May News Digest

April 29, 2024 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

COVID Funds Appropriated

Harrisburg is preparing to start spending a large portion of its federal COVID relief funds. 

City Council recently approved the appropriation of $26.8 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the city to spend on affordable housing, a pool replacement, home repairs and blighted property demolition, among other projects. 

In total, Harrisburg received $47 million in ARPA money. In 2022, council voted to use $15.6 million to reimburse the city for pandemic revenue losses and for bonuses for fire and police bureau employees, among other allocations. In July 2023, council allocated the remaining $31.4 million to go into the city’s general fund as revenue replacement, but specified certain projects that the money would fund. 

At legislative sessions in March and April, council voted to start spending $26.8 million of that $31.4 million.

The allocations include $8 million for an affordable housing program, which will provide up to $2 million each to developers building affordable housing as defined by federal standards, and another $8 million for replacing the city’s Hall Manor pool.

Another $5 million will go to home repairs for low-income households and $2 million will be used to pay for low-income residents’ overdue trash bills. A $500,000 allocation will go towards tree removal and pruning services for low-income and elderly residents and $1.5 million will help demolish blighted buildings.

Additionally, $1 million will help nonprofits that provide bridge housing programs, and $250,000 will assist local senior programs. Another $600,000 will cover costs associated with project administration. 

Council has also previously expressed its intent to use funds to construct an ADA-accessible playground, create a workforce development program for youth, fund a “Community Matters” grant program for underserved businesses and nonprofits and create “community connection hubs” in the city to assist with workforce development.

Ribbon Cut on Affordable Houses

Several Harrisburg families soon will receive the keys to newly built affordable homes. 

Last month, Harrisburg nonprofit Tri County Housing cut the ribbon on five new townhomes in Allison Hill, which will benefit lower-income residents.  

“We are turning blight into something right,” said Mayor Wanda Williams, who spoke at the event. “When we can provide safe spaces for people to live, people take ownership of that block.” 

The five attached houses are located on the 200-block of Hummel Street. Each home is about 1,600 square feet, features three bedrooms, one-and-a-half baths, and a full basement. They are listed for $124,900 to $126,900 each, and three of the five are under contract. 

According to Gary Lenker, executive director of Tri County Housing, the organization began acquiring the blighted properties that previously stood at the location in 2015 and demolished them.  

The new homes add to the five other renovated homes across the street that the organization completed about two years ago.  

The $1.3 million project was funded using money from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA), the state’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP), and the state’s share of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, among other sources.  

Tri County Housing has also proposed constructing five affordable single-family townhomes on an overgrown lot on the 2100-block of N. 4th Street. Each 1,500-square-foot home would include three bedrooms and one-and-a-half baths. 

According to Lenker, this would be Tri County’s first project in Harrisburg outside of Allison Hill, where most of their construction has taken place. 

“We’d like to see this duplicated throughout the city,” Williams said.

Affordable Housing Proposed

A vacant Harrisburg lot and hot spot for illegal dumping may get a new lease on life as a local developer has proposed building on the land.  

Ryan Sanders of Harrisburg-based RB Development told TheBurg that his company is proposing affordable housing on the 1100-block of Bailey Street in the Summit Terrace neighborhood.  

“For us to bring affordable housing and workforce housing back there and so people don’t have to be displaced, that’s the ultimate goal,” Sanders said.  

The project, “Bailey Street Townhomes,” would include 24 townhome-style units, configured in eight triplexes with three units in each. The apartments would be one-, two- and three-bedroom units, with at least one parking space per unit, Sanders said.  

Currently, the lot sits vacant at the end of Bailey Street, overlooking the downtown skyline. According to Sanders, RB Development plans to purchase the lot from the current owner, the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority.

In addition to the townhomes, the developer has proposed building a community center with a library and meeting space for the community. 

Sanders said that, pending all necessary city approvals, the firm could possibly start construction on the roughly $8.5 million project by the end of the year.  

Area Home Sales Flat, Prices Up

Harrisburg-area home sales were mostly steady while the median price rose significantly in March, according to the latest report on previously owned houses.

For the three-county area, sales totaled 466 homes compared to 454 in the year-ago period, while the median sales price rose to $272,750 from $246,500, said the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, 226 homes sold, a decrease of one sale, as the median price increased to $245,000 versus $222,500 in March 2023, GHAR said.

Cumberland County totaled 213 home sales, up from 192 a year ago, as the median price rose to $323,000 compared to $287,450 the prior March, GHAR stated.

In Perry County, 28 homes sold in March versus 35 in the year-ago period, as the median price increased to $245,000 from $230,000, according to GHAR.

The pace of the average home sale was flat at 33 days, the same as in March 2023, GHAR said.

So Noted

Christine J. Gardner, Ph.D., was appointed last month as provost of Messiah University, according to the Mechanicsburg-based college. She previously served as dean of the School of Graduate, Professional and Extended Studies at Gordon College in Wenham, Mass., and succeeds Provost Randall G. Basinger, who retired in May 2022.

Harrisburg Senators last month reached an agreement to sell the team to Diamond Baseball Holdings, a sports management company that owns and operates 30 other minor league baseball clubs. Terms of the sale were not disclosed, though the company stated that it would retain the Senators’ current executive team and continue to play at City Island’s FNB Field, a stadium owned by the city.

Hornung’s LED Lighting last month donated and installed new lighting fixtures in the stone building of the Broad Street Market at no cost to the market or the city. The Dauphin-based company’s donation has an estimated value of over $15,000.

Members 1st Federal Credit Union last month received approval for the proposed spinoff of First Harvest Credit Union’s Williamsport branch following an affirmative member vote of First Harvest’s Williamsport-based members. The “yes” vote means all members and associates of the Williamsport First Harvest branch will become members and associates of Members 1st later this year.

