July News Digest

July 31, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

2-Way 2nd Street Designs Unveiled

Do you prefer a bike lane or a center lane?

That was the big decision last month for Harrisburg residents, who attended the final community meeting for the planned conversion of N. 2nd Street to two-way traffic.

At the meeting, the city unveiled its two final design concepts for the street.

The first design features a left-hand-turn lane, along with partial median strips, along the two-mile stretch of N. 2nd from Forster to Division streets. The second includes a dedicated, “parking protected” bike lane, meaning it would be protected from traffic.

“That’s the main difference,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “Do you want a center lane with medians, or do you want a bike lane? We can’t accommodate both.”

A 40-minute presentation kicked off the meeting. Afterwards, attendees broke off into groups to study the concepts in detail, block by block, and offer input.

Both designs include roundabouts at certain busy intersections, such as at N. 2nd and Verbeke streets and N. 2nd and Reily streets.

Notably, most traffic signals would be removed under both concepts and, like with the current construction along the 3rd Street corridor, intersections would be improved to make them compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. Signals would remain at the busy intersections at Forster, Maclay and Division streets.

Papenfuse expects construction to begin next year, wrapping up at the end of 2021. The cost of the $5.6 million project is being split between the city, the state Department of Transportation and Impact Harrisburg, a nonprofit set up in the wake of the city’s financial crisis.

Both concepts reduce the total amount of parking along 2nd Street, mostly because of the ADA-mandated intersection improvements.

Currently, there are 620 street parking spaces on N. 2nd from Forster to Division streets. Concept 1, which includes the turning lanes, would reduce parking to 550 spaces, while concept 2, which includes the bike lane, would reduce street parking to 537 spaces.

“It is genuine to say that I see the benefits of both,” Papenfuse said. “We could go with either and be very pleased as a city. They’re both transformative and safer and better for the neighborhood.”

AutoZone Passes Hurdle

The Harrisburg Planning Commission last month approved the land development plan for an Uptown auto parts store, despite a continuing disagreement over the design of the project.

By a 3-1 vote, the commission gave its OK to an AutoZone store on long-vacant land at the corner of Maclay and N. 7th streets, but the approval requires the company to tweak its design to address several city concerns.

Commission members agreed with the city’s planning bureau that AutoZone needed to make modifications to its plan—namely, reorienting the 6,816-square-foot building to bring it closer to Maclay Street and eliminating access from busy N. 7th Street.

“I don’t want to have people coming into the city greeted by a parking lot and a set-back building, just like you see in the surrounding suburbs,” said commissioner Zac Monnier.

City officials have long complained that the proposed AutoZone design was too generic and better suited for a suburban strip mall, not a city block. They have especially disliked that AutoZone’s original proposal set the store back from Maclay Street, with parking in the front.

David Tshudy of Pepper Hamilton, the law firm representing AutoZone, repeatedly pushed back on the requested changes to the company’s design, saying that city planners have no role in design decisions based on Harrisburg’s current land use ordinances.

“There’s nothing in the ordinance that requires the building to be situated any differently than what is shown on the plan,” Tshudy said. “The building is best where it is shown on the plan.”

The two sides also had a heated disagreement about AutoZone’s desire for a driveway to the site from N. 7th Street.

In April, the two sides held a meeting to iron out their differences. Tshudy said that he left that meeting believing they had agreed to retain the access point, but only for right turns in and out. City officials disagreed.

“At no time did we indicate that this was a design that the planning bureau would support or thought was a good design for this particular site,” said Geoffrey Knight, director of the city’s planning department.

Now that it’s passed the Planning Commission, the land development plan must be approved by City Council.

City Changes CDBG Process

Harrisburg plans to shake up the yearly process of doling out federal housing dollars under its “Annual Action Plan” unveiled last month.

Franchon Dickinson, director of the city’s Department of Building and Housing, told City Council that the administration wants to tighten requirements for Harrisburg-based social service agencies seeking funding under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.

“If we want to effectuate change, we’re going to need to change the way we do business,” she said.

In recent years, council has doled out relatively small amounts of CDBG money to a dozen or so specific service agencies. HUD, however, recently has questioned the way Harrisburg has distributed some of those funds, said Mayor Eric Papenfuse. Therefore, the city needs to make certain it strictly follows HUD guidelines, he said.

Specifically, agencies must show that a service is new or must demonstrate a “quantifiable increase in the level of service in the last 12 months,” said Dickinson. In addition, she said that HUD prefers to fund “senior enrichment programs or special needs populations.”

Moreover, the administration wants to change the funding structure for CDBG, which, this year, will total nearly $1.94 million, down from last year’s $2 million.

Under the current proposal, just $100,000 will be set aside for social service programming, down from about $240,000 last year. However, for facilities projects, agencies will be able to apply for money from a second bucket, one reserved for “public improvement/public facilities,” which totals $407,261, Dickinson said.

Papenfuse said that HUD didn’t like that, in the past, Harrisburg permitted facility improvements with money meant for “public service activities,” funds that were supposed be reserved for programming and other service activities.

The application process also is changing.

This year, the city will not determine recipients before submitting its action plan to HUD in mid-August. Specific recipients will be determined later through a request for proposals (RFP) process, which will be issued in late August, and applications will be scored to make sure they meet HUD guidelines, Papenfuse said.

“It’s a change in procedure, but it’s a good one,” he said. “It makes sure that every dollar we spend will be spent wisely.”

Other proposed CDBG allotments include:

$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

In addition to the CDBG ordinance, council introduced ordinances for the HUD Emergency Solutions Grant Program for $166,243, which mostly goes to the Capital Area Coalition on Homelessness to fund emergency shelter and rehousing, and another for HUD’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program for $432,187, which funds affordable housing solutions.

Council is expected to take a final vote on the ordinances on Aug. 13.

