Comprehensive plan OK’d by Harrisburg Planning Commission, heads to City Council

September 21, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

This area of N. 4th Street may become part of a “Market Mews” neighborhood under Harrisburg’s draft comprehensive plan.

After years of work, the Harrisburg Planning Commission has unanimously approved a new comprehensive plan for the city.

During a virtual meeting late last week, the commission voted to pass the plan, called “HBG2020,” which is intended to set guidelines and goals for the city for the next 10 to 20 years.

“I’m pleased with the current draft as it was passed and the fact that we finally have a guiding document, as there is so much development already happening in the city,” planning commissioner Anne Marek said today.

Harrisburg’s current comprehensive plan dates back to 1974 and is largely regarded as outdated. The effort to draft a new plan began in 2013, but has been hobbled by delays, as well as a dispute between the city and the architect hired to draft it.

Now that the commission has approved the 246-page document, the plan moves to City Council. Once introduced, it will undergo a 45-day public comment period, as well as a public hearing, before a final vote.

“We have several steps to go to reach the finish line, but we’re hopeful this will get approved,” Marek said.

The draft plan contains many ideas, concepts and goals for Harrisburg over the next decade or two.

For instance, it suggests the development of “Market Mews” near the Broad Street Market, which would promote development of a “pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use core” of residential and commercial uses. Other ideas include refreshment kiosks in Riverfront Park, a “City Square” mixed-use development along Market Street east of the train station, a downtown gateway and a new “Meander Park” on Allison Hill.

The draft, though, emphasizes that these are proposals, not mandates, and should serve mostly as guidance for future planning and zoning efforts.

“I’m excited for the document to be a catalyst for future funding and development ideas to continue our progress in Harrisburg,” Marek said.

Click here to view Harrisburg’s draft comprehensive plan.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

September 18, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Conley

Jordan Dandy stands on the corner Front and Forster Streets with the message “You’re so important.”

It’s Harrisburg Takeout Month! Order in from your favorite restaurant and then catch up on the news you may have missed from this past week, listed and linked below.

“Bike to Work Week” starts on Monday in Harrisburg, and the city is setting up pop-up bike lanes to encourage bicycling. The initiative is part of the city’s “Vision Zero” plan to decrease pedestrian and cyclist fatalities, our online story reports.

Capital region arts organizations will get a share of grant money distributed statewide, it was announced last week. Eight Dauphin County organizations will receive funding, including the Susquehanna Art Museum and the Harrisburg Symphony Association, our online story reports.

CONTACT Helpline is celebrating 50 years of assisting people in need of emotional support and connections to human services. Check out the story of the organization that has provided a listening ear to so many.

COVID-19 cases remained stable in Pennsylvania over the past week, our online story reports. They did, however, spike in counties with large college campuses.

Essential workers in Harrisburg may see some appreciation coming their way. The city proposed a $2,500 pay bonus for those who worked every day without the option to telecommute, our reporting found.

Gamut Theatre is safely bringing back live performances, beginning with “Love Hurts!” Our online story gives you a sneak peek into the plot of this hilarious show.

Harrisburg City Council proposed amendments to a bill that would establish a police advisory board. Changes came following public demands that the board have more power, our online story reports.

Harrisburg restaurants have found ways to adapt in the ever-changing times of COVID-19. Our magazine story explains how some local favorites have changed and survived.

Harrisburg University’s e-sports team is the subject of a new locally produced documentary. The film showcases HU’s efforts to become a major player in the e-sports industry, our online story reports.

I-81 is the topic of discussion for regional transportation planners who are seeking public input on how to improve the highway. Our online story has more on the initiative that looks to update 12 focus areas along the road.

Jordan Dandy has been standing on the corner of Front and Forster streets for two weeks with the message, “I value you,” written on poster board. For many, he has become a bright spot in their morning commute. Check out his story in our online article.

House of Vegans is one of only a few vegan restaurants in the Harrisburg area. Our magazine story gives you a taste of the owners’ passion for healthy eating and the reason they opened their new shop.

Residential real estate is looking good as home sales and prices were up in August. Our online story has the numbers for Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry counties.

