A Dog Named Pursuit: TheBurg Podcast, July 2022

July 7, 2022 | by Karen Hendricks

Has “Pursuit” been adopted, as a result of being TheBurg magazine’s “cover doggy?” Our July edition of TheBurg Podcast asks that question—and many more pet-related questions to celebrate these dog days of summer.

As a companion to TheBurg magazine, this month’s podcast welcomes the following guests:

Amy Kaunas, executive director of the Humane Society of Harrisburg Area
Natahnee Miller of the nonprofit Harrisburg’s Great Dog Program
Elle Lamboy of the Gettysburg Foundation, including the new children’s museum, Children of Gettysburg 1863

Lawrance Binda, editor of TheBurg, also pops in with his monthly “The Most Harrisburg Thing.” TheBurg Podcast is hosted and produced by award-winning Harrisburg-area journalist Karen Hendricks. Every month, TheBurg Podcast expands stories from the pages of TheBurg magazine because “there’s always more to the story.”

Backstories that coordinate with this episode include:

See Pursuit’s portrait on TheBurg’s July cover | Good Dogs, Made Great | Hands-On History

DYK? TheBurg Podcast has received three prestigious podcast journalism awards over the past two years, including First place, Excellence in Journalism, Society of Professional Journalists, Keystone Chapter, in 2021.

Interested in sharing your advertising message with TheBurg Podcast’s dedicated audience? Research shows that podcast sponsorships are one of the most effective forms of advertising! Contact Lauren ([email protected]).

Visit Karen Hendricks’ website for more of her writing, journalism and PR work. TheBurg is a monthly community magazine based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Lawrance Binda, co-publisher/editor.

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Harrisburg’s N. 2nd Street 2-way conversion delayed, slated to fully make the switch in September

July 7, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

N. 2nd Street in Harrisburg

A major road project in Harrisburg will take somewhat longer than expected.

Under a project to make N. 2^nd Street more walkable and safe, a portion of the roadway was set to transition from one-way to two-way traffic in mid-June. However, that may not happen now until late July, with a total two-way conversion planned for September.

According to Percy Bullock, project manager for the city, issues with outdated underground utilities have pushed back the construction timeline. The city now expects to make the stretch of N. 2^nd Street from Maclay to Division streets two-way by the end of the month, once utilities are replaced and median construction is completed.

The rest of the roadway, from Forster to Maclay streets, will not go two-way until likely the end of September, Bullock said. Before that happens, roundabouts need to be constructed at Verbeke, Reily and Kelker streets. Those will take around two to three weeks to complete.

Until the section of the road switches to two-way, the current traffic pattern will remain the same, with one right lane open.

In about two weeks, Bullock expects road paving to take place along the corridor.

By October, the entire project should be completed, he said. Harrisburg officially kicked off the project in May 2021.

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Community to hold memorial for Harrisburg bicyclist who died in crash, advocate for bicycle safety

July 7, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

A ghost bike was placed at Market and Cameron streets in Harrisburg to memorialize bicyclist Leyla Monroy, who died after colliding with a car.

When Harrisburg resident Brandon Basom found out that a local bicyclist died after colliding with a car on June 17, the news hit close to home, as he has also been struck while biking.

But Basom was overtaken with even more grief when he found out that the victim was his friend, Leyla Monroy.

“I was pretty gutted,” he said. “I was lucky to survive. She wasn’t as lucky as I was.”

Community members plan to honor Monroy’s life and seek justice at a memorial on Saturday, July 9, at noon. The gathering will be held near the location of the fatal incident, where Basom and others have placed a ghost bike, at the corner of Market and S. Cameron streets.

Ghost bikes, painted white, honor people who have died in biking accidents, often due to collisions with automobiles.

According to the Harrisburg Police Bureau, Monroy collided with a car that was making a U-turn on the 1100-block of Market Street. She was taken to the hospital in critical condition, passing away on June 19. Police identified Monroy several days after her death. Monroy was the third non-motorist to suffer injury in the area in less than a year.

