On the March: With a new facility, the Salvation Army expands in size and services.

December 30, 2019 | by Maddie Conley

This past Thanksgiving, the Salvation Army had 60 turkeys delivered, adding to their already large collection of birds to be distributed for the holidays.

Around 600 boxes were packed with the November feast’s staple items—stuffing, corn and mashed potatoes—enough for 300 local families in need.

Their spacious warehouse area and large gym made filling boxes and storing supplies easy. However, the prior year, they wouldn’t have been able to accept those extra 60 turkeys.

“This is a place you’re not going to find anywhere else in Pennsylvania,” said Kathy Anderson-Martin, director of resource development, showing a visitor around the new home of the Salvation Army Harrisburg Capital City Region.

Their old facility in Midtown was just that—old—or, for a better choice of words, well loved. For more than 60 years, the Green Street building was known in the community as the place to go for a hot meal, grocery shopping or job assistance, but the organization was outgrowing it. It was time to move on.

In September, the Salvation Army moved to its newly built center on the 500-block of S. 29th Street—a building that could’ve swallowed up the last one. From the closing of the first space to the opening of the second, there was only a weeklong gap.

“They really haven’t skipped a beat in services,” added Anne Deeter Gallaher, advisory board vice-chair.

The Salvation Army Capital City Region serves more than 25,000 breakfasts each year, assists with over 115,000 food pantry meals and, through its self-sufficiency program, helps around 1,000 households.

The new building houses an updated kitchen for the breakfast program, a food pantry, a family services wing with private offices for case management, a chapel and classrooms for youth programs.

The food pantry is one of the most exciting features for Anderson-Martin, who sees it as a more dignifying experience than it previously was for shoppers.

“People can shop for what they can use and need,” she said. “We want them to have better food. We don’t give out anything we wouldn’t eat ourselves.”

Most of the food comes from the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank or is rescued from stores like Costco. Anderson-Martin explained the Salvation Army’s commitment to having 75 percent of their food be fresh.

With their large, glass-door refrigerators and rows of shelves, shoppers can peruse the aisles for items that fit their needs and their tastes. Occasionally, the organization holds cooking demonstrations, as well.

“People are empowered to come in and choose,” Deeter Gallaher said.

Besides regular services, they’ve added an arts and science classroom for STEM activities and a nutrition education kitchen with eight teaching stations. In the kitchen, families, as well as children and adult groups, can learn how to cook healthy meals by a registered dietician.

Jenny Gallagher Blom, director of programs and operations, remembers the first few days of the new programs opening.

“There was this buzz in the air,” she said. “It was so nice to finally see all of this happening here. This is all worth it.”

Salvation Army now has the capacity to host youth programs in its own building, which includes a playground, instead of alternative places such as schools. There are music, performing arts, church programs and Thrive 506, an after-school program for kindergarten through sixth-grade students. They’ve also partnered with 3 Star, a basketball mentorship program, to host practices and games in their new gym.

Capital Area Head Start also has classrooms for their students there.

The project totaled $12 million, funded through many local donors, corporations and foundations, as well as public grants through Community First Fund, Impact Harrisburg, Dauphin County and the PA Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP).

With a space this big, numerous staff and volunteers are required to keep it running smoothly. Denise Shade is one volunteer who has been involved for four years.

The huge building, she admitted, took some getting used to, but she’s in awe of how much nicer it is. For her, the Salvation Army has always felt like home.

“I was always very fortunate growing up,” she said. “I come here and see people who are totally different than me, and I see how the Army helps them.”

That’s exactly why Anderson-Martin worked so hard on the building project for a decade—because the Salvation Army impacts so many people.

She pointed to a small mound of change on her desk and recalled the story of a man who came in to receive help around the holidays. He was stopping by on his way to the bank. After the Salvation Army provided him services, he dropped a pile of change on the desk in front of him. He said this was the money he was going to deposit, but he wanted to donate it instead.

Anderson-Martin keeps those coins on her desk to remember that story and why her work matters.

The Salvation Army Harrisburg Capital City Region is located at 506 S. 29th St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.pa.salvationarmy.org/harrisburg-pa/

A Study in Brilliance: Exhibit offers context, understanding to Violet Oakley’s stunning Capitol murals.

December 30, 2019 | by Erika Firestone

“The Constitutional Convention 1787”

If you’ve ever toured the PA Capitol, you probably agree that Violet Oakley’s spectacular murals are a highlight.

You now can learn even more about the painter and her famous works with a new exhibit at the State Museum of Pennsylvania, one that places her murals into personal and historical context.

“One of the most fascinating things about the studies is watching her think through the narrative of these murals and seeing how she changes her mind along the way,” said Fine Arts Curator Amy Hammond.

As the first American woman to receive a government mural commission, Oakley spent much of the early 20th century painting 43 murals throughout the Capitol. The new exhibit focuses on the nine murals in the Capitol’s Senate Chambers, blending in Oakley’s significant historical legacy and profound artistic ability.

Dr. Curtis Miner, exhibit co-curator, said that Oakley embodied the “New Woman” ideal of the early 20th century, in that she was skillfully entering professional spaces that had historically been reserved for men.

“When she was asked to take on the project after the former artist had passed, she said, ‘Yes, but I will be getting the same pay, correct?’” said Miner. “She did not see gender as a barrier and asserted her opinions freely.”

In 1982, the museum acquired 400 pieces when the Violet Oakley Memorial Foundation dissolved. The Senate Chamber mural studies were chosen not only for their scope and scale, but for their timing. Oakley created these murals during both World War I and the apex of the women’s suffrage movement.

In general, civic murals tend to represent milestones and broad themes, such as battles won and the forward march of progress, Miner said.

