Harrisburg School District names new assistant superintendent, announces return to in-person board meetings

February 22, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg School District Administration building

The Harrisburg School District has seen a lot of recent change in leadership, and on Tuesday, a few new officials were appointed.

Leading her first school board meeting as the district’s new court-appointed receiver, Dr. Lori Suski approved Dr. Marisol Craig as assistant superintendent of schools.

Craig previously served as the district’s director of virtual learning.

In her new role, Craig will serve as second-in-command to Superintendent Dr. Eric Turman, who took his position in July. Her term of appointment begins on Feb. 23 and extends through June 2026 at an annual salary of $151,000.

Suski was chosen in January by the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas to take the place of Dr. Janet Samuels, who resigned her post.

Also on Tuesday, Suski approved Kevin Deane as the new assistant principal of Harrisburg High School-John Harris Campus. Deane takes the position that was left empty by Michelle Felton who was promoted to principal of John Harris in August.

Also, earlier this year, Dr. Marcia Stokes took the role of business administrator for the district.

In other news, next month, the district will hold its first in-person school board meeting after two years of virtual gatherings due to the pandemic. The next meeting will be held on March 21.

For more information, visit the Harrisburg School District’s website.

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PA Secretary of Agriculture, Good Brotha’s Book Café discuss food insecurity, racial injustice

February 22, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

From left: Stephon Fitzpatrick, executive director of the PA Commission for Agriculture Education Excellence, Stefan Hawkins, owner of Good Brotha’s Book Cafe and Russell Redding, state secretary of agriculture

Sometimes, the most meaningful conversations are held around the table, over food.

That was true on Tuesday, as Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding visited Good Brotha’s Book Café in Harrisburg for a discussion on race and food accessibility.

“The Department of Agriculture has legitimate responsibilities with food insecurity,” Redding said. “Who has access to food? And do they have it not just through charity? But, who actually gets the chance to grow it, to farm, to improve their own diet?”

According to Redding, the department is prioritizing these types of conversations to listen and to learn how they can assist with food accessibility.

Stefan Hawkins, owner of Good Brotha’s, said that he didn’t always have fresh food on the table at home growing up. However, as an adult, he became a vegan and has seen the benefits of healthy eating in his life.

But he realizes that, for his Harrisburg community at large, especially for people of color, accessing fresh food isn’t always easy.

“That’s one of my biggest advocacies is getting fresh vegetables, fresh fruit and fresh produce to the younger generation coming up and educating them on the importance of eating healthy, and, maybe one day, farming for yourself,” Hawkins said.

Redding noted how few Black farmers there are in Pennsylvania.

“I think there’s a real opportunity for this exchange between the farm community and urban centers and folks who share a passion around food,” he said.

Redding mentioned a few specific areas where he hopes to make improvements in the department, including having more conversations around race relations and food. Additionally, he hopes to find ways to encourage families to take advantage of the department’s Farmers Market Nutrition Program for WIC recipients and seniors. Redding is also interested in starting a “farm to school” educational program for local districts.

For Hawkins, education is especially important. It’s a big part of his coffee shop, which sells books by Black authors and about Black culture to promote literacy. He’s also passionate about providing education around health and food.

Hawkins said that he hopes to start his own urban garden and plans to eventually start a free food pantry program at Good Brotha’s, as well.

“A lot of times, people don’t want to stand in line to get that bag from the church or get that stuff out of the pantry,” he said. “The inner-city food inadequacies, food insecurities that we don’t speak on, I want to address those head on.”

Redding said that he hopes to have more discussions like these in the future.

“This conversation with the agriculture community about race is a really important conversation,” he said.

Good Brotha’s Book Café is located at 1419 N. 3^rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit their Facebook page.

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Block of N. 6th Street to become apartments, startup workspace for minority-owned businesses

February 22, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Vice Capital has purchased 1522, 1524 and 1526 N. 6th St., along with attached lots.

A local Black-owned development group has big plans for a block of 6^th Street, near the under-construction federal courthouse.

Earlier this month, development group Vice Capital purchased several properties on the 1500-block of N. 6^th St. with plans to build an apartment building and startup business workspace for minority entrepreneurs.

