Author Archives: Alexandra Jones

Harrisburg to celebrate New Year’s Eve with fireworks, strawberry drop

December 31, 2025 | by Alexandra Jones

Music and hot cocoa will be available outside the MLK City Government Center.

Ready to ring in 2026?

Harrisburg will hold its annual downtown New Year’s Eve party tonight, culminating in a midnight strawberry drop and fireworks show.

The free event will begin at 9 p.m. with music and free hot cocoa outside of the MLK City Government Center. Several establishments along N. 2nd Street—including Sawyer’s, Nocturnal, JB Lovedrafts, Zembie’s, The Bourbon Street Saloon and Anna Rose Bakery—will be open late to provide food and drinks for guests.

Downtown street parking will be free ahead of the event, beginning at 5 p.m.

In addition to the midnight strawberry drop and fireworks, there will be a kids glow party beginning at 8:30 p.m. at the MLK City Government Center. It will end in a 9:30 p.m. balloon drop. Geared toward children under 13, the event will also feature face painting, balloon animals, crafts and a danceoff. Free snacks as well as milk and cookies will be served.

Parking at the Market Square Garage is $10 from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., courtesy of Park Harrisburg, for those that enter the garage between 7 p.m. and midnight. N. 2nd Street, from Chestnut to Walnut streets, will close for the event at 6 p.m.

The fireworks will be launched between Market and Blackberry streets on N. 2nd Street.

For more information, visit the city’s website.

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Islamic school closes on $1.1M purchase of former Jewish Community Center building

December 30, 2025 | by Alexandra Jones

The Al-Huda School purchased 3301 Front St., which used to house the Jewish Community Center.

The old Jewish Community Center building has a new owner.

On Dec. 24, 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 last week 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 Tuesday 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.

The property was on the market for roughly two years and went up for auction in October. It contains a gymnasium, pool, auditorium and other facilities and overlooks the Susquehanna River.

Haroon Shah represented Al-Huda at the October auction. Al-Huda has noted its goal of creating a full-time Islamic school in the Harrisburg region on its website.

For more information on the Al-Huda School, visit its website.

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Musical Notes: Warm Up to January

December 30, 2025 | by Skye Cadzow

January’s off to a slow beginning, with a soft first half of the month as far as live music offerings.

With that in mind, it might be a good time to dust off whatever instrument you resolved to “get back into” this year and start tuning up. I’m calling out myself on this one. I have written “start playing harp again” on my New Year’s resolutions list since I moved back to Harrisburg in 2020. Could 2026 be “the year?” Only time will tell.

WARM MELODIES

1/17, Susquehanna Folk Music Society Presents Damn Tall Buildings w/Andrew Pauls, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of York

The Brooklyn-based trio Damn Tall Buildings brings an energetic beauty to the way they harmonize in their unique bluegrass, which leans pretty heavily into Americana and pop tendencies. I’m not a big bluegrass fan, but “Honey I’m Coming Home” and “Turkish Airlines” have been stuck in my head since I first heard them. Check out Damn Tall Buildings’ 2025 album, “The Universe is Hungry,” for a taste of what you’ll hear when they arrive in York later this month.

SHE-INCARNATION

1/23, Lez Zeppelin, Capital City Music Hall

Known for their powerhouse interpretation of Led Zeppelin’s prolific discography, the all-female fronted cover band Lez Zeppelin is bringing its serious skills to the stage at Capital City Music Hall this January. The group, which has been playing together since 2004, was even praised by original Led guitar legend Jimmy Page in 2013. “They played the Led Zeppelin music with an extraordinary sensuality and an energy and passion that highlighted their superb musicianship,” Page said. Expect to hear “The Song Remains the Same” played in its entirety to celebrate its 50th anniversary when Lez Zeppelin plays CCMH this month.

NEW ENDEAVORS

1/29, Tom Hamilton, XL Live

Philadelphia singer-songwriter Tom Hamilton’s been playing and producing in the industry for decades as part of other bands but waited until the pandemic to start experimenting with music under his own name. His debut album, “I’m Your Vampire,” releases Jan. 23, so the 10-song record will still be pretty fresh by the time he hits the stage at XL Live a week later. The fuzzy bedroom rock sound on track “Walking Backwards” is reminiscent of The War on Drugs with just a hint of Nathaniel Rateliff, and I’m excited to hear more from the full album. I also recommend checking out his other single, “Don’t Give Up On Me,” or enjoy his guitar skills via Grateful Dead cover band, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

1/17, Tantric, Capital City Music Hall

1/17, Rift Phish Tribute, The Abbey Bar

1/23, Forrest Brown’s Dirty Little Secret, West Shore Theatre

1/23, Cris Jacobs, The Abbey Bar

1/29, DJ Brownie (of The Disco Biscuits), The Abbey Bar

1/31, Captain Mike & The Shipwrecked, West Shore Theatre

1/31, Grateful Allman Band Experience, The Abbey Bar

1/31, Crys Matthews w/Sarah Fiore, Unitarian Church of Harrisburg

If you’re a musician and/or promoter, or a fan of a local artist, and you’d like to share some upcoming shows with TheBurg, drop me a line at [email protected].

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From Business to Books: Local children’s author enters 2026 on a publishing tear

December 30, 2025 | by Colin McGuire

Jessica Yoon. Photo courtesy of Kate McCord Photography.

For someone who has a background in numbers and percentages, Jessica Yoon sure knows a lot about words and pictures.

And to think: That knowledge would never have been accrued without a global pandemic.

