New COVID-19 cases tick up from last week, average 810 diagnoses per day

August 14, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

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

New COVID-19 cases in PA rose modestly over the past week, with the commonwealth reporting an average of just over 800 new daily cases.

Since last Friday, Pennsylvania recorded an average of 810 newly diagnosed cases per day, according to the Department of Health.

This compares to an average of 747 new daily cases last week, and 925 and 870 new daily cases per day for the prior two weeks, respectively. The department reports that testing has also increased over this time (see chart).

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

Adams County: 544 cases (prior Friday, 497)
Cumberland County: 1,353 cases (prior Friday, 1,276)
Dauphin County: 2,940 cases (prior Friday, 2,757)
Franklin County: 1,407 cases (prior Friday, 1,328)
Lancaster County: 6,146 cases (prior Friday, 5,822)
Lebanon County: 1,640 cases (prior Friday, 1,594)
Perry County: 132 cases (prior Friday, 121)
York County: 2,801 cases (prior Friday, 2,485)

Today, the department confirmed 829 newly positive cases throughout Pennsylvania for the past 24 hours ending at midnight.

With today’s update, 122,950 Pennsylvanians have now been diagnosed with the coronavirus, an increase of 5,671 over the past week, according to the health department.

Overall, 8.6 percent of PA residents tested have shown to be positive for the virus.

The department also reported an additional 148 deaths since last Friday, meaning that 7,445 Pennsylvanians have died from the disease since March.

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

Adams County: 22 deaths (prior Friday, 20)
Cumberland County: 71 deaths (prior Friday, 71)
Dauphin County: 160 deaths (prior Friday, 158)
Franklin County: 46 deaths (prior Friday, 46)
Lancaster County: 420 deaths (prior Friday, 410)
Lebanon County: 55 deaths (prior Friday, 54)
Perry County: 5 deaths (prior Friday, 5)
York County: 105 deaths (prior Friday, 86)

Statewide, Philadelphia County continues to have the most confirmed cases with 27,324 cases, followed by Montgomery County with 10,307 cases. The two counties also have reported the most deaths statewide from the disease: 1,728 and 859, respectively.

“The mitigation efforts in place now are essential as the new school year approaches, and we work to ensure our children can get back to learning,” health Secretary Rachel Levine said. “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.”

PA nursing homes and personal care facilities have been particularly hard hit by the virus. Of total deaths, 5,056, or 67.9 percent, have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities, according to the health department.

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 20,285 resident cases of COVID-19, and 4,209 cases among employees, for a total of 24,494 at 890 distinct facilities in 61 counties, according to the health department.

In addition, about 8,826 of total cases in PA are in health care workers.

Statewide, 1,427,689 coronavirus tests have been performed, with 1,304,739 people testing negative, according to the state health department. Last Friday, the state reported that 1,316,899 people had been tested for the virus.

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

1 percent are aged 0-4
1 percent are aged 5-12
Nearly 4 percent are aged 13-18
Nearly 10 percent are aged 19-24
Nearly 38 percent are aged 25-49
Nearly 23 percent are aged 50-64
Nearly 24 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.

“Together, as Pennsylvanians, we each have a part to play in working to ensure that cases of COVID-19 remain low,” Levine said.

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.

Local foodie cooks up fundraiser to support Feeding Pennsylvania and encourage eating local

August 14, 2020 | by Maddie Conley

Corinne Foster (right) works with a Café 1500 chef on the fundraiser’s special menu item.

Most things in Corinne Foster’s life revolve around food.

She works for Feeding Pennsylvania, a nonprofit focusing on hunger relief. In her free time, she is a local food blogger.

Now, she has found a way to combine her job and hobby for a fundraiser.

Café 1500 is partnering with Foster to create a special menu item that will support both the café and Feeding Pennsylvania during the COVID-19 crisis.

“I saw the firsthand struggles of what people were going through even in our community,” she said. “I wanted to use my platform to help.”

Foster said that she was especially inclined to help because she knew what it was like to go through unemployment in the past.

As the community outreach coordinator for Feeding Pennsylvania, she has helped distribute food to local food banks facing extra pressure during the crisis.

Typically, Feeding PA’s food banks serve about 2 million people annually, but, in three months during the pandemic, they served 5.5 million, she said.

“That really stuck with me and made me want to help our community in Harrisburg,” she said.

Foster decided to use the many connections she has in the local restaurant scene through her food blogging. Her Instagram account, “Foster the Foodie,” highlights her favorite spots and encourages people to support local restaurants.

“I love being able to help people in need, and I love food,” she said.

