Vegan, Begin: How to go vegan in 30 days in south central PA

December 29, 2021 | by Karen Hendricks

What happened in college is staying in college for Joe Kirkenir.

“I was active in a fraternity,” said Kirkenir of York. “So, I partied, ate and drank a lot of things I probably shouldn’t have.”

Then he made an “overnight decision” to change his lifestyle.

“I became vegan in 2014. I dove right in and turned things around, basically because of the ethics around it,” he said. “From my perspective, the main reason I’m still doing it is to live the most morally and ethically life I can.”

What exactly is veganism? A vegan doesn’t eat meat or any products derived from animals—such as eggs and cheese—but it’s more than a diet. Because vegans believe in treating animals with compassion, it’s also a lifestyle. That means using and wearing products that aren’t created from or tested on animals—from cosmetics to clothing.

“I can’t recommend the lifestyle enough. It’s a great way to make the world a better place,” said Kirkenir. “Becoming vegan is more mainstream than ever.”

He should know—Kirkenir currently serves as president for one of the area’s go-to vegan groups, Animal Advocates of South Central PA (AASCPA). The nonprofit’s mission is “to spread compassion for animals in a peaceful and respectful way.”

And January is a great time to give it a whirl, through AASCPA’s free 30-day “Vegan Challenge.”

“There are a lot of national resources, but we want to build a local community and show people there are local resources,” Kirkenir said. “We want to fill that void.”

He wants people to know they don’t have to do it alone—like he did, or go cold turkey on meat—like he did.

Veganuary Rhymes with January

January’s challenge ties into a national movement called Veganuary, plus New Year’s resolutions. This is AASCPA’s fifth Vegan Challenge organized by Seth Dellinger of Harrisburg—the group’s director of community engagement.

“The most common thing you hear is that people don’t want to eat animals anymore, but they just don’t know how to do it,” Dellinger said. “The way people are raised, sometimes they feel that animal products are inescapable. And sometimes people want to do it for health or environmental reasons, but the friction is still the same—they don’t know how to do it.”

Dellinger turned vegan about five years ago, after stopping by AASCPA’s booth at Kipona. Now, he enjoys sharing what he’s learned with others.

“We give you the tools to gradually step away and become vegan,” Dellinger said. “The goal isn’t to be vegan on day three, but to be vegan by day 30.”

Daily emails provide 30 different tools and resources, and everyone who signs up for the challenge is matched with a mentor.

“You can ask questions like, ‘Is there vegan whipped cream?’ and ‘How do I talk to my parents about this?’ and ‘What do I do during a business luncheon?’” Dellinger said.

One of the common misconceptions about veganism is the cost.

“It’s not expensive—that’s what a lot of people view as a barrier,” Dellinger said. “When you first walk into the grocery store, everything you see is vegan because you’re in the produce section. There are thousands of edible plants in the world, and most people eat the same three animals or the same fast food sandwich all the time—but there’s so much variety in inexpensive plant life.”

Plant Converts

The couple that goes vegan together, stays together—that could be the mantra for Jamie and Zach Albrecht of Carlisle. They signed up for one of AASCPA’s previous challenges, in September 2020.

“It was lockdown—we went vegan together, got married a month later and had a vegan wedding,” said Jamie, with a laugh.

So what motivated the couple to go vegan?

“I was interested in zero waste and minimalism, and I noticed that our meat packaging was a huge contributor to our waste,” Jamie said. “But in addition to that, going back to my childhood, I’ve always been a huge animal lover.”

Meantime, the health benefits intrigued Zach.

“I love being in the kitchen, I love cooking. So, I was looking forward to broadening my horizons with cooking and also the benefit of eating healthier,” he said. “Within a few weeks, I knew this would be something that wouldn’t end after 30 days.”

The couple educated themselves through AASCPA-recommended documentaries, but “everything clicked” when they visited a local sanctuary for rescued farm animals.

“Becoming vegan has given me more peace of mind,” Zach said. “I feel really good about what I’m eating, my impact on the environment and animals. It’s more of a mental health thing. I feel like I’m making a positive impact.”

His advice to those contemplating veganism?

“To be completely honest, it wasn’t as big of a change as I thought it would be,” Zach said. “There hasn’t been a single thing that I used to eat that I can’t veganize.”

One of his favorite dishes is tofu scramble, similar to scrambled eggs with veggies—replacing the eggs with tofu seasoned with turmeric and black Himalayan salt.

Although it’s too late to sign up for AASCPA’s current Vegan Challenge, future challenges are always being planned and website resources are available 24/7, including lists of local vegan-friendly restaurants, recipes and events.

Sometimes, connecting to a community is the best first step.

“Even though it’s called a vegan challenge, it’s really fun,” said Kirkenir, poking fun at their use of the word “challenge.”

“Veganism shouldn’t be a challenge,” he said “It’s more of a lifestyle, and it’s fun to be a vegan.”

For more information about Animal Advocates of South Central PA, visit animaladvocatesscpa.com.

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So Bad, It’s Bad: This month, you can meet a star of the terrible cult movie, “The Room”

December 29, 2021 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

What kind of impression do really bad movies have on our lives?

Some of us would probably say that they don’t impact us much at all. They filter in and out of the subconscious, and we turn our attentions to bigger and better things. But then, some of us haven’t seen “The Room.”

Produced in 2003, “The Room” has been touted across the board as the worst film ever made. With Tommy Wiseau at the helm as writer, director and leading man, the film follows (or tries to follow) a story of seduction and betrayal. Wiseau plays Johnny, a man whose life is upturned when he learns his fiance, Lisa (Juliette Danielle) is sleeping with his best friend, Mark (Greg Sestero). Complete with drama, drug busts, violent encounters and an overindulgent amount of sex scenes, the film tries its best to pass the threshold of good, but never makes it. It’s a perfect storm of bad acting, bad dialogue, plot holes and too many scenes where men pass a football.

And yet, audiences around the world have fallen in love with the off-kilter, accidental charm of this Hollywood disaster. In its 19th year of existence, “The Room” still has regularly scheduled screenings, even on a monthly basis at some cinemas. While it is universally known as a bad movie, it is also universally beloved.

As for its cast and crew, at least one person appreciates “The Room” for its bizarre impact. Greg Sestero, who played Mark, has said he’s come to appreciate the film for what it was and for its loyal audience. Since he wrote his first screenplay at 12 years old, Sestero had the filmmaking bug. As an adult, he jumped into the acting game and almost immediately scored a leading role in “Retro Puppet Master” due to his ability to speak in a French accent. The producers had struggled to find someone who could do a French accent and were settling for British, until Sestero auditioned.

“French was my first language,” he said. “And I walked in and said, ‘I can’t do British but I can do French,’ and they were like, ‘That’s actually what we need!”

After such a kismet audition, Sestero noted that new actors are always so hopeful for their first role, but “obviously we learn very quickly, usually [they] aren’t very spectacular. But I had a lot of fun.”

And then came “The Room.” Sestero took an acting class and met a “very peculiar, charming, eccentric, mysterious classmate” named Tommy Wiseau.

“I was kind of bored in a lot of these acting classes because everyone is very serious and focused on making sure they’re Laurence Olivier right off the bat,” he said. “But when you watch somebody go up who is so unique and chaotic in a way that’s entertaining… I found myself looking forward to going to class. So, I followed that intrigue and befriended this character.”

