Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

December 9, 2021 | 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’s inside:

For your weekend planning:
Top Weekend Recs
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
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Need something NEW to do? ‘Twas the Night Before in downtown Camp Hill on Thursday, Dills Tavern Christkindlmarkt on Fri or Sat, Joy To The Burg Music Showcase at The Englewood on Sunday

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

Things on my agenda this weekend: Christmas Spirit Light Show, holiday party

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

For your weekend planning:

Plan your holiday travel now with this tip
Shop these great local markets.
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

My #shoplocal Holiday Gift Guide is here
WIN a Holiday Gift Pack from Lancaster Brewing Co. Harrisburg
Best gift for music + beer lovers
Wine gifts + holiday prep in one – check!
Totally stumped? Find (the best) practical gifts here.
Update your bar cart for the holidays

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

Thursday

‘Twas the Night Before Luminary Event in downtown Camp Hill
- Try new December drink specials at Cornerstone Coffeehouse
- Shop & sip spiked hot chocolate at Moxy Salon
- Shop & sip festive cocktails at Little Black Dress
- Live in Color Boutique
- much more
Open Stage presents A Christmas Carol
Throwback Thursdays with DJ Caraby at The Englewood
Harrisburg University Presents The Glorious Sons at XL Live
Deck the Halls at at the John Harris Simon Cameron Mansion
New Cumberland Food Truck & Restaurant Rally
Hershey Area Sparkle & Shop
Holiday Movie Trivia at Hemauer Brewing Co
Beginner Level Macramé Ornament Workshop
Open Stage presents Black NewsBeat with Dr. Kimeka Campbell
Pentatonix to Deck the Halls at GIANT Center

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

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Boutique, salon to open in Strawberry Square, completing 3rd Street shops

December 8, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda

Sarinity Beauty Bar and, next door, AMMA JO, soon will open on N. 3rd Street.

Two new shops are due to arrive next week in downtown Harrisburg, as Strawberry Square fills up its 3rd Street retail spaces.

The first, AMMA JO, will have a grand opening on Dec. 15 at 7 N. 3rd St. The boutique will feature handbags, accessories, clothing, jewelry and other items for women, as well as a men’s section.

For several years, AMMA JO was located in retail space inside Strawberry Square, but that location has been closed for some time.

“We are returning to the downtown because we just loved our experience in Strawberry Square, and we feel that the energy is coming back to the downtown experience,” said owner Amma Johnson. “We want to be a part of that!”

Johnson will be neighbors with Sarinity Beauty Bar, which will open next door at 5 N. 3rd St. Sarinity will offer skincare, spa service and beauty treatments.

“I am ecstatic to provide affordable spa services to the downtown and surrounding areas,” said owner Arian Romaine.

With these new shops, Strawberry Square has leased all the retail spaces in its “Shops on 3rd at Strawberry Square,” said Brad Jones, president and CEO of Harristown Enterprises, which owns the mixed-used building.

“Shops on 3rd has really become a fantastic collection of unique fashion boutiques, restaurants and health and beauty services for this outstanding downtown corridor,” Jones said.

AMMA JO is located at 7 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg, and will have its ribbon-cutting on Wednesday, Dec. 15, at noon. For more information on AMMA JO, visit their website.

Sarinity Beauty Bar is located at 5 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg, and will have its ribbon-cutting on Friday, Dec. 17, at 10 a.m.

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Harrisburg City Council weighs 2022 budget, raises for city union workers, development projects

December 8, 2021 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg City Council meeting on Tuesday.

Harrisburg budget workshops usually take multiple hours and several meetings for City Council to discuss.

But Tuesday’s discussion only took a few minutes.

At the work session, city Solicitor Neil Grover explained that the administration proposed a placeholder budget, with no property tax increase, in anticipation of Mayor-elect Wanda Williams reopening and amending the budget after she’s sworn into office next month.

If approved by council, Harrisburg will adopt a 2022 budget that is essentially the same as the 2021 budget, with the general fund amount totaling $79.2 million.

But the budget may change next year when Williams takes office and presents council with a new budget. The final 2022 budget must be adopted by Feb 15.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse was not in attendance to present the budget, as he has in years past.

“We are just doing this to make sure we can carry forward and pay our bills and pay salaries in the early part of January,” council vice president Ben Allatt said. “This is a standard practice within a changing administration.”

