Just Keep Squishing: Harrisburg helps prepare residents for spotted lanternflies, offers traps

June 9, 2022 | by Ellen Frantz

Spotted lanternflies can be recognized by the black dots on their wings.

One summer pest is coming back and headed to feast on your trees.

Spotted lanternfly season has returned and Harrisburg has advice for residents on how to eliminate the invasive species.

According to Harrisburg Parks, Recreation and Facilities Director David Baker, this year’s lanternfly season will be just as bad as the last.

“Personally, I think the numbers will stay close to the same,” he said.

Spotted lanternflies are known for the black dots on their wings. They feast on trees such as walnut, maple, willow and oak, sucking out the sap, causing young trees to die and halting the growth of mature trees, according to the city. They also release a substance called honeydew that can cause mold on plants like grapes, apples and hops. According to a study from Penn State University, if not contained, spotted lanternflies could cause at least $324 million worth of damage to the Pennsylvania economy. Although they can be damaging to plants, they are harmless to humans and animals.

The best way to stop these creatures? Kill them.

Harrisburg’s parks department is handing out free tree traps to Harrisburg residents to catch these pesky critters.

The city will offer both circle and sticky band traps. The circle trap is made of nylon window screening and wrapped around a tree, working like a reverse funnel so that, when the insects try to climb back up the tree, they are led into a plastic bag that they cannot escape from, the city explained.

The sticky band traps work the same way, with flypaper wrapped around the tree and window screening to keep other insects and birds from getting stuck, according to the city. The spotted lanternflies will then get stuck to the flypaper in their attempt to climb up and suck on the tree’s sap.

“These traps can easily and cheaply be made at home and are one of the most effective ways to capture adult spotted lanternflies,” said Baker.

Certain insecticides may also work to kill spotted lanternflies.

While adult spotted lanternflies will emerge in July, now is the time to prepare and protect your trees from these bugs, according to the city.

Spotted lanternfly traps can be picked up at the Harrisburg Public Safety building at 123 Walnut St. or at the Reservoir Park Mansion at 100 Concert Dr., between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Monday through Friday.

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How does your garden grow? Historic Harrisburg Association to host “Secret Gardens” tour

June 9, 2022 | by Ellen Frantz

Flowers at Paper Moon Flowers and Events in Midtown Harrisburg.

Back by popular demand, the Historic Harrisburg Association (HHA) will host its 2nd Annual “Secret Gardens of Historic Harrisburg” Garden Tour this weekend.

The self-guided tour will run from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 12, and lead tour-goers to 20 gardens and outdoor spaces in the historic Midtown and Shipoke neighborhoods. Each participating house will have a sign in the yard.

“They’re going to see gardens they walk by and drive by all of the time and didn’t know existed,” said HHA’s Executive Director David Morrison. “There will be exciting discoveries.”

Shipoke and Midtown will be featured as part of HHA’s monthlong “A Celebration of Resolve,” a commemoration of the devastating 1972 Agnes flood, helping to show how these neighborhoods have progressed in the 50 years since the disaster.

While on the tour, attendees will learn how to keep a small outdoor garden and living space looking bright, especially in the city, and will leave with many gardening and landscaping tips. Homeowners and volunteers will be at each tour stop to help answer questions.

“What’s amazing is people have created lots of private, outdoor living spaces,” Morrison said of the city homes’ exterior decor.

HHA brought the tour back last June after a 15-year hiatus to fill a programming gap that many other events left when they were canceled due to the pandemic. Morrison said that it was so popular that HHA had to bring it back this year with different neighborhoods.

“A lot of people love the idea of exploring the city themselves,” he said.

At the conclusion of the tour, there will be a vendor market for attendees to purchase tools to use to start their own gardens, as well as an afterparty with beverages and snacks courtesy of Zerøday Brewing Co. Paper Moon Flowers and Events at 916 N. 3rd St. will also be open from 1 to 5 p.m. for ticket holders only.

Tickets to this event are $20, or $25 if purchased on the day of the tour. Each participant will receive a guidebook with a map to follow.

Learn more about the “Secret Gardens of Historic Harrisburg” Garden Tour at the Historic Harrisburg Association’s website.

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Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

June 9, 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
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For something new: 2nd Thursday in downtown New Cumberland is loaded with events and features; Shakespeare in the Park (2 more weekends left!); Historic Harrisburg Association’s Secret Gardens & Neighborhoods Tour on Sunday.

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

Things on my agenda this weekend: Heading to Pittsburgh!

