John Last
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Reporter for Erie News Now (WICU, WSEE, Erie Pennsylvania CW
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Articles by John Last
The Last Word: Remembering Skeletons Found in 1988 at 23rd & Pittsburgh
This is that spooky time of year when skeletons can be found easily in front yards throughout the area. But I want to tell you about some skeletons that were found unexpectedly several years ago. Let's take a trip to Millcreek Township. I'm at D'Amico's Collision and Painting on the Millcreek side of West 23rd and Pittsburgh Avenue. I'm talking with Dave D'Amico and Rob Filipowski about a certain day back in 1988.
The Last Word: Little Dance Studio Celebrates 100 Years
What a special year for Little Dance Studio! Not only is it celebrating its 100th birthday, it also moved into its new home on East 38th Street. It's a great time to learn the history of this legendary Erie institution. Little Dance Studio was founded in 1926 by Catherine Little who at the age of 15 began teaching dance inside her parents home on East Sixth Street. Two years later, Catherine opened a studio at Sixth and French Streets. The studio later was located on North Park Row.
The Last Word: New Markers Replace Unreadable Gravestones at Cemetery
For several months, I've been updated on a cemetery restoration project in Crawford County. I've waited and waited to do the story. Well, the project is finally completed, and I can't wait to see the work that has been done. I'm attending a ceremony to celebrate the completion of the restoration project at the Cambridge Springs Upper Cemetery. The oldest section of the cemetery dates back to the early 1800s. Only a few months ago, the gravestones in that section looked awful. Some were crumbling.
The Last Word: Park Fountain, School are Erie’s Tributes to Thomas Edison
Let's see. What historical figure do I want to highlight today on The Last Word? Oh! A light bulb just went off in my head. I've got it! Thomas Edison. I want to know what connections he had to the City of Erie. Let's go back to 1887. The Edison Electric Light and Power Company begins offering incandescent lighting to the city. Remnants of the company's power station can still be seen on French Street between 10th and Eleventh Streets.
Mark Carney’s Plans Are Bigger Than Trump Original
Canada’s last breakup, with Great Britain, took roughly 100 years of painstaking and piecemeal constitutional reform to accomplish. This time, things are moving a little faster. Since President Donald Trump launched his trade war against his closest neighbor shortly after taking office a second time—leveling tariffs of up to 50 percent on hundreds of goods—relations have been icy, and keep getting icier.
The Last Word: The Perfect Place to Celebrate Columbus Day
I really want to celebrate Columbus Day this year. In Northwestern Pennsylvania, there's really one obvious place to be. I am in Columbus, Pennsylvania. This community is in Warren County, just a couple miles from the Erie County line. I want to know how this village and the surrounding township got to be named after the man who has long been called the Discoverer of the New World. I'm meeting Ann Clark of the Corry Area Historical Society and Museum.
The Last Word: Mary Behrend’s Art Studio Comes Full Circle
I'm always open to learning more about the Behrend family. I've done stories about them before. They founded Hammermill Paper, a company that was one of Erie's most important businesses. And Mary Behrend donated the land for what is now Penn State Behrend. Mary Behrend was the wife of Ernst Behrend, who served as president of Hammermill Paper after the company was founded in 1898. The Behrend family lived in a beautiful farmhouse which is now an administration building at Penn State Behrend.
The Last Word: Creatures That Inhabited the Erie Area Before the Dinosaurs
Since I became a grandfather just over six years ago, I cannot escape the world of dinosaurs. Dinosaur toys. Dinosaur pajamas. Songs about dinosaurs. My grandkids love them. So today, I want to learn about prehistoric Erie. I'm at Mercyhurst University visiting Scott McKenzie. He is a semi-retired professor of paleontology at Mercyhurst, and he has agreed to teach me about prehistoric Erie. My grandkids love dinosaurs. Scott says he will show me things that predate the dinosaur by over 100 million years.
The Last Word: Not Even Being Hit by Car Stops This 100-Year-Old
I've heard some wonderful things about a woman who lives at the Wesbury United Methodist Retirement Community in Meadville. She's 100 years old, almost 101, and she's still active. She has some great stories to tell. I can't wait to meet her. I meet Jane Hutchison and her daughter Carol inside Jane's apartment at Wesbury. Jane tells me it's too nice a day to stay inside. She suggests we go outside and look at her garden. She's 100 years old but I better hustle if I want to keep up.