As the COVID-19 outbreak effectively shut the world down, Yoon, who lives in Mechanicsburg, found herself juggling remotely working a finance job while raising her first child. After her second child, a daughter, was born, she concluded with her husband that it might be time to retire from corporate life and settle into being a stay-at-home mother.

The transition was taxing, Yoon said, but it turned out to lead her down an unexpected path.

“I was losing my sense of self,” she said. “I was looking for something that was just for me, and writing ended up becoming my creative outlet.”

Yoon watched as a surge in anti-Asian sentiment spread, and it influenced the topics about which she wrote. It wasn’t long before she also realized, as she was reading her son’s children’s books, that there weren’t any characters that looked like him—or her.

As a result, the author decided to start writing down the stories she would make up for her children during story time. By the end of 2021, she began her pursuit of publication.

“As someone with zero background in writing, I was filled with a healthy dose of illusion and audacity,” Yoon quipped. “I just really wanted my kids to see themselves in media.”

While her desire to write was born out of practicality, she had no idea it also would lead to a long-held dream coming true. After landing and parting with an agent, she came across her current agent, who asked her what she wanted to do most.

Yoon’s answer was simple: a “Little Golden Book.” She grew up reading the fabled series of children’s books, so seeing her name on one would be magical. Through a shot of serendipity, her agent reached out to the series’ editor and found that they had a book featuring the K-Pop sensation Blackpink on their calendar—without an author attached to it.

The editor asked her agent if Yoon was a K-Pop fan, and the rest was history.

“I’m actually an OG fan of K-Pop,” Yoon said with a laugh. “In the ’90s, there was a boy band called H.O.T., and I had their posters all over my childhood bedroom. So, I’ve been a fan of this from the start.”

The result is “Blackpink: A Little Golden Book Biography,” which hit bookstores in December, a year earlier than planned. The Penguin Random House publication, illustrated by Honee Jang, chronicles the members of the girl group from their childhoods, through their training to become worldwide pop stars and into the modern day as they tour the world.

That’s not all. Beyond the Blackpink book, Yoon will release “Jeong Is Joeng,” a book about a little girl who embarks on a journey of discovery, kindness and understanding, illustrated by Michelle Lee, in February. Then, in May, “The Legend of Ban-Dal” will hit bookshelves via Simon & Schuster’s “Little Bee Books.”

Yoon’s meteoric rise within the kids lit world is as shocking to the author herself as it is to anyone else. She currently has nine books contracted and is quick to point out that she has wider aspirations for her writing career somewhere down the line.

“I definitely want to publish an adult novel someday,” she said. “I have tons of ideas, and I’m just trying to pace myself at this point because I want to have a long, sustainable career as an author. It’s a matter of, ‘When can an idea fully crystallize and when can I sit down and write it?’”

For now, Yoon is thrilled to be on what she called a “crazy ride” in the children’s literary world. As for her old job, she has zero plans of rekindling her passion for those numbers and percentages.

“I never want to go back to business,” she said. “This is all the result of a lot of different events in my life happening at the same time.

“Sometimes, I have to pinch myself,” the author added before wondering aloud, “Is this real?” she asked. “What is happening?”

For more information on Jessica Yoon and her books, visit www.jessicayoon.com.

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Winter Wonderland: Park officials and outfitters stress importance of bundling up and getting outdoors with your kids this winter

December 30, 2025 | by Susan Ryder

Illustration by Aron Rook.

Shorter and colder days bring on a kind of hibernation for people as well as animals, but getting outdoors is important for families’ winter wellbeing.

Local parks and playgrounds provide one tool to combat the challenge of cold weather malaise.

“The seasonal changes are felt when you don’t have as much daylight,” said Savanna Berry, environmental educator at Wildwood Park in Harrisburg. “So, getting out when you have time in the daylight is just so necessary for your mental health and getting your body moving.”

Located behind HACC’s campus, Wildwood Park is part wetland, with hiking trails and an education center. There’s plenty to see in the less-green winter landscape; in fact, fewer leaves mean better animal sighting opportunities.

“It’s actually a great time to view the water and especially waterfowl, even from the building, with the leaves off the trees,” Berry said.

With less foliage, visitors can also catch a glimpse of muskrat lodges, small mounds of plant material on the lake. You may even get lucky and see one of these small, beaver-like creatures with a long slim tail, since they are active in the winter.

Should it snow, things get even more interesting.

“There’s always something changing, so you’ll find the [animal] tracks in the snow, you’ll see holes in the snow,” Berry said. “You can even find feather marks on the ground where a bird had flapped. You could be the only person who got to see that track before it melted away.”

Another antidote to the cold is going into Wildwood’s Olewine Nature Center after some time outside. Families can watch the birds at the many feeders at the indoor viewing area, and participate in a community science project, “where we record what birds come to our feeders,” Berry said.

Families can also participate in other winter programming like “Discover Rocks and Minerals” and “Discover Groundhogs,” grouping some time outside with some indoor fun.

Year-Round Fun

Getting that close to nature might not be what all parents are looking for, but they can still get their kiddos moving and outside.

“All of our parks and all of our playgrounds are open all winter long,” said Doug Knauss, Susquehanna Township’s parks and recreation director.

At parks like Crown Point Park, parents can walk the loop surrounding the playground and still keep an eye on the kids. Veterans Park also has an internal walking loop of crushed stone.

“So, you can go out for a nice short walk…get out, gets you moving a bit and gets you outside,” Knauss said.

Lower Paxton Township has 16 parks, with large community parks and smaller neighborhood “pocket parks,” which are open to the public.

