The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

July 26, 2024 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Downtown Daily Bread and local officials cut the ribbon on the center’s new food pantry.

What’s your weekend vibe? Shopping local businesses? Visiting your favorite restaurants? Taking a riverfront walk? Reading your favorite local magazine? We hope it’s all of the above! Whatever your plans, make sure to first catch up on this week’s news, below.

Animal advocate Essie Petrovich has spearheaded an initiative to spread the animal welfare message of spaying and neutering, our magazine story reported. Petrovich created a spay/neuter license plate that the public can purchase to benefit the cause.

Cleve J. Fredricksen Library’s “Read to Dogs” program allows kids to read to furry listeners, helping them become more confident in their skills. In our magazine story, hear what participants have to say about the benefits of the program.

Dog Safety is an important lesson to teach kids. In our magazine story, find tips and tricks for introducing kids to dogs that will keep everyone safe, smiling and tail wagging.

Downtown Daily Bread cut the ribbon on its new Renewed Hope Food Pantry in its Harrisburg facility, our online story reported. The pantry will serve clients who may not feel comfortable coming into the center for hot meals, but need grocery assistance.

Fireworks at Harrisburg’s Labor Day weekend Kipona Festival are canceled, the city shared this week, our story reported. Mayor Wanda Williams said that she would halt the display in light of incidents involving guns at previous city firework displays.

Harrisburg is seeking expressions of interest for architectural and engineering services for the market’s brick building rebuild, our online story reported. The city plans soon to open the request for proposals (RFP) process, which will be by invite-only.

The Information Technology Bureau in Harrisburg completed a critical piece of its years-long IT upgrade, our online story reported. The new protections put in place will help defend the city’s data against cyber attacks and allow operations to be maintained if city hall ever shuts down during an emergency.

Mecum Harrisburg’s collector car auction returned to the PA Farm Show Complex, starting on Wednesday and running through Saturday, our online story reported.

The Paris Olympic Games begin on Friday. While you may not be able to make it to Paris, there are still many options to get a taste of French cuisine locally. Find some recommendations, here.

Sara Bozich’s Weekend Roundup gives you plenty of suggestions for how to have fun in and around Harrisburg.

UPMC and Penn State College of Medicine launched a “Health to Go” vending machine outside its emergency department, our online story reported. The machine, one of the first of its kind in the state, offers 24/7 access to free items like naloxone, pregnancy tests and personal care items.

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Let the Games Begin: Local French businesses highlight 2024 Olympics in Paris

July 26, 2024 | by Sylvia Grove

Chef de Crêpe is decked out for the start of the Olympic Games, including its featured, “White Chocolate Cheesecake” milkshake, on the right.

The 2024 Paris Olympic Games will take place from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, Aug. 11, featuring over 10,000 athletes and 1.8 million international visitors. For a taste of Paris without the plane ticket, check out the following regional eateries with a passion for filling your plate with global flavors.

Bistro Barbaret & Bakery
26 E. King St., Lancaster
(717) 690-2354
https://barberetlancasterpa.com/

Bistro Barbaret & Bakery is located in downtown Lancaster, run by the award-winning French pastry chef Cédric Barbaret and his wife Estelle. The bakery features classic French macarons and pastries – such as the coffee-and-chocolate layered “L’opéra” cake – alongside Pennsylvania-inspired desserts, including the “Snickers” made with peanut butter mousse, salted caramel and a hazelnut dacquoise.

For a quick meal, grab any number of the bakery’s ready-made baguettes, sandwiches, salads or quiches. For a heartier option, schedule brunch, lunch or dinner in the bistro, where classic French appetizers like escargots (snails) and Lyonnaise quenelles cozy up with entrées like mussels, steak-frites, and bouillabaisse fish stews (weekends only). Bon appétit!

Chef de Crêpe
2017 Market St., Camp Hill
(717) 603-3821
https://chefdecrepes.com/

Inspired by the Chaverez family’s passion for study and travel in Europe, Chef de Crêpe serves up sweet and savory crêpes with fun American twists alongside French-themed burgers, salads, sandwiches and coffee. For the best of Pennsylvania and France, order the Philly steak crêpe with angus beef and sautéed mushrooms and finish with the seasonal peach cobbler crêpe with dulce de leche and a shortbread crumble.

