Home Away from Home: Ronald McDonald House offers respite for families with sick children

February 28, 2022 | by Rachel Lindsley

Every year, more than 100,000 children are treated at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital.

Though many of these patients are local, there are countless families who travel far from home to seek the critical care provided in Hershey.

Located across the street is Ronald McDonald House—a home that lessens the burdens associated with caring for a sick child. Their mascot, Ronald McDonald, sits outside the front door, quietly welcoming families as they seek a safe haven near the hospital.

“We are a place of respite for an average of 1,000 families annually,” said Karla Mitchell, executive director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central PA (RMHC-CP). “We take care of a family’s essential needs so they can focus on what’s important—their child.”

A Lifeline

When operating at full capacity, the charity can serve up to 35 families at one time. Out-of-town guests can use—free of charge—house amenities such as a private bedroom, fully equipped kitchens, common room areas, washers/dryers, computers and a playroom for siblings and patients.

Since March 2020, Mitchell and her team have had to shift their model of programming to accommodate global Ronald McDonald House Charities recommendations and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requirements. These have been put in place to keep guests safe who have immunocompromised family members receiving treatment.

“The pandemic has halted us from being able to use our facilities at full capacity, but it has not altered our mission or stopped us from serving families,” Mitchell said. “Pediatric illness does not stop for a pandemic and neither do we.”

In 2021, RMHC-CP provided 817 family stays for a total of 4,587 overnight visits. This sum combines house stays and partnerships with local hotels to house families when the house is full. On a local level, 81 families from Lancaster, Lebanon, Dauphin and York counties resided for a total of 846 overnight accommodations.

During the uncertainty of the pandemic, the Brum-Lyford family traveled more than 2,600 miles to meet their adopted twin daughters. The girls were born eight weeks early and were transported to Penn State Health Children’s Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

To be closer to their daughters while they grew stronger, Chris Brum and Hugh Lyford stayed at the Ronald McDonald House for a total of 28 days.

The couple described the organization as a “lifeline in a sea of uncertainty.”

“At a time in our lives when everything was uncertain and we were in crisis mode, having the support and assistance of the staff and volunteers and having a place to call home was crucial,” Lyford said. “RMHC-CP will always have such a special place in our hearts.”

Community Support

To operate free of charge, the organization relies heavily on volunteers and donations. Looking to get involved? There are several ways that the community can step up to support this nonprofit.

The charity offers numerous individual and group volunteer opportunities, such as “guest chef” and baking programs, which both allow people to use their cooking skills to contribute. The house also is accepting house volunteers to help greet and check in guests, give a tour of the facilities, change over rooms and follow strict cleaning protocols.

All volunteers must adhere to the organization’s policies, which currently include a limit on participants and proof of vaccination.

Are you a member on Facebook? Many followers donate to RMHC-CP by hosting a Facebook Fundraiser for birthdays and celebrations. This little fundraiser can have a large impact. Last year, more than $17,000 was raised from this effort alone. Visit the Facebook page, @RMHCofCentralPA, to learn more.

If you’re a McDonald’s restaurant patron, you also can easily contribute. Customers can round up their purchase to support services at the Ronald McDonald House. Ask at the register or drive-thru to “round up” for RMHC.

“Without our community’s support, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do,” said Amy Leonard, director of development. “We rely solely on donations so we can provide our services free of charge, and events are a large piece of that puzzle.”

With changing health and safety protocols, RMHC-CP has transformed its special events schedule to include Ladies Night Out (May 12), Golf Classic (Aug. 1) and Sporting Clays Tournament (Sept. 9). Event details, ticket information and sponsorship forms can be found on their website.

“We have pivoted to be able to host our participants in a safe environment while following regulations and raising money for the organization to keep the lights on,” Leonard said.

Mitchell and Leonard both understand the great importance of their services and want to thank the central Pennsylvania community for helping them fulfill their mission for over 38 years.

“We are grateful to all of our community champions and those who didn’t forget about us during the pandemic,” Mitchell said. “All of the supporters and volunteers who rallied behind us are amazing, and we are truly humbled by your ongoing support. Thank you!”

For more information on Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central PA, including volunteer opportunities, event tickets, sponsorships and donation programs, visit www.rmhc-centralpa.org.

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Bad Neighbor Policy: Pennsylvania, don’t be like Bob

February 28, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda

Illustration by Rich Hauck

I once had a bad neighbor named Bob.

Bob kept his house meticulous but only because, I became convinced, all of his waste and unwanted whatever ended up on my property.

Gunk from his gutter-cleaning, clippings from his grass mowing, leaves from his raking, loose papers from his trash regularly found their way into my backyard.

One time, after a blizzard, he shoveled snow off his roof—directly onto mine. Often, his dog pooped on the walk in front of my house, and he just left it there.

When I confronted Bob about his bad behavior, his response was, “I’ve lived on this block for 30 years!”

As if a person could be grandfathered in to being a jerk.

Unfortunately, I thought about Bob recently as I watched a state Senate hearing on the commonwealth’s refusal to pay a stormwater fee that all other residents, businesses and organizations in Harrisburg have to pay.

As Bob was a bad neighbor to me, I thought, so is the commonwealth of Pennsylvania to the city of Harrisburg.

“Almost immediately after we rolled out our stormwater plan, the commonwealth issued notices to us, Capital Region Water, that it would not pay the user fee on any of its properties in Harrisburg,” CRW board Chair Marc Kurowski told members of the Senate’s Environmental Resources & Energy Committee.

The state government, Kurowski testified, is shirking its responsibility to the tune of $32,246 per month or $386,956 per year.

Who suffers? As usual, the people of Harrisburg do.

“The absence of that fee forces that to be covered by other members of the community, including residential ratepayers and commercial businesses,” Kurowski said. “The financial burden just doesn’t hit our residents. It also clearly inhibits our ability to make upgrades to meet clean water requirements and puts tremendous strain on our operations.”

Surprised? Not me. The state’s bad neighbor policy is longstanding and legendary, dating way, way back.

In the early 20th century, the commonwealth condemned and then demolished one of Harrisburg’s oldest, most densely populated neighborhoods, displacing thousands, to build a few office buildings and a large, sparsely used park.

Then, in the 1950s and ‘60s, road expansion and highway projects destroyed more of the city, shredding apart neighborhoods to benefit state workers who had moved to the suburbs.

Today, I think there’s a general consensus that what happened in that distant past was wrong, or at least wrong-headed. But, bizarrely, the state never seems to learn, as recent events have shown.

The commonwealth could be, and should be, a partner with its host city, conferring regularly with city stakeholders and agreeing to policies that are mutually beneficial.

Instead, we get preposterous proposals like doubling the size of I-83 through the city—destroying yet more homes and businesses and more of the city’s tax base—and tolling the South Bridge, which is almost certain to gridlock city streets as drivers opt for toll-free spans like the Market Street and Harvey Taylor bridges.

I find the case of the stormwater fee particularly galling.

For years, CRW has been making improvements to its antiquated, combined sewer system to try to meet state and federal clean-water rules. The stormwater fee is an essential part of paying for this wildly expensive endeavor.

The commonwealth, meanwhile, is one of the greatest contributors to the problem. Each year, millions of gallons of filthy, oily water flow off its 5.4 million square feet of impervious surface, much of it directly into Paxton Creek and the Susquehanna River.

When it rains, all of this polluted runoff finds its way, untreated, into our waterways, often mixed with human waste, which is the very problem that CRW is trying to fix.

But instead of meeting its obligation to its own capital city and our shared environment, the commonwealth hides behind small-minded rationales, claiming the fee is a tax—which it isn’t. In fact, before CRW separated it out, the stormwater expense was wrapped up in the sewer bill, which the state regularly paid.

You know, it’s bizarre.

When the Wolf administration took office seven years ago, city officials welcomed the change with open arms, hoping for good things from their fellow Democrats. But it hasn’t turned out that way at all. Instead, we got a massive highway expansion, proposed bridge tolling, environmental negligence and irresponsible foot-dragging as the city tries to improve safety on dangerous, state-owned roads like Forster and State streets.

Meanwhile, one can argue that the best thing to come out of the commonwealth recently has been letting Harrisburg extend its extra taxing authority. And that was approved by the Republican-controlled legislature. Go figure.

This may come as news to the commonwealth, but it does not live in a self-contained bubble. It is embedded within a city, and it shares services, roads, sidewalks, sewers, etc. It’s way past time for the state government, finally, after all these decades, to own up to the responsibility it has to this community.

In a way, I was lucky. After a few years of living next to Bob, I sold my house, moved away and mostly forgot about him. But the city of Harrisburg can’t move away. It can’t escape, like I could, from a thoughtless, badly behaved bully of a neighbor.

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

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Clean Start: Business is bubbling for Mechanicsburg’s Glitz Soap Co.

February 28, 2022 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

She hasn’t been in business long, but you might say that Alicia Miller is already enjoying the sweet smell of success.

Miller, the proprietor of Glitz Soap Co., took on the art of soap making only about four years ago while expecting her youngest of three children. Until then, she had a home-based sewing pattern business but had become “burned out” and bored, she said.

That’s when she decided to pursue making soap as a hobby.

“I always liked homemade soaps,” she said. “So, I first tried it out for making Christmas presents.”

From there, her hobby evolved into a successful, one-of-a-kind local business.

Today, Glitz Soap Co., located on Mechanicsburg’s historic town square, offers a fragrant abundance of unique, handmade vegan products ranging from soap and shampoo bars to soothing lotions and shampoo—and even paw butter for Fido.

Miller started her business in 2018 with online sales, making soap in her backyard shed. As sales increased, it became difficult to manufacture these products in a residential outbuilding with no running water. With that, Glitz Soap re-located to a retail site and production lab just a block away from its current location on E. Main Street.

The first Glitz Soap Co. shop opened on Feb. 1, 2020, only to close six weeks later when the pandemic lockdown went into effect. Fortunately, the business kept afloat through steady online orders until the store was permitted to reopen that May.

“People like to support their local businesses,” noted Miller, whose shoppers mostly visit from area communities.

In August 2020, Glitz Soap relocated to its current location in the borough’s downtown, and sales soon doubled. Today, Miller no longer runs the business alone, as she has three part-time employees and a full-time store manager, Makenna Burlison. She also is considering opening a second location in Carlisle.

As manager, Burlison, of Mechanicsburg, manufactures soap in the store’s basement while Miller produces lotions and other products upstairs. Burlison began her job at Glitz a year or so ago after making an inquiry while shopping there, despite having no prior experience with the craft.

“I love taking self care, so I went into the shop to check it out and saw that Alicia was there by herself,” Burlison recalled. “So, I asked her if she was hiring. It was meant to be.”