Additionally, council discussed the 2022-2025 Basic Labor Agreement between the city and the local labor union for city employees, Local 521, American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME), District Council 90. This includes most non-uniform and non-managerial city employees.

Under the contract, AFSCME workers would receive 3% raises each year for the next four years. They would also receive a $3,000 bonus in 2022, $1,500 in 2023 and $1,000 in each of the following two years.

Williams, currently the council president, voiced concern about the contract being finalized before Harrisburg’s budget and how that could affect raises for employees.

“I just don’t want January to come, and you have 100-plus employees who you promised a 3% raise, and I find that I don’t have enough money to pay that,” Williams said. “I don’t have a budget that was done for me. Now, I have to do a budget.”

According to the administration, the raises and bonuses were brought to Harrisburg’s finance office and found to be feasible.

Also on the table is a bill that would establish procedures for public contracting within the city. The bill would make certain certifications required for contractors, such as certified apprenticeship programs, and bolster review procedures.

In other council action, members discussed a proposal for the development of a mixed-use building in Midtown that includes 12 apartment units and a community center. The plan also includes building eight townhouses. The development would take place on the 1600-block of N. 3^rd and Logan streets.

The project, led by developers Chris and Eric Bryce, along with Harrisburg Commercial Interiors, represents a portion of a planned multi-phase development in the Midtown area. The team has been selected by the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority to complete both the unfinished Capitol Heights and MarketPlace developments on both sides of Reily Street.

When council questioned whether they would incorporate affordable housing into their project, Matt Long of Harrisburg Commercial Interiors said that they are still considering it for this phase. However, they already plan to include affordable apartments in the second phase, he said.

Williams wasn’t sold on that proposal.

“We can’t continue to keep putting people in apartment complexes,” she said. “They need to be single-family homes so children can have a yard. I don’t agree with this. My vote is no on this. I encourage development in the city, but I also want you to take into consideration the needs of the residents here.”

Long said that affordable townhomes would be part of later phases of the project.

Council expects to vote on the land development plan next week.

Lastly, four possible appointees to the Harrisburg Zoning Hearing Board came before council, including James Hobbs, Matthew Pianka, Claude Phipps and Anna Bianco. Currently, the zoning board does not have a quorum.

City council will hold its next legislative session on Dec. 14.

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Mentorship Milestone: Big Brothers Big Sisters Capital Region celebrates 40 years.

December 7, 2021 | by Karen Hendricks

President and CEO Amy Rote welcomes attendees to Tuesday’s celebration of Big Brothers Big Sisters Capital Region’s 40th anniversary, held at the Penn Harris Hotel.

‘Tis the season—not only of holiday joy, but for college applications, admissions and acceptances.

And Rahina is a Harrisburg teen who just received the news of a lifetime.

She was admitted to the college of her choice—the University of Pennsylvania—but the news gets even better: She was granted a full scholarship, “a full ride” to the prestigious Ivy League school.

And her success gets even sweeter.

She was able to share her news from the stage Tuesday, before hundreds of Harrisburg-area business leaders gathered to celebrate Big Brothers Big Sisters Capital Region’s (BBBSCR) 40th anniversary.

Collective gasps, smiles, applause and even a few tears, rippled through those in attendance—especially when she gave full credit to her BBBSCR mentor.

“I have the best mentor ever—thank you Stacy and Beyond School Walls,” Rahina said. (The last names of youth participants in BBBSCR programs are not disclosed.)

Beyond School Walls is a BBBSCR initiative that pairs middle and high school youth with workplace mentors at Harrisburg-area businesses. It’s just one of many programs flourishing under the nonprofit’s umbrella and highlighted in Tuesday’s anniversary celebration held at Camp Hill’s Penn Harris Hotel.

“Every one of you is here because of a connection,” said Amy Rote, BBBSCR president and CEO, as she addressed attendees ranging from teens—“little brothers and sisters”—to community leaders serving as “big brothers and sisters,” board members and corporate sponsors.

Attendees at the Big Brothers Big Sisters Capital Region’s 40th anniversary celebration

The nonprofit BBBSCR’s mission is to “create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth” over a five-county area—Dauphin, Cumberland, Lancaster, Lebanon and Perry.