Foster hopes that her fundraiser will inspire others to host similar events to support those struggling during the crisis.

Café 1500’s manager Patrick Hite loved the idea of supporting Feeding Pennsylvania and encouraging shopping local.

“We wanted to creatively support our community and look to really have fun with it,” he said.

With that in mind, Foster worked with Café 1500 chefs to come up with a unique meal. So, a French toast fried chicken sandwich will be the special menu item available from Aug. 19 to Sept. 6.

“Who doesn’t want to come in, have a Bloody Mary, try something off the wall, and support a good cause doing it?” Hite said.

Café 1500 is located at 1500 N. 6^th St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit their website. To learn more about Feeding Pennsylvania, visit https://feedingpa.org/. Corinne Foster’s blog can be found at @fosterthefoodie on Instagram.

D.C.-Bound: Harrisburg area residents explain why they will “March on Washington”

August 14, 2020 | by Susan Ryder

Nina Butler and Karla DeJesus share a collage of Karla’s family photos.

“I was devastated by George Floyd,” said Karla DeJesus.

Through her livestream radio station BWM (Because We Matter) Radio, she described why she’s hosting an event that will take two buses down to the March on Washington on Aug. 28.

“That was a real impetus,” she said. “When Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King Jr. III, made the call, at that funeral, to commemorate the 1963 march… I knew there was no way I wasn’t going to be there.”

Gathered in the DeJesus home in Susquehanna Township, surrounded by books, art pieces and ornately decorated furniture, five people talked about the march, why they are going, and what they would like to accomplish.

“It was a no brainer to get on the bus to stand up for our lives,” said Nina Butler.

For her, two incidents within a week—the New York woman who called the police on a Black man insisting that he was threatening her life when he asked her to leash her dog and the death of George Floyd—were examples of how different Black lives and white lives are in America.

The group recalled incidents of Black people being harassed by white citizens, dying in police custody, assaults by police. Because of the number, they had trouble remembering the order of incidents as they talked.

“I’m young and I’m Black, and my friends are young and Black, too,” said Dorrell Butler, Nina’s husband, as he shared his thoughts, slightly muffled through his mask, on why it’s an easy choice for him to march. “It’s not just a fear for my life, but also a fear for their lives, too.”

The room was heavy with the collective weight of their realities and the discussion of them. For Doreen Sawyers, the march is about connection. Tissues were passed as Sawyers talked about how George Floyd was a crystalizing moment, when all of her 22 years as a corrections officer, experiences of racism and family history came together, and she saw the reality clearly.

“I wanted to be with my people,” she said. “I wanted to do something, to say something.”

The group concurs that bringing a voice to the problem serves as reason to march—that simply their presence is important.

“I would like to be a representative of the support of this movement,” said José DeJesus.

But talking about the reality has not always been a part of their history. Karla DeJesus and Sawyers said that their ancestors did not share with family members the atrocities that they experienced—as slaves, during Jim Crow and beyond—as a way to protect their children from the pain and sorrow. They knew that their descendants would have plenty of sorrows themselves.

“Our ancestors’ way of protecting us was to keep quiet,” said Nina Butler. “My mother, my aunt, their way of protecting us was to learn to speak up. So, it’s that transference of energy. This march is our way of giving protection to all of our people.”

This march and this time in history exemplify a sea change for white America, an occurrence from which everything will transform, according to DeJesus.

Part of this transformation will be created by what those who participate in the march bring home with them.

“I want to bring back the energy of my people being in one collective space,” said Sawyers.

The energy in the room shifted and lifted. It’s evident what Sawyers wants to get from the march. It’s part of her journey to find out more about America’s history beyond the history books, in a more factual way.

“Change, not just change in the world but inner change,” said Nina Butler of what she wants to see accomplished from the march.

From left: Doreen Sawyers, Karla DeJesus, Jose DeJesus, Dorrell Butler and Nina Butler

DeJesus is resolute in her desire to make this world a better place for her children and grandchildren—to leave a legacy.

Through BWM Radio, DeJesus “talks to, with, about and for the voiceless,” as well as plays music, and informs Harrisburg about issues and happenings. Leading this trip is also part of this legacy.

“America is not going to understand the depth of what Black America is going through until they see the numbers,” she said.

On Aug. 28, they will board a bus and head to a march where, 57 years ago, Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his emblematic “I Have a Dream” speech.

Less remembered from that day was Rabbi Joachim Prinz, who said, “When I was rabbi of the Jewish community in Berlin under the Hitler regime, I learned many things. The most important thing that I learned in my life and under those tragic circumstances is that bigotry and hatred are not the most urgent problems. The most urgent, the most disgraceful, the most shameful, and the most tragic problem is—silence.”