Glitz Soap produces several batches at a time using a heated tank and a precise blend of seven natural oils, Miller said. In total, batches take around 30 minutes to produce but require an additional four weeks to cure into bars. Burlison said that she’s allowed free rein to conjure up any product scent that she imagines.

“I have the best job in the world,” Burlison said. “Alicia is awesome. She lets me make whatever I want. I love being creative.”

Current Glitz scents include, but aren’t limited to, vanilla clementine, blue lagoon, beach daisies, lavender coconut and margarita. Glitz also sells a colorful Renaissance soap bar scented as popcorn, apples and cotton candy to mimic aromas of Mechanicsburg’s annual Jubilee Day street fair.

Glitz donates $3 from each Renaissance bar sale to the Downtown Mechanicsburg Partnership’s Renaissance Revitalization Program, part of Glitz’s ongoing charitable giving program. Other recipients include Lancaster Farm Sanctuary, West Shore Wildlife Center, Homeward Bound Animal Rescue and Ecologi, the latter of which has planted 1,903 trees using Glitz proceeds. Miller said that recipients are selected based on her own personal causes.

Glitz regular Colleen Chadwick, of Lower Allen Township, said that hers is a “Glitz family.” She and husband Hayden both vouch for Glitz’s fragrant line of soaps and shampoos, while daughter Lillie, 7, has dedicated an entire shelf in the family’s linen closet for her own array of Glitz toiletries.

“My values align with the values at Glitz,” Chadwick said. “They’re always trying to come up with new natural products. We’ve tried to convert as much as possible in our home to use natural products without harsh products.”

Chadwick said that she not only likes Glitz products, but also enjoys the people behind the products whenever she goes in to stock up.

“It’s nice to know there are such nice, genuine people running such a genuine business,” she said.

Glitz Soap Co. is located at 1. E. Main St., Mechanicsburg. For more information, visit www.glitzsoap.com.

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Beer in the Burg: With this month’s beer-drinking holiday on tap, we down a pint of Harrisburg brewing history

February 28, 2022 | by M. Diane McCormick

Graupner’s Brewery. Photo courtesy of the Historical Society of Dauphin County, Harrisburg

“Why can this woman be allowed to continue this iniquitous system that has grounded down all the poor men that she has got within her grasp?”

Let’s hear it for Harrisburg’s historic breweries. It wasn’t all oompah music and saloons decorated in trays depicting winsome women. Here, you’ll find cutthroat competition, caves and tunnels, and a savvy businesswoman thriving in a man’s world.

Beer Begins

Colonial Americans drank British-style unfiltered ales, so let’s presume that’s what ferryman John Harris and a neighbor, John Heis, had cooking in their breweries along the Susquehanna River, across from today’s Simon Cameron mansion.

In early America, brewers “tend to have a tavern of their own, or they sell their beer in kegs to hotels and saloons,” said Rick Hartman of Harrisburg, author of an upcoming book on the city’s bottling heritage.

Around 1840, Philadelphia brewer John Wagner’s refreshing German-style lager became all the rage among thirsty factory workers. Soon, Germans fleeing their roiling continent brought their lager-brewing skills. Local brewers proliferated because the preservative-free concoctions couldn’t be transported far. About 2,000 breweries popped up in American cities.

In 1843, Harrisburg’s breweries produced 465,000 gallons of beer and ale a year, in a town of 7,800 citizens. Historian Michael Barton breaks down the drinking population to about 975 adult males sauntering into saloons to put two-thirds a gallon of beer a day into their bellies.

In Harrisburg, three 19th-century breweries lasted into the 20th. They went by various names over the years but are recalled as Fink’s, Doehne’s (pronounced “Dean’s”) and Graupner’s.

Henry Fink hailed from Hesse-Cassel, Germany. As a young man in 1854, he went to work for Harrisburg’s Barnitz Brewery. By 1875, he was sole owner. In 1881, he built a plant at 312-320 Forster St. (remember that address). The small-ish plant would produce 3,000 barrels a year and grow to producing 18,000 barrels by 1902.

George Doehne, also from Hesse-Cassel, founded a 300-barrel-a-year brewery downtown at 322 Chestnut St. in 1865. By the 1890s, Doehne was brewing 12,000 barrels and investing in a 20-ton refrigeration machine and a “handsome” brick cold-storage building.

Graupner’s originated in 1876 as the appropriately named Centennial Brewery. Robert H. Graupner, immigrant from Saxony, practiced his craft in Philadelphia and Lancaster (a brewing hub nicknamed the “Munich of America”) before joining Centennial and eventually co-owning it.

After the 1894 death of his partner, Graupner “decides to go big,” said Hartman.

So, Graupner built a marvel of a modern brick brewery at 10th and Market streets—up to seven stories of three-foot-thick walls and a 130-foot smokestack twice the size of Fink’s.

“Graupner was marking his territory,” Hartman said. “He’s going to be the big-dog brewery.”

Graupner also built the Allison Bar across the street and a substantial home nearby. Brewery, bar and mansion, it’s said, were connected by tunnels. Maybe they came in handy during Prohibition?

Breweries of the day were self-sufficient complexes—“mind-blowing,” said Chad Campbell of Reading, keeper of the Breweriana Aficionado website (www.brewaf.com).

“They were the size of small colleges,” he said. “There were loading areas with trains, a cooperage shop that made the kegs, washhouses for the bottles, hops storage, boiler room, lagering brewery, ale brewery, malthouse. There would usually be a house on the property for the brewmaster and his family.”

Times were good. In 1911, Dauphin County brewers produced 82,949 barrels of beer—enough for about 149 bottles of beer for each of the county’s 120,000 residents. Break that down by Barton’s math, and it’s more like 15,000 men each downing 1,858 bottles a year.

The Underbelly

Depending on whom you ask, Graupner’s, Fink’s and Doehne’s engaged in “friendly competition”—or Graupner’s steamrolled its rivals.

Well, heck. Let’s explore the cutthroat legends.

“Every brewery in any of your towns was always clamoring to be at the top,” said Campbell. “Graupner had bars they owned in order to sell strictly their product. That was one way to get ahead of the advertising funnel.”

In 1905, the suicide of the hard-charging Robert Graupner sent shock waves through the city. His widow, Marie L. Graupner, took over, and business took off. She built a bakery across the street. Like other brewers of the day, she oversaw a network of taverns.

“I think she was a very successful businesswoman, one of the top businesswomen this town ever saw,” Robert R. Long of Susquehanna Township once said of his hard-working grandmother.

Hartman agreed that her 20 years of ownership saw growth.

“She really ran with it,” he said. “She was believed to be the one who oversaw the finances even when her husband was around.”

She would also face accusations of running that “iniquitous system” of tied saloons—bars pressured into carrying one brewery’s beer, usually at inflated prices. The charges came out in 1912, when aggrieved saloonkeeper John Wall claimed in court that Graupner charged him $7.50 a barrel, compared to the $6.75 paid by independent saloonkeepers. The pair also disagreed over terms of the rent.

Other tenants among her 18 saloonkeepers said they “felt compelled” to buy her beer, but Graupner testified that they “have the liberty of buying whatever beer they want.” In Wall’s case, she conceded, “I wanted him to sell my beer because I was losing money on the investment.”

She would have a partial victory. Wall withdrew a liquor license transfer application that he claimed Graupner was stonewalling, but the judge wagged a finger, ordering her to write leases—not a part of her repertoire—so her tenants could renew their liquor licenses.

Were Graupner’s the only tied saloons? Maybe not. In those same court proceedings, Mrs. Frederick L. Heist received a license for her Race Street saloon. Heist was, according to a news report, “a tenant of Mrs. George Doehne of the Doehne Brewery.”

What did the brews taste like? Among Doehne’s menu was a flat, dry-hopped, alcohol-rich stock ale. A few sips, wrote Harrisburg Patriot-News columnist Paul Beers, “and a railroader forgot all about the Pennsy.”

Most old-timey brews were bubbly and “sudsy to the bottom of the glass,” Beers added. An unwashed glass left to sit overnight would leave “a scum of sticky suds with a sour odor.”

Graupner’s, renowned for its quality, drew mixed feelings. Tipplers either loved it or hated it. And then there’s this.

“Our Elfenweiss Beer is clear, pure and wholesome,” boasted a 1912 Graupner’s ad. “It’s more nutritious than a health food, and as palatable as honey, and as low priced as common beer. Pure ingredients and brewing know how, then the fermenting and aging have much to do with the healthfulness of our beer. We have ample room for storing it. We keep it until it is well aged. It positively will not cause biliousness.”

Thick, sticky, sudsy, healthy beer, with no biliousness? Prost!

The Last Batch

After decades of prosperity, Harrisburg’s homegrown breweries succumbed to Prohibition and then to the national mega-brewers. Fink’s converted to ice-making during Prohibition and reopened after repeal in 1933, only to close permanently in 1934. Doehne’s closed in 1939, its site destined to be a parking lot.

“When legal drinking returned in 1934 (sic), the Harrisburg breweries were obsolete, too small for regional trade, too poor to do much advertising, and not solvent enough to make a great batch of beer,” wrote Beers.

But remember Fink’s Forster Street address? Fink’s shared a block with Central High School, the still-standing Messiah Lutheran Church and a fashionable brothel. In 1936, the state bought and demolished the shuttered property, making way for the new Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.

The art deco LCB building remains. Teetotaler Gov. Gifford Pinchot, the father of Pennsylvania’s state-store system, must have wanted to dance on the grave of the brewery that once bellied up to the Capitol.

Graupner’s limped through Prohibition by making low-alcohol “near beer,” although it seems that its production required making the real thing, “so some of the regular stuff that the liquor agents didn’t catch did slip out,” Beers wrote. Fink’s also “ran into trouble when a truckload with 10 half-kegs of full-strength beer was caught,” said Hartman.

Graupner’s resumed operations in 1933. In 1951, the last batch was brewed. In 1961, the brewery came down, but not without a fight from the behemoth smokestack, which baffled demolition crews for days.

The exit of Harrisburg’s breweries tolled the bells on a way of life, Beers noted.

“Before refrigeration, they stored their beer in cave vaults off S. Cameron St. or in the Bellevue Park cave,” he wrote.

Um, caves?

Little remains of Harrisburg’s historic breweries. Collectors seek out the bottles and ubiquitous advertising items. Appalachian Brewing Co., which, in 1997, revived Harrisburg’s beer-making tradition, named its Jolly Scot Ale after Graupner’s Jolly Scot. Marie Graupner certainly made her mark, outmaneuvering competitors in an age when women rarely engaged in any business, let alone brewing.

And perhaps the memory of sticky beers is fading as the last of the Graupner’s drinkers head off to that smelly saloon in the sky. But I gotta find those caves.