Dayna Smedley was seated around a full table of Deloitte’s Mechanicsburg employees involved in BBBSCR.

“I grew up in a household with a single mother, so for me, it’s very important to connect students with mentors to help guide them … it’s very helpful to their future,” Smedley said.

Additional community sponsors in attendance included Capital Blue Cross, The GIANT Company and Mid Penn Bank, among many others.

Throughout the celebration, “bigs” and “littles” took to the stage to share their stories, memories and testimonials. One of the highlights was the story of “big brother” Dylan Gallucci of Mechanicsburg, and his “little,” Josh, now 21.

“I have seen Josh’s ideas and interests evolve,” Gallucci said, reflecting on their 10-year relationship. “Coming into his life when he was 11 or 12 changed his vision for where his life was going.”

Through a taped video interview, Josh explained the impact Dylan and BBBSCR had on his life.

“Not having a father figure, I had challenges growing up, including feelings of abandonment,” said Josh. “I was a little bad ass kid. I feel like I would have been in jail had I not found Dylan—I would be dead probably.”

Attendees at the Big Brothers Big Sisters Capital Region’s 40th anniversary celebration

One attendee who has seen the nonprofit’s growth first-hand over the full range of its 40 years is Monica Gould of Mechanicsburg.

“I was a college student at Dickinson when I was first matched with a little … that was 1981 … the year the organization was founded,” said Gould, who went on to serve BBBSCR as a board member and develop its strategic plan—something that’s in her wheelhouse as founder and president of the Mechanicsburg-based firm, Strategic Consulting Partners.

Among all the success stories, the mentorships and matches, the programs and initiatives, BBBSCR board chair Eric Kiehl honed in on the underlying reason for the organization’s longevity.

“I’m dedicated to this organization,” said Kiehl, “because it makes such a difference in our lives.”

For more information on Big Brothers Big Sisters Capital Region, see https://capbigs.org/.

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Paleo-lific: HU professor Steven Jasinski has named seven new dinosaurs—and counting

December 7, 2021 | by Dan Miller

Steven Jasinski

The name of every new dinosaur species tells a story.

The one recently named by Harrisburg University professor Steven Jasinski—Sierraceratops turneri—is no exception.

“When you go about naming a dinosaur, often times you have to decide what you are going to honor,” Jasinski said, describing how he and other researchers decided what to call the newly discovered horned dinosaur species they uncovered in fossil bones near Truth or Consequences in New Mexico.

Sierra is for Sierra County, the county in New Mexico where the fossil bones were found. Ceratops is the ending commonly used for dinosaurs of the three-horned variety.

Turneri? That honors Ted Turner, founder of CNN and owner of the ranch where the fossil bones were discovered. So Sierraceratops turneri unpacks as “Turner’s Sierra horned dinosaur, or Turner’s horned dinosaur from Sierra,” said Jasinski, of HU’s Department of Environmental Science and Sustainability.

“All dinosaur names can be pulled apart in various ways to figure out what it translates as,” he said.

Scratching the Surface

You’ve no doubt heard of Tyrannosaurus rex, but do you know what that name means?

Tyranno equals tyrant, saurus means lizard and rex means king, “so it translates into a tyrant lizard king,” Jasinski said.

Jasinski has participated in naming and describing two newly discovered dinosaurs within the past year. Sierraceratops turneri is the seventh dinosaur species he has named, on his own or as part of a team.

He’s on a roll, but he’s far from the most prolific of dinosaur discoverers.

A bitter rivalry between two American paleontologists—Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope—fueled research leading to discovery of more than 100 new dinosaur species in the United States in the late 1800s.

Jasinski said that at least 1,100 to 1,200 dinosaur species have been named in all. Mark Norell, chair of the American Museum of Natural History’s Division of Paleontology, sets the number at 1,200 to 1,300.

Dinosaurs lived from about 225 million years ago to about 66 million years ago. A new species evolved about every 2 million years.

“We are kind of only scratching the surface” regarding how many dinosaur species have been discovered compared to how many more await discovery, Jasinski said. “We have at least several thousand more that we could and should be able to find.”

If researchers keep discovering dinosaurs at a rate of 15 or so a year, roughly half the number of discoverable dinosaur species will have been found by 2037, based on research by Steve Wang of Swarthmore College and Peter Dodson of the University of Pennsylvania.

