The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

August 16, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg residents unfurled this sign at last week’s City Council meeting.

Harrisburg City Council interrupted its summer recess to hold a special session this past week, and residents had a lot to tell their elected representatives. Other stories, features and arts rounded out an unusually active mid-August news week.

1000-block of N. 6^th Street in Harrisburg has long been an eyesore with several dilapidated buildings. But suddenly the boards are coming off the buildings and restoration work has begun, which may yield dozens of new apartments. Read our feature story for the details.

Carlisle Arts Learning Center opened its latest exhibit last weekend, featuring a photographer and a potter, both from Cumberland County. Read the reaction from our arts columnist.

Circle School founder Jim Rietmulder is out with a new book, “When Kids Rule the School,” which discusses “democratic education.” Our feature story discusses his book and this unique approach to educating children.

Filmmaker Michael Kacey would like to finish up his documentary that tells a bleak story about American radio culture. To do so, he’s holding an upcoming fundraiser. Find out more about his project.

Harrisburg City Council passed ordinances last week that changed up the way the city disburses federal housing funds. Applicants will now have to respond to an RFP and attend a workshop. Click here for the details.

Harrisburg residents showed up in force to protest the proposed privatization of the city’s water and sewer system. Numerous residents told City Council not to sell the system and even made a sign to emphasize their point. Read about it here.

Mountain biking is no longer just for weekend warriors. With the National Interscholastic Cycling Association, high school students engage in league competition, with numerous teams in central PA. Read our feature story from this month’s magazine.

Ninja warriors live among us. Learn about a local gym that caters to athletes who train in this multi-faceted sport and competition—some even have TV ambitions.

“Over the Edge” returns this year for the daring who have Spiderman dreams and want to support a good cause. In the October event, you can rappel down the Market Square Plaza building and raise money for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Read the details here.

Sara Bozich has more than 100 great ideas for things to do this weekend. There’s still time to squeeze in a few. Check out all the great events here.

Stop signs on N. 3^rd Street are slated to come down next week, prompting some Harrisburg residents to protest their removal to Harrisburg City Council. As a result, council has scheduled a meeting for this Tuesday to further discuss the issue. Click here to read our story.

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Measure of Hope: Renovation arrives suddenly to N. 6th Street

August 16, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Matt Long of Harrisburg Commercial Interiors inside the Curtis Funeral Home/Swallow Mansion

After decades of blight and inaction, a historic Harrisburg block is undergoing a rapid transformation, removing an eyesore on a prominent city street and adding new apartments to Midtown.

Currently, three long-dilapidated properties are—or soon will be—under restoration on the 1000-block of N. 6th Street, a highly visible street and one of the last remnants of a once-thriving commercial strip that catered primarily to Harrisburg’s African-American community.

Brothers LeRon and LeSean McCoy, under the name Vice Capital LLC, are renovating 1000 N. 6th St.—at the corner of Boas Street—into a five-unit, market-rate apartment building, with additional retail or community space, according to LeRon.

“We looked around and decided to find a project that would be of benefit to both Harrisburg and ourselves,” he said, in a recent phone interview.

The brothers are Harrisburg natives who played football for Bishop McDevitt High School. LeRon, a retired wide receiver, played professionally for the Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans, while LeSean, a former Philadelphia Eagle, is currently a running back for the Buffalo Bills.

LeRon McCoy said that building, also known as the Swallow Mansion and, later, the Curtis Funeral Home, is an investment for the pair.

The 1000-block of N. 6th Street, looking north, with the Swallow Mansion in the foreground

“LeSean and I have a desire to develop in Harrisburg,” he said. “It’s something he’s been wanting to do for a long time.”

Last year, the circa-1896, corner building suffered a partial collapse, with bricks and debris spilling onto the sidewalk on the Boas Street side. The collapse seemed to prompt long-time owner, Annette Antoun, to finally part with the property.

Antoun bought it in 2000 from the Historic Harrisburg Association, believing it would become part of former Mayor Steve Reed’s plan to develop the block as an African-American history museum. However, that museum was never built and, over the years, the building remained boarded up and increasingly dilapidated.

LeRon said he expects the project to be completed by year-end.

“It will be high end,” he said. “We want that area to look as nice as it used to.”