City Buys Back MarketPlace Lots

A stalled building project may have a new lease on life, as the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority has bought back dozens of undeveloped lots in the city’s MarketPlace Townhomes neighborhood.

In late June, the authority purchased 58 lots from S&A Homes, re-acquiring the Midtown properties it had given to the State College-based developer almost 14 years before.

“The Redevelopment Authority had to take back the properties because S&A was not going to develop them,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “The Redevelopment Authority is now looking for a [development] partner for those lots.”

In the 1970s, the authority began acquiring parcels just south of N. 6th and Reily streets, which eventually included the Zommit Cleaners site, an industrial property that required soil decontamination.

By 1998, 38 single-family homes had been built in the MarketPlace neighborhood, named for its proximity to the Broad Street Market. In late 2005, the authority sold most of its remaining inventory—71 lots—to S&A for $1 apiece in an area bounded by N. 6th, James, Reily and Sayford streets.

Over the next three years, S&A built 13 houses, but stopped when the financial crisis hit in 2008. No homes have been constructed since, leaving numerous grassy, overgrown lots.

Papenfuse said that he regards the re-acquisition as a first step in getting the project back on track. The authority is eager to receive proposals from qualified developers, he said.

“By taking them back, HRA can find a new development partner,” he said.

School Audit Called “Clear Indictment”

The state’s recently released financial audit of the Harrisburg school district is a “clear indictment” of the practices of the former school administration, according to the district’s receiver.

Receiver Janet Samuels released a statement last month declining comment on specific audit findings, but that acknowledged the report’s findings.

“In my capacity as the court appointed Receiver, I acknowledge receipt of the audit which is a clear indictment of the accounting and Human Resources practices of the former school district administration,” she said.

In March, the state Department of Education hired Johnstown-based Wessel & Co. to perform the audit following a series of costly errors by the district, including continuing to pay health benefits to former employees.

The report, released in early July, looked at a year-three period, July 2015 to June 2018, and discovered more than $3.8 million in unsupported and questionable costs, more than 100 ex-employees who continued to receive healthcare benefits and huge deficits in cafeteria operations that had to be covered by the general fund. Other shortcomings included personnel records rife with errors, a lack of financial oversight and controls and a profoundly unqualified business manager.

“I am not going to comment on any of the specifics of the audit findings other than the fact that the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit plans to fully analyze all of the issues raised in the audit and establish best practices for the school district. These audit findings further justify the necessity of my June 27, 2019 action partnering with the MCIU to operate the district and my personnel actions taken on that date,” Samuels concluded.

At the urging of the state Department of Education, a Dauphin County judge appointed Samuels as the district’s receiver on June. 17. She then dismissed most of the district’s leadership and contracted with MCIU to help lead the district for the next three years.

Churches Put on Market

If you’ve ever been in the market for an old, stately church in the Harrisburg area, your time has arrived.

The Susquehanna United Methodist Conference has listed six of its churches for sale, part of a plan to cut costs and consolidate congregations. The churches cover numerous neighborhoods around Harrisburg and range in price from $169,000 to $325,000.

“I’ve shown all of these churches a number of times already,” said realtor Bill Gladstone of the Bill Gladstone Group, part of Wormleysburg-based NAI CIR, which is listing the properties. “The demand for these churches has been very high.”

Late last year, the conference, facing dwindling membership in the immediate Harrisburg area, decided to dispose of 10 of its buildings, several dating back a century or more.

Since then, one of the churches, historic Grace United Methodist Church on State Street, voted to maintain its congregation, said Shawn Gilgore, the conference’s director of communications. Another church, Rockville UMC, has become affiliated with Linglestown UMC, with both buildings in use, he said.

Six of the remaining churches currently are for sale:

Camp Curtin Memorial Mitchell UMC, 2221 N. 6^th St.: $195,000
First United Methodist, 269 Boas St.: $169,000
Riverside Methodist Church, 3200 N. 3^rd St.: $325,000
St. Mark’s UMC, 3985 N. 2^nd St (Susquehanna Township): $325,000
Trinity Penbrook Church, 5 N. 25^th St.: $255,000
Grace Penbrook Church, 25 S. 28^th St.: $265,000

Another church, Derry Street UMC on Allison Hill in Harrisburg, soon will be listed for sale, Gladstone said.

The final church in the group, Twenty Ninth Street UMC in Harrisburg, is the new home of The Journey Church, a combined congregation of Twenty Ninth Street UMC and the former Riverside Methodist Church.

Exchange Student Families Needed

ASSE International Student Exchange Programs (ASSE) is looking for local families to host boys and girls between the ages of 15 to 18 from a variety of countries, including Norway, Denmark, Spain, Italy and Japan.

Students are eager to practice their English and experience American culture, as well as share their own culture and language.

ASSE students are academically selected into the program, and host families can choose their student from a wide variety of backgrounds, countries and personal interests. ASSE students have full health, accident and liability insurance, as well as pocket money for personal expenses.

To become a host family or to find out how to become involved with ASSE in your community, call the ASSE Eastern Regional Office at 1-800-677-2773 or visit www.host.asse.com.

So Noted

Camp Curtin Community Preschool has relocated to Trinity Church in Midtown and changed its name to Trinity Preschool: Part of the Camp Curtin Learning Community. The preschool had to relocate following the closing of Camp Curtin Mitchell Memorial UMC, according to the school.

FireHouse Restaurant closed abruptly last month, and the property was later put on the market for $1.2 million, including the real estate, business and liquor license. The FireHouse, located in the historic Hope Fire Station building in downtown Harrisburg, was most recently co-owned by Dave Guy, who bought it from founder Donny Brown almost six years ago.

Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra last month named Gloria Giambalvo as its new director of sales and marketing. She most recently served as HSO’s director of annual and corporate giving.