When Wiseau asked him to act for a film he was making, Sestero agreed. And the rest was history. It was a film that most of the cast and crew assumed would never see the light of day, and yet…

News spread of this gloriously bad movie. It somehow caught fire and began attracting crowds who wanted to see the hype for themselves. That is exactly what made it so popular—it transformed from a film into an event, a night to laugh and poke and commiserate with other viewers.

Several years into this strange infamy, Sestero took his experience on the set of “The Room” and wrote the book, “The Disaster Artist,” with the hope of adapting it as a film.

“At the time, people were like, uh oh, sounds as delusional as Tommy,” he recalled. “[But] three weeks after the book came out, I got a call from James Franco and Seth Rogen, and I couldn’t believe it. I was like, wait a minute. You can dream big and work hard, and sometimes it pays off.”

Fueled by that experience, Sestero continued his filmmaking career, writing and co-starring in “Best F(r)iends” with Tommy Wiseau in 2018 and helming “Miracle Valley,” which was released in 2021. He is trying new things. Miracle Valley is a horror flick, and now he’s in development for a film about UFOs.

“To continue to enjoy creating and surprising your audience is something I’ve been very fortunate to do and hope to continue to do,” he said.

It is amazing how much a bad movie has affected Sestero’s life. Bizarrely enough, what would have normally tanked someone’s career has opened up countless possibilities for him. And the same can be said for audiences of “The Room.”

“A lot of people come to screenings and talk about how they used ‘The Room’ at their wedding, or it introduced them to their significant other,” Sestero said. “It’s made people friends.”

There can be no denying that this happy trainwreck of a film holds a special place in our hearts and in Sestero’s heart, too.

“‘The Room’ is always gonna be something that people are drawn to and love,” he said. “I’ve come to appreciate it… It is what it is, and I think that’s great, and I just continue to do what I’ve always liked to do and tell stories.”

For those who don’t know the hype, Greg Sestero will be coming to Harrisburg for a screening of “The Room” and special Q&A on Jan. 23. There has never been a better time to be impacted by a bad movie.

Midtown Cinema is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com.

January Events At Midtown Cinema

National Theatre Live

“Follies”

Sunday, Jan. 9, 5 p.m.

“Warhorse”

Sunday, Jan. 16, 5 p.m.

Down in Front! improv riffing

“The Pumaman” (1980)

Friday, Jan. 14, 9:30 p.m.

3rd in the Burg Movie Night

“Clue” (1985)

Friday, Jan. 21, 9:30 p.m.

“The Room” (2003)

Featuring a live Q&A/Meet & Greet with Greg Sestero

Sunday, Jan. 23, 7 p.m.

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Penning Perspective: Local writer Fred Burton tackles contentious topic of fracking in novel “Bountiful Calling”

December 29, 2021 | by Harvey Freedenberg

When it comes to the extraction of natural gas from Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale territory, novelist Jennifer Haigh got it right when she entitled her 2016 novel on the subject “Heat & Light.”

In the debate over that process—hydraulic fracturing or “fracking”—there’s been plenty of the former and perhaps not enough of the latter.

Local writer Fred Burton has done his best to redress that balance in his second novel, “Bountiful Calling.” Although Burton’s sympathies lie with the opponents of fracking—his novel is dedicated to “all the people in the Marcellus Shale region locked in unfair fights because of fracking.”

It’s a nuanced exploration of the issue, balancing the perspectives of environmentalists, drilling companies and their political advocates, and, above all, ordinary families affected by the process.

Burton, a Harrisburg resident, explained that his interest in fracking was sparked by attending several demonstrations in the city opposing it in the early 2010s.

“I talked with some of the people from the affected areas, and I came to understand why they felt their communities were under siege and they were collateral damage,” he said. “And I really wanted to find some way to give voice to what they were going through.”

Burton’s protagonist, Joe, is an idealistic young legislative assistant to fictional state Sen. Jeff Bain, a Republican representing a district in north-central Pennsylvania. Lingering in the district after attending a contentious constituent meeting, Joe meets Nicole Marshall, whose family owns a lodge and 20 acres of farmland in the vicinity of the Loyalsock State Forest.

As fracking expands nearby, some delighted residents begin cashing sizable royalty checks for leasing their land to drilling companies, while others suffer from the environmental consequences. At the same time, Nicole and her parents discover that the previous owner of their property had retained the mineral rights and leased them to an Oklahoma driller. The planned operation will destroy half the farmland lovingly managed by Nicole’s father, Gabe. It will also inflict incalculable economic damage to their lodge business, as their guests seek out quieter, cleaner places.

These events propel Nicole into environmental activism. She becomes involved with a group called 2 Degrees that engages in acts of civil disobedience—its name an allusion to the temperature rise beyond which “the descent into a hellish environment would be swift and, at some point, unstoppable.”

Joe’s relationship with her turns romantic and becomes even more complicated when he’s asked to serve as the senator’s point man in a bid to land a multi-billion-dollar refinery for converting natural gas to liquid in the district. Along the way, he makes some disturbing discoveries about the integrity of state regulatory officials.

In all of this, Burton skillfully blends fact and fiction, shifting smoothly between the outer and inner lives of his characters. His novel is as much a human story as it is an attempt to illuminate a divisive environmental and economic issue.

He’s also interested in the moral dimensions of his characters’ actions. Both Joe and Nicole take, what he called in a 2020 interview, “very bold risks” at the end of the book, their actions “tied to an increased appreciation of their own humanity and the world in which they live.”

A Conduit

Burton began working on “Bountiful Calling” in 2014 and finished it three years later. He secured a publisher as a result of a pitch at a writer’s fair in Annapolis, Md., and he’s hoping Bancroft Press’s contacts in Los Angeles will increase the chances of a movie version of the book.

A native of Queens, N.Y.—the setting for his first novel, “The Old Songs”—Burton said he has always thought of himself as a writer, but recognized in his 20s that he’d have difficulty making a living at it. So, he spent his working life in the information technology field, before retiring several years ago.

Since then, he’s been writing full-time, devoting at least a couple of hours daily to the pursuit. Unlike writers who meticulously outline their plots, Burton describes himself as someone who simply “writes until I run out of gas.”

“All of a sudden, it starts cohering, and, if you’re really fortunate, it starts placing its demands on you, and you just become a conduit for the action that must happen,” he said.

“Bountiful Calling” was published in March 2020, just as the coronavirus pandemic was closing bookstores and cancelling author events. Burton regrets missing out on the opportunities he would have had to promote his novel in a normal time. With restrictions easing, he’s hoping he’ll have more opportunity to engage directly with readers.

He recently completed a third novel, “Man Made,” set in a dystopian future and inspired by an interview with Elon Musk about his Neurolink Corporation, a company developing implantable brain-machine interfaces. It’s a technology Burton eyes warily, especially when he views it against the “overreach of social media and the ease with which autocratic rulers can gain power.”

But for now, with “Bountiful Calling’s” multihued portrait of a complex issue, Burton wants to help at least some readers emerge from their information siloes to consider opposing perspectives. This shift, he believes, is desperately needed today.

“If I contribute to that in some small way, I’ll feel like I’ve accomplished one of my main goals,” he said.

“Bountiful Calling” by Fred Burton, Bancroft Press, 248 pages, $26.95. For more information, visit the author’s website at www.fredfburton.com.

