Susquehanna Art Museum creates community space with Helen’s Courtyard

July 1, 2026 | by Rosena Campana

Helen’s Courtyard at Susquehanna Art Museum

A new gathering space will provide room for artsy events.

The Susquehanna Art Museum unveiled a portion of Helen’s Courtyard on June 25, marking a major step in expanding its community programming.

Located outside the museum’s Education Center, the 3,000 square foot space will be a flexible venue for art classes, school programs and receptions.

According to Capitol Region Water, which is completing the construction, they will have the courtyard fully completed by July 31.

In addition to the courtyard, the museum recently updated its exterior signage.

The museum currently provides Pennsylvania STEAM Academy students with museum-based art education, including abstract collages, prospective drawings, and classes related to the museum’s exhibitions. The new courtyard will expand opportunities for these programs while creating additional space for community events.

Executive Director Alice Anne Schwab emphasized the importance of creating a welcoming space for the community.

“An open area feels more like an invitation, and our number one goal is to be community-friendly and always cognizant of the entire community, not just museum members,” said Schwab.

According to Schwab, the idea for the courtyard occurred during the COVID pandemic in October 2020. Carol DeSoto, a new board member at the time, supported the project and made the first donation up front. The museum then collaborated with the hydrogeology company K&W Engineers to create a multipurpose space that would provide the most flexibility for different events.

The museum offered the naming rights to DeSoto, but she declined to name the space after herself. Instead, she chose to honor her late mother, Helen, who was heavily involved in Harrisburg’s cultural community.

One of the first major events to be held in Helen’s Courtyard will be Coffee and Art on Sept. 26 at noon. Visitors will be encouraged to experience the museum while enjoying food trucks, beer, wine, coffee and other activities for adults.

The Susquehanna Art Museum is located at 1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit their website.

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Scooping Up Smiles: Local ice cream business is selected for PETA’s “Nice Cream Trail”

July 1, 2026 | by Rosena Campana

Honey Bear Ice Cream at Broad Street Market

A new ice cream trail, with a local stop, will be the cherry on top of summer for sweet-toothed vegans.

Harrisburg-based Honey Bear has been selected as one of ten vegan ice cream stores throughout Pennsylvania for PETA’s “Nice Cream Trail.”

Honey Bear is a dairy-free, gluten-free, from-scratch and soy-free ice cream business serving over 30 unique flavors throughout the year. The business operates an ice cream stand in the Broad Street Market’s stone building and sells ice cream at various businesses in the area.

The first Pennsylvania resident to complete the Nice Cream Trail by visiting all 10 participating shops by the end of August will be awarded a vegan ice cream party with PETA’s “IScream” truck for themselves and up to 50 guests.

“Pennsylvania is home to a plethora of parlors serving up delicious dairy-free desserts that are as kind to cows as they are to taste buds,” says PETA Founder Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA’s ‘Nice Cream Trail’ gives ice cream lovers the scoop on where to beat the heat with vegan sweets, and we encourage everyone to support Honey Bear and other forward-thinking local businesses.”

Natalie Wallace, the founder of Honey Bear, created the concept for the shop during the COVID pandemic, where she made ice cream from home due to her allergy intolerances. After sharing it with friends and family, they encouraged her to turn her recipes into a business. Local businesses, such as Little Amps Coffee, have shown their support by partnering with Honey Bear by selling its ice cream in their shops.

According to Wallace, Honey Bear was the only business in Dauphin County to receive a 2025 grant from the state through the Department of Agriculture to businesses that produce food locally.

“We exclusively exist first and foremost to serve customers with allergies and hope everyone appreciates our product,” said Wallace. “We care about providing a warm and welcoming experience for all.”

Honey Bear is located in the Broad Street Market at 1233 N. 3^rd St. and is open Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For flavors, pop-up events, merchandise and more, visit their website or Facebook page. Find the “Nice Cream Trail,” here.

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Community Comment: Two Months of Pride in Central PA

July 1, 2026 | by Dr. Eric Selvey

A past Pride Festival

International LGBTQ+ Pride Month may be over, but Harrisburg is still celebrating!

For 34 years, the Pride Festival of Central Pennsylvania has conducted its annual celebration of the LGBTQ community on the final Saturday of July. Yes, it’s hot! Yes, it’s muggy. Sometimes we’re drenched by a passing shower. In spite of the weather, the members of the LGBTQ community, along with our friends, supportive politicos, compassionate religious affiliations, and supportive corporate partners, gather in Harrisburg to celebrate our vibrant community.

As president of PFCPA since late 2021, I have never tired of seeing the joy of those who come out every year to express the pride of who they are, of whom they love, and of whom they have selected as their chosen families.

Likewise, I’m always encouraged by the many local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and religious groups that reach out every year to either sponsor or exhibit at the festival—some without being prompted and others that reach out in the hope of having a place on the Pride festival grid.

