Jeff Haste announces retirement as Dauphin County commissioner

May 4, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda

Long-time Chairman Jeff Haste today announced his retirement as a Dauphin County commissioner.

In a statement, Haste did not give a specific reason for his unexpected retirement, which goes into effect on May 31.

“It has been the greatest honor to have served the people of Dauphin County as commissioner since January 2003,” Haste wrote in a letter announcing his retirement. “The friendships that I have made during this time, I will never forget.”

Haste, a Republican, was re-elected to his current four-year term in November 2019. Under statute, the Court of Common Pleas will appoint a member of Haste’s own political party to serve the remainder of his term.

In his letter, Haste thanked the county’s employees and cited several priorities during his lengthy tenure, including not raising county taxes for 16 consecutive years, establishing a county infrastructure bank and promoting the county as a tourism destination.

“Looking ahead, I know the future of Dauphin County is bright,” he wrote in his letter. “I am exceptionally proud of Dauphin County’s people, elected officials, employees, local government leaders and community partners and humbled by all we have accomplished together over the years.”

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Micah Parsons receives the key to Harrisburg, community celebrates the NFL pick

May 3, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Micah Parsons received the key to the city at HMAC.

On Monday, football fans and community members packed into the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center, eager to see the city’s newest superstar.

Micah Parsons has had quite the week. On Thursday, he was drafted into the NFL as a first-round pick for the Dallas Cowboys. Today, Mayor Eric Papenfuse handed him the key to Harrisburg, the city he calls home.

“He embodies the work ethic and the success that is possible for all of us,” Papenfuse said. “He’s so inspiring.”

Parsons, 21, grew up in Uptown Harrisburg, attended Harrisburg High School and went on to play football for Penn State University as a linebacker. Parsons graduated early and now looks forward to a future with the NFL team he had hoped to play for.

But on Monday, with family, friends and plenty of fans, he took a moment to celebrate in the community where it all started.

“It really means a lot to get the key to the city,” Parsons said. “Harrisburg really means a lot to me.”

A large crowd gathered at HMAC to see Parsons

Yvette Wright stood in the crowd with her 13-year-old son. He wore a Cowboys face mask and shirt. Wright told me how he had been playing football since he was little.

“My son looks up to Micah Parsons because we’ve both come from the same city and the same school district,” she said. “This is something positive for him and other young athletes to look up to.”

After the presentation, dozens of kids and families lined up to meet Parsons and get an autograph. Parsons said that he was once in their shoes, looking up to professional sports players.

“There’s really no difference between me and you,” he said. “We wake up the same, we get the same 24 hours […] It’s about what you do in your 24 hours.”

Parsons encouraged his young fans to continue working hard and said that he plans to help the youth however he can. Parsons himself has a 3-year-old son.

“One of the things that impresses me about Micah is he’s already thinking about how he can give back to this community,” Papenfuse said.

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Bob’s Art Blog: The Art of Making What’s Old, New Again

May 3, 2021 | by Bob MacGinnes

The exterior of the Carlisle Antique Mall

Brick-and-mortar department stores were gasping for air before the pandemic hit, and their demise has only dramatically increased since then. By all indications, they may go the route of the dinosaurs. Even putting them on the endangered species list won’t help.

So, then how is it that, in a quiet Cumberland County town like Carlisle, perhaps one of the last of its kind is leaving such an outsized footprint of innovation, imagination and intoxication at 164 N. Hanover St.? Perhaps because it is unlike anything that resembles a “typical” department store? It all began in 1918 after the Great War ended. What once housed a Montgomery Ward and Co. department store today is helping to breathe new life into a dying breed. Historic landmark buildings like the Carlisle Ribbon Mill, also built that year, as well as this nod to yesteryear and tomorrow, were built to become lasting treasures in Carlisle. That was over a century ago.

Leave it to the retailers of tomorrow, the youth to dream up a behemoth of a store over 40,000 square feet of space in creating a throwback to yesteryear, selling what’s old and making it new again at the department store for the future, the Carlisle Antique Mall (CAM). Richard and Tiffany Lawson, novices of the retail world, only a year ago dreamed an impossible dream, bringing their visionary and revolutionary idea to life.