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

For your weekend planning

WIN tickets to see Death Cab for Cutie in Riverfront Park!
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

HHA’s ‘Secret Gardens & Neighborhoods’ tour
Mark your calendar (and be sure you’re subscribed to my email) for HU’s Summer Concert Series
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.

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Harrisburg School District breaks ground on new football field, track

June 8, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg School District officials on Wednesday broke ground on Severance Field.

A major Harrisburg School District construction project is a touchdown in the eyes of staff and students.

On Wednesday, at the Harrisburg High School-John Harris Campus’s Severance Field, district officials ceremoniously broke ground on a project to replace the turf football field and the track.

“I’m ecstatic that our students will finally get what they deserve,” said Athletic Director Calvin Everett. “With these new facilities, the best is yet to come.”

Besides the new field and track, the district will add lighting to the stadium. Currently, the stadium has no lighting, which has restricted the use of the field after dark. Other improvements include constructing new field goal posts and soccer goals.

According to Everett, the field was last upgraded about 20 years ago.

The district is funding the $2 million capital project through its reserve funds. Everett said that the field will be ready for use in the fall, though summer practices will need to be relocated.

“We look forward to having everyone return in August to see the finished product,” said district Receiver Lori Suski.

Harrisburg football player Kyle Williams is looking forward to games on the new field for his senior year in the fall. In the past, the team was not able to have Friday night games like most school districts due to its lack of lighting, he said.

“It brings us a lot of joy knowing we will have this,” he said. “I’m really excited about the new field.”

On Monday night at a school board meeting, Turman also announced the return of middle school sports to the district, starting this fall. The district said they may offer football, cheerleading, wrestling, basketball, track and field, volleyball and soccer to students.

According to Turman, the groundbreaking of the Severance Field project is just another initiative of the district to improve programs for students.

“This is just one small step of many that we will do in the coming years to continue to bring pride to our district and city,” he said.

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Harrisburg to open Jackson Lick pool this weekend, announces summer youth programs

June 8, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Jackson Lick pool. File photo.

Harrisburg is ready to make a splash this weekend.

The city announced that its Jackson Lick pool is set to open for the summer on Saturday, June 11.

The pool will be open weekly from Tuesday through Sunday, from 12 to 6 p.m.

On July 20, the city plans to hold a community day for residents with free admission to the pool.

Hall Manor pool will be closed for the summer. However, Mayor Wanda Williams recently announced her proposed plan to replace the aging pool with a water park and splash pad, funded with federal American Rescue Plan money. Harrisburg City Council will need to vote on the proposal.

Also this summer, Harrisburg has several other youth events lined up.

“The city’s Parks and Recreation Department strives to engage and educate as many of the city’s youth as possible while providing a safe environment to build both relationship and life skills,” said Parks and Recreation Director Dave Baker.

From June 13 to Aug. 5, children ages 6 to 17 can participate in free day programs at local parks. The program, which runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., will include activities such as sports, arts and crafts and field trips. Activities will take place at Reservoir Park, 4^th & Emerald Playground, Cloverly Playground, 7^th & Radnor Park, Sunshine Park and Wilson Park. There will also be an evening program from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. at the ball field at the 7^th & Radnor park on Monday through Thursday.

The city will also host a free tennis camp for children and teens, 7 to 17 years old, from June 13 to Aug. 12. The lessons will take place on Monday through Friday at Sunshine Park and the John Harris tennis courts.

To register for summer programs in Harrisburg, call 717-232-3017 or click here. For more information, visit the city’s website.

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Coming Soon: Harrisburg to host free outdoor movies in Reservoir Park

June 8, 2022 | by Ellen Frantz

The historic band shell at Reservoir Park is home to Harrisburg’s outdoor movie nights.

In what’s become a summertime tradition, Harrisburg once again will host free movie nights at the band shell at Reservoir Park.

This year, the city Parks and Recreation Department will host 10 movie nights throughout the summer months.

The movies include “King Richard” (June 24), “Beauty and the Beast” (July 1), Annie (July 8), “42” (July 15), “Moana” (July 22), “Black Panther” (July 29), “Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse” (Aug. 5), “Encanto” (Aug. 12) and “Space Jam: A New Legacy” (Aug. 19).

Kevin Sanders, Harrisburg’s parks and recreation manager, said that it’s a lot of work to put together the program, but is worth it in the end.

“Once the first one happens, you calm down,” he said. “But it puts a smile on your face.”

For the third year, the department chose some new movies to show, as well as some repeats.

According to Sanders, the city will show “Beauty and the Beast” because it previously drew a crowd of about 100. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse” will be shown for the first time because it rained last year on the scheduled date of the showing.

