Pandemic Plot Twists: It’s a storyline with screen fatigue, “real” books and blue light glasses.

January 29, 2021 | by Karen Hendricks

Illustration by Curt Roher.

There’s never been a better time to get lost in a book.

“An ironic positive side effect of the pandemic is that people are falling back in love with reading,” said Alex Brubaker, manager of Harrisburg’s Midtown Scholar Bookstore.

One downside of a work-from-home lifestyle is screen fatigue. But an upside of a stay-at-home lifestyle seems to be a return to reading—real, hold-in-your-hand, paper books.

“As people are staying inside more often, they are trying to find something to do away from their screens—activities and hobbies that don’t have to do with a computer screen,” Brubaker said. “Books are one thing people are coming back to. The pandemic is reigniting their love of books.”

Print sales are up 6% across the entire industry, he said, although indie bookstore sales are down 30%—a phenomenon he attributes to the popularity of Amazon.

Midtown Scholar has kept its doors closed since March, which has resulted in “an enormous hit on sales,” said Brubaker.

“On the flip side, online sales are up,” he said.

And the bookstore made creative pivots to online author discussions, outdoor sidewalk sales and curbside pickup.

Page Turners

So, what are people reading amid the pandemic?

“There’s been a great surge in book sales related to the Black Lives Matter movement and current events,” Brubaker said.

For others, real life is too real these days. They crave escapism, science fiction, fantasy, fiction and humor, including new books by David Sedaris and Jerry Seinfeld.

“Reading was my lifeline during the spring closure and the isolation resulting from the pandemic,” said Karen Cullings, executive director of Dauphin County Library System (DCLS). “Reading about issues became even more important to me, so I could understand and process my feelings about current events. And relaxing with a lighter book—I love mysteries—was an important escape when things got to be too much.”

DCLS circulation was down 43% in 2020, compared to 2019. Cullings said those numbers aren’t surprising, given the libraries’ closures and restrictions.

Meantime, online library services took off. Catalog searches were up 108%, eBook usage increased 29%, and use of eContent such as movies and music increased by 17%.

Personal touches at DCLS became more meaningful amid the pandemic. The libraries launched BookAdvisor, a personalized book selection service, and offered curbside pickup—books-to-go.

“Library members have been extremely supportive and expressed gratitude for the library and what it provides during the pandemic,” Cullings said.

She’s received numerous thank-you notes, some hand-written, even accompanying donations.

Many readers say they feel a more personal connection with the books they’re reading, in-hand.

“Reading books in print offers a deep reading experience,” Brubaker said. “Some readers say they can’t or don’t do eBooks because they hurt their eyes or have screen fatigue. Other people say they don’t like reading on their device, because the potential for distraction goes up when emails come in.”

So are real paper books healthier for our eyes?

“When you have real paper, there’s not a light source projecting from screen, and you’re definitely going to get less exposure to blue light,” said Dr. Alan McLin of Morrison Eye Associates, with locations in Harrisburg, Hershey and Dillsburg.

In Light of the Pandemic

Eye doctors nationwide are seeing an increase in patients reporting eye strain, due to greater numbers of people working from home and attending school online—then spending downtime on their phones. McLin’s patients are following these trends.

“Our exposure to blue light emitting devices is dramatically increasing,” said McLin, who’s been an eye doctor for 30 years.

So what exactly is blue light?

Within the visible spectrum of light, blue light is at the end of the spectrum of colors produced by shorter wavelengths, McLin said.

“That end of the spectrum has more energy per se, so the amount of it, and the energy of that blue light is what can potentially affect your eyes,” McLin explained.

While blue light is emitted from digital devices—computers and phone screens—it also naturally exists in sunlight.

“More research on blue light is needed to be conclusive,” McLin said. “But we know it does have some ill effects. It causes eye fatigue or strain and may contribute to macular degeneration. It affects your circadian rhythms—how you adjust to being awake and being asleep—and inhibits melatonin—your sleep hormone—which keeps you awake and alert.”

So, basically, staring at a screen all day can hurt your health, and McLin said many of us also have bad posture and other habits that contribute to pain and fatigue.

Sight for Sore Eyes

Following national trends, McLin is receiving more patient requests for blue light-blocking glasses, which have a special coating that inhibits blue light. McLin likens them to sunglasses that filter harmful ultraviolet light.

And just like sunglasses, blue light blocking glasses can be combined with a prescription—something McLin said he does every day—or they can be worn without prescription lenses.

“They’re rampant on the internet right now,” said McLin. “There’s definitely an awareness, and millennials are all over this.”

While some patients put them on and say their eyes immediately feel more comfortable, McLin calls that “a placebo effect.”

“You’re not going to have that effect right away, but when people say their eyes don’t feel as fatigued at the end of the day, that’s a real benefit,” McLin said. “That’s not imaginary, and it’s not a gimmick.”

And, after all, don’t we all want a happy ending?

Midtown Scholar Bookstore is located at 1302 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg and online at midtownscholar.com.

Learn more about the Dauphin County Library System at dcls.org.

Dr. Alan McLin practices at Morrison Eye Associates, including a location at 235 Division St., Harrisburg, with more information at morrisoneye.com.

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A “Modern Love” Story: Midstate couple finds love at first sight and recounts it in the New York Times.

January 29, 2021 | by Debbie Lynch

Xander Miller and Naomie Brinvilus. Photo by Danae Blackburn

Xander Miller could never figure out why his wife Naomie Brinvilus always wanted to buy so many pillows.

Their bed already had at least a dozen pillows. It wasn’t until they started writing a joint memoir on their love story that he discovered the reason and got to know so much more about her.

In a section about her life that Brinvilus wrote one evening and that Miller read early the next morning, she described how her family used to make their beds on the floor of their home in Petit-Goâve, Haiti, with carpeting and a foam mat. “We never had any pillows,” she had written.

“And, I realized that that’s why she likes pillows so much,” Miller said, as Brinvilus laughed during a Zoom interview from their home in Lancaster. “It’s been an interesting experience to learn more about her life from her stories. It’s been a way to enrich our lives a little bit after all these years.”

Brinvilus and Miller, who have been married for seven years, found love thanks to a voodoo priest and a rooster, the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010, and a cholera epidemic that followed. Brinvilus, a Haitian who was working for the nonprofit Oxfam, and Miller, a volunteer from the United States, were serving in a cholera treatment tent. After their unlikely meeting, Brinvilus knew that Miller was the rooster that a priest had foreseen for her during a consultation.

“We made eye contact; that was all. When I got home, I told my sister I had seen my rooster and was afraid I would never see him again,” Brinvilus wrote in a “Modern Love” essay entitled, “A Glance (and a Rooster) That Changed Everything,” published this past August in the New York Times.

“Ever since the pandemic started, Xander and I have been spending time writing and revisiting our love, since we met in a pandemic and an epidemic and now we live again in a pandemic,” Brinvilus said. “It follows back to the time when we first met, so that’s why I wrote the [New York Times] column.”

Locked Eyes

Their meeting came on Miller’s second trip to Haiti after the devastating earthquake in January 2010. He first went for three months to help as an EMT volunteering with the Jatukik Providence Foundation.

Miller discovered that small communities outside the capital of Port-au-Prince had no means of moving critical patients to city hospitals. He returned to Sante Fe, N.M., where he had worked as an EMT, and started a nonprofit called “Ambulance for Haiti” to raise money to buy and ship an ambulance back to that community. He succeeded and returned along with it in September 2010, when Haiti was now on the verge of a cholera epidemic.