Changing Hands

Allison Ct., 6: 2013 M&M Real Estate Fund LLC to H. Bodenhorn & R. Mason, $165,000

Allison St., 1505: 23 Hickory LLC to J. Donaldson, $151,000

Argyle St., 10: 101 S. 17th Street LLC to 1406 Market Realty LLC, $129,000

Bellevue Rd., 2028: R. Perez to E. & R. Perez, $180,000

Berryhill St., 1414: R. Kabir to O. Conde & N. Esquea, $89,000

Berryhill St., 1614: JST Affordable Homes to Mau Properties LLC, $50,000

Berryhill St., 2437: J. Martinez & M. Gomez to R. Zambrano, $123,750

Boas St., 1614: J. & N. Bream to M. Morgan, $100,000

Calder St., 317: R. Kessler to Equitable Builds LLC, $95,000

Crescent St., 251: D. Boyle to JROD Properties Investments LLC, $62,000

Croyden Rd., 2980: L. Eroh & P. Richardson to M. Gonzalez, $156,500

Cumberland St., 114: L. Larrieu to M. Owens, $220,000

Delaware St., 261: T. Harris & B. Barto to P. Fromm, $185,000

Derry St., 1316: S. Khan to M. Elhabashy, $150,000

Derry St., 1538: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to Mau Properties LLC, $70,000

Derry St., 2119: T. Hurst & E. Fry to L. Ogideh, $118,000

Division St., 700: Town Associates & R. Friedman to AR Uptown LLC, $6,750,000

Duke St., 2447: A. Graham to Alvarez Trust, $105,000

Emerald St., 529: Galaxy Real Estate Inc. to Artemis Realty USA Inc., $137,000

Fulton St., 1703: E. Groff to B. Yuditskiy & H. Greenwald, $216,000

Green St., 1218 & 1222: Harrisburg Dream Homes LLC to J. Weathersby, $273,000

Green St., 2119: Radian Real Estate Management & Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. to PA Deals LLC, $79,900

Hudson St., 1212: S. Speaks to J. Munoz, $180,000

Hummel St., 308: J. Byers to JRHeller.com LLC, $58,000

Jefferson St., 2250: Franklin Real Estate USA Inc. to Artemis Realty USA Inc., $132,500

Lewis St., 222: S. Yanez to R. Isom, $185,000

Liberty St., 1353: R. & D. Requa to Balaci Properties LLC, $95,000

Market St., 1404: 101 S. 17th Street LLC to 1406 Market Realty LLC, $185,000

Market St., 1406: 101 S. 17th Street LLC to 1406 Market Realty LLC, $219,000

Market St., 1918: Round Rock Investments LLC, SHG Investment Fund LLC & C. Gallagher to D. Seal, $140,000

Market St., 2000: CTP Funding Corp. to Val de Vie Estate Investments LLC, $180,000

Melrose St., 720: F. Coley to A. & M. Giraldo, $160,000

N. 2nd St., 1909: J. Becker to E. Anselmo, $275,000

N. 3rd St., 2601: Penn Center Harrisburg LP to Pennmark Harrisburg Holdings LLC, $1,450,000

N. 4th St., 1636: Legacy Capital Investment Group to First Choice Home Buyers LLC, $55,000

N. 4th St., 2433: A. Abdulrahman to Good Connect LLC, $140,000

N. 6th St., 2338: Galaxy Real Estate Inc. to Artemis Realty USA Inc., $135,000

N. 6th St., 2726: Wilmington Savings Trust to E. Fares, $80,000

N. 6th St., 2935: M. Thebes to M. Shermett & D. Ott, $165,000

N. 14th St., 231: D. Boyle to P. Yisneidy, $59,000

N. 15th St., 1217: PA Deals LLC to K. Lopez, $170,000

N. 15th St., 1310: R. Thomas to Amp Early Learning Center LLC, $68,000

N. 17th St., 1113: R. Morgan to F. Greene, $101,000

N. 20th St., Z. Wiest & PA Deals LLC to MDR Homes LLC, $100,000

Peffer St., 430 & 432: E. Major to Best Blessed LLC, $95,000

Peffer St., 613: Q. Phillips to P. Mulvaney, $131,000

Penn St., 2117: Equitable Rentals LLC to D. Stoltzfus, $165,000

Penn St., 2315: SPG Capital LLC to K. Soder, $140,000

Pine St., 121: Global Reach LLC to C. Poole, $205,000

Reel St., 2744: D&L Development Inc. Group to 248 S. Quince St. LLC, $100,000

Revere St., 1622: V. Son & M. Doeur to Harrisburg Homes Investment LLC, $60,000

Rumson Dr., 2787: P. Idowu to S. Amatya & S. Pradhan, $138,000

Seneca St., 607: Julias Essentials Ltd. to B. Pasco, $162,500

Seneca St., 652: D. Boyle to M. Perez, $58,000

S. 13th St., 240: A. Radon to Porch Time Property LLC, $700,000

S. 15th St., 17: F. Contreras to SNB Real Estate Solutions LLC, $120,000

S. 15th St., 220: First Choice Home Buyers LLC to K. Baez, $85,000

S. 16th St., 420 & 422: C. Trujillo to J. Decena, $186,000

S. 16th St., 904A: A. Bouhach to B. Castro, $133,000

S. 20th St., 215: S. Baltimore to G&W Rentals LLC, $70,000

S. 24th St., 530: Nancy E. Runkle Trust to R. & S. Vatalaro, $217,500

S. 26th St., 730: Elevation Properties LLC to HBA Landscaping LLC, $105,000

S. 27th St., 802: J. & P. Calla to E. Drum, $100,000

S. Cameron St., 10, 14, 40 and 1025 & 1029 Market St.: E. Shore & A. Kopelman to D&S Cameron Bridge LP, $700,000

S. Cameron Terr., 1501: C. Reyes to A. Shamir, $100,000

State St., 1352: D&F Realty Holdings LP to A. Alonzo, $150,000

Susquehanna St., 1805A: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to R&J Property and Home Investors LLC, $51,100

Swatara St., 2245: BDS Property Group LLC to E. & R. Johnson, $230,000

Woodbine St., 230: 230 Woodbine LLC to ARM 230 Woodbine PA LLC, $500,950

Harrisburg property sales, March 2024, greater than $50,000. Source Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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May Publisher’s Note

April 29, 2024 | by Lawrance Binda

I’m sometimes asked which issue of TheBurg magazine is my favorite of the year.