“With everything going on on 6^th Street, we wanted to make sure that African Americans have a strong presence in the development,” said Ryan Sanders, a partner in Vice Capital.

Along with Sanders, the development group is run by former NFL players LeSean and LeRon McCoy.

Vice Capital purchased three buildings at 1522, 1524 and 1526 N. 6^th St. along with several attached grassy lots for $575,000, according to Sanders. The buildings were previously owned by Dean Carter who operated his business, B Large Sound Effects, at 1524 N. 6^th St. and rented out several apartments within the properties.

According to Sanders, Vice Capital plans to demolish the three buildings and construct a mixed-use building that will include about 40 one, two and three-bedroom apartment units. Sanders said that there will be a mix of market-rate and affordable units.

Vice Capital’s proposed rendering of the building (there is no deli included in the current plan).

The building will also include office space for small businesses, similar to StartUp Harrisburg on N. 3^rd Street, but with a focus on providing space for minority-owned businesses, Sanders said.

This, he said, would allow them to honor both the legacy of the businesses that the Carter family operated on the property for decades and the history of the many Black-owned businesses that once stood in the area.

“It was important for us to keep it within the tradition of African American entrepreneurs on 6^th Street,” Sanders said.

This fits in with Vice Capital’s larger goal to revitalize N. 6^th Street, while recognizing its part in African American history in Harrisburg, Sanders said. The development group is also working to restore the Swallow Mansion on the 1000-block of N. 6th St. A few doors down from that building, Sanders’ other firm, RB Development, plans to construct affordable apartments for seniors.

In addition, Sanders noted the location of the project, near the under-construction federal courthouse, as another reason for their investment.

Vice Capital’s next steps will be to take their plans before the city’s Planning Commission, Zoning Hearing Board and City Council for approvals.

Sanders hopes to break ground at the beginning of 2023.

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Harrisburg dredges Italian Lake, removes build up of “muck”

February 21, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Dredging Italian Lake on Monday

Harrisburg’s Italian Lake may be beautiful on the surface, but what’s at the bottom of the water?

According to David Baker, director of parks, recreation and facilities for the city, there’s lots of debris, trash and “muck” that needs to be removed.

The city began to clean out the south portion of the lake, in a process called “dredging,” on Feb. 17, closing off small areas of the park to the public.

“Every so many years, it’s good practice to remove sediment from bodies of water like Italian Lake,” Baker explained. “This will make the lake cleaner.”

Items like decaying tree leaves, animal byproducts, trash and algae build up in the lake over the years, Baker said. This can reduce oxygen in the water, which can be harmful to fish.

There’s a lot of this build-up in Italian Lake, Baker said. He projected that they will remove around 64,000 cubic feet of sedimentation within the two-week-long process.

To do this, the city is using a large machine that filters out the sediment from the water, sucking it up and collecting it in a large bag. It’s a slow process, Baker said, that will not harm any wildlife living in the lake. All of the waste collected from the lake will be recycled, according to Baker.

“It’s a very green way of doing things,” he said.

Dredging isn’t an inexpensive process, Baker said. Because of the cost required for it, the city can only dredge one section for now. He hopes they can address the rest of the lake eventually, he said.

Baker can’t remember the last time the lake was dredged, but estimated it was at least 15 years ago.

After around two weeks, the full span of the lake will reopen to the public, Baker said. However, much of the park is still accessible during the process.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

February 18, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Tour de Belt will return to an in-person format in Harrisburg this year.

Get out of the house and enjoy all that Harrisburg has to offer at 3^rd in the Burg tonight. While you’re out, pick up a copy of the magazine and, of course, don’t miss this week’s news coverage, right here.

TheBurg Podcast debuted a special Valentine’s Day episode this week. The show reveals the hidden gems of Harrisburg, according to nearly 25 of our podcast guests from the past year. Curious? Listen, here.

Chosen Friends Masonic Lodge’s legacy is deeply tied to Black history in Harrisburg, our magazine story reported. The fraternal organization has provided a sense of belonging and brotherhood to local men for decades.

