Harrisburg announces 2nd Street traffic light update, as two-way conversion continues

May 13, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Traffic lights along N. 2nd Street, including this one at Verbeke Street, will flash yellow through Oct. 11, as part of the road construction project.

As construction continues on N. 2^nd Street in Harrisburg, the city is alerting residents of an update to the road’s traffic pattern.

As part of the process to transition the corridor from one-way to two-way, the city announced that traffic signals between Forster and Division streets will flash yellow from now until Oct. 11.

The affected lights are located at Verbeke, Reily, Kelker, Maclay, Emerald, and Radnor streets.

Traffic approaching 2nd Street from side streets will be met with flashing red lights and stop signs. Vehicles will need to yield to oncoming northbound traffic along 2nd Street.

According to Matt Maisel, communications director for Harrisburg, the city is required by PennDOT to flash or cover signal heads for a minimum of 90 days. During that time, installation of new traffic control devices will occur.

2^nd Street is expected to transition to two-way traffic in June, while completion of the road project will likely happen in mid-October or early November, according to the city.

The project also includes constructing medians and roundabouts at several intersections. The goal of the street conversion is to make the road more walkable and safe for residents. It is part of the city’s Vision Zero initiative to eliminate pedestrian fatalities.

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Celebrating Three Types of Culture: TheBurg Podcast, May 2022

May 12, 2022 | by Karen Hendricks

We celebrate a whole lotta culture on TheBurg Podcast’s May episode: AAPI culture, soccer culture, and the culture of family-owned restaurants.

Meet three Harrisburg-area personalities, all featured within TheBurg magazine’s May issue:

Ellen Min, with the Harrisburg Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage group known as HAAPI
Toan Ngo, head coach for Pennsylvania’s first and only semi-professional women’s soccer team debuting this month, Eagle FC
Otis “O.D.” Harrison, owner of OD’s Fish House, Harrisburg

In this month’s “The Most Harrisburg Thing (TMHT)” editor of TheBurg Lawrance Binda drives home a point, about major city projects underway.

TheBurg Podcast is hosted and produced by longtime 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:

Heritage Heralded | Kicking Off | Food and Family

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.

Visit Karen Hendricks’ website for more of her writing, journalism and PR work.

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]).

TheBurg is a monthly community magazine based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Lawrance Binda, co-publisher/editor.

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Dauphin County announces summer events lineup, featuring jazz, wine and movies

May 12, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Dauphin County officials announced the 2022 summer events season at Fort Hunter Park.

If the warm weather has you ready for outdoor events, you may want to get ready to mark your calendar.

Overlooking the Susquehanna River at Fort Hunter Park, Dauphin County announced its 2022 summer events season on Wednesday.

“We are excited to be back in action this year and here to kick off the 2022 events series,” said Michelle McKeown, the county’s parks and recreation program manager.

The county has a full lineup of seasonal events, including their annual Jazz and Wine Festival, which will take place at Fort Hunter on Sept. 10 and 11. The event will feature eight bands, as well as wine tastings and food vendors. To kick off the weekend, the popular Jazz Walk will return to Midtown Harrisburg.

Dauphin County also has family-friendly events running all summer, from June 3 to Aug. 26. The Sunset Music and Movies series will feature performing arts organizations and movies. All of these events are free and will take place at Fort Hunter Park Centennial Barn. Families are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chairs and a picnic basket. Food trucks will also be on site. Movie showings and live performances will alternate every other Friday.

Proudly PA! is another big event for the county, set for June 11 at Fort Hunter. The event will offer tastings from PA wineries, breweries and distilleries, as well as live music and food.

Other events include BrewFest on July 16 at Fort Hunter, Cultural Fest on City Island in Harrisburg on Aug. 20, Fort Hunter Day on Sept. 18 and Celebrate Wildwood on Sept. 24 at Wildwood Park.

“We wanted to make sure it’s a welcoming experience,” said county Commissioner George Hartwick. “We were intentional about pulling together diverse programming.”