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Sunny Sweets: New restaurant specializes in Mexican-inspired treats

February 28, 2022 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

Guadalupe Islas, proprietor of Yum Yum Mini Pancake Bar & More, says the Mexican restaurant she opened recently on the west shore is like none around.

She doesn’t focus on serving dinner fare already available at many others. Instead, she offers a unique menu of sunny sweets and treats from her native land, such as spiced abuelita hot chocolate, waffles and concha tres leches—Mexican sweet bread topped with customers’ choices of whipped cream, strawberries, chocolate syrup and more.

“When I came here from Houston three years ago, there was nothing else like this here,” she said. “When every one of my customers comes here, they say they’ve never seen anything like this.”

Yum Yum’s innovative fare includes sweet or savory mini pancakes, Mexican hot dogs, topped nachos, street corn, plus several other authentic foods.

“I love the mini pancakes, corn on the cob and street corn,” noted Islas’ husband, Antonio Hernandez.

In many ways, Yum Yum Mini Pancake Bar is a family affair.

Islas’ family emigrated from Mexico to “this beautiful country” when she was 11, settling in New Jersey. Her mother’s busy kitchen inspired not only Islas’ culinary passion but that of her brother, who today runs three Mexican restaurants in New Jersey.

Islas, in turn, said that she always dreamed of opening a restaurant of her own, but as John Lennon once sang, “life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.” She married and moved to Texas, where her husband opened an auto repair business. The couple also became parents to daughters Sheena, now 15, Camilla, 11, and Suri, 9, before relocating near Hernandez’s parents in Wormleysburg.

Prior to opening her restaurant, Islas worked eight years as a dental assistant but remained “always baking and cooking” at home while nurturing her dream of becoming a restaurateur. Finally, her long-held vision came true last year, when she signed a lease on a storefront at Capital City Plaza.

“Now, it was time for me to be in a business,” she recalled with a grin.

Her sister and brother-in-law came from New Jersey to help construct the restaurant’s roomy counter, coat new wooden tables and chairs, and paint cheerful, colorful stripes throughout the dining room. One wall features an enlargement of Yum Yum’s logo designed by daughter Sheena, using a depiction of the family’s chow chow, Mochi.

“I feel really blessed for my family,” Islas said.

Initially, Hernandez said that he “felt surprised” when his wife became the sole owner of a Mexican snack eatery.

“We never had any sort of food business before, but I was really happy that we could be in the food business now,” he said.

Yum Yum’s soft opening took place on Dec. 6, followed by a grand opening celebration that commemorated daughter Suri’s birthday on Dec. 18. Of course, all of Islas’ extended family was on hand to join in the celebration that day, too.

For now, her daughters come to the restaurant after school to help out, joined by Hernandez after the auto repair shop he runs with his father closes for the day. Hernandez said that he helps out with the venue’s ordering, replenishes stock areas, and makes early morning runs to suppliers.

As a new business owner, Islas that said her biggest challenge is “letting people know we’re here.” She hopes that customers’ word of mouth will help “spread the word,” and social media reviews so far are promising.

“Great experience! The food was AMAZING and the customer service was great as well,” said one Facebook comment.

Another complimented “the welcoming and friendly” service, as well as the tasty food and “colorful” environment.

Future plans include an oven installation to introduce such menu items as churros and chocoflan, a chocolate sponge cake topped with crème caramel. For summer, Islas hopes to sell slushies in Mexican flavors like piña colada and sweet-and-salty mangonada.

Another goal, Islas said, is to get more help, which would take some of the burden off of her and her family.

“Hopefully, this coming year, we will hire employees,” Islas said

Yum Yum Mini Pancake Bar & More is located at 3401 Hartzdale Dr., Suite 131, Camp Hill (Lower Allen Township). For more information, call 717-831-3932 or visit their Facebook page.

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Natural Expressions: Breathtaking landscapes, focused on America, highlight new SAM exhibit

February 28, 2022 | by Barbara Trainin Blank

Frederic Edwin Church and DeWitt Clinton Boutelle, “Cotopaxi,” 1862, oil on canvas, 34.5” x 56”

“Oh, beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain.”

The current exhibit at Susquehanna Art Museum—“In Nature’s Studio: Two Centuries of American Landscape”—is like the opening sentences of “America the Beautiful” come visually alive. The exhibit zeroes in on the rich bounty of American landscapes from the early-19th century through the late-20th century.

“In Nature’s Studio” encompasses early depictions of bucolic American vistas—intimate forest interiors, sweeping panoramic views of natural wonders and dramatic images of the untamed land and sea—with scenes of Europe, western Asia and South America, said Lauren Nye, director of exhibitions at SAM.

The exhibit, consisting of 43 works, begins by exploring how the Hudson River School of painting—a leading voice in American art until 1900 and the first uniquely American artistic movement—emerged. Founded in the mid-1800s by Thomas Cole, the movement grew out of the determination of American artists to become independent from the traditional European schools of painting and set off on their own.

Another new style embraced by artists in the 19th century was “tonalism.”

“It was inspired by the tone and rhythm of musical compositions and utilized a carefully chosen palette of colors,” Nye added. “It adapted a theatrical form of expression while working within the subject of landscapes.”

Another trend emerged at the turn of the century, when some artists delved into the popular European impressionist style. They used unique color combinations to capture the fleeting qualities of light by adapting French painting techniques to the American countryside.

One striking painting in the exhibit is Jasper Francis Cropsey’s 1846 “Passing Shower on a Spring Afternoon.” Perhaps due to his early career as an architect, Cropsey became a successful landscape painter known for sophisticated precision in rendering nature and capturing changeable, dramatic weather conditions.

George Wesley Bellows, represented in the exhibit by “The Launching,” was known for action paintings that depicted figures in motion. He was one of the organizers of the “Armory Show” of 1913, which introduced European modernist art to American artists and critics.

Although he remained a painter of realism, Bellows later demonstrated interest in modernist abstraction. He incorporated a greater range of color, experimented with composition and became increasingly taken by seascapes, Nye said.

Frederic Edwin Church sketched his first view of “Cotopaxi” in 1853 while on a tour of Colombia and Ecuador. He described the volcano as “one of the most majestic and awe-inspiring views I ever beheld in either hemisphere.”

Perhaps the best-known representative of the Hudson River School, Church studied with founder Cole. The two regularly toured the Catskill Mountains and the Berkshires of Massachusetts to create drawings and paintings.

According to SAM’s winter 2022 intern, Sylvia Menci, historic factors played a part in art. When the Americans defeated the British in the War of 1812, it brought about the end of British rule and the start of autonomy.

“This period was marked by economic growth, booming industry, and a growing middle class becoming more interested in art,” she said.

The exhibit underscored the belief that artists of the period had in such concepts as “natural religion,” “the magnificence of nature,” and “the significance of the fresh, untamed American scenery reflecting our national character, as opposed to the civilized European landscape,” she said.

Throw in the concept of Manifest Destiny, a phrase coined in 1845, the idea that the United States is destined—by God, its advocates believed—to expand its dominion and spread democracy and capitalism across the entire North American continent.

Native Americans often occupied the land featured in the exhibit’s paintings, but they themselves were largely absent from the works of the Hudson River School. When they did appear, they seemed to represent “primitiveness, a group of people from a bygone era, and something as old and wild as the landscape itself, “ Menci said.

“But artists generally preferred to portray the land as empty and ready for exploration,” she said.

“In Nature’s Studio,” organized by the Reading Public Museum, runs through May 22 in the Beverlee and Bill Lehr Gallery of the Susquehanna Art Museum, 1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.susquehannaartmuseum.org.

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March News Digest

February 28, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

City Passes Amended Budget

Harrisburg last month approved an amended budget for 2022, making numerous changes from the original spending plan.

City Council approved a $70.7 million general fund budget that includes no tax increase. The bill passed with a vote of 6-1, with council member Shamaine Daniels voting against it.

“It’s a really good budget,” said Mayor Wanda Williams. “It puts us on good financial footing.”

The 2022 budget, although originally passed at the end of 2021, was reopened and amended as a new mayor and her administration took office in January.

The amended 2022 general fund budget is around $8 million less than the initial budget of $79 million passed in December, which was a replica of the 2021 budget and a placeholder while the administration changed. It also reflects the new administration’s priorities.

When Business Administrator Dan Hartman initially introduced the revised budget, he explained that the city had made significant cost reductions to be able to “live within its means” and to balance the budget.

Some cuts came from removing funding for unfilled positions. Hartman said that the budget did not include any layoffs. Spending also dropped by crossing off projects that were already completed and limiting the use of outside consultants. In some departments, expenses such as contracted services or equipment purchases fell.

However, the approved budget also features a number of additional expenditures.

In the mayor’s office, the city hired a new director of Equity and Compliance and a special assistant for Community Affairs. Williams has appointed Karl Singleton and Gina Johnson Roberson to fill those roles, respectively.

Additionally, council voted to remove funding for the city engineer position, which is currently vacant, and, instead, move towards contracting with an outside firm for those services. Williams said that she plans to test this arrangement for a year.

Another change outlined in the document is that the director of Building and Housing Development, Dennise Hill, will also take on the role of director of Community and Economic Development. Hill said that she would spend four days a week heading up Building and Housing and one day a week working on Community and Economic Development.

In addition to the general fund, the budget includes an $18.1 million neighborhood services fund (sanitation services), $10.7 million debt service fund and $8.9 million capital projects fund. In addition, Hartman explained that this will be the last year that the city will need to make payments on one of its general obligation bonds, which is due to be paid off, allowing that recurring expense to be reallocated in future years.

On the revenue side, the city expects general fund revenue of $72.5 million, including the use of $8.86 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds as reimbursement for COVID-related expenses and revenue losses.

Before passing the budget, council made a number of amendments, including adding several positions, such as a special assistant to the finance bureau, a human resources specialist and an assistant city solicitor.

“This budget process has been a marathon to say the least,” said council President Danielle Bowers. “At the end of the day, we did not settle for what was presented…instead, we brought forth practical amendments that we feel are in the best interest of the residents of the city.”

Ice & Fire Returns

Harrisburg this month will re-launch its Ice & Fire Festival, featuring a street festival and display of ice sculptures around the city.

“We are really excited,” said Cortney Ranck-Cameron, the city’s interim manager of special events. “This is an event that the community really loves.”

On Saturday, March 5, the community can view over 50 ice sculptures scattered throughout downtown, Midtown, City Island, Shipoke, Italian Lake and Reservoir Park. Life-sized sculptures will include an ice throne, a Dr. Seuss hat and a Feeding America tribute. Sculptures will be on display from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will be illuminated beginning at 7 p.m.