Emmanuel Nsingani’s earthy emotional voice ranges from guttural lows to sobbing highs in his Afro-jazz music, our magazine story reported. He writes and sings lyrics in his native Lari, a language from the Republic of Congo, where he was born.

The February edition of TheBurg Podcast gives voice to people or causes representing minorities. Tune in to hear from three extraordinary local women.

Harrisburg, along with Dauphin County and nonprofit Impact Harrisburg, will conduct a disparity study to determine how and where the city can provide more opportunities to diverse businesses and contractors. The study will cost $250,000 and likely take a year to complete, according to our online story.

Harrisburg City Council passed its amended 2022 budget after it underwent significant changes by the new administration and council, our reporting found. The $70.7 million general fund budget is lower than last year’s and does not include a tax increase.

Heart & Soul Books opened this past weekend in Linglestown, our online story reported. The cozy shop features a wide range of books, with a focus on representation.

Midtown Cinema began to show “The Worst Person in the World” this week. According to our writer, you may find yourself relating to the main character.

Open Stage is currently staging “The Mad Ones,” an emotional musical experience. Our theater reviewer offers her views on the intense, yet comedic show, playing through March 12. Read more about it in our magazine story.

Public meetings, held by the city, are allowing Harrisburg residents to ask questions about the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money that the city is receiving. Consultant NW Financial explained to residents how the funds can be used, our reporting found.

Sara Bozich’s Weekend Roundup includes 3^rd in the Burg and plenty of other fun events. Find them, here.

Theatre Harrisburg is performing “The Secret Garden now through Feb. 27 at Whitaker Center, our online story reported. The theater’s adaptation of the classic story is emotive and evocative, says our reviewer.

Tour de Belt will return to Harrisburg as an in-person ride, our online story reported. The bicycling event will now feature a “Finish Line Fest” with live music, food trucks and entertainment.

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Harrisburg officials, consultants explain how millions in federal relief dollars can be spent

February 17, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

NW Financial consultants explain the American Rescue Plan Act funding to residents at a public meeting

With millions in federal COVID relief dollars raining down on Harrisburg, residents have some thoughts and questions about where it should go.

At a public meeting on Wednesday, city officials and consultants explained the parameters of using Harrisburg’s $47 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.

“There are lots of ways to use this money,” explained Julie Needham of NW Financial Group, LLC, a consultant to the city.

Harrisburg has hired NW Financial to provide professional advice on how to use the money within the rules that the federal government has set.

The city already has received half of its share of funding in May and is expected to receive the rest of the money this May.

While Needham said that cities are required to provide public notice of their use of the funds, they are not required to conduct community outreach and meetings like Harrisburg is doing. In fact, not many others are initiating that, she said.

“This is the only city we are working with that said, ‘we want to have community outreach sessions,’” Needham said.

The first of five meetings, held at the Boys & Girls Club on Berryhill Street, attracted a small crowd, but several residents did have questions.

For instance, people asked if the money could be used for specific things, such as youth programs, affordable housing development, rent relief and mental health assistance programs.

Others questioned how to ensure that the funds will be disbursed in an equitable way.

Needham simplified the “final rule,” a 437-page document that explains how ARPA money can be used, into a few categories:

Public sector revenues–using money to compensate for revenue lost during the pandemic
Public health and economic response–using funds to respond to public health needs or to assist households, businesses and nonprofits that were disproportionately impacted by COVID
Premium pay for essential workers–paying essential workers up to $13 per hour in addition to wages (not to exceed $25,000)
Water, sewer and broadband infrastructure–funding projects such as lead remediation, stormwater infrastructure improvements and green infrastructure projects

Under these categories, there are a multitude of possibilities for spending the money, Needham explained.

“The city is really in the driver’s seat here, and its preferences are really what should drive it,” said Tom Beckett, also with NW Financial.

Just this week, Harrisburg passed its 2022 budget, which includes using $8.8 million of the ARPA funds as reimbursement for COVID-related expenses. However, the administration made it clear that no additional ARPA money has been allocated yet.

However, at City Council budget workshop meetings, the administration discussed using funds to create a new health bureau in the city or to possibly fund new positions in the public safety department.