Without hesitation, I reply, “May.”

By the time May hits, central PA has fully awakened from its lengthy cold/cool weather slumber. Folks are out hiking and biking, the Pride of the Susquehanna riverboat sails again, and SoMa block parties restart downtown.

Everything seems so much more alive than a month or two ago.

We try to reflect that renewed energy in our May issue through feature stories, event listings and even our cover, photos and illustrations.

Each year in Harrisburg, I especially look forward to the start of the outdoor dining season. To me, nothing means summertime more than when our restaurants tear down their winter door shelters, set out tables and chairs, and become re-integrated with city life.

I might not even be the person savoring the food and drink, but I enjoy the vibrancy that al fresco dining brings to our streets and sidewalks.

In this spirit, each May, we publish an annual dining section consisting of food-related feature stories and a special advertising section.

This year, you’ll find interesting and offbeat stories on local markets, eateries and even a feature on chefs who prepare high-quality meals for people who otherwise could not afford them.

I especially hope you enjoy our photo spreads of mouth-watering dishes from some of the area’s leading restaurants. We urge you to support these fabulous places—maybe even mention that you saw them in TheBurg!

On a separate note, I’d like to thank everyone who recently renewed their memberships to Friends of TheBurg. Four years ago, in the grips of the pandemic, we launched this program so that readers could support all that we offer free to the community—daily news, feature stories, events, 3rd in the Burg, etc. I’m delighted to report that the program has been a huge success.

About half of our renewals take place in late April, so I thought this was the right time to offer a huge “thank you.” If you’re not a friend yet, we hope you’ll consider signing up for membership through our website.

With that, let’s flip the page to the meat (pardon the pun) of the May issue. Happy dining, everyone! I hope you enjoy at least one great meal this month.

Lawrance Binda
Publisher/Editor

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Neighbors to Friends: Two Midtown Harrisburg neighborhood groups merge to share resources, serve the community

April 29, 2024 | by Maddie Gittens

When Harrisburg resident Dan Fulton first heard about his neighborhood association, Midtown Action Council (MAC), he wasn’t all that interested.

His neighbor had to drag him, a self-professed introvert, to his first meeting, but Fulton soon began volunteering at cleanup and beautification events.

Fulton never would’ve thought that he would serve as an officer and later board president for the group. But there was a need for a leader, so he became one.

However, attendance at MAC events was waning and fewer people were volunteering for leadership positions on the board. At the same time, Fulton was feeling burnt out in his role and was ready to take a step back.

“I quickly realized that, not only were we not going to find a new president, but we were losing most of our officers,” he said. “It’s not just a MAC problem. It’s a problem that a lot of [nonprofits] are going through.”

However, Fulton didn’t want to completely dissolve the group. He wanted the neighbors to still have a place to plug into, and he definitely didn’t want MAC’s history as the oldest continuously operated neighborhood association in the city, dating back to 1977, to be lost.

So, he called up Hannah Witwer, president of the board for Friends of Midtown (FOM), another neighborhood group, and the two groups formulated a plan.

Just recently, MAC and FOM merged to form one unified organization for the Midtown neighborhood. The now-expanded group has joined as one board, operating as Friends of Midtown, while incorporating MAC’s history into its own.

“It was a very bittersweet thing,” Fulton said. “I was very emotional about it because I’ve invested a lot in MAC. But it’s a good example of two nonprofits making it work. It’s really a good combination.”

For Witwer, the merger was a “no-brainer” as the two groups hosted neighborhood cleanups and events together previously, which always went well.

“We all want to revitalize Midtown and plan fun events and keep the community beautiful,” she said.

Good Bunch

In the past, both groups essentially functioned the same. The main difference: MAC’s boundaries included a smaller section of Midtown.

FOM spreads across an expansive area—from N. Front to N. 6th streets and from Forster to Maclay streets. And while MAC membership included everyone who lived in the neighborhood, FOM asks for a membership fee to support its activities.

The merger will help the groups combine resources and eliminate competition for grants and funding.

“It’s going to help the community by having one group focused on Midtown,” Witwer said.

Six former MAC members have since joined Friends of Midtown’s board, and the transition has gone smoothly, Witwer added.

Ed Jaroch joined MAC as an officer a few years ago and decided to transition onto FOM’s board after the merger. Jaroch has participated in many neighborhood cleanups and said that he looks forward to helping with Friends of Midtown’s events.

“I fully supported the merger,” Jaroch said. “They’ve got a good bunch of people at Friends of Midtown. I’m looking forward to working with them.”

Friends of Midtown hosts trash cleanups, landscaping projects and other community service activities. They also hold candidate debates and forums for those running for local office. Their Midtown Makers Series has been running since April and continues this month with opportunities for the community to take classes from local artists.

This summer, Friends of Midtown will take over Midtown Cinema’s parking lot each month for its annual Outdoor Film Series featuring family-friendly films on the big screen.

And while Fulton understands how hard it can be to put yourself out there and get involved in a group like FOM, through his years of volunteering, he found that it was worth it.