Karla DeJesus, José DeJesus, Nina Butler, Dorrell Butler and Doreen Sawyers have chosen not be part of that silence.

To participate in the March on Washington with BWM Radio, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bwm-radio-charter-2020-march-on-washington-tickets-109271839012?fbclid=IwAR2x8ID4B_Y2nBbhMwLakNaFnOCdgb_7rO5p2R_e65M_2MrzPkA1smHebgk.
Cost $47
Sponsored, free seats are available. Call 717-580-5499.
COVID-19 Kits Provided.
Masks required on the bus and in Washington, D.C.
Learn more about BWM Radio at bwmradio.com.

TheBurg Podcast: Taking Matters into Their Own Hands, August 2020

August 13, 2020 | by Karen Hendricks

Mike Fitzgerald and Gary Dutson, both of Harrisburg, were the driving force behind Harrisburg’s Black Lives Matter mural. They explain, in their own words, what motivated them to create the mural, and they explain what the phrase “Black Lives Matter” means to them.

Tim Eller of Commonwealth Charter Academy (CCA), based in Harrisburg, expands upon the sky-high interest in Pennsylvania’s public cyber charter schools—and dispels many of the myths associated with online learning. And he explains how CCA gives back to the Harrisburg community.

Tourism is one of the hardest-hit industries as a result of COVID-19. We follow up with Mary Smith of Visit Hershey & Harrisburg for an update. She navigates through the bleak landscape but offers a few glimmers of hope. Plus, she shares staycation ideas you can find right here in your own backyard.

Plus editor of TheBurg, Lawrance Binda stops by for August’s “most Harrisburg thing”—and it’s a real treat.

Links to the stories featured and expanded on this month’s podcast:

“New Black Lives Matter Mural Painted in Midtown to Encourage Solidarity, Dialogue”

“Educated Guess”

”Vacation, Staycation”

Meet some of the Harrisburg area’s most fascinating people, and hear their own authentic stories, expanded from every month’s magazine, on TheBurg Podcast—because there’s always “more to the story.”

Hosted by Karen Hendricks. TheBurg is a monthly community magazine based in Harrisburg, Pa.; Lawrance Binda, co-publisher/editor.

Interested in sponsoring TheBurg Podcast? Contact Lauren ([email protected])

Karen Hendricks is a lifelong journalist; visit her website here.

Stories from the Chair: Local barber gives platform to emergency service personnel in new series

August 13, 2020 | by Maddie Conley

Tate Yohe (left) and William Leigh (right) in the Comb and Scissor Barbershop.

In a new YouTube series, the “cut” is coming at the beginning of the scene instead of the end.

Tate Yohe, known as “Tate the Barber,” is using his chair and clippers as a platform for people to share their stories. In the documentary series “Chairapy,” you can see for yourself.

“There’s something magical about the barbershop,” Yohe said. “The people that come in have these amazing stories.”

For five years, he has cut hair at Comb and Scissors Barbershop in Mechanicsburg. Many of his clients are emergency service personnel—emergency medical technicians (EMT), veterans, firefighters and law enforcement. Yohe used to be an EMT himself.

Through cutting hair, he got used to hearing amazing stories of bravery and victory as well as tough times and was always inspired by them. He thought, there had to be a way to share these with an audience.

“I had been sitting on this idea for a year and I had no idea how to execute it,” Yohe said. “Then Will walked into my life.”

When videographer William Leigh met Yohe at an event, he was unsure about his idea. Could a guy cutting hair in an old barbershop make for a show that people actually wanted to watch?

“When he walked through that door, I could tell the lightbulb went off,” Yohe said.

Leigh saw the clients’ first responder patches decorating the wall behind Yohe’s chair. The iconic old school barbershop look hooked him.

The pair has produced two episodes of “Chairapy,” with at least eight more to come. Leigh describes them as a cinematic, documentary-style blog.

Each episode features a client who tells significant stories from his or her life while getting a haircut from Yohe.

“My clients to me are more than just heads of hair sitting in my chairs,” Yohe said. “I invest emotionally in my clients, and, in return, they give it back to me.”

The first episode features U.S. Army Maj. Christina Martin. She talks about her experience as a gay woman in the army, serving during 9/11 and the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

In the most recent episode, Battalion Chief Jason Lloyd of the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire gets emotional. He discusses the most memorable moments on the job in the city and the pain that comes with not being able to save a fire victim.