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Siblings in Song: Veteran area musicians debut their new band, album

December 29, 2021 | by Jeff Falk

Image by Stella Talamo. Courtesy of Time Brothers.

There are thousands of aspiring musical artists across the United States, many of whom have never released an album. The act of creating, producing and recording an album demands stepping out of one’s comfort zone, putting oneself out there.

It also requires a certain degree of simply “going for it.”

The Time Brothers’ recent release of their first album, “October,” features all of the above. But it also includes the meshing of musical styles and the fruits of experience.

And of course, timing.

“It’s definitely a life accomplishment for a musician,” said Matt Wurst of Harrisburg, one of the two Time Brothers. “It really comes down to the originals. It’s not easy to be a fully original band. It’s hard to get people to like it. But if they do like it, hopefully it’s something to take forward.”

A Bridge

While an album may be a simple collection of songs, the process of creating an album and creating a track are two very similar processes. They both begin with inspiration and motivation, take on momentum with creativity and repetition, and conclude with approval and satisfaction.

“My style of songwriting comes from life experiences,” said Wurst, 37. “You bring it raw to band rehearsal. You play a little bit of it and try to decide if you like it or not. There are a couple of tricks to the trade. If you like it, then you just keep fine-tuning it and polishing it.”

York resident Jim Grinnen is the other Time Brother. Backed by the experience of creating an album with two other members of the one-time electric band, Blind Ellis, he and Wurst released the nine-track “October” in October 2021.

“It wasn’t a quick process,” Wurst said. “When we started recording, we had three originals, and then we wrote the other tracks as we went along. It was kind of like we were building a bridge as we crossed it.”

The Time Brothers started work on “October” in spring 2020, and it took 18 months to complete. The album was recorded at the Green Room Studios in Uptown Harrisburg and incorporated the collective talents of seven other local musicians, as well as a studio engineer.

“It is a daunting task. You can’t take it lightly,” Wurst said. “The other album that Jim and I worked on together was more raw. With this one, we were more confident on how to approach it and less self-conscious.”

Five of the tracks on “October” originated from Grinnen’s fertile imagination, while the other four came from Wurst. But each contributed something to every song, both creatively and musically.

“We’re a little bit of yin and yang,” said Wurst. “We come from different perspectives. We both have our strengths and weaknesses. We know our roles. Jim comes from a more folk and acoustic background, and I come from a more western background. I think we gel pretty well together.”

Those complementary styles interact well on the album. But there’s something more fundamental, more powerful about the synchronized sounds created by a duet.

“It’s a little more simple and basic than a four-member band, and I think that comes through in the album,” Wurst said. “There’s some light percussion in the background, and it creates this mellow, folk, acoustic sound that can be very accommodating to the ear. We kind of learn from each other, and we reciprocate back and forth with our different styles.”

Share Our Story

For Grinnen and Wurst, their band is very much a side hustle, an after-hours gig. By day, Grinnen is a teacher in the Baltimore area, and Wurst is an advisor to the chairman of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.

“Both Jim and I have full-time careers, but you need to have something to keep you balanced, and, for me, that’s music,” Wurst said. “It’s also helped me make a lot of friends. We don’t take it too seriously, but something like this couldn’t work if we didn’t work well together.”

For now, the Time Brothers have no concrete plans for a follow-up to their debut album. But they’re not averse to walking through the doors that “October” may open for them.

Wurst would be happy, he said, if the album helped them get more gigs in the area and thrilled if it led to some airtime on WXPN, a non-commercial music station out of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

“It was a nice result. We’re pretty proud of it,” Wurst said. “We just want to share our music, share our story and hopefully get people to like our album.”

“October” is available through major internet streaming services, including Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, Pandora and Deezer.

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Find Your Community: LGBTQ+ youth groups create safe, social environment

December 29, 2021 | by Rachel Lindsley

Illustration by Stephen Michael Haas

Young people spend many of their waking hours in spaces where they do not feel comfortable—at home, at school or at work.

This is especially true for youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning (LBGTQ+).

According to The Trevor Project, “71% of LGBTQ+ youth reported discrimination due to either their sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Regional youth can find an alliance and explore their identities at the Common Roads program—serving Dauphin, Cumberland, York and Lancaster counties. This LGBTQ+ youth-serving program has offered a drop-in social setting and community resources for youth and young adults since 1993.

“The Common Roads program is a space for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults to find community, connection and support,” said Amanda Arbour, executive director of the LGBT Center of Central PA.

Almost two decades after its founding, Common Roads merged with the regional LGBT Center, bringing the missions of the two organizations together as one nonprofit organization.

Gabe Taylor, now the Youth Programs Coordinator at the LGBT Center, grew up in the Harrisburg area and remembers the need they had for support and resources as a child discovering their identity.

“When I moved back to town, it was very important for me to get involved in the local LGBTQIA+ community,” Taylor said. “I want to be a possibility model for younger folks in the community who are also struggling to find themselves. It can be very difficult to find comfort in being your most authentic self if you do not have support.”

They use their experiences to continue the mission of Common Roads and speak to Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) school groups discussing resources available in the community. Taylor is proud to be a queer adult role model for students to look up to and a resource advocate for their community.

Friendly Spaces

The Common Roads program has been operating on a hybrid model since COVID-19, with the first meeting of every month being virtual.

The Harrisburg youth group (ages 12 to 17) meets on Wednesday evenings at GLO – Harrisburg, and the Lancaster youth group (ages 12 to 17) meets on Friday evenings online via Zoom. The young adult group (ages 18 to 29) meets on Sunday afternoons at GLO – Harrisburg.

Before each in-person meeting, attendees complete a COVID-19 screening and are required to wear a face mask while indoors. These two-hour social gatherings include sharing weekly updates such as highs and lows of the week and participating in themed activities.

“In honor of International Pronouns Day, we made pronoun pins and discussed topics such as school atmospheres and how to talk to parents about respecting pronouns,” Taylor said.

The LGBT Center hosts several youth-focused events throughout the year, including the largest LGBTQ+ youth gathering in central PA, the GSA Summit. Before COVID-19, the summit would see over 400 LGBTQ+ youth and youth adults come together to connect with other GSA or likeminded groups in the area.

“Our 13th annual summit was held in a virtual setting, but we are hoping to be in person this spring,” Arbour said.

Safe Space Prom was created to provide a friendly space for LGBTQ+ youth who may not be able to be their fullest selves at their own high school proms. In previous years, it has been held at Club XL in downtown Harrisburg and has invited drag artists and vogue dancers to perform. The LGBT Center looks forward to hosting a prom this June.

The last Saturday in July marks a historic event in the LGBTQ+ community—Harrisburg Pride. The Common Roads program wants to keep youth safe by offering a Youth After-Pride Party with pizza, music and comradery.

“Our after-party allows youth to celebrate Pride season in a comfortable and safe environment,” Arbour said.

“There are very few all-ages spaces available and even less sober spaces, so this party is fun but also very important,” Taylor said.

Last year, the LGBT Center bid farewell to its long-time home on 3rd Street and began researching to find their next community space. The LGBT Center looks forward to expanding on their programming and serving more community members in the future.

“We hope to be in a larger space to allow us to support more youth and continue providing a social space, three times a week,” Arbour said. “We also want to help youth find resources in the community, such as food, mental health services and housing—such as launching our Rapid Rehousing program.”