“To me, the best part was getting to work with my neighbors and meet new people,” he said. “It’s important to have an organization that is here to support the community and take care of things.”

Fulton will not hold a leadership position with Friends of Midtown, but still does plan to be involved in community events.

Witwer and Jaroch encourage Midtown residents to get involved with the neighborhood group, if they haven’t already, as it gives residents a way to invest in and make a difference in their community.

Considering the recent merger with MAC and the new board members, Witwer feels hopeful about the future of Friends of Midtown.

“It’s been re-energizing,” she said. “We are stronger together and can do more now. MAC did so much good for the neighborhood for so long. I’m so excited for what we can do together.”

For more information about Friends of Midtown, visit www.friendsofmidtown.org.

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Go Far, Go Together: Winnie Okello works statewide, locally to promote equity, environmental justice

April 29, 2024 | by Maddie Gittens

Winnie Okello

As a young girl growing up in Kenya, Winnie Okello was forever curious, always asking questions. Her mother called her “kimbelembele,” a Swahili term for someone who’s quick to talk, spunky, tenacious.

She played with Barbie dolls, but was mostly interested in building them houses. She was a problem solver.

All of those qualities carried with her into her teenage years, when she immigrated to the United States, and into her adult life as she became interested in engineering, getting a degree in civil and environmental engineering.

“Growing up, it was seen as a negative thing,” she said of the “kimbelembele” term bestowed upon her. “As I grew up, I realized, no, this is a skillset.”

In May, Okello is transitioning into a new role as the Parks and Recreation Equity Program specialist for the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). The job combines her strengths of program coordination and environmental work with her passion for people and equity.

But her new position is by no means her first time combining all of these areas of expertise. Okello is just wrapping up her time as the statewide strategic coordinator for the Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ) within the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP). She has also worked for PennDOT as a senior civil engineer and as a professor at HACC, among other jobs.

Okello has also done work in her Harrisburg-area community, founding the Harassment and Assault Reporting Platform (H.A.R.P) for increasing awareness of the issue and holding events to advocate for change at the Dauphin County Prison.

She loves the numbers, the technical side of what she does, but it’s the community that keeps her going.

“I think a lot in African proverbs,” Okello said. “My favorite says, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ I’ve always had that mentality. For me, the thing that kept me stuck in engineering and actually really interested in environmental stuff was how it impacted people.”

Really Intentional

In her position with DCNR, Okello will work to make the department’s grant administration more equitable and inclusive. The department’s grants go to projects like public parks and recreation area development and rehabbing, as well as trail and river conservation and forestry projects, among others.

For too long, there have been barriers in the application process, making it harder for underserved organizations to successfully apply and receive funding, she explained. Much of the time, the same applicants have won grant funding simply because they have the resources to put together acceptable grant packages.

To determine how to improve the application process, Okello will conduct outreach to hear from the community and work to educate people on the process.

“We are actually finally looking to have greater representation and accessibility for everybody who should’ve been invited to the party,” she said. “It’s all about fairness.”

Okello also will work to prioritize environmental justice-focused projects, continuing the work she did in her previous role with the OEJ.

She understands the effects that issues like illegal dumping and pollution have on underserved communities and how those things impact health and quality of life.

That’s a topic that clicked for her as a student, when she began learning about endocrine disrupting chemicals and how they affect women, as well as legacy pollutants.

“As a woman in this space I was like, ‘why is this not a bigger deal?’” she said.

And while Okello is just getting started in her new role, she’s hopeful about the opportunity to make change and further equity in the commonwealth.

“We have to be really intentional about how we achieve that outcome, and I’m actually really glad that DCNR is doing that because they’re very proactive,” she said. “We fund what we care about.”

Okello is a big-picture thinker and sees how everything from engineering to health to the environment to social justice intertwine. It’s why she does the work that she does, including her advocacy and nonprofit work.

However, it can all be summarized into one goal for Okello.

“At the end of the day, we just want safer, healthier, happier communities,” she said.

For more information about the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, visit www.dcnr.pa.gov. To learn more about H.A.R.P, visit www.harpnow.org.

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Market Milestone: For 50 years, the PA Open Air Farmers Market has offered food, flowers, fun

April 29, 2024 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

For Heather Freeland, overseeing the bustling Pennsylvania Open Air Farmers Market is both gratifying and, well, fruitful.

“I like working with the community best,” she said. “I’m a natural bridge builder between people, giving them the opportunity to buy fresh foods and lead them to other organizations and events.”

This year, Freeland, the market coordinator, is particularly excited about the May 7 opening, as it marks the venue’s 50th year of operation outside the PA Farm Show Complex off Cameron Street in Harrisburg. For its anniversary year, the market is planning several new items and events.

“A mom and son want to do a snowball [shaved ice] stand this year,” said Freeland, of Dauphin. “Other fair vendors will be there, too, with other fair food like funnel cakes, and so on. Fiber, forestry and flowers will be highlighted each month for our 50th year, too.”

The market kicks off each year with eight or so vendors with in-season lettuce, spring onions, potatoes, stored apples and more.

“Things we don’t produce in Pennsylvania, we call ‘value added,’” Freeland said. “So, when things aren’t quite ready here, we’re allowed to sell them from Florida until around Memorial Day. Also, they can grow all year round with greenhouses.”

Other highlights include handcrafted goods, such as handmade soap, woolen scarves and crocheted goods, as well as live demonstrations.

By mid-summer, the market usually expands to around 30 vendors at the height of the local growing season. Sales continue through November as fall fruits and gourds come into season, and finally, fresh Thanksgiving turkeys.

As many as 400 customers per day visit the market in mid-June through Labor Day, Freeland said. As the days grow chillier into the fall, the market’s volume slips to about 100 patrons per day.