Sara Bozich is getting ready for fall by watching football, cooking a pot roast and heading to the Broad Street Market. Check out her list of fun things to do this weekend, including pick-your-own-apples and a Pumpkin Palooza.

State Street is slated for major changes to improve safety and make the road more pedestrian-friendly. Harrisburg city engineers spoke with the community on Tuesday about their plans to reduce traffic lanes and increase crosswalks, our online story reports.

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Harrisburg announces pop-up bike lanes on 6th Street for “Bike to Work Week”

September 18, 2020 | by Maddie Conley

Mayor Eric Papenfuse brings awareness to Harrisburg’s “Bike to Work Week” by riding to City Hall.

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse strapped on his helmet and mounted his bike this morning to kick off “Bike to Work Week” in the city.

The week designated to cycling begins Monday, but a pop-up bike lane is already being set up along N. 6^th Street.

“We recognize more people will ride bikes if roadways are more accessible,” said Jim Buckheit of Bike Harrisburg at a press conference Friday morning. “This effectively demonstrates how we can improve options to allow people to use multiple modes of transportation getting to and from work.”

The popup lane is made of traffic cones and features “sharrows” painted on the street, which indicate that motorists share the road with bikers. The temporary pathway stretches from Linglestown Road to Reily Street to provide a corridor from Susquehanna Township to downtown Harrisburg.

“It’s very important we share the road and do it responsibly,” said Frank Lynch, president of Susquehanna Township’s board of commissioners.

The temporary lanes connect to the new dedicated bike lanes that Harrisburg added on N. 6^th Street, just past Reily Street. Cyclists can ride through the state Capitol Complex and onto Chestnut Street if they are looking to go downtown.

The Capital Area Greenbelt can be accessed from these lanes, as well.

“We’ve essentially bisected the city and provided a safe street [for bicycling],” Papenfuse said during his “Community Conversations” livestream last week.

“Bike to Work Week” is nationally recognized by the nonprofit, the League of American Bicyclists.

Harrisburg, Susquehanna Township and Bike Harrisburg collaborated to provide the pop-up lanes for the week.

At Friday’s press conference, Papenfuse told the story of Donald Welsh Jr., a former employee of his at Midtown Scholar Bookstore. Welsh biked to and from work each day, until one day in 2017, when he was hit by a car and killed on State Street.

“When I went to the funeral and spoke to his parents, I promised them that we are going to do everything in our power to make that street safer,” he said.

Harrisburg is in the midst of a project to reduce traffic lanes and add bike lanes on State Street, part of the city’s “Vision Zero” initiative to eliminate pedestrian and cyclist fatalities.

The temporary bike lanes for “Bike to Work Week” and the new lanes being added on streets like N. 6^th and Chestnut are part of “Vision Zero,” as well.

“I’m really excited; I ride almost every day,” said Harrisburg resident Lou Searles. “To get places safely is really important. I thought I’d never see this day.”

Buckheit said that bicycling has increased greatly in the city during the COVID-19 pandemic. He believes it will remain popular for recreation and transportation.

“We hope this model will be expanded to the other municipalities that surround Harrisburg, to have this ongoing network that allows for people who wish to bicycle in and out of our capital city to do so in a comfortable and safe manner,” Buckheit said.

Harrisburg’s “Bike to Work Week” runs from Sept. 21 to 27. For more information on Harrisburg’s “Vision Zero” initiative, visit https://visionzerohbg.com/.

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New COVID-19 cases relatively stable in PA, despite surges around colleges

September 18, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

COVID-19 cases and tests, over time. Source: PA Department of Health

New COVID-19 cases remained relatively stable in PA over the past week, despite a spike in cases in counties hosting major college campuses.

Since last Friday, Pennsylvania recorded an average of 828 newly diagnosed cases per day, according to the state Department of Health.

This compares to an average of 746 new daily cases last week, and 810 and 622 new daily cases per day for the prior two weeks, respectively. The department also reports that testing has generally increased over this time (see chart).

