Harrisburg moves toward leaving Act 47, supports regionalized bus system

March 24, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

A CAT bus in Harrisburg

Harrisburg took two substantial steps on Tuesday, moving the city closer to exiting Act 47 and to widening transportation services for the city and beyond.

At a virtual City Council legislative session, council members approved the creation of an OPEB Trust Fund to handle supplementary funds for retired city workers and their families’ healthcare benefits.

According to City Solicitor Neil Grover, this is a final piece of the Harrisburg Strong Plan, a years-long recovery plan that took shape after the city faced financial collapse in 2010.

“It was a recommended best practice for municipalities to start to create these trust funds to deal with long-term costs that were unfunded,” Grover explained on Tuesday.

The trust will begin with $3.3 million from the city and will be tasked with finding additional funding.

The trust’s board will consist of nine members, one from each of the city’s three unions, two appointed by the mayor, two by City Council and two by the state-appointed recovery coordinator for the city.

Also on Tuesday, council passed a resolution supporting the creation of a new partnership between Harrisburg-based Capital Area Transit (CAT) and York-based rabbittransit. The plan is for the two to merge into one Susquehanna Regional Transportation Authority, offering a standardized system and improved connections for riders.

Officials from the transportation authorities are seeking support from all the municipalities and counties affected by the merger before moving on with the process.

In other news, a development project at the “Carpets and Draperies” building, a longtime blighted former department store in Midtown Harrisburg can begin. City Council approved Harrisburg resident Nathaniel Foote’s land development plan.

Foote purchased the 4,800 square-foot building on March 10 for $180,000 from Schnecksville Pa.-based Mussani and Matz Co. He plans to renovate the building to include five two-bedroom apartments and a first-floor commercial space.

He said that he anticipates beginning work on the building with the next month or two and has already received inquiries from businesses about the commercial space.

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Mayoral candidate Otto Banks fights to prove residency, remain on the ballot

March 23, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Otto Banks (front) and his attorney John Bravacos outside the Dauphin County Courthouse after their hearing

In court on Tuesday, mayoral candidate Otto Banks attempted to prove his residency in Harrisburg in a case that, if lost, would knock him out of the race.

On March 16, Harrisburg resident Joseph Wright filed a petition against Banks, challenging his qualification as a mayoral candidate. The case was taken up in the Dauphin County Courthouse on Tuesday, but Judge Andrew Dowling did not immediately issue a decision.

Wright’s attorney, Karen Balaban, argued that while Banks may have changed his address to 1204 S. 19^th St., Harrisburg, it’s not where he has been primarily living. Banks also owns a home on Hoffman Drive in Swatara Township.

“This is not a mere technicality,” Balaban said in court on Tuesday. “This is an absolute requirement that determines eligibility.”

According to Banks, he purchased the Harrisburg house in late August 2020, thereby meeting the requirement that a candidate must live in the city for at least a year before the general election, which is on Nov. 2. He did say that he still stays at his Swatara Township house, which he bought in 2007 and still owns, intermittently.

Balaban relied heavily on utility records to claim that Banks was not spending time in his Harrisburg home.

She used records from UGI Utilities to show that Banks had asked the company to not turn on natural gas service until Dec. 31.

Additionally, Nancy Kuhn a customer service manager at Capital Region Water, testified that, over the course of five months, records show that Banks’ water usage was zero. According to CRW, that could either mean that he used no water or that he used a very low amount, as the company’s meters only start recording at 1,000 gallons. Comparatively, Kuhn said a typical customer will use 1,800 gallons in one month. During those same months, she said that Banks was not receiving or paying water bills for his Harrisburg home.

Graph provided by Karen Balaban to show the decrease in Banks’ water usage compared to the previous owner of the S. 19th Street house.

“Changing his address doesn’t show he is using his address,” Balaban said.

Banks testified that he has intended to renovate the property, but that the COVID-19 pandemic has made following through on that difficult.

“The only thing I am guilty of today is investing in my house and raising property value in the community,” he said.

However, Ann Montgomery, deputy codes administrator for Harrisburg, said there have not been any building, electrical or plumbing permits issued to Banks’ Harrisburg property—some of which would have been required for the work he said he was having done.

Banks also attributed his low utility usage to the frequent traveling he does to Colombia, where his wife and son live. He also has a son who lives in Harrisburg.

Banks asserted that he intends to sell his Swatara Township home in the near future.

