Author Archives: Maddie Conley

Turning a Corner: After decades, Cornerstone Coffeehouse has new ownership but remains a hub of Camp Hill

April 29, 2025 | by Rachel Curry

Al Pera, Sue Pera, Alexander Shover, Caleb Watters, Justine Welling

More than three decades in the food business is no small feat.

That’s why Sue and Al Pera, who led Cornerstone Coffeehouse in Camp Hill for most of its history, were particular about who would run their café and community gathering spot upon their retirement.

“There’s always pressure to not screw it up,” says Caleb Watters, who finalized the deal to purchase the business in early 2025 with his wife, Alexandra Shover.

Still, Watters and his team plan to keep the essence of Cornerstone as is, hopefully satisfying the community that surrounds it.

“People here were very invested because they’ve been coming here for 30 years,” Watters said. “The first couple of months has proven that we’re not looking to do some monumental change, so I think that’s calmed a lot of nerves.”

Watters himself is not a restaurateur, but an operator. He also owns Valley Bistro in Enola and The Hershey Pantry in Hershey.

“I am buying a system,” he said. “I’m going to work within that system, and then we’ll improve it over time.”

Right now, that looks like rearranging equipment and processes in the back of house and investing in better equipment. The only thing guests will see from these changes, he said, is they’ll get their food and drink faster. Once all that is set up, he’ll move to the front of house, perhaps optimizing seating to fit more people (because, on a busy day, the place is packed).

Cornerstone is known for its espresso menu, breakfast sandwiches (like the bacon, egg, cheddar and avocado) and cooking classes in the back room. Customers also have the chance to browse art and goods from local creators amid a fun, laid-back vibe.

Then there are the intangible offerings, Watters said,

“If you’ve been in coffeehouses, there’s a buzz in certain places,” he said. “We’re always going to foster that.”

Full Circle

Shover said that they’re proud to continue the coffeehouse’s legacy, which she recognizes has become an integral part of the Camp Hill community.

“We even have a couple helpers who will be joining the crew when they are old enough,” said Shover, referring to her sons, ages 4 and 7.

Watters himself is from St. Louis. More recently, the family lived in Youngstown, Ohio. There, Watters worked as a Dunkin’ franchisee, with 12 locations under his charge, all of which had a full-production kitchen and 24-hour-a-day operations. His operations manager and self-proclaimed “right-hand person,” Justine Welling, helped him manage everything.

When Watters had an opportunity to get bought out of the Dunkin’ business, he took it.

“Sometimes, you’ve got to know when to exit,” he said.

Once he decided to move to Pennsylvania and start an independent restaurant venture, he offered Welling the chance to come with them. She took it and currently helps operate the ins and outs of his three businesses.

But Watters is heavily involved, too—though in his own way.

“There’s a lot of things I try not to know,” he said, leaving some of the day-to-day grind for Welling. “But I’m here every day.”

Watters has come a long way since his first job out of college working on the corporate side of Dippin’ Dots.

“You’re out of college, you don’t know what you’re going to do, here’s the opportunity, and it just snowballs,” he said. “Then you realize you’re good at it. If I was smart, I would have just left the industry after Dunkin’. But I like it, there’s money, and you learn how to cope with the stress.”

Expanding Cornerstone down the line isn’t necessarily out of the question, but that’s not on the table right now. For the moment, Watters, Shover, Welling and the rest of their team—including general manager Nicole Miller, who has been in her post for about 14 years—are just looking to make the café even better.

While Watters isn’t from the area, Shover is. Interestingly, she grew up just across the street from where they now live in Camp Hill—near their new coffeehouse.

“My friends and I used to walk to the Cornerstone for lunch,” she said. “To now own it feels like a full-circle moment.”

Cornerstone Coffeehouse is located at 2133 Market St., Camp Hill. For more information, visit www.thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com.

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Flavor Savior: Friends team up to buy, run popular New Cumberland ice cream shop

April 29, 2025 | by Ashley Andyshak Hayes

Hannah Leckey and Dustin LeBlanc

Dustin LeBlanc credits his mother, Faye, for instilling in him an appreciation of sweets, especially ice cream, as he was growing up.

So, when he and longtime friend Duke Slifko were considering names for their new ice cream shop in New Cumberland, they chose to honor her.

Faye’s Ice Cream Parlor, promising “vintage vibes and fresh flavors,” opened at the end of March inside the former Hanna’s Ice Cream Shoppe on Bridge Street.

LeBlanc works full-time as managing director of the West Shore Theatre, right next door to Faye’s, but says his “vice in life is ice cream.” When the owners of Hanna’s decided to sell the business last summer, LeBlanc and Slifko took a serious look at buying.