Harrisburg University last month promoted Duane Maun to chief operating officer. Maun will continue to hold his previous title, chief financial officer, as well, according to the university.

Harrisburg University last month broke ground on its new, 17-story mixed-use building at S. 3rd and Chestnut streets in downtown Harrisburg. The $135 million building will house academic space, a 197-room hotel and a restaurant. Construction is expected to take two years.

Home Slice Pizza will open at the Crossroads at Walden in September, according to developer Charter Homes & Neighborhoods. Home Slice, which replaces K. Marie & Co., is a venture by Matt Flinchbaugh, the owner of the longstanding Flinchy’s restaurant in Lower Allen Township.

Jump Street announced last month that it would cease operations after 40 years of operating as an arts-based nonprofit. Over the years, Jump Street organized many popular programs and fundraisers, including Derby Day and Artsfest. It originally formed in 1978 as the People’s Place before changing its name to Metro Arts and then Jump Street.

Orrstown Bank has named Thomas Brugger as its executive vice president and chief financial officer, according to the Swatara Township-based company. In this role, he will be responsible for Orrstown’s financial plans, policies and financial compliance. He last served as CFO of Sun National Bank.

Pavone Marketing Group last month announced that it had acquired two companies: Philadelphia-based Netplus and Mechanicsburg-based Phalanx Digital. Harrisburg-based Pavone said the acquisitions would help it expand its digital marketing capabilities.

Changing Hands

Adrian St., 2237: D. Rickard to M. Wise & C. Bowling, $68,500

Bellevue Rd., 1933: Federal National Mortgage Association to R. Grullon, $32,000

Berryhill St., 2038: O. Brown to Najia Bouslama Property LLC, $32,500

Briggs St., 219: D. Skerpon to P. Earl Jr. & S. Banks, $185,000

Buckthorn St., 319: W. Martin to KGD Holdings LLC, $30,000

Chestnut St., 2025: L. Profitt to L. Profitt, $63,000

Croyden Rd., 2981: Leonard J Dobson Family Limited Partnership to S. Washington, $99,900

Dauphin St., 646: H. Dobson to D. & S. White, $42,000

Derry St., 1200: R. Andrews to D. Mota & L. Rodriguez, $32,000

Derry St., 2129 & 2118 Shellis St.: D. Murphy to B. Smith, $34,000

Derry St., 2457: Lakeview Loan Servicing LLC to PA Deals LLC, $41,800

Derry St., 2532 & 2534: D. & L. Lentz to K. & R. Gupta, $135,000

Emerald St., 229: Federal National Mortgage Association to M. Temba, $71,500

Fulton St., 1710: W. Fletcher to R. Peacock, $130,000

Green St., 909: TKP Schoolhouse Associates LLC to Schoolhouse 1 Holdings LLC, $3,000,000

Green St., 1006: D. Theoifanis to C. Wehrman, $119,000

Green St., 1019: K. & J. Lowe to S. & S. Schalles, $209,900

Green St., 1532: M. Frater to C. Bashore, $120,000

Green St., 1834: WCI Partners LP to C. DeColongon & A. Batista, $120,000

Green St., 1924: G. O Loughlin to J. & C. Claybaugh, $225,000

Green St., 2034: D. & L. Riley to P. & P. Gellerman, $202,400

Harris St., 232: J. & M. Slaboda to K. & J. Gazsi, $171,500

Hamilton St., 214: M. & L. Zieger to S. McMinn & J. Emery, $173,500

Herr St., 317: R. & B. Gillette to S. Robinson & A. Berg, $159,500

Herr St., 1737: Lehman Investments LLC to CBS Property Holdings Company,
$121,000

Hoffman St., 3229: B. Foor to D & F Realty Holdings LP, $59,000

Holly St., 1823: D. & S. Fenton & Harrisburg Property MGMT Group to S. Cain, $43,000

Hunter St., 1537: P. & F. Kehler to D. Porter, $44,800

Jefferson St., 2922 & 2940: Richard Lutz Trust to 2940 Jefferson Street Associates LLC, $290,000

Kensington St., 2131: N. Clory to Y. Salifu, $67,000

Muench St., 238: WCI Partners LP to A. Fortune, $143,625

Muench St., 307: KDR Investments LLP to K. Boatman, $45,000

Muench St., 626: Sheaffer & Sheaffer Properties LLC to Buonarroti Trust, $35,000

N. 2nd St., 3217: N. & L. Swett to J. O Berry, $110,000

N. 3rd St., 910: Mussani and Company LP to Balfour Street Investments LLC, $150,000

N. 3rd St., 925: 921 Home LLC to WCI Partners LP, $1,025,000

N. 3rd St., 2311: T. & C. Rine to 1 Step at a Time Support Services, $124,900

N. 3rd St., 3113: J. & L. Kincaid to L. Ravenel, $135,000

N. 5th St., 1715: Kirsch & Burns LLC to M. Fuentes & R. Irizarry, $102,000

N. 5th St., 2424: A. Obrien to J. & P. Williams, $30,000

N. 5th St., 3141: Federal National Mortgage Association to R. & R. Villarreal, $83,000

N. 7th St., 2300: McNelis Gutter Cleaning Inc. to D & F Realty Holdings LP, $135,000

N. 17th St., 1206: J. & D. Wallace to Three Bridges Holdings LLC, $30,000

N. 18th St., 910: Members 1^st Federal Credit Union to Fowler Investments LLC, $60,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 214: A. Jain to M. Cheatum, $96,500

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 307: K. Russell to P. Gitnik & G. Svrcek, $115,000

