The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

August 26, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Local artist Linda Billet showed off her community mosaic, now displayed in the Harrisburg High School-John Harris campus.

Our Friends of TheBurg Bash is coming up, and we can’t wait to celebrate! If you’re one of our supporters, make sure you buy your ticket this weekend to join us. Now, here’s your weekly news digest. Everything you need to know from this week in Harrisburg is listed, below.

The Broad Street Market is looking for a new executive director, our online story reported. The position has remained open since Josh Heilman, the former director, stepped down.

The Capital Area Beekeeper’s Association spreads awareness about the importance of bees to the environment, our magazine story reported. Over 200 Harrisburg-area residents belong to CABA, and the group continues to grow.

Capital Region Water board of directors approved a plan to reduce pollutants flowing into waterways, our reporting found. The agreement includes projects to help the city’s sewer infrastructure capture at least 85% of system flow during wet weather.

Construction on N. 2^nd Street in Harrisburg is moving forward, as the portion of the roadway from Maclay to Division streets will convert to two-way traffic early next month. The city expects the total project to be completed by mid-fall, our online story reported.

Our editor says that the announcement that Knead Pizza in Harrisburg has closed is a lose-lose situation. In his editorial, read why he sees the closure as a big loss for the city.

Hall’s Ice Cream in Perry County has crafted flavors for ice-cream lovers for 75 years, our magazine story reported. Most recently, owner Matthew Hall stepped up to continue operating the family business.

Harrisburg City Council on Tuesday night approved a land development plan for a five-story residential and retail structure at 512-514 N. 2^nd St., our online story reported. Developer Derek Dilks plans to demolish the two dilapidated buildings that currently sit on the property and build a new structure with first-floor retail space and seven apartments above.

Harrisburg School District officials unveiled a new mosaic in the Harrisburg High School-John Harris Campus, our online story reported. The mosaic was created with help from community members and students at the city’s Artsfest and assembled by local artist Linda Billet.

Harrisburg will host a parade on Saturday to celebrate World Series champions, the Michael Stepp RBI of Greater Harrisburg softball team, our online story reported. A celebratory picnic will follow the parade.

The Journey Church in Harrisburg held a “Back to School Block Party” on Saturday, our online story reported. The church offered free haircuts, clothing and 375 backpacks full of school supplies.

Knead Pizza decided that it would close both its N. 3^rd Street and Broad Street Market locations, our online story reported. The news came shortly after Knead employees announced a plan to form a union.

Midtown Redevelopment LLC held the first of three public information sessions to share its plan, for dozens of long-empty lots in the unfinished Capitol Heights and MarketPlace neighborhoods, our reporting found. The plan includes apartments, townhouses, a grocery store and commercial spaces.

Sara Bozich’s Weekend Roundup has lots of ways to spend the weekend in Harrisburg. Click here to find them.

Shamaine Daniels launched her general election campaign for congress on Saturday in Harrisburg, our online story reported. More than 100 people came to meet the candidate and help kick-start her campaign.

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral in Harrisburg will host an anti-violence event, “PA Prays: Forging Justice and Peace out of Violence,” on Sept. 18, our online story reported. At the event, a blacksmith will reconfigure guns into gardening tools and jewelry.

Ten Thousand Villages in Mechanicsburg will celebrate its 30^th anniversary with a community event featuring music, food and shopping. In our online story, read about the store’s history of promoting fair trade.

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State press association names TheBurg “2022 News Organization of the Year”

August 26, 2022 | by TheBurg Editor

TheBurg has been named “2022 News Organization of the Year,” a statewide honor presented by the state press association.

On Thursday, the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Foundation announced the award, which recognizes news organizations “for overall excellence across all departments,” according to the foundation.

“This is a very special honor,” said Lawrance Binda, co-publisher and editor-in-chief of TheBurg. “It speaks to the talent of our staff and helps affirm the work we put in each day to make TheBurg a high-quality news product for the greater Harrisburg area.”

TheBurg won News Organization of the Year in the “weekly” category. This is the second straight year that TheBurg has won this statewide honor.

The Pittsburgh Business Times was runner-up for the award.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette won News Organization of the Year in the “multi-day” publication category, with the Philadelphia Inquirer as the runner-up.

Overall, nearly 130 news organizations across Pennsylvania competed, according to the PNA Foundation.

“It’s remarkable to receive this recognition in Pennsylvania, which has so many high-quality newspapers and news organizations,” Binda said.

The award is comprehensive, recognizing excellence in all aspects of a news organization’s operations, including for editorial, art, design and sales.