“We love New Cumberland, and we love what’s going on here with the downtown revitalization,” LeBlanc said. “When we looked at all the variables, everything lined up, and it seemed like the right thing to do at the right time. I’m very fortunate that I get to do theater and ice cream, two things that make people happy in this sometimes-crazy world.”

For Slifko, a highway engineer by day, the ice cream venture is a creative outlet.

“It affords me the opportunity to be someone else besides the nerdy engineer who loves math,” he said. “I like to say, ‘no one orders ice cream when they’re mad,’ and I have yet to find anyone who does. It’s a fun experience for not only us but, hopefully, our patrons.”

After many months of preparation, the shop opened to a great response from the community, LeBlanc said.

“We knew people would be excited, but we were overwhelmed with how many people came and how excited they were,” he said. “It’s so rewarding to see the smiles.”

Patrons of Hanna’s will recognize the 1950s-era decor with a few additions, like a life-size likeness of Elvis Presley that greets visitors just inside the entrance.

LeBlanc and Slifko made some changes to the shop’s layout, including opening up the entryway to give people more space to settle in, check out the menu board and decide what they want before moving toward the counter. The new layout takes away the pressure of having to make a flavor decision as soon as you walk in the door, especially on hot summer days when demand is high.

“We don’t want you to settle for ice cream,” LeBlanc said. “We want you to get what you want.”

The duo also added more seating, including in the front windows looking out onto Bridge Street, and designed a 1950s-themed area at the back of the shop where visitors are encouraged to hang out and take photos.

Faye’s sources its ice cream from The Sugar Shack Creamery in Boiling Springs. LeBlanc and his mother were frequent customers at the creamery’s former location there, said Jacob Pierce, one of the family members who operates the creamery.

“We wanted to give people a different experience, and the more you can support local businesses, the better,” LeBlanc said.

Faye’s offers a rotating selection of 28 classic and new flavors, including vanilla, chocolate and butter pecan, as well as ube brownie, with a Filipino purple yam base, and Fat Elvis, a combination of banana, peanut butter and chocolate. The choices include seasonal varieties and many gluten-free options.

In addition to hand-dipped ice cream, the menu offers ice cream shop classics including soft serve, milkshakes, sundaes, floats, ice cream sandwiches, local baked goods and more.

Ultimately, LeBlanc says their new venture aims to offer something unique to the community.

“It’s more than ice cream,” he said. “It’s an experience.”

Faye’s Ice Cream Parlor is located at 321 Bridge St., New Cumberland. For more information, visit www.fayesicecreamparlor.com.

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Cheesesteak Remake: After briefly closing, The Cheesesteak Guy re-opened in a new location just across the river

April 29, 2025 | by Kylie Stoltzfus

Josh Longo

In a way, Josh Longo kidded his way into the cheesesteak business.

Some eight years ago, he served as manager for the Zeroday Outpost in Harrisburg’s Broad Street Market. While he worked, Longo often teased Lou Lerant, owner of The Harrisburger stand, letting him know he needed to add cheesesteaks to the menu.

“[He was] like, ‘You know what, if you want to sell cheesesteaks so bad, you should buy my stand,’” Longo recalled. “So, we purchased that stand from him.”

After six years, The Cheesesteak Guy moved across the river, settling into a new location at West Shore Plaza in Lemoyne. From there, Josh and Keri Longo serve Philly-style cheesesteak sandwiches, burgers and breakfast sandwiches.

“I’ve always loved to cook, and I love the idea of it,” Longo said. “I have family that has a background in the restaurant industry, but I didn’t know that I’d be owning a restaurant now.”

The move from the market didn’t come easily.

“We made it through COVID, the fire, and then when the opportunity came up to get our own brick-and-mortar, we just kind of took it,” Longo said. “We have strong ties to Midtown Harrisburg, and that was our first home. It was very emotional for us to leave there.”

Russell Swanger has been a loyal customer since their days at the Broad Street Market.

“Once I [tried the cheesesteaks], my search in the Harrisburg area for a steak that is just like the best in Philly was over,” Swanger said. “Even open just three days a week, I was there one [or] two times per week, sometimes all three days. [It’s] that good.”

Swanger’s preference: a regular cheesesteak, but with a different style of cooper cheese each time. To further add variety—sometimes a seeded roll, sometimes not.

“[It’s] a mood thing for me,” he said.

In addition to the classic shaved ribeye and Cheez Whiz, The Cheesesteak Guy features creative spins to its menu staples with limited-time rotating specials like the cacio e pepe cheesesteak, peanut butter and jelly burger and Greek-inspired burgers, among others. Menu development looks like “a lot of sandwich eating,” according to Longo, who aims to flex his culinary muscles by testing new flavors on customers with rotating specials.