“Pennsylvania’s produce season really starts in June, July and August,” Freeland said. “We have sweet corn by the Fourth of July. We also get tomatoes, zucchini and fresh apples.”

Family-owned Troutman’s Food Service has been with the market since it first opened in 1974.

“I always enjoy seeing all of the people who come to us,” said Rahn Troutman. “We have regular customers, some from multiple generations, over the years.”

Patrons, he said, largely come from the vicinity, such as city residents, workers from area offices and HACC employees.

Troutman runs the Dornsife, Pa.-based business with his wife and two daughters, plus 10 or so part-time employees. The business started by selling freshly cut French fries but since expanded to offer much more.

“I serve several hundred customers per day at the market,” he said. “Our biggest items are French fries and hot dogs.”

Dobbs Produce is another 50-year veteran of the PA Open Air Farmers Market, said Melissa Dobbs Darr, who runs the small Newport-area farm with her parents, four siblings, husband and two teenage children.

Darr said that the family sees “several hundred” patrons each week at the market, and “thousands” stop by each year. The family begins each season selling greenhouse flowers, strawberries and tomatoes, ending with pumpkins, flowers and tree fruit.

Before the PA Open Air Farmers Market, area produce vendors often traversed the streets of Harrisburg to sell their wares to local businesses, just as Darr’s grandparents once did.

“It used to be that (produce) vendors came from all around the area to sell in Harrisburg,” Freeland said. “Then they passed laws in the early ‘70s that you no longer could solicit goods like that in Harrisburg. So then, vendors came together as a coalition where you could sell it.”

Over the years, Dobbs Produce has faced some challenges operating its market stand, according to Darr.

K. Schlegel Fruit Farm

“COVID was a big thing when we had to keep social distancing,” she recalled. “Being an open air market, masks made it hard to talk to people. Plus, we had to keep people from handling the produce too much then.”

Literally, the market has been part of Darr’s life for as long as she can remember. In fact, her father dropped off her mother at the then-Polyclinic Hospital in Harrisburg while in labor with her before continuing on to the market.

“I grew up at the market knowing some of the people who are still there after 50 years,” Darr said.

The Pennsylvania Open Air Farmers Market operates on Tuesdays and Fridays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., through Nov. 26 outside the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center. For more information, visit their Facebook page.

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A Bigger Boat: J.B. Kelly adds a Dauphin location to his seafood roster

April 29, 2024 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Lauren Ellis & John Kelly. Photo by Dani Fresh.

John B. Kelly is all about fresh fish.

You can find his fare at JB Kelly’s Seafood Connection at the Broad Street Market in Harrisburg and at the Central Market in Lancaster. In March, he added another location to his growing portfolio—Red Raven Surf and Turf, a 1,200-square-foot market located in Dauphin on Peters Mountain Road.

Lauren Ellis, John’s business partner of 10 years, provided a rundown of available items, which includes fresh fish and a variety of seafood, such as oysters, clams, mussels and shrimp.

“We sell a variety of fish, all sustainable, mostly wild-caught,” she said. “Although a few items are aquaculture, they are all sourced responsibly.”.

Much of the seafood is bought during frequent trips to Maine.

“We travel there about six times a year and buy direct,” Kelly said. “The weeks we don’t drive there, we pick up our products in Philly. We’re really interconnected with the wharf fishermen, and we’ve gotten to know them.”

And seafood isn’t the only thing on the menu. Honey, eggs, mushrooms, baked goods and spices from Bowmansdale-based Calicutts are also available at the new shop

Catching a Business

Kelly got into the seafood game rather by accident. Years ago, he embarked upon a lone, pre-fatherhood trip with nothing but a canoe, a backpack and fishing equipment. A dart thrown at an atlas decided his fate.

He ended up in mid-coastal Maine and met some curious fisherman interested in the nomadic Pennsylvanian who was out on a lark. He struck up conversations with the friendly folks, tasted their catches and was so impressed that he returned again, this time hauling coolers along to satisfy the requests of family and friends.

“Eventually, I had to buy a trailer to keep up with demand,” he said.

This sparked an idea, as Kelly, then a schoolteacher, saw an opportunity not only to return frequently to the area but to make a business of it. So, he bid farewell to education and assumed the role of small businessman and passionate fishmonger.

By winter of 2014, he had opened a stand in the Broad Street Market and, soon, was doing a brisk business. In 2017, he added another stand, this time at Lancaster’s Central Market.

Kelly reports that his business was doing well—until the pandemic hit.

“We’ve been down about 50% since then,” he said.

Then, last July, came the Broad Street Market fire, which certainly didn’t help matters, as his stand was located in the charred—and still shuttered—brick building.

“It’s a time of transition, which is why I decided that it was also time to move into a brick-and-mortar in Dauphin,” he said.

John Kelly. Photo by Dani Fresh.

So Fresh

Jackie Imhoff travels from Hummelstown to Harrisburg to shop at the JB Kelly Seafood stand in the Broad Street Market, now relocated across the courtyard to the stone building, which escaped the fire.

“What’s most important to our family is consistency, and John’s stand is the biggest reason why we frequent the market,” Imhoff said.

They eat Kelly’s seafood two to three times a week and depend on him to research what’s best. Two favorites, according to Imhoff, are Arctic char and steelhead trout.

John Baker is another loyal customer. He’s been visiting the stand at the Lancaster Central Market for the past five years.

“Customer service is great,” he said. “Whatever they can do to help, or fill requests, they do.”

What inspired Baker to shop with Kelly was the goal of healthy eating.

“We decided to try to start by adding a little more salmon to our diet, which we weren’t really fond of until we purchased it from Kelly,” Baker said. “It was transcendent.”

The experience inspired the couple to add Arctic char and haddock to the mix.

Catherine Wert’s reason for patronizing the new Red Raven was because she’s been disappointed with the seafood she’s purchased at other places.