For a full list of events and additional information, visit Dauphin County’s website.

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Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

May 12, 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
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For something new: Explore Visit Hershey Harrisburg’s new Murals & More Tour.

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

Things on my agenda this weekend: Dinner with a great friend tonight, downtown Camp Hill’s Plein Air Art Event on Saturday followed by a date with my HUSBAND, then a nature walk at Wildwood with Bo on Sunday. Will I ever put in my garden? Who knows!

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

For your weekend planning

Start a book club
Add these events to your calendar now
Call for sponsors and vendors: Plants + Pints 2022
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

FREE hard seltzer
Details on the Plein Air Art Event in Camp Hill on Saturday (rain or shine!)
Get the 411 on the SoMa Block Party Series (it starts next week!)
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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Opa! PA Greek Fest returns live with food, dance and hospitality

May 11, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda

In 1972, members of Harrisburg’s Greek community gathered to celebrate heritage, culture and, naturally, cuisine.

Five decades later, they’re still going strong.

This weekend, the PA Greek Fest marks its 50^th year, as well as the first in-person celebration in three years.

“We’re excited to be back,” said long-time co-organizer Dimitri Zozos, who stopped by TheBurg’s office on Wednesday to deliver a treat of sweet, nutty baklava.

The pandemic scrubbed the 2020 festival, and last year’s was held as a drive-through-only event.

But, this year, the in-person festival returns to the grounds of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Camp Hill.

As usual, traditional, homemade Greek dishes are on the menu, with stands serving the ever-popular gyro and souvlaki, as well as homemade Greek pastries. Attendees are invited to take home frozen pans of Greek specialties like moussaka, pastitsio, spanakopita and tiropita.

“All of the food and pastries are available for takeout,” Zozos said.

Entertainment also returns this year. The Olympic Flames Dance Troupe will showcase traditional dances, music and colorful costumes. Visitors also can take tours of the cathedral.

“Our cathedral tours will inspire you, the Orthodox Christian bookstore will educate you, the food and drink will entice you, and the hospitality will overwhelm you,” said the Rev. Fr. Michael Varvarelis.

A portion of proceeds raised from the festival benefit community organizations.

“We use the money to give back to the community through the Philoptochos (Friends of the Poor), which is the philanthropic arm of the Archdiocese of the Greek Orthodox Church in America,” said current Philoptochos President Linda Mallios.

Parking is available both at the church and on nearby streets.

The 50^th annual Capital Region Greek Festival takes place May 13 to 15 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 1000 Yverdon Dr., Camp Hill. Hours are Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit www.PAGreekFest.com or their Facebook page.

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Harrisburg designates Walnut Street section as T. Morris Chester Way to honor Black historical figure

May 11, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Mayor Wanda Williams and City Council President Danielle Bowers unveiled the new street name.

A street in downtown Harrisburg has a new, second name to honor local Black history.

On Wednesday, officials unveiled the designation of part of Walnut Street as T. Morris Chester Way, named after a prominent figure in Harrisburg history.

“We are very excited to be celebrating this momentous occasion,” said Harrisburg City Council President Danielle Bowers.

In October, council approved the street name designation to honor the historic figure. The IIPT Harrisburg Peace Promenade, which installed the Commonwealth Monument on 4^th and Walnut streets, is responsible for the initiative.

Thomas Morris Chester was recognized by officials on what would have been his 188^th birthday. Chester was a Harrisburg native and the nation’s first Black war correspondent during the 1860s. He helped recruit Black men to the Union Army and gave a voice to Black soldiers fighting for rights and equality.

“He never backed down from a fight and the city will never back down from memorializing him,” Mayor Wanda Williams said.

Chester is also recognized as one of the bronze figures in the Commonwealth Monument.

Walnut Street will keep its name, but, from Commonwealth Avenue to Front Street, it has gained T. Morris Chester Way as a second name.

For more information on the Commonwealth Monument Project, visit their website.