Centre County has experienced a surge of cases since Penn State opened for the semester, recording 1,109 new diagnoses just since Sept. 1. Columbia County, home to Bloomsburg University, also has seen a significant case increase recently, according to the state. In response, the health department today stated that it plans to add testing sites in both counties starting Sept. 25.

“These testing sites will be open to anyone who feels they need a test,” health Secretary Rachel Levine said. “It is important that even people with no symptoms who test positive isolate and quarantine to stop the spread of COVID-19.”

Locally, diagnosed cases over the past week are as follows:

Adams County: 766 cases (prior Friday, 723)
Cumberland County: 1,739 cases (prior Friday, 1,649)
Dauphin County: 3,662 cases (prior Friday, 3,543)
Franklin County: 1,701 cases (prior Friday, 1,633)
Lancaster County: 7,478 cases (prior Friday, 7,238)
Lebanon County: 1,909 cases (prior Friday, 1,807)
Perry County: 201 cases (prior Friday, 184)
York County: 4,391 cases (prior Friday, 3,995)

Today, the health department confirmed 760 newly positive cases throughout Pennsylvania for the past 24 hours ending at midnight.

With today’s update, 148,683 Pennsylvanians have now been diagnosed with the coronavirus, an increase of 5,798 over the past week, according to the health department.

The department also reported an additional 97 deaths since last Friday, meaning that 7,934 Pennsylvanians have died from the disease since March.

Around central PA, COVID-19 fatalities now stand as follows:

Adams County: 25 deaths (prior Friday, 24)
Cumberland County: 75 deaths (prior Friday, 73)
Dauphin County: 171 deaths (prior Friday, 169)
Franklin County: 49 deaths (prior Friday, 49)
Lancaster County: 451 deaths (prior Friday, 445)
Lebanon County: 58 deaths (prior Friday, 57)
Perry County: 6 deaths (prior Friday, 6)
York County: 138 deaths (prior Friday, 132)

Statewide, Philadelphia County continues to have the most confirmed cases with 30,783 cases, followed by Montgomery County with 11,855 cases. The two counties also have reported the most deaths statewide from the disease: 1,803 and 869, respectively.

“We know that congregation, especially over holidays and in college and university settings, yields increased case counts,” Levine said. “The mitigation efforts in place now are essential to flattening the curve and saving lives.”

PA nursing homes and personal care facilities have been particularly hard hit by the virus. Of total deaths, 5,343, or 67.3 percent, have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities, the health department stated.

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 22,162 resident cases of COVID-19, and 4,839 cases among employees, for a total of 27,001 at 957 distinct facilities in 61 counties, according to the health department.

In addition, about 10,281 of total cases in PA are in health care workers.

Statewide, 1,881,488 individuals have had coronavirus tests, with 1,732,805 people testing negative, according to the state health department. Last Friday, the state reported that 1,794,913 people had been tested for the virus.

The state reports a total of 2,680,238 PCR tests, which includes many people, such as health care workers, who have been tested more than once.

Of the patients who have tested positive to date, the age breakdown is as follows, according to the health department:

About 1 percent are aged 0-4
Nearly 2 percent are aged 5-12
About 4 percent are aged 13-18
About 12 percent are aged 19-24
About 36 percent are aged 25-49
Nearly 22 percent are aged 50-64
About 22 percent are aged 65 or older.

Most of the patients hospitalized are 65 or older, as are most of the reported deaths, according to the state. However, the health department has emphasized that, increasingly, more younger people are being diagnosed with COVID-19.

Levine continued to emphasize that Pennsylvanians should do the following:

Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
Clean surfaces frequently.
Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
Wear a mask whenever out of your house.

“Wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, and following the requirements set forth in the orders for bars and restaurants, gatherings, and telework will help keep our case counts low,” Levine said. “Together, as Pennsylvanians, all of our efforts are designed to support our communities to ensure that cases of COVID-19 remain low.”

For more information, visit the PA Department of Health’s COVID-19 website.

Currently, we are providing a COVID-19 update weekly, each Friday, or as breaking news warrants.

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Jordan Dandy has a message for Harrisburg: “I value you”

September 18, 2020 | by Maddie Conley

Jordan Dandy stands at Front and Forster streets.