Right next door, at 1002 N. 6th St., a company called LBR Properties has begun to renovate that long-neglected building, which Antoun had owned for 35 years. The company is building out three apartments—two one-bedroom units and a “large studio”—as well as a small retail space on the first floor, according to co-owner Rani Rammouni.

“We’re gutting it and bringing it up to par,” he said, expecting the project to be completed in about two months. “We want to bring them as close to class-A as possible. We’ll have all the upgrades a class-A would have.”

Rammouni said that the block was ripe for redevelopment considering all the development in Midtown over the past decade, as well as its proximity to the Capitol complex.

“It’s positioned so well with the commonwealth right there,” he said.

The view of the block looking south, with the Jackson Hotel in the foreground

Next to that building is the beloved burger and sandwich restaurant, the Jackson House, and next to that, at 1006 N. 6th St., sits the “Jackson Hotel,” a former hotel and boarding house that once catered to African-American patrons who were denied service in Harrisburg’s white-only hotels.

Harrisburg Commercial Interiors bought that building last year, and company owner Matt Long said that his company will begin demolition work in September.

The Jackson Hotel has been empty and boarded up since long-time owner German Jackson died in 1998. In recent years, the building’s roof caved in, and the back of the building has collapsed.

Nonetheless, Long expects to fully rebuild and restore the property. Last month, the Harrisburg Architectural Review Board gave Long permission to perform extensive rehabilitation work, including rebuilding the rear portion of the building and installing a new roof, new windows, new floors and other improvements.

When complete, the 3,420-square-foot building will consist of four apartments, with commercial space on the first floor, Long said. Notably, the large mural, which features African-American entertainers and historic figures, some of whom stayed at the hotel, will be preserved.

“I’ve seen these buildings boarded up for as long as I’ve been here,” Long said, adding that he tried to buy the Swallow Mansion from Antoun some 14 years ago. “But they just sat and sat and sat. Now, the time is right.”

Ted Hanson, a Boas Street resident since 1978, said that he’s waited decades for the 6^th Street properties to be redeveloped.

“This finally has come to pass now that Steve Reed and Annette Antoun are out of the picture,” he said. “Forces are aligning that some needed development is happening there.”

Long’s company is also performing the restoration work on the Swallow Mansion/Curtis Funeral Home for the McCoys. LeRon McCoy said that he hired Long after seeing the work his company did to rebuild another tumbledown structure—the long-dilapidated building at North and Susquehanna streets that soon will be the new home of Elementary Coffee Co.

Demolition debris piled on the first floor of the Curtis Funeral Home/Swallow Mansion

McCoy said that he and his brother have an even grander vision for the block, which would result in dozens of new apartments.

They want to purchase the Jackson Hotel property from Long and then build a new, larger, market-rate apartment building next to it at the corner of N. 6^th and Herr streets, property currently owned by Bethel AME Church. That lot has been empty since the church burned down in 1995.

McCoy said that they’re currently in talks to buy that property from the church.

“This is all part of a larger project we’re working on,” McCoy said. “We have a vision for that block.”

For more detailed history about this block, read our award-winning feature story from 2013.

“Hearing Voices”: Harrisburg filmmaker strives to complete documentary on the troubled history of American radio

August 16, 2019 | by Yaasmeen Piper

Michael Kacey always loved old-time radio.

The Shamokin, Pa., native would listen to his parents talk about their favorite radio shows like “The Shadow” and “Lights Out” when he was younger. About 10 years ago, he found himself wanting to watch a documentary about the heyday of radio. However, he couldn’t find any. So, he decided to make one himself.

Next week, Kacey will hold a fundraiser for his documentary, “Hearing Voices,” at Gamut Theatre in downtown Harrisburg. Although the documentary started as a tale of the history of “Golden Age” radio, as he dug deeper into the subject, it quickly morphed into an investigation into diversity and racism on the airwaves.

“I realized why no one was telling this story,” he said. “There are incredible high points in radio broadcasting, but there are uncomfortable low points.”