Early on at a cholera treatment center, he and Brinvilus locked eyes. They dated until he left again in January 2011. Her friends and family predicted that would be it, but long-distance phone calls and Miller’s trip back with a ring proved them wrong. After Miller spent nearly a year trying to get a fiancée’s visa, Brinvilus was finally able to join him in Cleveland in March 2012.

The couple landed in Hershey in 2018, when Miller started the physician’s assistant program at Penn State Hershey. Two years later, he graduated in the middle of another pandemic and landed a job as a physician’s assistant in one of Lancaster General Health’s primary care practices. The couple recently moved to Lancaster, where they live together there with their 2-year-old Emerson (Emmy) and Brinvilus’ sister and her two children.

Fell in Love

Days before Brinvilus’ “Modern Love” essay appeared, the New York Times reviewed her husband’s first fiction novel, “ZO,” which was published last summer by Alfred A. Knopf. Miller wasn’t sure he would be the best person to write about Haiti, but the earthquake and the lack of literature written about it spoke to him.

“First of all, I fell in love in Haiti after the earthquake, after cholera,” he said. “I couldn’t write about falling in love anywhere else with anyone else except a Haitian woman in Haiti.”

“ZO” is a socioeconomic class story of forbidden love—an orphan falls in love with a doctor’s daughter. The earthquake and its devastating effects figure prominently in the story. Miller’s descriptions of sailing, boxing and pulling a cart filled with injured people feel brutally real.

He felt compelled to write the novel after listening to a radio show that interviewed an earthquake survivor who described waking up in a dump truck bound for the burial ground. Many experiences in the novel were those that Brinvilus had lived firsthand.

Brinvilus had moved to live with her uncle in Port-au-Prince for college. After the earthquake destroyed their home, she and her sister lived in a tent on the grounds of the Mormon Church.

She had no way of reaching her mother and family after the earthquake. She didn’t know if they were even alive, just as they also didn’t know her fate. She used the last of her money for bus fare to get to their hometown five days after the quake hit. Although her mother’s house suffered destruction, she was OK, and she broke down crying to see her daughters alive.

Soon after that, Miller spied her in the cholera treatment clinic, and the rest is history that will form the foundation for their memoir—a study of love at first sight—that they hope to finish writing in the next six to nine months.

“It’s going to be about us falling in love, “Brinvilus said. “It’s changed me—I will say for the best.”

Miller spoke further of their special connection.

“Naomie and I—we should be very different, right?” he said. “Naomie grew up in the poorest country in the western hemisphere, and I grew up here in the richest country in the western hemisphere. I’m white; she’s black. I speak English; she speaks Creole. I’m a Jew; she’s a Catholic and a voodooist, depending on what day of the week it is. In America, we make such a big deal over differences. But, for Naomie and I, we knew there should be differences, but they kind of all faded away, and we wanted to write about how that works and explore why, when we saw each other, all the things that should have been barriers just melted away. We just want to explore that story.”

It’s a story of pillows, roosters, disaster and love at first sight.

“A Glance (and a Rooster) that Changed Everything” appeared in the New York Times on Aug. 14, 2020.

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Artist in Focus: Dionn Reneé

January 29, 2021 | by TheBurg Editor

Harrisburg-area artist Dionn Reneé credits her upbringing for her versatile career—her family’s involvement in the arts and entertainment, as well as early encouragement from schoolteachers.

Today, she’s skilled in everything from photography to graphic design, but it’s her fine art that we’re highlighting in this space.

As you can see from this page, her subjects and techniques are varied. She’s done numerous celebrity portraits, but is equally adept at abstract, realistic or even surrealistic styles. Her pieces often feature Black themes and subjects, and many emphasize faces and figures.

According to the artist, her education, her world travel and her experiences have greatly influenced her style and her subjects, and she uses them all when creating a new piece.

In this feature, we share a very small portion of her work. To see more, visit her website at www.dionrenee.com.

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It’s All Uphill: State park benchmarks go wild amid pandemic.

January 29, 2021 | by Karen Hendricks

It’s where LeAnn Martinez goes to find “a moment of sanity.” Dauphin County’s Memorial Lake State Park is where she connects to nature.

“I run around the lake, and it’s very peaceful, with a really cool bridge to run across,” said Martinez of Harrisburg.

Swatara State Park, located in Lebanon and Schuylkill counties, is another one of her go-to’s. As an endurance runner who regularly participates in 24- and 48-hour running events often held on trails, Martinez likes to train on both parks’ trail systems. The 2-mile loop around Memorial Lake is one she often runs continuously for hours at a time.

“You forget about the stress of your job—you know the world’s still there, but it’s a little reprieve,” Martinez said. “It’s like therapy.”

And amid a worldwide pandemic, she’s not alone. Community, state and national parks across the country are reporting surges in attendance.

Pennsylvania, with one of the largest state park systems in the country, as well as one of the few that offers free admission, shattered recreation records in 2020.

“In 2019, we had 304,670 total attendance at Memorial Lake. From January to Nov. 30 of 2020, we’re already at 421,435,” said Courtney Troutman, manager at both Memorial Lake and nearby Swatara State Parks.

Swatara, shaped by the forested land along both sides of the Swatara Creek, offers access to the Appalachian Trail, the hiking and biking-friendly Swatara Rail Trail, historic bridges, plus horseback riding. Park attendance stood at 194,735 in 2019. It soared to 309,511 during 11 months of 2020. That’s a 59% increase—even without December’s final figures.

“Since the start of addressing this pandemic, outdoor recreation is one of the only fun things people were allowed to do,” Troutman said. “People were cooped up in houses, and getting outdoors, enjoying public land was pretty much the only option.”

Surrounded by Fort Indiantown Gap, Memorial Lake offers hiking trails, boating, fishing and picnic facilities—described by Troutman as a “family-friendly park.”

Parking was often an issue at Memorial Lake, where there are three large parking lots totaling 400 spaces. Troutman said that park personnel had to devise an overflow parking area in a field.

The lake’s boat rental concessionaire sold out on multiple weekends, renting every single one of its canoes, kayaks, fishing and paddleboats to visitors.

“That was a record,” Troutman said. “And with boat launch permits, we noticed more inflatable kayaks this year. Visitors had to buy those because outdoor equipment [like hard shell kayaks] was hard to find on shelves during the pandemic.”

Total attendance at the Keystone State’s 121 parks rose from 35.8 million in 2019, to 45.2 million through November in 2020—that’s more than a 26% jump.

“We’re serving a mission-critical function in terms of COVID-19 response,” said David Sariano of the Bureau of State Parks, under the umbrella of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. “It’s a challenge many people are facing, and they need an escape. It creates a situation where we’re adding to the public health by keeping the parks open.”

In central Pennsylvania, York County’s Codorus State Park attracted the biggest pandemic crowds—annual attendance hit 1.3 million through November.

And state park visitors aren’t just hiking, picnicking or boating for the day—they booked overnight stays in record numbers, too. Reservations at the state’s 6,800 campsites, cabins and picnic pavilions totaled more than 250,000 in 2020 (January through November)—a 47% increase over 2019.

What is the resulting impact on the parks, economically and ecologically?

“It’s been a challenge for us, in that we have unprecedented day use and overnight demands, but not a fully funded budget or staffed park system,” said Sariano. “We received our final budget in early December and have had staff cuts and less money for contracting and services. That’s our challenge on how we move forward, because in the current state of emergency, we’re providing an essential service, and we want to remain open and provide service at a high level.”