Two Months of Pride

Most of the world celebrates Pride in June. Why does Harrisburg do it in July? The 1980s and early ‘90s saw many from Pennsylvania’s capital travel to Pride festivals in Philadelphia, New York City, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and D.C., all of which occurred in June. In response, PFCPA moved its festival to the end of July so that those in Harrisburg could visit these out-of-area festivals without missing their hometown event. As time went by, new local festivals, including those in Gettysburg, Lancaster, Lititz and York established themselves in the traditional Pride month of June. PFCPA felt it was wise to continue Harrisburg’s celebration in July.

Along with New Cumberland’s annual Pride picnic, the Pride Festival of Central Pennsylvania has become the most well-attended Pride festival in central Pennsylvania, a title PFCPA has claimed since 1992. Ski Roundtop, the HACC campus and Harrisburg’s Riverfront Park have hosted the event in the past, and in 2018, rains forced the festival to change its location and, through the effort of a few state representatives, PFCPA ended up in its current location—behind the state Capitol building in Soldiers’ Grove. We’re proud to say we are the only Pride festival in the country that takes place on the grounds of a state capitol.

June and July host a spectrum of activities for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Pride nights at local eateries (thank you Sammy’s Authentic Italian Restaurant, The Millworks and Outback Steakhouse!) are but a few. In fact, we’re excited to add Sweet T & Greens to the list this coming July 15!

In 2022, we resurrected Harrisburg’s Pride Parade, and the 2026 festival will begin on July 25 when we march down 2^nd Street carrying a colossal 100-foot Pride flag!

Our Second Sunday in the City dance parties on the Cielo deck of Harrisburg’s 704 Lounge have proven to be a success that brings together gay and straight for an afternoon of fun and community.

Local Midtown and downtown bars recently took part in the first Pride Bar Crawl sponsored by PFCPA. With the help of these LGBTQ+-supportive establishments, the event was a roaring success and next year’s will be even better!

In an attempt to fulfill our goal of building bridges, PFCPA, along with PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), set up a booth at last month’s Jubilee Day festivities in Mechanicsburg. Amazed families and visitors approached us expressing gratitude for our presence. And though we had a New Testament thrown at us, we knew that being there was the positive ray of hope that many who question their sexual identity needed.

We’ve also initiated the Susquehanna LGBTQ Film Festival by showing themed shorts and movies during one evening in June, July and August, at Karma Entertainment Complex followed by a three-day event at the Midtown Cinema on Sept. 11 to 13! The film festival committee intends to expand these cinematic offerings throughout the year!

Pride is not only a time of parties and raucous celebrations. It’s also a time to reflect about those we have lost due to HIV, cancer, gay bashing, street and domestic violence. To this end, we will once again stand in remembrance of those we’ve lost at our annual Pride Candlelight Vigil on Thursday July 23 at Harrisburg’s Italian Lake beginning at 7 p.m.

More than Just a Festival

The Pride Festival of Central Pennsylvania donates a third of its net funds to other local nonprofit organizations, including LGBT Center of Central PA; Harrisburg Gay Men’s Chorus; Cadence, Central PA’s Treble Chorus; Metropolitan Community Church of the Spirit and other LGBTQ+-friendly nonprofit organizations and churches.

PFCPA’s goal of building bridges will only grow stronger as we add more events: Pride bowling and skating parties, more LGBTQ+ film nights, concerts and, of course, our wonderful drag queens and kings who have figured prominently in Pride’s fundraising efforts over the past 34 years!

Please visit www.CentralPAPride.org for information about us and our upcoming events!

Happy PRIDE to everyone! We look forward to seeing you!

Dr. Eric Selvey is president of the Pride Festival of Central Pennsylvania.

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Harrisburg school board passes 2026-27 budget with tax increase; holds off closing middle school building

July 1, 2026 | by Alexandra Jones

Harrisburg school board

The Harrisburg school board moved unanimously to adopt the district’s 2026-27 budget with a real estate tax rate hike Tuesday.

The $227.1 million budget comes with a 1.5% property tax increase, bringing the city’s mill rate to 31.871. This means an owner with a home with an assessed value (as opposed to market rate value) of $100,000 would pay $3,187 in annual school taxes.

More than two-thirds of the district’s budget comes from the state of Pennsylvania, which has yet to pass its own budget, despite a June 30 deadline. This has forced the district to predict what it will receive from the state. The district was able to sufficiently do this last year when the state failed to pass its budget until November. Smaller chunks of district revenue come from local and federal sources.

Board members also declined, in a 1-5 vote Tuesday, to close an Allison Hill-based office building turned middle school, Rowland Academy. Board member Jaime Johnsen was the only member to vote for the closure of the school.