They opened the doors in 2020 to a downtown district that today is lining up in droves for this retail life-saving shot in the arm. Antiquities have always held a special place in the heart of shoppers, and the pivot brought on by the pandemic with life-changing force has only fueled the longing for things of the past that evoke nostalgia. Four filled floors of treasures comprise the interior of CAM (interior display pictured). Venturing forth, you will come upon art, vintage clothing, upcycled furniture, primitive decor, mid-century antiques, a wide range of “boho” estate jewelry and industrial décor, as well as shabby chic home furnishings and more—lest we leave out a massive collection of vinyl records to spin.

The best part is what awaits right around the bend. Even the basement is full of surprises. Over 60 vendors specializing in collectibles create a retail mise-en-scene that the Lawsons curate to perfection. Case in point is a section devoted to French provincial furniture. Shabby Chic by Susan was an established Carlisle business started in 2013, operating out of a quaint cottage off of Pomfret Street. Susan Ewing, proprietress, moved it to its present habitué as part of CAM and is thrilled with the foot traffic “the mall generates.” Recently, she commandeered a front window display at “the mall” for their spring open house, “Blushes and Blooms,” held over a weekend in mid-April that showcased her offerings. Over 1,000 visitors and shoppers attended the two-day event, which featured wine tastings and slushies by the Winery at Long Shot Farm and spirits from Carlisle’s own Hook and Flask Still Works. Special events throughout the year create buzz and bring shoppers in the door with an ever changing array of antiques.

A window display by Shabby Chic by Susan

The Lawsons are ready to unveil the latest addition to CAM, which entails the opening of a year-round indoor flea market on Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., starting May 15 and taking place in their adjacent 20,000-square-foot warehouse. This promises excitement year round and more opportunities to help with the revitalization of downtown Carlisle as a shopper’s dream destination. CAM is poised to become a juggernaut of jubilation for the boro in the hopes that all businesses will benefit from increased foot traffic to the downtown sector. New and established businesses are creating quite a stir from Denim Coffee to Grand Illusion Hard Cider, as well Pat Craig Studios and The Penny Gallery at the Pond, along with the recently moved Miss Ruth’s Time Bomb on Hanover, the same block as CAM.

In operation on nearby High Street are perennials like The ClothesVine, the Hamilton Restaurant and Whistlestop Bookshop. Restaurants close by like the landmark Market Cross Pub, North Hanover Grille and Redd’s Smokehouse BBQ send customers back and forth and across the street with everyone gaining traction in an area that is known as a grand farming community and county seat, Carlisle. All the more remarkable that this country idyll is experiencing a renaissance the likes of which harkens back to the heyday of retail from the 1950s to ‘80s, when downtown was jumping. The revitalization efforts by all downtown merchants speak to a future that echoes Carlisle’s glory days.

Coming up in June, after the indoor flea opens in May, CAM is anticipating its one-year anniversary “Summer Open House” on June 20, just six weeks away. At the heart of the Carlisle Antique Mall’s mission is to bring shoppers downtown, so all of Carlisle wins. There is magic underway in the three main shopping districts comprised of Hanover, High and Pomfret streets. All three offer something unique but unifying, together creating excitement that is contagious.

Until we meet again, “Happy Trails” to you, and when searching for that special piece, you will more than likely unearth it just like paleontologists discovering a rare dinosaur bone. The Carlisle Antique Mall may have a vendor for those, too.

PS: I am still in Carlisle by choice, but “I’m working my back to you, babe (Midtown) with a burning love inside”…

Millworks Spring II – All That Jazz At The Millworks

Recently, I shared with artist Amie Bantz of Millworks Studio 322 that my intent is, over the course of 2021, to highlight the artists operating under the canopy of The Millworks.

Now, three artists, painters all, lend their brushes to adorn the wall. This jazz trio of female artists each brings something special to the mix, awe-inspired with different tricks. But isn’t that precisely what jazz is intended to do in the first place? Surprise plays a large part of the appeal in that music genre, as well as in painting.