For the Olympics (known in French as “les Jeux Olympiques”), the restaurant will be featuring themed stuffed croissants on Saturdays starting July 27, and a towering “White Chocolate Cheesecake” milkshake topped with a French flag sugar cookie.

Mandros Imported Foods
351 N. Charlotte St., Lancaster
(717) 397-8926
www.mandrosimportedfoods.net/

Mandros Imported Foods offers one of the region’s best and fairly priced selections of international treats, including a rich selection of Greek olive oils, Italian pastas and barrel feta. For a taste of France, look for jars of zippy mustard from Dijon, jam from the Pyrennées mountains near Spain, and paper-wrapped packets of golden-hued Isigny Ste. Mère butter. Ask for French cheese advice at the counter at the far end of the store, where brothers Bill and Dino will guide you from triple crème brie to lacy blue Roquefort and everything in between.

Au Bon Lieu
110 Rear W. Chocolate Ave,, Hershey
Strawberry Square, 1 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
https://aubonlieu.com/

You may have to drive past the entrance once before you find it, but this small crêperie behind the Knock Knock Boutique on West Chocolate Avenue has been a Hershey staple for 10 years. Serving a focused menu that includes French-pressed coffee and light salads, Au Bon Lieu’s savory crêpes prize Mediterranean ingredients like pesto, olives and mozzarella. Their dessert crêpes feature Belgian chocolate, homemade caramel, and fresh fruit. Can’t get to Hershey? Visit the Strawberry Square location in Harrisburg instead. At either location, mention the 2024 Olympics Games and receive a free Classic Crêpe – flavors include the iconic French combination of butter and lemon – on the house.

Frédéric Loraschi Chocolate
4615 Hillcrest St., Harrisburg
www.fredericloraschichocolate.com/

Owner Frédéric Loraschi has been crafting artisanal chocolates and single-origin bars in the Harrisburg area since 2005. Only recently has he added an exceptional array of French viennoiseries, like croissants or pain au chocolat, on Saturdays. Visit his sleek boutique off of Jonestown Road for rich ice cream sold by the pint, luxury hot chocolate and classic truffles, caramels, macarons and pâté de fruits. For your Olympic watch party, order a decadent Banoffee (feeds 6-8) with coconut, caramelized bananas and passionfruit cream. If you’re not one for tropical fruits, consider the “Blueberry Cloud” cake featuring toasted almonds, a moist vanilla sponge, and white chocolate mousse. Either cake will be likely to convince you that French baking merits its own Olympic category.

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Harrisburg health vending machine offers free naloxone, personal care items, anonymously

July 25, 2024 | by Maddie Gittens

Dr. Alice Zhang of Penn State College of Medicine demonstrated the new “Health to Go” vending machine at UPMC Harrisburg.

A new device at UPMC Harrisburg brings healthcare to the community in a unique grab-and-go format.

UPMC and Penn State College of Medicine officially launched a “Health to Go” vending machine, one of the first of its kind in the state, outside its emergency department.

The vending machine, an interactive, touch-screen device, allows 24/7 access to free health items such as naloxone, fentanyl test strips, wound care kits, personal care items and pregnancy tests, among other items.

The machine is one of two smart devices of its kind in the commonwealth, which Penn State has deployed, according to officials. Another is located in Reading, and one will soon be stationed in Millersburg.

Penn State officials shared that the project has been in the works for years, but the need for he vending machine became even greater during COVID and as overdose deaths increased.

“There was a need for low-barrier access to naloxone and other life-saving items, and then it grew to include other health items because we really want to include other items to reduce the stigma of naloxone and substance use,” said Dr. Alice Zhang, co-lead investigator and assistant professor of Family and Community Medicine at Penn State. “The whole goal and point is to help the community and meet them where they’re at.”

“Health to Go” vending machine

Products in the vending machine are completely free and can be accessed by anyone, anonymously. All that is required is to create a username, using a birth year, a color and an animal.

Penn State and UPMC deployed the machine outside its emergency department over a month ago. In the first month, over 100 people accessed more than 500 items, including about 200 hygiene kits, 150 safer sex kits, 75 wound care kits and 60 naloxone kits.

“You are seeing a lot of issues with opiate misuse disorder,” said Dr. Anthony Guarracino, chair of emergency medicine at UPMC Harrisburg. “In addition, Harrisburg does have a prominent homeless population […] so meeting those needs this way, relatively simply, at no cost to the individual using it to meet some of those needs […] it was just a no brainer to partner with Penn State.”

