Author Archives: Alexandra Jones

Loss Leaders: A brief history of bad decision-making in Harrisburg

January 29, 2026 | by Lawrance Binda

Illustration by Rich Hauck

“What brought you to this lowly state?”

Over the recent holiday season, I watched “A Christmas Story” for the umpteenth time as, maybe, you did too. If so, you may recognize that quote, muttered by the “old man” during the scene in which Ralphie imagines himself poisoned and blinded by Lifebuoy soap.

Hearing that quote, I thought of—wait for it—Harrisburg. Ridiculous, right?

Except that Harrisburg does find itself in a lowly state, and, from online comments, it seems that lots of folks, maybe newer to the city, don’t understand how we got here. How has downtown, specifically, become riddled with closed businesses and empty storefronts? I thought a quick review was in order.

Gather ‘round, boys and girls, and let me tell you about the 1990s.

Britney Spears was cranking out pop hits, “Y2K” was about to destroy the planet, and, in Harrisburg, “mayor for life” Steve Reed was spending money (as my mother would say) like a drunken sailor.

Reed was ambitious, wanting things for Harrisburg found in many other cities: a university, an arts center, museums, a sports hall of fame, a baseball stadium. And he wasn’t about to let the annoying fact that Harrisburg couldn’t afford any of these things get in his way.

At around the same time, the city’s cursed incinerator kept polluting and failing—and polluting and failing. Something needed to be done about that.

So, Reed and his yes-men stumbled upon an “ingenious” solution they thought could kill two birds with one stone. They heard about an experimental technology that, they hoped, would burn trash cleanly, expand capacity and generate electricity. If it worked, the city would dispose of its garbage, get the EPA off its back, and, to boot, pocket some cash, a constant Reed obsession as he pursued his many grandiose, incredibly expensive schemes.

Only it didn’t work—and bad money followed more bad money trying to bang the darn contraption into shape. In a few years, Harrisburg found itself nearly half-a-billion dollars in debt and on the brink of bankruptcy.

In fact, in late 2011, City Council tried to declare municipal bankruptcy but was blocked from doing so by the state legislature, which mandated a receiver instead. A couple years later, the receiver drafted a financial recovery plan that sold off the incinerator and leased the city’s most valuable asset—its parking system—back to the commonwealth for 40 years to pay off Harrisburg’s massive debt.

And that’s how the city lost control of its parking.

So, if you have complaints about the insane rate of street parking, or the insane rate of garage parking, or the insane rate of parking tickets, don’t bother trekking to city hall. They can’t help you. Stroll over to 3rd and State streets, ascend the grand stone staircase and rap on the Capitol’s front door. Those are the guys who control the city’s downtown parking.

Now, to summarize: What brought Harrisburg to this lowly state?

At its core—bad leadership, at the both the state and local levels.

For years, Reed ran amok with the city’s finances and the state, which is supposed to supervise municipal spending, looked the other way. Then, once it all hit the fan, the state prevented the city from declaring bankruptcy and forced it into receivership.

As part of the financial workout, the state took over the city’s parking system, issuing bonds to pay off the city’s creditors. It then hired a parking manager, whose wacko response to weak demand was to keep jacking up rates. Downtown Harrisburg now is one of the most expensive places on earth to park a car, and people have responded by not visiting and not using the system.

But the parking nightmare didn’t end there either.

After the pandemic, the state allowed most of its workforce, most of the time, to work remotely. State employees usually didn’t need to pay for parking, but others did: lobbyists, lawyers, contractors, consultants, caterers, constituents, businesspeople, visitors—each day, tons of people met with and supported the 25,000 or so folks who worked at the Capitol complex. So, in that way, the state sabotaged its own parking regime.

These visitors also supported downtown businesses. They robustly patronized cafés, lunch spots, hotels and restaurants, often not shy about flexing their expense accounts. For Harrisburg’s small downtown, these customers made a huge difference—today, they’re mostly gone.

Meanwhile, back at city hall, leadership is also wanting. We have virtual gridlock because City Council and the mayor are locked in a bizarre, deeply personal cold war. Instead of joining forces and marshalling resources to help solve the city’s problems and revitalize downtown, they’ve essentially stopped communicating, aside from the occasional dig or media taunt.

At long last, the people of Harrisburg need—and deserve—quality leadership from all its elected officials. In recent Harrisburg history, this leadership has been, at turns, irresponsible, negligent, arrogant and profligate, and it’s a major reason why the city, today, finds itself in “this lowly state.”

Lawrance Binda is publisher and editor of TheBurg.

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February News Digest

January 29, 2026 | by TheBurg Staff

Mayor Files Lawsuit Against City Council

Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams has sued City Council.

The suit, which alleges that council acted outside of its scope of authority by defunding several top city positions, was filed in the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas last month.

The lawsuit comes after a tense back and forth between council and the mayor over the city’s 2026 general fund budget. In December, council passed the budget, after making amendments to remove salaries for Harrisburg’s business administrator, project director for business administration/LERTA and the police bureau’s director of community engagement and relations. Council also zeroed out the city’s portion of funding for the interim director of building and housing development.

Williams then vetoed the changes, but council overrode her veto. Directors of each role, besides the building and housing director who still receives a federal salary, have been terminated. Williams said that she believes the move was a personal attack by council against her.