Renovated in November, Meadow Brook Park might be a nice visit. Older kids, looking for something other than a walk or equipment, can enjoy geocaching in Lower Paxton Township parks.

“It’s free to do as long as you go on geocaching.com and make your account,” said Michelle Thompson, the township’s community engagement and media manager. “You can hunt and find the 12 caches.”

Both Knauss and Thompson said that folks continue to enjoy the parks in the colder months.

“People love the playground year-round,” Thompson said. “They just wear their hats and mittens.”

Move Your Body

Kids still like to swing on swings, slide down slides, climb the equipment and ride bikes even in the winter. Parents might be a little reluctant—it’s cold.

There’s a solution for that.

“The best way to enjoy the cold is by staying warm,” said Jessica Miller, owner of Earth Artisan & Outfitter in Carlisle. “Get dressed, stay active, move your body.”

The key to keeping warm, according to Miller, is to dress in layers, including a soft moisture-wicking base and a waterproof outer layer.

“I cannot stress enough—dress in layers,” Miller said. “You can always take something off if it’s not needed.”

Don’t forget hats, mittens and a scarf or balaclava (not baklava the dessert, but a tube-shaped piece of fabric that you pull over your head to cover your neck, and face, if needed). Socks and footwear are important to staying warm too. Wear appropriate socks and insulated shoes or boots, even if you’re just headed to the playground.

Miller says that parents lead through example, and if they spend time outside, their kids will too.

“Everyone can benefit from a brain break, put down the phones and devices. Unplug and tune into life around you. This also builds relationships, interactions and communication,” Miller said.

There are a few things to consider when heading outdoors this winter.

Many parks do not have open bathroom facilities during the winter months. Olewine Nature Center is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday and does have facilities. Also, clearing roads takes precedence over clearing parking lots, so some may not be plowed soon after a winter storm.

Whether it’s hiking on a nature trail or heading down to the local park, time spent outside benefits everyone.

“Connecting to nature even when it’s cold helps build relationships, with the land, with life, the planet we all call home and with each other,” Miller said.

To learn more about Wildwood Park and Olewine Nature Center, visit www.explorewildwoodpark.org.

For more information about Susquehanna Township Parks, visit www.susquehannatwp.com/parks-recreation/pages/come-see-our-parks.

Find out more about Lower Paxton Township Parks at www.lowerpaxton-pa.gov/165/ParksFacilities.

For more information about Earth Artisan and Outfitter, visit www.earthartout.com.

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Adventure Together: Start the new year off right with positivity jars, family sports and giving back

December 30, 2025 | by Natalie diSanto

There’s a lot of talk about resolutions this time of year.

We create lists of ways to improve our lives, making note of things we hope to change in the year ahead. It absolutely can be helpful to set thoughtful, positive goals when moving into a new year, though if our resolutions don’t go as planned, we often make the mistake of framing difficulty as failure. As parents, we face a constant onslaught of variables while holding the responsibility to demonstrate for our children how to navigate setbacks, how to intentionally work toward goals, and how to care for ourselves and others.

Positive Energy

This new year, we’re trying a positivity jar. The goal of this creation is to inspire new experiences, encourage growth and remind ourselves of how awesome we already are. To make your own positivity jar, ask each member of your family to write down four things they’re grateful for, four kind words or thoughts about themselves, and four things they’d like to put more energy toward. If you follow this 4-4-4 practice, you’ll start with 12 pieces of paper and be set for about three months. Fold the papers and put them in a jar—kudos if you use a recycled container. Let each member of your family decorate their jar to reflect their own unique personality. Easy ways to decorate are paint, bedazzling with sequins and glitter, or covering in stickers. We added a few crystals that we bought from The Plant Witch in Harrisburg to our jars to attract positive energy.

Pick a day of the week to reap the benefits of your hard work. My family picked Tuesday to be “Positivity Jar Day,” and we each pull a paper out of our jars then share our goals or mantras out loud. Sharing can bring families closer together, creating a group sense of accountability and growth. When you run out of papers, have fun writing new, timely statements to keep your jar relevant and brimming with optimism year-round.

Active Fun

One of my goals is to improve my reflexes, or in other words, get better at beating my kid at sports. Unfortunately, the best way to work toward my goal is practice.

We parents can probably agree that it’s an uphill battle to stay active in the winter. By the time my kid gets off the bus, there’s only about an hour of daylight left. But I have a goal to achieve, so I made a pact with my kid that we’d spend at least half of that hour outside, bundled up and playing badminton.

I use the term badminton loosely—it’s more like a combination of tennis and badminton or, occasionally, even baseball and volleyball. We took $15 to the thrift store and bought random sports equipment, and now we combine it in ways that are fun to us, though probably not correct. Our games get so outrageous that we spend most of the time chasing rogue balls or trying to breathe through our laughter. We’re always able to push ourselves and work up a good sweat, improving skills and bonding over physical activity. My 8-year-old cares deeply about the score, but the point isn’t to win (except maybe just once), it’s to accomplish our daily goal of going outside and playing together. It’s a wonderful and simple way to demonstrate setting achievable commitments and sticking to them.

Craft Kits

When the sun sets, pivot to putting energy toward giving back to the community.

Caitlin’s Smiles is a regional nonprofit that distributes art supplies to hospitalized children. People of all ages can volunteer by helping to assemble craft kits for kids. Many children can relate to and understand the joy of being creative. Caitlin’s Smiles seeks to empower children in hospitals to have the opportunity for arts and self-expression, and your family can be part of that effort. Putting together craft kits for kids is a fantastic way for your family to connect while making a positive impact on the lives of other children. Volunteers sign up for two-hour time slots that are varied to accommodate differing schedules. If your family requires unique hours or if you have a group of five or more, reach out to the organizers via their website.