“She followed this well-established tradition but with her own twist,” he said. “She used these murals to tell her version of Pennsylvania and U.S. history.”

Miner and Hammond pointed out many examples of this throughout the exhibit. Oakley, for instance, began her murals with Quaker ideals of tolerance in panels depicting the freeing of slaves and the early interactions with Native Americans. She also made women and African Americans visual focal points in scenes such as the Constitutional Convention and the Gettysburg Address.

“With these studies, we have been able to bring fragments of her work together in a meaningful way,” Miner said.

The exhibit’s title, “Picturing a More Perfect Union,” comes together in the final portion, which focuses on the largest of these murals, “Unity.”

In this mural, the armies of the earth, depicted in modern, World War I attire, and the people of the earth lead up to the figure of Unity, whose outstretched arms seek to bring them all together. This portion of the exhibit is accompanied by a video with recordings of Oakley’s own voice and drawings of the Unity figure in various positions.

Both Hammond and Miner said this was Oakley’s radical message from Pennsylvania to the world—a kind of Utopian vision of peace and international human dignity.

Hammond compared the wide platform that Oakley had at such a young age to modern social media influencers, in that she used this platform to share her ideals of peace and tolerance, which still can be applied to current events today.

“She wanted her work to stand the test of time,” Miner said. “And it does.”

“Picturing a More Perfect Union: Violet Oakley’s Mural Studies for the Pennsylvania Senate Chamber, 1911–1919” runs through April 26 at the State Museum of Pennsylvania, 300 North St., Harrisburg. For more information about the exhibit, visit www.statemuseumpa.org.

In conjunction with the exhibit, Jason Wilson, historian for the Pennsylvania Capitol Preservation Committee, will conduct tours on the history and preservation of Violet Oakley’s Senate Chamber murals. These tours will take place in the state Capitol on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2 to 3 p.m., and Friday, Feb. 21, 12:15 to 12:45 p.m.

Head and the Heart: At Tomboys, caring comes with the cut.

December 30, 2019 | by Maddie Conley

Dani Waters. Photo by Dani Fresh.

Dani Waters tries to avoid being asked what she does for a living.

Far too many times, she’s answered that question, only to receive quizzical looks.

“I’m a barber,” she says.

“Don’t you mean a hair dresser?” replies the questioner.

Meanwhile, Waters holds back a sharp comment and an eye roll.

There are over a dozen barbershops in Harrisburg, but women barbers are harder to find. Barbers like Waters have to prove themselves over and over to show that they don’t only trim layers and touch up roots, but can work magic with a razor.

Sometimes, it takes tricks like going by Dani instead of Daniél, to get customers in the door, but even that isn’t foolproof. Men have walked into her shop thinking they were getting a male barber and were hesitant to stay when they saw a woman. One guy even walked out.

“I’ve had to prove myself,” Waters said.

Working her way up over the years hasn’t been quick or easy, but she now owns her own business, Tomboys Barbershop, in downtown Harrisburg.

Beauty School Dropout

Waters has been doing hair since she was a kid. Whether it was family members or her Barbie dolls, she made each look good.

Once she grew up, she tried her hand at beauty school, but left after making it only a third of the way.

“I didn’t feel like I fit into salon culture,” she said.

Waters went back to college while caring for three children as a single mom, but couldn’t stop doing people’s hair. It was her thing. Still feeling drawn to the profession, she decided she would go to barber school this time. Spoiler alert—she loved it.

She worked for a few years at Lords and Ladies Hair Salon and later, at a friend’s shop, before opening her first shop, Capital Shave Club, in Lemoyne. She was able to open a snug, 320-square-foot studio with $2,000 that she had raised through client donations.

That space served her well for two years, but, with her client base growing, she dreamed of a bigger place.

For years, Waters eyed a spot in downtown Harrisburg. It was four times the size of her Lemoyne shop and was situated in the heart of the city. She saved up money, wondering when the time would come that she could finally get her coveted spot on N. 3rd Street, a storefront that’s part of Strawberry Square.

In the beginning of December, she finally opened Tomboys Barbershop. There are four chairs in the shop, which resembles what she described as a “really nice, high-end, finished garage.”

“We offer salon services, but in a barbershop environment,” Waters said. “You can still get the pampering.”

Tomboys Barbershop does both men’s and women’s washes and cuts and offers manicures and pedicures for both, as well. These do not include nail polish so that men aren’t intimidated, and it eliminates the “nail shop smells.”

“It’s a place where you can hang out,” she said. “You can stop in on your lunch break and see who’s in the chair getting their hair cut. It’s really nice when you walk by and see your friends.”

An Artist

For Waters, her work isn’t just about making people look good, but about making them feel welcome and comfortable.

“I prepare people for job interviews,” she said. “I see them before their funerals, their graduations, their weddings and every major life event. I’m there for them, and I help them prepare mentally and physically.”

The relationships she has built mean more to her than the haircuts she’s given. Not only does she help her clients and talk them through rough life situations, but they are there for her, too.

She told the story of a client who would bring her meals to each appointment, knowing she was in the midst of a busy time in life.

“Dani is an artist in every respect of the word,” said David Roth, who has been a client for over four years. “Her listening skills are unparalleled. That’s what makes her largely successful.”

Roth recalled many times that they have opened up to each other about things in their personal lives, with the knowledge that whatever is shared stays in the chair. Over the years, he said, she has become a friend.

Johnny Baer is another client who Waters has seen for years. He remembers looking for a new barber and being nervous if she would cut his hair just as he likes it.

“She did a great job, and she’s been my barber ever since,” he said.

Although Baer said he and Waters have very different personalities, they can talk about anything and everything.

“She has a unique personality that is infectious,” he said.

Waters loves working with a wide range of customers and welcomes a challenge, like styling hair that is difficult to tame or helping non-English speaking and special needs clients. It all comes back to the people.