“I never really wanted that property, and I’m happy to sell that property,” he said. “I live in the city, that is where my home is.”

According to Banks, he uses his Swatara Township home as an office space for his consulting business, Skyler Group LLC, and occasionally stays the night. His son who lives in Harrisburg uses the house sometimes, as well, he said.

“He always returns to the property [in Harrisburg], and that’s the property he believes to be his home,” Banks’ attorney, John Bravacos, said.

After hours of hearing the case, Dowling adjourned the meeting.

Balaban suspects he will make a decision by the end of the week.

“We believe that is was a very fair hearing,” Banks said. “We are just looking forward to getting past this so we can continue to keep doing good work here in the community. Regardless of the outcome, Otto Banks is here to stay.”

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Mass vaccination clinic for Dauphin County residents will open at HACC on Tuesday

March 22, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

A mass vaccination clinic will open in HACC’s west end parking lot.

Potentially thousands of Dauphin County residents will receive the COVID-19 vaccine at a new drive-through site in the coming weeks.

County officials, along with representatives from UPMC and HACC, announced today that a mass vaccination clinic will open on Tuesday in a Harrisburg Area Community College parking lot.

“We are excited to have this clinic up and running and look forward to getting shots into the arms of so many Dauphin County residents,” Dauphin County Commissioner Mike Pries said.

The county first announced the clinic in late February, but at the time, did not have access to enough doses. According to Pries, there is still an issue on the supply end, but that gap is beginning to shrink, which allowed for the opening of the clinic this week.

A drive-through clinic will operate from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday. Those who are eligible for the vaccine in phase 1A and live in Dauphin County, can register through UPMC’s website to set up an appointment. Vaccinations will only be given to those with appointments.

UPMC plans to administer 1,700 shots over the course of the two days, said Lou Baverso, HACC’s chief operating officer and president of its Central Region.

The clinic will continue on Tuesday and Wednesday of the following week, and UPMC hopes to increase its number of doses to 2,000 per day. From there, officials will continue to provide the vaccine, hopefully administering more doses each day for more days each week.

“We aim to meet people where they are and to vaccinate as many individuals as we possibly can with our available supply,” said Dr. John Goldman, VPMA and infectious disease specialist at UPMC Pinnacle.

Upon arrival at HACC’s west end parking lot, residents will drive through a path designated by traffic cones, Baverso said. Someone will meet them to verify their registration before they pull through one of several lanes under a large tent to receive the Moderna vaccine. They will then pull ahead and wait in their car for 15 minutes to make sure they have no adverse reaction. They will then need to schedule an appointment for 28 days later to receive a second shot.

UPMC has a waiting list of over 10,000 county residents already who will get appointments first, said Christina Persson, vice president of UPMC Pinnacle.

Once they vaccinate a significant number of county residents and have increased access to doses, Persson said they will open the clinic to surrounding counties.

“This is a huge step forward in putting this pandemic behind all of us,” Pries said. “There is light at the end of the tunnel.”

For more information or to register for a COVID-19 vaccine, visit https://vaccine.upmc.com/.

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Bob’s Art Blog: Spring Has Sprung

March 22, 2021 | by Bob MacGinnes

The Art Association’s “Figuratively Speaking” exhibit includes a newspaper skirt from fashion designer Carley Furlow (left).

It’s officially arrived…at least on the calendar.

The birds are always the first to know, sounding the news late in February. So says a line or two from the 1940 “The Brooklyn National Anthem,” it’s ode to the season.

“Spring has sprung, the grass is ris,
I wonder where the boidies is,
the boid is on the wing…”

This boidie flew before he knew that fresh art had truly sprung, so join me now, I’ll show you how and where that art is hung.

Downtown beckoned. Starting at the Art Association of Harrisburg (AAH), local celebrity Hannah Dobek, gallery director of Metropolis Collective, gathered her thoughts judiciously when judging the breadth of works assembled for the members show. Curator of the AAH, Rachel O’Connor, had 78 works submitted for “Figuratively Speaking,” the exhibition revolving around the human form from portraiture to statuary.

What does one do with a newspaper after it’s been read? If you happen to be fashion designer Carley Furlow, perhaps you make a skirt. Before hitting the runway in Paris, you’ll be able to view it as part of “Figuratively Speaking.” Her design sparkles, so I’m guessing that the source material came from TheBurg. Carley is but one of a group of featured members at the AAH. CEO Carrie Wissler-Thomas shared that the members show has already been extended through May 13. The best advice for viewing this is in person… go figure!