Advances in technology are speeding up the rate of discovery, but mostly on the back end, Jasinski said. Technology allows researchers to get to areas they couldn’t before. But once there, it comes down to what researchers have been doing since the days of Marsh and Cope.

“Get on your hands and knees or walk miles and look for bone fragments and then start digging by hand,” Jasinski said.

It’s in the laboratory where technology is making a difference and accelerating the pace of dinosaur discovery.

For example, with CT scanning, “you can look and find features that you would have never seen that show you there are vast differences in some of these fossils that you wouldn’t have realized,” Jasinski said.

Researchers are also going to new places to find dinosaur species.

In the United States, the area of New Mexico where Sierraceratops was discovered is relatively untapped, compared to the northern Great Plains from Wyoming to Alberta, according to Dodson, who was not connected with the research by Jasinski and the others.

Outside North America, Jasinski said that researchers are focusing on areas in China and in South America.

A Gateway

Other than to provide new material for action toy figures, video games and movies, what can we learn today from discovering new dinosaur species that lived and died millions of years ago?

Plenty, Jasinski said. These species went through climate change and extinction.

“How they reacted to those things is really telling to how today’s animals are going to react to those same kinds of conditions,” he said.

Like most kids, Jasinski grew up liking dinosaurs. He grew out of that and went to school to become a chemist, like his father. But Jasinski soon found he didn’t like chemistry that much.

He was drawn to paleontology after he took a class from a professor who “rekindled my love of all of these things from the past, including dinosaurs.”

The first time Jasinski named a new dinosaur was “incredible,” he said. He uses the same word to describe every time since he has been involved in naming a new dinosaur species.

Dinosaurs are “a gateway” for getting many young people interested in the sciences who would not otherwise be, he said.

They may end up in other fields, such as becoming veterinarians or biologists. But dinosaurs lit the spark, a spark that Jasinski sees in talking to young students with no interest in science who “light up” when he starts talking about dinosaurs.

“They make people interested in discovery and just going into the scientific process and learning things,” he said. “If that gets people interested in chemistry, and we get a lot more chemists and chemical engineers out there who get into this simply because they were interested in dinosaurs, I think that’s absolutely wonderful.”

For more information on Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, visit www.harrisburgu.edu.

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State announces grants for development projects, including for Hamilton Health, the Atlas

December 7, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda

The Atlas was one of numerous Harrisburg area projects to receive RACP grants.

Hamilton Health Center, the Atlas Building and Susquehanna Union Green were among the big winners locally, as the state today announced the recipients of major development grants.

Under the 2021 Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP), Hamilton Health will receive $2.5 million to build a new primary care facility as part of the mixed-use Steel Works development on Front Street in Steelton, a project of Wormleysburg-based Integrated Development Partners.

The amount fully funds the $2.5 million application request.

Harrisburg-based Hamilton Health plans a 20,000-square-foot satellite location as the final component of the Steel Works project, which includes residential, commercial and retail components.

“We are extremely pleased,” said Jeanine Peterson, Hamilton’s CEO, when reached by telephone. “The funding will allow us to do this project.”

Peterson added that the funding is testament both to the need for its services in the Steelton/Highspire/Middletown area, as well as to Hamilton’s 50-year track record caring for the underserved in central PA.

The facility will become Hamilton’s seventh satellite location, Peterson said.

The Atlas Building in Uptown Harrisburg also will receive $2.5 million, as it continues renovating the century-old, long-empty, 50,000-square-foot building at N. 6^th and Maclay streets in Harrisburg. The grant will pay for both interior and exterior work for the commercial project, including a new sprinkler system, green space and parking, according to the application.

“I’m excited to move forward on the Atlas Building project,” said Adam Maust, principal of building owner, Mighty Group Holdings, in a texted statement.

The company received half of the $5 million requested in its RACP application.

The Vartan Group’s Susquehanna Union Green town center project also will receive $2.5 million, half of the requested $5 million. The money will help fund continued infrastructure and construction work on the commercial/residential project in Susquehanna Township, including stormwater, green space, sidewalk and roadwork components, according to its application.