Tami Bitner dives deep, like to the ocean floor, in serving up a palette of rich and lustrous tones like jewels that one may find as buried treasure. Deeply saturated shades conjure up gemstones. Even gold as a finish joins this free-flowing family of colors. Bitner paints with acrylics (pictured), often employing a cold wax process, which imparts body, transparency and depth to the paint. Texture is tantamount to the finished presentation, and she is a master at creating drama through weaving composition polyphonically. All that jazz. In Studio 210, Tami takes great pride in developing her “non-objective art.” She is also a charter member of the “Mixed Media Art Group” and has shown her paintings at the Millworks since it opened in the winter of 2015.

Kelly McGee Curran resides in Studio 216. She borrows a line from the Beatles when wistfully longing for “places I’ll remember all my life though some have changed…some forever, not for better; some have gone and some remain.” Curran is able to conjure those places in pastoral paintings of nature and landscapes (pictured) as filtered through her mind’s eye. Somehow languid and lush at the same time, scenes of trees in a field or a forest by the river evoke a pure sense of beauty unvarnished from this heart of a painterly poet. She “pines” those memories on slabs of wood, often diffused through knots that transport her dreams and visions. Equally skilled as an artist of stained glass creations, Curran creates faceted fragments to filter the light of the seasons changing before you. Channeling her Native heritage, Kelly imparts those customs and rituals in enchanted walks with tribal elders that have handed down their wisdom and ways to share through her paintings.

Reina Wooden (R76) cannot be contained in space or time. A force to be reckoned with, this art activist operates on platforms of social discourse from racial injustice to the #MeToo movement and any cause that she feels to be unjust. A voice, powerful in her artistic presentation, comes from deep within and finds its visual focus on the canvases that populate her works. Dramatic in their viewpoint, often the “elements” end up amplifying her mixed media art like “crowns and circled eyes.” The artist states, “Circles in my artwork represent the rings of a tree, an age, a moment, a story.” As an outsider artist, she is a rule-breaker with no contractual obligation to fit into a certain prescribed format. She uses her art to heal and inspire others, especially today’s youth. “We are kings not slaves” paintings serve notice to the atrocities of the past with an eye to promote positive change for the future. Black Lives Matter is central to her core being as she strongly identifies with hope and dialogue as needed to build a bridge for tomorrow. No matter the subject, her work is always topical and timely. Wooden and her powerful art can be viewed at Millworks Studio 318.

Mixed media by Reina “R76” Wooden

These artists’ works are now available on the menu and can be found prominently displayed on the main lobby wall at the establishment through May 16.

***Extra, extra, read all about it! Millworks Spring edition Odd Ones Bizarre Saturday, May 8, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Come out to the grassy lot at the corner of N. 3rd and Verbeke for a DJ spinning, Millworks beer, bagatelle and bon vivants (rain date Saturday, May 15).

“Arts in the Park” at Reservoir Park takes place Saturday, May 15, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with artists and vendors.

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Personal Shopping: Susan’s Treasures celebrates 25 years of tight-knit customer relationships

May 3, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Nancy Smith (left) and Susan Bonsall Singer

I met Susan Bonsall Singer and Nancy Smith at their shop, Susan’s Treasures, in the West Shore Farmers Market last week.

It was a gray, rainy day and most other market vendors were closed, but still several customers popped in, kindly interrupting our interview to ask for advice on a hat or a suggestion for a gift.

At one point, a delivery man appeared with some boxes, and Singer called out his name, excusing herself to go check in on how he was doing.

I didn’t need to ask what has kept Singer and Smith’s business growing for 25 years—a milestone the gift shop is celebrating this month—I could already tell. But I asked anyway.

“It all grew on relationships,” Singer said. “My mother drilled that into my head–you welcome everyone.”

To celebrate their anniversary, Susan’s Treasures is holding giveaways to benefit customers and local charities—to honor those relationships they value the most.

Starting in April and continuing through May, the shop will draw names of customers to win $25 gift cards, twice each week. People can register in their store. They also plan to give away two $100 certificates in late May.