The Rapid Rehousing program will help LGBTQ+ young adults (ages 18 to 34) gain financial independence to live on their own. Through a 12-month program, individuals will be able to pay housing through aided assistance and gain financial responsibility.

Looking to get involved? Common Roads needs volunteer chaperones for their weeknight youth group meetings. Visit their website to learn more.

Weekly in-person group sessions do not require pre-registration and are currently being held at Glo – Harrisburg at 1701 N. 3rd St. Visit their website at www.centralpalgbtcenter.org for more information.

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Sopranos Soup: Hey, we got your pasta fazool over here

December 29, 2021 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

When I think back on the food my mother served during my childhood, I’m always struck by how eclectic it was.

We had American food like the rest of the people we knew—a nice rib roast for Sunday dinner and hamburgers on Saturday nights. A happy memory for me is eating barbecued spareribs in front of the TV to watch “Superman.” Life was good.

But often she turned to her Sicilian heritage and cooked what could mostly be considered peasant food: chicken soup with escarole and shreds of egg, lentils with elbow macaroni and chickpeas simply prepared with olive, salt and pepper. When she cooked stewing beef and bones to make broth, we would eat the boiled beef, along with some potatoes, for a separate dinner.

There was no fast food and no take-out. Not ever! This was our comfort food, especially in the dead of winter.

If there is one so-called Italian “comfort food” that would win a popularity contest out there in the culinary world, I think it would be pasta and beans. Now, you might know it as pasta fagioli or in Italian-American vernacular, pasta fazool. I have eaten pasta fazool in my mother’s kitchen, in wonderful New York restaurants and even made (surprisingly) by my younger son. Each one of these dishes has been a little different, and I have loved them all.

The recipe that follows is from “The Sopranos Family Cookbook.” It is one of my favorites because it is more like a stew than a “brothy” soup and also because it has a touch of tomato. You can make it with dried beans, soaked and cooked briefly beforehand, or good canned beans, which have been rinsed and drained. Find some good, crusty bread, sliced oranges and apples, and a fruity Italian red wine like Valpolicella. Be comforted on a cold January night.

Pasta Fagioli

Ingredients

8 ounces (about 1¼ cups) dried cannellini or great northern beans
1 celery rib, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup peeled, seeded and chopped fresh tomatoes, canned Italian tomatoes
1 teaspoon tomato paste
½ cup water or chicken broth
A pinch of dried red pepper flakes (more to taste)
Salt
8 ounces small pasta, like ditalini
Parmesan cheese (if desired)

Directions

If using dried beans, put them in a bowl with cold water to cover by 1 inch at least 4 hours or overnight.
When ready to prepare the recipe, drain the beans and place them in a pot with fresh water to cover by ½ inch. Bring to a simmer over low heat, cover the pot, and cook until the beans are soft (about 1 hour). Instead of these steps with dried beans, you can substitute 3 cups canned beans, rinsed and drained.
In a separate saucepan or soup pan, cook the celery and garlic in olive oil over moderate heat. When the garlic is golden in color, remove it from the pan. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, water (or broth), pepper flakes, and salt to taste. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the mixture is thickened.
Add the cooked beans and their cooking liquid or the canned beans to the tomato sauce.
Bring the mixture back to simmer, mashing some of the beans with the back of a large spoon.
Stir in the pasta, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente. Add a little water or broth if it seems too thick. But remember, it is a stew!
I add lots of grated Parmesan cheese to this dish, although the recipe does not include it.

If you splurged on your holiday roast beef, you will love this economical but nourishing meal (a little austerity in January).

And remember, as Dean Martin sang to us in 1953: “When the stars make you drool just like pasta fazool, that’s amore!”

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The Helpful 8: This New Year, resolve to strengthen your mind to cope with stress

December 29, 2021 | by Capital Blue Cross Staff

Each new year, Americans famously renew those promises to shed pounds and tone muscles, but some health experts say finding ways to strengthen our mental health is just as important as getting our bodies in shape.

“Stress can impact job performance, productivity, communication and other aspects of work life,” said Gina McDonald, senior health coach for Capital Blue Cross.

There are ways to help get the mind in shape to meet those mental health challenges, she added.

For example, McDonald and colleagues in the health, promotion and wellness team at Capital Blue Cross offer employer groups a presentation called “Healthy Mind Basics”—simple, scientifically based suggestions for strengthening the mind to better handle stress and anxiety.

“Think of it as a balanced ‘diet’ for mental health,” McDonald said. “There are ways to feed your mind with nutrients that will enhance your brain health. These are things that everyone can do, and that every employer can support in the workplace to help employees cope with stress.”

While not an exhaustive list, McDonald cited eight activities that can help strengthen the mind and lower stress levels.

Focus: Spend time each day on a special challenge that involves focus or stimulation. For example, prepare for a big presentation, lead a meeting, or plan an upcoming holiday event.
Play: Participate in hobbies and new experiences.
Connect: Take time to reach out to your inner circle to keep connections consistent.
Exercise: Move your body to increase your heart rate. Shoot for 150 minutes of moderate activity per week.
Reflect: Meditating in a quiet, calm place, even for five minutes, can help relieve stress.
Gratitude: Find a healthy way to express gratitude, such as journaling, writing thank you letters, or thinking about people who inspired you. Studies have shown that gratitude makes us feel happier and more content by altering neural structures in the brain.
Relax: Down time is important. Let your mind wander, whether it be watching television or a movie, scrolling your smart phone, or reading a book. Take time to unwind.
Sleep: Try for seven to nine hours each night. This is the time for the brain to rest and recover.

“Take notice where your mental health diet might need some more attention as well as where it strongly supports you each day,” McDonald said. “As our bodies need nutrients each day to thrive, so do our minds.”

For more information about Capital Blue Cross, visit www.capbluecross.com.

This column is sponsored by Capital Blue Cross.

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Community Corner: Notable Events in January

December 29, 2021 | by Missy Smith

January Community Corner

Penguin Plunge
Jan. 1: Welcome the New Year by taking a plunge into the Susquehanna River with hundreds of other supporters of the Humane Society of Harrisburg to help homeless animals in central PA. The 25th annual event begins at 10 a.m. on City Island beach in Harrisburg with the actual plunge at noon. www.humanesocietyhbg.org

Kids Cocoa Club

Jan. 1-15: Curl up with a good book with New Cumberland Public Library, 1 Benjamin Plaza. Grab the library’s packet and fill your hot cocoa cup with “marshmallows” (winter reading challenges). Update a reading log to earn a completion badge and prize. Grab your hot chocolate reward at the library before Jan. 31. www.newcumberlandlibrary.org

Photo Display
Jan. 1-30: View more than 100 photographs entered in Friends of Wildwood Park’s annual contest in the Olewine Nature Center, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, during business hours. Vote for your favorite photos. Winners will be announced on Jan. 16 at 1 p.m. People’s Choice Award winners will be named at the show’s conclusion. www.wildwoodlake.org

Winter Discovery
Jan. 2-30: Visit the Olewine Nature Center at Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., where special exhibits will highlight some of Wildwood’s animals in winter. The nature center is closed on Mondays. www.wildwoodlake.org

Classics Fest

Jan. 3-8: Gamut Theatre presents Classics Fest, a week-long festival of plays and performances celebrating diversity and classic works, coinciding with the international Shakespeare Theatre Association Conference in Harrisburg. Take in performances at Gamut Theatre, 15 N. 4th St., and Whitaker Center, 222 Market St., Harrisburg. www.gamuttheatre.org