“News organizations are judged not only on their journalism and writing, reporting, photography, video, digital products and design, but also for their sales strategies, innovation, community impact and their relevance, integrity and initiative in serving readers and audiences,” according to the PNA Foundation.

TheBurg began publishing in 2009 as a monthly community magazine for the greater Harrisburg area and since has expanded into daily news reporting. It also sponsors and supports many events in the area, including 3^rd in the Burg, the monthly cultural and nightlife event in Harrisburg.

Over the past seven years, TheBurg has received over 100 individual press awards for reporting, writing, opinion, art, design, photography and advertising. TheBurg also received the 2018 Catalyst Award from the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC and the 2022 Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts in the Capital Region from Theatre Harrisburg.

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Blacksmith will turn guns into gardening tools, jewelry at interfaith anti-violence event

August 26, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral

At an upcoming Harrisburg event, community members will come together to promote peace.

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral will host “PA Prays: Forging Justice and Peace out of Violence” on Sept. 18 with the goal of inspiring unity and advocacy.

“The level of gun violence in Harrisburg this year is astounding,” said Rev. Amy Welin of St. Stephen’s. “We are inviting people to put legs on their prayers and do something about this.”

According to Welin, the event is an interfaith gathering, open to those of all religions or of no religion.

In a unique demonstration at 1 p.m., James E. Curry, a blacksmith with the nonprofit Swords to Plowshares, will reconfigure guns into gardening tools and jewelry. Curry, from Connecticut, works with police departments to collect firearms taken off the streets or gathered through gun buyback programs. He then transforms them and donates or sells the pieces.

Following the demonstration, at 4 p.m., there will be readings from religious texts, music by a community choir, prayer, memorial candle lightings and discussion on ways to advocate for safety through public policy.

Harrisburg artist Vivian Sterste will also organize a community mural project for the event. She plans to provide a large canvas and paint supplies for community members and other local artists to create a mural around the themes of gun violence and peace. The mural will then travel around to city churches interested in displaying the work for a period of time.

“I’m extremely thrilled that there will be an interfaith coalition that will be addressing this issue,” Sterste said. “I just want to encourage people. It’s about spreading hope.”

St. Stephen’s is one of five episcopal dioceses in the state that will take part in prayer services responding to gun violence on Sept. 18. Harrisburg’s cathedral took the lead in starting “PA Prays” and encouraging the other four dioceses to join, according to Welin. This is the first year of the event.

“Our humanity binds us,” Welin said. “This is an opportunity for us to be human together. I’m looking forward to being with our neighbors.”

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral is located at 221 N. Front St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit their website.

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Burg Blog: Everyone Loses

August 26, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda

In the business world, there’s an old cliché called the “win-win.”

A win-win means that some deal or transaction is so good that everyone’s a winner—all parties leave happy.

In Harrisburg this week, we had the exact opposite of the win-win: the lose-lose.

On Tuesday, Knead Pizza abruptly shut its doors. The closure came just days after some of their dozen or so workers announced that they had filed to join a union.

Personally, I don’t know the full story behind the employees’ decision to unionize or the owners’ decision to shut down, so I’m unable to add anything meaningful, much less factual, to the ensuing online brawl. If conjecture is what you want, you can visit any number of Facebook pages (including ours) to feast on speculation and conflict.

However, I do know this—everyone has lost.

The owners lost their business. The employees lost their jobs. The customers lost their excellent food—and beer. The community lost its corner pizza place. The city lost yet another small business.

Again, I can’t speak to such issues as the viability of the business or the needs of the workers or the intentions of the Philadelphia-based union. My own two-cents worth of guessing is that, if all parties could have foreseen what would happen, the outcome would have been very different.

But it went down as it went down.

Knead is no more. Everybody has lost.

Lawrance Binda is co-publisher and editor-in-chief of TheBurg.

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Harrisburg’s Broad Street Market puts out call for new executive director

August 25, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

The Broad Street Market

Harrisburg’s Broad Street Market is searching for a new person to lead its everyday operations.

The nonprofit market announced on Thursday that it is accepting applicants for its executive director position, which is currently vacant.

“We are looking for someone who has strong interpersonal and communication skills, has management experience and who has a passion for markets,” said John Sygielski, chair of the market’s board of directors.

The position has remained open since Josh Heilman, the former director, stepped down about six months ago.

According to Sygielski, the director is “key” to implementing the board’s vision for the market and interacting with vendors, community members and customers.

Candidates must have experience with nonprofit and facilities management, strong decision-making and conflict resolution skills and excellent internal and external communications capabilities.