Monroy’s brother, Andre Monroy, said that his late sister worked as a waitress and was an artist who created jewelry and paintings. He described her as “fun and full of energy.”

“She was a light whenever she came into the room,” he said.

Monroy’s family, hailing from Peru, will attend the memorial event on Saturday. Andre said that the family will remain in the city until they receive justice for his sister and closure on the case, which is still an open investigation.

Additionally, Andre organized a GoFundMe to support Monroy’s family.

At the memorial, bicycle safety advocates like Basom hope to bring awareness to the tragic incident and push for infrastructure to increase pedestrian and bicycle safety in Harrisburg.

“I want to put a face to this issue,” Basom said. “These are people. We have to start taking people seriously who have to get around the city by other means than a car.”

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Community Comment: Tap into Summer Hydration Tips

July 7, 2022 | by Capital Blue Cross

As an avid runner, certified running coach, and veteran of a variety of marathons, Nicole Cassel knows the importance of proper hydration.

She understands it so well, in fact, that she actually makes hydration plans before logging longer runs – like the 40-mile solo run she completed to celebrate her 40^th birthday.

“I went out the night before and stashed my water bottles and some high water-content food along the route to ensure I had of plenty of hydration to sustain my run,” says Cassel, senior health education consultant at Capital Blue Cross. “I knew it was important to replenish with the proper nutrients, including water, every 45 to 60 minutes to be able to endure the total mileage, keep my body from experiencing muscle cramps, and maintain my energy.”

Cassel couldn’t have finished those 40 miles minus those planned fueling pick-ups. But you needn’t be a marathoner to require proper hydration.

Exercisers and non-exercisers alike must replenish vital fluids, particularly as we enter summer’s most sweltering stretch. Failure to do so, says Johns Hopkins Medicine, may put our bodies at risk of being unable to cool themselves, raising our internal temperature and potentially leading to heat stroke.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) adds that dehydration can cause foggy thinking, overheating, mood swings, and constipation. Prolonged dehydration cases, the Mayo Clinic reports, can even trigger urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and kidney failure.

“It’s important to drink several glasses of water daily to stay well hydrated,” advises Debi Garzon, a registered dietitian with Capital Blue Cross. “However, you can also complement your water intake by eating foods high in water content. Fresh produce is your best source for hydrating foods – things like watermelon, cucumber, strawberries, celery, tomatoes and zucchini, to name a few.”

Statistics suggest too few Americans follow such advice. One study of more than 15,000 Americans concluded that 43% of men and 41% of women aged 20 to 50 fall short of the daily water intake urged by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. Those age 50-70 drank even less, and those 71 and older were the worst offenders: 95% of men and 83% of women in that age group didn’t drink enough water.

Keep It Flowing

We can all lower the health and low-energy risks associated with low hydration, and there are resources available to help.

Many covered by their employer’s Capital Blue Cross health plans, for instance, have access to the health insurer’s “Wat’r You Drinking” initiatives. Capital’s “Wat’r You Drinking Challenge” – which Capital also offers to its own staff – is a 30-day water-drinking program that helps participants better hydrate throughout the day. “Wat’r You Drinking Live” is a 30-minute onsite or virtual presentation that teaches the health benefits of drinking water and discusses how to make healthy drink choices and increase daily water intake.

Garzon also suggests these hydration tips:

Begin the day with a glass of fresh water or water infused with things like a favorite fruit free of artificial sweeteners or sugars.
Steadily drink water throughout the day. A general rule is to drink half your body weight – in ounces – daily. So a 200-pound man should drink roughly 100 ounces of water.
Eat foods with high water content such as cucumbers (95% water), melons (92% water), or strawberries (91% water).
Avoid alcohol, sugary drinks, and caffeine.
Before reaching for a snack, drink some water. We often mistake thirst for hunger.

If that’s too many pointers to track, don’t fret. Garzon summarizes proper summer hydration with one key principle: “Remember that when you sweat you are losing fluids, so make sure to sip water throughout the day!”

THINK (Trusted Health Information, News, and Knowledge) is a community publication of Capital Blue Cross. Our mission is to provide education, resources, and news on the latest health and insurance issues.