As caregivers, parents and friends, we hold the opportunity to be our children’s greatest teachers. Demonstrating healthy goal setting and positive self-talk, carving out time to be outside and play, and caring for and helping others are beautiful lessons to integrate into our goals for this year and wonderful lifelong values to instill in this new generation of people we’re raising.

Cheers to a new year and the privilege to continue learning and having fun, growing families and community here in central PA.

To learn more about Caitlin’s Smiles, visit www.caitlins-smiles.org.

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Take a Number: Our editor counts down his top 10 Harrisburg news stories of 2025.

December 30, 2025 | by Lawrance Binda

The sycamore trees are barren, the Farm Show is upon us, and the Harrisburg beaver has bedded down for the winter. That can only mean one thing. It’s time for my annual review of Harrisburg news stories, a tradition eagerly anticipated each year by at least two of my friends (or so they tell me).

10. Housing Headway
For my annual top 10 list, I have a custom: start with something positive before lowering the boom. In my view, progress made on one of the city’s most intractable challenges—homelessness—is noteworthy. In August, “A Miracle Community” opened in south Harrisburg, offering displaced occupants of “tent city” a more organized, less chaotic place to stay. Moreover, three nearby housing projects hopefully will offer additional, more substantive housing. Despite the progress, this issue isn’t going away anytime soon. Some former “tent city” occupants didn’t move to the new location but onto city streets, creating issues there, especially downtown. Also, there’s simply not enough transitional or permanent housing being built to end the crisis anytime soon.

9. Money Matters
In TheBurg, we write many stories about local budgets: city, county, schools. However, federal and state fiscal policy are typically outside our coverage zone. Not in 2025. Tariff hikes, federal program cuts and budget impasses all offered fodder for a yearlong stream of stories of how national and state policy affected people here in central Pa. Along the way, we interviewed coffee sellers, shop owners, food providers, small businesses, school officials and others directly impacted by the uncertainty, delay and policy shifts. They reported a grab bag of bad outcomes, including price hikes, increased costs, layoffs, hunger and turning away those in need, almost as if, said one person, our own elected officials are conspiring against us.

8. Receiving End
Some things, they say, end not with a bang but a whimper. Such was the case with the Harrisburg School District receivership, which came to a quiet close. Back in 2019, the dysfunctional district was placed under state control, with two receivers running the system for the next six years. The receivership didn’t prove to be a panacea, but the district seemed to run more smoothly than before (granted, a low bar). Then, in June, the receivership expired, with power returning to the elected school board. All in, I’d give the receivership a grade of “B.” Finances and operations stabilized, but student performance continued to lag. Also, both receivers punted on the fate of the old William Penn High School, kicking that can further down the road.

7. Highway to Heck
Back in November 2018, our astute city reporter broke some important news—PennDOT had sketched out a plan to double the width of I-83 running through Harrisburg. Outraged, city officials pushed back, not able to kill the project, but getting it scaled back somewhat. Condemnations and clearings followed before construction finally began about two years ago. But it wasn’t until 2025 that the dust and debris really hit the fan, the year marked by constant demos, detours, closures and gridlock. The city’s largest homeless encampment even became collateral damage, as PennDOT took the land for its project. Indeed, every week seemed to have some I-83-related news, which I expect will continue until the expansion is completed sometime in the 25th century.

6. Fretful Fests
In recent years, Harrisburg’s annual waterfront festivals haven’t been the carefree events they should be, with several serious incidents involving fights and reports (and rumors) of gunfire. For a while, it appeared that we’d make it through 2025 with no major problems, but, unfortunately, that suddenly changed. In the last few minutes of the summer’s last festival, Kipona, a woman in a minivan swerved around a barrier blocking traffic and drove through the heart of closed-off Front Street, seriously injuring several people. A York Haven woman, Elizabeth Ann Bohrer, was arrested at the scene and charged with numerous offenses, including aggravated assault. And, once again, a dark shadow was cast upon what should have been a joyful celebration.

5. More Affordable
A new market-rate apartment building hasn’t been built in Harrisburg in, I don’t know, decades? Fortunately, that doesn’t apply to affordable housing projects, which have popped up all over the city in recent years. In fact, 2025 was a busy year for both groundbreakings and ribbon-cuttings for such projects as Bethel Village, Woodward Lofts and the Savoy, together adding hundreds of affordable units. Some projects even received a share of $8 million in federal grants doled out by the city in October, in addition to other subsidies and assistance. There was even good news for arguably the most troubled affordable development in the city—Governor’s Square—which went into receivership and took the first steps toward rehabilitation.

4. Mayoral Minded
What happens if they hold an election and no one comes? That was my question following Harrisburg’s mayoral primary, which drew only about 5,000 voters. On the Democratic side, the incumbent, Wanda Williams, edged to renomination by just 80 votes over her closest rival, city Treasurer Dan Miller. Miller, though, got enough write-in votes for the Republican nod, marking the fourth straight Harrisburg mayoral election in which a candidate lost in the primary but ran in the general election anyway. In that race, Miller turned up the heat, running a more focused, energetic campaign. Residents responded, and Miller received far greater voter support. However, so did Williams, who proved that it’s tough to beat an incumbent, a Democrat, and, frankly, Wanda Williams, in a citywide campaign.