Mayor Wanda Williams and her administration will continue to listen to what the community wants at four more public meetings on the following dates:

Feb. 17: Allison Hill Center, 1524 Walnut St.
Feb. 22: Boys & Girls Club, 17^th and Hanover streets
Feb. 23: H*MAC, 1110 N. 3^rd St.
Feb. 24: Nativity School of Harrisburg, 2101 N. 5^th St.

All meetings will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

In addition to being held in person, all meetings will be live-streamed on the city’s Facebook page.

Once Harrisburg determines what it wants to fund, it must allocate the money by 2024 and spend the money by 2026, Needham explained.

“There are more ways to use the money than money that you have,” Needham said. “You have to pick and choose what is important to you.”

Residents can send in comments and questions to be included by emailing [email protected] no later than 4 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Comments and questions are limited to one per resident and must include name and address to be considered.

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Tour de Belt to return as a live event in June, adds festival at finish line

February 17, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda

Bicyclists ride along the Susquehanna riverfront during a past Tour de Belt.

After a lengthy hiatus, the Harrisburg area’s largest annual biking event will return live this year, capped by a new festival at the finishing line.

The Capital Area Greenbelt Association (CAGA) announced on Thursday that the Tour de Belt will return as an in-person ride after two years as a virtual, “ride-when-you-can” event.

“Tour de Belt is fun-filled event for bikers, walkers, runners, and their families that promotes healthy activity and environmental stewardship,” said Neelam Zaver, CAGA board member and Tour de Belt committee chair. “It also raises much-needed funds to support one of the capital region’s most beloved outdoor resources, the Greenbelt.”

In the Tour de Belt, participants loop around the 24-mile Capital Area Greenbelt at their own pace, starting on the main HACC campus in Harrisburg. This year’s event, which takes place June 5, will finish on the adjacent campus of Commonwealth Charter Academy, where a “Finish Line Fest” will be held, featuring live music and entertainment, food trucks and other fun activities, according to CAGA.

“We think that the addition of the Finish Line Fest, this will truly become a community event for everyone to enjoy,” Zaver said. “Even if you choose not to bike in the Tour de Belt, you can come out, have a good time, and support an important cause.”

The 22nd annual Tour de Belt joins a number of other annual area events that plan to return to their regular formats following two years of interruption by the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, Harrisburg’s Ice & Fire Festival returns fully as an in-person event on March 5.

In past years, the Tour de Belt has brought in more than 1,000 registered participants and over 100 volunteers, and organizers said that they expect potentially record-breaking participation this year. A virtual option also will be available this year, according to CAGA.

Proceeds raised by the Tour de Belt and Finish Line Fest will benefit CAGA and will be used to support improvements and maintenance of the Greenbelt. In 2021, the budget for these efforts surpassed $7 million and included increased safety of trail crossings at intersections, newly paved sections of the trail, and completion of the new Fort Hunter connection, according to CAGA.

“We’re incredibly thankful for the support of our corporate sponsors, and encourage any local businesses or organizations interested in getting involved to reach out to us at [email protected] for more information,” Zaver said. “It’s not too late to be a part of this year’s event.”

To date, sponsors of the 2022 Tour de Belt and Finish Line Fest include Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority (platinum sponsor), Boyer & Ritter LLC, Daflure, Dauphin County Parks and Recreation, Faulkner Subaru, Pennsylvania American Water, RKL LLP, Starr Insurance Inc., and Wilson Consulting Group.

The 2022 Tour de Belt takes place June 5, beginning at 9 a.m., on the main campus of HACC in Harrisburg, with the Finish Line Festival beginning at 10 a.m. on the nearby campus of Commonwealth Charter Academy. For more information and to register, visit their website.

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Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

February 17, 2022 | by Sara Bozich

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

What you’ll find:

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

For something new: Visit SoMa Harrisburg! Thursday or Friday (3rd in the Burg) to check out visiting pop-up vendors — this month featuring Cristiano Winery and Under the Bridge Cider.