This year, a street festival will take place on Front Street, from Walnut to State streets. Ranck-Cameron said that it will include community favorite activities like an ice slide, fire pits with free s’mores, fire dancers and performances by local school and community groups. Food trucks and other vendors will also set up shop along Front Street and Riverfront Park.

That portion of Front Street will be closed to vehicle traffic from 8 p.m. on Friday, March 4, to midnight on March 5.

Last year, the city cut the street festival from the program due to the pandemic. Instead, it featured ice sculptures throughout the city and a drive-through event on City Island.

Ranck-Cameron said that they received positive feedback on the event and decided to keep some elements of it this year, including positioning the ice sculptures throughout the city.

In past years, the Ice & Fire Festival had been held on 2nd Street downtown. However, Ranck-Cameron said that they decided to hold it on Front Street to allow for access to parking on 2nd Street.

While visitors explore the ice sculptures, they can participate in a scavenger hunt for the chance to win gift cards from Harrisburg businesses. Each sculpture will have a QR code and participants must scan at least 10 different sculptures to enter the drawing.

Participating Harrisburg businesses will also feature coffee, cocoa and cocktail specials throughout the city.

“This event is a really great way for people to explore the city,” Ranck-Cameron said.

Visit Hershey & Harrisburg, ExploreHBG and M&T Bank are the main sponsors of the event.

Street parking is free after 5 p.m. on Saturday in the downtown area and free all day on Sunday. Get four hours of free downtown street parking using the code LUVHBG on the Parkmobile app. A discounted $10 daily rate is available at the Market Square Garage courtesy of Park Harrisburg on March 5. Parking on City Island is free. Check the city’s website for parking options in other areas of the city.

Residential Plan for Federal Building

The successful bidder for downtown Harrisburg’s federal building says he has an ambitious plan: a large apartment building, plus restaurants.

Justin Etzin, principal of Global Ocean Investments Ltd., last month said that he wants to transform the Ronald Reagan Federal Building into “The Federal,” a 288-unit “luxury” apartment building.

In an email, Etzin said that he is a Seychelles diplomat currently serving as a special envoy, having previously carried out three terms as his country’s consul general/tourism ambassador in New York.

Under the name RRF Building LLC, Etzin bought the 56-year-old, 251,000-square-foot modernist structure for $10 million from the U.S. government in a sale that closed early last month.

Etzin said that he expects to begin the project once the federal government vacates the building.

Currently, the U.S. General Services Administration is putting the finishing touches on the new federal courthouse, which is expected to open later this year at N. 6th and Reily streets in Midtown Harrisburg. Other federal government agencies with workers based in Harrisburg also will need to move to new offices.

Etzin said that he plans a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units for the building at 228 Walnut St. In addition, the building will feature two restaurants and two bars, he said.

“This development will be a first for Harrisburg with a concept for a rooftop with two restaurants and ‘The Sky Bar’ which can be accessed up via a panoramic elevator directly to the roof terrace or straight down to the former courtrooms which will house an incredible restaurant and below a speakeasy bar ‘the boiler room,’ which is located deep in the caverns of this former Federal Building,” he said.

The plan also includes a health club, co-working space and a rooftop pool, he said.

The project, he said, should be completed in 2024 or 2025.

New Chairs, Officers for Chamber, CREDC

The Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC last month announced new board chairs, as well as new officers and members of the boards of directors.

For 2022, G. Greg Gunn will serve as the chair of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber board of directors, while Casey Khuri will serve as the chair of the board for CREDC.

“I want to make sure that the Chamber continues to educate and advocate for our area businesses and the tens of thousands of employees they engage,” said Gunn, president and CEO of Gunn-Mowery LLC, a Lemoyne-based insurance and consulting company. “The Harrisburg Regional Chamber defines itself with broad leadership, visionary members and powerful results, so I want to get to work with my fellow members and prove that definition every day.”

Khuri is vice president at Lemoyne-based NAI CIR, overseeing and managing the 50-year-old, family-owned, commercial real estate business.

“In both strong and challenging times, CREDC has been our region’s champion for economic growth, workforce retention and business creation,” said Khuri. “As a businesswoman and a mother, it gives me great pride to chair an organization that is focused on the betterment of our community.”

The chairs of both the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC hold yearlong terms.

“Greg and Casey have demonstrated they have the bold and visionary leadership skills to help lead our team,” said Ryan Unger, president and CEO of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC. “We look forward to working with both of them to achieve our goals for 2022 and to continue to serve the businesses in our community.”

The additional slate of 2022 Harrisburg Regional Chamber officers is as follows:

1st Vice Chair, Karen Gunnison, Gunnison Consulting LLC
2nd Vice Chair, Zachary Khuri, Orrstown Bank
Treasurer, Kara Beem, Greenlee Partners
Secretary, Alisa Harris, UGI Utilities
At-Large member, Abigail Fortino, Conrad Siegel
Immediate Past Chair, Meron Yemane, Morgan Stanley

The additional slate of 2022 CREDC officers is as follows:

1st Vice Chair, Wade Becker, RKL, LLP
2nd Vice Chair, Katie Clark, LeTort Trust
Treasurer, Shawn Leppo, McNees Wallace and Nurick, LLC
Secretary, Beth Peiffer, Jones, Inc.
Immediate Past Chair, Michael Funck, Wohlsen Construction Company

Home Sales Flat, Prices Up

Harrisburg-area home sales were mostly flat in January, but prices were up, according to the latest report on previously owned houses.

For the three-county region, sales totaled 499 housing units compared to 508 in January 2021, but the median sales price rose to $211,900 versus $194,700 in the year-ago period, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, sales increased by four units to 244 homes, while the median price rose to $200,000 versus $174,900 in January 2021, said GHAR.

Cumberland County saw a small decrease in home sales, which dropped by six units to 215 houses. But the median sales price increased to $235,000 compared to $224,950 a year ago, GHAR stated.

In Perry County, sales were flat at 29 homes, but the median price rose year-over-year to $184,500 versus $174,900, according to GHAR.

Houses were selling relatively quickly in January, as the average “days on the market” dropped to 20 days compared to 31 days a year ago, GHAR said.

So Noted

Burn30 is under new ownership, as Nate Kresge, owner of the Harrisburg-based boutique video production company, GK Visual, has purchased the business. Kresge said the fitness center’s goal is to make people feel like they belong, no matter their physical condition or personal fitness goal.

Heart & Soul Books opened last month in Linglestown, led by owner Ashley Bailey. The cozy shop, on the second floor of 5970 Linglestown Rd., offers a variety of new and used books, with an emphasis on representation and inclusion.

Jeannetta Politis was named last month as the new executive director of the Joshua Group, a nonprofit focused on helping at-risk youth. Politis, who spent more than 20 years in commercial and retail banking, replaces the group’s founder and long-time leader, Kirk Hallett, who is retiring.

Dr. Lori Suski has been named the new receiver of the Harrisburg School District. The Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas appointed Suski, the district’s former chief recovery officer, to replace Dr. Janet Samuels, who served as receiver for 2½ years.

Katie Heimbach last month joined Capital City Mall as its new marketing manager, responsible for the development and implementation of mall marketing programs, according to an announcement from the mall. Before joining Capital City Mall, she served as a program manager for Best Companies Group.

Lauren Brinjac has joined the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association as senior director of government affairs. Brinjac previously served as director of government affairs for the Insurance Agents & Brokers Service Group and as legislative coordinator and lobbyist for the Pennsylvania Bar Association, according to PRLA.

Meghan Bachmore has been named the new executive director of Harrisburg Young Professionals (HYP). Previously, Bachmore served as the membership services director at the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC. The position had been open following the departure of Derek Whitesel, who left before the pandemic hit.

Changing Hands

Adrian St., 2251: V. Caraballo to A. Arenas, $95,000

Agate St., 2614 and 2242, 2244 & 2246 & 2514 Jefferson St.: Vogelsong Investment Properties LLC & J. Vogelsong to N. & J. Hoover, $195,000

Bailey St., 1196: Tassia Corp. to D. Boyle, $45,000

Balm St., 36: C. Salazar & J. Vega to Capital Venture LLC, $65,000

Bellevue Rd., 2200: R. Schuldenfrei & B. Tayler to S. Haas, $450,000

Berryhill St., 2338: L. Myers to Alliance Estates LLC, $87,500

Boas St., 218: J. Copus to S. Force, $177,000

Boas St., 1611: Skynet 1611 LP to Homeshare Harrisburg 1611 LLC, $490,000

Briggs St., 2023: J. & J. Folks to R. & R. Loja, $63,000

Brookwood St., 2300: F. & J. Maykovich to ID 2300 LLC, $375,000

Calder St., 521: L. Henry to D. Lim, $153,000

Caledonia St., 1937: M. Hare & T. D’Angelo to C. Maluchnick & G. Kerper, $166,000

Chestnut St., 1938: J. Cruz to T. Kea, $123,000

Church St., 602: Peleton Investments LLC & G. Rothman to C. Stalker & C. MacNett, $67,500

Curtin St., 535: Vogelsong Investment Properties LLC to J. & R. Armetta, $50,500

Dauphin St., 632: NA Capital Group LLC to J. Gonzalez & M. Santos, $70,000

Derry St., 1632: K. Gonzalez to M. Reyes, $65,000

Derry St., 2525: A. Williams to A. & D. Unterbrink, $54,000

Derry St., 2624: K. Lewis to P. & J. Lewis, $73,900

Emerald St., 321: 2013 M&M Real Estate Fund LLC to C. Risser, $85,000

Emerald St., 417: J. Cruz to O. Carter, $130,000

Emerald St., 419: J. Cruz to J. Lebo, $134,900

Evergreen St., 100: Evergreen 100 LP to Homeshare Harrisburg 100 LLC, $250,000

Forster St., 2015: L. & N. LeGrand to F. Burgos, $150,000

Fulton St., 1320: J. Silas to Family Tree Holdings LLC, $110,000

Fulton St., 1402: D. Carroll to J. Black, $154,900

Fulton St., 1721: G. & L. Neff to J. Cruz, $66,000

Graham St., 118: P. Furlong to D. Kyle & D. Holland, $330,000

Green St., 1226: K. Lesher & P. Boyed to M. Doherty, $170,000

Green St., 1914: K. Bogard to M. & C. Franz, $236,400

Green St., 2104: 2104 Green Street HBG LLC to N. Harutyunyan, $115,900

Green St., 2150: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Co. & Select Portfolio Servicing Inc. to 2020 Real Estate Ventures LLC, $68,601

Green St., 2227: M. & C. Stouffer to K. Aguilera, $115,500

Green St., 3216: M. Zeeshan to 3216 Green Street 17110 LLC, $162,000

Hale Ave., 204: A. Winter to BP Real Estate Investment Group LP, $109,251

Hamilton St., 236: T. & R. Broms to 236 HBG LLC, $130,000

Hamilton St., 340: Everence Foundation Unique Assets LLC to PD Estate Properties LLC, $75,000