Additionally, the vending machine includes a list of local service providers that offer food, housing and social services, with information on how to contact them.

UPMC and Penn State will also track information about what items are being taken and at what time of day, and when items need to be restocked.

Guarracino explained that, currently, if someone needs naloxone or a sexual health item, for example, they would have to go to a pharmacy, which may be difficult for those with financial or transportation barriers. This initiative removes those barriers and stigmas associated with accessing them, he said.

“This removes the stigma, and also I think it provides the individual with a sense of independence, they can come and obtain the resources they need at any time, in a private manner,” he said.

The vending machine is funded by Penn State, UPMC and Dauphin County.

UPMC Harrisburg is located at 111 S. Front St., Harrisburg. For more information about the “Health to Go” vending machine, click here.

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Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

July 25, 2024 | by Sara Bozich

Plan your weekend with my weekly list of things to do around Harrisburg and central PA!

What you’ll find ⤵️

For something new: Check out jazz harpist (!) at Mt. Gretna Playhouse on Saturday. Details + tix here. Worth noting: HU Presents 2024 Summer Concert Series continues with Black Pumas (Thurs) and Orville Peck (Sun); SoMa Block party tonight! Pride events! Things on my agenda this weekend: see above

For your weekend planning

July SoMa Block Party is TONIGHT!
Black Pumas in Riverfront Park TONIGHT!
Jazz harpist Brandee Younger in Mt. Gretna on Saturday
Orville Peck in Riverfront Park Sunday!
Register TODAY for the 2nd annual Project Senior Golf Tournament
See what else you missed on the blog

Below are more options for your weekend.

A Look Ahead

We just added the SoMa Christmas Market to the event calendar
Join me for this (FREE!) dinner with Chef Corrie
You can now sponsor the Weekend Roundup! Ask me how!
Are you on my email list?
Submit your events for the Weekend Roundup

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

Harrisburg cancels fireworks show at Kipona festival, officials work on safety plan

July 24, 2024 | by Maddie Gittens

Fireworks over the Susquehanna River

Harrisburg’s end-of-summer festival will not include its traditional fireworks show this year.

Mayor Wanda Williams announced on Wednesday that the city would cancel fireworks at the Kipona festival over Labor Day weekend, in light of incidents involving guns at previous city firework displays.

Earlier this month, Harrisburg’s July 4th fireworks show was halted early due to police spotting and apprehending several people carrying guns, many of whom ran from officers. During July 4^th fireworks in 2022, hundreds of spectators fled Riverfront Park after someone in the crowd yelled “gun,” although there was no shooting.

“The City of Harrisburg prides itself on providing family-friendly events multiple times a year,” Williams said, in a statement. “These events provide affordable fun while providing a boost to the local economy. However, after serious incidents during the fireworks displays at two of the last three July 4th shows, we realize we need to make this portion of the event safer.”

There will not be a drone show either.

In her statement, Williams said that she hopes the fireworks cancelation will not be a permanent decision, but a temporary break as Police Commissioner Tom Carter works to develop a new safety plan for fireworks shows.

Officials will also consider if fireworks should be part of the plan at all, she said.

“This is a chance to reimagine event programming,” she said. “We will not let a few bad apples ruin these opportunities for Harrisburg to come together.”

Harrisburg’s Kipona Festival will run from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2 and feature a family fun zone, multicultural celebration, Native American pow-wow, live music, food trucks and more.

For more information about Kipona, visit the city’s website.

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Mecum Harrisburg 2024 set to open, featuring classic and collector cars

July 23, 2024 | by Jolie Lloyd

This 1953 Chevrolet Corvette Kindig-It CF1 Roadster will be auctioned in Lot S113.

The annual Mecum Harrisburg collector car auction will return to the PA Farm Show Complex, beginning tomorrow.

This year, the auction will feature 1,200 classic and collector cars, including highlights such as a 1953 Chevrolet Corvette Kindig-It CF1 Roadster known as “Caduceus,” featured in Lot S113, and a rare 1962 Ghia L 6.4, featured in Lot S154.

The auction also will showcase private collections, featuring both classic and modern vehicles, featuring a variety of car models from brands including Ford, Chevrolet and GMC. In addition to cars, a classic Hershey’s Ice Cream porcelain sign will be featured in Lot Z442.