The company typically uses local and regional vendors when making their “handcrafted handhelds,” as Longo refers to them.

“We get fresh rolls in every day from two different bakeries, one in Jersey and one in Philadelphia,” Longo said. “Our sourdough bread and hamburger buns also come from a third different bakery in Philadelphia every day. We source our meats locally, [and] we really harp on freshness. Everything we do is made to order and the top quality that we can get.”

Each meal is ordered and served via counter service, with both indoor and outdoor seating options. For a guest visiting the shop for the first time, Longo recommends tasting the tried-and-true cheesesteak, but notes that this is only one of many options available to customers.

“We’re obviously The Cheesesteak Guy, so people come in specifically for cheesesteaks, which is a great start,” he said. “But I mean we do different kinds of burger specials every week.”

A Greek burger with fresh lamb is one of his popular rotating specials.

“A Cuban is a really big seller,” he said. “It’s kind of a nod to where Keri and I are from.”

The Longos lived in south Florida and moved to PA about a decade ago to be closer to family. As they began getting their restaurant off the ground, they realized that the area was a welcoming place for entrepreneurs.

“We liked it up here when we started visiting,” Longo said. “Harrisburg was such a nurturing community for small business owners.”

Swanger, for one, is glad they made the leap.

“[I’m] so grateful this place exists,” he said. “I recall when they were the only game in town back in the market days. You can see copycat-style places popping up all over the place, but none of them are even close to the quality—fan for life here.”

The Cheesesteak Guy is located at 1200 Market St., Lemoyne. For more information, visit their Facebook page.

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Noodle Me This: There’s much to taste—and to see—at Asoul Ramen

April 29, 2025 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Bright, friendly, futuristic.

Those are just three of the words that Yelpers have used to describe Asoul Ramen, which opened late last year in the Capital City Mall complex.

According to regular customer Jennifer Wei, you should add the word, “delicious.”

Wei, of Carlisle, stops by whenever she is in Camp Hill with her husband. She’s tried a variety of dishes and recommends the black garlic tonkatsu shoyu ramen and the spicy beef ramen. She’s also a fan of the popcorn chicken and bao but especially enjoys the Japanese street food known as “takoyaki,” a rolled dumpling with octopus in the middle.

“I order them every time,” she said. “They’re that good!”

Asoul Ramen is the brainchild of a veteran restaurateur, known simply as “Chi,” who has worked in the industry for 18 years. Looking younger than his years, Chi felt it was the right time to launch his own venture.

A Lancaster resident, Chi found the Camp Hill region lacking in ramen places and set about to change that. He explained that one thing that sets his ramen apart is the time his staff takes to prepare the broth.

“Our broth is simmered slowly for 14 hours to enhance its depth and richness,” he said.

Guests can choose from a variety of broths, including chicken, beef, vegetable and seafood. For those who enjoy variety, there’s always something new on the menu.

“I challenge my ramen chefs to come up with five new dishes each month—like our General Tso’s chicken ramen, which is a recent addition,” Chi said.

Not a ramen fan? No problem. The menu offers plenty of other options, from crispy fried calamari and pan-fried gyoza to chili garlic edamame and bao—hot, pillowy steamed buns filled with pork or chicken.

Sushi lovers also will find much to enjoy. Popular choices include the “Summer Breeze,” hand-crafted with lobster salad, spicy crab and asparagus and topped with strawberries, and the “Heavenly Green Dragon” with spicy tuna, avocado, tempura shrimp, yellowfin tuna, tataki, fish roe, jalapeno and fish sauce.

“I also challenge my sushi chefs to create two new rolls each month to keep things fresh,” Chi said.

Matcha drinks, gelato and cakes round out the menu, including a many-layered, moist matcha cake.

“It’s truly a gem of a restaurant that doesn’t disappoint,” Wei said.

The Design

During the planning process, Chi took great care in crafting the look of the 80-seat space. He had an idea in mind then enlisted a New York-based restaurant designer to bring the project to life.

“I like to travel and have been to ramen houses in New York, Tokyo and [elsewhere in] Japan,” he said. “I gave him photos of traditional ramen houses, and he did a 3-D rendering.”

The result is impressive. A large, faux cherry tree takes center stage in the reception area, drawing guests in as they are led to their seats. In the heart of the restaurant, a gold pagoda surrounds the open kitchen, with a backlit, two-tiered hexagonal honeycomb seating area. Looking up, illuminated paper fish appear to be swimming while suspended from the ceiling.

In keeping with the contemporary vibe, Chi also has leaned into a modern point-of-service system where customers select their meals, pay and even flag down a server—all through an iPad.

Wei likes the seamlessness of the high-tech system.