The state parks’ current budget is $108.3 million, a reduction from last year’s $114.4 million.

Yet, “the total [annual] contribution in visitor spending to the state economy is $1.145 billion… and in 2020 it would have been way up from that,” said Sariano.

Negative impact on the state’s natural resources, including wildlife, may be harder to measure. Troutman said that garbage cans occasionally overflowed at Memorial Lake and Swatara, due to the combination of visitor increases and staffing hiccups amid COVID-19. Volunteers couldn’t gather at times to keep park trails and waterways cleared.

She predicts another banner year for state park visitation in 2021 and remains optimistic that, along with visitor increases, there will be increased public appreciation for state parks.

“I think the trends will continue,” Troutman said. “This past year has been an important one for state parks because it’s shown the importance of public lands and how they impact everyone’s lives—impacting physical and mental health.”

For more information on Pennsylvania’s state parks, see www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks.

Stories on environmental topics are proudly sponsored by LCSWMA

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Tasty, Roomy: Soul House Cafe opts for larger digs to better serve its loyal customers.

January 29, 2021 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

“Pivot” is a big word in the restaurant industry these days. Restaurateurs have been forced to change—and change again—in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Andre Young is no exception. The owner of Soul House Café has learned that, to succeed in life, one must be resilient—a philosophy that has served him well over the years. Each time he suffered a setback, he figured out a way to emerge victorious.

This time, he decided that he wasn’t going to allow a pandemic to stand in his way.

When COVID hit, his Harrisburg restaurant was forced to shut down twice, once in April at the onset of the pandemic and then again on Halloween.

It was then that Young realized it was time to take action. So, after five years at 19th and North streets, he moved to a larger location at the corner of 17th and Paxton streets.

“In the previous place, there was a very small lobby and no waiting area, except a deck, where people would wait for their food,” he said. “With the cold weather approaching and social distancing, it forced my hand.”

Time Was Right

Young credits his mother for his profession, saying that she imbued in him a love of cooking.

Years later, when he became a single parent, he decided it was time to go back to school to study the related field of hotel and restaurant management. After working at Red Lobster and subsequently helping to train staff at various locations, he realized that he had a yearning to return to his hometown.

“I was in Norfolk at the time and came back to intern at the Maverick,” Young said. “A nightclub operated there in the evenings before a fire took it out.”

He then opened Off the Hook on 17th Street, where he served up heaping helpings of soul food, much as he does today. He ran the eatery for four years, until the Great Recession put him on the ropes.

“I couldn’t withstand the rise in gas and food prices,” he said.

Several years later, he decided to take another shot at running a restaurant, benefitting from all he had learned over the years.

Over time, Soul House Café became very popular, often with customers waiting in long lines for their orders. COVID, though, presented a big problem due to a lack of space inside. So, Young decided to move into a larger building on Paxton Street, where social distancing was easier and people could duck in from the cold to wait for their meals.

“We closed down during the month of November to make the transition,” he said.

On Offer

The Soul House Café menu lists traditional southern cuisine, but with many twists.

A variety of chicken wings are on offer, with a choice of sauces, like the popular “mumbo” sauce, which, Young explained, was created in Chicago and gained popularity in the Washington, D.C., area.

“It’s a sweet and tangy sauce, with a little kick,” he said.

An array of wraps is also available, like the signature whiting fillet, deep fried and wrapped in a flour tortilla, or the Buffalo chicken wrap with grilled or fried chicken, tossed in sauce and blue cheese and served with a choice of toppings. Additional handhelds include cheeseburgers and chicken breast sandwiches, along with sandwiches that focus on seafood, such as the popular whiting and catfish.

A selection of hot subs is also available with ingredients like sausage, steak and chicken.

Customer Dawn Johnson said that Young was a former classmate and became the “go-to caterer” at her workplace. Among her favorites are the fried shrimp dinner, roasted chicken, macaroni and cheese, greens and rice and gravy.

Dana Blackston has also known Young for years.

“I used to run the Harrisburg Packers midget football program, and he did all the cooking for me at our concession stand,” Blackston said.

His favorite dishes are the deep-fried shrimp and fries, the macaroni and cheese, and the greens and sweet potatoes. Blackston also mentioned how popular Young’s restaurant is.

“I’ve been to the new place three times, and each time there was an hour wait,” he said.

Marlon Anderson comes in from Steelton to grab and go, with the Cajun catfish dinner being his favorite.

“My wife and I both love it,” he said.

Anderson likes that every dish is cooked to order.

“It’s fresh and doesn’t sit under a heat lamp,” he said. “Plus, the service is good and everyone has a great attitude.”

He added that the new place is an improvement over the old.

“It’s bigger inside,” he said. “In the other place, there was no seating inside.”

As for Young, he’s looking forward to how things will play out in the new year in his improved digs.

“COVID is making the decisions right now,” he said. “For now, we’ll do takeout until vaccines get more widespread and the fear subsides.”

Until then, he’s “playing it by ear.”

“You gotta have a love for it,” he said.

Soul House Café is located at 1639 Paxton St., Harrisburg. Call for takeout at 717-236-3500. Follow them on their Facebook page: SoulHouseCafe717.

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February News Digest

January 29, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Conley

Jackson Hotel Collapses

The history-rich Jackson Hotel partially collapsed last month and then was razed to prevent further danger.

Harrisburg Commercial Interiors was working to stabilize the building, located on the 1000-block of N. 6th Street, when the situation became unsafe, according to owner Matt Long. Workers were able to get to safety before the wall facing Herr Street collapsed, Long said.

Staff and customers at the neighboring Jackson House restaurant saw falling bricks hit cars and damage the restaurant’s roof and sign, said owner Dave Kegris. Within a few hours, Long began to demolish the rest of the building for safety.

The circa-1884 Jackson Hotel once catered to African-American patrons who were denied service in Harrisburg’s white-only hotels. When long-time owner German Jackson died in 1998, the building was boarded up and has remained empty since.

In his will, Jackson left the building to Kegris, who owned it until 2015. Since then, the building has changed hands several times and, for the past few years, prominently featured a mural celebrating local Black history.

Over this time, few renovations were done and, eventually, the building’s roof caved in, and the back of the building collapsed. The interior of the building pancaked, leaving it in rubble, and the city condemned it.

Long purchased the building in 2018 with plans to stabilize the foundation and construct a completely new interior and roof. He intended to create apartments and commercial space.

Long said that he now plans to build an entirely new structure on the site, closely replicating the original Jackson Hotel building.

Theater Renovation to Start

Friends of the West Shore Theatre last month announced that they had secured enough funding to begin renovation of the 80-year-old theater in New Cumberland.

The group, as well as borough officials, gathered under the building’s signature marquee to celebrate significant progress in fundraising.

“We realized the value of trying to restore and keep this theater here in New Cumberland,” Mayor Doug Morrow said. “The funding is in place. We are moving forward.”

The West Shore Theatre opened in 1940 with 25-cent tickets. It remained a beloved, small-town theater for years before its doors closed in 2015. Friends of the West Shore Theatre eventually acquired it and began planning to bring it back to life.

Morrow announced that, with several new grants, the board has raised $1.4 million of the $2 million needed for the renovation.

The most significant chunk of funds was $650,000 from the state’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP). The PA Department of Community and Economic Development also awarded a $250,000 grant for the project. Other local foundations provided grants, as well.