Before diving into filmmaking, Kacey was an actor living in Los Angeles with his wife. He scored a couple of small roles in “Beverly Hill 90210,” the ’90s Nickelodeon show “All That,” and a Cracker Jack commercial. Around 2002, he moved into filmmaking with his indie film “Daybreak,” which Kacey calls a more sinister version of “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

Around 2009, he dove into making his documentary after attending an old-time radio convention. While conducting research, he found that the first hit radio station was hosted by Amos and Andy, two actors who wore blackface during their performances.

The more he read, the more he found out that was more than just Amos and Andy. American radio had a history of racism–from white people using “black voice” and cultural appropriation of music to simply ignoring what was happening to minorities in the country.

“The more I read, in some cases, the more uncomfortable I became,” Kacey said. “You step back and see that everything is being packaged for middle-class, white America.”

Over the course of 10 years, Kacey conducted interviews with a wide variety of people, such as Larry King, Malkia Cyril of the Center for Media Justice, Dick Van Patten of “Eight is Enough” and others.

“It is really an investigation into diversity on the airwaves in America and asking: Have we paid the unintended price for losing the fairness doctrine, allowing large ownership, and essentially the abandonment of serving the public interest?” he said.

During the fundraiser, Kacey will screen the proposed opening 10 minutes of the film, which features interviews from some of the prominent figures he interviewed, as well as some who are less familiar.

Kacey is hoping to raise an additional $80,000 to make a total of $275,000 for the documentary. Along with the screening, Kacey is having a silent auction featuring the clapperboard they used for Larry King’s scenes and a signed copy of his book, “Anything Goes!” The event will be also be catered by Spice Grill. Tickets are $50, which includes two free drinks from the Gamut Theatre bar.

“It’s a story that hasn’t been told before,” Kacey said. “It’s about knowing that, without a functioning media system, democracy will fail—not suffer, it’s going to fail—and it’s happening right before our eyes,” he said. “I’m hoping this film, the people that see it, will understand more than they did before. I hope it inspires other filmmakers really plumb the depths of some of these topics.”

Kacey also hopes the film inspires other movie and TV producers to come to Harrisburg. After moving here in 2016, he was impressed by Harrisburg’s art scene and the community itself.

“There is no reason that Harrisburg can’t have film and TV shows come to this area the way Pittsburgh and Philadelphia do,” he said. “Everything we need is here, starting with the people, the community. I am very happy to be here. I feel like it is my community now.”

The “Hearing Voices” documentary fundraiser is Thursday, Aug. 22 at 6:30 p.m. in Gamut Theatre. Tickets are available here. For more information on the documentary visit hearingvoicesthemovie.com.

Harrisburg council pledges public meetings after residents condemn possible water system sale

August 15, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Several Harrisburg residents brought a homemade sign, “Keep H2O Public,” to Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

Harrisburg City Council is considering holding one or more meetings on the proposed privatization of the city’s water and sewer system.

On Tuesday night, council President Wanda Williams told a crowd attending the legislative session that she planned to schedule public meetings on the city’s proposal to sell the system to a private operator.

“We probably won’t just have one meeting,” she said. “We’ll probably have two or three.”

Her statement came following numerous public comments criticizing the proposed sale, a story broken by TheBurg on July 26.

Harrisburg is currently asking qualified, private entities to respond to a “request for information” (RFI) to gauge interest in acquiring the system. Companies have until Sept. 16 to submit responses, with interviews slated for the following week.

At Tuesday’s meeting, about a half-dozen residents spoke, uniformly saying that they opposed privatizing the water/sewer system, which would eliminate the current operator, the municipal authority Capital Region Water (CRW).

“I just wanted to speak out early and often against the idea of privatizing the city water authority, with the understanding that this is the first step to that potential process,” said one Green Street resident. “I’m categorically against the idea of privatizing the water authority.”

Both city Engineer Wayne Martin and Business Administrator Marc Woolley told council members that the request for information was a preliminary step and did not mean that city has decided to privatize the system.

“The information that we’re gathering is just that—gathering information—about the water system and any potential disposition of assets,” Woolley said. “But we have not decided what we’re going to do.”

Mayor Eric Papenfuse, who is on vacation and so missed Tuesday’s meeting, has also insisted that the city is simply testing the market with the RFI notice. He recently has forcefully criticized CRW, especially after it announced plans to impose a stormwater fee beginning in January.