A 1956 Bentley S1 donated to the Rolls-Royce Foundation will sell at no-reserve auction on Wednesday, July 24, in Lot W62, with proceeds benefitting the foundation.

Each year, Mecum hosts one of the largest car auctions in the area at the PA Farm Show Complex, typically generating tens of millions of dollars in sales.

This year, the event runs from Wednesday, July 24, to Saturday, July 27.

To register to bid or consign a vehicle at Mecum Harrisburg 2024 or view the schedule of events, visit their website.

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

Help for the Hungry: Downtown Daily Bread opens new food pantry

July 22, 2024 | by Maddie Gittens

(From left)Downtown Daily Bread Chef Mieshia Jackson, Pastor Trey DuPont, Mayor Wanda Williams, DDB Executive Director Corrie Lingenfelter, Central PA Food Bank Executive Director Joe Arthur and Dauphin County Commissioners Justin Douglas and George Hartwick inside the food pantry.

A Harrisburg organization hopes that its new service will make a difference when it comes to food insecurity.

Downtown Daily Bread cut the ribbon on its Renewed Hope Food Pantry at a ceremony on Monday, with officials sharing that the service will fill an important need for local families.

“We were getting so many calls from families who just couldn’t make ends meet,” DDB Executive Director Corrie Lingenfelter said. “They [said], “What should we pay; should we pay the light bill or get groceries? That’s why we’re here because we want you to be able to do both.”

The Harrisburg nonprofit, located on the 200-block of South Street, already provided breakfast, lunch, year-round day shelter, winter overnight shelter, showers, mailboxes and other assistance to those in need. However, Mieshia Jackson, head chef at DDB, said that she came up with the idea to add a pantry to serve clients who may not feel comfortable coming in for hot meals, but need grocery assistance.

Renewed Hope Food Pantry

“I want everyone to feel that there are services here for everyone,” Jackson said. “They’re able to pick what their family wants. I wanted to make sure there’s food that everyone likes; there’s brand names; there’s nutritious things and produce—things that everyone needs for a good, balanced meal.”

The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank will help stock the pantry, which is open Monday through Friday, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. DDB is accepting walk-ins for now, but hopes to have an online registration system in the future. Visitors will be able to choose from a selection of food items, with staff assistance.

“I guess it’s not enough that you’re serving over 160 unique people each day meals […] but now, finding a way to serve additional neighbors that are struggling to feed themselves and their family, who maybe aren’t the typical clients you think of who come to Downtown Daily Bread—I’m just in awe,” said Joe Arthur, executive director of the Central PA Food Bank.

DDB Chef Mieshia Jackson cut the ribbon on the food pantry.

Additionally, DDB officials have said that they may be soon expanding to offer year-round overnight shelter, as Harrisburg may provide funding. City officials shared last week that they plan to give $1 million of the city’s federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to DDB and Christian Churches United of the Tri County Area to support year-round shelter.

DDB is still in the planning phase for the possible expansion, but hopes to open overnight shelter in the fall, Lingenfelter said.

Downtown Daily Bread is located at 234 South St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit their website.

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

Harrisburg completes key part of years-long IT systems upgrade

July 22, 2024 | by Kawena Jacobs

Employees of the Harrisburg Bureau of Information Technology (photo courtesy of the City of Harrisburg)

Harrisburg has completed a critical piece of its years-long IT upgrade, which will help ensure system resiliency and availability.

The Bureau of Information Technology has put new protections in place to defend the city’s data against cyber attacks and allow operations to be maintained if the Martin Luther King Jr. City Government center ever shut down during an emergency, the city said on Monday.

Under an 18-month modernization project that was recently completed, the data center established a connection with another city-owned building, creating a secondary data center.

“Think of it as a wide-open pipe, which allows live data synchronization between two sites,” bureau Deputy Director Nathan Grumbine said. “If anything happens here, a replica copy is on the other site at all times.”

In 2022, Harrisburg began a comprehensive, web-based IT upgrade, along with consultant Tyler Technologies. The project should be completed early next year, at which time all users will transition from an obsolete mainframe system that’s been in place since the 1980s, according to the city.

The new backup technology also features air-gapping, meaning the computers or networks cannot be wirelessly accessed by the outside world, and immutability, meaning files cannot be deleted or edited after being uploaded to the cloud.

Through these updates and improvements, the secondary location would be fully prepared to take over operations immediately, if necessary.