An extensive renovation is planned, including adding seating and a standing lounge area, stage improvements, new equipment and other upgrades.

Additions to the back of the theater, such as green rooms and classrooms, will likely happen a year after it opens to the public, said Dan Burke of Friends of the West Shore Theatre.

Morrow added that they intend to use the theater for showing movies, live performances, theater classes and community group meetings.

Apartment Plan for Midtown Building

A Harrisburg resident has his eye on one of the last dilapidated commercial buildings in Midtown, with plans to turn it into a small apartment building.

Nathaniel Foote has a contract to buy the former Gerber’s Department Store—also known as the “Carpets and Draperies” building for the sign on the front façade—on the 1500-block of N. 3rd Street.

His plan calls for a five-unit apartment building, along with first-floor commercial space, in the 4,800-square-foot, three-story brick structure.

“I live in the neighborhood,” he said. “I want to see the property restored.”

Foote is an attorney who owns two duplexes in Midtown and, along with his father, a parking facility. He said that his interest in the building arose simply from walking past it nearly every day, so that eventually he called the listing agent for the property.

“I’m not an out-of-town developer looking to make a buck,” he said, estimating that construction will cost about $500,000. “The cost is substantial given the number of units you can get out of it.”

Schnecksville, Pa.-based Mussani & Matz Co. has owned the century-old building since 2007, but it’s sat empty and increasingly blighted for most of that time. It’s been on the sales market for the last few years.

Six years ago, two Harrisburg residents proposed turning the building into a craft distillery, but that project was abandoned after it failed to gain approval of the city’s Zoning Hearing Board.

Foote said that he’s encouraged by a spate of development proposals for the immediate area. Over the past year, several developers have proposed projects for the Reily Street corridor, but none have broken ground yet.

Foote’s plan calls for all two-bedroom units, which would range in size from 750 to 2,000 square feet, along with a 1,000-square-foot commercial space on the ground floor. He expects that he would live in the largest unit on the third floor.

Rents would range from about $1,000 a month to about $1,400 a month, he said, depending on unit size.

Foote expects to put the project on the agenda for the city’s Planning Commission and Zoning Hearing Board for their February meetings. If the project gains city approval, he hopes to start construction in March for completion by year-end.

The interior is gutted, so it would need to be completely rebuilt, Foote said. He plans for Harrisburg Commercial Interiors to do the construction. The notable “Carpets and Draperies” sign would be restored as part of the project, he said.

The building does not have its own off-street parking, but is surrounded by surface parking lots. Foote said that he expects to lease parking spaces from one of the lot owners.

Classrooms May Reopen

Harrisburg School District officials may be closer to welcoming some students back into school buildings.

If COVID-19 cases continue to decrease in the district, small cohorts of students could resume brick-and-mortar learning in March, Acting Superintendent Chris Celmer said last month.

“This is our hope, this is our wish,” he said. “This is what we want to see hopefully happen.”

He said that the focus would be on returning special education and elementary students to the buildings first, as well as other cohorts of students that the district determines are struggling the most.

The district has been operating with a 100% virtual learning model since the beginning of the school year. From the start, administrators have been looking for Dauphin County to meet certain benchmarks in order to bring students back to the buildings. Celmer said that they are still using those markers to determine if they will allow these small groups back to school buildings in March.

These include reduced positivity rates, below 10%, and incidence rates per 100,000 residents trending downward to a daily rate of 100 or less. He also wants to see the wastewater epidemiology tracker, Biobot, project Harrisburg virus cases closer to 100 or less per day.

December Home Sales Strong

Harrisburg-area home sales rose considerably in December, capping off a strong year for the local real estate market.

Home sales totaled 744 units compared to 611 units in December 2019 for the three-county region, while the median price rose to $217,750 versus $187,500 in the year-ago period, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

Dauphin County had 348 sales compared to 279 the previous December, as the median price rose by $20,000 to $185,000, GHAR said.

In Cumberland County, 353 homes sold versus 287 a year ago as the median price increased to $244,820 versus $215,000 the prior December.

Perry County saw monthly sales of 40 units compared to 22 units in December 2019, as the median price dropped a bit to $179,900 from $182,500, GHAR said.

Houses were also selling quickly. The average days on the market plummeted to just 26 days compared to 46 days in December 2019, according to GHAR.

The Harrisburg-area real estate market was strong throughout 2020, especially after pandemic-related restrictions were lifted in May.

So Noted

Civic Club of Harrisburg is seeking donations after thieves stole an air conditioner and caused damage last month to their historic riverfront home, Overlook. To donate to the club’s Vandalism Relief Fund or get more information about the club, contact President Mary Beth Lehtimaki at [email protected].

CommUNITY Yoga Space has moved a few doors down to a new, larger space at 1423 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. Erika Malorzo opened the pay-what-you-can yoga studio over two years ago, and recently had to move following the sale of the building that housed her original space.

Harrisburg last month announced that it is requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for city workers. Mayor Eric Papenfuse signed an executive order requiring municipal employees to get the vaccination as quickly as possible in accordance with the state’s distribution guidance.

Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC last month named their board chairs for 2021. Meron Yemane of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management will head up the Chamber’s board, while Mike Funck of Wohlsen Construction will lead CREDC’s board. The two boards also named new officers for the year.

Harrisburg University last month announced that it had successfully sold $100 million in tax-exempt bonds to institutional investors. The money is being used to finance construction of its 11-story academic building at S. 3rd and Chestnut streets in downtown Harrisburg.

Changing Hands

Adrian St., 2258: D. Bryant to J. & J. Parker, $72,000

Alricks St., 650: Consolidated Holdings International LLC to D&F Realty Holdings LP, $30,000

Bellevue Rd., 2000: G. & N. Payne to E. Gonzalez, $95,000

Boas St., 217: J. & C. Kuntz to L. Wood & T. Miller, $109,900

Boas St., 222: N. Laudeman to F. Cossick, $112,500

Boas St., 264: J. & S. Sempeles to Westfall Real Estate LLC, $185,000

Boas St., 1930: CR Property Group LLC to I. Lenny, $139,000

Calder St., 215: J. Zehring to M. & A. Zehring, $71,500

Camp St., 632: M., A. & C. Little and D. Anderson to D. & J. Porter, $57,000

Chestnut St., 1200, 1202, 1204, 1206 & 1208: Round Rock Investments LLC to 101 S. 17th Street LLC, $450,000

Chestnut St., 2112: S. Siciliano to M. Cragle & S. Hughes, $226,900

Croyden Rd., 2807: S. Camaplan LLC FBO Mark Murdoch IRA to A. Blackwell, $100,000

Cumberland St., 213: V. Lefkowitz to W. Hoover & B. Shoemaker, $105,000

Derry St., 1248: Jackson Investment Properties LLC to E. Kelly & M. Alarcon, $55,000