Residents also denounced what they perceived as a lack of communication about the proposed sale. Several said they learned about it first in the press, as did a few council members.

“How does a city government make a determination that it should explore the possibility of selling a valuable asset like water and sewer and not bother to inform the people we elect to make a decision as to whether that is or is not a good idea and is in our best interest?” asked Melanie Cook, a 3rd Street resident.

Williams said that Papenfuse had discussed the RFI with her, but that he went public with the information before she could inform all other members of council. Councilwoman Shamaine Daniels, for one, said that she was not told of the RFI before it went public.

“I wasn’t aware of that,” she said. “I found out through the newspaper. I did not know about this.”

Several residents said they were less concerned about issues of timing and communication and simply want to see the sales process stopped.

“What we’re saying is that there isn’t an amount high enough for us to sell such a wonderful asset to Harrisburg off to a private corporation,” said Kathryn Lally, a 3rd Street resident. “I don’t think we even need to see what those offers are.”

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

August 15, 2019 | by Sara Bozich

Happy Weekend!

It’s a busy one over here, loaded with events. sip @ soma is TONIGHT and tomorrow (3rd in the Burg!) and Spring Gate is bringing sparkling wine on tap (plus more)! Join us. Saturday is Harrisburg VeggieFest — It’s a Plant Party! Join us at Strawberry Square for plant-based noms, craft beer, vegan seltzer, animal-friendly products and much more. Tix are just $20 and benefit the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank!

What are you doing this weekend?

(more…)

To Stop or Not? Following resident concerns, Harrisburg to hold hearing on 3rd Street stop signs.

August 14, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

The stop sign at the corner of N. 3rd and Kelker streets in Harrisburg

Should Harrisburg proceed with a plan to remove stop signs at two intersections on N. 3rd Street?

At a City Council meeting on Tuesday night, several residents spoke out against the planned removal next week of signs at the corners of N. 3rd and Kelker streets and N. 3rd and Emerald streets.

“There are multiple playgrounds there,” said 3rd Street resident Laura Harding. “I see kids running across the street every day, multiple times a day without checking both ways.”

Currently, both intersections are all-way stops. The planned removals are only for 3rd Street. The stop signs halting traffic traveling along Kelker and Emerald streets would remain.

Residents’ remarks echoed similar concerns voiced on local social media pages in recent days, and council members said they also had been contacted by residents.

“There have been numerous emails and phone calls regarding the removal of the 3rd Street stop signs,” said council President Wanda Williams, who then announced a council hearing on the issue for Tuesday, Aug. 20, three days before the signs are slated to be removed.

Last week, residents began to notice a second sign attached to the stop sign poles, notifying people that the signs would be eliminated.

This prompted concerns about safety at those intersections, as the large Neighborhood Center playground is at the intersection at Kelker and the busy Emerald Chinese Restaurant is at the intersection at Emerald.

Some social media posts also posited a theory that the sign removals were part of the planned conversion of much of N. 2nd Street to two-way traffic, presumably because traffic displaced from 2nd Street would flow faster along the 3rd Street corridor.

However, according to city Business Administrator Marc Woolley, that is not the case. He said that the decision to remove those stop signs was made back in 2016 when the final design for the 3rd Street multimodal project was approved and that it had nothing to do with 2nd Street.

The city, he said, decided that those stop signs would no longer be necessary because the 3rd Street redesign, which includes numerous bump-outs at intersections, would have enough of a calming effect on through-traffic. And that, he said, has happened.

“It was determined that these were overused stop signs,” he said. “The bump-outs did work.”

Today, city Engineer Wayne Martin echoed that view, saying the bump-outs already have led to slower traffic along 3rd Street.

Martin also said that the signs violate the Federal Highway Administration’s “Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices,” which specifies standards for road signs. The intersections do not meet the requirements for stop signs, which must conform to certain standards for traffic volume, accidents and other criteria, he said.

He added that stop signs at intersections that don’t warrant them actually make intersections more dangerous because motorists don’t expect them, brake suddenly, and may get rear-ended.

