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

We began the new week with a conversation with His Honor Joe Schember, Mayor, and Andy Zimmerman, Manager of Code Enforcement for the City of Erie. We drilled down with the Mayor and Andy the whole concept of Quality of Life ticketing, and the importance of homeowners managing garbage and grass-cutting at their properties. We also talked about blight remediation, the first week of LERTA successes,...

On Friday, we dug into a few good books, written by local authors. Our guests included Chuck Pora, a life-long local resident who has authored numerous books on growing up in Erie in the sixties. Also, Dr. Steven Mauro, a Gannon University professor and author of the book, “Flooded: Drugs, Bugs, and Our New Water Crisis.”  Then author Nancy Kay, whose novels boast Great Lakes Romance, where l...

Our focus Thursday turned to Urban University, a summer outreach program through the Erie City Mission that focuses on the enrichment of urban middle school students through art, academic, and career-exploration classes.  Our guests were RoseMarie Lackey, director of youth ministries for the Erie City Mission, Tracey Berger, program coordinator and teacher for Urban University and two student...

We began Wednesday's program with an update on the ongoing debate over the Erie County Community College proposal. On the telephone was Erie County Council member Carl Anderson from the 4th district, who has been involved in the movement to bring a community college to the county for many years.

On the Tuesday edition of the Joel Natalie Show, we waded into the waters of alternative energy. Across Erie County, homeowners and business owners have turned to being more sustainable in their energy use. We heard from Brian Pitzer, a local homeowner who has made the investment in alternative energy by installing solar panels on his own house, and John Purvis of Solar Revolution Erie who supplie...

Monday, Joel Natalie had a conversation with Congressman Mike Kelly (PA-16).  We talked about his leadership and work in our nation’s Capitol, the opportunity zones, national security, health care, foreign affairs, his pro-life stance, and other issues that are so important to the people of Erie. Later in the program, we heard from Marcus Atkinson, Executive Director of ServErie, about their...

On our Wednesday program, we drilled down on how Erie County folks celebrated America's Independence. Our guests included Jason Spangenberg, Borough of Edinboro official and organizer of the "Boro with the Works" Edinboro fireworks display, and John Oliver, President and CEO of VisitErie. Finally, George Deutsch, executive director of the Erie County Historical Society returned to the microphone,...

On the Tuesday edition of the Joel Natalie Show, we took a look at the summer schedule beginning this July 9th at the Jefferson Educational Society.  With us were JES officials Ben Speggen, director of operations, and Pat Cuneo, publications coordinator, and retired veteran editor and reporter for the Erie Times News. Both gentlemen will present a lecture about the credibility of the media on...

On the Monday program Adam Q. Frase, filled in for Joel Natalie as we talked about PIAA Sports.  A proposed new law has been set into motion that would affect our local interscholastic athletes and the schools.  We discussed this new development, as well as issues including divisions between private and public schools, the shortage of officials, transfer rules for athletes, and various P...

Friday, our conversation on the Joel Natalie Show was about what to expect when you decide to remodel your home.  Doug Bierer, owner of DBC Remodeling and Construction, joined Joel to talk about setting a budget, finding a contractor, getting estimates, and where to start with a remodeling project. Listen and learn how you get from the idea phase, into the actual remodeling project itself.

Wednesday we talked about public transportation with the new chief executive officer of EMTA, Jeremy Peterson.  We discussed the plans, routes, and services available to those who Ride the E.  Then we invited local author and expert on the history of the streetcar and other public transportation, Ken Springirth.

On Tuesday, we are talked about one of the most diabolical and compelling crimes ever to happen in our hometown: The Pizza Bomber case.  With a cast of characters like Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, William Rothstein, pizza delivery guy Brian Wells, and the recently-deceased Kenneth Barnes, this case shocked the city with crimes including bank robbery, murder, a body in a freezer, and an impossibl...

We started the week having a conversation about Erie City Council.  Invited were two outspoken council members, Kathy Schaaf and Liz Allen, to share their views and opinions on recent Council issues and ordinances, including the new LERTA ordinance and the Early Intervention program.