“Barbers are at the hub of their community, right at the core, right at the center you have your barbershop,” she said. “This business legitimately is my dream.”

Tomboys Barbershop is located at 3 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.capital-shave-club.business.site.

Day Off, Day On: This year, MLK Day of Service focuses on environmental justice.

December 30, 2019 | by Maddie Conley

Looking at our calendars can be overwhelming. Work schedules and appointments fill up the little boxes as quickly as they are checked off.

But every so often, we come across a holiday, a day off from work or school. This month it’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but, for thousands of people statewide, it’s no day off.

For more than 10 years, the Central Pennsylvania MLK Day of Service Committee has been providing families and groups with a way to invest in their communities for a “day on instead of a day off,” said Mike Walsh, co-founder of the committee.

This year, the theme is environmental justice, the year coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Service activities and informational booths will feature ways to care for the environment, while encouraging thought about the inequality in environmental protection that vulnerable populations face.

“How we treat our place affects how we treat each other,” said Chad Frey, a committee member.

Frey explained how, often, waste management sites or other pollution-producing plants are placed in communities of color—neighborhoods that don’t always have the option to voice opposition.

The education will hopefully cause people to think, “How can I lend my voice when people in the community are making decisions that may adversely impact my neighborhood?” Walsh said.

The main hub of activity will take place at Commonwealth Charter Academy in Harrisburg. Here, 300 to 500 volunteers will help pack food for Meals on Wheels, write letters to military personnel and pediatric patients at Penn State Medical Center and donate blood to the Central PA Blood Bank, said board member Eileen Jacobs.

In keeping with the theme, partners like the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the state Department of Environmental Protection will provide activities such as building bluebird boxes and offering information on composting and planting in an urban setting.

“Even if you don’t have a backyard with soil, you can still grow in pots,” Walsh said.

There will also be a table for visitors to interact with and learn about cultures from around the world, as well as a number of minority-owned businesses to check out, Jacobs said.

“It’s been incredible to see people come together from all parts of the community,” Walsh said.

Service projects outside of CCA may involve volunteering with nonprofit community groups, such as Friends of Midtown, visiting a local nursing home or helping at the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.

While the holiday may only come around once each year, Walsh sees this as inciting yearlong engagement.

“People have learned about organizations they didn’t know existed,” he said. “King Day is a start. It’s a significant way to engage people, and Dr. King’s message resonates with everyone.”

For Frey, the day is helping to further King’s dream of “the beloved community” right here in Harrisburg. It’s a small piece of a large task, but it is helping diversity flourish in a tangible way.

“We need to try to keep hammering away in our own little pockets,” he said. “I’m hopeful for this year.”

The Central Pennsylvania MLK Day of Service is on Jan. 20. Activities at Commonwealth Charter Academy, 1 Innovation Way, Harrisburg, run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information about all projects, visit www.centralpamlkday.org.

Businesses on the 1000-block of N. 3rd St. are holding a community drive for those in need on Jan. 20, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Pastorante, Urban Churn, Keystone Diner, Gifted Hands barber shop, etc., donated and are giving out food, blankets, hot chocolate, socks. Urban Churn at 1004 N. 3rd St. will be serving out soup, hot chocolate, misc food items. Gifted Hands Barber Studio at 1008 N. 3rd St. will be giving out the blankets, socks and $10 haircuts.

Up and Art: Michael Hertrich moves his gallery to the “middle of everywhere.”

December 30, 2019 | by Erika Firestone

Sometimes, you discover art in the most unlikely of places

For instance, above a shoe store.

That’s where you’ll find Hertrich Fine Art, on the second floor of a rather modest commercial building in Midtown Harrisburg. In August, Michael Hertrich and husband Paul Cannon moved their gallery from Pittsburgh to the heart of Midtown, just a few doors down from the Susquehanna Art Museum.

On the day I visited, classical music played in the background as Hertrich set up the main gallery for a meeting of the local group, the Almost Uptown Poetry Cartel. The walls are covered in pieces representing a variety of mediums and featuring varied artists, such as Harrisburg local Kevyn Knox, whose self-taught quirky and colorful abstract faces Hertrich speaks highly of.

On a quick tour of the rest of the space, Hertrich pointed out his framing workshop, interior design studio and the Adam and Eve-inspired pieces he is currently working on by painting over canvas collages. The diversity of his talent and interests seems effortlessly cohesive as we toured each room.

Hertrich described himself as a right brain/left brain person.

He began his academic career at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania with the intention of becoming a math teacher, eventually realizing he was compelled to pursue a career rooted in the arts. He initially moved into architecture and served as the student museum board member, assisting with the opening of the IUP museum.

It was during this time that Hertrich began to learn conservation, matting and framing, all skills he has continued to use over the last 30 years. He eventually moved into fine arts, graduating with a BFA, and managed several art galleries before opening his own on the south side of Pittsburgh in 1989.

So, what inspires him?

“I don’t have a favorite artist,” he said. “I like whatever catches my eye.”

He went on to to describe his particular fondness for the “color field” style of painting, a movement led by Mark Rothko, whose work reminds Hertrich of his own. He and his husband are also deeply passionate about photography, traveling as far as Paris to view exhibitions.

The name Pablo Picasso then came up.

“If an artist wants to study how to become well known in their field, they should pick up a book about Picasso,” he said. “His energy, drive and work ethic are unbelievable. Look at people who are household names to us, not even just in art. Warhol never stopped, Madonna never stopped, even Martha Stewart, she never stopped.”

Hertrich never stops either, but has shifted his focus since moving to Harrisburg.

