From the Editors: November 2026
Connecting dots
October was such a hard month for Erie.
A few days after one of the most horrific, unspeakable acts of violence our community has ever witnessed, one that left a family and a neighborhood raw, mourning the senseless loss of innocent lives, a verdict came down that left the family of another lost life without the closure and answers they have waited more than a year for.
Our community quickly rallied to support the family of the victims on Seventh and Perry – as of press time, the fundraiser for funeral costs for Angelina Stone and her children has topped $40,000. There were nightly vigils of neighbors coming together and offering mutual support. Families and neighbors coordinated donations left at the site to be distributed to local shelters. The Erie Blue Coats, a volunteer anti-violence group, have offered their support, presence, and comfort to the neighborhood daily.
Meanwhile, the Justice for Chello movement quickly organized a vigil the night the verdict was announced that acquitted the parole agent who used deadly force against Marchello Woodard – helping to support many in the community who were left grappling with the outcome.
When tragedy strikes in Erie, it reminds us how truly connected we all are. The collective empathy and grief we feel for a family we've never met, whose lives may have looked very different from our own, and the way we imagine what those left behind must be feeling – those overwhelming human emotions connect us all.
I am writing this column the night before an important election. By the time this issue hits newsstands, we will know the results – but tonight, as I write this, nothing is certain. I'd like to think that those elements of humanity that connect us all – empathy, compassion, human decency – will be on display at the polls. That people will rise above party lines and choose the candidates who will work for everyone, instead of the few. I hope people will see that when life gets better for those living in poverty, it gets better for everyone in the community. I hope that people will vote with their empathy rather than their anger – and that we can all start inching forward.
This issue is focused on the Erie community – and while holiday shopping might not seem like the easiest of connections to make – when you look at shopping locally as an act of supporting your neighbors, it's not so hard to see. When you purchase something from a local business, you're not lining the pockets of those who are lobbying against your best interests and the best interests of your community. You're helping to sponsor a little league team. You're helping local farmers make their operations more sustainable. You're helping someone improve their building and make it safer for the future. You're helping a business have the cash to sponsor free events like Downtown d'Lights, as subtly featured on our cover this month (created by local artist and teacher Doug Eberhardt at voidboy.art). And on that note, you're helping local artists continue to do what they do to help make our town a little brighter. All of those things are uplifting to everyone in Erie.
As we move into the holiday season, let these collective moments of darkness become moments of reflection on what it means to be part of a larger whole. If we learn nothing from them but that life is singular, fragile, and short, that is enough. Hold your loved ones a little tighter this holiday season – for all of those who can't.