Sanders said that this outdoor movie program is unique because of the location.

“Ours has a touch of urban taste and feel, along with the history of the band shell,” he said.

Sanders added that this is a program that the whole family can enjoy.

“Programming can just be watching a movie with your kids,” he said.

Refreshments will be sold at the event. The department is still looking into scheduling food trucks. There will, however, be appearances from some of the movie’s characters, such as Belle from “Beauty and the Beast.”

All of the films start at 8 p.m. Attendees should bring a chair or blanket to sit on. There are portable toilets available on site. Parking is available in the band shell parking lot at the back of the Civil War museum and anywhere else designated by the staff.

Due to the event, Paxtang and Concert Drive will close at 7 p.m., meaning that anyone who enters at that time will have to park at the Civil War Museum or enter via Market and Walnut streets.

For more information on Harrisburg’s free summertime movie series, visit www.harrisburgpa.gov/moviesinthepark.

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Harrisburg School District proposes 2022-23 budget, plan includes property tax increase

June 6, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Dr. Marcia Stokes, business administrator, presented the proposed 2022-23 budget for the Harrisburg School District on Monday at a school board meeting.

Some area property owners soon may see a tax increase, as the Harrisburg School District has proposed a 3.36% hike for the coming year.

At a board meeting on Monday night, district officials presented the proposed $224.2 million 2022-23 budget, which includes a tax increase for the school portion of the property tax.

The district has proposed increasing the millage rate from 29.78 in 2021-22 to 30.78 in the coming fiscal year. If the increase is approved, taxpayers would pay $30.78 per every $1,000 in assessed property value.

However, Dr. Marcia Stokes, the district’s business administrator, explained that the 5,609 households in Harrisburg that receive the homestead exemption will actually see a decrease in their taxes. Additional property tax relief funds this year will increase the exemption, she said.

According to Stokes, the Recovery Plan for the district calls for an annual tax increase, which would’ve been 5.1% this coming year. The district did not want to recommend that great of a hike, Stokes said, but did need some increase for the operations of the district.

“We do look beyond just the one budget when it comes to tax increases because they do have a lasting impact,” she said. “Every year that you don’t increase taxes, you can never recover that revenue.”

The school board will need to approve the proposed tax hike, which is virtually the only power that the board has left since the district entered into state receivership in 2019. That vote is expected to occur before the end of the month.

Overall, the district proposed a $224.2 million balanced budget that includes the use of millions of federal COVID-19 relief dollars.

According to Stokes, this year’s proposed budget is much higher than last year’s $184.8 million budget due to the influx of about $50 million in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding.

The proposed budget includes normal expenditures such as regular instruction, special instruction and staffing costs. However, this year, it also includes special projects such as the renovation of the district’s Steele Elementary School, which they plan to reopen, and the replacement of HVAC systems across schools. Both would utilize ESSER funds.

“I’m so happy that we will be able to move forward with the project at Steele Elementary,” Superintendent Eric Turman said.

Additional ESSER dollars would support upgrades to district playground equipment, furniture, restrooms and fitness equipment, among other items.

Receiver Dr. Lori Suski is expected to make a decision on the adoption of the proposed budget at a June 27 board meeting.

In other news, Turman announced that the district plans to reinstate after-school sports to its middle schools in the coming year. The district is considering football, cheerleading, wrestling, basketball, track and field, volleyball and soccer as potential activities for students.

To view the Harrisburg School District’s 2022-23 proposed budget, click here.

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Thrifty Business: Boho Hoarder opens in Paxtonia with vintage, thrifted finds

June 6, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Owner Rebecca Babish of Boho Hoarder

When Rebecca Babish was a kid, she and her siblings were used to getting hand-me-downs.

“There was a stigma around it, but we never cared,” she said.

For Babish, it was exciting to hunt through the bags of clothes, outgrown by older family members and friends. Sometimes, she would even personalize the items, customizing them to fit her style.

As she got older, the hand-me-downs stopped coming, but her love for thrifting only grew.

Now, Babish owns Boho Hoarder, a new shop on Jonestown Road, where she sells her second-hand and vintage finds.

For a while, the business relied on online sales and pop-up shops, such as the HBG Flea, for exposure. But in May, Boho Hoarder settled into its first brick-and-mortar location.

The second-floor shop is stocked with clothing, home décor, accessories, glassware and other items that Babish has curated over years of thrifting. She describes her style as “dark eclectic.” There are racks of clothes—graphic tees, silky robes, cowboy boots and jean jackets. On a black accent wall hang pictures—one of Elvis, another of a tiger—and colorful candlesticks sit on top of a mantel. Purses, woven baskets, mirrors and small decorative objects fill any vacant space in the shop. Each piece was hand-picked by Babish.