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Musical Mission: Harrisburg neighbors organize benefit concert to support Ukraine

July 7, 2022 | by Ellen Frantz

Sheldon Jones and Debra Yates, co-chairs of “Glory to Ukraine”

It all started during a conversation in a yard.

Neighbors Debra Yates and Sheldon Jones stood on their lawns one day discussing the war in Ukraine when they both decided that they wanted to do something to help the residents of the war-torn country.

“We’d stand out there and say, ‘we’re so upset about what’s happening in Ukraine,’” said Yates. “We wanted to do something.”

Jones said that the feeling was mutual.

“This was born out of frustration–watching the news thinking, ‘this is so terrible; I don’t know what I can do to help,’ and Deb felt the same,” Jones said.

Both had experience in fundraising–Yates worked with nonprofits and Jones helped start the Christmas-themed “Joy to the Burg” album and concert for charity. So, they felt they could organize an event.

After the initial discussion with Jones, Yates found out that an old friend and Ukrainian cellist, Tetyana Pyatolenko, was having a benefit concert for the people of Ukraine. That’s how “Glory to Ukraine: A Benefit Concert in Harrisburg for Hope and Peace” was born.

Pyatolenko will serve as the concert’s featured artist. Both Jones and Yates have connections with local groups, such as the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra and The Susquehanna Chorale, which made it easy to get those groups involved. Pianist Daniel Dorty and oboist Andreas Oeste will also perform. The Susquehanna Chorale’s Mitchell Sensening will perform the Ukrainian National Anthem in the country’s native language.

Yates met Pyatolenko through mutual friends when she was studying music at Messiah University. Having moved to the United States from Ukraine in 2010 as an 18-year-old, Pyatolenko feels as if Harrisburg was her very first “hometown.”

This cause is very near and dear to her heart, as she has family and friends still in and around the Kyiv, Ukraine, area. She’s overwhelmed that people in Pennsylvania want to help her distant family.

“Seeing communities making a difference that are far, far away from where they are is meaningful,” Pyatolenko said.

The concert will be held on Aug. 14 (10 days prior to Ukraine’s Independence Day) at 3 p.m. at Whitaker Center. All of the funds raised will benefit the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation. Yates and Jones chose the organization because it sends money directly to those in need.

“They are working with a Rotary Club in Ukraine to get more hands in getting food and things that can be donated to the people,” Jones said. “I think that’s amazing. You look at the TV and think about people from the Rotary Club delivering these things. It’s heartwarming.”

Tickets are $40 and VIP tickets, which include a ticket to the after-party with light refreshments and a meet-and-greet with the concert performers, are $100. Ticket sales begin on July 1. There are also available opportunities for sponsorships.

Jones and Yates are thankful for all of the support they have gotten so far. Companies have donated billboards and web and film services in order to promote the fundraiser.

The organizers hope to sell out all 700 seats at Whitaker Center as they work to make a “small difference.”

“We’re hoping a lot of people are feeling the same way we are about wanting to help Ukraine,” said Jones. “We’re all looking for some way [to help] and some event to get involved with.”

As for Ukrainian native Pyatolenko’s hopes for the concert, she wants to see awareness raised for the suffering of her friends and family back home.

“Bringing the community together and making them aware of what is happening in Ukraine, how it affects citizens there as well as everyone globally, I think it is very essential to talk about those things,” she said. “I think this is one of the ways to do it. Making an impact on the smaller level makes a difference on the bigger, global level.”

For more information on “Glory to Ukraine: A Benefit Concert in Harrisburg for Hope and Peace” or to purchase tickets, visit their website.

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Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

July 7, 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: Shipoke Flea and Millworks Music Festival are high on the list (both Saturday).

(Still) Worth noting: Check out my private Facebook community, Cheers Harrisburg. You can join the convo here.

Things on my agenda this weekend: My schedule has been hijacked by the budget, but heading to Hershey for some R&R in some capacity, then brunch with fam at Wolf Brewing on Sunday.