Yohe said the next interview will be with a member of law enforcement. He said they are not going to shy away from difficult topics and believes the episode will be relevant to the times.

“To be able to tell that story, I feel like I’m helping someone connect the dots with the people that are trying to save lives,” Leigh said.

The first episode of “Chairapy” has already garnered over 19,000 views on YouTube. Yohe and Leigh expect the momentum to continue building.

uFinancial Group is currently sponsoring the show.

While Yohe isn’t an EMT anymore, he still feels like he’s doing important work. Through “Chairapy,” he gets to share that with others.

“I went from working on an ambulance and saving lives to being a barber,” he said. “But barbering is similar. You’re helping people and taking care of people.”

For more information on Comb and Scissors Barbershop, visit their website. To watch episodes one and two of “Chairapy,” visit the series’ YouTube page.

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

August 13, 2020 | by Sara Bozich

Happy Weekend! We’re looking forward to a socially distanced hang at a friend’s pool this weekend, catch some Shark Week programming, and probably making more tomato sauce and pesto. That said, there’s a lotta lot going on this weekend, probably the biggest “events” weekend since March. Please do remember to social distance and do the takeout option when available. Need a cool new mask? Buy some locally here.

Hiya, 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.

Weekend Recs

Grab some local brews from Boneshire Brew Works, Hemauer Brewing, Appalachian Brewing Co. or Tattered Flag.
Pick up HOLLA Spirits at your local state store — OR, if you’re lazy like me, just order online and have it shipped!
Stock up at R.G. Hummer’s in the Broad Street Market
Order some great takeout, maybe a BBQ feast for the backyard from MoMo’s
Try something new: Catch The Obstructed View with Open Stage TONIGHT
Binge episodes of Poured in PA: The Series FREE on YouTube!
Book your own private movie night at Carlisle Theatre.
Or how ’bout this Golf Simulator event for a good cause?
Browse some new gems at Meeka Fine Jewelry.
Shop for some new masks at Hello Gorgeous Boutique.
Maybe it’s time for a contactless debit card?

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? For serious. Click here.
Wait, what about coffee, kombucha, tea, juice? Got you!
Find Carry-Out options here

Harrisburg community, leaders hold vigil to show unity, support for Kesher Israel

August 12, 2020 | by Maddie Conley

Community gathers for a vigil at Kesher Israel on N. 3rd Street.

On Monday, Rabbi Elisha Friedman stood outside of his synagogue, looking at a pair of swastikas that had been painted on the building—a symbol of hate.

Today, he stood in that same place seeing signs of love.

A diverse crowd gathered outside of Kesher Israel on Wednesday evening to stand in solidarity with the Jewish community.

“The response from this community has been really incredible,” Friedman said. “Each person by being here today is making a statement that this is unacceptable to go on in this area. We are not going to allow this kind of behavior to happen again.”

The vigil was held by the Mayor’s Interfaith Advisory Council. Police Commissioner Thomas Carter, Rep. Patty Kim (D-Harrisburg) and local faith leaders were among those who spoke.

“What I see here is love,” Carter said. “It took some cowards under the shield of nighttime to paint a swastika. But it didn’t drive a fork in any of our hearts. It brought us together.”

Friedman said that Harrisburg police arrived minutes after he called them on Monday morning. He added that the state troopers and FBI were helpful, as well.

Rabbi Elisha Friedman of Kesher Israel Congregation speaks at the vigil.

Pastor James Jackson of Goodwin Memorial Baptist Church was one of the many faith leaders who spoke at the event.

“We members of the Goodwin Memorial Baptist church, who are your closest neighbors of faith, want to say to whoever did this, this is not acceptable,” he said.

This act of anti-Semitism is just one of many related incidents in the state, said Russell Goodman, who is part of the Interfaith Advisory Council.

The negative impact the swastika has on the Jewish community mirrors that of the confederate flag on the Black community, said Tameka Hatcher of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.

“Symbolism matters,” she said. “As a person who believes in the dignity and the sanctity of lives of all people, we the Black community stand with our brothers and sisters of faith in the Jewish community.”

In closing, Jackson prayed for peace and unity in the community.

“The thing that we leave here with will be a renewed determination to see that this city, this community and this nation, turns into a place where all of our kids can grow up in an atmosphere of love and peace,” Jackson said.

Kesher Israel Congregation is located at 2500 N. 3^rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit their website. To learn more about the Mayor’s Interfaith Advisory Council, visit their Facebook page.

Celebrated musician Jason Isbell sets 2021 concert date in Riverfront Park

August 12, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Memorial Day weekend is usually a big deal in Harrisburg, with people crowding Riverfront Park for the annual Artsfest celebration.