Williams, in her lawsuit filed by attorney Renardo Hicks, said that council’s action “invades powers assigned to the Mayor/Executive.” Hiring, firing and personnel matters are the mayor’s authority, which council is not legally allowed to execute.

“They need to stop trying to do my job as the administration,” Williams told TheBurg.

However, council President Danielle Hill has maintained that council did not fire the staff, just defunded their positions.

“It was not to move anyone out of those positions,” Hill said. “We defunded the roles. That does not mean the people had to be fired. The mayor fired them. They could’ve easily been, maybe moved to a temporary position. There are other positions that are vacant.”

Williams Starts Second Mayoral Term

Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams has begun her second term in office, pledging “discipline, direction and renewed commitment to infrastructure.”

At a ceremony last month, Williams issued a call for unity among city officials, following Magisterial District Judge Marian Urrutia swearing her into office for another four-year term.

“My administration has a vision for the next four years,” Williams said on stage at Whitaker Center. “Harrisburg is ready for a new era of responsible growth, a new era of stability and a new era of long-term planning—an era where our children inherit a city that is stronger than the one we inherited.”

Williams won the mayoral election in November, beating her opponent Dan Miller, a Democrat who received the Republican nomination during the primary election, by 5,096 to 3,837 votes.

Williams’ speech, which included her priorities for the new term, spoke to mutual respect between City Council and her administration. The sentiments came at a time of conflict and litigation between the mayor and council over its 2026 budget amendments, which slashed salaries for several top city positions.

“We will stand firm against the disrespect, misinformation and unnecessary conflict,” Williams said. “Our residents deserve a government that behaves with maturity and professionalism. They deserve decisions that are rooted in facts and certainly not theatrics.”

Council Members Sworn In

Harrisburg City Council held a swearing-in and elected its president and vice president last month.

After four council members were sworn in, council voted for Danielle Hill to serve as council president for another two years and for Lamont Jones to serve as vice president.

Before a reorganization meeting, Magisterial District Judge Hanif Johnson swore in re-elected council members Ausha Green, Jocelyn Rawls and Ralph Rodriquez, and newly elected Rob Lawson, who was appointed by council previously and served for one year. Lawson replaces Shamaine Daniels, who did not run for re-election.

Hill will return as council president, having been unanimously elected after serving in the role previously. Jones unseated Green as vice president with a vote of 4-3, with Green, Rodriguez and Crystal Davis voting for Green.

“This is something that I want to do to yet again show the city of Harrisburg that I am someone that’s committed to serving us and standing firm in my stance, in my position, in what I believe in, and what I believe the people of this city deserve,” Jones said.

New Officers for Harrisburg Police

Harrisburg will soon have three new officers on patrol.

Mayor Wanda Williams last month swore in three police officers to the Harrisburg Police Bureau and promoted another during a ceremony at city hall.

“You are stepping forward at a time when the responsibilities of law enforcement are more complex than ever,” Williams said. “Our residents expect professionalism, compassion, accountability and a willingness to build trust with every neighborhood in this city. I believe you are ready for that challenge, and I am proud of each of you for choosing a path that places community at the center of your work.”

New officers include Cedric Bowling, a Harrisburg native and former city park ranger, William Fellenbaum, a Lancaster County native, and Melvin Torres, a McCaskey High School graduate who is bilingual.

The officers will enter field training with the police bureau after completing HACC’s police academy.

Additionally, officer Kyle Gautsch was promoted from lieutenant to captain. Gautsch has worked in the bureau for over 20 years and oversees the Criminal Investigations Division.

Al-Huda School Buys Former JCC

The former Jewish Community Center building has a new owner.

In late December, the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg sold the 69,000-square-foot property at 3301 N. Front St. to the Al-Huda School for $1.1 million.

Safi Khan, director of the Al-Huda School, issued a statement celebrating the close of the sale. According to Khan, the Islamic school, which currently operates a campus in Camp Hill, will use the building as a new home.

“A place where the Quran will be recited, where the character will be built, where the hearts will be nurtured before the grades are measured,” Khan said, calling the purchase “the beginning of a legacy.”

The Al-Huda School, also known as Al-Huda PA, was founded in 2009. It is a branch of the Al-Huda School in College Park, Md. Its teachings are based around the Qur’an and Sunnah.

Al-Huda PA currently enrolls pre-K through fifth grade students and offers online school for students in grades six to 12 through Al-Huda Global.

Zachary Benjamin, the president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg, said that the sale symbolized the “end of a successful, joyful era” for the federation. The organization fully transitioned its operations to the Alexander Grass Campus for Jewish Life, at 2986 N. 2nd St., in 2024.

“We hope that the Al-Huda School enjoys many happy years in the space that served us so well,” Benjamin said.

The Jewish Community Campus building was originally built in 1956 and later updated in the 1990s. It served as the Jewish Federation’s home for almost 70 years.

Home Sales, Prices Stable

The Harrisburg-area housing market was largely unchanged in December, according to the most recent report on previously owned houses.

For the three-county region, 572 homes sold compared to 560 in December 2024, as the median sales price dipped to $270,000 from $280,000, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, 270 houses sold versus 257 in the year-ago period, while the median sales price slipped to $240,000 from $254,900, GHAR stated.

Cumberland County had 269 home sales, an increase of six from last December, as the median price rose to $329,900 from $310,000, said GHAR.

In Perry County, sales fell to 34 homes from 43 the prior December, as median sales price dropped to $237,500 from $255,000, according to GHAR.