Those who are interested in applying can send a brief cover letter and resume to [email protected], by no later than Sept. 2.

“With the support of the board of the directors—a group of dynamic community leaders from throughout the region—the new director has an opportunity to lead the market into the future,” Sygielski said.

For more information about the executive director position at the Broad Street market, visit their website.

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

Capital Region Water board approves plan designed to slash pollutants into area waterways

August 25, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda

This sign on the Susquehanna riverbank warns people to avoid contact with the water during “heavy rainfall events.”

Harrisburg’s utility authority has approved a long-term plan intended to significantly reduce pollutants flowing into area waterways.

On Wednesday, the Capital Region Water (CRW) board of directors voted unanimously to accept changes to a prior agreement that details a course of action to improve the quality of local waters, including the Susquehanna River.

Specifically, the agreement outlines projects that CRW will undertake over the next decade so that the city’s sewer infrastructure will capture at least 85% of system flow during wet weather.

“This is a very good thing,” said board chair Marc Kurowski. “It helps us to find a path to get through, over the next 10 years.”

The goal, Kurowski added, is not just to meet, but to exceed, the 85% capture rate. In 2021, CRW reported a capture rate of just 43% during wet-weather periods.

Like in many older cities, much of Harrisburg has a combined sewer system that handles both wastewater and stormwater flowing to its treatment plant. When it rains, the system is easily overwhelmed, sending untreated water directly into area waters, including the river.

In 2015, CRW agreed to a partial consent decree with several governmental agencies—the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Environmental Protection—to begin to address the problem. The board’s approval on Wednesday represents a key step in finalizing that agreement.

According to CRW, the mitigation plan includes various types of projects, such as system repairs, rehabilitation and replacement.

For instance, this fall, CRW expects to re-start the $17 million rehabilitation of the Front Street interceptor, which runs through about three miles of Riverfront Park.

In 2019, CRW began installing new pipe liner in the 108-year-old, 30-inch diameter main. The next phase, which will take about a year, will complete the project from about Seneca Street to the pumping station in Shipoke.

CRW’s system improvement plan also includes the continued build-out of green infrastructure, which is designed to capture stormwater before it enters the sewer system.

The authority estimates the plan’s 10-year cost at about $200 million.

“We made sure that this particular modification to the partial consent decree was affordable to our ratepayers,” said board member Andrew Enders. “These are important projects, but we have to be able to afford them in order to continue to provide the services that we do.”

In 2020, CRW imposed a stormwater fee to help pay for system improvements. It stands at $6.15 a month for most residential customers.

With board approval, the agreement—technically termed a modification of the existing partial consent decree—needs to be executed by all parties and then lodged in federal court. After publication in the Federal Register, a 30-day public comment period will begin.

Following consideration of public comments and any final changes, the U.S. Department of Justice will request court approval for the agreement. If the court grants the motion, the agreement will be considered final.

The process should be complete this fall, according to CRW board members.

“This has been seven-plus years in the making,” Kurowski said. “We’re almost there with the official-official version, but it took a long way to get here.”

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Pieced Together: Harrisburg School District unveils community-created mosaic in high school

August 25, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Artist Linda Billet in front of her mosaic in Harrisburg High School-John Harris Campus.

Back to school is right around the corner in Harrisburg, and one of the district’s buildings will greet students with a bright new piece of art.

On Thursday, the Harrisburg School District unveiled a mosaic that now hangs in the lobby of its Harrisburg High School-John Harris Campus. The glass pieces of the mural were created by community members and local students.

“This beautiful mural brings the community into our school in a very literal way,” said Michelle Felton, principal of the high school. “This has made such a difference in this lobby.”

The community mosaic, created by artist Linda Billet

At Harrisburg’s ArtsFest in May, event attendees created over 1,000 hand-designed tiles during an interactive art experience with local artist Linda Billet. Then in June, students at the Capital Area Intermediate Unit’s summer art camp also crafted tiles. Billet assembled all of the glass pieces into the mosaic, now displayed in the school.

The mural features six connecting circles, each a different color of the rainbow. Felton said that it depicts a sense of unity and collaboration.

“When I do these projects, I have no idea what I’m going to end up with,” Billet said. “That’s why these projects are so cool. It knits people together.”

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Ten Thousand Villages Mechanicsburg to celebrate 30 years of fair trade, community

August 25, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Ten Thousand Villages Mechanicsburg

For the decades since Ten Thousand Villages opened in Mechanicsburg, the store’s success has relied on community connections.