To support local organizations, they are selling special anniversary T-shirts and gift cards to benefit Highmark’s The Caring Place and The Peyton Walker Foundation.

The weeks-long celebration will culminate in a weekend anniversary event on May 21 to 22 at the store. They plan to have music, refreshments and product and gift card giveaways.

In April, Susan’s Treasures held a by-donation raffle for a gift basket with proceeds supporting Andrew’s Gift, a nonprofit that assists individuals with autism.

Dorothy Ward, who leads the organization along with her husband, has been a customer at Susan’s Treasures since the beginning. She visits the store at least once a week to shop or just to talk, she said. This time, she was looking for a Derby Day hat that could double as a beach hat for an upcoming trip. She made sure to get advice from both Singer and Smith and settled on a bright pink one.

“It’s just great friendly service and great people,” Ward said. “I like to support female-owned local shops.”

Ward is one of many loyal customers at Susan’s Treasures. Over the years, Singer has added over 350 customers’ numbers into her phone. Her first two customers, from 25 years ago, still come in regularly.

American-made products at Susan’s Treasures

Singer originally opened Susan’s Treasures in a café on N. 6^th Street in Harrisburg. Over the years, the business expanded, Smith became a partner, and the shop moved into a roomy space on the second floor of the West Shore Farmers Market.

Singer prides the business on the many American-made products the store carries and the relationships she’s developed with artists over the years.

When some of their vendors heard about what Susan’s Treasures was planning for its anniversary, they offered to donate products for giveaways.

Customers have been just as supportive, especially during the pandemic, Singer said. Many bought gift cards and ordered from the store’s online shop, which the business expanded when they had to close their doors.

“The support made us realize we had to continue,” Singer said.

The gift shop has shipped items and even delivered products to customers at their homes.

But it was a tough year, the hardest so far, Smith and Singer said. Even having gone through a recession and personal tragedies, this was the first time they ever doubted if they would survive.

“When we did reopen, the kind words and the shopping and support made every stressful moment worth it,” Singer said. “You see all the bad news, but we watched this microcosm of people being kind and helping one another.”

Not all customers have come back yet, but Singer and Smith are hopeful.

“I told a lot of customers, when this is all over and I can hug them again, I’m going to stand at the door so when they come in they can’t run, and I can give them a hug,” Singer said.

Susan’s Treasures is located on the second floor of the West Shore Farmers Market at 900 Market St., Lemoyne. For more information, visit their website or Facebook page.

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State oversight body issues largely positive report on Harrisburg’s financial condition

May 1, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg’s MLK Jr. Government Center

Harrisburg’s fiscal condition is “sound” and its budget is in surplus, according to a largely positive annual report issued by the city’s financial oversight body.

The Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority for Harrisburg (ICA) issued its second annual report on Friday to the governor and legislature, stating that the city is in generally good financial shape.

“The report acknowledges a number of areas where progress has been made, while also identifying several priorities for improvement in fiscal management,” according to an ICA press release.

In 2018, the state created the ICA to oversee the creation of a five-year financial plan for Harrisburg.

The 26-page report submitted on Friday is substantially more positive than last year’s annual report, which robustly criticized the city for several alleged financial and accounting deficiencies.

Some of those criticisms—including a “low collection rate” in accounts receivable in the city’s Neighborhood Services Fund (sanitation), an outmoded IT infrastructure and a long-delayed audit of the city government’s physical assets—remain in the 2021 report.

In addition, the city has not hired a new finance director since former director Bruce Weber resigned last year, and the city and the ICA have not yet ratified an intergovernmental cooperation agreement between the two bodies, the report stated. Harrisburg and the ICA recently have moved towards final ratification of that agreement.

Nonetheless, the report said that the city is financially healthy as per a revised five-year financial plan for Harrisburg, which the ICA approved in March.

“The plan projects a stable fiscal position, with a solid general fund balance and relatively resilient revenues in spite of the global pandemic and economic crisis,” according to the report’s executive summary. “It also provides for important initiatives, including funding for capital needs and restructuring debt obligations.”