While the decision to move was contingent on Cannon’s career, Hertrich welcomed the change as they quickly adopted Midtown as their home. The move went smoothly despite the task of transporting more than 20,000 pieces of their personal collection. His Pittsburgh gallery pieces were initially placed in storage as he had considered retiring to paint, but that didn’t last long once he started looking at properties and came across the second-floor space on 3rd Street.

Hertrich Fine Art is a smaller operation than the Pittsburgh gallery, an intentional decision to scale back. Inhabiting the upper floor allows him to be more selective about hours of operation. At this point in his career, he is invested in mentoring and giving back to the art community. Describing himself as an old-school gallery owner, he takes pride in developing a few artists, rather than flipping the art work on the walls every few months.

Promoting the arts has remained the most important component to Hertrich’s work. He is passionate about the opportunity to do so in a city that he believes has a wealth of art for its size, touching not just on the visual arts but poetry, theater and music. Another bonus is the city’s proximity to major East Coast art destinations such as New York.

“I don’t think Harrisburgers even realize the gem they have,” he said. “People here have a tendency to say they’re in the middle of nowhere. And I say, no, you’re in the middle of everywhere.”

Hertrich Fine Art is located at 1421 N. 3rd St, second floor, Harrisburg. More information, visit www.mhartframe.com.

Shape Space: New takes and trusted methods at Sculpt Pilates.

December 30, 2019 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

Jessi Feltenberger at Sculpt Pilates and Barre

Beth Seitz discovered Pilates 17 years ago.

She had just given birth to her son, which was wonderful, but, during her pregnancy, had gained some 70 pounds, which wasn’t.

“It really helped to get me back into shape,” she said.

Seitz is now helping others get fit through Sculpt Pilates and Barre, an exercise studio that debuted a few months ago on Front Street in Uptown Harrisburg.

“We take time to focus on each of our clients individually,” she said. “We can accommodate people of all sizes and all ages.”

For those not familiar with Pilates, the exercise method was invented a century ago by Joseph Pilates, who turned to exercise and athletics as a way to triumph over childhood illness. He went on to develop his own exercise system based on the Greek concept of a person balanced in mind, body and spirit.

Seitz believes that Pilates offers “a different sort of mind/body connection” than does yoga.

“Yoga is more intimidating than Pilates,” she said. “Pilates is more user-friendly.”

Seitz began teaching Pilates six years ago “because I was a stay-at-home mom and needed something to do,” she said.

After teaching at another studio for five years, she decided to open her own studio based on “how I thought Pilates should be.”

Sculpt Pilates features an onsite fuse ladder, a device that combines spring weight exercises with climbing, hanging, agility and balancing techniques. Clients also can opt to strengthen and tone their muscles with the facility’s professional-grade barres.

“There’s a lot more to Pilates than people think,” Seitz said. “It works all the small supporting muscles. The barre is for cardio and strength.”

Additionally, Seitz’s venue offers several “Studio Reformer” units—essential apparatus for Pilates—with adjustable footbars that accommodate clients of all heights, including children, as well as people with injuries or limited mobility.

“It’s really rewarding to see our clients progress and feel better,” she said. “They begin to stand taller and look and feel more relaxed. People lose weight when they do Pilates, but it’s really more about the mind/body connection that it gives you.”

Today, Seitz no longer teaches, focusing on the business’ administrative duties. Her staff includes instructors Cari Glunz, Jessi Feltenberger and Nicole Cassel. Sculpt offers a variety of classes in groups or on an individual basis.

Dan Ford has been a Sculpt client since the studio opened in August. He travels from his Lower Paxton Township home six days a week to work with Feltenberger and Glunz.

“Every day is a different routine,” he said. “It feels different every day because you’re using different muscles than you did the day before. Pilates gives me a really good workout, and my joints don’t hurt as much.”

Ford also is quick to praise how Seitz manages her studio.

“It’s a great facility,” he said. “Beth is a great owner. She’s very accessible and always calls me right back.”

Sculpt Pilates and Barre is located at 2609 N. Front St., Harrisburg. For more information, call 717-645-0778 or visit www.sculptpilatesandbarre.com.

A Touch of Citrus: Warm up your winter with this fragrant dish.

December 30, 2019 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

It’s January. And as I stroll through my favorite farmers market and the produce aisles of the grocery store, I am always struck by the abundance of fresh fruits and berries. There are bright red strawberries, fat blueberries and blackberries and melons of all types.

By this time in the darkness of winter, my mother had few choices. We loved fruit for dessert after our evening meal, and, while we ate many varieties of canned fruit, mostly we ate oranges. Lots of them, along with tangerines, tangelos and grapefruit. In January, there wasn’t a strawberry in sight.

In the 1950s and ‘60s, Harrisburg had a place known as the “Orange Car,” an unheated, warehouse-type building in South Harrisburg near the railroad tracks. Citrus fruits of all types were delivered directly by train from Florida. My family went there often to buy grapefruit and juicing oranges for morning breakfast, tangerines for snacks and big, fat navels for after dinner. At Christmastime, we bought gift baskets for friends with jars of orange marmalade and bunches of kumquats tucked inside.

I have always loved cooking with citrus fruit, especially oranges. For many years, a favorite “go-to” recipe of mine for company was baked chicken with orange, butter and honey. I grate orange zest for summer marinades and holiday pound cakes. And I think fresh orange might be the largest ingredient in my old fashioned!

The temperate climate and warm sunshine of Italy’s southern regions nourish the numerous orange and lemon groves there. Oranges show up in wonderful fennel salads with cured black olives, in chocolate desserts with hazelnuts, and are the star of an interesting condiment called mostarda or mustard fruits. Halibut with orange and olive oil is a simple but elegant entrée you might find on a restaurant menu.