It’s been two weeks since Jordan Dandy began standing on the corner of Front and Forster streets with a message of positivity.

Now, his appearance has become a regular sight, helping to cheer up hazy-eyed commuters during their routine morning drives.

Each morning, he stands at the side of the busy road and holds a sign reading “I value you” on one side and “You’re so important” on the other.

“I care about people a lot,” Dandy said. “I feel like my purpose on earth is to love in a way that is tangible and people can feel valued. I want people to have some sort of light in the midst of literally parts of our country on fire.”

A little over two weeks ago, Dandy was in the hospital with a serious infection. During that time, he found out his hero, actor Chadwick Boseman, died.

This, combined with everything else going on in the country, had Dandy feeling down.

After listening to a speech by Boseman on finding your purpose, Dandy came up with the idea to make the sign.

“I want to give people hope,” he said. “I’m not just going to give up on this year. I’m going to make this year good.”

When Dandy first started going out each morning, people were confused, he said. Some tried to give him money. One man asked if he was hitchhiking, and others stopped to ask why he was there.

Eventually, he started recognizing people. He waved to kids on the school bus and shouted, “Have a nice day!” to commuters. Dandy said that one woman even wrote him a card saying how she had just moved to the city and seeing him every day made the move easier.

“That’s what it’s about,” he said.

He said that he chose the words for his sign very carefully. He didn’t want his message to be political.

“I think it’s good to have your opinions and to have a strong belief, but, if at the end of the day that leaves you hating your neighbor, I don’t think that’s good,” he said. “I want the best for someone else, no matter what their stance is politically.”

Dandy and his brother Cory Dandy make up the indie-pop band Dandy. They performed virtually at Harrisburg’s July Fourth and Kipona Festivals.

Even as the band is hard at work making music, Dandy said that he plans to continue going out with his sign through the end of September, at least.

Occasionally his friend Bobby Bohr joins him with a sign saying “I care about you” and “You’re worthy of love.”

While Dandy’s message is for the people driving by, he said the experience has given him hope, as well.

Although not everyone has the guts to stand on the street with a sign, Dandy said it’s the simple things that make a difference. He encouraged people to say thank you to their mail carrier and trash collector or be intentional about showing kindness to a stranger.

“People want to feel appreciated and valued,” he said. “Just be sincere in simple acts of kindness.”

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Planning group seeks public input for future improvements to I-81

September 17, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Cars travel on the I-81 bridge over the Susquehanna River near Harrisburg.

Regional transportation planners have launched a two-week virtual meeting to get public input on future improvements to a major highway that runs through central Pennsylvania.

The initiative, called the I-81 Improvement Strategy in South Central Pennsylvania, aims to identify needs and project priorities for 12 “focus areas” that stretch along the interstate from the Pennsylvania/Maryland border in Franklin County to Lebanon County.

Several of the focus areas are in the Harrisburg area, including sections, from south to north, termed “Mechanicsburg/Wertzville Road,” “Harrisburg/Enola/River Routes” and “Greater Harrisburg Area.”

The body undertaking the initiative, Tri-County Regional Planning Commission (TCRPC), is calling it a “playbook to set priorities.”

“We are approaching the end of the needs phase of the analysis and are pleased to share details on the 12 focus areas that include one or more identified needs that could be addressed by future transportation projects and initiatives,” said TCRPC Executive Director Steve Deck.

TCRPC is a regional planning body for Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry counties. For this initiative, it is collaborating with Franklin and Lebanon counties, along with PennDOT and the Federal Highway Administration.

The commission began this effort last fall with initial planning and data collection efforts, which helped identify the focus areas.

The current public input window runs through Sept. 30. After project concepts are developed, TCRPC will hold another public feedback phase, and the entire study should be wrapped up in the spring, according to the current timeline.

“Once we’ve reached some sort of consensus on the project needs, we want to tie them as quickly as we can to the implementation funding necessary to put the improvements into place,” Deck said.

The I-81 Improvement Strategy Online Public Meeting runs through Sept. 30. To participate, visit the website.