Hamilton St., 344: Everence Foundation Unique Assets LLC to K. Dubina, $85,000

Herr St., 419: JMDM Properties LLC to G. Grasty, $216,500

Herr St., 1611: Henry & Sons Property 2 LLC to T. Merced, $75,000

Herr St., 1829: A&K Investments Partnership LLC to M. Dominguez, $131,400

Herr St., 1831: G. & J. Geiges to A&K Investments Partnership LLC, $70,000

Hoerner St., 135: SPG Capital LLC to Galaxy Real Estate Inc., $52,000

Holly St., 1853: C. Dunbar to R. Ortiz & N. Almeida, $115,000

Holly St., 1901: J. & K. Lyda to T WY Enterprise LLC, $48,500

Holly St., 2022: B. Smart to A. Pope, $105,000

Jefferson St., 2408: Great Row LLC to Galaxy Real Estate Inc., $59,000

Jefferson St., 2643: Dobson Family Limited Partners to D&A Homes LLC, $41,500

Kelker St., 327: 34 Construction Group to 3T Construction Group, $85,000

Kensington St., 1948: TRW Properites LLC c/o Property Management Group to E. & C. Onyewu, $80,000

Kensington St., 2121: P. Oden to Marie Buys Houses LLC, $53,000

Kensington St., 2222: K. & S. Ribble to M. Collins, $49,000

Locust St., 114: Akord LLC to D. & L. Butcher, $440,000

Locust St., 213: I. Mishkin to Newberry Partners LLC. $250,000

Logan St., 2344: Great Row LLC to Galaxy Real Estate Inc., $48,000

Manada St., 1934: R. Kates to Obear Properties LLC, $60,000

Market St., 1249, 1253 & 1255 and 3. S. 13th St.: Hill Café 1249 LP to 1249-55 Market LLC, $1,240,000

Market St., 2038: K. Roberts to M. Castro, $165,000

Mulberry St., 1848: Quality Rentals LLC to J. Rodriguez & V. Francisco, $102,000

Naudain St., 1433: G. Neff to P. & A. Bernard, $44,900

North St., 1938: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to P. Winka, $170,000

North St., 2007: Gary Neff Inc. c/o City Limits Realty to M. Johnson, $44,900

N. 2nd St., 930: R. Daniels to R. & S. Katsifis, $50,000

N. 2nd St., 1625: E. & P. Montgomery to L. & E. Hamilton, J. Niblett & J. Wilson, $216,000

N. 2nd St., 1711: R. Klein & V. Vail to T. Barr & A. Ekomin, $269,000

N. 2nd St., 1904: Skynet 1904 LP to Homeshare Harrisburg 1904 LLC, $240,000

N. 2nd St., 2205: M. Vayda to D. Hartman & B. Sammon, $255,000

N. 2nd St., 2309: K. Brown to J. & C. Brown, $150,000

N. 3rd St., 1841: Skynet 1841 LP to Glass Factory 1841 LLC, $2,330,000

N. 3rd St., 2115: Skynet 2115 LP to Homeshare Harrisburg 2115 LLC, $140,000

N. 3rd St., 2201 & 2205: S&P Property Holdings LLC to 22015N3HBG LLC, $320,000

N. 3rd St., 2218: J. & N. Grant to J. Greene, $154,500

N. 3rd St., 2248: N. Hartwig to J. Drummond, $189,900

N. 3rd St., 2640: Skynet 2640 LP to Homeshare Harrisburg 2640 LLC, $270,000

N. 4th St., 2637: M. Rosario to A. Cardona, $139,000

N. 5th St., 1700: Taylor Made Properties LLC to L. Motley, $169,000

N. 5th St., 2501: T. Evans to J. Castro, $58,000

N. 5th St., 2732: V. Clayton to J. & J. Scott, $110,000

N. 5th St., 3122: M. Haley to E. & C. De Jesus, $126,900

N. 6th St., 2338: F. Wofford to Galaxy Real Estate Inc., $55,000

N. 6th St., 2348: Wofford Enterprises Ltd. to V. Alli, $62,000

N. 6th St., 2409: Great Row LLC to Galaxy Real Estate Inc., $48,000

N. 6th St., 2466: Planet 3 Properties LLC to Rivas Property Investments LLC, $54,000

N. 6th St., 2523: L. Williams to R&K Realty Group LP, $65,000

N. 7th St., 2638: MidAtlantic IRA LLC & Harry Naill IRA to Elgamwo LLC, $56,000

N. 13th St., 1215: Skynet 1215 LP to Homeshare Harrisburg 1215 LLC, $650,000

N. 15th St., 1217: PA Deals LLC to SF Rentals LLC, $254,000

N. 15th St., 1617: T. Sweet to S. Salleb & M. Aziz, $55,000

N. 17th St., 717: D. Bacallao to A. Hassane, $105,000

N. 17th St., 900: Skynet 900 LP to Homeshare Harrisburg 900 LLC, $540,000

N. 18th St., 33: J. Vogelsong to D. Boyle, $45,000

N. 18th St., 41: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to RA Love Homes LLC, $149,995

N. 18th St., 606: Skynet 606 LP to Homeshare Harrisburg 606 LLC, $140,000

N. 18th St., 614: CR Property Group LLC to Neidlinger Enterprises LLC, $62,500

N. 18th St., 615: Skynet 615 LP to Homeshare Harrisburg 615 LLC, $220,000

N. 18th St., 916: PA Deals LLC to M. Castro, $100,000

N. 19th St., 712: H. Bueno to Neidlinger Enterprises LLC, $68,000

N. 19th St., 1001: Neidlinger Enterprises LLC to K. Somasundaram, $149,500

N. 20th St., 32: C. Carter & V. Diaz to M. Gramby, $95,000

N. Cameron St., 1317, 1319 & 1321: A. Reuveni to R. Chatue, $80,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 413: J. Becker to D. Kuligowski, $110,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 601: J. Devine to LE Real Estate Trust, $185,000

N. Front St., 3109: 3109 North Front MB LLC to Everything Alright LLC, $400,000

Park St., 1630: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to S. Prasad, $130,000

Paxton St., 1001: Pennsy Supply Inc. to I Mart LLC, $450,000

Peffer St., 431: Great Row LLC to Galaxy Real Estate Inc., $57,000

Penn St., 1208: G. Dunigan to K. Perry, $205,000

Penn St., 1317: M. Wilkins to D. Reinhart, $65,000

Penn St., 1501: T. Smith & M. Yost to G. & F. Lattimer, $164,900

Penn St., 1812: 2020 Real Estate Ventures LLC to A. Hutchinson, $220,000

Penn St., 1816: D. Osborn & M. Hoover to W. Dougherty, $159,900

Penn St., 2349: G. & R. Brown to Best By LLC, $90,000

Pennwood Rd., 3218: N. Canale to M. Bassit, $97,500

Radnor St., 551: A. & M. McGinty to Neidlinger Enterprises LLC, $103,000

Randolph St., 1618: R. Stevenson to L. & L. Morales, $60,000

Randolph St., 1620: Venus Properties LLC to CJ Good LLC, $88,000

Reel St., 2404: S&K Properties LLC to S&K Elite Properties LLC, $47,900

Reel St., 2732: A. & M. McGinty to Neidlinger Enterprises LLC, $88,500

Regina St., 1714: D. Mejia to D. Nunez, $70,000

Rolleston St., 1211: W. & J. Marshall to SPG Capital LLC, $53,000

Rumson Dr., 2639: R. Asplen to T. & J. Morra, $130,000

S. 13th St., 36: MLP LLC to 513 South Shippen Street LLC, $240,000

S. 13th St., 301: Skynet 301 LP to Homeshare Harrisburg 301 LLC, $1,025,000

S. 16th St., 568: V. Yanez to M. Medina, $90,000

S. 17th St., 1025: O. Bartley to L. Martinez, $146,500

S. 18th St., 1043: B. Do to PPL Electric Utilities Corp., $156,000

S. 19th St., 27 & 29: Sky at 27 & 29 S. 19th St., LP to Homeshare Harrisburg 27 & 29: $280,000

S. 19th St., 213: G. Neff to D. Figueroa, $40,000

S. 20th St., 219: H. Pham & V. Do to I. Mejias, $82,000

S. 29th St., 620: G. & S. Miller to J. & C. Holtzman, $238,000

Susquehanna St., 1714: L. Reda to C. Kenney, $120,000

Swatara St., 2224: L. Ho to R. Cruz, $160,000

Verbeke St., 1327 & 1329: Phantom Property Investments LLC to C. Sawyer, $199,900

Woodbine St., 240: T. Evans to J. Castro, $62,000

Woodbine St., 336: Paxton Auto Sales LLC to L. Rodriguez, $89,900

Wyeth St., 1401: M. Marciano to A. & S. Outlaw, $160,000

Harrisburg property sales for January 2022, greater than $40,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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The Two Faces of Mort: Mild-mannered van driver by day, Rob Noxious by night

February 28, 2022 | by Jeff Falk

Photo courtesy of Hailee’s Photography

Humans are complex creatures. All rolled up inside of each and every one of us—in not so neat packages—are all these ideas, emotions, whims and life experiences.

Rob Mort exemplifies this complexity.

By day, Mort, a 52-year-old resident of Harrisburg, is a caring, mild-mannered van driver for Boyo Transportation Services. By night, he is “Rob Noxious,” an aggressive, loud-mouthed professional wrestler, who once was a heel, but now is a fan favorite.

“I’m a nice guy, but I don’t want people to think I’m too nice,” Mort said. “If you’re too nice, you get picked on. I’m a nice guy, but don’t cross me.”

Then, in typical Rob Mort/Noxious style, he quickly switches gears.

“I was put on this earth to help people and make them smile,” he said. “I like to think I can change people and put smiles on their faces.”

For Mort, it’s more an internal struggle between man and child than it is good versus evil. But it’s all extravert, all the time.

“I think who the real Rob is will be determined when I’m dead and gone,” Mort said. “I don’t think I truly know who I am.”

Mort’s day job as a van driver for Boyo involves safely transporting disabled children, mainly to schools. It requires compassion, empathy and diligence.

“They’re just kids, but they’re the reason I keep my job here,” Mort said. “They’re amazing people, and I like helping people like that. You’re not supposed to get to know them that well, but how can you not talk to people? They’re kids, but they want respect as much as adults do.”

Mort’s alter ego definitely commands respect.

Rob Noxious is Mort’s personification of a video game he once played growing up as a child in the 1980s. In the ring, when the bright lights go on, he is an entertainer, an athletic, larger-than-life figure who feeds off the energy of an engaged audience that has laid down 20 bucks apiece to see him perform.