Regardless of the vote, Rowland will not be staffed and will hold no students for the 2026-27 school year. It will, however, keep its state-registered building number.

This will allow it to be easily used in the future, if the district decides to move away from its current plan to consolidate most of its middle school students at the Uptown-based Camp Curtin.

“We’re committed to make a change for this fall. Should we not be pleased with the change, there could be the opportunity to revert back to the building,” said board member Annie Hughes.

Board member Annie Hughes

Approved in 2023, under a past superintendent, the middle school consolidation plan has long had skeptics, including board member Brian Carter, who noted that he initially voted against it.

Carter voted Tuesday against Rowland’s closure, reminding the full board that employees and community members had voiced concerns to the board about student behavior issues and large class sizes at the school earlier this month.

“I feel that the plug should have been pulled and we should not move forward with this decision,” Carter said of the consolidation, despite last week hearing a plan for how to streamline the effort from the incoming principal of the school.

Over the last three years, as Rowland stopped accepting lower grade levels, sending kids to Camp Curtin instead. According to the Department of Education, Camp Curtin enrolled 815 students for the 2025-2026 school year. All students that would have attended Rowland will go to Camp Curtin during the 2026-27 school year, as its last class of eighth graders graduated in June.

Several board members asked Superintendent Benjamin Henry to provide updates on how the new consolidation plan, put together by the building’s new principal, Ryan Jones, goes. Henry agreed to do so regularly, even going as far to say the board could add completion of such updates to his performance evaluations moving forward.

The board also approved the formal closure of a non-application, neighborhood school program at Marshall Math and Science Academy as well as merit-based salary increases for school administrators. Marshall Math and Science Academy, the application-based magnet school that houses roughly a fourth of the district’s middle school students, remains open.

Doug Thompson-Leader and Ellis Roy were absent from Tuesday’s meeting.

Board president Roslyn Copeland speaks

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Cooling centers open in Dauphin County as extreme heat expected this week

June 29, 2026 | by Lawrance Binda

The Heinz-Menaker Senior Center, one of the cooling stations, at 1824 N. 4th St., Harrisburg

Major heat is forecast for this week, prompting Dauphin County to urge residents to take advantage of area cooling stations.

On Monday, the county stated that six organizations would open their doors to residents, especially older residents, who may not have access to air-conditioned spaces.

“We encourage anyone in need of relief from the extreme heat to visit one of six community center locations, all of which are welcoming non-members during periods of high temperatures,” according to a county press release.

The locations are:

B’nai B’rith Senior Center
130 S. 3^rdSt., Harrisburg
717-232-7516
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Heinz-Menaker Senior Center
1824 N. 4^thSt., Harrisburg
717-238-7860
Hours: Tuesday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Friendship Senior Center
5000 Commons Dr., Harrisburg
717-657-1547
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Lykens Ballroom Senior Center
200 W. Main St., Lykens
717-453-8350
Hours: Monday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Millersburg Senior Center
109 Edward Dr., Millersburg
717-692-2657
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Leader Center for Active Life
605 Cocoa Ave., Hershey
717-533-2002
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 12 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

In the Harrisburg area, temperatures are forecast to approach or exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit from Wednesday through Saturday.

Benjamin D. Knox, administrator of the Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging, also asks residents to check in on older adults during this time, especially those with underlying medical conditions.

“We encourage residents to take a moment to ensure that family members, friends and neighbors have access to a cool, safe place to stay,” he said.

For more information, contact the agency at 717-780-6130.

Harrisburg soccer club to travel to China for international competition

June 29, 2026 | by Rosena Campana

Cole Goodman (top left) and Journey FC team members display their passports for upcoming trip to China

The next goal for a local soccer club will take the team across the globe.

Journey FC, a recently established soccer team from Harrisburg, will fly to China in August for an international soccer tournament and cultural engagement.

The trip is planned in collaboration with DENO International, a Chinese organization that supports worldwide cultural and educational exchange initiatives, and the World Affairs Council of Harrisburg.

The roster is made up of local athletes from a range of backgrounds, including former players from Harrisburg Area Community College, Central Penn College, John Harris High School, and individually recruited players from across the Harrisburg area.

Over the course of 10 days, the 18-player team will participate in cultural and educational experiences in addition to playing three games against local opponents.

Cole Goodman, the founder and head coach of Journey FC, emphasized the significance of the opportunity, both for the players and the local soccer community.

“As a coach, being able to see the team compete internationally and see the fruits of our hard work pay off is an honor,” Goodman said. “I want to make sure that Harrisburg and Pennsylvania are put on the map and showcase the talent we have here.”

Goodman brings several years of soccer experience to the role, having played college soccer and previously coached at HACC and John Harris High School before becoming the head coach of Journey FC.