“It sounds crazy, but I could tell you where I got each of these pieces,” she said. “It’s all stuff that I love.”

Babish has several storage spaces full of items she’s collected. The contents of the shop only amass to around half of what she has stored. While some items have been stashed in her collection for years, the shop is also a revolving door of new finds, Babish said.

In addition, she plans to host classes at the shop on topics like terrarium making, macramé crafting and jean distressing. Babish said that she will also soon open a photography studio in one of the shop’s rooms.

Babish has a love for fashion, which she believes she got from her grandma whose motto was, “If you’ve got it, flaunt it.” She’s happy to help advise customers on outfit selections at the shop and feels strongly about body positivity.

“I really believe in embracing your body,” she said. “I want this to be a place where you feel like you can be yourself.”

Boho Hoarder’s eclectic clothing selection has a range of styles and sizes for customers to choose from. Babish hopes that those who visit love the collection as much as she does.

“When you love something and see someone else love it—it’s awesome,” Babish said. “It’s a confidence thing.

Boho Hoarder is located at 5800 Jonestown Rd. Suite A, Harrisburg. For more information, visit the shop’s Instagram.

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Harrisburg to reinstate Youth Commission, accept teen applicants for board

June 6, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg’s MLK City Government Center

Starting this summer, Harrisburg’s youth will begin to have a greater influence on city affairs.

Harrisburg City Council announced on Monday that they will restart the Youth Commission, a board of teen residents to advise the city on issues concerning the youth.

“We had to put the program on hold due to the pandemic, but we are excited to have the commission return this year,” said council member Jocelyn Rawls, chair of the committee of parks, recreation & enrichment. “Having a background as an educator, I know the importance of keeping our youth engaged. I look forward to the opportunity to re-initiate the commission and to serve as their representative on City Council.”

Council is currently accepting applications for the commission. They plan to fill the board with 11 residents, between the ages of 14 and 18 years old. Rawls will head the commission.

Applications for the Youth Commission are due by July 15 at 5 p.m. Council will then review and select members by Aug. 1, hold a meet and greet event on Aug. 10 and host a press conference announcing the new members on Aug. 17. The first Youth Commission meeting will be held on Aug. 24 where the board will elect a president, vice president and secretary.

To apply for the Harrisburg Youth Commission, click here.

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Amped Up: HU Presents to bring “best” concert lineup yet to Harrisburg this summer

June 6, 2022 | by Ellen Frantz

Young the Giant concert at Riverfront Park in 2021

Harrisburg’s music scene is set to heat up in the coming months.

This summer, Harrisburg University Presents is ready to bring back its concert series in full volume, after an altered season last year due to the pandemic.

The university is hosting shows across the city, at venues such as Riverfront Park and XL Live, with some concerts even booked in Hershey.

At Riverfront Park, HU Presents will host Death Cab for Cutie, The Roots, LANY, KALEO, Lord Huron, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, and The National. The university will also sponsor Mallrat at the Englewood in Hershey this fall.

HU Director of Live Entertainment and Media Services Frank Schofield said he is excited for all of the coming shows, especially the ones taking place in the “unique” venue of Riverfront Park.

“I’m just looking forward to being with everyone in the summer,” Schofield said. “The talent we’re bringing in is the best we’ve ever had.”

Schofield said that Lord Huron has sold the most tickets so far, but he expects that each show will be a hit. The series spans a wide range of genres, as well, he said.

“They’re all big and unique in their own way,” he said. “They complement one another and have never been in this market before. That’s what’s so awesome.”

The Englewood will host concerts by artists such as Cordovas, Steve Forbert and The New Renditions, Tractor Jerry and the Mud Bucket, and The Minks, as well as a comedy show by Zane Lamprey.

HU Presents will feature Courtney Barnett, The James Hunter Six and Barns Courtney at XL Live. King Yellowman, Helmet, Jackyl and Ani Defranco will also perform at the venue this summer.

Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center is also jam-packed with events for the season. They will hold everything from concerts, such as Lilac, Jimmie Vaughan and Jeremy McComb, to drag brunches to comedy shows featuring cast member Creed Bratton from “The Office.”

For Harrisburg University Presents concert dates and tickets, visit their website.

The Englewood is located at 1219 Research Blvd., Hummelstown. To view their lineup of events, visit their website.

Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center is located at 1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit their website.

XL Live is located at 801 S. 10th St., Harrisburg. To see a list of shows and purchase tickets, visit their website.

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Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

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