“It’s crazy,” Mort said. “But every time before I go out there, I get sick. Then, as soon as I go through the curtain, I’m a totally different person.”

He pauses for a moment with another take on his personality.

“Actually, I think we’re really similar,” he said. “The only thing Rob Mort can’t do is smash someone in the face with a chair and not go to jail. Rob Noxious can. We’re pretty much the same person—one’s just amped up a little bit.”

And there’s yet another side to Mort: the businessman/promoter/teacher side.

He is the owner of Classic Championship Wrestling, which produces and stages professional wrestling shows all over central Pennsylvania. He also operates a related business, Fort Noxious Training Center in Highspire, which teaches aspiring performers how to wrestle professionally.

“We teach a lot of discipline,” Mort said. “We teach respect, and believe it or not, we teach them to be family-oriented.”

Important to professional wrestling, he also teaches his students to be showmen.

“You’ve got to teach timing and the psychology behind professional wrestling,” he said. “Some of the guys who come here are from rough neighborhoods, but we try to help everybody. We’ve got a lot of great guys.”

Mort has been a professional wrestler for more than 25 years now, about eight years longer than he’s been a van driver. While he’s careful not to have his two occupations intersect, he can’t change who he is.

“I think every single person in the world is unique,” he said. “You’ve just got to find what you’re good at. One of the kids on my van found out that I was a professional wrestler. She asked me, ‘Can I be a wrestler?’ I said, ‘Sure. If you want to be a professional wrestler, you can.’”

You could describe Mort as hard on the outside and soft on the inside—a large, muscled, tattooed adult for sure, but one with a very active inner child.

“I never, ever wanted to grow up,” Mort said. “I never want to stop wrestling. It helps me stay young. But I think driving the van is almost like my calling. I can’t be a person who works in a warehouse. Children are our future, so why wouldn’t you want to help develop them?”

For more information on Classic Championship Wrestling and Fort Noxious Training Center, visit their Facebook pages.

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March Editor’s Note

February 28, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda

Nearly 14 years ago, I sat at my desk and began to draw up plans for a local publication that would become TheBurg.

I thought about what its contents might be, how it could be structured, what the design might look like.

As part of this process, I drafted a bunch of section titles to indicate the types of stories that I figured we would write.

So, for local business stories, I thought of “Shop Window” as a title. For restaurant stories, I came up with “Chef’s Kitchen.” And so on.

Over the years, I ditched several that I decided I didn’t like or didn’t use often (sorry, “State Street”—you were a decent idea, but we just don’t produce enough copy about state government).

In contrast, “Doing Good” has become one of our most frequent category titles. Nearly every month since we began publishing, we’ve featured stories on local nonprofit and charitable organizations—often, more than one a month.

When I started TheBurg, I knew that Harrisburg had a healthy share of folks “doing good,” but I wildly underestimated their number and impact.

Over the years, we’ve featured group after group advocating for and assisting our area’s youth, elderly, homeless, impoverished—well, the list goes on and on. We’ve introduced people who’ve started organizations to turn tragedy into triumph and others who have committed their entire lives to helping others.

In my view, this speaks both to the profound need in our community and to the amazing people stepping up to meet that need.

I mention this because, for the March issue, we have a special focus on folks “doing good.” In this issue, you’ll meet people striving to help refugees, to assist those with substance abuse issues and to support the families of sick children, among others.

You’ll also learn about companies who take their giving very seriously, who have embraced certain groups and causes as part of their corporate missions.

We hope our March issue offers some ideas if you’re interested in becoming more involved as a volunteer or even a staff member at a nonprofit. If your interests lie elsewhere, a simple online search certainly will help you discover the right fit for your own “doing good.”

Lawrance Binda
Co-Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

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

Happenings: Our March Calendar of Events

February 28, 2022 | by Missy Smith

Museum & Art Spaces

AACA Museum
161 Museum Dr., Hershey
717-566-7100; aacamuseum.org

Packard Showroom Exhibit Presented by Keystone Packards, through April 23

“Survivors: Unrestored Classic Cars, Trucks & Motorcycles,” through April 23

“Pedal Cars & Go-Karts”

Art Association of Harrisburg
21 N. Front St., Harrisburg
717-236-1432; artassocofhbg.com

“Beauty & Discovery,” artist invitational featuring the work of Pamela J. Black, Ashley Moog Bowlsbey and Jessie Waite, through March 31

Arts on the Square
20 S. 2nd St., Harrisburg
717-257-1270; marketsquarechurch.org

Photography by Beth Hager, illustrating the appreciation of the commonplace through landscapes, architecture, still life and more on paper, canvas and metal, and craftswoman Kari Hultman, exhibiting woodworking, leatherworking and miniatures, March-April; reception: March 20, 12 p.m.-1:30 p.m.

Carlisle Arts Learning Center (CALC)
38 W. Pomfret St., Carlisle
717-249-6973; carlislearts.org

“Go for the Gold,” members’ annual color show, featuring artwork in hues of gold, through March 5

“A Celebration of Student Art,” highlighting a broad selection of projects from Carlisle Area School District K-12 students, March 17-April 9

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

March artist of the month

Gallery on the Square
Millersburg Area Art Association
226 Union St., Millersburg
Facebook: Gallery on the Square

Lenkerville Elementary Student Art Show, March 2-April 2; reception: March 6, 3-5 p.m.

Messiah University
One University Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2511; messiah.edu

“Beyond Limitations” digital sculpture, 3D printing and virtual reality by Joe Meiser, through March 6

“Senior Show I,” March 26-April 10; reception: March 26, 7 p.m.

The Millworks
340 Verbeke St.; Harrisburg
717-695-4888; millworksharrisburg.com

New works by Tara Chickey, Amie Bantz, Tina Berrier, Averil Shepps, Caleb Smith, through March 13

New works by PD Murray, Reina 76, Rebecca Adey, Paul Gallo and Susan Bailey, March 15-April 10

Pennsylvania National Fire Museum
1820 N. 4th St., Harrisburg
717-232-8915; pnfm.org

Exhibits dedicated to Pennsylvania firefighting history

Perry County Council of the Arts (PCCA)
Landis House, 67 N. 4th St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

“Weaving Creativity,” a display of traditional and modern hooked rugs by the Magdalena Rug Hookers of Perry County, paired with basket designs by Teena Beutel, through April 22

Perry County Council of the Arts (PCCA)
PCCA Gallery, 1 S. 2nd St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

“Natural Elements” artist invitational with Judy Bouder, Toby Bouder, Carolyn Pio, Todd Tabb and Hyeyon Wilson, through March 5

“Good Taste,” on-trend artwork depicting food and cooking, as well as home goods to use in the kitchen, for entertaining and to simply enjoy the art of food, March 12-April 23

The State Museum of Pennsylvania
300 North St., Harrisburg
717-787-4980; statemuseumpa.org

“Game Changers: Pennsylvania Women Who Made History,” celebrating women from across the state in diverse fields and detailing the contributions they made and challenges they faced in their lifetimes.

Susquehanna Art Museum
1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-233-8668; susquehannaartmuseum.org

“Mythologies of Motherhood,” personal stories of artists currently raising children, March 10-June 26

“Approximate Release,” a sculptural installation in the DeSoto Family Vault by Ron Lambert, through April 10

“In Nature’s Studio,” showcasing a bounty of early 19th century through late 20th century American artists’ depictions of the landscape, through May 22

“Hedy O’Beil—The Late Work,” a selection of work from the 1970s to mid-1980s, through June 19

“Project—Nature,” a sneak peek of the current VanGo! Museum on Wheels exhibition “Nature in Art,” featuring the work of Victoria Fuller, through Aug. 22

Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery
Lebanon Valley College
101 College Ave., Annville
717-233-8668; lvc.edu/gallery

“Our Strength is Our People—The Humanist Photographs of Lewis Hine,” through April 6

Read, Make, Learn

Carlisle Arts Learning Center (CALC)
38 W. Pomfret St., Carlisle
717-249-6973; carlislearts.org

March 1-April 15: Hand Building (6 Tuesdays), 6-8 p.m.
March 11: Indigo & Shibori, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
March 11: Craft Beer & Clay, 7-9 p.m.
March 12: There’s Gold in those Petals, 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
March 12: Eucalyptus Magic-Gold Edition, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
March 16: Suicide Loss Survivors, 5:30-7 p.m.
March 17-31: Play with Clay at the End of the Day (ages 10-15), 3:30-5 p.m.
March 22-April 12: Abstract Painting, 12-2 p.m.
March 23-April 27: Fundamentals of Photography AM Session, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
March 26: Drawing on Enameling with Metallic Pens, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
March 30-April 27: Wednesday In-Person Art Club (grades K-2), 3:45-5 p.m.

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

March 17: Saint Patrick’s Day Celebration, 6-9 p.m.

Dauphin County Library System
dcls.org

March 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23: All Ages Storytime on Zoom, 6 p.m.
March 1, 4, 8, 11, 22, 25: Preschool Storytime (ages 3-5 years) on Zoom, 10:30-11:10 a.m.
March 1, 7, 8, 22: Born to Read (birth-18 months) on Zoom, 9:30-10 a.m.
March 1, 8, 15, 22: Virtual Tween Dungeons and Dragons, 4-5 p.m.
March 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18. 23, 25: Toddler Storytime (ages 19-35 months) on Zoom, 11-11:40 a.m.
March 3, 10, 17, 24: Virtual Anime Club, 4-5 p.m.
March 4, 11, 18, 25: Virtual Teen Dungeons and Dragons, 4-5 p.m.
March 15: Animal Crossing New Horizons 2.0 on Zoom (ages 18 and older), 4:30-6:30 p.m.
March 16: Virtual Young Adult Book Club (ages 13-18), 4-5:30 p.m.
March 16: Voter Information Session on Zoom, 6-7 p.m.
March 22; Women’s History Month—Esther Popel on Zoom, 6-7 p.m.
March 29: Spanish Language Conversation Group (ages 15 and older) on Zoom, 12-1 p.m.

Elizabethtown Public Library
10 S. Market St., Elizabethtown
717-367-7467; etownpubliclibrary.org

March 2: Toddler Time, 10:30 a.m.
March 3: Family Storytime, 10:30 a.m.
March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31: Fiber Artists, 3 p.m.
March 8, 22: STEM Stations, 4:30 p.m.
March 10, 24: Knitter’s Group, 5 p.m.
March 12: Fiber Artists, 10 a.m.
March 12, 19: LEGO Club, 11 a.m.
March 15: Musik Time, 10:30 a.m.
March 19: Book Discussion Group, 10 a.m.
March 19: Knitter’s Group, 10 a.m.