As the crow flies to Midtown, so did I, landing at the recently reopened Millworks to catch the first show of the new season featuring a “Fast Five” of artists whose works on the main lobby wall curried favor with flavor.

We started with Tara Chickey, the Millworks art director who uses color cogently in her paintings, which bridge abstraction and pop art to perfection. Her colors of choice reflect a “sky of blue and fields of green” and a pink sunset too. Like Easter eggs, the shades are so pretty, Peter Rabbit would be envious.

Works by Tara Chickey hang on a wall at the reopened Millworks.

Pamela J. Black’s spring garden paintings draw on a color palette planted in annuals that quickly become painting perennials. There, you will see all the shades of spring as seen in gourmet beets of a five color rainbow, tri-colored cherry tomatoes that resemble garden candy and baby leaf lettuce in its heirloom cutting mix. Mr. McGregor will be on the alert to keep Peter from Pamela’s garden-colored paintings.

A painting by Pamela J. Black

Tristan Bond’s works defy being pigeonholed as this or that to become focused studies of his varied interests from anime to Afro punk, with some pop culture as well in his unique approach. Tristan’s world will take you on a globetrotting journey of innovation and imagination.

Artwork by Tristan Bond

Amie Bantz draws on her South Korean heritage in her fresh take on folk art. Her tableaux of painted paneled symbols (pictured) share elements of the past linking them to a timely treasure trove for today. Bridging centuries of history and heritage, Bantz bolsters those hallmarks as representative of modern day meaning for future generations to come.

This “Fast Five” is completed with Tina Berrier, artist-in-residence since the Millworks first opened its doors. Berrier balances bravado with bold brushstrokes in unexpected ways to create worlds both real and imagined. Departing de facto design, she inhabits history and cultures, mining the myths handed down in vivid detail to create wondrous portraits honoring indigenous people worldwide. Her cultural communiques reflect only one aspect of this dramatically diverse interpreter of art. The Millworks is firing on all burners and celebrates this with the return of first Saturdays as an added opportunity to meet and greet the artists. Look for the next one to arrive on April 3.

Works by Tina Berrier

Alice Anne Schwab, executive director of SAM at the Marty, shared artist Sanh Brian Tran’s Vault exhibition, “Country Charm,” which runs through April 11 and offers an added bonus. Sanh has created a booklet that accompanies the exhibition, which guests can take along with them. All proceeds of the booklets go to SAM’s neighbors and friends at the LGBT Center of Central PA as a donation to their worthy cause(s). In addition, the recently opened exhibit taking place in their S. Wilson and Grace M. Pollock Foundation Education Center Gallery features “From Selfie to Community.” This showcases Bloomsburg University art students under the tutelage of Prof. Chad Andrews marrying “selfies” taken over the course of the past year during the pandemic to an age-old art form (pictured). This produces a deeper resonance by incorporating woodcuts of the same. This mash-up creates lasting impressions of self-reflective moments literally embedded for posterity. On the surface, the modern day selfie becomes a historical artifact in its finished product. The exhibit runs through July 18.

Rounding out the spring preview in Midtown are two Verbeke favorites. At address #214, you will find La Cultura, an event space enterprise by Elyse Irvis, home to entrepreneurs, artists and an ilk of creatives looking to showcase products, ideas and art. With space to rent for special events, be they business or social, La Cultura has a vibe all its own, bringing an atmosphere of high energy and intimacy to its four walls. La Cultura is an amalgam of art gallery, event space and vendor’s market. It is in fact Harrisburg’s only event space for Black and Brown entrepreneurs, artists and startups. Its mission statement succinctly sums it up, “franchising the disenfranchised we exist to reignite the consistent and frequent circulation of dollars into Black and Brown communities locally.” La Cultura showcases emerging artists across mediums, from fashion to art. You can meet Elyse at La Cultura during any 3rd in the Burg and book your spring happening.