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

For your weekend planning

7 Reasons it’s worth it to get a Hersheypark Season Pass
Plan a getaway – without the hassle
Start a book club
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

Enter to WIN tickets to see KALEO in Riverfront Park
Mark your calendar for HU’s Summer Concert Series
Last chance to subscribe & save with Broadway Series at Hershey Theatre
Make travel plans (with a discount + perks)
Submit your events for the Weekend Roundup

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

Like this content?

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Harristown to swap out atrium clock for larger stage, new meeting space in Strawberry Square

July 6, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda

A rendering of the new stage and meeting space in Strawberry Square (image courtesy Chris Dawson Architect [CDA])

Strawberry Square soon will have a different look and sound, with a plan to ring out its elaborate clock and usher in new meeting and entertainment space.

Harristown Enterprises on Wednesday said that it plans to remove the multi-story “Chockablock Clock” and replace it with a first-floor stage and second-floor cantilevered meeting room.

“We will miss the ball machine clock as a long-time feature of Strawberry Square, but our ability to repair and maintain it has become more challenging over the years,” said Brad Jones, president of Harristown, which owns the large, mixed-used building in downtown Harrisburg.

The clock, an audio-kinetic ball machine, was designed by George Rhoads and installed in the Strawberry Square atrium in 1988. Within the 40-foot tower, numerous balls run through a maze and activate a series of sound and motion devices.

In its place, Harristown will construct a larger stage, which will allow the atrium to be used for a wider variety of events.

“As our tenants have changed over time, we expect the enhanced stage area will be much more welcoming to performers and events of all types,” Jones said.

The clock’s removal also will allow Harristown to construct new, second-floor meeting space, which will jut out over the central portion of the enclosed atrium.

“We will be creating a unique, open-air conference and meeting room on the second floor, which will enhance our ability to attract professionals and allow our existing tenants—and others needing conference space—to use a very special and exciting new place which will showcase this wonderful downtown hub of education and innovation,” Jones said.

According to Harristown, the project will begin this fall and should be completed by the end of the year. It is being designed by Chris Dawson of Harrisburg-based CDA and built by Pyramid Construction.

For more information on Strawberry Square, visit their website.

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Start your Engines: Mecum Auctions to return to Harrisburg with hundreds of collector cars

July 6, 2022 | by Ellen Frantz

The 2019 Mecum Auction in Harrisburg. Photo courtesy of Mecum Auctions, Inc.

The world’s largest collector car auction company will speed into Harrisburg later this month.

Mecum Auctions will set up shop at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center from July 27 to 30, with an estimated 1,200 cars up for bid.

“It’s like a sporting event for cars,” said Sam Martaugh, chief operating officer of Mecum Auctions. “It’s a massive car show where everything is for sale.”

Attendees can bid on American muscle cars, classics, Corvettes, trucks, exotics, hot rods, customs and more, at the auction. The event is family-friendly and will also be broadcast live on MotorTrend TV network.

The Harrisburg auction is an annual event for Mecum, though the pandemic put the brakes on it since 2019. Along with cities like Dallas, Chicago and Las Vegas, Mecum brings its auction to Harrisburg due to its central location in the northeast.

“Pennsylvania is really rich with car culture in that area,” Martaugh said. “To position the auction in that area makes a whole lot of sense for a lot of reasons. It’s a great car town; it’s a great car region.”

Serving as the lead auctioneer is Lancaster native and son of the “first ever collector car auctioneer” Jimmy Landis. Landis has worked in the auction business since 1983, and his two daughters have followed in his footsteps.

“He is highly engaging with the audience,” Martaugh said. “He’s funny, he’s exciting, he’s charismatic, and he adds a whole new level to the auction. To see him in person is definitely a show within a show.”

More information about Mecum Auctions can be found on their website.

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Harrisburg City Council approves affordable housing development, no-cost childcare center

July 6, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg City Council on Tuesday.

Several Harrisburg development projects focused on serving lower-income residents will move forward following a City Council legislative session on Tuesday night.