Will Inuit in Canada Turn to China?
Politics Economics China These days in Canada, all eyes are on the country’s west. Alberta is hurtling toward a controversial Oct. 19 independence referendum, with reported meddling by both U.S. influencers and Russian bot farms. In response, Ottawa is promising billions in new investments in the province’s fossil fuel industry despite Supreme Court judgements that the entire separatist campaign is likely unconstitutional—and polling suggesting that it will lose.
The Last Word: Man Enjoys Extreme Gardening During His Retirement
My wife had a nice vegetable garden again this year. We enjoyed lettuce, onions, tomatoes and peppers. But today, my story is about a different kind of garden, and a man who grows things that weigh more than I do. I'm visiting Ken Zappitella and his wife Kathy at their home near East Springfield. Ken is showing me some of the large fruits and vegetables that are still growing in his backyard. The first thing he shows me is a bushel gourd. "That's over 215, 220 pounds right now,” Ken declares.
Will Inuit in Canada Turn to China?
Politics Economics China These days in Canada, all eyes are on the country’s west. Alberta is hurtling toward a controversial Oct. 19 independence referendum, with reported meddling by both U.S. influencers and Russian bot farms. In response, Ottawa is promising billions in new investments in the province’s fossil fuel industry despite Supreme Court judgements that the entire separatist campaign is likely unconstitutional—and polling suggesting that it will lose.
The Last Word: Surviving a Spooky Night at Phantom Park
I’m standing at the place I always knew as Conneaut Lake Park in Crawford County. However, for the next few weeks it will be called Phantom Park. If you visit, be prepared to be scared! I'm joining Jaclyn McCoy, the general manager at Conneaut Lake Park. She has invited me to the final dress rehearsal for Phantom Park. I'm told this is the largest haunt in Pennsylvania with nine spooky attractions. What have I gotten myself into? "So, which one are we walking through first?” Jaclyn asks me.
The Last Word: Hunting for Wild Turkey on Presque Isle (With a Camera)
I grew up in Venango County at a time when just about everyone was a hunter. Me? I've never hunted. But today, I'm going to hunt turkey with my cameraman here on Presque Isle. We're going to shoot turkey with his camera. It was just last week when my wife and I saw a flock of turkeys while biking at the park. There were about 20 of them, or more! It was a sight to see. So, I've returned to Presque Isle to hopefully see them again and share the video with my Last Word viewers.
Iceland Just Got Played Original
On August 28, roughly a quarter of a million Icelanders took to the polls to register their thoughts on whether Europeans would steal their fish. Well, that wasn’t the question on the ballot. But it proved to be all Icelanders cared about. And as a result, Icelanders may have committed a Brexit-esque act of self-sabotage. For the last three months, the island nation of roughly 400,000 people has played host to a heated referendum campaign on whether to reinitiate talks to join the European Union.
The Last Word: The Legends of Erie’s Ainsworth Field
I’m visiting Ainsworth Field, owned by the Erie School District. It needs a lot of repairs, costing millions of dollars. It would be nice to preserve this ballpark. Not only so baseball games could continue to be played here, but also because of the memories that were made here. The walls and bleachers of Ainsworth Field cannot talk. However, I am still in luck. There is no one better to tell me about the history of this ballpark than Alan Swigonski. He's Erie's foremost baseball historian.
The Last Word: Beautiful Mural Depicts Women’s Struggle for Solidarity
I was honored to be the guest speaker at a meeting of the GE Retirees a few months ago. The meeting was held at the United Electrical Workers (UE) 506 union hall in Lawrence Park. I saw a beautiful and captivating tribute to workers that day. Today is Labor Day and I want to see it again. The tribute is a mural inside the union hall. It’s called A Woman's Place: A Warrior in the Struggle for International Solidarity.
The Last Word: Poor Richard’s is Special Place for Owner & Anglers
I love to hear how family traditions are carried on from generation to generation. I love to learn about a son or daughter taking over the family business and then making that business grow. That's what's happening here in Fairview. I'm visiting Poor Richard's Bait and Tackle Shop on West Lake Road. The business has been open at this location for about 75 years. Current owner Brittany Campanella grew up here. Her dad bought the shop in 1996 when Brittany was one year old.