Derry St., 2309: S. Gutshall to A. Nunez & J. Espihal, $73,000

Derry St., 2411: B. Ahmed to B. Arismendy, $46,000

Derry St., 2532 & 2534: K. & R. Gupta to Around the Corner LLC, $163,700

Edwards St., 260: Realm Properties to C. & K. Gehman, $360,000

Emerald St., 233: D. Welliver & R. Harpster to J. & S. Compton, $65,000

Emerald St., 652: D. Fernandez to Z. Williams & B. Jones, $99,900

Evergreen St., 319: NA Capital Group LLC to A. Rivera, $60,000

Forster St., 1928: M. Bair to B. Arias, $66,000

Green St., 2410: KTT Properties LLC to T. Meriweather & S. Nichols, $160,000

Green St., 3230: C. & L. Summerscales to G. Holmes, $130,000

Harris St., 414½: Ravo Rentals to Limitless Possibilities LLC, $50,000

Herr St., 217: K. & V. Land to A. & C. Greenblatt, $180,000

Herr St., 421: F. Washington to T. Ladas & S. Maykovich, $60,000

Herr St., 1726: Mango Properties to Gold Key Properties LLC, $50,000

Holly St., 1914: D. Berhe to SPG Capital LLC, $44,000

Hudson St., 1147: R. Vega & A. Marsico to C. Yourkavitch, $125,000

Kensington St., 2347: T. Thai to C. Grant & M. Rinaldi, $65,000

Kensington St., 2365: H. Grills to C. Woods, $53,500

Kensington St., 2366: J. Robinson Jr. to L. Stewart, $70,000

Lewis St., 327: L. Seidel to 327 Lewis LLC, $76,500

Logan St., 2141: KBT Enterprises to E. Alcantara, $30,000

Maclay St., 239: M. Nelson to Awesome Tenants LLC, $73,500

Manada St., 2003: C. Holvick to Henderson & Sons LLC, $32,500

Market St., 1819: M. Kearney to 77 Estate LLC, $35,000

Market St., 1903: CAR Property Holdings LLC to W. Cajina, $89,337

Market St., 2407: J. Brown to K. Parker, $142,000

Mulberry St., 1820: Alternative Rehabilitation to Archie Group LLC, $160,000

Nagle St., 119 & 709 Showers St.: J. Baer & A. Jury to V. & B. Wagner, $262,599

N. 2nd St., 610: Wyco Investments LLC to N&R Group LLC, $175,000

N. 2nd St., 2304: L. Rapaport to T. Brown, $269,500

N. 2nd St., 2809: W. & E. Steele to E. Larios, $162,000

N. 2nd St., 2830: Equity Trust Co. Custodian Julie L. Burns IRA to J. Davis, $72,500

N. 3rd St., 1201: C. Hull to R. & C. Steele, $100,000

N. 3rd St., 1417½: Long Life LLC to Heinly Homes LLC, $130,000

N. 3rd St., 1624: Sickler Properties LLC to SJL Rentals LLC, $155,000

N. 3rd St., 1820: MMLM Realty LLC & Ian Smith Contracting Inc. to DPS Properties LLC, $150,000

N. 3rd St., 1825: D. Totton to Community First Realty, $45,000

N. 4th St., 2110: A. Clay and M. & M. Corney to NA Capital Group LLC, $30,000

N. 4th St., 3118: M. Shank to J. Kilby & J. Vargas, $105,000

N. 5th St., 1624: B. Davis to K. O’Brian, $168,000

N. 5th St., 1628: Braemer Properties LLC to B. Butzer, $142,500

N. 5th St., 1720: Freedom Mortgage Corp. to Principium LLC, $123,500

N. 6th St., 2720: L. Brown to T. Hardison, $35,000

N. 6th St., 3156: Dobson Family Partnership to J. Ulloa & A. Villar, $80,500

N. 7th St., 3133 & 3205 and 651 Alricks St.: Consolidated Holdings International LLC to DAP 3250 LP, $1,000,000

N. 15th St., 1119: J. & M. Irvin to J. Irvin, $60,000

N. 18th St., 808: C. Lovejoy, M. Miller & PA Property Brothers LLC to G. Almonte, $44,000

N. 19th St., 49: M. McWilliams to Carters Clean Up LLC, $58,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 503: Dowell Group Inc. to J. Davis, $115,000

N. Front St., 2405: J. Hartzler to Serene Spaces LLC, $320,000

N. Front St., 3207: 3207 N. Front St. LLC to S. Juneja, $370,000

Norwood St., 915: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to G. Morris, $108,000

Park St., 1830: A. Caraballo to H. Ngoshi, $42,000

Peffer St., 221: N. Laume to Z. Brady & B. Blessing, $138,000

Peffer St., 435: K. Kessler to R. Clymer, $95,400

Penn St., 906: K. Holtzinger to J. Spatz, $136,000

Penn St., 1409: E. Lohss to J. Freeman, $107,000

Radnor St., 630: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to G. & L. Boone, $46,000

Reel St., 2449: E. Stawitz to SJJR LLC, $48,000

Regina St., 1619: J. Colucci to N. Harris, $55,000

Rolleston St., 1027: R. Castillo & E. Martinez to F. Torres, $98,000

Ross St., 627: Gilligan Realty LLC to Sanhos LLC, $40,000

Rudy Rd., 2405: N. & L. Skulstad to D. Bradford, $174,900

Rumson Dr., 350: L. Rodriguez to M. McAllister, $128,100

Seneca St., 224: R. Boust to D. Daley, $102,990

South St., 105: A. Crompton to 608 N. Third LLC, $70,000

S. 13th St., 1451: RTD Properties & Management to S. Esayas, $75,000

S. 13th St., 1456: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to 1456 S. 13th LLC, $100,000

S. 17th St., 319: 4P Ventures LLC to Pichardo LLC, $200,000

S. 24th St., 710: Equity Trust Co. Custodian Robert L. Burns IRA to D. Boyle, $39,000

S. 25th St., 350: B. Ho & S. Nguyen to R. Lyles Jr., $84,900

S. Front St., 333: 333 Sri Ganesh LLC to 101 S. 17th Street LLC, $250,000

S. Front St., 563: K. Bernhard & S. Schwab to T. Youngbluth, $76,000

State St., 223: 223 State St. LLC to PMA Foundation, $445,000

State St., 1310: M. Maniari & Z. Er Roudi to A. Ulerio, $83,500

State St., 1326: C. & T. Semancik to JMR Ventures LLC, $170,000

State St., 1502: S. Kochis to 77 Estate LLC, $30,000

State St., 1909: Atrium Gardens LLC to ZM Penn Group LLC, $59,000

State St., 1951: R. Shultz Jr. to Moxie Properties LLC, $225,000

State St., 2001: R. Shultz Jr. to Moxie Properties LLC, $275,000

Susquehanna St., 913: MR RE LLC to R. Perrego, $132,500

Susquehanna St., 1610: D. Lawyer & S. Flagle to R. Small, $182,500

Susquehanna St., 1708: J. Merx to J. Weinstock, $136,000

Susquehanna St., 2132: J. & C. Sanderson and A. Pletcher to L. de Gonzalez, $48,000

Susquehanna St., 2218: J. Grant to Heinly Homes LLC, $36,500

Verbeke St., 202: B. Hamilton to V. Filbert, $140,000

Verbeke St., 211: J. & S. Bircher to D. Leaman, $207,500

Waldo St., 2711: Mainline Funding Group Inc. to A. Hawkins, $47,800

Walnut St., 1500: E. Salah to J. Rodriguez, $32,800

Woodbine St., 241: G. & W. Banova to E. de Rosado, $117,500

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Chocolate Is for Lovers: Rosemary whips up a sweet dessert for a sweet month.

January 29, 2021 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

Most people, I think, dislike February, but it has always been a rather special month for me—a birthday that often includes snow (I like snow) and Valentine’s Day, a B-Level holiday, I suppose, but one I have always loved.

