Published: June 26, 2008 11:08 pm      

Thunder notes: Atrium Manor joins food vendor ranks

If you’re looking for some tasty food at a low price, head on over to the Atrium Manor on Main Street.

Those familiar with the Atrium know every Tuesday throughout the summer staffers pull out their grills and offer hungry lunch-goers some quick picnic-style food.

But this year, the personal-care home decided to get into the Thunder in the Valley action by opening the grill Thursday and today from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“It’s a nice fundraiser with all the proceeds going to help the residents,” said activities director Cathy Adams.

On the menu are items such as grilled chicken sandwiches, kielbasa and sauerkraut, hot dogs, haluski, gobs, a variety of chips, and water and soda.

The idea to open the grill came about Wednesday, leaving little time to prepare. But Adams is optimistic more people will visit once the word gets out that they are there.

“We’ll just see how we do,” she said.

Hot rides

While the thousands of motorcycles flowing through the city this weekend are putting the thunder in Thunder in the Valley, the Johnstown police aren’t cruising with quite such a roar.

In fact, some city police are cruising almost silently as they patrol the downtown area thanks to a loan from Kuchera Defense Systems of Windber.

KDS delivered two of its Kuchera Electric Vehicles, KEV, to city police Thursday morning. The KEVs use a military technology that has been commercialized by Kuchera for use by emergency responders.

Last summer, Kuchera loaned one of its units to Pittsburgh city police for use while patrolling crowds at the U.S. Open PGA event at Oakmont.

Such use of the vehicles is a win-win situation for emergency responders and KDS.

“What Kuchera Defense Systems is offering the Johnstown police department is a tactical, all-terrain electric vehicle that can be used to support security efforts during the Thunder event,” said Charlie Maidens, marketing manager at KDS.

“In return, the Johnstown police have agreed to give KDS valuable real-world feedback that we can use to help harden the platform. It’s a great arrangement for everyone involved.”

Full throttle

Blues will be the theme as four downtown Thunder in the Valley stages will be rockin’ all day, with five shows each at the Central Park Gazebo, Festival Park and the Train Station and three performances at the Biker Mall.

At Central Park, Blue Piranha, 2 to 4 p.m.; BluesMoon, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.; and Holy Smoke Blues, 7 to 9 p.m., will perform.

You can catch three more blues/rock acts at Festival Park – Who’s Your Daddy, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.; Jimmy Adler Band, 7 to 9 p.m.; and Glenn Pavone & the Cyclones, 9:30 to midnight.

Blues will fill the Train Station, with folk-style Dead Irish Blues, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and the Dan Lawson Band, 7 to 9.

For those who prefer jazz, enjoy Johnstown hometown favorite Jazz Along the River, featuring Lou Stein, from 5 to 9 p.m. at St. Mary’s Byzantine Catholic Church Pavilion, Fifth Avenue and Power Street, in Cambria City.

Doos and tattoos

At 10:30 a.m. Thursday, vendors still were getting their gear set up, but at the Nationwide Insurance booth in the Biker Mall people were lining up to take a spin on the prize wheel. No matter what you spin you get a prize – a biker T-shirt, bandana or towel.

You also got the chance to sign up for a free $150 or $300 gas card, and who couldn’t use some extra help when it comes to filling up the tank.

“This is the second year for us to be here. And we want to be present and visible in the area,” said district sales manager Kevin Witwer. “This is a great community event and these people coming here are our customers.”