Speaking of “Boyd’s,” one named Jeb shared that his partner, Vivi (Sterste) has been busy round the clock crafting planters for spring posies. The learning never stops in their hot house of ideas at #258 Verbeke. I was recently informed by Vivi of Vivi on Verbeke, proprietress/potter, “Old clay makes better pots and with the intent of filling my storefront window with pay-what-you-can planters” which may fill a need for budding gardeners this spring. She envisioned tulips and daffodils sprouting up in the planters, providing a perfect photo op for partner Jeb Boyd. Taking it one step further, “Studio assistant, Zach, may be bringing some to the Broad Street Market to sell between the two buildings when the weather is warmer.” On a walk through the neighborhood, be sure to plant yourself inside the gallery for inspiration.

If you find yourself out and about in this season of renewal, your spirits may soar like a boid on the wing. When venturing forth into a gallery, restaurant or museum and coming across art that lifts you up, who knows, you may even start chirping.

The Week that Was: News and Features around Harrisburg

March 19, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Conley Gittens

Zeroday Brewing Co. is set to open its taproom and restaurant in Harrisburg next week.

It’s looking like a nice weekend to get out and enjoy Harrisburg! With temperatures expected to moderate, it may be a good time to throw on an extra layer and enjoy some outdoor dining. Before you head out, catch up on our reporting from this week, listed and linked, below.

The Crowne Plaza hotel in Harrisburg caught fire on Monday, but minimal damage was caused, our reporting found. According to Fire Chief Brian Enterline, the fire started in the hotel’s blind shaft, a brick duct that runs from the basement to the top floor and contains utility pipes.

The eviction moratorium in Harrisburg was extended for another 30 days, through mid-April, according to our online story. The city initially enacted the declaration in December to protest residents struggling to pay rent during the pandemic.

Gov. Tom Wolf announced that COVID-19 restrictions would be loosened for restaurants, bars and other businesses. Starting April 4, restaurants may resume bar service, and alcohol service will be allowed without the purchase of food.

Harrisburg may soon take one of the final steps toward leaving Act 47, our online story reported. Harrisburg City Council members discussed a final piece of the city’s years-long recovery plan, the creation of a special trust to oversee certain post-employment benefits for retired city union workers.

Harrisburg’s Irish history is well hidden, but our writer found pieces of it at Mount Calvary Cemetery and in other places around the city. What she discovered were stories of heroism, humanity and hope.

The Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra will take the stage for its 90th-anniversary celebration this weekend, our online story reported. Viewers can experience the concert virtually through an online performance. You also can enjoy a lengthy “Conversation” with Maestro Stuart Malina, who was interviewed by our own Karen Hendricks.

Isabelle’s Southern Cuisine is set to open this weekend in Midtown Harrisburg, our online story reported. Owner Kim Ross hopes to continue her grandmother’s legacy and share her family’s soul food recipes with the community.

Marty Mummert creates custom painted signs the old-fashioned way—by hand. His dedication has paid off, drawing in clients like Anthropologie, Bubba Gump Shrimp Company and Cracker Barrel. Read more in our magazine story.

Protests at the PA state Capitol have had a unique impact on residents in the surrounding neighborhoods this past year, our magazine story reported. With a few rallies spilling into residential areas, some community members experienced fear and frustration.

Sankofa African American Theatre Co. and Gamut Theatre Group joined forces to create a program entitled “Do You Know Me?” our online story reported. The show connects audiences to Harrisburg’s rich African American history—abolitionists and civil rights activists who struggled to end slavery, secure the vote, and challenge ongoing segregation.

Sara Bozich has some late St. Patty’s Day events for you this weekend, in case you haven’t celebrated already–or maybe if you have. Her list also includes some shop local suggestions. Don’t miss out!

UPMC Pinnacle’s Nurse Family Partnership program lends a hand to first-time mothers through coaching and mentorship. Our magazine article tells the story of Allison Pierre, a young mom who completed the program.

Vision Resources of Central Pennsylvania celebrated its 100th anniversary this month, our magazine story reported. The organization serves the blind and visually impaired community in Dauphin, Cumberland, Perry and Franklin counties.

Zeroday Brewing Co. plans to open its new taproom and restaurant next week, our online story reported. The restaurant features a custom-built bar, indoor dining area, a Mexican-inspired menu and outdoor courtyard.

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A New Route: Harrisburg role model Aaron Johnson announces his retirement as public works director

March 19, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Aaron Johnson in a screenshot from the mayor’s Facebook Live broadcast

Aaron Johnson didn’t have a glamorous job, not the kind of career you’d think of for someone whose name is easily one of the most known around Harrisburg.