The Kelker Street and Emerald Street signs aren’t the only ones slated for removal. Martin said that the city also plans to remove the signs at N. 3rd and Harris streets and N. 3rd and Boyd streets once those streets are repaved. The Boyd Street intersection, which is actually now a pedestrian walkway, would be replaced with a yield sign.

Martin said that he would explain the city’s reasoning for the sign removals at the council meeting on Tuesday.

“The stop signs that were installed were never warranted,” he said. “What was needed was traffic-calming, which we now have because of the bump-outs.”

Nonetheless, the city is willing to listen to the concerns of residents, Woolley said.

“We understand that people are concerned with schools and playgrounds,” he said. “We’ll take a look at that.”

The special City Council meeting on road safety and streets signs is slated for Tuesday, Aug. 20, 5:30 p.m., in City Council chambers, 10 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg.

Ready to rappel? Big Brothers Big Sisters will strap you in for a good cause.

August 14, 2019 | by Hanna Martin

It’s a long way down, but a great view, as a police officer goes “Over the Edge” during last year’s event.

If you’ve ever wondered what Harrisburg looks like from the top of an 18-story building, Capital Region’s Big Brothers Big Sisters can give you a bird’s-eye view of the city this October.

For a third year, supporters of the nonprofit will rappel down the Market Square Plaza building as part of their “Over the Edge” fundraiser in which participants raise $1,000 to lower themselves down the entire 220-foot-tall building.

“We’ve got a couple of people who have done it year after year, and those are individuals who truly believe in the mission,” said Krystina Shultz, the organization’s communications and marketing manager. “They’re really focused on supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters and supporting the kids in the program.”

This year, the fundraising goal is $100,000. A maximum of 76 participants each must raise a minimum of $1,000 to rappel, or the rough cost of the typical school-based match. In school-based matches, mentors engage with their mentees at school.

On the day of the event, two participants will rappel down the building at a time. Over the Edge technicians equip participants with an industrial harness and an industrial descender, allowing climbers to lower themselves down with the lever-like device. Typically, participants take 10 to 20 minutes to reach the ground, depending on whether they can brave the height to enjoy the view.

“I would say that this is probably simpler than rock climbing because the setup is intended for beginners, so you basically lower yourself with a lever,” Shultz said. “You determine your own speed.”

Fundraisers are encouraged to go above and beyond. After raising $1,200, participants can choose the song they rappel to. At $1,500, they receive a hot-and-cold branded tumbler. If they raise $2,000, they will receive an Over the Edge quarter-zip jacket.

Volunteers can be individual fundraisers or part of a corporation’s efforts. Adults who mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters, or “bigs,” also frequently participate, including many police officers who are part of the “Bigs in Blue” program, in which local police officers mentor young people.

Corporations can also sponsor rappelers. One of the most popular corporate sponsorships is “Toss Your Boss,” in which companies nominate a top employee to go “over the edge.” A company can also sponsor a police officer from a local department to make the descent.

“We’ve never had anybody who has chickened out,” Shultz said. “Everyone is doing it because they are excited to support Big Brothers Big Sisters and check an adventure off their bucket list.

But if you don’t want to rappel down 18 stories, there are other ways to show your support. The community is welcome to donate to sponsor participants, volunteer at the event or come out and cheer rappelers on. A DJ and information stands will be at street level for spectators to enjoy.

“We really want to make sure anyone can join the fun and excitement on the ground. We welcome everyone to stop by, dance with us and the DJ and support the brave rappelers,” said Angela Linton, the organization’s events and engagement manager.

In the months leading up to the event, Big Brothers Big Sisters hosts meet-and-greet activities for participants to feel more comfortable with both Over the Edge and each other.

“The meet and greets are a great way to meet fellow ‘Edgers’ as well as network with other event volunteers or participants,” Linton said. “It’s all part of the fun.”

“Over the Edge” take place on Friday, Oct. 18, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Market Square Plaza Building, 17 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg. Two lanes of N. 2nd Street will be closed from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to allow for spectators to watch the event. For more information, visit https://capbigs.org/events/over-the-edge/.

Harrisburg shakes up process of applying for federal housing funds

August 13, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg City Council on Tuesday night.

Harrisburg agreed on Tuesday to switch up the process of how it distributes its annual allocation of federal housing funds.

City Council unanimously passed ordinances that will substantially change how nonprofit organizations apply for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.