Other RACP recipients in the greater Harrisburg area include:

Allenberry Resort & Lodging for various improvement projects ($2.5 million)
Carlisle Regional Arts Performing Center for renovations ($1.26 million)
Sadler Health Center Trindle Road Mechanicsburg for building renovations ($2 million)
Penn State College of Medicine Comparative Medicine Research Facility in Hershey II for construction and renovation ($3 million)
PSU-HBG Bio-Behavioral Research and Education Clinic in Middletown II for renovations ($419,032)
Swatara Township Municipal Complex Facility for a new public safety building ($600,000)
West Hanover Township Municipal Complex for construction of a new, 15,000-square-foot building ($1 million)

Generally, companies and organizations in the city of Harrisburg did not fare well in this year’s RACP round. Eight other projects based in the city applied for RACP funds, but received no money. These include:

The Bridge for re-development of the former Bishop McDevitt High School building ($4 million requested)
Dauphin County Library System for renovation of the Haldeman Haly House and expansion of the McCormick Riverfront Library downtown ($1 million requested)
Harrisburg Events Center for continued renovation of the historic King Mansion ($2 million requested)
Harrisburg Scottish Rite Cathedral for renovations and theater preservation ($1.02 million requested)
Harrisburg city for renovations to the City Government Center ($8 million requested)
400 Reily Street Management for a new apartment building and parking garage at 400 Reily St. ($5 million requested)
Market Street Quad LLC for a new pocket park on Market Street in downtown Harrisburg ($1.5 million requested)
Presbyterian Senior Living for renovations to their downtown Harrisburg apartment building ($2.5 million requested)

The commonwealth’s RACP program is intended for regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational and historical improvement projects, according to the PA Office of Budget.

For more information about the state RACP program, including 2021 applicants and awards, visit the RACP website.

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Harrisburg School Board members sworn-in, tasked with advocating for children

December 6, 2021 | by Maddie Gittens

Screenshot from the virtual school board reorganization meeting.

The Harrisburg School District has a few new faces in office.

At a virtual reorganization meeting on Monday night, the district swore in six board members, four of whom took their seats for the first time.

Dauphin County Magisterial Judge Sonya McKnight led the swearing-in of the following board members, who were elected last month:

Brian Carter- 4-year term (re-elected)
Danielle Robinson- 4-year term (re-elected)
Roslyn Copeland- 4-year term
Jaime Johnsen- 4-year term
Terricia Radcliff- 2-year term
Ellis R. Roy- 2-year term

“This is an incredible time to work together to really support the students, families and staff members of the Harrisburg School District,” Receiver Janet Samuels said. “I’d like to encourage the board members to step out there and to make a difference.”

Board members voted for Brian Carter for president of the board and Steven Williams for vice president.

While the district is under court-mandated state receivership, board members do not have the power to vote at meetings. However, certain directors do serve as Dauphin County Technical School committee members, Pennsylvania School Board Association liaisons, Capital Area Intermediate Unit board members and the district’s Recovery Plan Advisory Committee members.

Samuels encouraged them to interact with community members and build partnerships to benefit the district.

“Just because we are in receivership, that does not mean that our advocacy stops,” Carter said. “We can advocate for our kids to get that quality education, and I look forward towards doing that.”

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HACC to provide scholarships to Black students pursuing public safety careers

December 6, 2021 | by Maddie Gittens

HACC entrance

Harrisburg Area Community College hopes to help fill a representation gap that they perceive in local public safety professions.

Through a $112,500 grant from PNC, HACC will offer full-ride scholarships for low- to moderate-income Black students to attend their police academy or EMT program.

“Thanks to this partnership with HACC, we will be one step closer to ensuring that our heroic first responders reflect the communities they serve,” said Jim Hoehn, PNC regional president, central Pennsylvania, during a virtual press conference.

The grant will extend over three years and assist 36 HACC students. The scholarships will cover tuition, books and other fees.

HACC officials said that they hope the program will engage and equip Black students to pursue a career in public safety and bring needed diversity to the field.

“For many, the worst day of their life is the day they need the services of our fire, police or emergency medical services,” said Vic Rodgers, vice president of workforce development and continuing education at HACC. “We think it is important that when you are going through an emergency, that you see yourself represented in the first responders who answer the call.”

HACC plans to conduct outreach to the local community about the scholarships in the coming year, explained Linnie Carter, vice president of college advancement and executive director of the HACC Foundation.