As the director of the Public Works Department, Johnson dealt with a lot of trash and saw some of the messiest parts of the capital city. But, as Johnson discussed his career on the city’s Facebook Live retirement celebration on Friday, it was clear he left an impact.

Johnson, who was born and raised in Harrisburg, began working at the city’s incinerator in 1996 before moving to the highway department, supervising maintenance and events at City Island and eventually landing in public works

He was a hard worker, which he attributed to his time serving in the military. As a kid, he confessed, he wasn’t always that way.

“The military was the best thing that could’ve happened to me because it changed my whole outlook on life,” he said.

In 2010, Johnson became the deputy director of the department, just as the city collapsed financially. The public works department was on the brink of shutting down, and morale was at an “all time low,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse during the online event.

Wanting to see change, Johnson ran a write-in campaign for mayor of Harrisburg.

“If I thought I could turn the city around,” he said. “I was going to do what I needed to do.”

Johnson lost to Papenfuse, but continued to make a difference in the city, leading the public works department when, he said, he didn’t see many other Black men in managerial positions in the city.

“I said, if I got in management, I’d be able to sit at the table and make difference,” Johnson said. “If you’re on the sidelines, you can’t make changes.”

Under the Papenfuse administration, Johnson became the public works director and successfully transformed the department into a moneymaker for Harrisburg. Most recently, he helped bring Steelton, Paxtang and Penbrook onto Harrisburg’s trash pick-up route.

“We came a mighty long way,” Johnson said. “Our guys are really resilient, and they get it done. We are leading by example.”

During his time as director, Johnson trained Dave West, who will now take on the role of director.

“Thank you for choosing me,” West said. “I’m not going to let you down.”

Over his years in Harrisburg, Johnson was also heavily involved in Little League Baseball. He coached and mentored local youth through the Men of the South East League Field Inc. (MOSELF), a chapter of MLB’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program. Johnson also helped restore baseball fields in the city.

“All we did was give back to those young kids what was given to us,” he said.

This past year wasn’t easy for Johnson’s family. Both he and his wife tested positive for COVID-19, and a few of his friends and family members passed away from the virus.

Although his last year as director was a hard one, Johnson looked back on his career with fondness. During the Facebook Live broadcast on Friday, various friends, co-workers and family members shared stories about Johnson. Even his mom, Barbara Chester Johnson, appeared virtually to wish him well.

“You’ve worked all your life and now it’s your turn,” she said. “All I can say is a job well done.”

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Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

March 18, 2021 | by Sara Bozich

If you’re looking for things to do this weekend around Harrisburg and central PA, I got you! Scroll down or use the menu links to find ideas for your weekend.

What’s inside:

For your weekend planning:
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Top Weekend Recs
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
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Need something NEW to do? Shop great local businesses with downtown Camp Hill’s Spring Fling this Saturday (see below for my top picks), watch Oscar Shorts + support Midtown Cinema, celebrate all things Irish at LBC Harrisburg all weekend long.

(Still) Worth noting: We revived our private Facebook group, Cheers Harrisburg. You can join the convo here.

Things on my agenda this weekend: Oh just a brewery/taqueria soft opening.

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

For your weekend planning:

Support PA food; get cool swag
↬ 5 Ways to Support Local Restaurants Right Now
#CVEats Instagram Guide
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

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Top Weekend Recs

LAST CALL (you have until noon today!) to join our CheersHBG Bracket Contest + WIN
Get inspired to cook
Upgrade your bar cart with these local spirits + fave tools
Some ideas for self-care
Binge Poured in PA: The Series!

COVID-19 Disclaimer: As always, please click through the links or call ahead to get the most up-to-date information about venues and/or events below. It should also go without saying, but I’ll say it — Mask up, follow the rules, and be nice. And tip extra!

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

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Zeroday Brewing Co. to open new Midtown taproom next week, with Mexican-inspired menu

March 17, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda

The new Zeroday Brewing Company taproom and restaurant will open next week in Midtown.

Following a yearlong build-out, Zeroday Brewing Co. plans to debut its new taproom and restaurant next week.

The new space on the 900-block of N. 3^rd Street in Harrisburg will officially open on Tuesday, March 23, according to the company.

Zeroday began construction on the new space about a year ago, expecting a six-month build-out. However, the pandemic quickly postponed and then delayed the project.

“Through all of the obstacles that this past year has had to offer, one of the biggest challenges for us has been not seeing our customers face to face,” said co-owner Theo Armstrong. “We are so excited to welcome everyone back and share a beer.”