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

Things on my agenda this weekend: Starting with a workout at Burn30, then it’s a SoMa destination kind of Thursday and Friday, including 3rd in the Burg. Saturday, we’re taking the kiddo to Baltimore with visits to the National Aquarium and Port Discovery Kids Museum, plus plenty of good eating and drinking! Follow along on IG.

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

For your weekend planning

Check out what’s happening in SoMa Harrisburg
View our local Restaurant Directory
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

Discover SoMa Harrisburg
It’s not too late to make this yummy cocktail
High Road Brewing will open in Camp Hill this summer
An immersive dining experience at Amorette in Lancaster | A Review
Submit your events for the Weekend Roundup

COVID-19 Disclaimer: Masking and social distancing policies may vary per business, venue, and event. All events are subject to change. Please be considerate, follow the rules, and be nice. And tip extra!

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

Like this content?

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Harrisburg, Dauphin County to partner to study contracting opportunities for diverse city businesses

February 16, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams, along with city and county officials, announced a disparity study on Wednesday.

According to Harrisburg officials, there are city businesses whose services have long been undervalued.

Harrisburg, along with Dauphin County and nonprofit Impact Harrisburg, will conduct a disparity study to determine how and where the city can provide more opportunities to diverse businesses and contractors.

“The disparity study will clearly highlight not only which businesses have been negatively impacted in terms of lack of access, but it will talk about ways to make it equitable,” explained Karl Singleton, the city’s equity and compliance officer, at a press conference on Wednesday.

In May 2021, Harrisburg City Council passed a resolution to enter into an agreement with Impact Harrisburg to conduct the study. However, it had been on hold until now.

According to Singleton, the study will evaluate how well the city has historically utilized disadvantaged businesses in its contracting and procurement. Within the study, they hope to get a grasp on the number of available minority, women, disabled and LGBTQ-owned businesses in Harrisburg and the opportunities, or lack thereof, that they’ve had. From there, the study will make recommendations for next steps for the city to take to better utilize and assist diverse businesses.

According to Singleton, a large part of the gap in opportunities for disadvantaged business owners comes from a lack of access to financial resources. He believes the disparity study will help.

“This hopefully gives us an access point to which banks and other financial institutions can now look upon these business and say they’re not only capable, but they’re ready, willing and able,” he said.

Econsult Solutions, LLC will perform the study at a total cost of $250,000, funded in equal parts by the three partners.

Singleton expects the study to be completed within a year.

Mayor Wanda Williams explained how important it is that the city and county are working together on this initiative, a partnership between governing bodies that hasn’t always been smooth, she said.

“It is the first of many important steps towards creating that better tomorrow for Harrisburg,” Williams said.

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Harrisburg City Council passes amended 2022 budget; spending plan is lower than last year’s

February 15, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg City Council held a legislative session on Tuesday

Just weeks after officially reopening the city’s budget, Harrisburg has approved an amended spending plan for 2022.

On Tuesday, 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 budget process, which usually takes months, this year was compressed into a number of weeks.

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 proposed budget, he explained that the city had made significant cost reductions to be able to “live within its means” and to balance the budget.

“We had to make a numerous amount of cuts, not that we wanted to, but it was in the best interest of the city to have a balanced budget,” Williams said.

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 will hire 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 (mostly sanitation), $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.

The city plans eventually to pass a supplementary budget to outline further ARPA allotments, but will first hold a series of meetings, starting this week, to allow for the public to provide input on the matter.

“This is the best budget that I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” said City Controller Charlie DeBrunner, who is tasked with ensuring that the budget is followed throughout the year. “This is an honest budget.”

When the new administration first introduced its proposed general fund budget, the overall amount was slightly less than the final approved budget. However, at a subsequent budget hearing, officials bumped up the spending figure to account for several added police and fire bureau positions.

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. Council also voted to remove five community service aide positions, which were unfunded in the police bureau’s budget. The administration initially proposed using ARPA funds for those positions. The police bureau’s proposed advertising budget was also slashed, from $76,000 to $20,000, and $800,000 in proposed funding for a police van was completely eliminated.

“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.”

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What you’ll find:

For your weekend planning

Top Weekend Recs

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Like this content?

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