“Kelly’s products are so fresh, unlike the seafood at the grocery stores, which is frozen and then thawed,” she said.

The new shop is also convenient for the Wert family.

“My husband works in Grantville and passes the shop every day,” she said.

The couple’s favorites are red snapper, shrimp and oysters.

“He will serve them on the half shell to you right there and also serves clam chowder,” she said. “There’s a small bar there where you can eat it.”

For now, Kelly is happy to focus on his three locations, but that’s not to say he won’t add a fourth.

“We’re thinking about another shop in Gratz because we see the need for some fresh seafood in that area too,” he said. “But we have to make sure we do well in the next two years, before we get too far ahead of ourselves.”

Red Raven Surf and Turf is located at 982 Peters Mountain Rd., Dauphin. For more information, visit www.jbkellyseafoodconnection.com.

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Hoagie Heaven: Hefty Lefty’s draws sub lovers to York’s Central Market

April 29, 2024 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Pennsylvanians pride themselves on knowing what constitutes a good hoagie, as opposed to what can be described as “sub” par.

For instance, recently, I was speaking to a young teen who learned the cruel ways of the world when she ordered a hoagie while traveling with her family out west.

“They put bell peppers on it,” she explained incredulously.

One person who knows how to make a Pennsylvania-pleasing hoagie is Mark Millek, who operates Hefty Lefty’s in York’s Central Market.

Millek boasts a solid sandwich pedigree. He and his dad served hoagies some 25 years ago at the Morningstar Marketplace in Thomasville, later opening a storefront in Hanover. He also managed a McDonald’s for a while and worked as a manager at Giant Foods for two decades.

Despite success in the traditional food business, Millek couldn’t get subs off his mind. So, a few years ago, he felt ready to get back into the hoagie-making business, opening a location in York’s Central Market and naming it Hefty Lefty’s.

For the record, Millek is neither hefty, nor a lefty, but thought it would be a fun name for his business.

“I never had a nickname growing up, so that would be my nickname if I chose it,” he said, with a laugh.

Millek said that his affinity for submarine sandwiches dates back to when he was a child.

“My parents were from Reading, and they grew up in the city,” he said. “So, when we visited my grandparents, there were lots of mom-and-pop hoagie shops there.”

Millek opened Hefty Lefty’s in 2018, encountering some fits and starts before hitting his stride. One of those fits was securing a high-quality, reliable roll supplier, a must for any good sub shop.

“I started out with bread from Reading and, one day, they said they were no longer delivering to York,” he said. “Then I found someone who delivered rolls from Conshohocken and, suddenly, he stopped delivering bread.”

After some scrambling about, Millek discovered New Jersey-based Liscio’s Italian Bakery, which has been his supplier since. The bread is delivered fresh every day and contains no preservatives, he said. To create a proper sub, Millek then stuffs in all the goodies: veggies, cheeses, toppings and, of course, deli meats, which come from The Marketplace at John Gross in Mechanicsburg.

“It took off and, in a few years, I was able to quit Giant to focus on the business,” he said.

Mark Millek

Secret Is Out

Some people are very serious about their subs. If you have any doubt, just pull up the Facebook group, Hoagie Gurus, which has over 150,000 members.

When people started posting pictures of Hefty Lefty’s sandwiches, Millek saw a spike in business, with one person reportedly flying in via private plane from Pittsburgh to the market to indulge.

Others, Millek said, have driven for miles to get their hands on a “Balboa,” which contains capicola, cooked salami, Genoa salami, provolone cheese, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano and sea salt, or a “Philly Special” containing capicola, Genoa salami, sharp provolone cheese, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano and sea salt.

Visitors to the Hoagie Guru site should be forewarned, however. Members of the group tend to have little patience for those who post an anemic-looking hoagie, or, God forbid, one with non-standard ingredients.

Zack Zielinski is a member of the group who lives in York and reports that his favorite sandwich is the Balboa, or the classic cheesesteak.

“I love the people behind the counter and the quality of ingredients,” he said. “You can’t find better in the area and, now that the secret is out, everyone wants a piece.”

Ben Steelman is a Richmond, Va., native who learned of Hefty Lefty’s from the Hoagie Gurus group.

“When I visit the area for work, I enjoy the Philly Special, the Lefty Way—with extra ingredients,” he said. “They’re up there with the best hoagies I’ve had, and I’ve had quite a few in Philly and Delco.”

About once a month, Millek offers a specialty sandwich, such as the Thanksgiving Day grinder.

“My father-in-law makes the best stuffing on earth, and we add it to the roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and a little cranberry sauce,” he said. “One lady told us that it’s the best thing she’s eaten in her entire life.”

For his part, Millek said that he’s found his calling in life.

“I was listening to [investor and author] Tim Ferriss recently and he said to find what you love and you can do that the rest of your life,” he said. “It’s not work for me. I love every second of it.”

Hefty Lefty’s is located in the York Central Market, 34 W. Philadelphia St., York. For more information, visit www.heftyleftys.com.

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Fare & Care: You’ll find specialty goods and a welcoming space at Europa Market

April 29, 2024 | by Rachel Curry

Andrei & Tabita Tugulia. Photo by Dani Fresh.

Browsing the aisles of a large chain grocery store, you may find kefir, a fermented dairy beverage from Eastern Europe.

However, you likely won’t see Rom, an iconic Romanian chocolate bar. Or kvass, a Russian non-alcoholic malt beverage. Or Ukrainian sweet cream with fruit, perfect for topping on crepes.

Luckily, there’s one place locally you will find the authentic versions of all of these—and much more—Europa Market in Linglestown. The Eastern European food hub caters to the cravings of Pennsylvania’s immigrant population, folks looking to connect with their heritage or simply adventurous eaters who want to try something new.