The pace of home sales slowed, as “average days on the market” increased to 35 days in December versus 29 days in December 2024, GHAR said.

So Noted

Capital Area Greenbelt Association last month received a $750,000 state grant to support the relocation of the Greenbelt in south Harrisburg. The trail has been detoured and must be re-routed following construction of several housing projects in the area.

Doug Hill last month was re-elected president of the Capital Area Greenbelt Association, beginning his third year as the leader of the nonprofit group. Rounding out the officers for 2026 are Diane Kripas, vice president, Wes Veigle, treasurer, and Debbie Reihart, secretary.

Harrisburg area last month was named the second-best market in the country for first-time homebuyers, just behind Rochester, N.Y., according to Realtor.com. The report identified areas based on affordability, abundant for-sale inventory, local amenities and positive metro-level housing forecasts and economic outlooks.

Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC last month named Alisa Harris as chair of the chamber’s board of directors and Beth Peiffer as chair of the CREDC’s board. Harris is vice president of government affairs at the Pennsylvania Alliance of YMCAs, and Peiffer is owner and president of Ralph E. Jones Inc.

John Wilsbach last month was named 2025 “Broadcaster of the Year” by the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters. Wilsbach has been a long-time traffic reporter in central Pa., as well as a play-by-play and color commentator for Lebanon Valley College sports.

SusqueCycle experienced a significant increase in ridership in 2025, according to the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission. The commission reported 3,321 rides for the rental bicycle network compared to 2,993 in 2024.

Changing Hands

Allison St., 1515: Y. Slimane to M. Shelley, $160,000

Balm St., 142: Q. Demiri to C&C Homes LLC, $75,000

Bellevue Rd., 1913: C. Bennett to Hope Only Corp Inc., $119,000

Berryhill St., 1827: J. Shaulis to M. Perez, $123,650

Berryhill St., 2250: L. Harrell to Beta One LLC, $98,671

Briggs St., 1920: Elevation Properties LLC to PACC HBG 2 LLC, $120,000

Conoy St., 100: S. & N. Dienner to N. Bova, $237,500

Crescent St., 300: J. Buckner to I. Zunun, $70,000

Cumberland St., 222: S. Rubinstein & H. Choi to S. Maiti & J. West, $208,000

Curtin St., 514: Buy the Block Back LLC to Breneman Properties LLC, $76,500

Curtin St., 532: Buy the Block Back LLC to A. DeLeon, $97,500

Derry St., 1509: T. Le to F. Parent, $120,000

Derry St., 2001: H. Alarcon to Val de Vie Estate Investment LLC, $142,500

Derry St., 2027: E. Echevarria to B. Frias, $145,000

Emerald St., 633: BCR 1 Properties LLC to Medina Realty Holdings LLC, $160,000

Forster St., 1837: House Cash LLC to S. Lewis, $134,500

Green St., 1630: Big Leaf Properties LLC to Calder Street Development LLC, $275,000

Green St., 2010: L. Sandelli to S. Pinter, $206,000

Hale Ave., 391: S. & M. Pillco to K. Kanuha, $168,000

Hanover St., 1205: D. Rodriguez to KN Investments LLC, $65,000

Harris St., 222: G. Grossman to I. King, $235,000

Herr St., 1104: V. & Z. Baklayan to R. Suarez, $675,000

Herr St., 1825: Allied Trust to ETAF Holdings LLC, $60,000

Holly St., 1903: Brittany Turner Agent Trust to G&W Rentals LLC, $85,000

Lenox St., 2025: V. Lyons to A. Ramirez, $66,000

Lewis St., 210: J. Hess to D. Banks, $179,000

Lexington St., 2562: Woco Holdings LLC to D. Levy, $165,000

Liberty St., 1414: Variety of Investments LLC to LYR Investments LLC, $95,000

Liberty St., 1612: JCIL LLC to D. Mick, $75,000

Linden St., 125: S. Tolopilo to PACC Homes & Development LLC, $200,000

Logan St., 2307: JB Express Construction Inc. to S. Davis, $110,000

Market St., 1845: Harrisburg Homes Investments LLC to J. Patel, $190,000

Muench St., 438: R. & D. Requa to A. Veres, $105,000

North St., 1151, 1100 State St.: Pennsylvania Commonwealth to Susquehanna Regional Transportation Authority, $340,000