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Harrisburg proposes “COVID-19” bonuses for essential workers

September 17, 2020 | by Maddie Conley

Harrisburg fire bureau responds to a recent call.

Harrisburg may show appreciation to its essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic with a proposed pay bonus.

At Tuesday’s City Council work session, Mayor Eric Papenfuse proposed designating about $800,000 in the city’s 2020 budget for “COVID-19” bonuses for frontline workers.

“As a city, we need to recognize the tireless work and commitment of all of our frontline responders throughout this health crisis,” Papenfuse said. “They had to be out there picking up the trash, cleaning the buildings and addressing city services.”

Each eligible worker will receive $2,500. The criteria for receiving the bonus is that the recipient had to come to work each day without an adjusted schedule or the option to telecommute, Papenfuse said.

He said that includes many American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union members. All Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) union members will receive the bonus, as will a few management-level positions.

“It’s important that we recognize the sacrifice and amazing service that we’ve seen from our employees,” Papenfuse said. “I don’t think residents saw a decline in city services even when that might’ve been possible and was certainly happening in other municipalities.”

Papenfuse said all eligible employees will receive the same bonus.

City council members generally expressed support for the “COVID-19” bonuses. The issue will be voted on at Tuesday’s legislative session.

“I think it is remarkable that our city employees were still able within good health to continue working during the COVID-19 pandemic,” council member Danielle Bowers said.

To watch past Harrisburg City Council meetings, visit the city’s YouTube channel.

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Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

September 17, 2020 | by Sara Bozich

Happy Weekend!

I don’t know how it went from being too hot to go outside to I left the windows open one night and haven’t been warm since.

Regardless, I embrace these changes of the seasons (fall is actually next week, so it’s cool, I just don’t like to rush things, I prefer to appreciate each season rather than wish time away), cleaning out my closets, planning for a chill fall and winter, wishing I’d planted some nice root vegetables.

Anyway.

Check out all these great things to do this weekend around Harrisburg. I’ll be taking walks with my kiddo and watching football, cooking a pot roast, and hopefully getting to the market.

Consider for your weekend planning:

September is Takeout Month
It also is Hunger Action Month, so maybe a donation to match that take-out bill?
Donate blood (look for drives near you)
Get outside! Explore the Hershey Harrisburg Adventure Trail.
September is also National Self-Care Awareness Month. A friend just sent me a big box of sheet masks — how do you do self-care?
- Split a Wine Tasting Flight with some trusted friends
It’s a good time to make sure you have a fitness plan in place for the fall/winter. Burn30 is celebrating 10 years this month — new members get 10% off their first month of training when they sign up in September.
See what else you missed on the blog.

Below are ample options for your weekend, whether you’re laying low (there is no shame in the stay home game!) or venturing out.

Oh hey, are you on the email list? In addition to getting this weekly update loaded with things to do each weekend directly in your inbox, I load it with a bunch of other fresh, original content. Sign-up here. I also recommend following me on IG.

Top Weekend Recs

Create your own beer + cheese pairing. Grab some local brews to-go from Boneshire Brew Works or Appalachian Brewing Co. and some delicious cheeses from Revittle at the Broad Street Market.
1. Note: Jimi and I are planning a fall brew review for next week!
Tattered Flag is now shipping beer and spirits direct to your door!
Pick up HOLLA Spirits new Buji Fuji apple vodka at your local state store — OR, if you’re lazy like me, just order online and have it shipped!
Get a big hunk of meat to throw in the slow cooker this cool weekend at R.G. Hummer’s in the Broad Street Market
WIN a BBQ feast from MoMo’s
Have you watched Poured in PA: The Series yet?? It’s FREE on YouTube!
Browse some new gems at Meeka Fine Jewelry.

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!

Resources for to-go/delivery

Need wine? Click here.
Need booze? Click here.
Need beer? Click here.
Need cocktails? Kits + premade options here.
Brunch? Click here.
Wait, what about coffee, kombucha, tea, juice? Got you!
Find Carry-Out options here

Arts Aid: State grants give boost to arts groups hurting amid COVID-19

September 16, 2020 | by Karen Hendricks

The exterior of the Susquehanna Art Museum in Harrisburg

The financial picture is a little rosier today for capital region arts organizations.