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Harrisburg mayor proposes use for millions of dollars in federal funds, recommends affordable housing, water park

May 11, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Mayor Wanda Williams and city officials presented their proposal for using federal ARPA funds today.

After months of consideration, Harrisburg announced how it plans to use millions of dollars in new federal funds.

On Wednesday, Mayor Wanda Williams proposed using the city’s $47 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money to support low-income residents, upgrade pools and parks and cover public safety needs.

“It’s not every day we get $47 million to spend to make the city better,” Williams said. “The pandemic has taken so much from us in so many ways over the last two years. This is why it is important we get this right, right now.”

In total, Williams proposed using $42 million of the pandemic relief funds, and saving the additional $4.6 million for future uses. Her proposal includes four spending buckets: $14.5 million to help low-income residents, $10 million for beautification, parks and recreation, $9.16 million for public safety and $8.8 million to reimburse the city for lost revenue during the pandemic.

Besides the money that would be used to pay back the city for revenue it lost during COVID, the largest allotments would go to creating an affordable housing program and constructing a water park in south Harrisburg. Williams has delegated $8 million for each.

“We feel that every dollar we requested is certainly necessary,” Williams said.

The affordable housing program would primarily seek to direct financial assistance to nonprofits and developers planning to construct and sell homes to low-income residents. According to city officials, organizations or companies would apply to the program and be evaluated based on standards developed by the Department of Building and Housing Development. The city hopes the money will help build a few hundred new affordable homes, according to city Business Administrator Dan Hartman.

Also for low-income residents, the city proposed allotting $5 million to assist homeowners with necessary home repairs and another $1 million to pay for delinquent trash utility bills. Another $500,000 would fund grants for small businesses affected by the pandemic.

“It’s always been my stance that the people of Harrisburg deserve safe, affordable housing, and this proposal would help that,” said Dennise Hill, Department of Building and Housing Development director.

The proposal to create a water park to replace the current Hall Manor pool would constitute another large chunk of funding. Williams said that the park would include a spray area, lazy river, slides, ADA-zero entry points, concessions and community spaces for families. Additional funding would go towards installing ADA-accessible playground equipment in city parks and for tree removal services.

With the funding for public safety, Williams wants to use $5.5 million to upgrade the public safety building’s HVAC system. She also proposed giving $5,000 bonuses, totaling $1.26 million, to police officers and firefighters, using $900,000 to upgrade radio systems for the fire bureau and spending $1.5 million to demolish dilapidated buildings.

“I’m doing this because they deserve it, and they deserve it right now,” Williams said of the bonuses. “They’ve solved nine out of 10 homicides in the city, and also, crime is considerably down over the last several weeks. I want to show my appreciation.”

The city plans to use the $4.6 million left out of the proposal to possibly cover administrative costs and to act as a buffer in case costs for other projects increase. It may also be used for additional projects, such as repaving city streets, Williams said.

The mayor’s proposal comes after the city held a series of public meetings in February to gather input from residents on how they believe the money should be spent.

“Their input was integral, and this administration listened,” Williams said.

The proposal will now go to Harrisburg City Council for consideration. Hartman said that the mayor and other officials will formally present the plan to council on June 7.

According to council President Danielle Bowers, council plans to hold additional public hearings on the proposed use of the ARPA funding before voting on a final plan.

Hartman thinks the final plan could be completed during the summer. However, it may take residents much longer to see many of the items actually take shape. Under ARPA guidelines, the city must allocate the money by 2024 and spend the money by 2026.

“The plan we are discussing today may not be the final plan and that’s OK,” Williams said. “At the end of the day our goal remains the same—to do what’s best for the people of this city.”

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Pitch for Peace: Local soccer tournament to bring together diverse cultures in friendly competition

May 11, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Team Bhutan, one of the Unity Cup teams.

Soccer enthusiasts will get a kick out of this upcoming Harrisburg event.

The first-ever Central PA Unity Cup, set for May 12 to 21, will bring together culturally diverse teams over their love for the game.