The Last Word: Visiting an America250 Exhibit You Don’t Want to Miss
I received a call from an old friend from Franklin. He told me about a collection of historic artifacts that are on display in my old hometown. He was very excited. He's a history buff. When he's excited about an exhibit, then it's something I've got to see. I walk into a building not far from the Venango County Courthouse. I immediately see centuries of history on the walls. Military weapons, uniforms, books, paintings.
The Last Word: Crossing the NY Border for Great Food & Famous Pie
I've done several stories for The Last Word about restaurants. Most of them in Chautauqua County, New York. There are so many interesting restaurants in Chautauqua County! My destination today is just a few miles from the Pennsylvania border. I've arrived at Meeder's Restaurant in Ripley. This place has been the heart and soul of Ripley since 1960. That's the year a local farmer named Andy Meeder traveled to this location on Main Street.
The Last Word: Summer Camp Teaches Kids How to Play Bridge
I've returned to the Erie Bridge Club. I was here two and a half years ago to learn what club members were doing to promote the game of bridge and what they were doing to encourage people to learn the game. I'm back to find out about their latest idea. The latest idea is Bridge Camp. I’m meeting a group of kids that have accepted the Erie Bridge Club's invitation to spend a few days of their summer vacation to learn the game of bridge. There are many different kinds of summer camps in the Erie area.
The Last Word: The Chautauquan Daily Turns 150 Years Old
I'm saddened that many, many newspapers across the country no longer exist. The daily newspapers in Titusville, Franklin, and Oil City are recent examples in Northwestern Pennsylvania. But I'm happy to be in a place today where the daily newspaper is still going strong. I'm at Chautauqua Institution, Chautauqua County, New York. The institution was founded in 1874 as a place to provide courses for Sunday school teachers.
The Last Word: An Unusual Bike Ridden by an Extraordinary Man
I've been riding my bike a lot lately. When I ride it, I think about another bike. It's an old and unusual bike that someone told me about recently. It's in Union City. Let's go see it! The bike is on display at the Union City Historical Museum. I see it now! The seat is old and deteriorated. The body of the bicycle is mostly rusted, and the tires are flat. However, the most unusual things about this bike are the very high handlebars. They were designed by a man from Union City named George Showers.
The Last Word: Barber Opens His Dream Shop in Summit Township
I'm at Garver's Barbers and More in Summit Township. I'm told it's the coolest barbershop around. It has everything you want from a modern barbershop. But when you walk in, it's like going back in time. There are reminders of the past everywhere you look. Pictures of JFK, Capone, Sinatra, Babe Ruth, and Marilyn Monroe. There are whiskey kegs and newspaper clippings from the days of prohibition. There's a salute to the craft of barbering, with a collection of antique straight razors on the wall.
The Last Word: Big Plans for a Restored Bucyrus-Erie Drag Shovel
There's been a lot of talk about the possibility of a shipbuilding facility being built at the former Erie Coke site. Navy and Coast Guard ships would be built in the city. Wouldn't it be something if that project was approved and a groundbreaking ceremony takes place? Denny Pyle is ready for that groundbreaking ceremony. He restored an old, rundown 1949 Bucyrus-Erie drag shovel. It now looks as it did when it was new. It runs as smoothly as it did 77 years ago.
The Last Word: Celebrate America250 with Flags & Blueberries
There’s been some really nice events in the area to celebrate the nation's 250th Anniversary. I haven't been to all of them. But I bet with every one of them, there's been at least one person waving the flag. Today, I'm in Edinboro to find out about an upcoming event in which the flag, and blueberries, will be the center of attention. The Edinboro Area Historical Society has been hosting a blueberry social for the past 20 years.
One month after wildfire evacuation, Wrigley residents can return home
North·New An evacuation order for the N.W.T. hamlet first issued June 29 was downgraded to an evacuation alert Wednesday evening, allowing residents to return home for the first time in a month. Evacuation order downgraded to evacuation alert over nearby wildfire Listen to this article Estimated 2 minutes The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
The Last Word: Mustang Owners Love to Show Off Their Cars
I'm in the parking lot of Maria's Pizza in Millcreek. I'll be meeting a group of people here. They are members of a club that promotes the preservation and enjoyment of a certain model of car. The Ford Mustang. Every week, members of the Lake Erie Mustang Owners Club (LEMOC) meet at Maria's to have lunch. They arrive at the restaurant in style. Each of them brings the car that they love. The Ford Mustang. Local Mustang owners have been getting together since the late 1970s.