Moreover, last year, the state legislature extended the city’s extraordinary taxing authority, which was due to expire in 2025.

“The city received a major lifeline this year with the extension of the temporary taxing authority by the governor and the General Assembly,” said ICA Chair Audry Carter, in a statement. “We are committed to our work with the city to develop business practices that continue to sustain the confidence of the governor and the General Assembly.”

As a result of the city’s progress, it is on “the cusp” of being able to exit Act 47, the state’s program for financially distressed municipalities, according to the report. Harrisburg has been in Act 47 since 2010.

Recently, Mayor Eric Papenfuse told TheBurg that he expects the city to exit Act 47 this summer.

The report paints a cautiously optimistic outlook for Harrisburg’s financial state, a sentiment reiterated by Carter.

“Working together, we know that the possibility of prosperity lies ahead,” Carter said.

For more information on the ICA or to read the full report, visit their website.

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The Week that Was: News and features from around Harrisburg

April 30, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Conley

Sprocket Mural Works artists paint a mural on the side of Zeroday on N. 3rd Street.

Is anyone else’s stomach growling after seeing our May issue’s cover? Just us? Pick up your copy of the magazine today, but you may want to have your favorite restaurant on speed dial. This month is our dining issue, and boy does it look good. Before you dig into the issue, catch up on our local news coverage, listed and linked, below.

Autism brings three local women together, in our magazine story. Heather Zimmerman, Kelly Long and Grace Long discuss the importance of bringing awareness to autism and how it has impacted their lives.

TheBurg received 22 individual and group Keystone media awards this week, the greatest number we have ever received. Take a look at our online article to see which stories won awards in this contest sponsored by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Foundation.

The Civic Club of Harrisburg is holding an online silent auction to raise funds after it was dealt a financial blow from COVID and recent vandalism, our reporting found. President Marybeth Lehtimaki hopes the community will support them in a time of need.

Dauphin County placed a ballot drop box in downtown Harrisburg in preparation for the upcoming municipal primary, our online story reported. Elections staff has begun to mail out almost 15,000 requested ballots for the May 18 primary, according to the county.

Denim Coffee Company plans to open at a new downtown Harrisburg location on Monday, our online story reported. The shop is the third to open in the state, with existing cafés in Carlisle and Chambersburg.

Dental health has improved over the years, but there is still much to do, according to Capital BlueCross. In a magazine article, health officials share tips for good dental hygiene.

Erik Arneson is known in the community for his past job with the state Office of Open Records and his current position with the Pennsylvania Treasury, but not as many know about his board game expertise. Read more about Arneson and his book “How to Host a Game Night” in our magazine story.

Friends of TheBurg celebrates its one-year anniversary this month. Our editor thanks the community for its continuous support, in his May Editor’s Note.

Lillie Williams, the interim director of the city Department of Building and Housing Development, has a passion for helping people find a safe place to stay. In our magazine story, she shares how her experience living in affordable housing helps her relate to those she serves.

Local “plant lady,” Sara Bozich, tells the story of her progression from accidentally killing plants to nurturing them. She has a few tips for fellow houseplant owners in a magazine story.

The mayoral race in Harrisburg is in full swing with six candidates on the ballot. We reached out to each candidate with two questions about their reasons for running and priorities. We have their answers, here.

Midtown Cinema plans to host a vaccine clinic next week, along with provider Rite Aid, our reporting found. According to the cinema, the clinic offers a “convenient location” for Harrisburg residents.

Schooling kids during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenge, especially for children with special needs. In our magazine story, hear from local parents, students and educators who had to adapt in unique ways.

Sprocket Mural Works issued a call for artists this week as organizers prepare for the upcoming 2021 Harrisburg Mural Fest, our online story reported. The arts group will also begin a fundraising campaign for a mural that will be painted at Recycle Bicycle’s new location in Allison Hill.

Zimmerman’s Nuts & Candies has satisfied many sweet teeth in the century-plus that it’s been in business, our magazine story reported. The shop is small but big on variety, offering peanut butter, coffee, dried fruits and a large variety of candy.