I have found a luscious pasta dish from the culinary magazine, La Cucina Italiana. It reminds me a little of a wonderful dish I enjoy at the Harrisburg restaurant, Pastorante—fusilli with cream, butternut squash, sage and cream. “Spaghetti Scented with Orange” will warm you on a cold January night. Pair it with an arugula salad, broccoli or broccolini to counter the richness of the cream.

Spaghetti Scented with Orange

Ingredients

Coarse sea salt or kosher salt
2 oranges (navels work well)
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound spaghetti
1¼ cups heavy cream
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley plus extra for sprinkling on top
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese plus more for serving
3 large egg yolks
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta.
Using a sharp paring knife, remove the zest/peel from the two oranges, being careful to avoid the white “pith.” Cut the zest into very thin strips lengthwise. Save the oranges for another use (tomorrow’s breakfast?).
In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the orange zest and a pinch of salt, reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally until softened and lightly golden. This will take about five minutes but watch carefully so that the mixture doesn’t burn. Set aside.
Bring the pot of water to boiling and cook the pasta until al dente.
In a medium, heavy saucepan, heat the cream, chopped parsley and a pinch of salt and simmer gently for about four minutes.
Just before the pasta is ready, spoon several tablespoons of the cream sauce into a shallow serving bowl or rimmed platter. Keep the remaining cream warm.
Drain the pasta and place into the serving bowl. Immediately toss the remaining cream mixture with the egg yolks and the grated cheese. Toss the mixture until all the ingredients are fully combined (like with carbonara, the heat of the pasta cooks the eggs). Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer the pasta to the serving dish, sprinkle with the orange zest that was sautéed in butter and the remaining parsley and cheese.
As with most creamy pasta dishes, serve immediately!

I hope this sunny dish will brighten a cold January day for you. As my husband will tell you—this is so much better than pot roast in the crockpot.

Sound Approach: “Making Waves” explores an under-appreciated part of filmmaking.

December 30, 2019 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

“Before we were born, you’re looking at darkness. Sound is the first sense that’s plugged in.”

This piece of wisdom comes from Walter Murch, sound editor for films such as “Apocalypse Now” and “THX 1138.” He goes on to explain that sound is how we make sense of the world.

But it can be taken for granted in the film industry, can’t it? When we think of the last movie we saw, we don’t typically think about the sounds we heard, beyond maybe a memorable line or two of dialogue. We don’t think about which sounds were diegetic or which were added in later—we take it for granted. But without it, the entire experience would feel flat.

It’s been said that the typical moviegoer only notices the sound design of a film if it’s been done badly. But for those who have worked in the industry, watching a film with good sound design is like listening to a symphony. In director Midge Costin’s “Making Waves,” we hear from many of those designers (including Walter Murch) with the praise of many well-known filmmakers to back up their credits.

Costin herself has over 20 credits as sound editor for various productions, and, with her documentary, we begin to see the magic. The film gives us a tour of the world of sound, starting with its history—even before talkies came into play—and detailing the collaborative, crazily imaginative process by which a film gets its soundtrack.

There are many pieces to consider: the atmosphere, the dialogue (and the choice between on-set sound or ADR), foley, musical score (or lack thereof, in some cases)—and then, of course, mixing it all together. Costin explores the idea of a “circle of talent,” which emphasizes team effort and the importance of all of these little pieces to create the whole.

The documentary covers the creation of new material when everyday sound bytes won’t do the film justice. It explores the rhythm of background sound and how every little blip adds to the world that the film has created. Besides the fascinating lengths that sound editors take to achieve a desired effect, the film also gives a certain nostalgia to its audiences with clips from “The Jazz Singer,” “The Birds,” “Apocalypse Now,” “The Matrix” and countless other favorite films.

“Making Waves” is fascinating and informative, and it gives us a behind-the-scenes peek at this under-credited part of the film industry.

“Making Waves” will be shown on Jan. 20 at Midtown Cinema, 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com.

Midtown Cinema
January Special Events

Central PA Open Screen
Thursday, Jan. 2, 7 p.m.

Down in Front! presents
“The Pumaman” (1980)
Friday, Jan. 10, 9:30 p.m.

“Amelie” (2001)
Sunday, Jan. 12, 7 p.m.

3rd in the Burg $3 movie
“The Goonies” (1985)
Friday, Jan. 17, 9:30 p.m.

“Making Waves” (2019)
With post-screening discussion
Monday, Jan. 20, 7:30 p.m.

Artist in Focus: Craig Andrews

December 30, 2019 | by Admin

Sometimes, great things arrive right over the transom—or the modern equivalent—through email. That’s how we learned about Craig Andrews, who proactively sent us a message to let us know about his artwork.

Craig likes to work in a variety of mediums or, as he puts it, “I don’t want to put myself in a box when it comes to being creative.” That said, he has a special fondness for landscapes, cityscapes and watercolors, with some mixed media, photography and abstractions tossed into the mix.

It’s possible you’ve already seen his work, as he’s shown throughout central PA in places such as the Art Association of Harrisburg, Lebanon Valley College and the York Art Association.

We’re happy to share with you a sampling of his work. We hope you like it as much as we did when he originally sent us a taste. If you’d like to see more, check out his online portfolio at www.cmadesignfineart.com.

December News Digest

December 30, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

December 2019 News Digest

Harrisburg Approves 2020 Budget

Harrisburg last month passed a 2020 budget that spends more money on police salaries and debt reduction but does not raise taxes.

City Council approved Mayor Eric Papenfuse’s proposed spending plan with no changes.

“I think this is a sign that the government is working well together,” Papenfuse said.

Councilman Ben Allatt, chair of the council’s budget and finance committee, concurred that this year’s budget process was a smooth one.

“We had a lively discussion [during the budget hearings],” he said. “I think there’s general agreement about the budget priorities going forward.”