“I hope this trip can change the lives of these young men forever,” Goodman said. “They’ll grow through experiencing different cultures and participating in this cultural exchange program, while also competing on the field and showing the talent, professionalism, joy and happiness that comes from the young people of Harrisburg.”

Players Mark Haye, Darwin Lopez and Rotman Saltos expressed their enthusiasm and voiced how their team has collaborated over the months.

“It’s really exciting working with so many people from different places,” said Lopez, the team’s goalie. “We all have different backgrounds, but we all share our love for soccer and that’s what brings us together.”

Haye, a Jamaican native and the team’s midfielder, expressed how grateful he was for the opportunity presented to him.

“If you would’ve told me as a kid that I was going to be playing internationally by age 20, I probably wouldn’t have believed you,” he said.

Lastly, Saltos, born in Ecuador, and the team’s striker, highlighted the perseverance that defines Harrisburg.

“Journey FC is ready to represent the city’s hard work, resilience, and the ‘never give up’ mentality. That’s what it means to grow up in Harrisburg,” said Saltos.

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Easter Eggs: Can you spot all the good stuff happening in Harrisburg?

June 29, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

Friends of Midtown volunteer Ed Jaroch plants a tree with Pennsylvania STEAM Academy students.

Looking from my desk out TheBurg’s office window, I have a straight vantage point to the front of a commercial space across the street.

The building used to house Zeroday Brewing Co. before they sadly closed late last year.

In early June, I noticed paper go up in the windows of the space, signifying to me that work was taking place, and maybe, just maybe, a new business was moving in.

Periodically, glancing out the window at the door across the street became part of my new routine, as I hoped to catch a glimpse of signs of life or maybe even a familiar face carrying in boxes.

I have high hopes.

That same morning that I noticed changes across the street, I attended a sneak preview of Denim Coffee’s new downtown shop. The café, which recently opened, is the business’s biggest yet, and third location downtown. It’s bright, modern, and I already foresee it being a great remote work and meeting spot. I ordered an iced chai and enjoyed (several) samples of baked goods, including my favorite scones.

While there, my co-workers and I talked to co-owner Matt Ramsay, who said he sees good things on the horizon in Harrisburg. He wouldn’t have invested so much into building his business in the city if he didn’t. That makes sense.

His genuine excitement and positivity got me feeling optimistic too. Good things are happening in Harrisburg.

My tip for finding them: Stay off Facebook, which is not representative of our city, and get out into the real community.

In early June, I went to Friends of Midtown’s annual yard sale. I bopped around, found a few things, chatted with some neighbors. On Kelker Street, I came upon Bruce and Eva Burchfield, who were selling Eva’s homemade donuts, reminiscent of her days operating her Evanilla donut stand in the Broad Street Market. Of course, I got one.

I also got a fun glimpse into city history, with bins full of Harrisburg Senators memorabilia, another with “Greetings from Harrisburg” postcards, and one person was selling a Harrisburg-themed Monopoly game.

I just happened to stumble upon the HBG Flea, set up in the Midtown Cinema parking lot that day, which was packed with browsers.

A few weeks before that, I attended a friend’s gathering on the cinema’s patio, which included bevs from Zeroday’s Outpost and getting to know new people.

All of that said, it’s been a great couple of weeks in Harrisburg.

It’s easy to get discouraged about the state of our city. I report on city government, follow issues like crime and blight. So, I definitely have moments of frustration and sadness when I see businesses closing, officials quarreling, or families being affected by violence—the bad stuff.

Still, I see so much good.

For another story in this issue, I visited Recycle Bicycle in Allison Hill. You can’t go there and leave feeling bad about the city. They have some of the kindest volunteers, the friendliest visitors, and seeing a smiling little girl pick out her new bike transported me back to childhood. Even after the tragic passing of its founder, Recycle Bicycle is doing great and planning for its future, one that volunteers believe will be long.

On Facebook, you might miss these things (unless you’re on TheBurg’s page) amidst the fighting in comment sections and constant verbal beating Harrisburg takes, often from people who don’t live in or visit the city at all.

In real life, you may just see little Easter eggs of hope all around.

New signs are going up in previously vacant store windows. Events are popping up every weekend. Kind people are planting trees, picking up trash and volunteering.

You shouldn’t stick your head in the sand or stop advocating for an even better city—there are plenty of real concerns and challenges. But there’s also so much to be excited about and (one of the best parts about a small city) so much room for you to get involved.

Maddie Gittens is managing editor of TheBurg.

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July News Digest: Downtown Survey Results Shared, Tree Inventory Begins, HACC to Sell or Lease Buildings

June 29, 2026 | by TheBurg Staff

Downtown Survey Results Shared

The results of a recent survey show that community members are ready and excited for a downtown Harrisburg renaissance, officials say.