Girls who Code
Jan. 4, 11, 26: Hershey Public Library, 701 Cocoa Ave., Hershey, hosts Girls Who Code, a program for girls in grades 6 to 12 who will use computer science to impact their community and join a group of supportive peers and role models. Girls will build skills in teamwork, confidence, time management, communication and more. www.hersheylibrary.org

Pedals, Pipes & Pizza

Jan. 8: This free 3-hour event introduces young musicians in grades 3 through 8 to the workings of the pipe organ, followed by a chance to play on several instruments at Lebanon Valley College, Annville. Check-in at 9:15 a.m. at Miller Chapel, 32 W. Sheridan Ave. www.harrisburgago.org/education

Birds & Coffee
Jan. 8: Stop by the Nature Center at Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, for a cup of coffee, tea or hot cocoa, 10 to 11 a.m. Join a naturalist and Appalachian Audubon to observe and count common feeder birds as part of Project FeederWatch. Appalachian Audubon members will also sell bird-friendly coffee. www.wildwoodlake.org

HBG Flea
Jan. 8: Shop the HBG Flea for local art, vintage treasures, curated curios and unique gifts, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., in Strawberry Square, Harrisburg. The mission of the HBG Flea is to create a platform for growth in the community by bringing artists, small businesses and patrons together in one place. www.hbgflea.com

Winter Edibles

Jan. 13: Join a Wildwood Park naturalist for a hike at Detweiler Park, 1451 Peters Mountain Rd., Dauphin, 2 to 3:30 p.m., with a focus on trees and edible winter foods. Become familiar with a variety of common species and a few recipes you can try at home. Dress for the weather. Cost is $5 and space is limited. www.explorewildwoodpark.org

Peaceful Poses

Jan. 14: Kids ages 3 and older are invited to go on a yoga adventure with Ann Fields, founder of Peaceful Poses Kids Yoga, at Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill, 10 to 10:45 a.m. Encourage your children to bring a story to life with yoga poses, deep breathing and exercise. www.fredricksenlibrary.org

Nature Lab
Jan. 14: Explore wildlife photography and filmmaking in a virtual nature lab with the State Museum of Pennsylvania, 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. Tracy Graziano, an award-winning wildlife photographer and filmmaker with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, will discuss her experiences documenting animals in their habitats. www.statemuseumpa.org

Film Fridays
Jan. 14, 28: Join Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill, for Film Fridays. On Jan. 14, view “Dear White People,” a social satire about Black students at an Ivy League college. On Jan. 28, view “Delicatessen,” about a butcher in post-apocalyptic France with an apartment building in constant need of a handyman. Showings are at 2 and 7 p.m. www.fredricksenlibrary.org

Martin’s Mission

Jan. 17: Carlisle YWCA, 301 G St., will host a full-day adventure for kids in kindergarten through fifth grade, to learn about Martin Luther King, Jr. and his legacy, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sessions include “Unleashed Potential,” Dickinson College’s Trout Gallery and Hope Station. A light breakfast and lunch are provided. www.ywcacarlisle.org

Annual Dinner
Jan. 17: Join the Capital Region Council of Governments at Best Western Premier, 800 E. Park Dr., Harrisburg, for its annual dinner, reorganization meeting and presentation of the Perry Albert Award. A reception begins at 5:30 p.m., with dinner starting at 6:30 p.m. www.capitalregioncog.org

2022 Farm Show
Jan. 8-15: Attend the PA Farm Show, the largest indoor agricultural show in the nation, at the PA Farm Show Complex and Expo Center, N. Cameron and Maclay streets, Harrisburg. Milk a cow, enjoy a famous Farm Show milkshake, learn first-hand the science and skills used in agriculture, and discover some new events and features. www.farmshow.state.pa.us

Networking Mixer
Jan. 12: Mingle with local business professionals at West Shore Chamber of Commerce’s January networking mixer, 4 to 6 p.m., at Healthy You Café, 4500 Marketplace Way, Enola. The event is free and open to chamber members. www.wschamber.org

SnowFest

Jan. 15: Celebrate winter at SnowFest, Greenwood Furnace State Park, 15795 Greenwood Rd., Huntingdon, 12 to 4 p.m. Take part in broomball, ice skating, free snowshoe trials, bonfire on the beach, winter camping, ice harvesting, animal tracking, fire starting and the Polar Plunge. www.juniatarivervalley.org

MLK Service Day
Jan. 17: The 13th Annual Central PA MLK Day of Service opening ceremony will be held at Hamilton Health Center at 110 S. 17th St. in Harrisburg. This year’s theme is “The Beloved Community—Ensuring Affordable Housing and Accessible Health Care For All.” Service projects take place throughout the Harrisburg area. www.centralpamlkday.org

Poetry & Storytelling
Jan. 17: Enjoy the World Affairs Council of Harrisburg’s annual MLK International Poetry and Storytelling Festival, 6 to 7:15 p.m. on Zoom, to experience the next generation of poets who celebrate and expand on Dr. King’s dream. Poets, writers and high school writers can submit poems and short stories through Jan. 13. www.wacharrisburg.org

Business After Hours

Jan. 20: Mingle with business professionals at Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC’s free networking event, hosted by Appalachian Brewing Co., 50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg, 4 to 6 p.m. www.harrisburgregionalchamber.org.

3rd in The Burg
Jan. 21: Check out the best of Harrisburg during 3rd in the Burg, the monthly arts and culture event, where you can explore and enjoy galleries, restaurants and art spaces throughout downtown and Midtown, 6 to 9 p.m. www.thirdintheburg.org

Book Sale
Jan. 22: Friends of the New Cumberland Public Library, 1 Benjamin Plaza, will hold pre-owned book sales on the first and third Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Foundation House, across the shared parking lot from the library. Find books, vintage items, jewelry, DVDs, CDs, kids’ books, vinyl records and more. www.cumberlandcountylibraries.org

Pedals, Pipes & Pizza

Jan. 22: This free, 3-hour event introduces young musicians in grades 3 through 8 to the workings of the pipe organ, followed by a chance to play on several instruments at Messiah University, Grantham. Check-in is at 9:45 a.m. at the High Center, 580 University Ave. www.harrisburgago.org/education

Preservation Priorities

Jan. 24: Historic Harrisburg Association will host a virtual first look at its annually updated listing of properties and sites deemed to have importance to the community, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Attendees can view the drafted listing and provide input and feedback, prior to its final adoption in February. www.historicharrisburg.org

Legislators’ Forum
Jan. 26: Join the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and the West Shore Chamber of Commerce for the 2022 Legislators’ Forum, featuring area members of the state House of Representatives, at the Hilton Harrisburg, 1 N. 2nd St., 8 to 10 a.m. Cost to attend is $70, or $45 for members. www.harrisburgregionalchamber.org

Discover Owls
Jan. 29: Families are invited to Kids Discover—Owls at Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, 10 to 11:30 a.m. for ages 4 to 6 and 1:30 to 3 p.m. for ages 7 to 10. Learn how to identify different species of owls by listening to their unique calls. Become a lab scientist and dissect an owl pellet to discover what they eat. www.wildwoodlake.org

Burns Night

Jan. 29: The Scottish Society of Central Pennsylvania will host the 67th Annual Burns Night Supper, a celebration of the life, poetry and music of the Scottish bard. Enjoy dinner, Burns poetry, bagpipe music, haggis procession, live entertainment and an opportunity to wear a kilt. A social hour will be held from 5 to 6 p.m., followed by dinner. www.pennscots.org

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Happenings: Our January Calendar of Events

December 29, 2021 | by Missy Smith

Museums & Art Spaces

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

License Plate Collectors Association Display, retrospective of vintage plates, January to May

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

“Situated: Confronting Identity,” featuring art by Bridie Alvarez, Destiny Santana, Larissa Ramey and Lucy Giboyeaux, through Jan. 6

“Figuratively Speaking,” winter membership celebrating the human form in all media, Jan. 14-Feb. 17; reception: Jan. 14, 5-8 p.m.