Gov. Tom Wolf announced $20 million in grant funding Tuesday for the state’s cultural and arts institutions, including a combined $308,978 headed to eight Dauphin County organizations.

“We applied because we had a tremendous loss, in that we couldn’t do anything to raise money while we were in the situation of still having to pay expenses,” said Alice Anne Schwab of the Susquehanna Art Museum (SAM), which received $25,000.

“Our utility costs are huge—we pay over $5,000 a month for utilities alone,” she said.

SAM’s current annual budget is $650,000, trimmed from 2019-20’s operating expenses, which were just shy of $800,000. The Harrisburg museum was closed to the public for 72 days, but reopened in early June with safety protocols in place.

State funding, called the “COVID-19 Cultural and Museum Preservation Grant Program,” is designed to offset lost revenue by eligible cultural organizations and museums that closed due to the governor’s disaster emergency proclamation in March. The money originates from federal CARES Act funds.

The largest Dauphin County grant recipient is the Harrisburg Symphony Association, to the tune of $64,160.

“This is a powerful expression of Pennsylvania’s values—$20 million to arts and culture—that’s huge,” said Matthew Herren, executive director of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra. “We don’t only improve quality of life, but we all contribute to the state’s economy.”

Herren said the grant will help offset lost revenue from ticket sales. The symphony’s annual budget is $3 million, with $1 million of that typically derived from ticket sales.

A number of HSO concerts were canceled due to COVID-19 at the conclusion of the 2019-20 season. The upcoming season’s plans will soon be announced, with “Masterworks” and pops performances available on demand—recorded by small, socially distanced orchestras. Additionally, favorite past performances will be brought out of the archives. The 78-member symphony typically reaches an annual audience of 30,000.

“The pandemic, if there’s a silver lining, has brought arts organizations together on a national scale for intense conversations because we’re all facing obstacles,” Herren said, citing statewide conference calls organized by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.

Harrisburg’s Gamut Theatre Group received a $25,000 grant that will help pay the pared-down staff’s salaries.

“Right now, we are $120,000 down from where we were last year, but I have to also say that many individuals have really been generous,” said Melissa Nicholson, Gamut’s executive director. “We’ve received a lot more donations than what we normally do—$30,000 more to date.”

Gamut’s budget of $520,000—based on the calendar year—is experiencing a roller coaster ride in 2020. The theater was shut down exactly six months, from March 12 to Sept. 12. For the purposes of the grant, Gamut reported their income during the March through July period as $19,000—nearly all of which was earned during the first two weeks of March. Over that same time period, Gamut typically earns $147,000.

“There’s a part of this that you can’t quantify with numbers—that’s the thing with cultural organizations,” Nicholson said. “Our reopening weekend, for example, was very emotional—a lot of people in the audience said they started to cry when the performance started.”

Gamut reopened with digital classes and live theater offerings featuring pick-your-own price ticketing, because “we’re thinking of the community,” Nicholson said. Performers are living within a quarantine bubble, and Gamut is utilizing a socially distanced, 51-person seating chart within the 200-seat theater—operating at 25% capacity rather than Wolf’s 50% allowance. They’re relying on guidelines from the organization Event Safety Alliance and a highly detailed risk assessment based on the Harvard Global Health Institute.

Additional Dauphin County grant recipients include The Hershey Story: The Museum on Chocolate Avenue ($60,237); AACA Museum at Hershey ($45,625); The National Civil War Museum ($38,956); the Hershey-Derry Township Historical Society ($25,000); and the Pennsylvania State Police Museum ($25,000).

A total of 23 central Pennsylvania museums and arts organizations are receiving grants, including the Gettysburg Foundation, which operates Gettysburg National Military Park’s Museum & Visitor Center. Their award is the region’s largest at $463,346.

Also nearby, the Carlisle Regional Performing Arts Center and Mount Gretna’s Gretna Productions Inc. are both receiving $25,000.

Within the state, 164 organizations—including zoos—received grants. The program was financed by The Commonwealth Financing Authority, an agency under the umbrella of the Department of Community and Economic Development.