The Pennsylvania Downtown Center, in partnership with the Capital Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC), last month announced the results of a survey that garnered thousands of responses and showed support for revitalizing downtown.

“What came back was both encouraging and clear-eyed: strong pride in the city’s architecture, riverfront and cultural assets, alongside real frustrations around parking, everyday retail, safety and business climate,” according to the Revitalize Downtown Harrisburg website.

According to survey responses from over 4,000 people, five strong themes emerged.

One of the top findings of the survey was that people are interested in making downtown a place for everyday life, with a grocery store, pharmacy and places to meet basic needs.

Other themes included overcoming the barrier of parking downtown, improving perceptions of safety and cleanliness, supporting business development, and creating energy through more housing, events and activities.

About half of the respondents were city residents, 45% worked downtown, and 43% said they support downtown restaurants on a weekly or monthly basis. Additionally, 20% said they wanted to be involved in the downtown revitalization project.

Trees along the Susquehanna Riverfront

Tree Inventory Begins

Harrisburg has begun its first citywide tree inventory in at least a decade.

An urban forestry management company with certified arborists last month started conducting a census of trees across the city, according to Harrisburg forester Cody Legge.

After the inventory is complete this month, the city will identify where tree maintenance—including removing, pruning or planting— must be completed.

“They’ll do all the streets first, and then double back to do our parks,” said Legge, noting the contractors will work their way across the city at their discretion.

The work is funded through a $2 million federal “TreeVestment” grant through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. The grant is designed to bolster urban tree canopies.

Most of the money has been set aside for tree work, said Legge, which, between maintenance, removal and plantings, can be costly to perform.

Legge said he expects that most city trees may need to be pruned, either to remove routine deadwood or to resolve clearance issues. This would include city trees between sidewalks and curbs that are technically in the public “right of way.”

“There’s quite a bit of conflicting issues with tree limbs being just a little too low on the streets or the sidewalks,” Legge said.

He added that a handful of “risky” trees may need to be removed, but the grant dictates that anywhere the city removes a tree, a new tree must be planted in its place. He has also advised the contractor to take note of stumps or divots in the ground where the city could replant a tree where one clearly was in the past.

Legge estimated that the last tree inventory for Harrisburg was conducted around 2016.

HACC to Sell, Lease Buildings

HACC’s board of trustees last month approved a resolution that gives the institution permission to sell or lease seven buildings it owns across central PA.

Facing a $63 million debt obligation and more than $163 million in deferred maintenance, the board approved the sale or lease of Harrisburg’s Midtown 1 building (located at 4th and Reily streets) as well as its Ted Lick and John N. Hall buildings on its main Harrisburg campus. The resolution also included two buildings in York, as well as buildings in Lancaster and Gettysburg.

“We’re not closing the campuses, none of them, but we’re just looking at our space utilization in Harrisburg,” said John Sygielski, on his last day as HACC president and CEO, just before the new president, Daniel Lufkin, started.

Sygielski said that, while HACC could use more state funding, 2026-27 will be its third year in a row without an increase in operating funds. Downsizing its building portfolio will hence help it meet its debt obligations, he said.

Sygielski said HACC plans to move operations at Midtown 1 to HACC’s main campus and is in talks with other organizations about its Lick and Hall buildings.

According to Sygielski, overall consolidation of the buildings may take one or two years.

Home Sales Dip, Prices Rise

Harrisburg-area home sales dipped in May, though prices powered higher, according to the latest report on previously owned houses.

For the three-county area, 561 homes sold in May compared to 599 in the year-ago period, as the median sales price increased to $305,000 from $290,000, according to data from the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, 263 houses changed hands, versus 290 in May 2025, while the median sales price jumped to $295,000 from $250,000, GHAR said.

Cumberland County tallied 259 home sales in May, a drop from 273 a year earlier, as the median sales price fell slightly to $322,000 from $324,900, according to GHAR.

In Perry County, 32 homes sold, compared to 35 the prior May, as the median sales price rose to $322,500 from $257,500, GHAR said.

The pace of home sales slowed a bit, as “average days on market” increased to 27 days in May versus 24 days in May 2025, stated GHAR.

Carrie Wissler-Thomas

So Noted

Carlyn Krall last month was named the new marketing and social media manager for Visit Lebanon Valley. In this role, she will oversee social media platforms, marketing campaigns, digital content and promotional initiatives, according to the organization.

Carrie Wissler-Thomas will retire in September after four decades leading the Art Association of Harrisburg, the association announced last month. The board named Debbie Smith, owner of the Smith Gallery and Fine Custom Framing, to succeed Wissler-Thomas as executive director and president.

Denim Coffee last month opened its third shop in downtown Harrisburg, its largest location, at 17 S. 2nd St. on the ground floor of the Menaker Apartments. The new space seats more than 50 and has a conference room available for meeting reservations, designed to offer gathering space for the community.