On Friday we were back on location from outside the Sheraton Erie Bayfront, to participate in the Waterfront Weekend: three days of events and activities on Lake Erie, including Elite Poker Runs, powerboats, and the HydroFlight National Tour.  Guests included Tony Scioli, Managing Member of Elite Poker Runs; Mark Jeanneret, Executive Director of the Erie Sports Commission; Michael Gaines from...

On Thursday we focused on the area of men’s health.  Our guest was Dr. Robert Watine, a physician in the Allegheny Health Network and an expert in the area of men’s health, especially the role of hormones in overall fitness and health.

Our region is a hugely popular destination for fishing, and so Wednesday, we learned about the collaborative efforts among leading sportsmen, researchers, and conservation experts toward advancing the health and quality of our fisheries. This special program included the introduction of a collaboration between FishUSA and AFTCO in support of the Great Lakes Acoustic Telemetry Observation System (G...

We were talking Trades on Tuesday afternoon.  Fewer and fewer young people are choosing trades as a career path.  What tools are being used here in Erie to encourage new workers to enter the trades?  On our panel were Mary Bula, Director of Erie Together, and creator and facilitator of the Erie County Career Pathways Alliance.  Julie Slomski, Director of the Governor’s Northwes...

We began the week with an update on the state of Pennsylvania's state budget. Senator Dan Laughlin joined us to talk about his efforts toward securing funds for Erie County. Then Brad Roae, State Representative for the 6th Legislative District in Northwestern Pennsylvania called in to share his legislative priorities.

Did you ever wonder what go into writing an opinion piece in the newspaper? On the Tuesday edition of our show, we asked veteran journalists from the Erie Times-News and GoErie.com all about the editorials we read on a daily basis. At the TalkErie.com microphones were Pat Howard, Editor/opinion and engagement, and Lisa Thompson, editorial writer. Our conversation also covered the community-advanci...

On the Monday edition of the Joel Natalie Show, we invited key officials from the efforts to bring investments to bear on Erie's low-income census tracts thought the federal Opportunity Zones tax incentive program. With us were Matt Wachter, Vice President of Finance and Development at the Erie Downtown Development Corporation, his brother Attorney Tim Wachter, lawyer at Knox McLaughlin Gornall &a...

On Friday's show we talked to three launching seniors, Mikal-Bryan, Justice, and Kimberly, who just graduated from Erie High School, and who were also participants in the Go College Program.  We also welcomed back to the microphone Barb Priestap, the Go College Program Director and High School Outreach Liaison at Gannon University. We heard the stories of our graduates and how they navigated...

On our Thursday episode of the Joel Natalie Show, we talked to Hugh Hewitt, morning talk show host on the Salem Radio Network.  Hugh’s program airs from 6-9am right here on our station, TalkErie.com, and he will be speaking in person at Chautauqua Institution, on June 27th. Then we heard about all the events and programs coming up at Chautauqua Institution, with Jordan Steves, Director of Str...

Most of the area schools have their last day this week, and summer vacation begins for students in and around Erie.  What are our kids doing with their summers?  What about the kids who are food-insecure?  We talked Brad Whitman, director of federal and state programs for the Northwest Pennsylvania Intermediate Unit, and Tammy Roche, vice president of marketing, membership and devel...

On Tuesday, we got into the topic of Crime in Erie, with a conversation with Deputy Chief of the Criminal Investigation Division for the Erie Police, Mike Nolan. Our conversation focused on the extraordinary efforts to break cases by both detectives and patrolmen and women in the city police force. Then we talked to Jaime Stoeger, Director of Court Advocacy for the Crime Victim Center of Erie to t...

We started the week with an explanation and update on the consent decree that governs health care in Western Pennsylvania, and is slated to expire on June 30, 2019. Providing a perspective from the insurance broker and consumer perspective is Tom Giblin, President of Wagner-Giblin Insurance. Then James Teed of Highmark, Inc. joined us to articulate their organizational perspective.