“It’s a fantastic touch, allowing me to add to my order without having to flag down a server,” she said.

Chi said that people have learned about the restaurant mainly through word of mouth, which has slowly built momentum since opening last fall.

“People are still discovering us,” he said.

Asoul Ramen is located at 3505 Capital City Mall Dr., Camp Hill. For more information, visit www.asoulramen.com.

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Behind the Plate: Highly touted Passerine stays close to the farm

April 29, 2025 | by Deborah Lynch

Passerine

Foodies hungry for exquisite cuisine tend to go to New York and Philadelphia. Often, Michelin star and James Beard-nominated restaurants there tout farm-to-table delicacies on expensive prix fixe menus.

Irony alert—the farms that supply those restaurants aren’t very close to their tables. Yet, in the produce-rich rolling acres of Lancaster County, farm-to-table restaurants are not so common. Passerine opened in April 2023 to fill that void. Located a short walk from Lancaster’s Central Market, Passerine exploits the geographic bounty with creative, shareable dishes that flaunt freshness.

Owner Kyle Sollenberger’s original vision was for a downtown bar in a historic building, but it didn’t pan out. Then, 114 N. Prince St., another historic spot, became available, and from the ashes of one setback, Sollenberger teamed with Dr. Jonathan Shirey to create Passerine, where he could snag locally grown food before it headed to the big cities.

Seventeen months later, this downtown Lancaster gem landed on the 2024 Restaurant List, the New York Times food writers’ top 50 favorite U.S. restaurants. It was one of three in Pennsylvania to make the list, joined by Little Walter’s in Philadelphia and Fet-Fisk in Pittsburgh. Not too shabby.

Music to the Taste Buds

Passerine was already turning heads before Times writer Nikita Richardson started randomly following it on Instagram and decided to pop in for a fortuitous taste. By the time she arrived, the restaurant had a new executive chef, Kevin Venbrux, who started in February 2024 after more than three years at Blackworth in Lititz.

Venbrux’s career in food started with his first job as a grocery store bag boy, but his love for music steered him to school for audio engineering. He was working as a tour manager for Lancaster alternative metal bands while working in local restaurants when not on the road. Enter COVID. The restaurant industry rebounded more quickly than music tours, and a full-time chef was born.

Although he’s still connected to the music world, Venbrux sees his role as an executive chef as similar to a tour manager—both want happy guests at the end. “I make sure everything is running smoothly, have a million problems that need fixed, fix them as smoothly as possible, make sure guests are served the experience they are expecting and are happy when they leave.”

Passerine is a restaurant with an ethos of meaningful food and beverage, sustainable systems, regional focus, intentional education and exceptional experience—and Venbrux puts all parts of that into his repertoire of creativity. It’s located in a historic building with a small kitchen that has one six-burner stove and a little char grill. That means prep-heavy mornings with fresh ingredients used that day. Venbrux praises his team as being one of the best, and it’s evident with a wait staff that knows everything about the dishes on the menu and a beverage director who helps with pairings.

Local sourcing is key. In addition to trips to Central Market, Venbrux has developed relationships with several local farmers (Brogue Hydroponics and Fields Edge Farm). Some commodity staples come from a larger company with a local farm focus.

The day the New York Times list dropped, Passerine was closed.

“We were all at home, and I had just had my little one. I was at home with a newborn. It was a huge surprise,” Venbrux said, adding that they knew a writer had been in, but thought they might just see an Instagram post after the visit. It was so much better.

Reservations immediately maxed out. “It was kind of then, game on. I told my team—this is an amazing team—stay true to who we are. Keep doing good, tasty food,” Venbrux said. “It was a fun ride. The first couple of weeks were intense in a great way. It’s really made us better.”

In the Kitchen

Chef’s Bites: Chef Kevin worked at the Press Room, then the Plough and The Exchange at the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square, then at Blackworth Live Fire Grill in Lititz.

Favorite Dish: Beet Tartar, with beets replacing beef—and chips and a sauce. Chef steams the beets in a pickle brine to give them more flavor. The cream is a basil, dill shishito crème, and the chips are house made. “[We] take a very simple dish with a simple vegetable and put a lot of love into it on the back end. Then, when we serve it, it’s beets in a bowl with chips, but it’s very tasty.” Other popular dishes: a crepe cake that changes seasonally; flame-grilled carrots smothered in honey sitting on a creamy bed of shallot, sumac and fennel soubis; pastas like pappardelle and lamb ragu; and unique sorbets like one flavored with pine tips.

Pro Tips: Ask the service team for recommendations. The menu is constantly evolving. Allow them to curate your experience. Sign up for emails to learn about their special dining events. Ask about the “Let Us Cook for You” experience, a tasting menu option that’s planned.