Harrisburg Fringe Festival will return this month, from July 16 to 19, showcasing visual, performance and musical art at venues throughout the city. As part of the festival, filmmakers Wallace McKelvey and Paul Hood will screen another installment of “River City Stories,” a lineup of original films inspired by life in the city, at Midtown Cinema. Visit www.hbgfringe.com.

Market Square Concerts this month will present its Summermusic series with a special emphasis on American musical contributions for the country’s 250th birthday. The concerts, at Market Square Presbyterian Church in downtown Harrisburg, will take place July 12, 15 and 19. For more information, visit www.marketsquareconcerts.org.

The Exchange, an “active adult” living community in downtown Harrisburg, cut the ribbon last month on its building at 112 Market St. New Holland-based Garden Spot Communities, along with Harristown Enterprises and Select Capital Commercial Properties, re-developed the long-time office building into a 55-plus community consisting of 39 one- and two-bedroom apartments.

Visit Hershey & Harrisburg last month added several new stops to the Harrisburg Arts District map to include monuments along the Susquehanna riverfront and recently opened venues like Capital City Music Hall and Coronet Park. The district is made up of more than 50 murals and monuments and more than 20 theaters, performance venues, museums and art galleries. For more information on the map and audio tour, visit the VHH website.

Changing Hands

Bailey St., 1218: R2 Investors LLC to TYHequities LLC, $82,000

Berryhill St., 2436: J. Charlton to V. Wisman, $140,000

Boas St., 412: E. Buda to M. Fox & A. Ringler, $215,000

Briggs St., 1612: M. & M. Stewart to W. Jenkins, $80,000

Brookwood St., 2168 & 2168 Gettys Alley: JTA Consulting Group LLC to A. & M. von der Linden, $165,900

Catherine St., 1505: S. Samuel to S. & L. Lapp, $122,500

Chestnut St., 1943: Northline Properties LLC to Breneman Properties LLC, $62,500

Cumberland St., 218: D. MacGregor to Z. & L. Ordo, $230,000

Derry St., 1523: H. Cotignola & J. Pickens to 2020 Real Estate Ventures LLC, $70,000

Derry St., 2335: L. Thompson to J. & D. Florentino, $250,000

Edgewood Rd., 2301: New Holland Enterprise Management LP to C. & C. Ortiz, $348,000

Edgewood Rd., 2315: E. Shaner to M. & M. Cuzco, $338,000

Evergreen St., 25: Golden Triangle Investment LLC to O. Rodriguez, $155,000

Forster St., 212: N&R Group LLC to Arm 1209 Green PA LLC, $395,000

Forster St., 1814: N. Burrell to J. Santana, $160,000

Geary St., 619: T. Rodriguez to J. Diaz, $130,000

Geary St., 626: EJB Rentals LLC to Ardoise Investments LLC, $80,000

Graham St., 118: D. Kyle & D. Holland to D. Page & J. Cavey, $411,400

Green St., 2008: M. & M. Akins to I. Inchausti, $295,000

Greenwood St., 2714: P. Smith to A. Davis, $155,000

Hoerner St., 116: PPS Realty Inc. to SNB Real Estate Solutions LLC, $82,000

Hunter St., 1623: J. Monegro to U. Sheikh, $85,000

Kelker St., 206: JMW Property Group LLC to 206 Kelker LLC, $337,500

Lewis St., 228: J. & C. Bisel to A. Berkowitz & N. Gordon, $294,500

Logan St., 2232: L. Folks to JRHeller Com LLC, $53,750

Market St., 1209: Avila Estate Investment LLC to J. Nonsent, $145,000

Market St., 1913: Widespread Properties LLC to Kingfisher Properties LLC, $310,000