North St., 1908: 2020 Real Estate Ventures LLC to J. Arroy, $155,000

N. 2nd St., 201: Murphy Second Street LLC to RMN Group LLC, $850,000

N. 2nd St., 1625: L. & E. Hamilton, J. Niblett & J. Wilson to C. Ramirez, $299,500

N. 2nd St., 2140: G. & K. Raser to S. & J. Toole, $240,000

N. 2nd St., 2309½: S. Martin to S. Ozark, $217,000

N. 2nd St., 2600: M. Thomas to M. Sargero, $185,000

N. 3rd St., 234: 234 N. 3rd St LLC to Blue Valley Leasing, $53,784

N. 3rd St., 1429: Third Street Development LP to Finanta Federal Credit Union, $560,000

N. 3rd St., 1828: PDI Properties LLC to Greys Properties & More LLC, $230,000

N. 3rd St., 1830: PDI Properties LLC to Greys Properties & More LLC, $230,000

N. 4th St., 23: J. Kowalczyk to A. & D. Good, $500,000

N. 4th St., 2135, 2137: Equitable Rentals LLC to Leesuer Estates LLC, $337,500

N. 4th St., 2239: A. Britton to Echo Propco I LLC, $85,000

N. 4th St., 3213: C. Shoemaker & K. Anderson to J. Tejedor, $210,000

N. 4th St., 3228: J. Tyson to S. Wright & M. Cox, $194,900

N. 5th St., 2032: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to C. Pardo, $159,000

N. 6th St., 2951: Secretary of Housing Urban Development to C. Rhedrick, $75,000

N. 6th St., 3107: S. & K. Wright to J. & R. Guzman, $180,000

N. 7th St., 2640: V. Butts to H. Thompson, $95,000

N. 15th St., 1317: TRW Properties LLC to J. Zamora, $96,000

N. 16th St., 1006: H. Lacey to Dreamland Properties Associates LLC, $81,000

N. 17th St., 88, 1150 Mulberry St., 2332 N. 6th St., 2519 N. 6th St., 612 Oxford St., 613 Oxford St., 614 Oxford St., 616 Oxford St., 617 Oxford St., 619 Oxford St.: JMR Ventures LLC to BZDEL Global Investments LLC, $1,200,000

N. 18th St., 700: CG Home Buyer LLC to Rosaruth Properties LLC, $85,000

N. 18th St., 715: J. Weedon & D. Quartlebaum to T. Rudzenski, $125,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 208: S. & L. Weitzman to S. Marquet, $220,000

N. Front St., 3301: Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg to Al Huda Inc., $1,184,500

N. Summit St., 110: Black Market Hub LLC to Dreams 2 Reality Services LLC, $60,000

N. Summit St., 123: 1406 Market Realty LLC to 123 Summit LLC, $138,000

Norwood St., 949: F. Intrieri to T. Freeman, $178,000

Orange St., 2306: Sunny Day Real Estate Solutions LLC to F. McFadden, $114,374

Park St., 1827: Lorfax 1 LLC to B&H Investment LLC, $137,000

Parkside Lane, 2924: D. Rockoff to Top Cash Paid LLC, $150,000

Peffer St., 261: A., K., L. & M. Thomas to E. Green, $100,000

Peffer St., 323: Rebuilt Offers LLC to A&W Homes LLC, $80,000

Penn St., 2120: Gilligan Realty LLC to Breneman Properties LLC, $101,500

Penn St., 2153: Dvilla LLC to D. Stufflet, $170,000

Pennwood Rd., 3200: S. & C. Weinstein to RNM Group LLC, $58,000

Race St., 566: Almond Properties LLC to RE Innovative Digital Solutions LLC, $330,000

Reel St., 2446: E. Johnson to A. Morocho, $150,000

Reel St., 2717: G. & C. Wright to Top Cash Paid LLC, $85,000

Reel St., 2722: A. Britton to Echo Propco I LLC, $90,000

Regina St., 1841: D. Walker to 77 Estate LLC, $90,000

Regina St., 1921: C. Caraballo to BYD Properties LLC, $75,000

Reily St., 219: S. Briffa to M. Azizi, $180,000

Reily St., 220: SJL Rentals LLC to M. Tortora, $265,000

Reservoir St., 76: JJ House LLC to M. Williams, $160,000

Rudy Rd., 1811: J. Adlong to Breneman Properties LLC, $55,000

Rudy Rd., 1950: B. Freeland to D. Hernandez, $160,000

Rudy Rd., 2443: B. Hefflefinger to Dreamland Properties Associates, $72,000

S. 3rd St., 17: Blackberry LLC to SOMA Associates LLC, $220,000

S. 13th St., 1502: A. Khan to W. Cherelus, $140,000

S. 13th St., 1523: J. Spagnolo to Perosso Construction LLC, $97,500

S. 14th St., 118: H. Casado to 118 S 14th St LLC, $65,000

S. 15th St., 22: Trimble Investment Group LLC to K&M Homes Investments LLC, $70,000

S. 17th St., 332: S. Alden to Grid Investments LLC, $54,000

S. 17th St., 601: A. & D. Bailey to Moul 2 LLC, $432,000

S. 17th St., 1116: AKS Real Estate Group LLC to N. Nolasco, $189,900

S. 20th St., 13: Scholars Inc. to Grid Investments LLC, $50,000

S. 20th St., 21: T. Terry to Grid Investments LLC, $52,000

S. 25th St., 352: D. Biechler to S. Lalic, $115,000

S. 29th St., 630: J. Guzman to T. Anderson, $152,000

S. River St., 313: A. & R. Bomberger to D. & F. Johnson, $155,000

State St., 231, Unit 303: T. & D. Jensen to D. & K. Patel, $169,000

State St., 231, Unit 701: Murphy Huether Property Investments LLC to F. Clark, $157,500

State St., 1624: B. Smith to C. Howard, $200,000

State St., 1924: H&K Rental Properties LLC to D Martin Rentals LLC, $671,000

Taylor Blvd., 48: M. & A. Hinton to Dreams2Realty Services LLC, $65,000

Valley Rd., 203: J. & B. Hillegass to A. Murton & K. Feige, $277,000

Walnut St., 1854, 1856, 1858, 1860: Zook Rentals LLC to L. Fisher, $599,000

Washington St., 109: DLK Properties LLC to J. Daniely & D. Williams, $439,000

Zarker St., 2043: T. Payne to Grid Investments LLC, $54,000

Harrisburg property sales, December 2025, greater than $50,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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February Publisher’s Note

January 29, 2026 | by Lawrance Binda

It’s been said that February is both the shortest and the longest month.