If You Go: Passerine is located at 114 Prince St., Lancaster. Reservations, available on Resy, often go quickly. Open Monday, Thursday and Friday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit www.cafepasserine.com.

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Bring on Spring: Rosemary cooks the perfect pasta dish for the young season

April 29, 2025 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

Many years ago, when our sons were young, we took them on lots of “day trips.”

During one of our outings to Philadelphia, our plans included a quick dinner before heading to a 76ers basketball game. The chosen restaurant was in bustling South Philly, home to quite a few Italian bistros and trattorias. One of them, Ralph’s, on South 9th Street, claims to have opened in 1900 and to be the oldest Italian restaurant in America. We enjoyed it. It’s still there.

On another Philly visit, my husband found a tiny place on South Street called “Primavera.” A little research tells me that it is “permanently closed,” but I have always remembered our dinner there.

I ordered their signature dish, “Pasta Primavera,” and I delighted in every bite. It was a creamy and rich pasta loaded with spring vegetables like peas, spinach and asparagus. I’ve ordered it on several occasions over the years, but it seems to have disappeared from the menus of many Italian places in recent years.

And when the dish is found, I think pasta primavera has been “Americanized” somewhat, suffering the same fate as fettuccine Alfredo and pasta carbonara.

So, I dug into my trove of Italian cookbooks and found several versions of pasta with vegetables, which Italians call “Pasta all’ Ortolana.” They are all different but with the emphasis on spring vegetables rather than the summer stars—zucchini, eggplant and fresh tomatoes. And most do not call for a creamy sauce.

The pasta I chose to try originates in Grosseto, a region in central Tuscany. It is a wonderful way to celebrate spring before you begin meals on the grill. And it is certainly healthy—the epitome of the Mediterranean diet. It adapts beautifully to any spring vegetable substitution you might make. (Note: I eliminated the fava/lima beans and used canned artichokes rather than bothering with fresh.)

Rigatoni all’ Ortolana

Ingredients

4 canned artichokes (non marinated), sliced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small sweet onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
3 or 4 asparagus spears, tough ends removed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup fresh spinach leaves, tough center stem removed, coarsely chopped
½ cup petite peas (frozen is fine)
¼ cup water
1 1/3 cups drained, canned plum tomatoes
1 pound rigatoni pasta (cooked al dente)
Grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

Warm the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the onion and carrot and sauté until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the artichoke slices, asparagus, spinach, peas, water, salt and pepper.
Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer the vegetable mixture uncovered and stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon, and simmer uncovered until the whole vegetable mixture has thickened.
In a large pasta serving bowl, spoon 1/3 of the sauce, add the pasta, and top with the remaining sauce.
Grate fresh Parmesan cheese (liberally) over the whole dish and toss lightly.
Enjoy!

Sometimes, the food we prepare reflects where we are in our life. A bubbling stew or soup on the stove can comfort us on a cold, dark winter day. Some hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill can cheer us as we celebrate a blue-sky 4th of July. And a dish like pasta primavera can give us the promise of new beginnings and of sunshine in the days ahead.

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Open Heart & Home: During Foster Care Awareness Month, local families and organizations share importance, challenges of taking in a child

April 29, 2025 | by Susan Ryder

Heidi & Isaac Tucker

Amy Broker has fostered six children and adopted two with complicated medical needs.

Fostering children can be extremely unpredictable, but regardless, Broker, of Lewisberry, always follows one rule.

“They need to be treated as your own,” she said. “So, when they’re here, whether they’re going to stay permanently or not, they need to be treated as though they are staying here permanently.”

Broker said that people often comment that they would get too attached.

“You need to get attached […] in order to give them what they need,” she said.

Many local foster parents commit to these children, who may only be in their lives for a day or a year.

May is National Foster Care Awareness Month, marking an opportunity to highlight the importance of caring for children in the community, as well as the challenges and supports that exist to help kids and families.

Tara Koch, program manager at Harrisburg foster care agency KidsPeace, said that she’s amazed by the many dedicated foster families.

“I am in awe over the cases that I’ve witnessed through the years,” Koch said. “It’s really a demonstration of human spirit to just take these kids in and love them with their whole heart and want the best for them.”

The love that foster parents give also comes with all the responsibilities of parenting—and then some. Children have doctors’ appointments, caseworker visits, court dates and therapy appointments that the foster parent is responsible for getting them to. This is hard work that requires flexibility.

“You are signing up to pour love into someone and get very little back, but hope you did some good,” said Heidi Tucker, a local foster parent.