On top of that, Europa Market is a community center seeking to forge connections and help mothers, families and individuals in need.

Tabita and Andrei Tugulia opened Europa Market and its community-minded counterpart, Front End Family Solutions, in November, nearly two decades after their own immigration from Romania. They operate as a kind of satellite location of Reading’s Romanian Community Center, enabling people from Romania and other countries in Eastern Europe to find community and support through the many journeys of life.

The market, whose neighbor is a horse that keeps an eye out on the strip, features a mini-museum of Romanian relics at the front. Two mannequins wear traditional men’s and women’s apparel, including an ie, or Romanian embroidered blouse, and pigskin shoes. The mannequin is wearing handmade socks that Andrei grew up with as a kid. A piece of woven art made by his great-grandmother, estimated to be 150 years old, hangs on the wall.

“It was a very simple life,” Andrei reminisced. “Sometimes, I miss those days.”

Photo by Dani Fresh.

Beyond the antique items, the general store features hundreds of products, about half of which come from Romania. In the back is a community room and event space, including a play area for small children. That’s where much of the Front End Family Solutions meetups occur.

With two kids and a firmly planted life in Dauphin County, the Tugulias relish their mission of meeting people with similar backgrounds and helping those who may need guidance on getting settled in a new country. There are a wide range of people who come to Europa Market from countries like Poland, Moldova, Bulgaria, Latvia and more. Pennsylvania is also home to a plethora of Ukrainians who immigrated before and during the war, and they’re welcome to find a slice of home at Europa Market.

Tabita recalled her own journey to the United States.

“It took me six or seven years to meet anyone from my country,” she said.

She’s even met customers who have been here for decades, and it’s their first time meeting people they can culturally relate to here. So, having a place like Europa Market not only to shop but to gather filled a gap.

“They come here for produce, but it’s so much more,” she said of her visitors. “They leave us with a story.”

Photo by Dani Fresh.

Pulls People In

Mid-morning, the Tugulia’s friend, Mihai, walked into the market to shop, drink coffee and chat.

“They’re a perfect match for bringing people together,” he said.

Both Tabita and Andrei are talkative and friendly, but Andrei said that he considers himself to be shy compared to his wife’s social skills.

“My wife is the one that pulls people in,” he said.

Tabita’s background in social services helps propel the mission of the work while Andrei’s experience in managing food service businesses keeps the market running smoothly.

As for what’s popular in the market, it depends where the customer is coming from and what strikes their tastes and nostalgia.

From Romania, Gusto corn puffs, Borsec mineral water, Easter bread, Zacusca spread, meats and cheeses line the shelves. From around the Eastern European region, pickled vegetables, frozen cakes, filo pies, sunflower seeds, gingerbread (which is different from the kind of gingerbread Americans know), jams, vegetable spreads, fruit juices and a whole slew of other delicacies are at the ready.

Their current stock is just the beginning.

“Our greatest resource is our customers,” Andrei said.

In fact, they regularly take suggestions from people looking for a specific item.

Meanwhile, Front End Family Solutions operates behind the scenes, hosting a range of events like mom cafés, family nights out, international fundraisers, craft and painting gatherings and holiday events for families who need a welcoming place to celebrate. They also host birthday parties, using 10% of the proceeds to subsidize parties for children in low-income families. Meanwhile, the organization provides additional services like mentoring and small business consultancy.

In short, Tabita and Andrei have their hands full, but they wouldn’t have it any other way.

“At the end of the day, when we put the kids to bed, we feel like it’s our mission,” Andrei said

If they can make a difference in someone’s life each day, they say, they’re happy. And if they can do it while bringing a taste of home—wherever that may be—to the people around them, all the better.

Europa Market and Front End Family Solutions are located at 5821 Linglestown Rd., Suite 106, Harrisburg (Linglestown), in the rear of the building. For more information, visit www.myeuropamarket.com, www.frontendfamilysolutions.com and their Facebook pages.

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Café to Go: ZHAGA is a new coffee shop on wheels, with grand ambitions ahead

April 29, 2024 | by Dan Miller

At just 31 years old, Zuleika Liranzo is already a serial entrepreneur.

Since coming to the United States 11 years ago from her native Dominican Republic, Liranzo has made a living selling baked goods and paintings out of her house.

Looking for something more outside the box, she opened a truck repair shop in New Jersey.

Now that that’s established, she and her fiancée, Jose Manuel, have returned to Pennsylvania to do what Liranzo has always really wanted to do—open her own food business. A café on wheels, that is: ZHAGA Coffee Shop.

Holding its grand opening on St. Patrick’s Day, ZHAGA is starting out as a food truck-based business located on S. 3rd Street in Lemoyne, just off I-83.

From there, ZHAGA offers a variety of gourmet hot and iced coffees, teas and juices. The freshly roasted coffee beans are sourced from St. Thomas Roasters in Linglestown.

The unique name, ZHAGA, comes from the first letter of her first name—Zuleika—and those of her four daughters: Haylee, Amy, Grace and Allison, who range in age from 3 to 9.

Liranzo said that what sets her apart are her freshly prepared, gluten-free desserts, breads, crepes, paninis and sweets—all with the health-conscious consumer in mind.

The vegan almond cake and other treats taste like they should be bad for you, but they aren’t. Growing up in a vegan household, Liranzo learned how to cook healthy.

Her father and her mother were both chefs, and her mother started her own vegan restaurant in the Dominican Republic, which is still running. In fact, Liranzo’s menu includes a mix of Dominican-American and Mexican recipes.

“I want people to know they can eat healthy, but it can still taste delicious, and it can be fun,” she said.

Zuleika Liranzo

Liranzo also takes her coffee shop on the road. Starting last month, she has ZHAGA booked for events in Lemoyne and elsewhere in the Harrisburg area, including on City Island.