N. Front St., 1601: North Front Associates LLC to BBHQ LLC, $420,000

N. Front St., 2405: Pennsylvania Association of Community Bankers to A. Hartzler, $198,860

Paxton St., 1718: T. & L. Stuckley to Y. Bouchanyata, $33,100

Paxton St., 1728: S. Brown to F. Yanez, $45,000

Penn St., 1920: C. Clabaugh to T., M. & T. Sneidman, $174,900

Rolleston St., 1246: Bigfoot Properties LLC to M. Foreman, $36,900

S. 14th St., 1432: J. Tonsel to City of Harrisburg, $52,000

S. 18th St., 1213: L. Stewart to L. Whittaker, $113,000

S. 23rd St., 627: L. Vansickle & E. Klitch to E. Klitch, $30,000

S 24th St., 516: R. Carazas & H. Gonzalez to Y. Griffin, $80,000

S 27th St., 669: R. & T. Borne & E. Hower to D. Williams, $149,900

S. 27th St., 728: H. Alcantara to J. Martinez, $77,000

S. 27th St., 734: Seneca Leandro View LLC to B. McCann, $85,000

S. Front St., 625: Redheads Helping Property LLC to J. Chumley, $132,000

S. Front St., 707: A. Patton to C. & J. Pierre, $210,100

Swatara St., 2237: E & T Enterprises LLC to K. & A. Sawyers, $67,500

Sycamore St., 1831: C. Spickler to J. Spickler, $90,000

Verbeke St., 221: K. & J. Gazsi to A. Smoot & C. Hogue, $132,000

Walnut St., 1504: MKTK Properties to MA Ambashakti LLC, $30,000

Wayne St., 1413 & 1415 & 1410 Sycamore St.: H. Papandrea to R. & A. Ortiz, $65,000

Wayne St., 1516: V. White to H. Hargrove, $119,900

Woodbine St., 240: Summit & Vickroy Inc. to T. Evans, $38,500

Harrisburg property sales for June 2019, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

A Child’s Advocate: CASA volunteers support, assist neglected, abused children.

July 31, 2019 | by Don Helin

Across the United States, more than 600,000 children are in foster care.

Jessica Laspino recited this figure to emphasize the overwhelming nature of the crisis in the United States.

“Most people believe governmental systems care for these children,” said Laspino, executive director of CASA of Lancaster County (Court Appointed Special Advocates). “But these programs are often overburdened, leaving many children from abusive homes or suffering the loss of parents getting bumped around the system.”

CASA consists of community volunteers who stand up and speak out for these children. About 1,000 CASA programs exist across the country to recruit, train and supervise volunteers to act as advocates and mentors for abused and neglected children and teens.

About 15 years ago, recognizing the extent of the problem locally and aware of other CASA programs, then-President Judge Louis J. Farina felt that a CASA program should be developed in Lancaster County.

Over the following years, a steering committee built the foundation by recruiting and bringing together CASA’s first board of directors.

“After much hard work and coordination between all of the necessary groups, the Lancaster County Dependency Court appointed CASA its first case in 2010,” Laspino said. “At the present time in Lancaster County, we have CASA volunteer advocates helping just under one-half of the nearly 500 children in foster care.”

Laspino has been executive director for nearly 10 years, previously working as a CASA case supervisor in two counties in New Jersey.

She introduced me to three CASA volunteers who had each attended 32 hours of training over a four-week program. To protect the identity of the children they help, only their first names will be used here.

These volunteers are appointed by a judge to represent the best interests of the children. They make recommendations to the Lancaster County dependency judges as to which permanent placement would be best for each child and what services the child would benefit most from.

All three volunteers agreed that one of the hardest aspects of the job is to leave their emotions behind, as the judge expects CASA volunteers to be impartial.

“I found CASA when I was looking for a place to volunteer which would help children,” Nicole said. “When I completed my training, I was assigned a case with three girls all under the age of 10. Gaining their confidence can be very difficult, as many of them have been bounced around to a number of homes or facilities.”

With tears in her eyes, she recalled attending a court session with her volunteer manager, a staff member of CASA. The judge was attempting to determine the appropriate home for an 11-year-old boy who sat in the back of the courtroom. The parents each had counsel, and neither wanted the child.

“Each case is different and may go on for years,” said Janice, who joined CASA four years ago. “The court is trying to determine if a home meets the necessary standard of care. This was hard for me to watch as the minimum standard of care in many cases was not one I would have initially considered acceptable.”

She cited a case of two sisters. One of the girls simply wanted to go back to her mom, but her mother was serving a two-year jail sentence.

Janice worked with the girl, who was frustrated waiting for her mom and kept acting out and getting in trouble. She kept communicating with the girl to help her understand that acting out was not going to help her reunify with her mother any quicker.

Eventually, her mother was released, and they were reunited.

“One day, I received a call from the girl,” Janice said. “She was having trouble in high school and might not graduate. She asked for my help, and I mentored her for a number of months. What happiness for me when she walked down that aisle and graduated!”

The girl now has a job and is on a better path.

“Her success makes all of the frustration and hard work worthwhile,” Janice said.

Victoria handles what she describes as the “really difficult cases,” some of which have so many variables they are hard to manage. She mentioned a recurring challenge—parents must go through a protocol in order to get their children back. This can take an extended period of time, particularly when there are limited options for the parents and a waiting list for various services.

“CASA’s impact has grown tremendously over the last few years,” Laspino said. “At the present time, there is a state CASA in Pennsylvania and approximately one-third of the counties have a CASA. I am so proud we have carved out a seat for CASA in the Lancaster legal system.”

CASA of Lancaster County is located at 35 E. Orange Street, No. 202, Lancaster. CASA is holding a fundraiser, a “Roaring Twenties Casino Night,” on Saturday, Sept. 7. For more information, call 717-208-3280 or visit www.casalancaster.org.

Defendant in H*MAC defamation suit arrested in alleged fake news scheme

July 30, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

The Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center

The subject of a defamation lawsuit filed by a Midtown Harrisburg business has been arrested in Delaware County in a bizarre case that involves allegedly impersonating professional journalists and sending racist emails in order to create a fake news narrative.

Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun Copeland last week announced the arrest of 25-year-old Nikolaos Hatziefstathiou, charging him with some 20 criminal counts, alleging that he assumed the identities of a “Good Morning America” producer and a New York Times reporter to obtain documents and that he falsified a government document to create racist email.

“Evidence shows that Nikolaos Hatziefstathiou will use any means to create his false narrative,” Copeland said during a press conference. “He will go to any length to do so, trading on the well-earned reputations of a national television producer and a print correspondent, forging government documents, paying to obtain statements from celebrities to create a story for his website and concocting a racially charged email.”

Locally, Hatziefstathiou is a principal defendant in a defamation suit filed in December by John Traynor, the former co-owner of the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center (H*MAC), and his former company, Bartlett, Traynor & London LLC.

Hatziefstathiou runs Philadelphia-based YC News, which, in July 2018, published a story alleging criminal conduct at H*MAC, under the headline, “Harrisburg club under fire after women allege security helped men who drugged and raped them.”

That story followed an allegation by a woman who claimed that H*MAC staff failed to recognize her as a victim of date rape drugs and asked her to exit the bar, leaving her vulnerable to a subsequent sexual assault. Harrisburg police later cleared H*MAC of any responsibility in the case.

Following the woman’s allegations, several social media sites erupted in charges against H*MAC and some re-posted the YC News story. According to Traynor, the negative publicity led to substantial loss of business and was partly responsible for H*MAC declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy shortly afterwards.

In December, Traynor filed a civil lawsuit against Hatziefstathiou and more than a dozen others, claiming defamation and tortious interference of business relationships.

“We went after YC News, the people who wrote the stories and the people who posted them on social media,” Traynor said, when reached by phone. “At a certain point, you have to stand up.”

Since then, a Dauphin County judge has issued a default judgment against YC News and Hatziefstathiou, who did not respond to the lawsuit. Damages have not yet been awarded but Traynor said that, in all, he expects total damages against all the defendants to exceed $1 million, adding that he doubts he’ll ever see any payment.

“It was never about the money,” he said. “I never expect to be able to collect.”

In the Delaware County case, district attorney Copeland said that Hatziefstathiou allegedly constructed an elaborate fake news narrative to create content for his YC News website. These alleged measures, according to Copeland, included:

Posing as a “Good Morning America” producer and New York Times reporter using false emails to obtain documents relating to an unidentified “decade-long scheme” involving several “Delaware County agencies.”
Forging government documents to obtain a PennDOT specialty plate identifying him as being employed full-time by a news agency.
Falsifying a government document to create a racist email claiming to be from a supervisor in the Delaware County Adult Probation and Parole Office, leading several politicians to condemn the office based on the YC News report.
Tampering with a video purchased online that made it seem that YC News had interviewed actors Ice-T and Snoop Dogg and that they endorsed YC News efforts regarding a case from the Delaware County D.A.’s office.

According to Copeland, Hatziefstathiou created the racist email by allegedly doctoring a legitimate email he had received from the probation office because he was on probation for past violations including several counts of false reports to law enforcement and harassment.

“Creating an article full of lies, Nikolaos Hatziefstathiou attempted to destroy the reputation of hard-working people who come to this courthouse every day to serve their community,” Copeland said. “Hatziefstathiou chose to falsely attribute horrific, racial slurs to good, hard-working probation officers, exploiting the real pain that minorities face every day, all in an effort to create racial discord.”

In late May, Traynor and his two business partners sold H*MAC to a new ownership group for $6 million. That group, H*MAC Venue LLC, yesterday announced a series of changes and construction projects to the 34,000-square-foot entertainment, arts and restaurant venue.

Read related stories from WHYY and PhillyVoice.

Burg Books: Novelist R.O. Kwon to make a stop in Harrisburg

July 29, 2019 | by Yaasmeen Piper

R.O. Kwon lost her religious faith at 17 years old.

There was no traumatic accident or death that contributed to the loss. Instead, it came in a series of moments and unanswered questions. Kwon quotes one of her characters who had a similar epiphany in “The Incendiaries” to explain what is was like losing her faith.

“Like bankruptcy, it happened gradually, then all at once.”

This is what makes Kwon’s freshman novel about a religious cult that more fascinating. This Saturday, Kwon will read from her debut novel, “The Incendiaries,”at Midtown Scholar Bookstore and talk about her own faith and the process leading up to her book.

“I was interested in exploring the extremes of things, when people believe so passionately about something,” she said.

The novel follows Will Kendall and Phoebe Lin. After transferring from Bible college, Will meets Phoebe at the prestigious Edwards University. Will is immediately drawn to Phoebe, the perceived glamorous girl. However, Phoebe has joined a religious group that turns out to be an extremist cult run by the “charming” John Leal.

Leal often asks the group to protest here and there in the name of faith, but, when the group bombs several buildings, killing five people, Phoebe disappears, and Will struggles to understand what happened to the girl he loved.

Growing up, Kwon was surrounded by people who ranged from moderately to passionately Christian. Before losing her faith, Kwon herself thought she was going to become a pastor or missionary.

Interestingly, it was reading that played a part in Kwon losing her faith.

“In reading, I was spending so much time in the mind of people who weren’t like me and believe differently than I do,” she said. “Increasingly, it became really hard to believe that so many people who believe differently than I do were going to go to hell because of their different beliefs.”

For Kwon, losing her faith felt like a tremendous loss because she also lost her community.

“I felt lonely all over again but from the other end, from where my loss wasn’t even thought of as a loss,” she said.

This feeling helped pushed her to write a book that is so focused on religion. In “The Incendiaries,” she was able to explore faith all over again through her characters.