Advocating & Adapting

Foster families have little decision-making power. Broker noted that you can advocate for a child but decisions about education, medical care and other day-to-day events in the life of a child are not up to the foster parent. Children can enter a home quickly when foster parents get a call for an emergency placement, or they can be considered for a home and prepare for a child to come, and then the child doesn’t arrive. If a child is placed in their home, there’s no guarantee for how long.

“You don’t know what every day or month could bring,” Broker said. “You could get a call, ‘It’s happening; they’re going to be reunified; they’re leaving tomorrow.’”

And reunification is the goal of foster care.

“There are so many studies on familial bonds,” Koch said. “If there’s any chance that we can keep a family unit together, that is always the number one goal.”

Family circumstances vary tremendously. Not all cases are clear cut, and, when a parent’s rights are terminated, that represents a loss for the child.

“It’s not always a black-and-white situation,” Koch said. “When you terminate a parent’s rights, it never comes too lightly.”

Foster care is a complicated environment with lots of moving parts, courts, therapists, doctors, school officials, social workers, biological parents and foster parents. Discerning what the best outcome is for a child, with all these voices, can be very difficult. That’s where a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) enters.

“CASAs can talk to the medical professionals, education professionals, coaches and anyone in this child’s life—bio moms, foster moms, aunts, uncles, neighbors, whoever is in this child’s life—to paint that great picture to see where is the best place for this child to be,” said Kim St. Clair, Dauphin County CASA’s program supervisor.

Each advocate is assigned to one child, providing a consistent presence in a world with little consistency, assuring that foster children don’t get lost in the complexity of their situation.

Need Love

For those who decide to take it one step further and become foster parents, there are some things to consider.

“You have to know your limits,” Tucker said.

It’s OK to be specific about what you are capable of handling as a foster parent.

“By the time we are done working with a family, we feel like we know them pretty well, and we can kind of assess what would be a good fit for them, for a child coming into their home,” Koch said.

While the experience isn’t easy, Broker said that fostering has positively impacted her family, as well. She can tell how the children the family has fostered have touched her daughters’ hearts.

“It has really changed them and their hearts, because both girls express a desire to do it [foster care] as well,” Broker said.

Regardless of how children find themselves in foster care, or how long they’ve been in the system, one thing remains clear.

“These kids need people to love them,” Tucker said.

Learn more about Kid’s Peace at www.fostercare.com/harrisburg.

Find out more about Dauphin County CASA at www.dauphincountycasa.org.

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Adventure Together: Take a family trip to small-town Millersburg for history, beauty and hands-on fun

April 29, 2025 | by Natalie diSanto

An archaeology dig at Fort Halifax, photo courtesy of Friends of Fort Halifax.

Over the mountain and through the woods, to grandmother’s house we go.

This nursery rhyme was spot-on for my childhood, when my mom used to pack my sister and me in her minivan and drive the winding road over Peter’s Mountain, through the forests of upper Dauphin, to visit our grandparents in the sleepy town of Millersburg. I am beyond lucky to still take that same ride, this time with my own child in tow, over the mountain and through the woods, to visit 95-year-old great-grandpa.

Digging In

During our most recent trip to Millersburg, we stopped to explore Fort Halifax, located along PA Route 147. Fort Halifax was built in 1756 as a shelter for supply trains running along the Susquehanna River, traveling from Fort Hunter in Harrisburg to Fort Augusta in Sunbury. The original fort was dismantled just a year later. Ask your kiddo what they think life was like 250 years ago. Where did early settlers store their iPads?

Because of its history, the park is a hot spot for archaeology digs, where scientists unearth facts about the fort’s original footprint. Archaeologists work in the dirt, digging to uncover objects that help them study history and learn more about past human culture and society. Archaeologists at Fort Halifax have discovered some exciting stuff, like spearheads, 18th-century buttons and musket balls. Observers and volunteers are welcome at Fort Halifax’s archaeology digs. Just check in with coordinators if you plan to volunteer. Keep an eye on the website for upcoming events.

Similar to Harrisburg’s Fort Hunter, there are two sides to Fort Halifax Park, divided by the road. We embarked on an adventure on the wooded side of the park, along Sycamore Allee. These 361 behemoth trees are part of the National Register of Historic Places, being the largest strand planted to commemorate veterans of World War I, per request of President Warren Harding, that still stand on the East Coast today. Walking beneath the century-old canopy was humbling, and we enjoyed imagining the changes that the trees may have witnessed during their lives. A fun question to ponder is, “What did a tree think of the first automobile that raced by it?”

Ferry Fun

Finished with our mid-trip adventure, we continued toward Millersburg, an adorable and picturesque river town. In the town square, there’s a white gazebo around which the community hosts festivals and gatherings. The upcoming Cherry Blossom Festival, May 3 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., will have art and food vendors with live performances.