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Burg Blog: And the Keystone goes to …

April 30, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda

Springtime brings us warmer weather, flowers galore and, if you’re a journalist in Pennsylvania, the year’s most anticipated press awards.

On Thursday, we learned that TheBurg received 22 individual and group Keystone Media Awards, a peer-reviewed contest sponsored by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Foundation. It’s the greatest number of awards we’ve received over our dozen-plus years of publishing.

According to PNA, it received more than 2,600 entries from 117 news organizations, with entries judged by working journalists in New York

Our awards cover a wide range of areas, including reporting, writing, photography, illustration and design and include the prestigious “Sweepstakes” award for the best performance statewide in our category.

But let us delay no further. As I have in recent years, I have all the winners listed below, with links so you can see what the judges deemed to be some of the best work done statewide in 2020.

Column Writing: First Place, Lawrance Binda (3 columns)

Column 1 Road Rethink, Let’s Keep It, Wishing Well

Column Writing: Second Place, Lawrance Binda (3 columns)

Column 2 A Mask and a Muddle, To the Ages, Viral Logic

News Beat Reporting: Second Place, Maddie Conley Gittens (Harrisburg School District)

News Beat School Beat

Ongoing News Coverage: Second Place, Lawrance Binda and Maddie Conley Gittens (Black Lives Matter)

An appeal for unity, action at Black Lives Matter rally in Harrisburg

Black Lives Matter protests focus on next steps: photo gallery

Black Lives Matter mural painted in Midtown to encourage solidarity, dialogue

Voices of Our Community

A June to Remember

Business or Consumer Story: Honorable Mention, Maddie Conley Gittens

Lemons to Lemonade

Feature Story: Second Place, Maddie Conley Gittens

School’s Out

Lifestyle/Entertainment Beat: Second Place, Stephanie Kalina-Metzger (restaurant/dining beat)

Lifestyle Dining Restaurant Beat

Lifestyle/Entertainment Beat: Honorable Mention, Karen Hendricks (running/fitness beat)

Karen Running Fitness

Diversity: First Place, Yaasmeen Piper, Norah Griffiths Johnson, M. Diane McCormick, Barbara Trainin Blank

Diversity 1

Diversity: Second Place, Karen Hendricks, Yaasmeen Piper, Barbara Trainin Blank, Maddie Conley Gittens

Diversity 2

Diversity: Honorable Mention, Maddie Conley Gittens, Yaasmeen Piper, Susan Ryder, M. Diane McCormick

Diversity 3

Headline Writing: Honorable Mention, Lawrance Binda

Headlines Hail to the Quaff, Quarantune, Squidding Around

Podcast: Honorable Mention, TheBurg Podcast, Karen Hendricks

Departing 2020, with Art
Surviving Election Season
Community, Amid COVID

Photo/Story Essay: First Place, Dani Fresh

Photo/Story Essay: Honorable Mention, Chetroy Productions

Sports Feature Photo: First Place, Chetroy Productions

News Page Design: Second Place, Megan Caruso, Kristen Fava (3 designs)

Feature Page Design: First Place, Megan Caruso (3 designs)

Graphic/Photo Illustration: First Place, Bradley Gebhart

Graphic/Photo Illustration: Second Place, Bradley Gebhart

Graphic/Photo Illustration: Honorable Mention, Megan Caruso

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I’m On Board: Candidates for Harrisburg school board share their goals, priorities

April 30, 2021 | by TheBurg Staff

The Harrisburg School District Administration building on State Street.

With six mayoral and 13 city council candidates, the ballot is going to be a long one in Harrisburg.

Add to the list seven Democrats competing for four, four-year seats on the Harrisburg school board. One candidate, Ezra Match, cross-filed as a Republican. Also, there is one Democrat, Terricia Radcliff, running for the sole two-year seat on the board.

We asked the candidates to respond to a question from TheBurg. The following lists in alphabetical order each candidate who responded, We did not receive responses from candidates Brian Carter and Jorge Collazo.

We hope this helps you as you head to the voting booth on May 18.

Michael Balsbaugh