“We want to attract Black residents who will know that there’s a place for them within this profession and a place for them at HACC,” she said.

For more information on the scholarship program or to apply, visit HACC’s website.

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Bob’s Art Blog: Romancing the Art

December 6, 2021 | by Bob MacGinnes

Midtown Manuscript Chapter I: “How to Succeed in Business by Really Trying”

They say the more you put into something, the more you’ll get out of it. I like to believe that is true. I have had the distinct pleasure and honor of covering just about all of the 42 Millworks artists with the remaining few on the horizon for the new year.

To be successful in anything, one needs to put in the work with a major investment of time. When art buyers come to make a purchase, they are parting with a portion of money that will enrich their lives by its beauty, inspiration and connection to their spirit. By all indications, the more time artists spend in their studios talking and romancing the art, the greater the opportunity of making a sale.

There is a group of dedicated studio dwellers who habitually haunt their studios with such regularity that one can almost set their clock by them. This blog features a random group of five that maximize the opportunities that Millworks provides for public time with clients. Two Midtown art galleries are highlighted, as well, that are open year-round and are truly looking forward to the holiday shopping season’s final three weeks.

Ornaments by Amie Bantz

Amie Bantz of Studio 322 is very busy, from her art day job for the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts to art events for the Millworks. But she still finds time to create amazing work, which includes prints, graphic designs and paintings. Amie tries to spend as close to 20 hours a week in her studio. Highly visible during 3rd in the Burg events, she correlates being present to selling her range of art and getting commissioned orders for the future. Her yardstick for success is measured “by the conversations and connections with consumers coming in to see me at the studio.”

Tina Berrier in Studio 319 was an early adaptor of the Millworks art haven, joining before they even opened their doors. She makes it a rule to be in her studio every Saturday and Sunday, meeting visitors, customers and patrons of the restaurant. Tina realizes the importance of face time translating to transactions made and embraces 3rd in the Burg events, whether teaching classes or residing in her studio.

Painting by Tina Berrier

Most “First Saturdays” and the Odd Ones semi-annual “bizarres” are regularly circled on her calendar. Berrier often cross-references cultures past and present, unifying them to pitch-perfect in her paintings. She dramatizes worlds real and imagined to include animals possessing human qualities in otherworldly renderings. Tina states that, “The Millworks artists provide added value to its operation.”

Art of the Huckle Buckle Boys

The Huckle Buckle Boys, Zack Rudy and Garrick Dorsett, have now been in Studio 318 since July and recently revamped the studio layout to highlight their wide range of mono-prints and one-of-a-kind, wall-sized “niche” artwork. Having known each other since the age of 15, the “boys” push the envelope of art to its tipping point, encouraging the imagination to run wild. They also echo the need to be present to educate new initiates into their world and to greet old friends and customers. 3rd in the Burg nights provide the opportunity for them to be themselves, collaborating in a partnership that has aged well with time. For Huckle Buckle, it is “about the experience of creating than any award financially or symbolically. It is in discovering the next big thing to create.”

P.D. Murray is a true Renaissance man, holding court in Studio 323. Paul is erudite and enlightened, which is a potent combination in any field, but in the art world, it proves to be kinetic. Creating characters completely his own and paying homage to elements of past lives, PD enters his own realm. He develops vignettes of art narratively nuanced and visually astounding, leaving the viewer in awe. Paul spends almost 30 hours weekly at his Millworks loft studio. His philosophy shares that, “Patrons aren’t buying just art but the artist. One cannot separate the work from its creator.” He has created limited edition holiday ornaments for the Millworks tree for sale, as well as a limited edition holiday prints. Paul relates, “I want my legacy to be the quantity of works living in people’s homes. Works they have made an emotional connection with, including humor. I’ve never let popularity influence what I do.”

Art by P.D. Murray

Art of Reina “R76” Wooden on the cover of Black Wall Street

Some people possess a larger than life personality, and one can’t help but be bowled over in their presence. It is part of their DNA, and to be any other way would be denying their true identity. Reina “R76” Wooden has one of those outsized personas. Her art reflects the same ethos—bold, bombastic and beyond categorization. The mediums employed in her creations are an extension of her artistic soul—point and counterpoint. From paintings of crowns and kings insignia to faces without eyes and canvases made from recycled vintage garments, Reina lays claim to the universe as her mood board. Reina maxes out her hours in Studio 318, clocking in at 30 hours a week Wednesday through Sunday, whenever the restaurant is open. It allows her to make personal connections to patrons of the business and to explain her creative process to first-time visitors. In addition to her regular schedule, she is promoting Sunday brunch hours for the holiday season. For Reina success is measured, “by returning customers bringing new friends and families to view my art.” And on a global scale, her passion for art helps to inspire the next generation of artists.