Melrose St., 716: Rivas Property Investments LLC to A. Cepeda, $141,880

Muench St., 427: D. Glick to A. Esh, $112,000

Naudain St., 1634: I. Colon to U. Velez, $92,700

North St., 1502: D&F Realty Holdings LP to D. Meran, $117,890

North St., 1717: JDP 2014 LLC to D. Arias & J. Bautista, $160,000

North St., 2012: Salah el Din LLC to C. Smith, $145,000

N. 2nd St., 315: Breneman Properties LLC to 315 N 2nd Owner LLC, $293,474

N. 2nd St., 1113: Doyle Assets LLC to PACC HBG2 LLC, $120,000

N. 2nd St., 1333: R. Adams & K. Rasmus to M. Zimmerman, $187,000

N. 2nd St., 3028: D. Bradley & E. Berry to Z. & A. Martin, $266,000

N. 3rd St., 3132: M. Dunbar to J. & A. Hurtado, $230,000

N. 4th St., 19: Joseph Kowalczyk to 4th & Walnut Street Owner LLC, $475,000

N. 4th St., 21: Joseph Kowalczyk to 4th & Walnut Street Owner LLC, $450,000

N. 5th St., 2727: Integrity First Home Buyers to Alexs Rentals LLC, $120,000

N. 6th St., 1500, Unit 502: L. Grossberg to P. Zhou, $585,000

N. 6th St., 2605: Sky Resort Rentals LLC to Stoltzfus Real Estate Holdings LLC, $180,000

N. 6th St., 2631: City Limits Foundation to J. & D. Negron, $90,000

N. 6th St., 2939: R. Stewart, M. Silliker & N. Li to M. Elbayoumy, $70,000

N. 6th St., 3119: K. Clemons to Rosebud Capital LLC, $150,000

N. 14th St., 211: Dreams2Reality Services LLC to G&K Best Homes LLC, $127,000

N. 15th St., 1503: A. Laboy to N. Navarro, $115,000

N. 15th St., 1603: R. & D. Requa to A. Ochoa & E. Hernandez, $155,000

N. 16th St., 1103: A. Sandino to C. de Jesus, $172,500

N. 16th St., 1204: J. Mancero to C. Burgos & R. de Reyes, $177,000

N. Front St., 321: 321 N Front St LLC to Blue Valley Leasing, $84,352

N. Front St., 1109: JMW Property Group LLC to J. Parrish, $257,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 213: Selenite Real Estate LLC to H. Shearer, $155,000

Reel St., 2470: D&F Realty Holdings LP to W. Mercado, $61,843

Rose St., 933: GKX LLC to Rotewort Enterprises LLC, $435,000

Royal Terr., 109: E. Camones to D. Whitted, $189,000

Sassafras St., 133 & 114 Herr St.: Sassafras Court Partners LP to Alex Manning Enterprises LLC, $800,000

S. 13th St., 951, 1000: From the Heart Church & Ministries of HBG Inc. to Rock City Building Support Inc., $1,150,000

S. 13th St., 1449: DKH Homes LLC to SkyZoom LLC, $160,000

S. 14th St., 447: B. & A. Muzirwa to Luperon Properties LLC, $115,000

S. 15th St., 523: Willow LLC to S. Cheam, $50,000

S. 17th St., 22: A. Taveras to D. Paulino, $145,000

S. 17th St., 435: G. Oden to J. Pauta, $200,000

S. 19th St., 409: Bridger Investments LLC to H. Everett, $141,000

S. 19th St., 549: D. & D. Letterlough to Alis Repair Shop LLC, $120,000

S. 23rd St., 649: Two Three Two Investments LLC to A. Ranjan, $140,000

S. 29th St., 630: T. Anderson to O. & O. Balogun, $250,000

S. Cameron Terr., 1511: CSL Investments LLC to Easy Home Offer LLC, $104,000

State St., 1828: Visionary Investments RE LLC to A. Velazquez, $125,000

Susquehanna St., 1330: Green Scapes Investments LLC to J. Dubina, $190,000

Swatara St., 2005: S. Mejia & W. Guzman to G. Chalas, $175,000

Valley Rd., 2301A: S. Thornsley to M. Thompson, $367,000

Walnut St., 401: J. Kowalczyk to 4th & Walnut Street Owner LLC, $375,000

Walnut St., 411: J. Kowalczyk to 4th & Walnut Street Owner LLC, $900,000

Walnut St., 1732: A. Bouhach to E. Buckley, $128,000

Zarker St., 1937: J. Belai to T. Kea, $125,000

Harrisburg property sales, May 2026, greater than $50,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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Neighborly Advice: Want to make a difference in your community? Join a neighborhood group

June 29, 2026 | by Lawrance Binda

Illustration by Rich Hauck

In early May, I gave a short presentation to Strong Towns Harrisburg, the local affiliate of the national urbanist group.

At first, I chatted about TheBurg and our community-building endeavors then took audience questions, which ranged widely from infrastructure to city government to the tough local news biz.

Someone raised their hand and asked what the average resident could do to help the city. My response: shop locally, join a board or commission, volunteer with a nonprofit—heck, run for office if you’re so inclined.

An excellent, easy place to start, I said, was to join a local community group, which exist in neighborhoods throughout the city.

As volunteer organizations, some groups are more active than others. Over my time in Harrisburg, I’ve seen groups flourish then die out then sprout up again, depending on factors like leadership, issues and energy.

But, when they have their act together, these groups can make a big difference in the community. I’ve seen it happen in my own neighborhood.

For over a year, Capitol Area Neighbors had been sounding the alarm on the decrepit state of two buildings on the 500-block of N. 2nd Street.