Across from the square is an ice-cream shop (yay!) and restaurants ranging from the historic Wooden Nickel to fresh eats by Peace of Mind Café. Mark your calendars to check out the colorful, vintage lights hung around Millersburg in December.

Millersburg is home to the last remaining ferry boat on the Susquehanna River, which has been in operation for over 200 years. For an extensive history, check out TheBurg’s article on the Millersburg Ferry in the August 2017 issue through our online archives. Open from May through October, the ferry churns slow, peaceful trips from Millersburg to the opposite bank of the Susquehanna in Perry County.

Fun fact: These old boats can transport vehicles, which means you can drive your car onto it, an act that has the potential to blow a kid’s mind (I saw it happen). The ferry hosts events too, with a “Learn to Paint a Ferry Boat” class in May and a kid’s pirate event in June. Their Facebook page has information on schedules, events and tickets.

Learn, Create

With so much history, peace and quiet, we needed a kid-centered break, so we popped into the Lykens Valley Children’s Museum located in nearby Elizabethville. The museum is a nonprofit, interactive play and hands-on learning space where children can become creative, curious, inventive and ready for the ever-changing world. The museum has rotating exhibits, currently displaying “3-2-1 Blast-Off to Learning Space Exploration” through the end of June. A “Let’s Explore Dinosaurs” exhibit will be at the museum from July through September.

On Sunday, May 18, the museum hosts an event called “Imaginariums: Plant, Play & Create” for youth ages 6 or older. Blending STEAM learning, nature exploration and creativity, kids can design their own unique mini garden using flowerpots, painted rocks, figurines and real plants. The “imaginariums” will be living masterpieces for children to care for and be amazed by all summer long. Ticket information is available on the museum’s Facebook page.

Our favorite way to end a day in “The Valley” (as the locals call it) is to pick up a pizza from Angelo’s to enjoy at a picnic table on the river walk. There’s almost nothing better than watching the sunset over the Susquehanna with your family in small town Pennsylvania.

Fort Halifax is located at 570 N. River Rd., SR 147, Halifax. For more information, visit www.forthalifaxpark.org.

The Millersburg Ferry is located on River Street in Millersburg. For more information, visit www.millersburgferry.org.

Lykens Valley Children’s Museum is located at 33 S. Market St., Elizabethville. For more information, visit www.lykensvalleychildrensmuseum.org.

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Reclaiming the Narrative: Sankofa and Open Stage present “The Colored Museum”

April 29, 2025 | by Stuart Landon

Cast of “The Colored Museum”

When “The Colored Museum” premiered at Crossroads Theatre Company in 1986, playwright George C. Wolfe described it as “an exorcism and a party.”

Nearly 40 years later, his biting satire still lands with razor-sharp clarity—both celebrating and interrogating the complexities of Black American identity. This summer, Sankofa African American Theatre Company and Open Stage bring Wolfe’s seminal work to Harrisburg audiences in a bold co-production running May 31 through June 19.

Co-directed by Sankofa’s executive artistic director and founder Sharia Benn and collaborator Johntrae Williams, “The Colored Museum” unfolds as a series of 11 theatrical “exhibits,” each one a stylized sketch that deconstructs a stereotype or cultural icon. From a flamboyant lounge singer lamenting the limits of Black respectability to a war-weary soldier grappling with generational trauma, each vignette becomes its own mini-revolution, challenging the viewer to confront the often-unseen emotional costs of survival.

“This play doesn’t pull any punches,” Benn said. “It’s bold. It’s raw. It’s healing. It’s soul work. And it’s asking us—really asking us—to reckon with where we’ve been, where we are, and where we have the power to go.”

Benn has long led Sankofa in amplifying Black voices through theatre. Her collaboration with Open Stage on “The Colored Museum” builds on a shared commitment to socially conscious programming and marks the companies’ fifth major co-production. Previous collaborations include “Akeelah and the Bee,” “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf,” “Crowns” and “Anne and Emmett.”

The cast of “The Colored Museum” features Melinda Anderson, Sharia Benn, Weimy Montero Candelario, Marcus McGhee, Amandine Pope, Te’Sean Richardson, Johntrae Williams and Journie Williams. Lighting is designed by Tristan Stasiulis, with prop design by Becky Arney. Jess Ross serves as stage manager, supported by Jade Jarrell. Music is helmed by Brian McGrady and Kalen Myers, in collaboration with co-director Williams. Together, they bring to life Wolfe’s kaleidoscopic tapestry of characters, challenging the reductive roles often assigned to Black bodies in American life—whether on stage, in history books, or in society at large.

“Wolfe wrote this almost 40 years ago, and it still hits like it was written yesterday,” Benn said. “Because the questions are still here—about identity, about erasure, about the cost of being seen and unseen in this country. These aren’t stories of the past. They’re stories of now. And theatre gives us a sacred space to hold that truth, to feel it, to name it.”