Previously, community groups—called “sub-recipients”—applied for grants that were individually approved by council.

Now, the sub-recipients will have to respond to a “request for proposals” that is being issued by the city. All interested applicants then will have to attend a mandatory workshop on Sept. 10 at the city Public Works building and submit their final applications by Sept. 20.

Moreover, organizations will have to apply from two separate funding buckets.

Of the $1.94 million in total CDBG funding, the city is setting aside $100,000 for “public service activities,” which includes most programming activities. It then has allocated another $407,261 for “public improvement/public facilities,” which includes most facility and building projects.

In the past, funds for these activities had been combined into a single application process and source of funds. However, HUD recently instructed the city to separate operational projects from infrastructure projects.

“The primary reason for this change is so we can get those dollars separated properly,” said Franchon Dickinson, director of the city’s Building and Housing Department. “Nonprofits can apply for both public services and public facilities dollars, but have to apply separately.”

The city will favor applications that show that a service is new or has demonstrated a quantifiable increase in a level of service over the last 12 months, said Dickinson. In addition, she said that HUD prefers to fund senior enrichment programs or programs geared towards special needs populations.

Dickinson said that a scoring matrix will be used to judge applications and determine who will receive funding. City Council then will approve the contracts with the sub-recipients, said city Business Administrator Marc Woolley.

Other CDBG allotments included:

$593,423 for debt service, as the city continues to pay down a federal loan it guaranteed under former Mayor Steve Reed for the disastrous Capitol View Commerce Center project
$387,670 for grant administration
$250,000 for homeowner rehabilitation
$200,000 for emergency demolition

Representatives from several social service agencies attended Tuesday’s meeting, speaking publicly to stress how important CDBG funds are for them.

“I hope the available funding will be such that it can help groups such as CRAM,” said Juanita Grant, director of Christian Recovery Aftercare Ministry (CRAM), which assists those recently released from prison. “We really do need that money. We really do need help to help the people in the community.”

Dickinson said that the city is now conducting a reconciliation of disbursals in recent years, matching allocations with expenditures. It’s possible, she said, that additional funds could be available following the results of that reconciliation.

Several council members complained that the allocation process this year started late and now seems rushed.

Dickinson primarily blamed HUD, which she said met with city officials only in June, leading to the unexpected change in process. She pledged that next year’s process would go more smoothly.

“We’ll be ready to go early,” she said. “We should be able to provide a timeline for next year by the end of this year.”

Council President Wanda Williams urged her to begin the 2020 process as soon as possible.

“I want to make sure next year that we have this information in front of us well before we vote,” she said.

Art Debut: Local photographer, potter demonstrate connections in shared CALC show.

August 12, 2019 | by Bob MacGinnes

Lori Snyder’s “The Maples in Autumn”

There is something incandescent about the last art show of the summer, especially when in a packed house in the upstairs gallery and down in the G.B. Stuart Gallery of Carlisle Arts Learning Center (CALC)

On Friday night, you could hear a pin drop. The galleries were filled with art that brought its own heat. That is “Art” with a capital “A,” when it speaks for itself in hushed tones and whispers. Art that requires no fanfare at all. Its pronouncements are clear as a bell or a bulb, both in photographs and in pottery from two masters of their craft.

Home can mean a different thing to each and every one of us. For some, it is a place to hang your hat. For others, a place to kick back and relax. It can be a haven and even a bit of heaven. Home is a state of mind. Not so much what is on the inside but what awaits in the world outside.

Lori Snyder, philosophical photographer, captures it all in a new, shared exhibit that opened at CALC on Friday and runs through Sept. 21. Showcasing her as a “naturalist” photographer means more than talent due to the surroundings she captures on film. The exhibit is aptly titled “This Place I Call Home.” Her imagery transports the viewer to places reserved for peace and quiet—out in nature, the sight of the master canvas, never the same twice, always surprising.

Snyder does her best in expressing that love for nature in all its simplistic beauty. From obedient orchards to majestic mountains, fertile fields and wild waterways, all add up to indelible images that linger in our collective memory. An open field beckons with just a pair of trees in transition titled, “The Maples in Autumn.” It is the openness of space that frees the mind and the rest of the senses. To imagine the solitude felt in that moment as the light shades the area cascading through the leaves is nothing short of boundless bliss.