Fort Hunter
5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg
717-599-5751; forthunter.org

March 2: Virtual Illustrated Talk—Hoofprints in History, the Role of the Domestic Dairy Cow, 7-8 p.m.

Fredricksen Library
100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill
717-761-3900; fredricksenlibrary.org

March 1: Teen STEAM Lab—Self-Care DIY, 4-5:30 p.m., 6-7:30 p.m.
March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Career Exploration Workshop, 10:30 a.m., 4:30 p.m.
March 2: Moving Forward Book Group w/ Hospice of Central PA, 1-2 p.m.
March 2: Artificial Intelligence—A ‘Hear Me Out’ Dialogue, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
March 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30: Discovery Zone Fun, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
March 3, 10, 17, 24: Language at the Library—Spanish, 10-11 a.m.
March 3, 10, 17, 24: Resume Writing Workshop, 10:30-11:30 a.m., 4:30-5:30 p.m.
March 4, 11, 18, 25: Get That Job! Workshop, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
March 5: Library for Lunch, 1 p.m.
March 5, 12, 19, 26: Teen Grab and Go Bag (ages 7-12), 1 p.m.
March 5, 19: STEM Grab & Go, 1 p.m.
March 7, 21: Zoom—Frederickson Writes on Zoom, 6:45 p.m.
March 8: Curl up with the Classics—“Things Fall Apart,” 10-11 a.m.
March 8: Comics Club, 6-7 p.m.
March 8: READ to Dogs, 6:30-8 p.m.
March 10: Plot Twisters, 6-7 p.m.
March 11, 25: Peaceful Poses Children’s Yoga Story Time, 10-11 a.m.
March 11, 25: Film Fridays, 7 p.m.
March 14: Philosophers’ Roundtable, 2-3:30 p.m.
March 14: Mission Transition Kindergarten, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
March 14: Twisted Stitchers, 6:30 p.m.
March 15-May 3: Natalie D. Craumer Writers’ Workshop—Critiquing the Critique, Tuesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
March 18: Family Movie Nights, 6:30-8 p.m.
March 26: Paint with Us, 1-3 p.m.
March 28: Virtual Fredricksen Reads—“The Paris Library,” 7-8 p.m.

Gallery on the Square
Millersburg Area Art Association
226 Union St., Millersburg
Facebook: Gallery on the Square

March 5: Spring Greens Painting Class, 4-7 p.m.
March 12: Process Painting, 10-11:30 a.m.
March 25: Acrylic Glaze Painting, 6-8 p.m.
March 26: Mosaic Cross Workshop, 1-4 p.m.
March 27: Paper Quilling, 1-3:30 p.m.

Harrisburg Chapter, National Railway Historical Society
www.harrisburgnrhs.org

March 12: Railroad and Model Trains Show at Harrisburg Scottish Rite Theatre, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Harrisburg Young Professionals
hyp.org

March 8: Toastmasters Meetings, 6-7 p.m.

Hershey Area Art Association (HAAA)
hersheyareaartassociation.com

March 11: Painting Glowing Watercolors, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Hershey Public Library
701 Cocoa Ave., Hershey
717-533-6555; hersheylibrary.org

March 1, 3, 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29, 31: Penn State Hershey—Mothers & Babies Together, 10 a.m.
March 1, 8, 15, 22: Girls Who Code, 6 p.m.
March 2: LEGO Club, 4 p.m.
March 2: Hear Me Out—Artificial Intelligence, 5:30 p.m.
March 2; Silent Book Group at Mount Gretna Craft Brewery, 6:30 p.m.
March 3, 17: Hershey Quilters, 12:30 p.m.
March 5, 12, 19: Chess Club, 1 p.m.
March 7: Pencils and Pints at Troegs Brewery, 6:30 p.m.
March 10: Hershey Area Neighbors and Newcomers, 10 a.m.
March 16: String Art After School Craft, 3 p.m.
March 19: Cocoa Area Fiber Enthusiasts, 10 a.m.
March 19: ZooAmerica presents Native Pennsylvania Species, 2-3 p.m.
March 21: All Things Disney Trivia, 7 p.m.
March 21, 28: Facebook Live—Books and Babies (birth-12 months), 10:15 a.m.
March 22, 29: 1, 2, Whee!, 10:15 a.m.
March 24, 31: Storytime for Everyone, 10:15 a.m.
March 26: Chess Tournament, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
March 26: Blood Drive, 11 a.m.
March 26: Cooking with Herbs on Zoom, 2 p.m.

Historic Harrisburg Resource Center
1230 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
historicharrisburg.org

March 28: Fourth Monday Program—“The Bridges She Built: Women’s Role in Creating and Restoring Historic Bridges,” 6-7:30 p.m.

Joseph T. Simpson Public Library
16 N. Walnut St., Mechanicsburg
717-766-0171; simpsonlibrary.org

March 1: Tween Scene, 6-7 p.m.
March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Tea and Stitches, 10 a.m.
March 3, 10, 17, 24: Mah Jongg, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
March 4, 11, 18, 25: LEGO Time, 10:15-11:15 a.m.
March 7, 14, 21, 28: Storybook STEAM, 6:30 p.m.
March 9: Mad About Mysteries on Zoom, 7-8 p.m.
March 11, 25: Dungeons and Dragons (ages 6-12), 6-8 p.m.
March 12, 26: Block Party, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
March 14, 28: English Conversation Club, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
March 17: Thursday Morning Book Club, 10 a.m.
March 19: Adventure Club, 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
March 19: Teen Squad, 3-4 p.m.
March 21: Monday Night Book Club, 7-8 p.m.
March 22: Tabletop Game Night, 6-8 p.m.

The LGBT Center of Central PA
717-409-5781; centralpalgbtcenter.org

March 2, 9 ,16, 23, 30: Common Roads (ages 12-17), 6-8 p.m.
March 5, 12, 19. 26: Passageways, 2 p.m.
March 6, 13, 20, 27: Young Adult Group, 4 p.m.
March 8, 22: Queers and Quests game night, 6 p.m.
March 10: Aging with Pride Luncheon, 12 p.m.
March 12: LGBTQ Book Club, 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Luhrs Performing Arts Center
1871 Old Main Dr., Shippensburg
717-477-7469; luhrscenter.com

March 15: Beginner Ballroom Dance Lessons, 5:30 p.m.
March 15: Advanced Ballroom Dance Lessons, 6:30 p.m.

Middletown Public Library
20 N. Catherine St., Middletown
717-944-6412; middletownpubliclib.org

March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Storytime and Craft, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Tales with T.A.I.L.S., 6-7 p.m.
March 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30: Free Tax Preparation, 5:30-8 p.m.
March 3: Book Club, 6-7 p.m.
March 4, 11, 18, 25: Online Science Fiction Book Club
March 4, 11, 18, 25: Star Trek Rewatch online group
March 21: Mystery Book Club (in person and online), 6-7 p.m.

Midtown Scholar Bookstore-Café
1302 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-236-1680; midtownscholar.com

March 4: An Evening with Shelley Puhak, 7-8 p.m.
March 24: Michael Neiberg with Ian Isherwood, 7-8 p.m.

The Millworks
340 Verbeke St.; Harrisburg
717-695-4888; millworksharrisburg.com

March 5: First Saturday, 2-5 p.m.
March 12: Kids Printmaking class with Amie Bantz 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
March 24: Intro to Landscape with Amie Bantz, 6-8 p.m.
March 27: Fluid Art with Ann Benton Yeager
March 18: 3rd in the Burg

National Civil War Museum
One Lincoln Circle, Harrisburg
717-260-1861; nationalcivilwarmuseum.org

March 12: Lessons in History with Garry Adelman, 1-2 p.m.

New Cumberland Public Library
1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland
717-774-7820; newcumberlandlibrary.org

March 1-28: Beanstack Challenge—March Mindfulness (ages 0-18)
March 3: Ruth’s Mystery Discussion Group, 10:15 a.m.-12 p.m.
March 3, 17: Block Party! (ages 0-3), 10:30-11:30 a.m.
March 5, 19: New Cumberland Public Library book sales, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
March 8: Book Review Program, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
March 7, 21: Monday Great Books Discussion Group, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
March 7-28: Outdoor Storytime & More (ages 2-5), 10:30 a.m.
March 8: Tales for Tails (ages 6-12), 6:30-7:30 p.m.
March 8-29: Outdoor Book Babies (ages 0-2), 11:15 a.m.
March 9, 23: Wednesday Great Books Discussion Group, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
March 12: Write-On Writer’s Workshop, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
March 15: Leprechaun’s Garden (ages 4-8), 5:30-6:30 p.m.
March 19: Couponing for Extreme Savings, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
March 19: Children’s Book Writers Critique Group, 2-4 p.m.
March 20: Friends Cultural Series: The Lemoyne Susquehannock Site, 3-4 p.m.
March 22: Kid Builders! (ages 3 and older), 5:30-6:30 p.m.
March 23: PennWriters Writing Group, 6-9 p.m.
March 28: Music & More Mondays (ages 3-7), 5:30-6:30 p.m.

March 30: KIND Club—Kids Interested in Novels of Diversity on Zoom (ages 8-12), 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Palmyra Public Library
50 Landings Dr., Annville
717-838-1347; palmyra.lclibs.org

March 2, 3, 7, 9, 10, 14, 16, 17, 21: Little Explorers Early Learning Classes, 10:30-11 a.m.
March 2, 9, 16, 23: Smart Start Storytime, 12:15-12:45 p.m.
March 3, 10, 17: Little Explorers Early Learning Classes, 1:30-2 p.m.
March 14: Palmyra Public Library Book Club, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Perry County Council of the Arts
Landis House, 67 N. 4th St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

March 19: Basket Weaving—Small Market Basket, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania
300 North St., Harrisburg
717-787-4980; statemuseumpa.org

March 2: Explore! PA Architecture, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
March 2-31: Highlights Tour, 1:30-2:30 p.m. (Wednesdays-Sundays)
March 3, 17: Family Gallery Tour—Paleontology, 11:30 a.m.
March 4, 19: Storytime, 10:30 a.m.
March 9, 23: Giant PA Map, 11:30 a.m.
March 10, 24: Curiosity Kids, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
March 11: Learn at Lunchtime—1681 Pennsylvania Charter, 12:15-12:45 p.m.
March 16: Explore! Seasons—Spring, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
March 23: The Games & Puzzles Challenge
March 25: Virtual Adventures in Nature Lab—Freshwater Mussels, 12:15-12:45 p.m.