Harrisburg University now plans to up the ante, announcing today an outdoor concert by celebrated roots rocker Jason Isbell as part of a tour supporting his latest album, “Reunions.”

Isbell and his band, the 400 Unit, are slated to perform in Riverfront Park on Saturday, May 29, as part of HU’s concert series.

The concert depends upon the status of the coronavirus pandemic, according to HU’s proviso that it will take place “at the scheduled date if it is deemed safe according to CDC guidelines.”

HU had plans for numerous major outdoor concerts in 2020, including the bands Cage the Elephant and Of Monsters & Men, as well as the DJ Steve Aoki. However, all had to be rescheduled to next summer after the pandemic hit. New dates will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

Isbell, an acclaimed musician and singer-songwriter who has won four Grammy Awards, last stopped in Harrisburg in December, playing a date at the Forum.

Tickets for the concert, priced at $47, go on sale on Tuesday, Aug. 18 at the HU Concert Series website.

Home sales, prices up considerably in July for Harrisburg area

August 11, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

A house under contract in Harrisburg

The Harrisburg area exhibited strong gains in residential sales in July, reversing a pandemic-induced dip from earlier in the year.

In July, home sales totaled 880 units compared to 753 units for July 2019, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR). July saw the greatest number of sales compared to any month in 2020.

Prices also were up considerably for the three-county region, as the median sales price increased to $214,700 versus $190,000 a year ago, said GHAR.

In Dauphin County, 405 houses sold compared to 365 the previous July, while the median price rose to $180,000 from $174,997.

Cumberland County had sales of 418 units versus 355 the prior year, as the median price jumped to $233,250 from $211,000, GHAR said. Residential sales in Perry County increased to 51 units from 33 a year ago, while the median price shot up to $177,700 from $160,000 in July 2019.

In July, the average days on the market for houses fell to 38 days compared to 44 days the year before, according to GHAR.

Community rallies around Jewish congregation after swastikas found painted on synagogue

August 11, 2020 | by Maddie Conley

Kesher Israel Congregation in Uptown Harrisburg

Members of the Kesher Israel Congregation heading to morning services on Monday were met with a disturbing surprise.

Swastikas had been painted on the front of their synagogue, said Rabbi Elisha Friedman.

“My security antenna went up,” he said. “People were worried about safety.”

Friedman quickly called the police. Local officers, state troopers and the attorney general came to the synagogue, he said.

Finding no sign of a threat to safety, Kesher Israel could continue services, and by the afternoon they had power-washed off the symbols of hate.

According to Friedman, the only other time something similar happened to their congregation was about 30 years ago.

By Tuesday morning, over 30 local people and organizations expressed their support for Kesher Israel and denounced acts of hatred in the community.

“An attack on one Jewish institution is an attack on all Jewish institutions, and we are here for you as your neighbors and friends to fight anti-Semitism wherever it exists and to support you at this difficult time,” said Rabbi Peter Kessler and President Rob Teplitz of Temple Ohev Sholom on N. Front Street in their statement.

Other Jewish leaders in Harrisburg stepped up to reiterate the sense that what happens to one congregation affects them all.

Rabbi Arianna Capptauber of Beth El Temple explained how the swastika personally impacts her, being the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor.

“I feel personally the sting of the swastika, as it represents the deadly hatred that killed many members of my family,” she said. “Yet I will not cower in the face of this weaponized symbol, for I know that we are held by a resilient Jewish community and a caring community of allies here in Harrisburg.”

Friedman said many people have been calling and reaching out to him to ask how his congregation is doing and to express their solidarity.

“It’s encouraging,” he said. “There’s this huge outpouring. It was every part of our community and all types of different religions in Harrisburg.”

Local churches, mosques and temples reached out to support the Jewish faith community, as well.

“We at Pine Street Presbyterian Church condemn this criminal act of hatred directed towards our Jewish brothers and sisters,” said Pastor Russell C. Sullivan Jr., in a statement. “With the people of Kesher Israel Synagogue and the Jewish community, we stand in solidarity and support.”

The Harrisburg Mayor’s Interfaith Advisory Council will hold a vigil outside of Kesher Israel’s synagogue at 2500 N. 3rd St. on Wednesday at 5 p.m. Local government, law enforcement and faith leaders will speak in support of the Jewish community.

“The person was intending to make us feel unwelcome and like a small minority in the community, but it backfired and the opposite impression was given,” Friedman said.

Kesher Israel is located at 2500 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information on their congregation, visit their website.

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