3. State Security
I’ve long thought that one of the (many) quirks of life here is how estranged the state of Pennsylvania is from its own seat of government—the city of Harrisburg. Having said that, every so often the two converge in a profound way. April 13 was a startling example, as a man scaled the fence to the Governor’s Residence and firebombed part of the building, putting Harrisburg in the national spotlight for several days. A deeply troubled Penbrook resident, Cody Balmer, soon turned himself in, pleaded guilty and, later, was sentenced to decades in prison. The tragedy also cast an eye on the rather lax security at the residence, which, as of this writing, remained in a prolonged, ugly state of safety-focused construction.

2. Market Rate
For the past two years, the Broad Street Market fire, and its aftermath, has been my No. 1 news story in Harrisburg. This year, I’ve moved it down a notch, as the dire state of the downtown eclipsed the dire state of the market. There was even some good news. After more than two years post-fire, work finally began to restore and rebuild the brick market building. On the downside, the price kept escalating. In late September, City Council reallocated $14.4 million for the project, with the cost now estimated at about $23 million—and that was before the mid-December collapse of a large part of an exterior wall. In addition, the city still wasn’t certain how much it’ll eventually recover in an insurance payout, leaving the total financial impact unknown.

1. Downtown Doldrums
I’ll put this as bluntly as I can: downtown Harrisburg is in crisis. Remote work, especially among state workers, has emptied office buildings, deserted streets and slammed small businesses. The governor seems reluctant to order workers back to the office, and the city has shown scant leadership addressing the disaster. Despite this, there were some green shoots of hope, as Harristown continued its decade-long series of office-to-residential conversions, and nightlife impresario Justin Browning debuted a major music venue. Meanwhile, the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC, the city and state legislators are teaming on a downtown redevelopment plan, which, I hope, will be major, positive news in 2026.

In the end, I’d call 2025 a mixed bag. For every snippet of good news (affordable housing), there was some bad (another empty storefront). My hope is that, a year from now, I can report a nearly completed market building, more affordable and market-rate housing and solid progress for the downtown. Harrisburg, can you turn my frown upside down?

Lawrance Binda is publisher and editor of TheBurg.

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Arch, Curl, Spiral: The Gyrotonic method represents a different kind of movement

December 30, 2025 | by Ashley Andyshak Hayes

Barb Mullin, right. Photo courtesy of ACS Movement and Alibi Creative.

A Pennsylvania native is bringing her knowledge and love of movement to her own studio space in Camp Hill.

At ACS Movement, Barb Mullin offers one-on-one sessions using the Gyrotonic Expansion System, a practice designed to improve range of motion, stability and spine health.

The Gyrotonic system is similar to yoga and Pilates in that it consists of eccentric movements, where muscles lengthen under tension, as opposed to concentric movements in which muscles shorten under tension, like what happens during a bicep curl. The three-dimensional exercises are performed on a pulley table with adjustable weights and other mechanisms that customize the practice for each person.

Mullin named her studio ACS Movement to represent the three main spinal movement patterns in Gyrotonic: arch, curl and spiral. The movements are designed to be effortless, Mullin said, quoting the system’s founder, Juliu Horvath: “What is gained with ease is retained with ease.”

New System

Horvath developed the Gyrotonic system using his deep knowledge of dance and yoga. A former principal dancer for the Romanian National Ballet Company, he defected while on tour in Italy in the 1970s and eventually made his way to the United States after receiving political asylum.

While dancing with the Houston Ballet, he ruptured his Achilles tendon, which put his dancing career on hold. The injury led him to explore yoga as a way to heal and recover, and he studied the practice for many years. The insights he gained during his yoga practice inspired the creation of a new exercise method, which he named “Yoga for Dancers.”

As he introduced this new exercise system to people in the U.S., interest from both within and outside the dance community grew, so Horvath developed a variation of the program that was accessible to those with or without a background in dance.

This format became the basis of Gyrokinesis, a practice of choreographed, seated movement. He also developed the specialized equipment and exercises used in the Gyrotonic method. Today, the system is used by more than 13,000 trainers in more than 80 countries, according to the Gyrotonic website.

Mullin has an extensive background in both Pilates and Gyrotonic instruction. She discovered both disciplines while living in New York City in the 1970s, and she spent more than a decade there studying and teaching Pilates. In 1991, she opened the first Pilates studio in Orange County, N.Y., and later moved her practice to Austin, Texas, where she became fully certified in Gyrotonic instruction. She then taught on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula for five years.

In 2024, she moved back to Pennsylvania to be closer to family and began looking for a venue to share her knowledge of the Gyrotonic method with others. She found a space alongside Absolute Pilates and several other fitness-related businesses on Trindle Road.

Slow, Flowing

Anyone can benefit from Gyrotonic exercises, Mullin said, including experienced athletes, people recovering from injury or surgery, seniors looking to age well, and those who just want to increase their ease of movement in everyday activities.

The movements can help improve balance for people involved in activities or sports that rely heavily on one side of the body, such as golf, pickleball or tennis, and can benefit those with chronic conditions like multiple sclerosis or fibromyalgia, she said.

The slow, flowing movements, along with mindful breathing, help to reduce stress, decompress the spine and joints, and increase overall wellness, Mullin said.

Throughout her career, Mullin has worked with people in all phases of life, from those in their teens to those in their 90s and has seen how exercises like Pilates and Gyrotonic have helped increase and extend quality of life.

“You really can change people’s lives,” she said.