Council voted 6-1 to approve the budget, with a lone “no” vote by council member Shamaine Daniels.

The proposed 2020 budget, which contains no city property tax increase for a seventh straight year, totals $120 million, which includes a $74.3 million general fund, a $17.5 million neighborhood services fund and a $15.3 million debt service fund.

Papenfuse expects the city to run a 2019 surplus of about $1 million. He has attributed the surplus mostly to earned income and business taxes that exceeded expectations, which indicates a healthy jobs climate in the city.

Harrisburg will use much of that surplus to increase salaries for police officers, with the hope that a pay boost will help the Police Bureau, which has long struggled with retention, keep its young officers.

In fact, City Council last month also approved a new, six-year collective bargaining agreement with the police union to affirm the new pay schedule.

Under the agreement, the entry-level salary for a police officer will remain the same at almost $49,000 a year. However, an officer would be able to move up in pay quickly, so that officers, in year six, would be able to earn as much as $70,000—some $6,000 more than previously.

In all, the city hopes to add 10 to 15 officers to the force, bringing the personnel count to a budgeted 153 officers.

The police union contract didn’t expire for another year. However, the city opened it up early to create the new salary regimen.

“That will hopefully provide an improved retention for our police force,” Allatt said.

The budget also adds four firefighter positions, mostly paid for by reductions in overtime for existing staff. That would bring the Fire Bureau complement in 2020 to 86 total personnel, plus command staff.

Council also approved a resolution that will amend the city’s agreement with its bond insurer, Ambac Assurance Corp.

Under the agreement, the city will prepay $5 million in debt using its substantial reserve funds. With Harrisburg pre-paying, Ambac has agreed to a “multiplier” that would actually reduce city debt by $6.9 million, Papenfuse has said. He also said he would like to refinance existing general obligation debt that extends through 2022 at a lower interest rate.

The budget contained several other notable provisions.

First, the city and the school district have reached an agreement to split the cost of two school resource officers. The district’s SRO program expired in 2009 when funding dried up and was never renewed.

Papenfuse also is proposing renovating the first floor of the MLK City Government Center. Money for that work would come from federal Community Development Block Grant funds.

For 2020, the city is focusing on five capital improvement projects. These include:

Beginning the conversion of much of N. 2nd Street to two-way traffic.
A roundabout, improved crosswalks and a partially protected cycle track on N. 7th Street.
Road and curb improvements to the MulDer Square area.
Safety improvements to State Street on Allison Hill, pending cooperation and approval from PennDOT.
“East-West connector” project, which consists of improvements to the area around Walnut and Chestnut streets downtown, funded with a state grant.

These debt reduction and capital improvement measures will tap into the city’s budget reserve balance, which now sits at about $24 million, saved up over the last several years. At the end of 2020, the city expects to draw down the reserve to about $15.6 million, Allatt said.

AutoZone, Dispensary Plans Approved

Two contentious building projects are closer to breaking ground after Harrisburg City Council approved their development plans.

Council last month approved the land use plans for both a medical marijuana dispensary on Allison Hill and an AutoZone store in Uptown Harrisburg.

The dispensary generated the most criticism by council members, who passed the building plan by a slim 4-3 margin, with council members Ausha Green, Danielle Bowers and Shamaine Daniels voting against it.

Members who voted in favor stressed that they did so not because they support the dispensary at 137 S. 17th St., but because the building plan itself met all city requirements, which was the issue at stake.

“The project is in compliance with all the city laws and regulations,” said Councilman Dave Madsen.

A company called WH RE LLC plans to build a 3,000-square-foot medical marijuana retail store directly across the street from Hamilton Health Center on what now is an empty lot.

Over a year ago, the state Department of Health awarded a dispensary license to Local Dispensaries, a related company. City Council has no authority over licensing but had to approve the land use plan for the building.

Green said that she voted against the plan to “send a message” that she was unhappy with a process that, she believes, excluded neighborhood residents.

“I would like to see more community input even before the application gets to the state,” she said.

With the approval, WH RE LLC hopes to break ground on the facility in spring and estimates a four-month-long construction process.

Council last month also approved the land development plan for AutoZone, a Memphis-based auto supply chain, to construct a new retail store at the corner of Maclay and N. 7th streets.

Some council members, as well as the city Planning Bureau, had objected to AutoZone’s original proposal for an access point off of N. 7th Street, saying it would create safety issues. AutoZone later agreed to eliminate that driveway, leaving two others—one on Maclay Street and the other on Peffer Street, Madsen said.

Before it can break ground, AutoZone needs to return to council to have several streets vacated on the four-parcel, 1.13-acre site.

AutoZone made its original proposal to locate on the property, now owned by the Vartan Group, about 16 months ago. It plans a $935,280 project consisting of a 6,816-square-foot store and 37 off-street parking spaces.

Development Plan for Bishop McDevitt

A former professional football player from Harrisburg is leading an ambitious effort to build eco-friendly, mixed-used developments in Harrisburg and beyond, with sights first set on the former Bishop McDevitt High School.

Former NFL lineman Garry Gilliam, a Harrisburg native, is heading up a four-person development team comprised of long-time friends who all attended the Milton Hershey School and Penn State.

“We’re going to build what I believe will help a lot of inner city people who don’t have the means or the resources or the education to do something like this for themselves,” said Gilliam, CEO of the company called The Bridge.

Gilliam spent five years in the NFL playing for the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers, which released him earlier this year.

Gilliam’s concept for The Bridge is wide-ranging. In sum, he wants to take existing, aging urban structures, such as obsolete school buildings, and repurpose them for sustainable, 21st-century needs.

For instance, The Bridge first will create co-working, maker and event spaces within the former Bishop McDevitt, which is located at 2200 Market St. in Harrisburg. Gilliam said that he expects those projects to open in 2020.