Since her book’s release in July 2018, Kwon has shared her novel in bookstores across the country. The favorite reactions she’s received have come from readers, especially those who have their own complicated relationships with faith.

Along with reading from her novel, Kwon will be in conversation with Philadelphia-based writer Jessamine Chan.

“I’m excited to ask about her process,” Chan said. “I anticipate a lot of the people in the crowd will be writers so we’ll talk about how she’s able to preserve her art and her journey from writing to print. I was very struck by the style of her writing. It’s unlike any book I’ve read before.”

R.O. Kwon will be at Midtown Scholar Bookstore on Saturday, Aug. 3, from 6 to 8 p.m. For more information visit www.midtownscholar.com/featured-events. For more information on Kwon visit www.ro-kwon.com/.

Botter Is Back: Italian artist returns to central PA to exhibit drawings of Lancaster

July 29, 2019 | by Hanna Martin

A sketch of the Lancaster Visitor Center, where Guglielmo Botter will exhibit his work.

Guglielmo Botter may have lived most of his life in Treviso, Italy, but a piece of him has always belonged in Pennsylvania, where his mother grew up.

Botter, who holds both Italian and American citizenship, was an architect in Italy before a financial crisis hit the country in 2012. So, he closed his architect office and started sketching American cities.

Now, Botter is visiting the land of opportunity yet again to exhibit his black-and-white ink sketches of Lancaster buildings and landmarks at the Lancaster City Visitor Center.

“It’s my goal to cover the country from East to West because I enjoy traveling a lot and seeing new cities every year,” Botter said. “The U.S. is very big, and I don’t know if I have time to see all the country. I’ll sketch two or three cities each year. It’s my chance to do this now.”

The architect-turned-artist started drawing as a young child and soon started sketching the buildings and sights around Treviso, his hometown. Botter first exhibited his work at 11 years old. At 13, he won a national contest in Rome against 350,000 other students for a drawing of Treviso, which later became an official Italian stamp.

As an adult, Botter typically applies for international calls for artists that are close to Pittsburgh to exhibit his work in the states and visits the country ever summer. He said that one of the hardest parts of being a foreign artist in the United States is building community connections to share his sketches.

“Big cities are very interesting of course, but they are very difficult to connect with,” Botter said. “I go to cities ranging about 600 or 700 miles outside of Pittsburgh. I’m expanding a little bit every year, so I hope to arrive in maybe New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C., soon. I usually have one or two chances a year to exhibit.”

A Botter sketch of an iconic Lancaster County scene.

Although he has made sketches of various European cities and of cities in Indiana and Virginia, Botter stays loyal to his roots in Pennsylvania. Last summer, he exhibited sketches of Harrisburg in the Art Association of Harrisburg.

“I love Pennsylvania,” Botter said. “I started to go around the state and saw Harrisburg, and because they were close, I stopped in Lancaster and York. The life there is different, more vibrant.”

In the near future, Botter hopes to relocate his family and his art business to Pittsburgh, and even recently bought a house in the city.

“I’m feeling American for my heritage and my family, and I’m feeling Italian for my studies and my youth,” he said. “But I love to come here, so I think that I will spend as much time as possible here.”

“Guglielmo Botter: An Italian Artist in Lancaster” runs from Aug. 2 through the end of September at the Lancaster City Visitor Center, 38 Penn Sq., 2nd Floor Gallery, with an opening reception Aug. 2 from 5 to 7 p.m. For more information, visit https://visitlancastercity.com/first-friday/current-first-friday/.

Buyer Ready: 3 Harrisburg houses hit the market following building blitz

July 29, 2019 | by Maddie Conley

Newly built homes line the 1500-block of Swatara Street in Harrisburg.

Today, three houses sit ready for purchase on the 1500-block of Swatara Street in Harrisburg, filling formerly empty land and adding to the many new homes popping up on the block.

Last June, 160 volunteers from Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church in Maryland came to Allison Hill in Harrisburg to build three houses in just five days. They were brought to the city by Habitat for Humanity of Greater Harrisburg with the mission of creating more affordable housing.

“A year ago or more, these homes were blighted,” said Rob Keith, board president of Tri-County Housing Development Corp. (TCHDC). “This is just an example of how people can work together for a common good.”

Keith was talking about the partnerships between Habitat for Humanity, Tri-County HDC, the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA), the city of Harrisburg and others.

According to Lyndsey Sturkey, Habitat’s executive director, the WoodsWork team from the Maryland church did the majority of the framing for the houses, while Habitat volunteers and Tri-County staff brought them to completion.

“The homeownership mentality is so important and it transforms neighborhoods,” explained state Rep. Patty Kim, who attended the unveiling.

While units 1511, 1513 and 1515 on the street are the most recent additions, TCHDC has been working to transform the entire block. With the new houses, the organization has reached 13 new homes.

Gary Lenker, executive director at TCHDC, noted that more than $5 million of federal, state, county and local dollars have gone into development on the street.

Each house is 1,600 square feet, including four bedrooms, one full bath and two half-baths, rear parking and a security system. Although construction costs exceeded $150,000 each, eligible families can purchase the houses for $101,900, Lenker explained. Buyers will also see building improvement taxes forgiven for the first 10 years.

Lenker added that a family’s median income must fall in the 51- to 80-percent range for the area, which equates to $45,450 and $70,100, in order to qualify. Buyers will also need to attend first-time homebuyer classes through TCHDC or PFHA.

Lenker mentioned that, while no one has moved in yet, “We have a lot of interested people.”

A property at the corner of 15^th and Swatara streets was also removed and TCHDC hopes to begin development on the 1400-block next, according to Lenker. A new South Allison Hill police substation has also recently opened down the block.

In the coming weeks, TCHDC also will unveil two, six-unit townhouses in Steelton.