The project also included the removal of several racks of server equipment to make operations more efficient and cut back on power consumption, according to the city.

“The major impact this has is it makes sure we have the ability to keep IT operations up for services to police, fire and business units throughout Harrisburg, if there is an emergency situation that takes City Hall offline,” Grumbine said.

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Harrisburg searches for architect, engineer to head Broad Street Market rebuild

July 19, 2024 | by Maddie Gittens

Broad Street Market brick building

Harrisburg is on the hunt for contractors to lead the design of the Broad Street Market rebuild.

The city announced on Friday that it is seeking expressions of interest for architectural and engineering services for the market’s brick building, which was devastated by fire a year ago.

According to a statement, the city plans to soon open the request for proposals (RFP) process, which will be by invite only. However, in the meantime, firms with experience in fire restoration and historical properties can submit letters of interest.

The contractor interest form can be found, here.

The city originally announced that it would begin the search for an architect in November 2023. Officials have shared that the rebuild project was stalled due to lengthy investigations by the city’s and each individual market vendor’s insurance companies, as well as city staffing issues, among other delays.

Harrisburg-based Alexander Building Construction Co. is serving as the construction manager, overseeing the market rebuild. City officials previously shared that Alexander would not directly hire additional contractors on the project—the city has final say—but would assist in the process and make recommendations.

In a re-vote, City Council voted 4-3 to approve the construction manager at a May meeting, flipping their previous decision to oppose the hiring. Several council members expressed concern that the selection process was unfair and inequitable, and that the hiring selection team lacked diversity.

Once the city chooses an architect and engineer for the project, council will again need to vote on the selections.

The market’s brick building caught fire in July 2023 and has yet to undergo restoration work. Officials have estimated that the rebuild will take 2 to 3 years.

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

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

July 19, 2024 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, along with local and state officials, announced significant federal funding for the I-83 South Bridge replacement.

Friday night brings a special 3^rd in the Burg event at the Broad Street Market, with kids activities, music and food. Some of TheBurg staff will be there to say “hello” and hand you a copy of our July magazine, if you haven’t gotten one yet. Before you head out, catch up on our news reporting from this week, below.

Bob’s Art Blog heads to HIVE Artspace to showcase an exhibit focused on feathered friends. Click here to read. In part two of his blog, also released this week, he highlights even more bird art.

TheBurg was named “2024 News Organization of the Year,” a statewide honor presented by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Foundation, our online story reported. This is the fourth straight year that TheBurg has won this honor.

The Broad Street Market announced that its temporary structure has a name: “Tenty McTentface,” our online story reported. The name was chosen from community submissions and a voting process.

Cupboard Maker Books combines their love for books with their love for cats. The shop has three cats that live full-time and roam freely inside the Enola shop, often appearing on the shop’s very active social media pages. Click here to read our story.

Dauphin County reopened its Emergency Rental and Utility Assistance Program (ERAP) to those struggling with housing expenses due to the pandemic, our online story reported. The program, which was introduced during COVID, uses federal and state funding.

GLO Harrisburg will cut the ribbon on its new location inside Strawberry Square next week, our online story reported. GLO functions under the umbrella of the LGBT Center of Central PA, specifically servicing LGBTQ+-identifying men and trans women of color.

The Harrisburg Fringe Fest takes place July 18 to 21, promoting local and national artists, our online story reported. This year’s performances cover everything from sci-fi stage plays to brass bands to crochet improv.

Harrisburg officials said that the city would give $1 million of its federal COVID-relief funds to Downtown Daily Bread and Christian Churches United of the Tri County Area to begin offering year-round overnight shelters, our online story reported.

Local homeowners are turning their lawns and sidewalks into battlegrounds in the fight against climate change. In our magazine story, read about the ways people are using native plants to help pollinators and the environment.

I-83 South Bridge in Harrisburg received $500 million in federal infrastructure funds to help support the bridge replacement project, our online story reported. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg announced the funds this week.

Sara Bozich has found all the best events happening this weekend in Harrisburg. Find them, here.

“Widow Clicquot” champions the world’s first international businesswoman, an esteemed vintner, our magazine story reported. The film plays at Midtown Cinema in July.

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Support quality local journalism. Join Friends of TheBurg today!

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Plan your weekend with my weekly list of things to do around Harrisburg and central PA!

What you’ll find ⤵️

For your weekend planning

A Look Ahead

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

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