Council took action to push forth both an affordable housing development for South Harrisburg, as well as a childcare center, the Catherine Hershey School for Early Learning.

Council unanimously voted to approve a lot consolidation and land development plan for “Sycamore Homes,” a 23-unit affordable apartment building planned for the 1400-block of Sycamore Street, near Foose Elementary School. Harrisburg-developer George Fernandez, CEO of Latino Connection, explained that the $3.4 million project will offer high-quality studio units to low-income residents

“What drives us is helping to change what the face of low income looks like,” he said.

Fernandez said that he hopes to begin construction by this fall, with the project completed by fall 2023.

Additionally, council approved a lot consolidation and land development plan for the Catherine Hershey School for Early Learning, which has proposed a childcare facility in Uptown Harrisburg. The site is planned for a 3.44-acre area bounded by Peffer, N. 7^th, Muench and N. 6^th streets. The childcare center is an arm of the Milton Hershey School and would offer free care to 150 low-income and at-risk children, from 6 weeks to 5 years old.

According to Executive Director Senate Alexander, the school will focus on providing kindergarten readiness programming and family support options.

“I look forward to it,” council member Ausha Green said. “I think it’ll be great for the community.”

The project is expected to be completed in spring 2024. The school will still need to secure street vacations for small roads on the project site.

In other news, council pushed forth a resolution to create “Hot Spot Saturdays,” a summer initiative to encourage residents to participate in six community clean-up events. The city plans to work with organizations and nonprofits that regularly conduct trash cleanups.

The cleanups will take place throughout July, August and September in Harrisburg. There will be more information to come.

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Harrisburg officials address “chaotic” July 4th festival incident, offer pickup location for attendees’ lost items

July 5, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg Police Commissioner Thomas Carter, Mayor Wanda Williams, police Lt. Kyle Gautsch and Communications Director Matt Maisel addressed reporters on Tuesday.

Attendees of Harrisburg’s July 4^th event can retrieve personal items left behind after a large crowd suddenly fled Riverfront Park on Monday night.

After a fight broke out among juveniles at the Fourth of July Food Truck and Fireworks Festival, a panicked crowd ran from the park, leaving many personal items behind, according to police Commissioner Thomas Carter. The city’s Parks and Recreation department has collected those items and is holding them at the Reservoir Park Mansion for pickup between 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday through Friday.

Two youth were involved in a fight at around 9:30 p.m. near the Walnut Street Bridge on N. Front Street, Carter explained. At that time, someone in the crowd of festival attendees yelled “gun,” while others set off firecrackers around the same time. While Carter stressed that there was no shooting and no “credible threats of a gun,” the events caused people to take off running. The city’s fireworks show had not yet started, as they were waiting for a Harrisburg Senator’s baseball game to end.

“The crowd panicked and everybody started running off in every direction,” Carter said at a press briefing on Tuesday morning. “It was a stampede of people. It’s understandable. We are living in a time where active shooters are prevalent.”

The Harrisburg Police Bureau has arrested one juvenile in connection with the incident.

During the ensuing chaos, many children were separated from their families, although Carter said that all kids and families were reunited.

According to Carter, thousands of people attended the festival. In the frenzy, many personal items were left in Riverfront Park. To retrieve them, residents can visit the Reservoir Park Mansion or call the Parks and Recreation Department at 717-232-3017 for more information and pick-up times.

Carter said that police officers were already stationed in the area near the Walnut Street Bridge, where the incident took place, and responded quickly, using mace to defuse the situation.

Mayor Wanda Williams was also on site around the time of the incident and was briefly separated from her own grandchildren during the chaos, she said. She then stayed to help reunite children and families, Carter said.

“I want to apologize to the public and the surrounding community residents that participated in the event,” Williams said. “I am saddened by what happened last night. It was chaotic.”

However, Williams assured the public that Harrisburg is a safe place to visit and that the city would evaluate and improve its crisis plan.

“I want to assure people that it is safe to come to events in the city of Harrisburg,” she said.

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What you’ll find:

For your weekend planning

Top Weekend Recs

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

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