His art studio burned down in a 2023 wildfire. Now his community has evacuated again
Fashion designer D’Arcy Moses remembers the N.W.T.’s historic 2023 wildfire season like it was yesterday. “It was a shock,” he told CBC’s The Trailbreaker on Friday, “because I remember getting a call the next day, and I was told that everything was gone.” Moses lost his studio when a massive wildfire tore through the community of Enterprise, N.W.T., resulting in devastating damage to homes and businesses.
Fort Smith welcomes evacuees from Wrigley as wildfire encroaches on community
Wildfire evacuees from Wrigley, N.W.T., were met with a warm welcome in Fort Smith as firefighters continued to tackle the blaze encroaching on the community. Wrigley was one of two Dehcho communities evacuated this week as a growing group of wildfires threaten to cut off all escape from the remote region. Fire officials did not specify how much the Wrigley fire, designated FS014, had grown overnight, as heavy smoke made assessing the fire from the air impossible.
Where’s the Original Wood from the Brig Niagara?: The Last Word
The day is almost here. The return to Erie of the US Brig Niagara. The brig is certainly one of the city's greatest contributions to the 250 year history to our nation and our state. The wooden ship has undergone many rebuilds and renovations over the years. There's very little of the original Brig Niagara that remains on the ship that will be returning to Erie for the city's America/PA250 Celebration. I want to know what happened to that original wood. Where can I find it?
N.W.T. leaders react to fast-tracking of Mackenzie Valley Highway as ‘project of national interest’
North·New N.W.T. officials were generally positive in responding to news that the federal government would be working to fast-track a long-desired highway in the territory — though already, some local leaders are raising concerns that they have not been adequately consulted. Project would see the construction of 800-kilometre all-season road connecting Yellowknife and Inuvik Listen to this article Estimated 5 minutes The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology.
Hot, dry and stormy weather results in 8 new N.W.T. fires over weekend
North Stormy weather and dry conditions caused eight new fires across the N.W.T. over the long weekend, though officials say none currently pose risk to structures or communities. 5 fires ignited by storms in Beaufort Delta, 100 km east of Inuvik Listen to this article Estimated 2 minutes The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
N.W.T. residents can now access Alberta health records online Original
North·New For thousands of N.W.T. residents who access health care services in Alberta, life is about to get a little easier, as medical records from the province will now be made accessible to territorial residents online. Approximately 8,400 N.W.T. residents received health care in Alberta last year Listen to this article Estimated 2 minutes The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur.
The Last Word: Bidwell Cemetery. George Washington Sadly Stopped Here
Northwestern Pennsylvania is proud of its connection to George Washington. Washington traveled through the wilderness of this area long before he became the First President of the United States. Today, I'm visiting a location where he made an unexpected stop. I'm at Bidwell Cemetery in Crawford County, about a mile outside the community of Little Cooley. There are many old gravestones here. However, there is one in particular that I want to see first.
Why Conflict Feels Constant Now
Credits John Last is a freelance journalist and former foreign correspondent living outside Ottawa, Canada. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the possible death and dismemberment of my country. Time and again, I scan the news and hear rumblings of war. Threats of annexation and domination. Glib guides on the political benefits of erasing my country from the map.
‘Serious shortcomings’ remain at N.W.T. Child and Family Services, auditor general finds
The federal Office of the Auditor General has issued a scathing new report identifying “serious shortcomings” in the N.W.T.'s Department of Child and Family Services.
The Last Word: Eisenhower HS Band Prepares for Big Patriotic Performance
I was not very excited when I heard that President Trump was planning to host a mixed martial arts event at the White House as part of America's 250th Anniversary Celebration. I am excited however about another event being held in Washington this year. It involves a local marching band. I'm in Warren County to attend a mini-camp session of the Eisenhower High School Marching Band. It's a big day.
Yellowknife 'bait bikes' aim to catch bike thieves red-handed
North·New A new program will see Yellowknife RCMP stash bikes around the city and keep them monitored "at all times" to deter thefts. RCMP say 51 bikes were stolen in Yellowknife last year Listen to this article Estimated 2 minutes The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results. 'Bait bike' programs are already in place in several jurisdictions across Canada.