The new taproom features a long, custom-built bar, an indoor dining area and an expansive outdoor courtyard, with total capacity for 150 people. The inside area includes a 60-person event space that also features a small-batch, three-barrel brewhouse.

Zeroday is partnering with La Catrina under chef Pedro Rincon Mexica to offer a full-service menu focused on contemporary Mexican cuisine. The taproom and restaurant will be open seven days a week.

The opening date nearly coincides with the state’s planned loosening of pandemic restrictions on bars and restaurants on April 5, with bar service allowed to resume and indoor seating expanded to 75% of capacity.

A glimpse inside Zeroday’s new brewhouse event space

It’s been a busy year for Zeroday.

Following the onset of the pandemic, the brewery shuttered its original taproom at the rear of Midtown Cinema, converting it exclusively to production space.

Meanwhile, it built a new “outpost” inside the cinema as part of the cinema’s own extensive renovation. That space features a bar, table service and a courtyard, with a gourmet hot dog menu. It also continues to operate the Zeroday Outpost inside the Broad Street Market.

A fourth Zeroday location is currently under construction at the new Susquehanna Union Green outside of Linglestown, in partnership with the owners of Shakedown BBQ.

Zeroday opens its new Midtown taproom with 25 employees and expects to double that number once its current expansion plans are complete, according to the company.

Zeroday Brewing Co. is located at 925 N. 3^rd St., Harrisburg, as well as at 250 Reily Street and inside the Broad Street Market. For more information, visit their website.

For the HSO, the show goes on—90 years and counting

March 17, 2021 | by Karen Hendricks

The Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra on stage at The Forum in 2019

When the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra (HSO) takes the stage for their 90th birthday concert this Saturday, there will be striking differences compared to their inaugural March 1931 performance.

For starters, this weekend’s concert will take place virtually and be available for live-streaming directly into patrons’ living rooms—something that would have sounded completely foreign in 1931.

But there’s actually a common theme linking the two performances, beyond the music itself.

“We know we’re living under [pandemic] duress, but we need to remember what a bold decision it was for people to come together in Harrisburg and form an orchestra starting from zero dollars and zero funding,” said Matthew Herren, HSO executive director. “It was a big undertaking, and we honor their vision.”

The HSO has overcome many challenges in its 90 years including navigating its current “A Season Like No Other” via online performances. What began as a community orchestra featuring amateur Harrisburg musicians in 1931, morphed into a semi-professional organization, then blossomed into its current status as a fully professional orchestra.

The original Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra in 1931

“When we’re talking about an orchestra in a smallish city, it’s an extraordinary accomplishment to get to 90 years,” said Maestro Stuart Malina, HSO music director and conductor. “And when you get to the level of the HSO, the differential in artistic quality between us and the best orchestras in the world is really very small.”

Malina reflects on his musical childhood, family and fate that directed his steps toward the HSO—after he nearly followed in his father’s footsteps and became a lawyer—including his 20 years in Harrisburg, in the HSO’s March edition of their monthly “Conversations with the Maestro” YouTube series. The video is being released the evening of March 18, as a pre-cursor to this weekend’s celebratory online concert.

“When I first came to Harrisburg, I knew it was the capital—that was about all I knew about Harrisburg,” said Malina. “But the geographical location affords us major market players—that’s why I’ve stayed here so long… and on certain days, the Susquehanna River is the prettiest place in the world.”

He performs two piano pieces in the video—including a duet with his 18-year old son. Pandemic-era “exercises in creativity” such as online performances, and the HSO’s future, are also topics he touches upon.

“I’m feeling rather bullish about the future of the HSO. Others are pessimistic about the future of orchestras and arts organizations,” said Malina, citing the HSO’s strong community support, board, staff, and more than 70 musicians.

The last time the HSO performed for a live audience was March 1, 2020 at the Forum. Since October, the HSO has recorded and streamed six performances with four more in the works, according to Herren.

“We quickly shifted to online performance, and thanks to the generosity of the Whitaker Center we’ve been recording performances there for streaming on demand,” Herren said. “What we’ve proven to ourselves is that we’re more nimble than we thought.”

Pre-pandemic live performances typically attracted an audience between 1,000 and 1,700. Pandemic-era, pre-recorded online performances have been garnering ticket sales from 500 to 800 households. That translates into a steady audience, across a pandemic speed bump, if you calculate at least two people per household.