Susquehanna Art Museum
1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-233-8668; susquehannaartmuseum.org

March 5, 12, 19, 26: Saturday Morning Art Club, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
March 5, 12, 19, 26: Young Artist Camp, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Wildwood Park
100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg
717-221-0292; wildwoodlake.org

March 2, 9, 16: Dr. Seuss Science Series, 10-10:45 a.m.
March. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Wednesdays Walk at Wildwood, 12-2 p.m.
March 3, 10, 17: Advanced Fly Tying Classes, 6-8 p.m.
March 5: Kids Discover—Woodpeckers (ages 4-6), 10-11:30 a.m.
March 5: Kids Discover—Woodpeckers (ages 7-10), 1:30-3 p.m.
March 11: Astronomy Program, 8-10 p.m.
March 12: Spring Wreath Workshop, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
March 12: Volunteer Work Day, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
March 12, 19, 26: Penn State Extension Master Gardeners’ Spring Symposium, 9:30-11 a.m.
March 19: Hello Spring!, 2-3:30 p.m.
March 23: Birdwalk—Waterfowl and Early Spring Migrants, 8-10 a.m.
March 24: Skunk Cabbage Walk, 2:30-4 p.m.
March 26: Bear Boy Scouts—Fur, Feathers & Ferns, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
March 31: Educator Workshop—Biodiversity, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Winters Heritage House Museum
41-47 E. High St., Elizabethtown
717-367-4672; elizabethtownhistory.org

March 5: Heirloom Seed Swap & Garden Workshop, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
March 31: Cli-Fi Short Story Writing Workshop Wrap-up, 7-9 p.m.

Live Music

American Music Theatre
2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster
717-397-7700; amtshows.com

March 5: Chris Lane
March 6: Bill Engvall
March 12: The Oak Ridge Boys
March 13: The Irish Tenors
March 25, 26: Celtic Woman
March 27: Straight No Chaser
March 31: America

Appalachian Brewing Co./Abbey Bar
50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg
717-221-1083; abcbrew.com

March 5: The Dirty Sweet
March 26: Tannahill Weavers presented by Susquehanna Folk Music Society

Appell Center for the Performing Arts
50 N. George St., York
717-846-1111; appellcenter.org

March 3: SON VOLT, Jesse Farrar of Old Salt Union
March 4: Jazz in the City
March 5: Start Making Sense
March 6: Téada presented by Susquehanna Folk Music Society
March 12: York Symphony—Queen
March 19: High Noon—A Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd & Southern Rock
March 24: Langhorne Slim, Riddy Arman

Boneshire Brew Works
7462 Derry St., Harrisburg
717-469-5007; boneshire.com

March 3: Karaoke, Open Mic with Dave Gates
March 10: Randy Z
March 20: Sviraj
March 24: Lil Brother Band

The Englewood
1219 Research Blvd. Hummelstown
717-256-9480; englewoodhershey.com

March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31: Industry Night w/DJ Caraby
March 4-5: The Badlees Reunion Weekend
March 9: Special Jazz Evening w/Ryerson & Rudolph
March 12: The Cure + The Smiths Tribute
March 13: Harrisburg Jazz Collective
March 18: Kilmaine Saints
March 19: On The Lash
March 19: Hometown Strangers
March 25: Rhett Miller w/Corinna Joy
March 26: Cold Spring Union w/Olivia Farabaugh
March 27: Sunday Jazz Series w/Bones of Contention

H*MAC
1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-441-7506; harrisburgarts.com

March 4: Boundaries
March 4: Ace Frehley
March 9: The Districts
March 10: Flatfoot 56
March 10: Jamestown Revival
March 11: Devon Allman Project & The Samantha Fish Band
March 12: Summer Salt
March 12: Figure presents Terrorvision
March 16: Trapt
March 17: Keller Williams
March 17: The Dangerous Summer
March 18: Vic Dibitetto
March 23: Extinction AD
March 24: Attila—Rage Fest
March 31: The Slackers

Harrisburg Scottish Rite Theatre
2701 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-238-8868; valleyofharrisburg.org

March 12: An Evening of Rock n Soul

Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra
The Forum at 5th and Walnut St., Harrisburg
717-545-5527; harrisburgsymphony.org

March 19, 20: Masterworks—Heroes

Hershey Theatre
15 E. Caracas Ave., Hershey
717-534-3405; hersheytheatre.com

March 5: Il Divo
March 9: Red Hot Chili Pipers
March 10: Joe Bonamassa
March 13: Brit Floyd (H.U. Presents)
March 26: Brothers Osborne

Harrisburg University Presents
concertseries.harrisburgu.edu

March 13: Brit Floyd at Hershey Theatre
March 24: Mayday Parade at XL Live
March 26: Wolf Alice at XL Live
March 31: The Maine at XL Live

Luhrs Performing Arts Center
1871 Old Main Dr., Shippensburg
717-477-7469; luhrscenter.com

March 4: The Stylistics
March 10: Celtic Thunder Ireland
March 12: The Grass Roots, The Buckinghams and The Box Tops
March 24: Kristin Chenoweth

Majestic Theater
25 Carlisle St., Gettysburg
717-337-8200; gettysburgmajestic.org

March 26: EnVaGe Chamber Concert

Market Square Concerts
marketsquareconcerts.org

March 23: 40th Anniversary Concert with Stuart Malina, Ya-Ting Chang, Andreas Oeste, Jason Vieaux, Peter Sirotin, Dawn Wohn, Timothy Deighton, Fiona Thompson

Messiah University
One University Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2511; messiah.edu

March 25: Messiah University Concert Choir

Perry County Council of the Arts
Landis House

67 N. 4th St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

March 26: Charlie Zahm

Pine Street Presbyterian Church
310 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-238-9304; pinestreet.org

March 26: Amy Yang

Susquehanna Folk Music Society
717-745-6577; sfmsfolk.org

March 3: The Klezmatics at Kulkarni
March 6: Téada
March 26: Tannahill Weavers at Appalachian Brewing Co.

The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; artsmu.com

March 18: Samara Joy with Pasquale Grasso Trio
March 25-26: Candace O’Donnell
March 29: Malevo

Whitaker Center
222 Market St., Harrisburg
717-214-ARTS; whitakercenter.org

March 5: Steve Vai
March 7: Tower of Power
March 27: The Allman Betts Band

XL Live
801 S. 10th St., Harrisburg
717-409-8975; xlhbg.com

March 4: The Floozies, Daily Brea, Phyphr
March 11: Scythian, The Wilson Springs Hotel
March 12: Jameson Rodgers & Special Guests
March 18: Circles Around the Sun, Mikaela Davis
March 19: Coheed and Cambria, Sheer Mag
March 21: Dark Star Orchestra
March 23: Railroad Earth
March 24: Mayday Parade
March 26: Wolf Alice
March 31: The Maine

Zeroday Brewing Co.
925 N. 3rd St, Harrisburg
717-745-6218; zerodaybrewing.com

March 4: DJ Kyn
March 18: Kevin Koa

The Stage Door

American Music Theatre
2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster
717-397-7700; amtshows.com

March 20: Jay Leno

Appell Center for the Performing Arts
50 N. George St., York
717-846-1111; appellcenter.org

March 11: Rob Ward, Brian Tidwell, Rod Caine

The Belmont Theatre

27 S. Belmont St., York

717-854-3894; thebelmont.org

March 18: “Now & Then”

Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre
510 Centerville Rd., Lancaster
717-898-1900; DutchApple.com

March 2-April 16: “Singin’ in the Rain”

Gamut Theatre Group
15 N. 4th St., Harrisburg
717-238-4111; gamuttheatre.org

March 4: TMI Improv
March 5: “3 Billy Goats Gruff”
March 12-27: “Orlando”

H*MAC
1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-441-7506; harrisburgarts.com

March 13: Queens Who Brunch
March 19: Fifty Shades Male Revue

Harrisburg Christian Performing Arts Center
1000 S. Eisenhower Blvd, Middletown
717-939-9333; thehcpac.org

March 18-20: “The Jungle Book The Musical”

Harrisburg Comedy Zone
110 Limekiln Rd., New Cumberland
717-920-5653; harrisburgcomedyzone.com

March 4: Rehoboth Beach Queens Invasion!
March 4, 5: Tim Young
March 11, 12: Chris Harvey, AJ Wilkerson
March 18, 19: Rich Vos

Harrisburg Improv Theatre
1633 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
hbgimprov.com

March 4: Heartthrobs, The Outsiders, Meetwood Flac
March 4, 6: Level 1 Class Show
March 5: Solo Sleepover, Love Triangle, Barn Bitches
March 11: Leg of Lamp, The Outsiders, Introduce a Self
March 11, 13: Level 3 Class Show
March 12: Free Mixer, Ferret Prom, Bandito, Don’t Play with Deacon
March 18: Midtown Funk, Larry Bird, Cheese
March 19: Free Mixer, The Outsiders, Sugar Weasel, Rockstar Goes Supernova
March 25: Teen Girls, Same Each, HIT BITS
March 26: Free Mixer, Snicker Casket, Critical HIT!, Elderprov

Hershey Theatre
15 E. Caracas Ave., Hershey
717-534-3405; hersheytheatre.com

March 3: “Blippi the Musical”
March 15-20: “Fiddler on the Roof”
March 25: Lewis Black

Keystone Theatrics

The Playhouse at Allenberry
1559 Boiling Springs Rd., Boiling Springs
717-258-3211; www.keystonetheatrics.com

March 5-26: “Curious George—The Golden Meatball”

Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg
915 S. York St., Mechanicsburg
717-766-0535; ltmpa.com

March 3-13: “Wait Until Dark”

Luhrs Performing Arts Center
1871 Old Main Dr., Shippensburg
717-477-7469; luhrscenter.com

March 20: “Mutts Gone Nuts”

Majestic Theater
25 Carlisle St., Gettysburg
717-337-8200; gettysburgmajestic.org

March 6: Catapult—Magic Shadows!
March 18: HYPROV—Improv Under Hypnosis

Messiah University
One University Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2511; messiah.edu

March 1-2: “A Year with Frog and Toad”

Narçisse Theatre Company
[email protected]; www.narcissetheatre.org

March 11-13: “Colorized—A Journey of Identity Through Art and Dance”

Open Stage of Harrisburg
223 Walnut St., Harrisburg
717-232-OPEN; openstagehbg.com

March 4, 5, 11, 12: Court Street Cabaret
March 4-12: “The Mad Ones”
March 17: “The Diary of Anne Frank”
March 26: “The Obstructed View”

Oyster Mill Playhouse
1001 Oyster Mill Road, Camp Hill
717-737-6768; www.oystermill.com

March 18-April 3: “Parade”

The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; artsmu.com

March 4: We the People First Friday
March 4: On Screen/In Person—Equal Means Equal
March 5: Family Fun Fest—Collision of Rhythm

Zeroday Brewing Co.
925 N. 3rd St, Harrisburg
717-745-6218; zerodaybrewing.com

March 17: Boozy Bingo w/Felicia O’Toole

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