Other elements of the proposed “Eco Village” project include sustainable, zero-energy housing, commercial areas and indoor urban agriculture. These pieces, which require more planning and engineering, are planned for future build-outs, Gilliam said.

The Bridge is leasing the Bishop McDevitt site from its owner, William Penn Holdings, which bought the sprawling, 115,000-square-foot building last March from the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg. The building has been empty since 2013, when the diocese moved the school to a new campus in Lower Paxton Township.

Gilliam said that he also has a proposal before the Harrisburg school district to purchase the former William Penn High School, which includes 25 acres of property near Italian Lake.

He said that, over the years, he had thought up the various elements that he combined together for the overarching concept of The Bridge. Then, last year, he discussed the concept with his friend, Corey Dupree, who came on board as chief operations officer.

The pair then brought on two other friends: Dezwaan Dubois, who now serves as chief information officer, and Rob DeJarnett, who is now is chief financial officer. All attended Milton Hershey and Penn State together.

Gilliam said his funding comes from himself and other investors, mostly other “athletes and entertainers.”

The Bridge plans to engage the community before embarking on its plans, said Dupree.

“Having the community input for everything will be very important,” he said.

This is the second time this year that professional football players from Harrisburg have announced plans to develop in the city.

Over the summer, brothers LeSean and LeRon McCoy bought the former Curtis Funeral Home at the corner of N. 6^th and Boas streets and are renovating it into three market-rate apartments, with retail space on the first floor. The McCoy brothers have ambitious plans to build dozens of apartments on that block of N. 6^th Street and the adjoining 400-block of Herr Street.

The Bridge also has very ambitious plans. After starting in Harrisburg, the partners hope to expand to other cities. On its website, The Bridge lists such cities as Atlanta, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Houston and Seattle as “pending areas.”

Renovations for Midtown Cinema

Harrisburg’s Midtown Cinema soon will embark on a major renovation that will make over the building’s façade, along with substantial changes to the interior.

Cinema owner Lift Development is expected to begin work in February following the theater’s annual Academy Awards celebration, with the project wrapping up in time for the Harrisburg Jewish Film Festival in May, said Stuart Landon, the cinema’s director of community engagement.

“Our owners are looking to see what ‘s next for us,” Landon said. “Six years ago, Lift made a big investment in the theater, moving us over to digital and improving the movie-going experience. This is the next step for us.”

The changes will feature a sleek, modern exterior look designed by Midtown resident Rich Gribble, an architect with Camp Hill-based ByDesign Consultants.

The façade will feature a mostly glass exterior topped by a new marquee and new fiber cement board panels. On the east side, a wood-and-metal trellis will extend the building’s footprint, with picnic tables underneath for outside seating.

The design, Landon said, gives a nod to the look of old-time movie film.

“It’s very subtle, nothing too heavy-handed,” he said.

Inside, the lobby and concession areas will be reimagined, improving the flow for patrons, and the three theaters will get new soundproofing and possibly new seating, said Landon. The restrooms may also be renovated, he said.

“It’ll be very different, but still warm, with the same feeling that people love now,” he said.

Midtown Cinema’s building dates back to 1940, when it debuted as the Acme Self-Service Market, one of the Harrisburg area’s first supermarkets. It replaced the Reily School building on the site at Reily and Susquehanna streets. The cinema opened in the building in 2001.

Landon said that the cinema will remain operating during the renovations, but with an “adjusted schedule,” since construction work may affect theater use and screening times.

“We’re really excited about this,” Landon said. “The building will better reflect the organization we are and what we want to be.”

New School Superintendent

The Harrisburg school district is making a change in its top leadership, as the acting superintendent is stepping down.

Dr. John George announced last month that he will leave his post on Jan. 1, replaced as acting superintendent by Chris Celmer, formerly the assistant acting superintendent.

“[Celmer] has been here, on site everyday,” said George, who will continue to act as an advisor to the district. “He has, for all practical purposes, already been serving as superintendent and I, more or less, have been serving as an advisor.”

The district receiver, Dr. Janet Samuels, affirmed that she approved Celmer’s promotion.

Celmer and George have worked together for about a decade, first at the Berks County Intermediate Unit and then at the Reading school district. George brought Celmer to Harrisburg as his second-in-command under Samuels, who was appointed school district receiver in June.

George said that he planned to serve full-time in his current post as executive director of the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit until September, when he would retire from that job to lead the Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units.

George and Celmer both said that they’ve worked to stabilize the district’s finances, hire competent personnel, instill a solid governing structure and make academic reforms since they arrived in late June. Going forward, the district will focus particularly on academic achievement, they said.

“I’m excited about the opportunity, and I’m very confident that we’ll continue to make great strides in the Harrisburg school district,” Celmer said.

In his final public statement, George again took swipes at two entities that he’s criticized in the recent past: the former leadership of the district, which he described as having a “perverse self-interest,” and PA House Speaker Mike Turzai, who has proposed legislation to give Harrisburg students vouchers to attend private schools.

“Harrisburg school district will be devastated for generations if Speaker Turzai’s ill-conceived voucher bill becomes law,” George said. “On the other hand, with proper governance and leadership, and the support and patience of elected officials, community members, parents and faculty, I foresee much better days ahead for the Harrisburg school district.”

Home Sales Down, Prices Up

Home prices rose overall but lower inventory depressed sales activity in the Harrisburg area in November.

The Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR) stated that the median price of a home rose 3.4 percent last month compared to November 2018. Sales volume, though, fell 4.9 percent as listing inventory dropped 15.5 percent.

In Dauphin County, the median sales price of a house increased to $165,000 from $156,000 in the year-ago period and sales also increased, totaling 271 units versus 259 the prior November.