Shakespeare-themed art exhibit featuring Kim Stone, Carrie Wissler-Thomas and Tina Reiley, through Feb. 28 at Capital Blue Cross and in conjunction with Gamut Theatre’s Classics Fest

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

“Tom Ward, Fabric Artist,” featuring exuberant quilts and wall hangings that express themes of nature and spirituality through colorful works of art, Jan. 9-Feb. 27; opening reception: Jan. 9, 12:15 p.m.; other public viewings, Jan. 21, 6-9 p.m., and Jan. 22, 10 a.m. to noon.

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

“Seen,” an exhibit connecting viewer and artist in a conversation about our need to be understood and our preconceived notions of others, Jan. 7-29

“Presenting Racism: Stories from Our Town,” a collaborative exhibit to illuminate historical moments of racism in Carlisle and contemporary visions of equity and inclusion, Jan. 7-29

Dickinson College
The Trout Gallery
240 W. High St., Carlisle
717-254-8159; troutgallery.org

“Tracing Slavery: I—Moses Williams, Silhouettes,” cut-paper profiles by Williams with prints by contemporary artist Kara Walker, through Jan. 22

“Tracing Slavery: II—Kara Walker, Harper’s Pictorial History of the Civil War,” works highlighting the experience and identity of African Americans, past and present, through Jan. 22

“Horace Pippin: Racism and War,” centering on Pippin’s “Mr. Prejudice,” representing the artist’s response to the discrimination of African American soldiers fighting in World War II, through Feb. 19

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

“Winterfest,” a winter wonderland of art and crafts by members of the Millersburg Area Art Association, Jan. 5-Feb. 26

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

“Color, Pattern, Function,” Lydia Gasper Ceramics, through Jan. 29; artist’s talk and reception: Jan. 14, 4:15 p.m.

Metropolis Collective
17 W. Main St., Mechanicsburg
717-458-8245; metropoliscollective.com

“A Wintry Mix VI: Tangled Up in Blue,” with an emphasis on the wintry color of blue and its associated depth, honesty and sadness; reception: Jan. 21, 7-11 p.m.

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

New works by Millworks artists

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 Gallery, 1 S. 2nd St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

“Artisan Marketplace” holiday exhibition, filled with unique handmade items and art for local gift giving, through Jan. 15

7th Annual Juried Exhibition, featuring outstanding artwork in a variety of media, created by local artists, through Jan. 29

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

“Art of the State,” an annual statewide juried competition, through Jan. 2

“Witness to History: Colonel Paul Evanko’s 9/11 Field Notes,” featuring the head of the PA State Police’s handwritten field notes from the morning of 9/11, through Jan. 2

“Why Not in Pennsylvania? Campaigning for Women’s Suffrage in the Keystone State,” through Jan. 2

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

“Four Seasons and Seven Vices—Old Master Prints in Series,” examining stories of seasons, elements, planets, virtues and vices in Renaissance and Baroque-era printmaking, through Jan. 23

“Tradition Interrupted,” exploring how artists weave contemporary ideas with traditional arts and crafts to create thought-provoking hybrid images and objects, through Jan. 23

“Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You,” artwork by Irvin Rodriguez, through Feb. 20

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

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

“Emerging Artists Showcase,” through Jan. 28

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

“Photography Contest Display,” showcasing more than 100 photographs taken at Wildwood Park, through Jan. 29

Read, Make, Learn

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

Jan. 5: Beginner Level 2 Jewelry Making—Pierce Sawing, 6-8 p.m.
Jan. 5-Feb. 2: Wednesday In-Person Art Club (grades K-2), 3:45-5 p.m.
Jan. 6: As You Wish Earrings, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 7-Feb. 4: Friday In-Person Art Club (grades 3-5), 3:45-5 p.m.
Jan. 8: Vintage Tin Earrings, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Jan. 15: Art Together, 12:30-2:30 p.m.
Jan. 17: Celebrate Peace (ages 5-12), 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Jan. 18: Make a Journal, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 19: Suicide Loss Survivors, 5:30-7 p.m.
Jan. 19-May 4: Middle School Art Club, Wednesdays, 3-5 p.m.
Jan. 20-May 5: High School Art Lab, 5-7 p.m.
Jan. 21: Craft Beer & Clay, 7-9 p.m.
Jan. 29: Color Spheres, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Dauphin County Library System
dcls.org

Jan. 28-29: Friends Pop Up Book Sale, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

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

Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27: Fiber Artists, 3 p.m.
Jan. 8: Fiber Artists, 10 a.m.
Jan. 13, 27: Knitter’s Group, 5 p.m.
Jan. 15: Knitter’s Group, 10 a.m.

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

Jan. 12: Virtual Illustrated Lecture—“Honeybees: the View from the Backyard,” 7-8:15 p.m.

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

Jan. 3, 17: Zoom—Frederickson Writes on Zoom, 6:45 p.m.
Jan. 4: Curl up with the Classics—“Tender Is The Night,” 10-11 a.m.
Jan. 4: Teen STEM Drop-In—Transformative Works, 5:30-6:15 p.m., 6:30-7:15 p.m.
Jan. 4, 11, 18, 25: Career Exploration Workshop, 10:30 a.m., 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 5: Moving Forward Book Group w/ Hospice of Central PA, 1-2 p.m.
Jan. 5: Reimagining Work—A ‘Hear Me Out’ Dialogue, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27: Language at the Library—Spanish, 10-11 a.m.
Jan. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27: Discovery Zone Fun, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27: Resume Writing Workshop, 10:30-11:30 a.m., 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28: Get That Job! Workshop, 10:30-11:30 am., 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Jan. 8: Teen Crafternoon, 3-4:30 p.m.
Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29: Teen Grab and Go Bag (ages 7-12), 1 p.m.
Jan. 10: Philosophers’ Roundtable, 2-3:30 p.m.
Jan. 10: Mission Transition, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Jan. 10: Twisted Stitchers, 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 10, 24: STEM Grab & Go, 9 a.m.
Jan. 11: Comics Club, 6-7 p.m.
Jan. 11: READ to Dogs, 6:30-8 p.m.
Jan. 13: Plot Twisters, 6-7 p.m.
Jan. 14: Peaceful Poses Children’s Yoga Story Time, 10-11 a.m.
Jan. 14, 28: Film Fridays, 7 p.m.
Jan. 15, 29: Preschooler Craft Grab & Go Bag, 1 p.m.
Jan. 18: Cloud Storage Basics, 2-3 p.m.
Jan. 21: Family Movie Nights, 6:30-8 p.m.
Jan. 24: Virtual Fredricksen Reads—“The Lions Of Fifth Avenue,” 7-8 p.m.
Jan. 24: Home-Based Business Roundtable, 6-7:30 p.m.