That’s what allowed the organization to grow, reach customers, bounce back post-COVID to an even better place than it was pre-pandemic and most importantly, to support fair trade.

“It’s been amazing,” explained Ron Hershey, a board member for the Ten Thousand Villages location. “There’s a solid customer base for this store, but there are still new people coming in.”

Ten Thousand Villages Mechanicsburg will hold a 30^th anniversary celebration on Sept. 17, featuring music, food and, of course, shopping.

The event will bring back those who originally helped organize the Gettysburg Pike store, along with past board members and volunteers, while welcoming customers and community members to participate.

The shop is part of a larger network of Ten Thousand Villages company-owned and board-controlled nonprofit stores across the country, which aim to support small producers and artisans around the globe through fair trade practices.

Originally called “Self Help Crafts of the World,” the store opened in Camp Hill in 1992 when area churches and community members saw the potential for a store in their town. Hershey was hired as the first store manager and, shortly after, they moved the shop to Mechanicsburg. Later, it became Ten Thousand Villages, as the national organization also rebranded.

“It’s the mission that drew me in,” Hershey said. “Knowing that we are making a difference in the world to families who are making these products.”

Items for sale at Ten Thousand Villages in Mechanicsburg

The Mechanicsburg store carries clothing, household items, coffees and teas, children’s items, woven baskets and jewelry, among other items. The products are imported from countries in Latin America, Asia and Africa and sold at a range of prices.

Since the store is one of the brand’s board-run shops, it functions with a board of directors, a team of 20 to 30 dedicated volunteers and a few staff members. Dan Alonso used to volunteer with Ten Thousand Villages at the Mechanicsburg location. This year, he took the title of CEO of the company.

“It all started here as a volunteer,” he said. “I’ve been impressed by them since day one.”

The store is unique, Hershey explained, in that it isn’t located in a downtown district, a shopping center or somewhere easily walkable. While it doesn’t attract foot traffic, being situated next to Route 15 draws in travelers and has made it more of a “destination,” he said. And, of course, there are the loyal regular customers, Hershey said.

On the day of the anniversary celebration, the store will open for its regular business hours, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Activities will extend until around 9 p.m. in the lot behind the store and include live performances by Ben Simcox and Brazilian Vibes, food trucks, henna art, coffee tastings and outdoor games.

All are invited, with the warning, that once you visit Ten Thousand Villages, you may find yourself coming back.

“Once a villager, always a villager,” Hershey said.

Ten Thousand Villages Mechanicsburg is located at 701 Gettysburg Pike. For more information on the celebration, visit their Facebook page.

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Portion of Harrisburg’s N. 2nd Street to transition to two-way traffic early next month

August 25, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Construction of a roundabout on N. 2nd and Kelker streets

Harrisburg’s N. 2^nd Street construction project is on its way to partial completion.

The section of the roadway from Maclay to Division streets is expected to go from one-way to two-way traffic in early September, according to the city.

Before that can happen, side road paving will take place on Aug. 29 and 30. Additionally, construction crews still need to paint lines on the road and install traffic signs and signals.

The two-way switch was initially planned for June. However, various delays have pushed back the project timeline.

The rest of the N. 2^nd Street corridor under construction, from Forster to Maclay, will not transition to two-way traffic until mid-fall, according to the city. Crews are currently installing roundabouts at the intersections of Verbeke, Reily and Kelker streets.

The project is part of Harrisburg’s Vision Zero plan to eliminate pedestrian fatalities and make neighborhoods more walkable.

Next week’s construction will impact parking on several adjacent streets on Monday and Tuesday. From Peffer Street to Shamokin Street, parking will be limited on all four street corners, about 50 feet from N. 2nd Street. This includes Peffer, Maclay, Woodbine, Emerald, Seneca, Schuylkill, Radnor, Wiconisco and Shamokin streets. No more than two parking spaces are expected to be impacted, according to the city.

Additionally, the south side of Maclay Street will be closed to parking from N. 2nd Street to N. 3rd Street.

Parking will also be affected on the following days:

Wednesday, Aug. 31: The south side of Verbeke Street will be closed to parking from N. Front Street to N. 2nd Street. The north side of Verbeke Street will be closed to parking from N. 2nd to Green Street.
Thursday, Sept. 1: The south side of Reily Street will be closed to parking from N. Front Street to Penn Street.
Friday, Sept. 2: The south side of Kelker Street will be closed to parking from N. Front Street to N. 2nd Street. The north side of Kelker Street will be closed to parking from N. 2nd Street to Green Street.

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Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

August 25, 2022 | by Sara Bozich

Plan your weekend with my weekly list of things to do around Harrisburg and central PA! Scroll down or use the menu links to find ideas for your weekend.