There are red hearts, pink roses, and a lovely amethyst birthstone to celebrate the month. And I can’t leave out cherry pie for President’s Day.

If you are celebrating Valentine’s Day this year, I am sure that many Harrisburg-area restaurants will be offering entire dinners for takeout and perhaps even socially distanced in-house dining. But if you are cooking at home (seems like we all have been doing a lot of that for a long time), something elegant is in order.

For a special dinner, my choice would be an old-favorite entrée, steak Diane, smothered with a cognac cream sauce, little red potatoes roasted in butter, and a green vegetable like asparagus or baby peas.

But we need a dessert, and I think I found a perfect one: a chocolate amaretti cake.

The cake is made with crispy amaretti cookies that are a unique concoction of egg whites, sugar, almond flour and almond extract. The classic variety, known as Lazzaroni amaretti, come in bright red tins and are expensive. Cookies are packed in “twos” and are wrapped in lovely pastel tissue paper resembling taffy “kisses.” They are most often found in Italian specialty stores. But you can find other amaretti cookies today at your favorite grocery store. (Look for the Doria brand, which is priced very reasonably.)

Combining crispy amaretti cookies with rich chocolate, sugar, butter and almonds results in a delectable specialty cake from the Lombardy region of Italy known as torta di cioccolata alle mandorle. Paired with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or berries (especially raspberries), this lovely desert will brighten your Valentine dinner and your February.

CHOCOLATE AMARETTI CAKE

Ingredients

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (cacao content about 60%), broken into pieces
1 cup almonds (these are plain almonds, not salted or with oil)
1 cup crumbled amaretti (these are crunchy cookies, not soft Italian almond macaroons)
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2/3 cup sugar
4 eggs (I use extra large)
Cocoa powder (this is unsweetened cocoa cooking powder not hot chocolate mix)

Directions

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees
Butter a 9-inch round cake pan with 2-inch sides. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper as well. Dust the entire pan with flour and tap out the excess.
Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over simmering water with the bowl not touching the water. Heat until the chocolate is softened and stir until it is smooth. (You can also gently melt the chocolate in a microwave, at reduced power, stirring frequently.)
In a food processor, process the cookies and almonds until finely ground. Transfer this mixture to a bowl.
Then, also in the food processor, process the butter and sugar until fairly smooth (mixture might still be a little “grainy”).
With the motor running, add the eggs, one at a time and blend well. (Stop and scrape the sides of the processor bowl occasionally.)
Add the nut and cookie mixture and the melted chocolate. Pulse to combine. Using a spatula, place the batter into the prepared cake pan.
Bake until the center of the cake is slightly puffy, about 30 minutes. (But check at 20 to 25 minutes to make sure there is no burning. My oven seems to cook “faster,” so I always do this.)
Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving plate, lift the pan, and remove the waxed or parchment paper. Let cool completely.
Just before serving, place some cocoa powder in a small sieve and dust the top of the cake.

This cake keeps well in the fridge for a few days, or if wrapped tightly, frozen, for up to a month. I think you will love the rich taste of chocolate and almonds in this dessert all winter long. Serve it with a sweet dessert wine like Vin Santo or Moscato or an Italian liquor like Sambuca or Fra Angelico. (And don’t forget espresso.)

To all readers: Ti voglio bene! I hope you enjoy your Valentine’s Day, even if February is not your favorite month.

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February Editor’s Note

January 29, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda

Recently, TheBurg’s cartoonist sent me a list of “celebrations and holidays” for February.

Now, I don’t know who compiled this list, but, apparently, Feb. 3 is “National Carrot Cake Day,” Feb. 8 is “National Kite Flying Day,” and Feb. 28 is “National Public Sleeping Day.”

In February, you can find something to celebrate every day, from the frivolous (“National Bubble Gum Day,” Feb. 7) to the intellectual (“World Thinking Day,” Feb. 22) to the serious (“World Rare Disease Day,” Feb. 28 or 29).

When I asked him where he found this long list, the answer was obvious: the internet. Where else?

When I was a kid, February was a child’s paradise.

The month began with the always fun Groundhog Day, segued into the crafty (if nerve-racking) Valentine’s Day and wrapped up with a day off for President’s Day. Toss in a weeklong “winter break” and a few snow days, and we basically learned nothing all month long.

At TheBurg, we also consider February to be a month of holidays. Each year, we have a romance-related story or two, as we do this year, and, in the past, had features with presidential themes. Groundhogs even have made an appearance.

In addition, for many years, we’ve built our February issue around Black History Month, as we do again this year. Since the Black Lives Matters protests last year, there’s been a greater emphasis on Black history, culture, business, etc., and our stories have followed in that spirit. This month, we expand that coverage even further.

One more thing about February—it’s a short month. For someone who prefers the days long and the weather warm, I look forward to the quick progression from mid-winter bleakness to the promise of spring. But to spur summer along, I’ll make certain to celebrate on Feb. 22—National Margarita Day.

Lawrance Binda
Co-Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

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Noble Cause: Your wine education should begin with these quaffs.

January 29, 2021 | by Steve Juliana

There’s little doubt that we are living in the golden age of wine.

More good wine is being made at this time than at any point in human history. This is a worldwide phenomenon, with new regions springing up in the New World and undiscovered wines coming from areas once hidden behind political barriers.

For the novice oenophile, it’s good to start with the noble wines. These are quaffs from grapes that have spread all over the world, while showing themselves historically to be among the finest and most desirable.

Cabernet Sauvignon is known as the king of red wines and with good reason. Born from an accidental cross of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century France, it is the most widely grown grape around the globe. With the ability to age and vigorous growth, it makes great wine almost wherever vines are planted. The two most famous regions are California’s Napa Valley, where it usually is bottled singly, and France’s Bordeaux region, where it is blended. Flavors of black currant and nuances of cedar are hallmarks of this spicy, tannic wine. Other fine examples can be found in Australia’s Coonawarra region and Chile’s Maipo Valley.

Merlot, which translates as “little blackbird,” was discovered in 18th-century France and is one of the six grapes of the Bordeaux region. It can be traced as the main fruit for the plummy quaffs of the Pomerol and Saint-Émilion wine regions in France. When grown in the New World, it is softer and fruitier than its cousin Cabernet, but, when the two grapes are combined, the wine is greater than the sum of its parts. Some is grown in California. However, I believe that the wine from Washington State is, by far, the best Merlot in the country.

Syrah is a dark red grape with origins in the Rhone Valley of France. Shiraz is the same grape with a different spelling to show its Australian style, where it is the number-one planted grape. Both wines are delicious, with big fruit and a hint of black pepper, which adds complexity to its juiciness. In France, the wine is bottled singly north of Avignon and blended with Grenache and Mourvedre to the south. Down under, the designation is GSM for the classic Rhone blend. Both styles are very good and deserve a try from the student wine drinker. Elsewhere, the wines are good but never reach as high a bar.

Pinot Noir, in many ways, is the ultimate red grape. Under cultivation for 100 years, this finicky, thin-skinned grape makes beautiful, sensual perfumed wine. Never blended, each bottle is a testament to the terroir of its specific site. At its best in French Burgundy, the wines have flavors of cherries and strawberries while showing aromas of herb and barnyard. California’s quaffs show full range, from austere to cherry cola, while Oregon’s wines are closer to Burgundy than anywhere else outside of that region.

In my next column, I’ll address noble white wines.