ACS Movement is located at 3514 Trindle Rd., Camp Hill. Sessions are by appointment only; call 512-810-7347 or email [email protected] for more information.

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Fast Food, Italian Style: This sausage soup is a healthier alternative to a burger and fries

December 30, 2025 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

Have you ever raced home from a busy day at work or other activities and immediately faced the question of what to do for dinner?

Often, our first impulse is to grab a burger from our favorite fast-food place or look for a frozen pizza you know you stashed in the freezer.

There are better options. I am proposing that one simple pound of Italian sausage (either sweet or hot) is your salvation for a quick and healthy dinner. You can bake the sausage with a little water at 350 degrees for about an hour and 15 minutes. Cover the pan for half that time, then uncover to lightly brown. Add a baked potato and a green salad and you are done. Italian fast food!

When I was growing up, Italian sausage was part of our meal rotation. Many Harrisburg Italians traveled to a shop in Steelton, the little town south of Harrisburg, to get authentic Italian sausage. A family friend always picked some up for us. My mother insisted that any sausage she cooked contain finocchio. Finocchio is the sweet anise flavoring from the fennel plant. She wouldn’t accept any other!

But today, Ryan Hummer at the West Shore Farmers Market offers a variety of wonderful sausages including cheddar cheese, pecorino cheese, jalapeno, maple and even blueberry. I usually stick to either Italian sweet or hot for most of my recipes. But experimenting with the others is fun.

So, back to your busy day and no dinner. How about homemade soup on a cold January evening? Tastes of Italia magazine provided this favorite recipe for me, which is a complete dinner filled with protein, carbs and vegetables. It is so easy to tweak. Use spinach or kale instead of escarole, pasta shapes instead of angel hair, chicken broth instead of beef, and any kind of Italian sausage you like. Grab a glass of an Italian red while you are putting it together.

Zuppa di Salsiccia (Sausage Soup)

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup chopped onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 celery stalk, diced
2 medium Italian sausage links, casings removed and crumbled
A pinch of dried red chili flakes
2 cloves garlic, diced
4 cups beef or chicken broth
3 cups water
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
A small bag fresh spinach, rinsed and chopped
4 ounces of pasta broken in pieces or 4-ounce small pasta shapes
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Directions

In a large pot, combine the olive oil, onions, rosemary and celery; cook for 5 minutes on medium heat.
Add the sausage, red chili flakes and garlic and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until sausage is nicely browned.
Add broth, water, tomato paste, beans and spinach.
Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add pasta and cook until al dente.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese if desired.

Place in soup bowls, pour some wine, grab a little baguette of bread, and you have dinner.

Now I admit, you need to have several staple ingredients on hand (pantry items, as they say). But the sausage could be waiting in the freezer, and the spinach can be frozen too.

Fresh and healthy homemade soup. Fairly quickly. And enough for lunch the next day!

Maybe a burger and fries once in a while….

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January News Digest

December 30, 2025 | by TheBurg Staff

No Tax Hike in Harrisburg Budget

Harrisburg City Council last month passed the city’s 2026 municipal budget, which does not include a property tax hike.

The total budget, including the capital projects fund, state liquid fuels fund and neighborhood services fund, among others, is $127.3 million. The general fund portion is $88 million.

Preceding the final vote, council made significant changes to Mayor Wanda Williams’ initial budget proposal, including rejecting raises for Williams and other elected officials.

Council also eliminated salaries for the city’s interim 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 the salary for the interim director of building and housing development, which supplements the portion of the salary funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

At press time, Williams had not yet signed off on the budget. She also had the option to veto the entire budget or issue specific line-item vetoes.

At the mid-December meeting, council also reconsidered and approved a land development plan for 333 Market Street, a downtown office building that previously housed state government offices. Harristown plans to renovate floors 11 through 19 and create 81 one- and two-bedroom apartments for use as senior housing. The company is currently in search of an organization to master lease the apartments.

In addition, council renewed the city’s lease agreement with the Broad Street Market Alliance for another year. The approved extension was initiated because the market is required to have an up-to-date lease for state funding that it was awarded.

In other news, council voted to extend the city’s LERTA program, which provides tax break incentives to developers. City officials have said that they drafted a new, updated LERTA bill, but are waiting for the Harrisburg School District to review it.

School District Hires Acting Principal

The Harrisburg School District Board last month hired an acting principal for Harrisburg High School-John Harris Campus.

Longtime school district employee Roma Benjamin will temporarily fill the post, which has seen significant turnover in recent years.

Former John Harris principal Christopher Sattele, who began in October 2024, left the district for another position. Superintendent Benjamin Henry said the district will conduct a national search this February for a permanent principal.

“We want to have a little bit more time to go through the process of finding a more permanent person for this role, versus moving someone in immediately,” Henry said of the appointment.

The district approved Benjamin’s employment contract, including a $138,000 salary, with an 8-1 vote. School board member Danielle Robinson voted no.

Prior to this role, Benjamin had been working as a support supervisor within the district. She served as principal at Rowland Academy last year, but was placed on administrative leave in February after being accused of harassment for allegedly shoving a 13-year-old student. The case has since been closed.

The board also used its last meeting of the year to review its general fund budget for 2025-26 with updated state funding numbers. The district had previously estimated what state subsidies it expected to receive due to Pennsylvania’s lengthy budget impasse, explained Chief Financial Officer Marcia Stokes in a presentation during the meeting.

“This is really as a result of the state’s delay,” she said of the budget amendment.

Stokes further explained that the state budget had added an additional $3.2 million to the district’s general fund budget, bringing its total to $216.3 million.