It’s the shortest month for obvious reasons—it has only 28 days (29 in leap years).

But, to many, February feels like the longest month because it comes on the tail of an
already lengthy winter. For those, like me, who feel that winter is more to be endured
than enjoyed, the month can feel like an eternity, as we eagerly await those first warm
hints of spring.

But there is something I do like, a lot, about February. This month, we celebrate Black
History Month, highlighting the achievements, often against tremendous odds, of Black
Americans.

Each year in TheBurg, we include a lengthy section of stories about not only Black
history, but Black culture and events—all-local, all the time.

This year, I especially would like to point to our feature story on a hometown great, the
late Lenwood Sloan, who passed away in December, right around Christmastime. I’m
sure that many of our readers knew Lenwood, and, at TheBurg, we were honored to call
him a friend.

Personally, I met Lenwood when he worked briefly for the city of Harrisburg, back in
2013. I remember that day well. Lenwood asked me to participate in a focus group as
he sought ideas on how to improve the city’s arts and cultural offerings.
In subsequent years, I ran into Lenwood often. Occasionally, he popped into my office to
chat. Other times, I met him at one of his many projects around the city, as he worked
tirelessly to highlight the city’s African American heritage.

I suppose it’s a cliché to say that a person can never be replaced, but, with Lenwood,
this is profoundly true. His creativity, his charm and his hearty laugh will be missed, but
his spirit will endure for generations through his work, by the legacy he’s left for us in
Harrisburg.

And, with that, I welcome readers to our February issue. We hope you enjoy all our
content, whether that’s history, culture, food or community features. And, for at least one
more month, stay warm—spring can’t be far behind.

Lawrance Binda
Publisher/Editor

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Auditor deems Harrisburg School District off to “good start” for first year back in board control

January 28, 2026 | by Alexandra Jones

The Harrisburg School District’s administration building.

Coming off of several years of state-mandated oversight due to its financial instability, the Harrisburg School District earned praise Tuesday from an independent auditor who reviewed numbers from last year.

“It’s good news,” certified public accountant Carl Hogan told the Harrisburg School Board at its biweekly meeting. “You have a good start moving forward.”

The CliftonLarsonAllen consultant presented an audit of the district’s 2024-2025 finances, tracking metrics through June 30, 2025, the month the district exited state receivership.

The state-required audit found no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies.

By the Numbers

The district finished the year with $28.4 million in its general fund, up slightly from its starting balance of $25.9 million.

The auditor also praised the district for the $47.8 million it concluded with in its capital reserve fund, which is only to be used for future capital projects. It added about $13.2 million to the capital reserve fund during the year.

“Like I said, this is a great position to be in,” Hogan said, adding that the district’s biggest asset is its building portfolio and grounds.

“To be able to have those reserves on hand to be able to maintain those assets is a great asset,” he said.

Additionally, the audit noted the district has $7.8 million in its debt services fund, used to pay off school construction bonds issued in 2007-2008, and a little more than $48,000 in its school-sponsored activities fund.

Revenues and Expenditures

The CPA also noted Tuesday that over the past few years, the district’s local revenue sources, such as earned income tax, transfer taxes and investment earnings have been better than expected.

“In the current year, your local source revenues were $3.5 million better than anticipated,” Hogan said of the 2024-2025 audit.

Hogan added that the district had budgeted $213 million in expenditures for the school year and came in at $204 million, leaving a $9 million variance that could be explained by a number of chronically open positions.

“The school district continues to still struggle with filling certain positions within the school district,” Hogan explained. “There’s still vacancies. It’s no doubt better than it was the past couple years, but a lot of these expenditures that are less than budgeted are primarily related to vacancies that the school district would like to fill.”

Calendars for the Future

In line with a new, proactive effort to provide the Harrisburg community with dates for school events farther in advance, the school district also presented a first look at calendars Tuesday night for its next two school years, 2026-2027 and 2027-2028.

Superintendent Benjamin Henry noted that the creation of the calendars involved a committee of administrators, teachers and families.

“As we move forward, this is something that we want to continue to do, is engage our community when we develop on our calendar,” Henry said.

Board president Roslyn Copeland noted that she was glad to see that graduation did not conflict with Juneteenth on the calendars, which had evoked concerns from community members in the past.

The proactive move was praised by board vice president Autumn Anderson.

“I love seeing that we are planning things out in advance, so that families can plan around the different activities—and that can increase engagement with families for many of our different events,” Anderson said.

Board Retreat, Property Taxes and More

Copeland also noted Tuesday that the board had held a retreat on Saturday, Jan. 17 to discuss the district’s financial projections and 2025-26 budget scenarios as well as real estate matters with the district solicitor.

The board also approved the installation of bathroom security grills at Harrisburg High School’s John Harris Campus ($49,697), which will be done by the job order contractor Gordian.

The board also approved three NJROTC field trips, greenlighting Harrisburg High’s team to compete in drill meets in Delaware and Maryland over the next few months.

It also voted not to raise property taxes by more than 5.4% for the 2026-2027 school year.

Eight of nine board members attended the meeting, which convened virtually due to snow. Board member Terricia Radcliff was absent.

For more information on the Harrisburg School District, visit www.hbgsd.us.