Keep sipping,
Steve

Auros Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2016
$26.99
Chairman’s Selection®
Quoted at $48.00*……Save $21.01
Code #80775

This deeply concentrated cabernet sauvignon opens with dark fruit aromas of cassis, blackberry and dried blueberry, underscored by notes of violet and graphite. The rich, full-bodied palate unveils opulent layers of black currant jam, roasted coffee, tobacco, dried fig and vanilla bean. Soft, supple tannins frame a plush, velvety finish.

— Winemaker’s notes

Milbrandt Vineyards Family Merlot Columbia Valley 2017
$16.99
Code #82933

Offering bright aromas of bing cherry, cranberry, and pomegranate this wine has excellent color and flavor. With a juicy, ripe entry and intense, fruit-driven palate, the red fruit is pronounced and powerful yet remains balanced.

— Winemaker’s notes

Solena Estate Grande Cuvee Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Estate 2018
$21.99
Code #83047

A bright ruby color fills the glass. On the nose, the Grand Cuvée displays youthful exuberance with lively aromas of tart cherries, strawberries, and cranberries. Meanwhile, flavors of licorice, cola and baking spices balance perfectly on the palate. A delightful lightness allows this wine to be the perfect accompaniment to any evening or celebration. Enjoy now through 2026.

— Winemaker’s notes

Happenings: Our February Calendar of Events

January 29, 2021 | by Missy Smith

Museums & Art Spaces

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

“Look . . . They Gave Me a Map,” an exhibit examining the enduring appeal of free road maps, through April 23

“Minibike Mania,” a display of more than two dozen miniature motorbikes, through April 23

“Yeah, It’s Got a Hemi!” an exhibit focused on Hemi engines, through April 23

“Yes, We Drive These Cars!” is an exhibit of The Horseless Carriage Club of America, with three display cars, early signage and artifacts, and video of the cards on tour, through April 23

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

“Observations & Experiences,” featuring the works of Peg Belcastro, Carden Holland, Maureen Joyce and Julie Riker, through Feb. 18

“Figuratively Speaking,” annual juried membership show, celebrating the human form, with an added theme this year of coronavirus lockdown/quarantine experience, Feb. 26-April 1

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

“I REaD it somewhere,” CALC’s Annual Members’ Exhibit, Feb. 5-March 6

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

February artist: Jesus Gayton

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

“Winterfest,” an assortment of fiber art creations along with pottery, photography and jewelry, created by members of the Millersburg Area Art Association, through Feb. 27

Pennsylvania National Fire Museum
1820 N. 4th St., Harrisburg
717-232-8915; pnfm.org

Exhibits dedicated to Pennsylvania firefighting history

Perry County Council of the Arts
PCCA Gallery, 1 S. 2nd St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

“On and Off the Grid,” abstract paintings in grid style by Thom Kulp, inspired by the work of Agnes Martin and serving as metaphors for restrictions people have faced during the covid-19 pandemic, Feb. 13-April 10

Rose Lehrman Art Gallery
One HACC Dr., Harrisburg
717-780-2435; hacc.edu

Virtual exhibition of paintings by Edmond Praybe, through Feb. 11; Zoom lecture: Feb. 11, 5:30 p.m.

Virtual exhibition of Graphic Design Works by Craig Welsh, Feb. 22-March 18

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

“Sun + Light,” works from the series “Everyone Loves Sunshine” by visual artist Charles Edward Williams that juxtapose his past and present encounters with the 1960s Civil Rights movement, through Feb. 14

“Persephone/Persephone,” a multi-panel collaborative installation by Elody Gyekis and Joanne Landis, Feb. 19-June 20

“Country Charm,” which examines artist Sanh Brian Tran’s experience as a queer Asian man living in rural America, through Feb. 21

“Meanderings,” a collection of collagraphic prints by artist Valerie Dillon, Feb. 24-April 25

“Once A Future Kingdom,” sculptured materials and imagined relics by Anthony Cervino, through March 14

“Project Pattern,” a multimedia display of photography, painting, sculpture and installation by artists Nate Ethier, Nicole Herbert and Luke Murphy, through August

Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery
Lebanon Valley College
101 College Ave., Annville
717-233-8668; lvc.edu/gallery

“Danny Lyons—Memories of the Southern Civil Rights Movement,” through March 22

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

Display of more than 100 matted entries from the Friends of Wildwood photo contest, through Feb. 28

Read, Make, Learn

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

Feb. 2-March 9: Play with Clay at the End of the Day, Tuesdays, 3:30-5 p.m.
Feb. 2-23: International Kitchen—Cooking via Zoom, 4:30-6 p.m.
Feb. 6: Creative Collage, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Feb. 11: Warrior Artists Lecture, 6:30 p.m.

Dauphin County Library System
dcls.org

Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22: Virtual Anime Club, 4 p.m.
Feb. 1, 8, 22: Born to Read (birth-18 months), 9:30 a.m.
Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23: Animal Crossing with The Library, 3:30 p.m.
Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23: Virtual Family Storytime, 6 p.m.
Feb. 3, 10, 17, 24: Virtual Toddler Storytime, 10 a.m.
Feb. 3, 10, 17, 24: Virtual Create Lab, 4 p.m.
Feb. 3, 10, 17, 24: Young Adult Book Club on Zoom, 4 p.m.
Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26: Preschool Storytime on Zoom, 10 a.m.
Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26: Dungeons and Dragons on Zoom, 4 p.m.
Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27: Dungeons and Dragons on Zoom, 3 p.m.
Feb. 8: Virtual Device Club, 1 p.m.
Feb. 9: Virtual Reading the Rainbow Book Club, 7 p.m.
Feb. 10: Mental Health Series—Music and the Arts for Self-care, 7-8 p.m.
Feb. 18: Discover Our Community—A Zoom Discussion about Race in Central PA, 6-7:30 p.m.
Feb. 20: The ‘Me’ Quilt, 10-10:30 a.m.
Feb. 23: Job Seeker Resources on Zoom, 6-7 p.m.
Feb. 24: Knit One, Crochet Too! on Zoom, 6 p.m.
Feb. 25: The ‘Me’ Quilt, 6-6:30 p.m.

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

Feb. 1, 15: STEM Grab & Go Bag (ages 7-12), 9 a.m.
Feb. 1, 15: Zoom—Fredricksen Writes on Zoom, 6:45 p.m.
Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22: Teen Grab and Go Bag, 9 a.m.
Feb. 2: Zoom—Curl up with the Classics on Zoom—“Emma,” 10-11 a.m.
Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23: Career Exploration Workshop on Zoom, 10:30 a.m.
Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23: Career Exploration Workshop on Zoom, 4:30 p.m.
Feb. 3: Zoom—Moving Forward Book Group w/ Hospice of Central PA, 1-2 p.m.
Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25: Zoom Resume Writing Workshop, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25: Zoom Resume Writing Workshop, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Feb. 4, 18: Virtual Peaceful Poses Children’s Story Time, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26: Virtual Get That Job! Workshop, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26: Virtual Get That Job! Workshop, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Feb. 6, 20: Easy Craft Grab and Go Bag (ages 4-7), 1 p.m.
Feb. 8: Twisted Stitchers, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Feb. 12: Philosophers’ Roundtable, 2 p.m.
Feb. 12, 26: Zoom STEM Storytime, 10 a.m.
Feb. 17: Zoom—Write On, 7:30 p.m.

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

Feb. 4: Virtual Creative Collage, 5-7 p.m.