“Soccer can bridge so many demographics,” said Camp Hill native Sarah Vogelsong, the organizer of the event.

Years ago, Vogelsong, a life-long soccer player, saw Philadelphia hold a Unity Cup that brought together local players native to countries across the globe. She was then inspired to replicate that in Harrisburg. Now central PA’s Unity Cup will be the third in the nation, after Philly and Boston.

The recreational tournament will include nine teams representing countries from around the globe. Bhutan will serve as the host country, as central PA has a large Bhutanese community.

Other players come from places like Italy, Peru, Ecuador, Bosnia, Nigeria and the United States. All players currently live in the central PA area.

“I’m excited for the diversity of players that we are going to see,” Vogelsong said.

Opening night of the tournament will take place on May 12 at the HACC athletic field at 6 p.m when team Bhutan will face off against team Italy. The championship game, where the final two teams will compete, will take place on May 21 at 11 a.m. at the City Island Skyline Sports Complex.

All games are free to attend and open to the public.

In conjunction with the championship game, Dauphin County will host a “Spring Neighboring Festival,” also on the City Island field, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will feature entertainment, kids’ activities, food trucks and community resources.

Vogelsong hopes to make the Unity Cup an annual event and eventually create separate men’s and women’s teams.

Sponsors for the event include the Dauphin County Commissioners, Capital Blue Cross, Fidelity Direct Mortgage, Mid Penn Bank, Pizza Boy Brewing Company, and Café Fresco.

“Sports are a way to connect,” Vogelsong said. “We think soccer will really unite the city.”

For more information on the Central PA Unity Cup and for a full tournament schedule, visit their website or Facebook page.

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Home prices strong, sales slip, in Harrisburg area in April

May 11, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda

A house for sale in Harrisburg

Harrisburg-area home prices jumped in April, even as sales volumes dipped.

In the three-county region, the median price of an existing home rose to $250,500, a sharp increase from $225,000 in April 2021, as sales fell to 628 houses versus 704 the prior April, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, the median price rose to $230,000 compared to $197,950 in the year-ago period, with total sales falling to 314 from 380 housing units a year ago, GHAR said.

Cumberland County had a median sales price of $290,950 versus $260,000 a year ago, as sales decreased by 20 units to 268 houses, GHAR stated.

In Perry County, the median price also increased, to $208,900 last month from $156,000 in April 2021, as sales held steady at 36 homes, according to GHAR.

Last month, houses were selling relatively quickly, with the “average days on market” at just 16 days, compared to 23 the prior April, GHAR said.

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Harrisburg City Council approves Allison Hill apartment development and violence prevention contract

May 10, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg City Council legislative session on Tuesday

A development project can now move forward with renovating a long-abandoned building in Allison Hill.

On Tuesday, Harrisburg City Council approved the transformation of a blighted building at 100 N. 13^th St. into apartment units. Council voted in favor of the resolution, 5-2, with council member Jocelyn Rawls and council President Danielle Bowers voting in opposition.

Radon Construction plans to renovate the 11,500-square-foot building, formerly the Church of God/Central Publishing House. The renovation includes creating 12 apartment units, which the developer said should rent for about $1,000 to $1,100 a month.

“I believe that would leave our residents cost burdened,” Bowers said, explaining her opposition to the project.

However, at a previous council meeting, developers explained how they had to adjust the planned rental rate to cover the rising cost of construction.

Also at the meeting, council approved a resolution to contract with an organization that will assist the city with gun violence prevention efforts. The Research Foundation of the City University of New York, on behalf of the National Network for Safe Communities at John Jay College will provide services. The $210,000 contract is funded through a $500,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

The organization would study violence in Harrisburg, determine a strategy to address it and assist with implementation. The contract term is two years.

“I think it’s something that’s needed in the city,” council member Ausha Green said.

Additionally, on Tuesday, council confirmed the appointment of Stephen Ekema-Agbaw as the senior deputy city solicitor for Harrisburg.

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Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

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