For the 2025-26 school year, the state gave Harrisburg $88.1 million for basic education, $8.7 million for special education, and $18 million in grant funding.

Water/Sewer Rates Rise

Harrisburg water and sewer customers will pay about 6.3% more for service in 2026, according to new rates set by Capital Region Water (CRW).

In late November, the CRW board approved its new rate structure, which will increase the monthly bill for the average residential customer by $6.06, from $95.76 to $101.82, according to the Harrisburg-based utility.

“The CRW team carefully considered these rates to strike a balance between covering necessary operational costs and providing fair and equitable charges to customers,” CRW said, in a statement.

Broken out, the 2026 rates are as follows:

Water charge: $11.63 per 1,000 gallons (average increase of $2.47 per month)
Wastewater charge: $11.43 per 1,000 gallons (average increase of $3.18 per month)
Stormwater charge: $7.18 for most residential customers (increase of 41 cents per month)

According to CRW, the 2026 budget focuses on critical areas such as “infrastructure improvements, water quality initiatives and environmental stewardship,” as it continues a decades-long effort to reduce wastewater flowing directly into area waterways during rain events.

Last year, the average monthly bill for CRW customers in Harrisburg rose by 3.7%.

Home Sales, Prices Rise

Harrisburg-area home sales and prices both rose in November, according to the latest report on previously owned houses.

For the three-county region, 502 homes sold, compared to 474 homes in November 2024, while the median sales price increased to $290,000 from $275,000, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, 233 houses changed hands in November, versus 214 in the year-ago period, as the median sales price rose to $261,950 from $250,000, GHAR stated.

Cumberland County had 242 home sales compared to 240 the prior November, while the median sales price increased to $335,000 from $314,297, GHAR said.

In Perry County, 32 homes sold in November, versus 18 homes a year earlier, as the median sales price decreased to $214,000 from $237,500, according to GHAR.

The pace of home sales slowed a bit in November, as “average days on market” rose to 32 days versus 28 days in November 2024, GHAR said.

So Noted

Amma Jo, an accessories boutique, reopened in downtown Harrisburg last month, offering handbags, accessories, gifts and art. The shop is returning to a new spot within Strawberry Square, where it has operated previously.

Christine (Christy) Pavlakovich was promoted last month to chief operating officer at Members 1st Federal Credit Union. In her new role, Pavlakovich will oversee retail and branch operations, risk and compliance, legal, physical security as well as human resources and learning and development, according to Members 1st.

Dauphin County last month passed a $221.9 million general fund budget for 2026, a slight decrease from the 2025 budget. Nonetheless, the 2026 spending plan includes a 9.75% property tax hike. The increase comes on top of a 21.8% property tax hike in 2025 following two decades with no increase at all.

Jason Stouffer has been named CEO of York-based Kinsley Construction, the company said last month. Stouffer, who has spent his entire career at Kinsley, replaces Christopher Kinsley, who retired in 2025. In addition, third-generation family members, Andrew and James Kinsley, have been named co-COOs.

Jennifer Craighead Carey last month was re-elected for a second two-year term as managing partner and chief executive officer of the Barley Snyder law firm, a 130-attorney firm with offices throughout the eastern half of Pennsylvania. Craighead Carey has been with the Lancaster-based firm for over 30 years and is its first female managing partner.

PA Dairymen’s Association last month announced this year’s special Farm Show milkshake flavors: strawberry (red), vanilla (white) and raspberry (blue) in honor of the country’s 250th birthday this year. The 2026 Farm Show takes place Jan. 10 to 17, with the food court debuting on Jan. 9.

Pennon, the parent company of WITF, has gifted LNP/Lancaster Online to a new nonprofit, Always Lancaster, led by former National Public Radio host David Greene, according to WITF. In mid-2023, WITF received LNP as a gift donation from Steinman Communications, the long-time owner of LNP.

Tom Baldrige last month was named the interim president and CEO of Pennon, the parent company of WITF, as the area’s public broadcasting outlet continues to look for a permanent leader. Baldrige, the former longtime president of the Lancaster Chamber, replaces Ron Hetrick, who resigned in October.

The Vegetable Hunter, one of central Pa.’s few vegan restaurants, last month closed its original location in downtown Harrisburg, which opened in 2014 and later included a micro-brewery. It previously had closed locations in Hershey and Carlisle.

Zeroday Brewing Co. announced last month that it was closing its flagship taproom on N. 3rd Street in Harrisburg, citing rising costs and reduced foot traffic. The company will continue its brewery operations and distribution, as well as its two nearby “outposts” inside the Broad Street Market and Midtown Cinema.

Changing Hands

Balm St., 36: Capital Venture LLC to K. Grun, $90,000

Balm St., 115: BSM HSH LLC to L. Cabrera, $139,000

Balm St., 120: A. Rakibu to Atico de Horno LLC, $58,500

Bellevue Rd., 1930: I. Mitchell to Breneman Properties LLC, $99,900

Berryhill St., 1413: L. Weikel to Shutter Real Estate LLC, $90,000

Berryhill St., 1607: Keystone Properties Solutions LLC to Paavan Synergy LLC, $132,500