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Broad Street Market tops historic preservation priorities list for 2026

January 27, 2026 | by Alexandra Jones

The Broad Street Market’s brick building mid-reconstruction on Tuesday, Jan. 27.

For the second year in a row, Harrisburg’s historic farmers market tops an annual list of “preservation priorities” for an area historic preservation group.

On Monday, the Historic Harrisburg Association presented its list of endangered historic structures in the Harrisburg area, naming the Broad Street Market as its top preservation priority for 2026.

“Because it’s so important to the community and to the metropolitan area and beyond, obviously, it’s our first preservation priority at this point,” explained Jeb Stuart, president of HHA’s board of directors.

The Broad Street Market’s 1870s-era brick building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, faced a devastating fire in July 2023. The partially-destroyed structure sat vacant for a little over two years before Harrisburg began the reconstruction process in the fall of 2025, which was complicated by a wall collapse in December.

The Broad Street Market’s brick building suffered a partial wall collapse in December.

“That has kind of set things back a ways,” Stuart noted Monday. “Hopefully the city will be more transparent and forthcoming about where the plans are and how they’re moving forward, but we can see the work is being done.”

He added that the brick building’s pop-up roof is being restored to match the original building’s design and that the city, in January, identified an unstable wall it needs to demolish and rebuild as part of the restoration process. The association sees the latter as a positive.

Reconstruction of the historic roof of Broad Street Market’s brick building as of Tuesday, Jan. 27.

“The fact that this work is being done, and that the architects have at least been able to determine that a part of the wall was bulging before it collapsed is a good sign they will hopefully be able to rebuild it,” Stuart said.

The portion of the brick building’s wall identified for demolition.

The association’s remaining four preservation priorities for 2026 include:

Former Bishop McDevitt High School, a 95-year-old, neo-Gothic brick building in Allison Hill that served as a school until 2012
William Penn High School, a shuttered, 100-year-old school building near Italian Lake
Balsley House, a dilapidated, Federal-style former grocery store, located beside Sawyer’s in downtown Harrisburg
Riverside Firehouse, a vacant, city-owned former fire station in Uptown that suffered a bell-tower collapse this past year

Stuart expressed concern Monday that the current owner of Bishop McDevitt has “unfortunately” painted a portion of the brick building white.

The painting of the former band room section of the building has caused people in the neighborhood to express concerns about the owner maintaining the building’s historic integrity, Stuart said.

“We have found that the owner is trying to do other things that may be inappropriate to the building,” Stuart added. “The city has shut down, from what we understand, further work. They have a stop-work order until certain code issues and other issues are resolved.”

The association named the preservation of the Harrisburg School District’s former vocational school, William Penn, as another top preservation priority.

The district proposed demolishing the school in 2023, but reversed course. After exiting receivership in June, the school board reviewed its slate of options for the property at a November special board meeting.

At this time, the future of the building remains unclear.

Stuart noted that Historic Harrisburg views the district’s apparent reluctance to sell the property as “an issue” standing in the way of any proposed reuse or restoration projects for the site.

Stuart expressed hope for another structure on the list, the Balsley House, located on N. 2nd Street in downtown Harrisburg. One of the oldest structures in downtown, and formerly a grocery store, he said Historic Harrisburg has hopes of seeing it repurposed into a retail location.

Lastly, he listed the Riverside Firehouse. The 1923 building, located in Uptown, suffered damage to its historic belltower due to heavy winds in November.

“It continues to suffer from deterioration,” Stuart said, urging the city to resolve a real estate title issue and push the property out to potential buyers who could restore the structure.

Historic Harrisburg’s annual “Watch List”

Historic Harrisburg also placed almost two-dozen buildings and structures on its “watch list” Monday.

These include:

Mira Lloyd Dock House, Front and Reily streets
Lochiel Hotel, 901 Shanois St.
Central Publishing House, 100 N. 13th St.
Former Chisuk Emuna Synagogue, 423 Division St.
Bartholomew & DeVout Mansion, 208 Hummel St.
Old State Police HQ/American Dream Diner at 2100 Herr St. (Susquehanna Township)
Meyers Mansion, 213 Front St.
Market Street Bridge
19th Street Armory, 1313 S. 19th St.
Cumberland County Railroad Bridge (connects Lemoyne and downtown Harrisburg)
Historic Peace Church (Hampden Township)
Donald Cameron Mansion, Front and State streets
Bishop Bridge, Cumberland and York counties
First United Methodist Church, Boas Street
Grace United Methodist Church, State Street
Former St. Paul’s Methodist Church, Vine Street
Harrisburg State Hospital
Paxton Firehouse, 336 S. 2nd St.
Camp Curtin Church, 2221 N. 6th St.
Atlas Building, 6th and Maclay streets
Walnut Street Bridge (connects downtown and City Island)
Captain John Gilchrist Homestead, Linglestown Road

Preservation Successes

Stuart also identified two preservation successes in the Harrisburg region: the Prospect Hill Cemetery Gatehouse, at 25th and Market streets, which has been restored after being hit and damaged by a car, and the Nauman Mansion, at 315 N. Front St., which is being transformed into apartments.

According to Historic Harrisburg’s executive director David Morrison, the organization has been creating annual “Preservation Priorities” for 20 years now and presenting them for roughly 10 with the goal of making the public aware of historic structures in need of preservation efforts.

Click here for more information on Historic Harrisburg.