Sharing the stage and his love for nature—in the sense of incorporating raw materials sourced locally for his wood-fired stoneware—is potter Kurt Brantner.

Brantner’s path to pottery was a circuitous one in that his college studies at Kutztown were in fine art as a painter. However, he chose a road less traveled after taking one pottery class and becoming fascinated with the process, making it a lifelong pursuit. When one looks at the sheer magnitude of some of his larger vessels, it’s hard to fathom the skill it takes to turn clay into such a towering treasure. It is nothing short of gravity-defying art.

Brantner uses an old-world method to create his pottery, one that dates to fifth-century Japan, firing his wares with an anagama kiln. There are a number of variants employed in this labor-intensive process that takes 70 to 80 hours of firing and uses up to five cords of wood sourced from the area. The results are worthy of admiration and appreciation for the art and the artist that brought them to life. Brantner’s subtle style is that of a geologist searching for the right clay and turning it just so and firing it to its glorified end. Some of his best pieces reveal a sheen in the way the glaze elevates a simple pot to a rare thing of beauty. From everyday coffee mugs to collectible earthenware, Brantner’s range defies category, but instead creates art that speaks a language all its own. If you listen closely, a piece may speak to you.

Snyder and Brantner, two Cumberland County artists, are each experts in their own fields. One uses a camera, the other, clay, complementing and completing a circle of continuity. After all, everything in life, to a certain degree, is interrelated as CALC’s Cathy Stone shows with this collection.

We as the human race are all connected to each other on a grand scale. Or at least we should be. Art has the power to change ideologies, to shift the paradigm from fear to friendship. Art connects us in ways unimaginable and in vastly different arenas. The disciplines of art, literature, fashion, music and sports, all unique in their approach, contain unifying elements that can trigger global responses and elevate the soul of mankind to new heights. All one has to do is share from the heart.

“This Place I Call Home” runs through Sept. 21 at Carlisle Arts Learning Center, 38 W. Pomfret St., Carlisle. For more information, visit www.carlislearts.org.

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

August 9, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

“The Weekender” festival returns next week.

Was everyone on vacation this week, or did it just seem that way? Indeed, life seemed to slow down here in the dog days of summer, but the news scene was busy as always.

Aquaponics is one of the most exciting trends in agriculture, and a major facility is located right here in Harrisburg. Read how this technology is helping to reshape agriculture, while educating public school students.

Cameron Street Boxing Club houses the hopes and dreams of many of Harrisburg’s best boxers. Read our feature story about the coach, the fighters and the facility.

Capital Rebirth is dedicated to helping Harrisburg youth, scheduling two events over the next two months to further its cause. The first, a talent festival slated for Reservoir Park, is coming up soon. Get all the details here.

Dynasty Harrisburg is far more than just a cheerleading and dance gym. It’s a place where Harrisburg’s young people can gather, receive support and learn life-affirming skills. Click here to read our feature story.

Harrisburg is experiencing a rebirth of business and culture, and much of the credit goes to ordinary people who have dug deep financially to support the progress of the city, says our editor in his monthly “City View” column.

Marshall Math Science Academy hosted a STEAM camp this summer, focused on the important role of historically black colleges and universities (HCBUs). Read our feature story from the August issue.

Mount Gretna Art Show turns 45 this month and is bigger and more significant than ever. Find out how a small, quaint village fostered the growth of one of central PA’s cultural gems.

Sara Bozich has more than 100 ideas for fun things to do this weekend. So, you’d best make some room in your calendar to fit it all in. Find out what’s happening in and around town.

Vocational education is gaining renewed attention as students seek a lower-cost way to prepare for good jobs in industries that need skilled workers. Read our feature story from the August magazine.

Weekender Festival returns next week with four days of music, entertainment and education. Find out all the details about this annual event sponsored by the Harrisburg Housing Authority.

Wine is not only for drinking but now also is for speculation and investment, as PA Fine Wine and Good Spirits is allowing the purchase of select “wine futures.” Our wine columnist chimes in on this trend.

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Happy Weekend!

What are you doing this weekend?

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