The 90th birthday concert, available online March 20-28, is a “celebratory program” reminiscent of “outdoor events and parades,” Herren said.

The program blends classical music’s past and present: It opens with James Stephenson’s “Fanfare for Democracy” composed for President Biden’s inauguration, and it pays homage to the orchestra’s 1931 debut concert program by including “Two Slavonic Dances,” by Bohemian composer Antonín Dvořák.

The HSO’s 1931 program (left), next to this month’s program (right)

“The orchestra’s level is probably the highest it’s ever been, professionally,” said Concertmaster Peter Sirotin, who has played violin with the HSO for 25 years. “It’s a joy to watch this orchestra grow into a Pennsylvania institution—a premier cultural organization… with a level of culture and morale and camaraderie that’s hard to find.”

Following the remainder of the season’s online programming, the HSO’s traditional, free outdoor summer concerts as well as the 2021-22 season remain a question mark for now.

“We have a schedule and intentions, but we will not publicly promote events until we know we can safely have the musicians on stage,” said Gloria Giambalvo, HSO marketing director.

She encourages the public to continue checking the HSO’s website and social media for announcements.

“We’re all dying to think about and talk about the summer, but we’re resisting,” said Giambalvo. “We don’t want to offer hope for something that may not happen as we initially intended. We’ve been open and honest with our patrons, and they respect that.”

The HSO’s YouTube Conversation with the Maestro, hosted by our very own Karen Hendricks of TheBurg Podcast, is linked here. HSO staff, as well as Hendricks, will be interacting and answering viewers’ questions live on YouTube, Thursday, March 18, 6-7:30 p.m.

For more information on the HSO including the 90th birthday concert, see harrisburgsymphony.org.

Harrisburg plans “trust” to handle financial obligations for retirees, gets closer to exiting Act 47

March 17, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Harrisburg City Government Center

Harrisburg is weighing creating a trust to help pay for retiree benefits, one of the last steps on its long road to exiting Act 47.

On Tuesday, Harrisburg City Council members discussed a final piece of the city’s years-long recovery plan, the creation of a special trust to oversee certain post-employment benefits for retired city union workers.

“This has been a long time in the making,” city Solicitor Neil Grover said during the virtual work session. “It’s a concept that is promoted as a good financial tool for municipalities to recognize longtime obligations that they have to retirees and their families.”

Setting up a trust was approved by the Commonwealth Court in 2013 as part of the “Harrisburg Strong” financial recovery plan.

If approved by Harrisburg City Council, the OPEB Trust Fund would handle funds to supplement healthcare benefits that Harrisburg already provides retirees, acting independently of the city government. The trust would start with about $3.3 million from the city, which Grover said is far under the amount that would be needed to fund the other post-employment benefits long-term. The trust will be tasked with determining a way to build up additional funds, he said.

Grover said that the trust would be empowered to decide what type of healthcare items to cover, such as offsetting co-pays or paying for prescriptions or catastrophic events.

Harrisburg could contribute money to the OPEB Trust Fund, but due to the autonomy of the board, the city could not take funds from it.

Overall, the creation of the board would allow for a “backstop,” as Grover explained when reached by phone on Wednesday, thus supplementing the city’s already substantial retiree obligations.

The board would be made up of nine members, one from each of the city’s three unions, two appointed by City Council, two by the mayor and two by the state-appointed recovery coordinator for the city.

Council likely will vote on the ordinance at its next legislative session on Tuesday. From there, council would need to pass a resolution to enter into a trust agreement so that the OPEB Trust board could form.

The creation of the trust will be added into the city’s application to finally exit Act 47 after 11 years in the state’s program for financially distressed municipalities. According to Harrisburg officials, this is one of the final steps that the city has to undertake before leaving the program.

Also on the council docket for next week is a resolution to support the formation of a new joint transportation authority combining Harrisburg-based Capital Area Transit (CAT) and York-based rabbittransit. The merger would seek to regionalize transportation by creating the Susquehanna Regional Transportation Authority, offering a single fare payment system for users and improved connections for riders, Richard Farr, executive director of rabbitttransit, explained.

City Council will likely vote on this on Tuesday, as well.

Farr said that Adams and Dauphin counties have passed their resolutions to support the regional authority. York and Cumberland counties will vote in the coming weeks.

“Things continue to go very positively moving forward and things seem to be on track,” he said.

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