She hopes to find a permanent restaurant location, preferably with a nice view of the Susquehanna River. In the meantime, she’s partnering with Uber Eats and DoorDash to provide delivery options.

“I always wanted a restaurant, but I don’t want to be in a place where nobody knows me, and I just sit in there and wait for customers to come in,” Liranzo said. “A food truck is better. I can move around, everybody can know how I cook, what I do, and after everybody knows me, then I can move to a place like a restaurant.”

The other businesses, like the truck repair shop, were good preparation for her real passion—ZHAGA.

“Every morning when you wake up, you have to have something that you love to do, so you wake up happy,” Liranzo said. “The truck company is good money. It’s good business, and you help a lot of people, but it’s a lot. Cooking and baking are what I love to do.”

The U.S. food truck industry is one of the strongest performers in the broader food service sector, according to a report published by IBISWorld. With revenue totaling $2.2 billion in 2023, the industry should continue to grow at a brisk pace through 2028, says the report.

According to IBIS, typical start-up costs for a food truck range from $75,000 to $250,000, with costs leaning toward the higher end in recent years due to rising expenses for labor and fuel and the price of the truck itself.

Liranzo said that her start-up expenses totaled a little over $37,000, sharing the costs with Manuel. She purchased the food truck on Craigslist from a man who was moving out of state. She kept her costs down by doing as much of the work as possible herself, assisted by family members.

The renovations include a gazebo next to the food truck location in Lemoyne, where customers can sit and unwind while sipping their drinks and enjoying ZHAGA’s healthy sweets. Unless the food truck is out on an event, it is based at the S. 3rd Street location.

Liranzo hopes to add more ZHAGA locations—at least four more so that each one of them can be run by one of her four daughters.

“This is for them, so they don’t have to start from zero like me,” she said. “Parents should be here to start something for their child so they don’t have to go through everything we go through.”

ZHAGA Coffee Shop is located at 319 S. 3rd St., Lemoyne For more information, visit www.zhagacoffeeshop.com, on Facebook and on Instagram @zhagacoffeeshop.

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Roll ‘Em: Celebrate spring with this asparagus dish

April 29, 2024 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

As I write this column for the May edition of TheBurg, it should be spring. Time to celebrate the warming weather and the beautiful flowers and vegetables that start to appear.

Instead, it’s rainy, cold and as gloomy and dark as can be. That’s OK. I’m finding signs of the emerging season at my farmers market, like ripe red strawberries that don’t come in plastic eggshell containers, sturdy stalks of rhubarb, and fresh green asparagus that’s grown closer to home. “Homegrown” as my mother would say.

Like many Italian cooks, my mother “celebrated” asparagus in the spring. She cooked it simply: poached in a little water, drained and dressed with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. My father preferred skinny stalks; I liked thicker ones. But either way, asparagus was a favorite at our dinner table.

If you research asparagus recipes today, you will find this popular vegetable everywhere—in soups, omelets, frittatas, quiches, stews, vegetable tarts and even raw on a crudité tray. I’ve taken to roasting asparagus more often than cooking it in water on top of the stove. I finish it with olive oil, garlic salt and sometimes with a little grated Parmesan cheese.

I was looking for a springtime meal that was simple to prepare and nice enough for company. I was definitely not ready to drag out my gas grill in the cold rain and certainly not ready to start cleaning it. What I found was perfect: “Involtini Di Petti Di Pollo” or stuffed chicken rolls (Italians love to stuff things.) It is pretty easy to prepare, makes use of Marsala wine, which I love, and showcases the beloved vegetable of spring—asparagus.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Ingredients

4 boneless chicken breasts or cutlets
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 thin slices of processed ham (you could use prosciutto but then be careful with salt)
4 thin slices of bel paese cheese (or other mild soft cheese like havarti or Muenster or even mozzarella)
4 asparagus spears, slightly undercooked
Flour for dusting
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 tablespoons Marsala wine

2 tablespoons reduced sodium chicken broth
Additional cooked asparagus spears for garnish

Directions

Unless starting with thin chicken cutlets, pound the chicken breasts between 2 sheets of waxed paper until thin.
Season lightly with salt and pepper. Again, be careful with the salt, as some ham varieties are salty.
On each breast, place a slice of cheese and ham and 1 cooked asparagus spear.
Roll each breast carefully, tie together with a piece of kitchen twine, and dust lightly with flour. (Try Wondra flour. It’s light and works so well.)
Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and the olive oil in a sauté pan (non-stick is best), and brown the chicken breasts over very low heat. Turn frequently until tender and golden, about 15 minutes.
Remove the kitchen twine and transfer the rolls to a warmed serving dish. Cover and keep warm.
Add the Marsala wine, chicken stock and remaining butter to the juices in the pan. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes, scraping up “brown bits” from the bottom of the pan.
Spoon the pan juices over the chicken rolls and garnish the platter with more cooked asparagus spears. (The more the better!)

Some roasted potatoes or rice make a complete meal. Or you could try some creamy polenta.

Additional Notes

Bel paese cheese is a semi-soft cheese, originally from Italy’s Venice region but now made in the U.S., as well. It is very good and, to me, has a unique flavor. Cheese shops or specialty cheese departments in grocery stores often carry it.
Always choose fresh asparagus stalks—bright green and firm, with no “mushiness.” The tops should not be starting to “bloom.”
You might be tempted to bake this dish in the oven. Don’t. The chicken browns so nicely in a heavy skillet, and the sauce will thicken as it simmers.

By the time you are reading this column, I hope spring weather will have arrived. Like many of you, I will be bringing out the gas grill and adding steaks and burgers to our meal rotation. I hope you can enjoy this lovely spring dinner before then.

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