

On our Thursday show, we were “looking up,” as Dr. David Hurd, professor of astronomy at Penn West Edinboro, joined us to share his enthusiasm and expertise on the Total Eclipse on April 8th.

On our Wednesday episode, we were pleased to welcome Charles “Boo” Hagerty to the microphone. Boo is the Chief Development Officer of the Hamot Health Foundation. His work with the Foundation, as well as his current focused mission to help the homeless, is truly making a difference in Erie.

Making his first visit to The Joel Natalie Show in 2024 was Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-49th). We talked about the status of the CRIZ, the ECGRA controversy, and his legislative priorities.

The Joel Natalie Show was live at the Erie RV & Outdoor Adventure Expo Friday, and Mayor Joe Schember joined us for his February visit.

On our Thursday episode, we learned about the 3rd Annual Erie County Community Resilience Conference, sponsored by the Erie Coalition for a Trauma-Informed Community. Joining us was Nicole Platz, Chief Community Impact Officer for the Achievement Center of LECOM Health, and Dr. Melanie Hetzel-Riggin, a co-chair of the Coalition, and Professor of Psychology at Penn State Behrend.

On our Valentine's Day show, we learned about the newest craze in sports, fitness, and fun in Erie, with Presque Isle Pickleball. Joining us was PIP’s owner, Michael Agresti, to give us the lowdown on this super-social sport.

The Tuesday program brought an update on the needs for more foster parenting, and for supporting them. Our guests were Brittany Burlingham of the Erie County Office of Children and Youth, and Jess Peterson from the Keystone Family Alliance Team.