At the heart of “The Colored Museum” is contradiction: sorrow and satire, burden and joy, reverence and rebellion. The result is a production that is as intellectually rigorous as it is emotionally disarming.

“Yes, we want you to laugh—but also to feel, to think, to sit in what’s uncomfortable,” Benn said. “That’s what powerful art does: it opens you up. Wolfe knew theatre could be a museum, but not one that keeps culture behind glass. It’s a place to reclaim the story—to tell it in our own voice.”

“The Colored Museum” runs May 31 to June 19 at Open Stage, 25 N. Court St., Harrisburg. For tickets and more information, visit www.openstagehbg.com.

Stuart Landon serves as producing artistic director of Open Stage.

UPCOMING EVENTS

At Gamut Theatre
www.gamuttheatre.org
717-238-4111

The Popcorn Hat Players
“Wonder Tales from Around the World”
May 7 to 24

Gamut’s Harrisburg Shakespeare Company
The 32nd Annual Free Shakespeare in the Park
“Love’s Labour’s Lost”
May 30 to June 14
Reservoir Park

At Open Stage
www.openstagehbg.com
717-232-6736

EFF Live!
Friday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m.
A night of outrageous, comedic erotic fan fiction readings

Black NewsBeat
Dr. Kimeka Campbell leads conversations on culture and activism.
Wednesdays, May 14 & 28 at 7 p.m.

“The Colored Museum”
A satirical and provocative exploration of Black American identity
In partnership with Sankofa African American Theatre Company
May 31 to June 19

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Musical Notes: Mega May

April 29, 2025 | by Skye Leppo

This month’s packed with a slew of fun shows you’ll want to catch. I’ve highlighted all the reasons you should see MJ Lenderman below, but I cannot emphasize enough how big of a get this is. I really believe Lenderman could be considered one of the greats someday.

I’d also be remiss not to mention the success of homegrown psych rocker Hunter Root from Lancaster, who’s headlining The Abbey Bar on May 3, kicking off a 13-city tour. Root’s career has really blown up in the best way over the past two years, and this may be your shot to catch Root now so you can say, “I saw him when…” And, if your venue or friends have a show coming up that should be on our radar, drop me a line at [email protected].

LIVING LEGEND

5/9, MC Lyte, XL Live

Stop. Look. Listen. MC Lyte will forever be known as the first female rapper to release a solo, full-length album with 1988’s “Lyte as a Rock,” kicking off a career full of hits before her equally impressive careers in film and in advocacy for artists, serving as a past president and trustee of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Recording Academy (which you might know more familiarly as the Grammy organization). Lyte’s bringing her “Reflections of Lyte” tour to the stage at XL Live this month for what’s sure to be an incredible night.

STRUMMING ALONG

5/14, WXPN Welcomes MJ Lenderman and The Wind, XL Live

MJ Lenderman’s 2024 solo album, “Manning Fireworks,” stopped me dead in my tracks when I gave the whole thing a thorough listen. I’ve heard him play in the band Wednesday (also v. good), but his solo work is where Lenderman really shines. He’s young, yet his honest songwriting and unexpected melodies, combined with his talents on many instruments you’ll hear on the record, make this an artist I’ve been recommending to friends since I heard him last summer. He’s just released an excellent video for the song, “Wristwatch,” and I can all but guarantee you’ll have the hook for “She’s Leaving You” stuck in your head for days after your first listen. This show should be at the top of your list.

LET’S DANCE

5/25, WXPN Welcomes Future Islands, XL Live

I remember where I was in 2014 when frontman Sam Herring’s viral dance moves, which he joyously shows off for “Seasons (Waiting on You),” were all over indie music meme pages, getting re-blogged on tumblr and Instagram when those were still words young people used. Future Islands is, in short, a hell of a good time. I’ve been to see them in Philly as often as I can and am thrilled that they’re coming to me for a change. Other than the aforementioned “Seasons,” check out tracks “Run,” “A Dream of You and Me,” and “King of Sweden.”

HONORABLE MENTIONS

5/3, Hunter Root, The Abbey Bar

5/4, Saint Jhn with special guest Honey Bxby, XL Live

5/10, Nester & Side of Yams, The Abbey Bar

5/10, Filter, H*MAC

5/16, WXPN Welcomes Tanjo & Crow w/Virginia Masland, Strawberry Square

5/16, Tristin Lynee, Broad Street Market

5/17, Splintered Sunlight, XL Live

5/18, Erica Lyn Everest Presents “Women in Music,” West Shore Theatre

5/24-5/26, various artists at Artsfest, Riverfront Park

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