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

Jan. 4-Feb. 22: Level 3—The Harold,” Tuesdays, 7-10 p.m.
Jan. 6-Feb. 24: “Level 2—Game of the Scene,” Thursdays, 7-10 p.m.
Jan. 10-Feb. 28: “Level 3—The Harold,” Mondays, 7-10 p.m.
Jan. 12-March 2: “Level 1—Intro to Improv,” Wednesdays, 7-10 p.m.

Harrisburg Young Professionals
hyp.org

Jan. 23: HYP Book Club, 2-4 p.m.

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

Jan. 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27: Penn State Hershey—Mothers & Babies Together, 10 a.m.
Jan. 4, 11, 25: Girls Who Code, 6 p.m.
Jan. 5: LEGO Club, 4 p.m.
Jan. 5: Hear Me Out—Reimagining Work on Zoom, 5:30 p.m.
Jan. 8, 15, 22: Chess Club, 1 p.m.
Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29: Beginning Crochet Class, 1 p.m., 2 p.m.
Jan. 10, 17, 24, 31: Books and Babies (birth-12 months), 10:15 a.m.
Jan. 11: 1, 2, Whee!, 10:15 a.m.
Jan. 12: Card Making Class, 6 p.m.
Jan. 13, 20, 27: Storytime for Everyone, 10:15 a.m.
Jan. 15: Cocoa Area Fiber Enthusiasts, 10 a.m.
Jan. 28: After Hours Board Games, 6 p.m.

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

Jan. 3, 10, 17, 24: Storybook STEAM, 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 4: Tween Scene, 6-7 p.m.
Jan. 4, 11, 18, 25: Tea and Stitches, 10 a.m.
Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27: Mah Jongg, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28: LEGO Time, 10:15-11:15 a.m.
Jan. 10, 24: English Conversation Club, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Jan. 12: Mad About Mysteries on Zoom, 7-8 p.m.
Jan. 14, 28: Dungeons and Dragons (ages 6-12), 6-8 p.m.
Jan. 15: Adventure Club, 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Jan. 15: Teen Squad, 3-4 p.m.
Jan. 17: Monday Night Book Club, 7-8 p.m.
Jan. 20: Thursday Morning Book Club, 10 a.m.
Jan. 25: Tabletop Game Night, 6-8 p.m.
Jan. 29: Creation Station, 1-3 p.m.

The LGBT Center of Central PA
717-920-9534; centralpalgbtcenter.org

Jan. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Passageways, 2 p.m.
Jan. 2, 9. 16, 23, 30: Young Adult Group, 4 p.m.
Jan. 5, 12, 19, 26: Common Roads (ages 12-17), 6-8 p.m.
Jan. 11, 26: Queers and Quests game night, 6 p.m.
Jan. 13: Aging with Pride Luncheon, 12 p.m.

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

Jan. 6: Book Club, 6-7 p.m.
Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28: Online Science Fiction Book Club
Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28: Star Trek Rewatch online group
Jan. 4, 11, 18, 25: Storytime and Craft, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Jan. 4, 11, 18, 25: Tales with T.A.I.L.S., 6-7 p.m.
Jan. 17: 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

Jan. 9: Mark Bowden and Matthew Teague livestream conversation, 5-6 p.m.

Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg
717-692-3699; nedsmithcenter.org

Jan. 1: First Day Bird Walk, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

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

Jan. 1-31: Beanstack Winter Reading Challenge
Jan. 3-24: Cozy Zoom Storytimes (ages 2-5), 10:30 a.m.
Jan. 6: Ruth’s Mystery Discussion Group, 10:15 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 6, 20: Block Party (ages birth-3), 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Jan. 8: Write-On Writer’s Workshop, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Jan. 11: Book Review Program, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Jan. 11: Tales for Tails (ages 6-12), 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Jan. 12: Pajama Party! (ages 3-7), 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Jan. 12, 26: Wednesday Great Books Discussion Group, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Jan. 15: Monday Great Books Discussion Group, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Jan. 15: Couponing for Extreme Savings, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 15: Children’s Book Writers Critique Group, 2-4 p.m.
Jan. 18, 31: Kid Builders! (ages 3 and older), 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Jan. 24: Music & More Mondays (ages 3-7), 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Jan. 26: KIND Club—Kids Interested in Novels of Diversity (ages 8-12), 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Jan. 26: PennWriters Writing Group, 6-9 p.m.

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

Jan. 10: Palmyra Public Library Book Club, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 24, 27, 31: Little Explorers Early Learning Classes, 10:30-11 a.m.
Jan. 27: Little Explorers Early Learning Classes, 1:30-2 p.m.

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

Jan. 29: 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

Jan. 2: Artists Conversations Gallery Tour with Stephen Althouse, 2-3 p.m.
Jan. 5: Explore! Owls in Pennsylvania, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Jan. 5-30: Highlights Tour, 1:30-2:30 p.m. (Wednesdays-Sundays)
Jan. 12: The Games & Puzzle Challenge, 11:30 a.m.
Jan. 13, 27: Curiosity Kids, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Jan. 14: Virtual Adventures in Nature Lab—Wildlife Photography and Filmmaking, 12:15-12:45 p.m.
Jan. 19: Explore! One-Room Schoolhouse, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Jan. 20: Family Gallery Tour—Paleontology, 11:30 a.m.
Jan. 22: Storytime, 10:30 a.m.
Jan. 26: Family Gallery Tour—Mammal Hall, 11:30 a.m.
Jan. 28: Learn at Lunchtime—Virtual Curator’s Choice, 12:15-12:45 p.m.

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

Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29: Saturday Morning Art Club, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29: Young Artist Camp, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 19: Life Drawing Class, 6-9 p.m.

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

Jan. 10, 12: Virtual Farm Show Workshops, 9-10 a.m.

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

Jan. 8: Birds & Coffee, 10-11 a.m.
Jan. 8: Kids Discover—Hibernation (ages 5-9), 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 11: Virtual Winter Lecture—History of the Susquehanna River, 7-8:30 p.m.
Jan. 13: Winter Edibles Walk, 2-3:30 p.m.
Jan. 15: The Wonders of Rocks (ages 4-6), 10-11:30 a.m.
Jan. 15: The Wonders of Rocks (ages 7-10), 1:30-3 p.m.
Jan. 16: Kids Discover—Winter Tracks (ages 5-10), 1:30-3 p.m.
Jan. 22: Rocks & Blocks Workshop, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 25: Virtual Winter Lecture—Geology of the Susquehanna River, 7-8:30 p.m.
Jan. 29: Kids Discover—Owls (ages 4-6), 10-11:30 a.m.
Jan. 29: Kids Discover—Owls (ages 7-10), 1:30-3 p.m.