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Residents have until tomorrow to remove cars from city garages offered during storm

January 26, 2026 | by Alexandra Jones

Clearing snow on State Street during Sunday’s storm.

City residents will need to remove their vehicles by tomorrow morning from parking garages made available during this weekend’s snowstorm.

Harrisburg issued an update on Sunday night that residents have until 8 a.m. Tuesday to remove their vehicles from Locust Street and City Island garages.

Park Harrisburg offered free garage parking beginning on Saturday evening before the snow hit on Sunday.

The City of Harrisburg lifted its snow emergency status around 4 p.m. Monday.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

January 23, 2026 | by TheBurg Staff

A Harrisburg High School wrestling team member and assistant coach pass off carpet being removed from Beahive Affordable Housing Outreach’s new property, as they volunteer on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Ready for the projected snow? As you stay cozy in the storm, catch up on what happened in Harrisburg this week. We’ve listed all our work below for you, from a story on where to find free garage parking during the big snow to the hearing this week in the ongoing lawsuit between Harrisburg mayor and City Council.

ACS Movement is a Camp Hill-based fitness studio that offers Gyrotonics in the Harrisburg area, our January magazine story reports.

Dauphin County Judge Jeffrey Engle, after an all-day evidentiary hearing Wednesday, will make a decision in the coming weeks on whether or not City Council was within its rights to defund salaries for several top city officials. Find our coverage of the hearing here.

Élevé Event Studio will open in the coming months in Midtown Harrisburg where Cafe 1500 once was, according to our online story.

Fit Abilities helps those with special needs focus on fitness, as seen in our January magazine story.

Harrisburg announced that there will be free garage parking available ahead of the forecasted snowstorm. Find the details here.

Harrisburg announced earlier this week that a demolition crew plans to raze a portion of a wall at the Broad Street Market’s brick building. Read more here.

Harrisburg University, in collaboration with Members 1st Federal Credit Union and PA’s auditor general, is running a financial literacy competition for high school students. It offers a $2,500 grand prize, according to our online story.

Logos Academy will host a school fair at Strawberry Square next month, giving parents and students a chance to explore schooling options around Harrisburg, our online story reported.

MLK365’s annual Day of Service brought out hundreds of volunteers, including Harrisburg High School’s girls’ and boys’ wrestling team members, to help with various projects across the city. Click here for more.

Our food columnist has the perfect sausage soup recipe for a cold January evening, as seen in our January issue.

Sara Bozich has consolidated the best events happening around town this snowstorm-fated weekend, including morning yoga at Boneshire Brew Works and an “Over 30 Dance Party” at Capital City Music Hall. For a full list, click here.

Urban Land Institute issued a new report on downtown Harrisburg this week that urged city stakeholders to de-emphasize office space and focus more on residences, small businesses and public spaces, according to our online story.

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The Next Level: Two friends plan to open luxury events studio in old Cafe 1500 space

January 21, 2026 | by Alexandra Jones

From left: Tiffiney Portee and Tina Hunter-Davis.

Two friends soon will open an events studio in Harrisburg, setting up in a key location along the 6th Street corridor.

Harrisburg residents Tina Hunter-Davis and Tiffiney Portee intend to co-own and manage their new events business, Élevé Event Studio, at 1500 N. 6th St., occupying the first-floor retail space of the 1500 Condominium building.

They plan to host wedding receptions, bridal showers and corporate gatherings at the more than 4,000-square-foot venue, which features an expansive dining area, flanked by floor-to-ceiling windows and a wrap-around bar.

The space’s in-house kitchen will allow them to cater such luxury events in-house, Hunter-Davis said. They plan to open in February or March, currently waiting on a retail license from the state and a zoning and occupation license from the city.

Portee emphasized that she hopes the business can be a space to elevate Harrisburg’s events scene.

“Harrisburg is an amazing place to live. I have no desire to live anywhere other than Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. My goal is to see us elevate to the next level,” Portee said.

“We’re just hoping for the support of the community,” Hunter-Davis added.

Élevé Event Studio at 1500 N. 6th St.

Hunter-Davis and Portee have only been friends for three years, but describe their relationship as a sisterhood.

“We’re able to be transparent to each other,” Hunter-Davis said. “And if I have a weakness, she has that strength.”

Portee echoed the depth of their connection.

“I feel like I’ve known Tina my entire life,” Portee said.

As partners in business, they bring vastly different professional backgrounds to the table.

Hunter-Davis retired from a 33-year career with the state of Pennsylvania in March. She previously conducted investigations of people and businesses suspected of violating state tax laws.

“It kind of seasoned me for this particular job,” she said, noting the work required her to be very detail-oriented.

Portee, meanwhile, is an investor, a real estate agent (brokered by Joy Daniels), and already a business owner, who manages New Beginnings daycare on N. 3rd Street.

“This is a startup business. It’s right in my wheelhouse. It’s what I do,” Portee said.

She expressed interest in becoming business partners with Hunter-Davis—who started her own event planning company, Tina HD Designs, immediately after her retirement.

Hunter-Davis said the business was a spinoff of her longstanding hobby of organizing events for family and friends—and while she started with just this base for clients, she was not prepared for how quickly her hobby-turned-business began to grow.

“Every event I have, there’s three or four people that attend that event that call me,” she said.

She added she felt relieved to have Portee join her. After the pair rebranded and established Élevé in November, they began splitting up business tasks, making it more manageable.