Berryhill St., 1635: BAJ Holdings LLC to H. Dhillon, $154,500

Capital St., 901: C. Lenz to TPB Advertising Properties LP, $207,500

Croyden Rd., 2932: P. & J. McLeod to J. Jeffries, $163,000

Cumberland St., 1327 & 1329: P. Jenkins to N. Ovalles, $115,000

Derry St., 1529: M. Heredia to D. Ortiz, $155,000

Derry St., 2016: V. Thi & L. Tran to J. Espinal, $155,000

Emerald St., 228: C&A Fix Hold & Flip LLC to D. Adams, $189,000

Emerald St., 243: G. Neff Inc. & City Limits Realty to S. Jefferson, $106,000

Evergreen St., 23: Destiny Harrisburg LLC to Bencosme Realty LLC, $155,000

Forster St., 1931: Bedrock Capital Management Inc. to M. Guisso, $55,000

Graham St., 50: PKM Enterprises 369 LLC to J. Evans, $234,000

Green St., 1112: M. Fitzgerald to BHW Capital LLC, $220,000

Green St., 1824: B. Goodling to A. Reed, $185,000

Green St., 1920: PKM Enterprises 369 LLC to S. Mazur & E. Graham, $270,000

Hale Ave., 443: B. & J. Hamilton to A. & J. Karim, $120,500

Harris St., 435: BCR-2 Properties LLC to W. Robinson, $235,000

Herr St., 1614: E. Andrades to S. & J. McCowin, $155,000

Hoerner St., 137: Williams & Williams Properties LLC to Bridger Investments LLC, $80,000

Holly St., 1938: C. Ettinger to P. Harris, $149,500

Kensington St., 2126: C. Watkins to EA Capital LLC, $68,383

Jefferson St., 2308: JMR Ventures LLC to BZDEL Global Investment LLC, $116,000

Lenox St., 2005: G. Bender to R. Ward, $129,995

Logan St., 1627: Culcay Remodeling & Guagua Remodeling LLC to A. Pieruccini, $169,900

Logan St., 1933½: Figueroa Enterprises LLC to R. Burgos, $110,000

Market St., 1404, 1406: 1406 Market Realty LLC to 1404 1406 Market Street LLC, $210,000

Market St., 1625: D&F Realty Holdings LP to J. Charles, $189,900

Market St., 2333: P. Sanders to J. & S. Thomasma, $210,000

Mulberry St., 1222: NR Group to Mirzavill LLC, $160,500

N. 2nd St., 2644: G. & T. Morcol to S. & C. Perfetto, $355,000

N. 2nd St., 2530: Blessed Investments LLC to M. Booker, $207,000

N. 2nd St., 2650: D. & C. Fasching to N. Davidson, $375,000

N. 2nd St., 2702: H. & A. Markovitz c/o B & M. Schatz to E. & J. Camacho, $346,000

N. 3rd St., 1223: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to Vaughn Real Estate & Investment Properties LLC, $150,000

N. 3rd St., 1717: G. Sprigg to Segio Mannino LLC, $150,000

N. 4th St., 3300: R. Musser to S. Spade, $62,000

N. 6th St., 1000: Third Street Realty Co. to D. & J. Williams, $500,000

N. 6th St., 2128: Archie Group LLC & Head Huncho LLC to Williams & Williams Properties LLC, $100,000

N. 6th St., 3202: M. Strine to PACC Homes & Development LLC, $95,000

N. 7th St., 2156: R. Harvey to J. Rovera, $92,500

N. 7th St., 2300: D&F Realty Holdings LP to Moin Realty LLC, $325,000

N. 17th St., 111: Bill Culwell Enterprises Inc. to W. Smith, $124,650

N. 17th St., 1000: A. Augustine to H. Tambo, $220,000

N. 18th St., 700: J. Stevenson to CG Home Buyer LLC, $60,000

N. 18th St., 918: HBG Rents LLC to E. Garcia, $164,000

N. 19th St., 712: A. Smith to J. Alfonesca, $149,900

Norwood St., 913: D. Pietz to Cashflow Cartel LLC, $55,000

Penn St., 1320: CG Home Buyers LLC to Ortiz Family Investments LLC, $105,000

Penn St., 1421: City Limits Foundation to J. Nimmerichter, $131,500

Penn St., 2131: A. Rasheed & U. Sheikh to BZDEL Global Investment LLC, $145,000

Radnor St., 644: JO Properties LLC to MK Plumbing HVAC & Electrical Services LLC, $50,000

Reel St., 2734: I. Bah to Sunnyside RE Enterprise LLC, $135,000

Ross St., 630: M. Morgan to R. Santos & F. de Quinones, $140,000

Royal Terr., 153: Faraone Properties LLC to Echo Propco LLC, $82,500

Royal Terr., 117: S. Helivett & C. Ramirez to DM Capital Holdings LLC, $85,000

Rumson Dr., 361: M. DePasquale to M. Russo, $185,000

Seneca St., 224: D. Daley to S. Jones & D. Magaro, $164,900

Seneca St., 321: J. King & J. Brown to C. Roque, $100,000

S. 2nd St., 308½: D. Manning to A. Joseph & B. Yacoub, $200,000

S. 19th St., 1121: M. & B. Davila to Rojas Remodeling LLC, $142,000

S. 23rd St., 629: A. & J. Fitzgerald to Upscale Home Improvement LLC, $95,000

State St., 231, Unit 201: Murphy Huether Property Investments LLC to F. Clark, $175,000

Sycamore St., 1725: W. Winters & C. Deane to J. Serrano, $125,000

Waldo St., 2644: G. Neff to M. Almodovar, $134,900

Woodbine St., 218: D&F Realty Holdings LP to M. Espinal, $83,500

York St., 1933: R. Adam to Atras de la Quema LLC, $58,500

Zarker St., 1945: M. Strine to PACC Homes & Development LLC, $85,000

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

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