For more information, visit Tri-County HDC at www.tchdc.net. To purchase one of the homes, contact Barbara Kauffman of Iron Valley Real Estate at 717-608-1284.

H*MAC unveils plans for construction, restaurant, dance space

July 29, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center

The Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center (H*MAC) today offered details of its newest phase of construction, which will include a basement dance club and a new restaurant concept.

Co-owner Chris Werner today said that some construction had already begun to improve the 34,000-square-foot venue’s façade and roof, but that most work on the project will take place over the coming months.

“We’re really excited to finally complete this unique project, which has been in the works for decades, and serve it up the community for its enjoyment,” he said, in a statement.

In May, Werner, along with co-owners Chuck London and Javier Diaz, bought the mixed-used entertainment and restaurant space and the business from owners Bartlett, Traynor & London LLC for $6 million. Last year, the prior owners declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which former co-owner John Traynor blamed partly on a social media firestorm aimed at the venue.

Werner said that the first major change will be renovations and rebranding at The Kitchen & Gallery Bar, which will be renamed The Green Room, beginning in early August. He said that a Philadelphia-based restaurant consultant, JT Hearn, will lead a culinary team that will roll out a new food and drink menu that will focus on “innovative” and locally sourced items. In addition, the restaurant and bar space will include new furniture and décor.

The two existing entertainment spaces will also see significant changes, Werner said.

Stage on Herr, which was H*MAC’s original venue when it opened in 2009, will be redesigned and rebranded as Stage Right. The 350-person nightclub and gallery will feature a wider stage, stadium seating and sound system upgrades.

Upstairs, the Capitol Room, will include a new balcony, two new bars and new bathrooms, as well as new green rooms and other amenities for performers, Werner said. Above that, H*MAC plans to finish the rooftop, converting it to a beer garden.

The most significant change will be in the basement, which was built as an indoor pool when H*MAC served as the Harrisburg Jewish Community Center then, later, as the Harrisburg Police Athletic League.

According to Werner, the pool room will be converted to a “psychedelic” dance club dubbed “The Deep End.” Artists will be able to create installations inside the pool area, viewable from holes above it.

“It will be a throwback to the days of dance clubs, while bringing the best of EDM and dance music to Harrisburg,” Werner said.

In late 2017, H*MAC received a $1 million state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant, which will finance much of the work, Werner has said previously.

When the project is done, H*MAC will employ some 80 people, Werner said. He added that the owners expect to donate 10 percent of profits for local charities.

Two Harrisburg companies are leading the build-out: the Office of Planning and Architecture led by Bret Peters and Smarter Design Group led by Jonathan Thomas.

Art Debut: Eclectic “Energized” opens at Art Association

July 29, 2019 | by Bob MacGinnes

Have you heard the one about the three artists who walk into a “bistro” together?

The first orders a margarita and the shaker of salt goes missing. The second, a pina colada, and the rain starts to fall. And the third, a beer.

By now you’ve realized it’s 5 o’clock somewhere. At that very hour this past Friday, the new exhibit “Energized” opened at the Art Association of Harrisburg (AAH) under the auspices of CEO Carrie Wissler-Thomas and Curator Rachel O’Connor.

The point I am about to illustrate is that art and music go hand in hand. This energetic show of art featured three disparate worlds, put forth by a trio of creative composers using brushes and duct tape instead of baton and musical instruments. Although the latter was greatly in evidence too.

Artists from near and far comprised the group, starting with Mitchel Coffman, “the only living boy in New York” (thank you Paul Simon) who is showing art on a grand scale at AAH through Aug. 29. Coffman’s work is majestic in size and scope as well as in texture and tone. His deft touches with the brush and layers of paint often explore the relationships between beauty and the sexual nature of man. Dramatic intrigue is heightened by the frisson sparked by desire and attraction, often one and the same. Rich in texture, Coffman strips away the layers, deconstructing his art like peeling away the seam of vulnerability on the canvas.

Using “Every Day People” (a nod to Sly Stone) in what could be perceived as the common and mundane routines of life, like getting a trim at the barbershop, encourages the viewer to put themselves in that chair, with the easy banter between barber and customer. Or at his best with standing on a “Stoop in the Bronx” (pictured above), which shines a spotlight on the gang getting together and wanting to be a part of that scene, purely because it is a golden moment in life meant to be savored. Athletes, models and non-professional, interesting faces claim a title to Coffman’s wide range of subjects, especially boxers. But it is the rendering of all that brings a reward equal to the investment made by his audience.

Staged in the main gallery downstairs and part of the second floor, Curator O’Connor upped the ante with her ingenious use of spatial distancing, allowing Coffman and fellow artist, Rone Del Galeone (an artist’s name if ever there was one), to play off each other’s portraits and allow for needed breathing room as their energy was palpable. York-based Del Galeone brought “ed cred” (Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts) as well as “street cred” in two dramatically different approaches to her art. Portraits of children depict the formal side, with one detailed work looking like a modern day “Lord of the Flies.” In addition, some stylized portraits are equally prolific in her repertoire. An interesting group of human expression form a gentlemen’s gallery of roguish demeanors. Flip the record over to the B-side, and her too-cool-for-school “Bitch Face” series captures a culture of complaint. These numbered series are matched with an equally egalitarian array of “Mad Kids” (pictured “Mad Kid #4). All three series are numbered for anonymity’s sake (just kidding…maybe.)

Now, hold onto your senses as you may experience a spinning sensation in entering another dimension. “The room was humming harder as the ceiling flew away” (Procol Harum). We now enter the inner sanctum of Enola artist, Andrew Brodisch, and his trippy, psychedelia-personified room of duct tape-glowing tarps. LED lights made for a surreal, staccato-syncopated, strobe-lit experience back to the ‘70s as mind-expanding experimentation erupted onto the scene. Brodisch creates an intentional invitation to time travel to the era in his “Bonkerville” day glow-colored conflagration of a character comprised of equal parts Ken Kesey, Neal Cassady and Hunter S. Thompson. This work gives a whole new meaning to “jaw-dropping.” “Groovy” doesn’t even begin to capture it. More like “far out man.”