Live Music

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

Jan. 21: Scotty McCreery
Jan. 27: Phillip Phillips and Jon Foreman
Jan. 29: Elvis Birthday Bash with Mike Albert and Scot Bruce
Jan. 30: Mike Albert’s Elvis Gospel Show with The Stamps Quartet

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

Jan. 7: Jazz in the City
Jan. 22: York Symphony—John Williams’ 90th Birthday

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

Jan. 14: Blitz Dynette
Jan. 15: Solar Federation RUSH Tribute
Jan. 21: Hall Williams Band, Nate Myers and the Aces
Jan. 22: Martini Brothers
Jan. 28: Harrisburg University presents MUNA

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

Jan. 1: The Commercials
Jan. 7: New Perspectives
Jan. 15: Nita Strauss
Jan. 20: Funtcase, SweetTooth
Jan. 22: The Lacs
Jan. 28: Riot Ten

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

Jan. 8-9: “The Enchanted Flute”
Jan. 22-23: “Broadway Tonight”

Harrisburg University Presents
concertseries.harrisburgu.edu

Jan. 22: MUNA at The Englewood

Market Square Concerts
marketsquareconcerts.org

Jan. 5: Tempesta di Mare

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

Jan. 30: Mendelssohn Piano Trio

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

Jan. 9: Charlie Zahm

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

Jan. 29: Windborne

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

Jan. 23: Citizen Cope
Jan. 28: Live At the Fillmore, Bloodshot, Junior Mack

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

Jan. 15: Appetite for Destruction Guns N Roses Tribute
Jan. 22: Big Fat Meanies, Bad Hand, Stonewall Vessels, The 25^th Hour
Jan. 27: Ghost Light

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

Jan. 7: DJ Kynz

Jan. 21: Josh Dominick

The Stage Door

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

Jan. 17-18: “Dancing with the Stars”

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

Jan. 14: PJ Walsh and Dan Mahoney
Jan. 28: “Broadway’s Next Hit Musical”

The Belmont Theatre
27 S. Belmont St., York
717-854-3894; thebelmont.org

Jan. 7-16: “Arsenic & Old Lace”

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

Jan. 3: “I Don’t Speak Spanish” (Classics Fest)
Jan. 4: “Shakespeare and the Alchemy of Gender” (Classics Fest)
Jan. 6: “Becoming Othello—A Black Girl’s Journey” (Classics Fest)
Jan. 7: “The African Company—The Mystery of the African Grove Theatre” (Classics Fest)
Jan. 9: “And To Be A Soldier” (Classics Fest)

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

Jan. 9: Queens Who Brunch

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

Jan. 7: Divas Down Under Anniversary Drag Show

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

Jan. 22-23: “Trolls Live!”

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

Jan. 14-30: “The Lion in Winter”

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

Jan. 14: “Dancing with the Local Stars”

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

Jan. 13-16: “Rock/Musical”

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

Jan. 21-Feb. 6: “A Murder is Announced”

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

Jan. 21-22: “Speak to My Soul—A Montage of Voices”

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

Jan. 20: Boozy Bingo with Felicia O’Toole

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Year in Review: The most popular stories of 2021, click by click

December 28, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg, you like new businesses but hate the spotted lanternfly.

Those are the chief takeaways as we do the math on our most popular stories of the past year.

We’re back with our annual, last-week-of-the-year tradition, totaling up your clicks and letting you know which stories scored the most hits since Jan. 1.

Interestingly, every one of these stories appeared only online, not in print, and not a single one involved government, politics or our editor thinking great thoughts.

But that’s fine with us, as we love covering stories about new businesses and the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit in this city.

So, without further delay, here are your top-10, most-read stories of 2021.

No. 10. Church Sells. Back in 2019, the Susquehanna United Methodist Conference put six of its churches on the market. Some sold quickly, others didn’t. At two-plus years, the historic Camp Curtin Memorial Mitchell UMC Church took the longest to find a new owner, but a Harrisburg couple finally bought the stately stone structure in June. The buyers haven’t yet announced a definite plan for the building, though I wouldn’t be surprised to find the project among next year’s list of most popular stories.

No. 9. Second Helping. Nyree’s scored two stories in TheBurg last year. First, we featured their west shore restaurant in our March magazine. Then, a few months later, we found out that owner Joe Hobbs planned a Harrisburg location, along with a nightclub, on 2nd Street. Since then, he has opened the doors of his downtown restaurant in the sprawling building that once housed Bridges Social Club and The Quarter.

No. 8. Soul Much More. In Harrisburg, 2021 was a big year for soul food. In Midtown, Isabelle’s Southern Cuisine debuted in March, the comfort-food project of owner Kim Ross. This was the first of three soul food/barbecue restaurants to open during the year. As mentioned above, Nyree’s also debuted, as did Zachary’s, a new eatery inside H*MAC that itself was among our most popular stories, sliding in at No. 23.

No. 7. Super Duper. For years, a new supermarket has been on the wish list of many Harrisburg residents, especially in neighborhoods deemed to be “food deserts.” In October, a local family—Ramon Contreras, Camila Contreras and Yamelyn Vargas—obliged, opening Market Fresh on the 2400-block of N. 6^th Street. The community embraced the new market with open arms, eager to read our online story and to purchase fresh food previously hard to find in the Uptown neighborhood.

No. 6. Trading Up. In TheBurg, we rarely publish stories about chain stores, using our limited reporting resources to focus on independently owned businesses. In 2021, however, we made an exception after learning that a Trader Joe’s planned to open next year on the west shore. We thought that both our city and suburban readers would want to know what some considered to be the event of the year in the Harrisburg area—nay, the century. Turns out, we were right, as people clicked on the story with enthusiasm that rivaled filling a shopping cart high with vegan tzatziki, Taiwanese green onion pancakes and two-buck Chuck.

No. 5. Last Call. A few years back, Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse tried to shut down a Midtown bar called the 3^rd Street Café. He ultimately failed, but, as it turned out, the bar’s days (actually, years) were numbered anyway. In 2021, the owner sold the building, as well as the one next door, to two different buyers. The new owners both plan extensive renovations, with one building slated to become a restaurant/bar and the other an apartment building.

No. 4. Restaurant Redux? For those who remember Harry’s Tavern, this was welcome news indeed. A former co-owner planned to revive some aspects of that fondly remembered Allison Hill restaurant at a new location, an old-fashioned diner building on Herr Street near the Susquehanna Township line. Our January story received thousands of hits, though the restaurant itself didn’t make it through the year, shutting down a few months ago due to the recurring pandemic and the related problem of finding reliable help.

No. 3 & No. 2. Hit the Beach. So, this has never happened before. A single business took both second and third place for our most-read stories of the year. In May, we published an online story that two local businessmen planned to open the Harrisburg Beach Club on City Island, renovating the city’s century-old, long-shuttered bathhouse in the process. Then, five months later, we published another story stating that they were about to open. The owners admitted that early November was not the ideal time to open an outdoor venue in Harrisburg, Pa., but that various delays left them with no choice. We can’t speak to the popularity of hanging out on City Island in the cold, but we can say that, combined, these two stories were hot items on our website.

No. 1. Die Fly! Does bad news trump good? We could make a case for that, as, for the second year in a row, a bad-news story became our most-read of the year. In 2020, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic topped our annual list. This year, it was another type of plague—the spotted lanternfly. We were shocked that a relatively brief September story about this invasive pest quickly rocketed to the top of the news heap. However, we apparently underestimated how much people wanted to be rid of this fluttery menace. Thanks so much to the Harrisburg city forester for helping us out on this one, offering timely advice to some 26,000 inquiring minds. So, what’ll be tops for 2022? Frogs? Locusts?

For a different take on 2021, our editor will have his annual list of top local news stories in the January magazine, which drops on Dec. 29. Does his list differ from that of our readers, who voted with their clicks? Return on Wednesday to find out!

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