Cumberland County last month saw sales drop to 235 units from 277 in November 2018, and the median sales price fell to $197,000 from $205,000 a year ago, GHAR said. In Perry County, sales inched up to 33 units versus 31 in November 2018, and the median price was $188,000, a decrease of $1,000.

In its press release, GHAR stated that, “the number of sales was restrained by the lack of inventory.”

So Noted

FLTBYS LLC has purchased a long-time restaurant building across the street from Midtown Cinema, with plans to turn it into a skate shop and recording studio. New York-based recording artist KOTA the Friend is behind the new concept for the building at 263 Reily St., Harrisburg.

Harrisburg will provide waste and recycling collection for Steelton through June 2024 under a new agreement that both municipalities approved last month. Harrisburg’s Public Works Department began providing sanitation services for the neighboring borough last July after Steelton did not renew its contract with the private hauler, Republic Services.

Janeen M. Latin was named last month as the new president/CEO of UCP Central PA, which provides programs and services for people with disabilities and special needs. Latin has been with the organization for nearly 25 years, most recently as COO. She replaces Judith McCowan, who resigned the post in early December.

LettUsKnow is slated to open early this month in the ground-floor retail space at the Bogg on Cranberry in downtown Harrisburg. This will be the second location for the York-based soup, salad and sandwich company, which specializes in healthier eating options.

Changing Hands

Bartine St., 923: St. Webb to Wyco Investments LLC, $80,000

Bellevue Rd., 2028: K. Feucht to D. Bencosme, $51,000

Berryhill St., 2032: B. Clemente to D. Mann, $40,000

Boas St., 255 & 1831 Park St.: A. & A. McBarnett to Three Bridges Holdings LLC, $156,000

Boas St., 1947: W. & F. Thompson to T. Smith, $74,500

Brookwood St., 1929: C. Frank Properties to Inoma Properties East Shore LLC, $44,729

Catherine St., 1525: W. & P. Hinnant to D. McKeon, $54,900

Chestnut St., 1810: J. Phillips & B. Rice to CR Property Group LLC, $33,600

Division St., 503: D. Grossman to M. Grossman, $88,000

Fulton St., 1629: W. Snader to A. Drake, $124,000

Graham St., 500: K. Mussomeli to R. Goad, $129,900

Holly St., 1840: Capital Properties LLC to G. Brown, $39,900

Holly St., 1915: E. & C. Smith to A. Ramsey, $70,000

Jefferson St., 2355: R. & P. Porter to Da Xing Cheng Inc., $32,900

Jefferson St., 2613: Wilmington Trust NA Trustee to R. Garced, $45,000

Kensington St., 2314: W. Sieruk to J. Regalado, $40,000

Kensington St., 2435: BSR Rental Trust to A. & M. Padua, $64,000

Kensington St., 2335: End Properties to J. Collier, $54,000

Lexington St., 2735: R. Guzman & J. Castillo to Invicta Investments LLC, $55,000

Market St., 2015: L. Baer to T. Evans, $300,000

N. 2nd St., 1319: A Black to S. Musser, $116,000

N. 2nd St., 1327 & 1329: St. Kermes to E. Telfer, $127,000

N. 2nd St., 2001: J. Benson & F. Felbaum to Capozzi & Ehring Realty LLC, $155,000

N. 2nd St., 2243: CPenn Properties Old Uptown to D. Olmsted, $160,000

N. 2nd St., 2245: CPenn Properties Old Uptown to D. Olmsted, $173,900

N. 2nd St., 3016: D. Marcheski & L. Boykin to P. Bernd, $190,000

N. 3rd St., 1618: J. King Jr. to B. Kurama & J. Jobarteh, $98,000

N. 5th St., 2455: Integrity Investors LLC to J. & J. Jones, $44,000

N. 5th St., 3131: PA Deals LLC & PDL Properties LLC to Wylie & Wylie Enterprise LLC, $72,900

N. 6th St., 2013: Condor Ventures to L. Christopher, $58,500

N. 16th St., 1300: B. Potter to R. Grullon, $66,000

N. 17th St., 77: J. Menjivar to A. & C. Munoz, $50,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 606: J. & A. Scarnati to K. & S. Kramer, $112,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 607: J. Rensch to M. & D. Mahoney, $114,000

N. Front St., 2837, Unit 301: D. Soybell & S. Kelleher to M. Mull, $258,000

N. Front St., 2837: Unit 302: D. Soybell & S. Kelleher to S. MacDonald & M. Warner, $130,000

Penn St., 1610: L. Long to K. Bueti, $165,275

Penn St., 1826: S. Jenakavich to A. Virant, $147,250

Penn St., 2218: G. Neff to B. Henderson, $50,900

Reily St., 263: Cool2Zap Properties LLC to FLTBYS LLC, $194,500

Rudy Rd., 2460: N. Kim to DPM Development LLC, $57,000

Rumson Dr., 2828: A. Ott to C. Hinman, $76,000

Schuylkill St., 636: R. & T. Speece to Breaking the Chainz Inc., $33,000

S. 19th St., 16: F. & E. Badman to J. Monegro & Residential Mortgage Services, $50,000

S. 24th St., 704: Valley Real Estate Holdings LLC to C. Allen, $33,000

S. 27th St., 802: H. Earhart to J. & P. Calla, $41,500

S. Cameron St., 400: Brittany Capital to Yellowstone Investment Partners LLC, $760,000

State St., 1302: A. Chambers Jr. to TKO Rental Properties LLC, $36,000

Swatara St., 1627: J. Rodriguez to T. Pickren, $58,000

Swatara St., 2331: D. & J. Soulier to J. Dennis, $134,900

Wyatt Rd., 308: A. & M. Johnston to K. Peterson, $96,000

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