Many hands played a large part in making the afternoon-into-evening reception memorable. Sue Rothman, vice chair of the AAH board of directors, sponsored the event, as well as hosted the summer’s last show before Gallery Walk on Sept. 8. In addition, Jonathan Frazier, Renaissance man, provided the chill vibe, demonstrating temperament and talents with a kitchen sink full of musical instruments. Keyboard and guitar are only the beginning as no instrument is beyond his grasp. Kevin “Cap” Foster, gallery assistant, and Robert Potter serving at the bar rounded out the usual suspects. Thanks to Carrie Wissler-Thomas and Rachel O’Connor for an eclectic aesthetic—both kinetic and frenetic (at times) with “Energized” plugged in at AAH.

“Energized” runs through Aug. 29 at the Art Association of Harrisburg, 21 N. Front St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.artassocofhbg.com.

The Week That Was: News and features around Harrisburg

July 26, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Recycle Bicycle’s current home in the Atlas Street warehouse.

It may be mid-summer in the Harrisburg area, but the flow of news continues to be brisk. It’s time to catch up on any of our stories that you may have missed from the past week.

Bethesda Mission will host a vegan meal next month, thanks to Animal Advocates of Central PA. It will be the second time this year that the York-based group will prepare a meal for mission residents. Click here for the details.

Harris Tower Railway Museum may be one of Harrisburg’s best-kept secrets, a pocket-sized tribute to the city’s rail history. Learn about the museum and the men who toiled to preserve the fully restored switch tower.

Harrisburg is weighing selling its water and sewer system, issuing a request for information from interested parties. This move came as a surprise to Capital Region Water, the current system operator. Click here for the story and for CRW’s response.

Harrisburg Opera Association is planning two events next month: a concert in Italian Lake Park and mainstage production at Messiah College. Click here for all the high notes.

Harrisburg Police Bureau is hosting a citywide National Night Out event next month. The celebration, supported by several community organizations, will take place at Camp Curtin Academy. Click here for the details.

Harrisburg University broke ground this week on its new, 17-story academic tower, hotel and restaurant complex at S. 3^rd and Chestnut streets in downtown Harrisburg. The building is expected to take two years to complete. Read the details here.

Pablo Picasso is in town—or at least his prints are. The Susquehanna Art Museum has on loan a collection of Picasso prints from a New York gallery, and you can see them for yourself for the next two months. Find out what our art columnist thinks.

Recycle Bicycle needs to find a place for its operations, as its current Atlas Street warehouse location has sold. The nonprofit has been saving money and hopes to purchase a permanent home. Read the story here.

Sara Bozich has her usual long list of fun things to do around the Harrisburg area this weekend, with a focus on outdoor festivals. Learn about all the happenings here.

Shalom House has begun a construction project that will convert the former Unitarian Church of Harrisburg into a community center. Capital Area Head Start also will take space in the Market Street building on Allison Hill. Click here for our story.

VeggieFest returns next month to Strawberry Square, featuring vegetarian and vegan cuisine and lifestyles. Find out all the information here.

Do you receive TheBurg Daily, our daily digest of news and events? If not, subscribe here!

Capital Region Water says costs could increase, service deteriorate under privatization

July 26, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Capital Region Water workers replace a water main on Swatara Street in Harrisburg last year.

Capital Region Water this afternoon issued a response to Harrisburg’s proposal to sell the municipal water and sewer system, saying that privatization often has led to higher prices for consumers.

In a statement, CRW said that customers could experience higher bills and reduced service if the system were sold to a private entity.

“Given that most research shows rates increase approximately 60 percent when similar publicly-owned utilities are privatized, it is difficult, especially at this early stage, to understand how a plan like this benefits ratepayers,” said the statement, credited to “Capital Region Water and its board of directors.” “When ownership and operational control of water and wastewater systems remain local, customers experience better customer relations, better rates and higher quality products and services.”

CRW did not cite the source of the research.

This morning, TheBurg broke the news that the city had issued request for information, asking qualified private entities to indicate their interest in potentially buying all of the city’s water and sewer assets.

Companies have until Sept. 16 to respond. Interviews would be held the following week, possibly followed by a more formal bidding process.

In an interview last night, Mayor Eric Papenfuse told TheBurg that the move was prompted by the city’s loss of confidence in CRW’s ability to manage complex infrastructure projects, as well as his objection to a proposed stormwater fee, which CRW hopes to implement beginning Jan. 1.

“This [request for information] is to explore interest,” he said. “We may or may not decide to do it.”

In its statement, CRW defended its actions since its formation more than six years ago, when it took control of the city’s water and sewer system from the discredited Harrisburg Authority.

“Since 2013, Capital Region Water has been working to advance a plan that is fair and equitable to ratepayers while also meeting state and federal regulatory clean water requirements,” CRW said. “And we’re making progress. You can see investments and improvements made in every corner of our city and throughout our system regionally.”

CRW expects to spend more than $300 million over the next 20 years to meet EPA-mandated improvements to reduce the flow of wastewater and pollution into area waterways. The utility is currently under a federal consent decree to stem pollutants.

Perhaps most visibly, CRW has implementing catch basins and green areas around storm drains as part of the 3^rd Street corridor project.

“We need to build on this good work and continue with a community-based approach that restores our failing infrastructure, improves the health of our local waterways, and beautifies neighborhoods across Harrisburg and surrounding communities,” according to the statement. “As we always do, we look forward to working with the mayor and city council on our shared priority to ensure our communities grow and thrive.”

Read the city’s request for information.

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