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

Feb. 1, 8, 15: Facebook Live: Books & Babies, 10 a.m.
Feb. 2, 4, 9, 11, 14, 18, 23, 25: Penn State Hershey—Mothers & Babies Together, 10 a.m.
Feb. 2, 9, 16: Virtual 1, 2, Whee!, 10 a.m.
Feb. 4: Facebook Live Storytime, 10 a.m.
Feb. 6: Zoom Workshop—Photoshop Tone Control and B&W Conversion, 10 a.m.
Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28: Art of Truth—Creative Non-Fiction virtual workshop, 2 p.m.
Feb. 10, 24: Virtual LEGO Club, 3:45 p.m.
Feb. 11: Morning Contemporary Book Group on Zoom, 9:30 a.m.
Feb. 11, 18: Facebook Live Storytime, 10 a.m.
Feb. 11: Evening Contemporary Book Group, 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 12, 13: Great Backyard Bird Count, 10 a.m.
Feb. 13: Kids Carry & Craft Valentine Stationery & Stickers, 10 a.m.
Feb. 13: Watercolor Valentine—Teen/Adult Carry & Craft on YouTube, 11 a.m.
Feb. 14: Love Story Trivia, Disney Style on Zoom, 2 p.m.
Feb. 18: Life Long Readers Book Group on Zoom, 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 20: Making Movies—The Craft, The Secrets, The Fun, 2 p.m.
Feb. 22: Start Climbing Your Family Tree—Intro to Genealogy on Zoom, 7 p.m.
Feb. 23: Blood Drive, 1:30 p.m.
Feb. 25: Zoom—Between the Lines Book Group on Zoom, 6:45 p.m.
Feb. 26: Facebook & YouTube—Dungeons & Dragons Made Simple, 6 p.m.
Feb. 27: Mirrors, Windows, & Sliding Glass Doors Family Book Group: I am Enough, 2 p.m.
Feb. 28: Zoom Friend’s Program—Letters and Songs from World War 1, 2 p.m.

The Hershey Story Museum
63 W. Chocolate Ave., Hershey
717-534-8939; hersheystory.org

Feb. 1-28: Chocolate Lab classes
Feb. 5, 6: Try It with Truffles Virtual Chocolate Lab Class, 6-7:30 p.m.
Feb. 12, 13, 14: Dinner & Truffles for Couples, 5:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m.

Historic Harrisburg Association
1230 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
historicharrisburg.com

Feb. 22: Fourth Monday Program—The Underground Railroad in Harrisburg, 6-7 p.m.

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

Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22: Rhyme Time on Zoom (18 months and younger), 10:15 a.m., 5:15 p.m.
Feb. 1, 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26: Toddler Time on Zoom (18 months to 3 years), 11:10 a.m.
Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22: Toddler Time on Zoom (18 months to 3 years), 6 p.m.
Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22: Story Time on Zoom, 1:30-2 p.m.
Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22: English Conversation on Zoom, 6:30-8 p.m.
Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22: Family Story Time on Zoom, 6:45-7:15 p.m.
Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23: Tea & Stitches on Zoom, 10 a.m.
Feb. 3, 10, 17, 24: Zoom Story Time (ages 3-6), 10-10:45 a.m.
Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26: Story Time (ages 3-6), 10-10:45 a.m.
Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26: Zoom Toddler Time (18 months to 3 years), 11:10 a.m.
Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26: Rhyme Time (18 months and younger), 12-12:20 p.m.
Feb. 9: Tween Scene on Zoom—Pokemon Night (grades 4-5), 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Feb. 10: Mad About Mysteries on Zoom, 7-8 p.m.
Feb. 12-14: Book Sale
Feb. 12, 26: Dungeons & Dragons (grades 6-12), 6-8 p.m.
Feb. 15: Virtual Monday Night Book Club, 7-8 p.m.
Feb. 16: Zoom STEM Club, 6-6:45 p.m.
Feb. 20: Kindergarten Club, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Feb. 20: First Grade Club, 1-2 p.m.

The LBGT Center of Central PA
1306 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-920-9534; centralpalgbtcenter.org

Feb. 20: Living Your Authentic Life Virtual Seminar, 2-3 p.m.

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

Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26: Online Science Fiction Book Club
Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26: Star Trek Rewatch online group
Feb. 15: Mystery Book Club, 6 p.m.

Midtown Scholar Bookstore-Café
1302 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-236-1680; midtownscholar.com

Feb. 2: Joel Burcat in Conversation with Harvey Freedenberg via Zoom, 7-8 p.m.
Feb. 3: Virtual Book Discussion with Russell Shorto, 7 p.m.
Feb. 9: Rebecca Fish Ewan in Conversation with Donna Talarico, 7-8 p.m.
Feb. 24: Dreux Richard in Conversation with Jowhor Ile, 7-8 p.m.

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

Feb. 13: Holly & Hot Chocolate, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

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

Feb. 8: Palmyra Public Library Book Club, 6-8 p.m.

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

Feb. 20: Virtual Engineering Day, 10 a.m.
Feb. 25: Introduce a Girl to Engineering Night, 5-7:30 p.m.

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

Feb. 6: Kids Discover—Groundhogs (ages 4-6), 10-11:30 a.m.
Feb. 6: Kids Discover—Groundhogs (ages 7-10), 1:30-3 p.m.
Feb. 9: Virtual Winter Lecture Series—Spotlight on PA State Species, Firefly, 7-8:30 p.m.
Feb. 17-March 3: Virtual Dr. Seuss Science Series, Wednesdays, 10-10:45 a.m.
Feb. 20: Kids Discover—Animals and Their Tracks (ages 4-6), 10-11:30 a.m.
Feb. 20: Kids Discover—Animals and Their Tracks (ages 7-10), 1:30-3 p.m.
Feb. 23: Virtual Winter Lecture Series—Spotlight on PA State Species, Mushrooms, 7-8:30 p.m.
Feb. 27: Kids Discover—Snowflakes (ages 4-6), 10-11:30 a.m.
Feb. 27: Full Kids Discover—Snowflakes (ages 7-10), 1:30-3 p.m.

Live Music

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

Feb. 13, 15: York Symphony Orchestra digital concert

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

Live music most Fridays and Saturdays

Market Square Concerts
www.marketsquareconcerts.org

Feb. 17: Sinta at Whitaker Center

Messiah College School of Arts
One College Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2511; messiah.edu

Feb. 26: Messiah University Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Winds

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

Feb. 13: Harrisburg Mandolin Ensemble livestream
Feb. 27: “Artist to Artist: A Residency Exploring Gospel Traditions” livestream

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

Feb. 26: Almost Queen—A Tribute to Queen

The Stage Door

Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre
510 Centerville Rd., Lancaster
717-898-1900; DutchApple.com

Feb. 24-April 3: “Happy Days”

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

Feb. 14: “Caesar in Rome” livestream

Harrisburg Christian Performing Arts Center
1000 S. Eisenhower Blvd, Middletown
717-939-9333; thehcpac.org

Feb. 18-21: “Alice @ Wonderland”

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

Feb. 5, 6: Coleman Green, Gene Norris

Keystone Theatrics
The Playhouse at Allenberry
1559 Boiling Springs Rd., Boiling Springs
717-258-3211; keystonetheatrics.com

Feb. 28: “Crazy Ex-travaganza” virtual cabaret

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

Feb. 19-20: “Drum and Dance”

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

Feb. 12-28: “Tales From Sleepy Hollow” livestream
Feb. 26-28: “Trifles” livestream

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

Feb. 20: “Walk Off The Earth”

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