Data of around 1,700 people potentially compromised in Canvas data breach, N.W.T. gov't says
North·New Approximately 1,700 teachers, education staff, government employees, program participants and contractors are affected by a breach that may have compromised email addresses, enrollment information and training data. Teachers, program participants, education staff, government employees, contractors affected Listen to this article Estimated 2 minutes The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur.
The Last Word: Scouting Great Local Places to See the Big Boy Locomotive
The United States is celebrating its 250th birthday this year and the countdown is underway for one of this area's most exciting events to mark the occasion. It's the arrival of the largest steam locomotive still in operation today. It's called Big Boy 4014. Many people will be lining up to see the huge locomotive chug through the Lake Shore region next month. I'm excited about the chance to see Big Boy 4014.
4 more sailors lost on doomed 1845 Arctic expedition identified
Douglas Stenton, an adjunct professor of anthropology at Waterloo, works to excavate the remains of an unidentified crew member of the 1845 Franklin expedition through the Northwest Passage. Using DNA analysis, his team has helped settle a century-old debate about the identity of some human remains connected to the doomed affair. (Submitted by Robert W.
Canada Faces Its Finland Moment
Imagine a small, democratic nation, perched on top of a diverse and bustling continent. Outside of a few cities, its people are spread out over a vast northern hinterland. Its long, largely unguarded border is shared with one of the world’s military superpowers. And that neighbor has recently articulated a desire to acquire new territory. What might that small country do to protect its independence?
The MAGA Plot to Take Down Canada Original
When the fascist general Emilio Mola closed on Madrid in 1936, he made a haunting claim aimed at the city's republican resistance. He would arrive with four columns of soldiers to besiege the city, and they would soon find help from a fifth column of sympathizers within. Well, if President Donald Trump were ever to march on Canada-a possibility roughly half of Canadians now fear -it is becoming abundantly clear that a fifth column would await him here too.
Most of the world doesn’t require a prescription for birth control. Why do Canadians still need one?
Leah Morris has been on birth control since she was a teenager. She remembers that first appointment being deceptively simple. “It was just like, ‘You’re at a time that you should be on this,’” she said. She started taking Yasmine, a common estrogen-based oral contraceptive. At first, getting refills was as easy as visiting her local pharmacy. But as Morris’s work in international development and venture capital took her around the world, getting a prescription became, at times, a major struggle.
The Last Word: Visiting a Cemetery is a Great Way to Honor Veterans
I've chosen to observe the Veterans Day holiday this year with a visit to Erie Cemetery. Many veterans are buried here, and it is a special time to visit some of the graves. It's my salute to the veterans of the past. I've asked Betsy MacKrell, the manager of sales and business development at the cemetery, to tell me about some of the veterans interred here. I am not the only person who has shown interest. "People take walks here to see the veterans all the time,” says Betsy.
Speed cameras are controversial in Canada. So why does Europe love them? Original
Speed cameras are controversial in Canada. So why does Europe love them? John Last | CBC News | Posted: October 30, 2025 8:00 AM | Last Updated: Just now Ontario premier has called them a 'cash grab,' yet Europeans acknowledge they save lives Image | speed-camera-italy Caption: A car rides past a speed camera in Lagnasco, northwestern Italy, on Jan. 26, 2024. A saboteur known as 'Fleximan' has been destroying speed cameras across northern Italy, sparking a national debate.
The Growing Schism Between Bible Scholars and Israeli Nationalists
The Tom Ford Bible Told Me to Layer These Two Unexpected Perfumes—Now, I Can't Stop Spraying Them Fun fact for the fragrance-obsessed (we welcome you with open arms!): Tom Ford has an IYKYK bible of exclusive scent combinations, one you can only …
The Growing Schism Between Bible Scholars and Israeli Nationalists
For the last century, historians, philologists, and archaeologists have been critically examining narratives about Israel in the Bible, searching for evidence of their historical reality. But the last thirty years or more of critical scholarship have turned up a notable lack of evidence supporting the foundational narratives of the ancient Kingdom of Israel, supposedly in existence for a little over 100 years at the turn of the first millennium BCE.
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