“We balance each other out.” Hunter-Davis said.

A table at Élevé Event Studio.

As luck would have it, the pair stumbled upon the old Cafe 1500 space when Hunter-Davis was working an event in the same building at the restaurant Crawdaddy’s.

“We came the next week to look at the space, and kind of fell in love with it,” Hunter-Davis said. “When it was Cafe 1500, I had only been in here and had brunch once. Tiffiney had never been, so when we came in, it was kind of like seeing it with new eyes.”

The space can seat 125 people for events that use a dance floor and has room for 170 people for cocktail hour events, according to Hunter-Davis. A lounge off the main area provides additional space, if needed, she said, and street parking is easily accessible.

They plan to employ family at Élevé, including Portee’s mother, a professional caterer, who will serve as the chef for the event studio’s kitchen.

Both Hunter-Davis and Portee think think that offering food in-house will set them apart as a luxury events space within the city.

“I believe that we are offering something that is not the norm and is not offered currently,” Portee said. “We’re a one-stop shop. We have our in-house catering, we have our bar, we have our in-house decorator.”

Hunter-Davis pointed out that, other than at a hotel, it’s hard to find all of that in one place.

“We’re both going to be at the forefront of doing everything,” Hunter-Davis added, noting one caveat where she alone takes the lead: decorating.

Portee nodded in agreement.

“She’s the creative of the two of us,” Portee said of her business partner. “She has an eye. She sees everything.”

“We call each other sissy,” Portee added with a laugh. “She’ll say, ‘Sissy, just put these chair covers on these chairs. That’s all I need from you.’ And I play my part.”

Élevé Event Studio will be located at 1500 N. Sixth St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit its Facebook page.

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School fair to offer a space for parents, students to explore Harrisburg-area options

January 20, 2026 | by Alexandra Jones

The “Find Your Fit” school fair will take place in downtown Harrisburg at Strawberry Square.

Curious about K-12 schooling options in the Harrisburg area?

Next month, Logos Academy will host a tabling event at Strawberry Square with representatives from public, private, charter and online schools across the region, according to school administrators. The private Christian school’s “Find Your Fit” schools fair will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21.

The hope is to create a one-stop shop that allows parents and children to explore their options when it comes to education.

“Instead of feeling like the other schools are competition, we want collaboration—because everyone wants the same thing. We all want the right student to be at the right school,” said Angelina Bartorelli, the event’s lead organizer.

Bartorelli said she’s seen many students and families bounce between schools, searching for the right fit for their child’s unique educational needs. Students with learning disabilities, like ADHD or autism, sometimes thrive in smaller private, charter or even online schools, she said. Other schools might focus on providing special education for students with disabilities.

“Students are all very unique,” she said.

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, the Mount Calvary Christian School and the Circle School will be at the event.

The “Find Your Fit” school fair will take place in February.

To learn more about the Find Your Fit school fair, visit this website.

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Harrisburg volunteers celebrate King’s legacy by lending a hand on MLK Day of Service

January 19, 2026 | by Alexandra Jones

Volunteers made no-sew blankets at Goodwin Memorial Baptist Church.

Hundreds of volunteers assembled for MLK365’s annual Central Pennsylvania MLK Day of Service Monday, eager to lend a hand to those in need in the community.

“What began as a small, local effort in and around Harrisburg has grown into a powerful regional movement,” said Shelly Lipscomb-Echeverria, MLK Day chairperson, at the group’s opening ceremony at Goodwin Memorial Baptist Church. “Today, we serve together, illuminating courage, spreading hope and strengthening our beloved community.”

The group’s annual Central Pennsylvania MLK Day of Service volunteer campaign asks Harrisburg residents to serve their communities on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Wrestlers from both the girls’ and boys’ teams at Harrisburg High School gathered at Beahive Affordable Housing Outreach’s new property on 2007 N. 3rd Street on Monday. They removed old carpeting, pulled nails and completed other tasks needed to transform the space into Beahive’s headquarters for its housing stability and community programs.

Domineak Commodore, head wrestling coach at Harrisburg High School, said he was proud of his 15 to 20 students completing the work.

“You never know when you’re going to be in need, and it’s always important to understand the power and importance of giving back,” he said. “Because someday you might be in a situation where someone’s going to have to give back to you.”

Domineak Commodore

Trishawnda Cabbagestalk, chapter president for the Harrisburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, joined other volunteers in Goodwin’s conference room to piece together no-sew blankets for those in need.

“It’s two pieces of fabric that, essentially, you cut and you tie them together. They don’t require sewing, but it is a warm blanket that someone that is in need could utilize,” she explained.

The Harrisburg resident said she loves volunteering on MLK Day, she thinks it’s important to give back to the community.

“It’s a day on, not a day off,” she said. “It’s an opportunity for us to give back.”

Trishawnda Cabbagestalk

At St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Patricia Tilman was one of a few dozen volunteers who gathered in the church’s basement Monday to make homemade cards that will be given to community members.

“To help to uplift their day, make them feel good and shine,” Tilman explained. “It makes me feel good to help others to feel good.”

Patricia Tilman

MLK365 had more than 15 service projects listed on its website with signup lists for volunteers.

This marks MLK365’s 17th year championing volunteer efforts on MLK Day to help those in need.

Volunteers helped remove carpet at Beahive Affordable Housing Outreach’s new property.

For more information, visit MLK365’s website.

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