What you’ll find:

For your weekend planning
Top Weekend Recs
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
Like this content?

For something new: Tonight’s SoMa Block Party; Saturday Plants + Pints

Worth noting: BIG changes are coming in this space! Check out my private Facebook community, Cheers Harrisburg to get the first peeks.

Things on my agenda this weekend: see above

Don’t forget to support your local brewery! Click here to find one near you.

For your weekend planning

FAQ for SoMa Block Party
Get your tickets for Plants + Pints Aug. 27
View my local Restaurant Directory or Local Brewery, Winery, & Cidery Directory
See what else you missed on the blog

Below are options for your weekend.

Things to Do in Harrisburg + Central PA | Weekend Roundup | Sara Bozich

Top Weekend Recs

WIN a trip to Philly & Longwood Gardens with AAA Central Penn
Check out what’s next in HU’s Summer Concert Series
Make travel plans (with a discount + perks)
Submit your events for the Weekend Roundup

Thursday

August SoMa Block Party
Harrisburg Senators vs. Erie SeaWolves (AA Tigers)
THE ULTIMATE RV SHOW at The Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg
Corvettes at Carlisle 2022
Elvis, My Way comes to Gretna Theatre
Curiosity Kids: Ice Cream at The State Museum of Pennsylvania
WXPN welcomes Amos Lee at American Music Theatre
Sunset Relaxation Float with Susquehanna Outfitters
HIIT @ Burn30
New Cumberland Food Truck & Restaurant Rally

Friday

Saturday

Plants+ Pints at Strawberry Square
$20 Express Facials at the Broad Street Market with NuBorn Skin Care
Little Black Dress 8th Anniversary Event
Zumbathon Fundraiser for Abeer! at 5 Bridges Health & Fitness
Rubicon Birthday Celebration
Afro Flow Yoga at The Source Creative House
SteeltonFest 2022
Slavic American Festival at St Ann’s
Shippensburg Cornfest Cruz’n
Playeros De Harrisburg vs. Erie Pinatas (AA Tigers)
Friends of Midtown UP | FREE Outdoor Film at Midtown Cinema
Brewery Float on the Breeches with Susquehanna Outfitters
Super End of Summer Yard Sale at 32nd Street Mercantile of Camp Hill
The Great Front Street Dog Walk 2: Beach Club Edition
Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show at Hersheypark Stadium
Vendor Carnival under the Big Tent at Shoppes at Newberrytown
The Mighty River Band – Grateful Dead Tribute at The Englewood
THE ULTIMATE RV SHOW at The Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg
Corvettes at Carlisle 2022
Spin Doctors at The Vineyard & Brewery at Hershey
Beginner Pilates Workshop at H2L Studio
Texas Roadhouse Community Blood Drive
Dog Days of Summer w/ HOPE Cornhole Tournament at Susquehanna Valley Harley-Davidson
REPLICANT – A NIGHT OF DRUM N BASS! at HMAC
Yoga + Sip Saturday at The Winery at The Long Shot Farm
Frets With Benefits at Greystone Public House
Hetero: Straights in the Gay Bar at The Brownstone Lounge
Elvis, My Way comes to Gretna Theatre
Summer Sips & Sounds in Downtown York
Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire
Barre Intensity at Burn30
Saturday Yoga at Zeroday
New Cumberland Farmers’ Market On 4th
Market on Chocolate
York County Ale Trail: The Brew Bus!
York County Ale Trail: The Original Walking Tour
Hanover Brewery Tours: The Brew Bus!

Sunday

HYP Book Club: “Where the Crawdads Sing”
HYP Italian Lake Concert Series – Rescheduled
Harrisburg Senators vs. Erie SeaWolves (AA Tigers)
Family Fun Day and Chili Cook Off at the West Shore Elks
THE ULTIMATE RV SHOW at The Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg
Drag Brunch Bingo at HMAC
The Rhythm Lounge Swing Dance Event at PaDanceSport
Elvis, My Way comes to Gretna Theatre
Lady Gaga at Hersheypark Stadium
Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire
YOGA at Hemauer Brewing
Sunday Yoga at Zeroday with Just Plain Yoga
Hanover Brewery Tours: The Brew Bus!
York County Ale Trail: The Brew Bus!
York County Ale Trail: The Original Walking Tour
Sunday Family Day at Stumpy’s Hatchet House Hershey

What are you doing this weekend around Harrisburg? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

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What you’ll find:

For your weekend planning

Top Weekend Recs

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Like this content?

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