Chapter II: Beyond Millworks

A wall of art at Nyeusi Gallery

At the intersection of N. 3rd and Verbeke streets, bordering the Broad Street Market, two art galleries are primed for the holiday shopping season. The newest can be found at 1224 N. 3rd St. with a storefront that looks like Fifth Avenue in New York City. The glamorous gateway leads inside to the Nyeusi Gallery, which opened in July. Already, in its first five months, Michelle Green, curator, is enthusiastic about the response to the city’s first fully dedicated gallery to African and African American art. The presentation is visually arresting, with an entire wall devoted to paintings, sculptures, artifacts and more. A legion of local artists includes others from major cities throughout the United States. The art is representative of a world stage often found by owner Dr. Dale Dangleben from his travels around the globe. One side of the space is solely devoted to art, while the other half is home to the communications component that Michelle employs as part of her creative consulting business. She dedicates over 40 hours per week to the gallery’s business, podcasts and in-store events that include painting parties. Michelle even teaches chess to those eager to learn the intricacies of the game.

A long-standing destination for pottery, photography and gifts galore can be found at 258 Verbeke St., the home of Vivi on Verbeke. 3rd in the Burg holds special meaning to the owners as they keep night-owl hours, open to 11 p.m. They also participate in special events, like September’s “Jazz Walk,” with great enthusiasm. The gallery is bursting with handcrafted bowls, mugs, vases and wall art. Vivi can be found at the wheel throwing and hand-building clay into enchanted vessels. Partner Jackson Boyd shoots panoramic photos of the Susquehanna and its boundless bridges. Vivi has dedicated an entire collection to her “River Series” ceramics, and both look forward to finding shoppers the perfect piece for those impossible to buy for and those who know just what they want. Word has it that the North Pole has moved to N. 3rd and Verbeke.

Mugs at Vivi on Verbeke

This season, more than ever, support artists locally at all art spaces. “Success” is a state of mind, but it is always important to be able to see the value of creativity in dollars and sense. Shop at a place surrounded with goodwill by those who embrace making people happy with their special selections, and you will help to spread the spirit of the season. Happy holidays to one and all!

Chapter III: Behind the Scene at SAM with Phillip Earenfight of the Trout Gallery

Phillip Earenfight, the director of the Trout Gallery, the art museum at Dickinson College, will speak about the current exhibit at the Susquehanna Art Museum in the Beverlee and Bill Lehr Gallery on Sunday, Dec.12, from 2 to 3 p.m. Mr. Earenfight will lead a behind-the-scenes tour of the exhibit, “Four Seasons and Seven Vices: Old Master Prints in Series,” which is on loan courtesy of Dickinson College. The tour is free with standard admission to the museum.

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Letter to the Editor: Celebrate Clara Barton’s birthday by helping others

December 6, 2021 | by Wendy Jackson-Dowe

“You must never think of anything except the need, and how to meet it.”

These words from American Red Cross founder Clara Barton — who would have turned 200 in December — continue to serve as a guiding light for today’s Red Cross volunteers, donors and partners, who exemplify her compassion and devotion to helping others.

This generous spirit is needed now more than ever. COVID-19 has taken a heavy toll on our most vulnerable neighbors, and they’re in dire straits when another crisis strikes.

That’s where our Red Cross community — of people like you — steps in to provide help and hope. This year, the American Red Cross of Central PA responded to 236 home fires, assisting 1032 people with emergency financial assistance.

This continues to be a time to take care of each other, and what better time to honor Clara’s lifesaving legacy than when we celebrate her 200th birthday this holiday season. Join us by making a financial donation, an appointment to give blood or platelets, or becoming a Red Cross volunteer. Visit redcross.org/gift to learn more about how you can make a difference for those in need.

Wendy Jackson-Dowe, Board Member
American Red Cross of Central PA

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