Back at SAM, Schwab said the award comes during a wave of positive news. Last weekend, 352 people came through the museum’s doors during the city’s annual Gallery Walk, and “people seem to be really excited” about the upcoming “A Virtual Night at the Museum” gala.

“Maybe it’s silly of me to be optimistic, but I really see this as a time for some new ideas,” Schwab said. “We’re not going to meet challenges by doing things the same way.”

Plans are underway to develop SAM’s outdoor green space and parking lot, and replace its van, all within an initiative called “Art Beyond the Walls.”

SAM was also recently awarded a grant from Art Bridges, the foundation attached to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, launched by philanthropist Alice Walton of Walmart’s founding family. The Art Bridges grant underwrites two weekend staff positions at SAM.

“We are the first museum in the country they’re doing this grant program with, on visitor engagement,” Schwab said.

Crystal Bridges is also partnering with SAM to assist with educational programming for its next exhibit, “The Modernists: Witnesses to the 20th Century,” which opens Oct. 10.

“It includes art that ironically took place during the pandemic 100 years ago,” Schwab said. “We had no idea when we planned the exhibit that we would be experiencing another worldwide pandemic.”

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Harrisburg Council proposes changes to strengthen police advisory board, including subpoena power

September 16, 2020 | by Maddie Conley

A screenshot from Tuesday’s City Council work session.

Harrisburg City Council plans to make changes to a proposed police advisory board that would give the body more teeth, including administrative subpoena power.

During Tuesday’s work session, council member Ausha Green said that she will amend Bill 8 based upon input that council received from residents during three town hall meetings held in August.

“One thing that we heard from the public was the need for subpoena powers,” said Green, who chairs council’s public safety committee. “It’s not in our purview to give judicial subpoena powers, but we can afford administrative subpoena powers.”

Green also said she would like to insert a statement of intent into the bill. This would better communicate the board’s purpose of providing accountability to the Harrisburg police bureau rather than serving as a community liaison.

The proposed changes seemed to address additional public comments received by council and read during the meeting last night.

“I have concerns that the bill, as written, has no teeth in holding police accountable and makes the board into little more than a public relations mouthpiece for the police,” one public comment read.

Many public comments during the Tuesday meeting touched on the idea of allowing the board to act independently. In the past, people have asked that police Commissioner Thomas Carter be removed as a non-voting member of the board.

“The board must be allowed to deliberate in private,” resident Vishal Bajpai said. “To be legitimate, the board must be sufficiently independent from the Bureau of Police.”

As the bill stands, the commissioner and the public safety chair would both be non-voting members. Green proposed an amendment that would remove them and, instead, invite them to quarterly meetings. Taking their place would be two more voting members from the city at large appointed by the board, Green said.

Council member Danielle Bowers submitted an amendment, as well. She would like to see neighborhood groups formed throughout the city to confer and bring forth candidates, one from each of the seven policing districts.

“I think this would offer a prime opportunity for them to work together to offer a recommendation that they all feel best represents their neighborhood,” she said.

Council will discuss Bill 8 again at their next work session on Sept. 29. The amendments have yet to be voted on.

“I don’t have an issue with the amendments as drafted,” Mayor Eric Papenfuse said.

On the subject of policing, council discussed a proposed resolution that would establish use of force reporting to council and Papenfuse.

Since the resolution was introduced, the police bureau did provide council and the mayor with a report in June, city Solicitor Neil Grover said. The report included the existing required report on complaints with some information on use of force.

However, several council members said they weren’t satisfied with the report, saying it didn’t include everything they requested.

“It seems very high level,” Green said. “It seems like it was very quickly put together. It needs to be kept up to date on a monthly basis.”

Papenfuse said that he is planning to propose a records management position within the police bureau that is outward-facing and dedicated to reporting.

“We really do have a capacity issue at the police department and that is best addressed by the establishment of some new positions,” he said.

The resolution on use of force reporting will be brought up again at the next work session, as well.

To watch past Harrisburg City Council meetings, visit the city’s YouTube channel.

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