These two small, attached buildings, over a century old, had a rough life over the past 30 or so years. A suburban attorney owned them for decades, letting them deteriorate to the point that they were boarded up and left to rot. In 2020, his family sold them to a west shore developer, who said he planned to raze them and construct a new, modern-style apartment building.

But that never happened. Instead, the buildings continued to fall apart, to the extent that I purposely walked on the other side of the street for fear that they might tumble onto my head as I passed by. They were a public danger and their condition—façade flaking off, interiors collapsed—blighted the neighborhood.

Over several meetings, the group discussed what to do, and our president arranged to meet with Mayor Wanda Williams. He found out that the city, after years of trying to get the owner to demolish the buildings, planned to raze them itself. During the meeting, the mayor—to her credit—said she’d fast-track the demo and, two weeks later, they were gone, this longstanding, dangerous problem finally disappeared.

Similarly, the group has been active addressing other pressing neighborhood issues, such as streetlight outages (a big problem downtown), parking and encampments. Then there’s the social aspect, which includes a yard sale and an annual block party.

Across Forster Street, Friends of Midtown volunteers regularly perform cleanups, graffiti removal and tree plantings. Since last year, the revived business committee has organized monthly meetings of Midtown’s small businesses to discuss shared problems and goals. They even created a map of neighborhood businesses, which attendees identified as a number one priority.

Down in Shipoke, their association is famous for its annual riverfront flea market and its social events, which includes the weekly “Wine on Wednesdays” happy hour.

Despite these successes, I’ve also seen the opposite—once-vibrant groups that go dormant for extended periods or even fall apart. The most successful groups seem to have several traits in common:

They meet regularly.
Regular meetings are a must. These meetings should have a written agenda, stay focused and be as short as possible (keeping it to one hour is a great goal). Many groups fail to meet even this basic condition, with meetings that get constantly cancelled or, when they are held, quickly spin out of control.

They have good communication.
Group leaders need to find a reliable way to communicate with members outside of meetings—and this communication should be two-way.

They’re targeted.
Many neighborhoods have one or two truly pressing issues, which should be the focus of the group’s time and attention. Groups shouldn’t let themselves get distracted by the inevitable laundry list of lesser problems. If a group is large enough, members may want to form subcommittees that can focus on second-tier issues and concerns.

They’re social.
Neighborhood groups shouldn’t take themselves too seriously. Successful ones wrap lots of fun around all the grim discussion of litter, crime and parking. Social events also help turn neighbors into friends.

They’re selfless.
Too often, neighborhood groups devolve into personality clashes or petty power grabs. This is deadly for effective action, as the group itself becomes a problem. The most successful groups have members who can put their egos aside and cooperate for the common good.

They have a deep(ish) bench.
Neighborhood groups can be tough to sustain. Folks come and go, and, since volunteers aren’t paid, commitment to the cause can be spotty. A group, then, should seek to have more than one or two active members in case someone moves or stops contributing.

Neighborhood groups face many potential obstacles to effective, sustainable action. Despite this, some Harrisburg groups have proven adept at setting goals, getting important work done and having fun in the process. They can be an excellent way of making a difference right in your community, without needing to launch a second career as a local politician.

Lawrance Binda is publisher and editor of TheBurg.

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July Publisher’s Note: Good, bad and in between

June 29, 2026 | by Lawrance Binda

Like most news outlets, we follow our social media feeds closely.

We like to know which stories people are commenting on and what they’re saying. For better or worse (probably worse), these comments have taken the place of old-fashioned “letters to the editor,” which once served as the main link between newspapers and readers.

Most comment sections, you may have noticed, skew negative, and, sure, we also get our share of pessimistic, unhelpful and even harmful comments. But I’m happy to report that we seem to receive fewer than other media companies, which likely reflects our community-based approach to news.

For instance, last month, we posted a picture of Tito Tep, the owner of Tep’s Fresh Seafood in the Broad Street Market. Our reporter noticed all the new greenery in the large planter in front of the market and inquired about it. It turned out that Tito, in coordination with Capital Region Water, had taken it upon himself to acquire and install the plants and flowers.

This post received the most comments, “likes,” and shares of nearly any post in recent memory. The comments were overwhelmingly positive and supportive. “Fabulous,” “amazing” and “awesome” just scratched the surface of the praise for Tito and his volunteer work. We’ve received similar reactions recently when sharing photos of residents planting trees, removing graffiti, doing cleanups, etc.

At TheBurg, we don’t shy away from the negative, but we also don’t shy away from the positive. You’ll see this reflected in our social feeds, and you’ll also see it reflected in our daily news coverage and our monthly print magazine. In this very issue, within these pages, you’ll discover many stories that reflect the wonderful, complex fabric of life here, as we endeavor to represent it as accurately and honestly as possible.

Lawrance Binda
Publisher/Editor

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