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Happy weekend, Erie! In today’s edition: A 100th anniversary celebration, the Flagship City Kitties debut, War of 1812 ship crew hiring, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

🏆 Most popular this week

Curated by popular demand — here are this week’s most-clicked events, local spots, and stories.

Where community runs deep: Lawrence Park Township is marking 100 years in 2026, honoring Garden City roots in Erie County with General Electric through centennial activities celebrating history, parks, and neighborhood pride all year — see what’s planned for 2026.

Behind the new look: Erie SeaWolves will take the field as the Flagship City Kitties for select home games June 11-12 and August 7-8 at UPMC Park, celebrating 25 years as a Tigers affiliate — see who designed it.

Latest rental market snapshot: New data shows Erie apartment rents fell 15% from last year. The median listing held at about $1,000 last month, with two-bedrooms down 6% from December — see the full rent breakdown.

Confronting deadly heat risks: Erie County is partnering with UB researcher Susan Clark on a temperature plan to protect vulnerable residents. Heat Watch results were shared, and a draft could come by fall — read the full story.

Inspiring family effort: Erie-area kidney recipient Adam Hoover said his wife, Zee, helped him get a transplant by spreading the word about his need, showing the power of community support across our region — read the full story.

War of 1812 ship refit: The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission is hiring officers and crew for the U.S. Brig Niagara. New hires will come aboard this spring and sail the ship into Erie on July 2. Open roles include chief mate, second mate, boatswain, and four able seafarers, most likely March through mid-October. See the open positions.

Gold & silver are hot: Coming off gold’s best year since 1979, the momentum is carrying well into 2026 with silver remaining one of the most talked-about assets. Curious why precious metals are back in focus? American Hartford Gold has a free guide that explains what’s happening and how people are approaching it today. It’s free – and definitely worth a read.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175/month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.

What do people see when they search your name? Search results can surface past mistakes or outdated information that no longer reflects who you are. BetterReputation helps remove and clean up unwanted content so your online presence matches your real life today. Not worried about yourself? Doesn’t hurt to mention it to family or friends who might be.

🔥 Worth a peek

We’re always on the hunt for useful resources, deals, services, and products we think you’ll love. Here’s what caught our eye this week.

• Got debt? See if you qualify to pay up to 45% less
• This is the best home warranty (and it’s $150 off right now)
• This free tool makes it easy to find a financial advisor
• Over 62? Learn how to turn home equity into tax-free cash
• This pet insurance plan reimburses up to 90%
• Open a GoldCo account & get up to 10% in free gold/silver

📆 Sneak peek at next week

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

🥞 National Pancake Day @ IHOP | Tuesday (3/3) at 7:00 AM – Feel like doing good while carb-loading? IHOP on Peach Street is handing out a free short stack for National Pancake Day, and you can toss a few bucks to Feeding America. Bring the kids, swap gossip over syrup, and call it community service.

🎉 Wee Build Block Party @ Iroquois Avenue Branch Library | Tuesday (3/3) at 10:00 AM – Tuesday mornings at Iroquois mean blocks everywhere, kids plotting skyscrapers, and parents catching a breather with fellow survivors. It is unstructured, drop-in play that helps families meet neighbors, no registration required. Bring a kid with a chaperone, and hope the library is open.

🐾 World Wildlife Day Celebration @ Tom Ridge Environmental Center | Tuesday (3/3) at 4:00 PM – Feel like trading Netflix for nature? TREC is screening Animal Kingdom, a 40-minute romp through six animal families, then sending us on a local-species scavenger hunt. Free admission, exhibits and tower, PopLuck popcorn, Lake Erie Candy Company sweets, Pulakos chocolates, and red carpet photo ops.

🎶 Second Harvest Sounds @ JPT Foundation Event Center | Tuesday (3/3) at 6:00 PM – Bring a chair and a cooler to this free, BYOB night where The Fabulous Leftovers Orchestra sets the table, then Shady Side brings the main course. Every dollar goes to Second Harvest Food Bank, and they’ll happily take canned goods, too.

🆓 Access for All @ Erie Art Museum | Thursday (3/5) at 11:00 AM – Free museum admission happens first Thursdays and third Saturdays, courtesy of Art Bridges’ Access for All. Pop in for a midday art fix, some blessed AC, and a quiet wander, then brag about being cultured, thrifty, and indoorsy, all in one outing.

🎂 15th Anniversary Bingo @ Belle Valley Fire Department | Friday (3/6) at 4:30 PM – Break out your lucky dabber, celebrate 15 years with an anniversary bingo night March 6 and a $1,500 jackpot every Friday in March. $50 gets you a Level 3 verifier and four packs, plus free admission giveaways.

🎭 Shrek Jr. The Musical @ Westlake Middle School | Friday (3/6) at 7:00 PM – Westlake Middle School goes full swamp chic with Shrek Jr., featuring an ogre, a motormouth donkey, and more heart than a Saturday matinee. Give Netflix the night off, bring the family, and brace for earworms. Tickets are on sale now.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

📻 Erie report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 38°F – Low: 21°F – Precip: 5%

Mostly sunny. High near 38, with temperatures falling to around 32 in the afternoon. Northwest wind 5 to 16 mph. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible. Later: Snow after 7pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21. North wind 3 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

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Tomorrow – High: 24°F – Low: 10°F – Precip: 80%

Snow before 7am. Partly sunny, with a high near 24. North wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of around one inch possible. Later: Partly cloudy, with a low around 10.

Most popular house this week

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