You Stayed Where? In central PA, make your hotel part of the attraction.

May 31, 2019 | by Gina Napoli

At one time, the American landscape was dotted with quirky hotels, which often shared a theme with an area’s attraction. For instance, outside of Washington, D.C., a motel called the White House was shaped like, well, the White House.

In recent decades, many of these unique lodgings have disappeared, remodeled due to changing tastes or abandoned altogether.

Several, though, still can be found in Lancaster County, heightening the tourist experience for visitors who want something beyond the blandness of the usual chains.

Red Caboose Motel

The Red Caboose Motel is nestled along the Strasburg Railroad tracks in Ronks, Pa. Perfect for train enthusiasts, it doesn’t get any more hobo chic than sleeping in an actual train car.

The word “motel” may conjure a certain image, but don’t be dissuaded. The motel has a camping-trip kind of feel—family-friendly, with children weaving around yard ornaments, playground equipment and clothesline poles. Chances are, the kids are making their own fun, just waiting to wave at passing train passengers.

The rooms are simply appointed, yet comfortable, with many updates for family stays.

Most of the sleeper train cars are cabooses, although you can book a more spacious mail or baggage car. Why so many cabooses? According to the motel’s written history, the founder, on a whim in 1969, placed a bid on 19 surplus cabooses from the Pennsylvania Railroad. The idea to rent them out grew from there. Appropriately, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania and the Strasburg Railroad are two of the closest attractions.

But you don’t even have to leave the 10 acres of the motel grounds to find fun activities or stick-to-your-ribs food. On site, you’ll discover a petting zoo, a silo transformed into an observation tower and Amish buggy rides. Situated in two dining cars is a PA Dutch-style diner, appropriately named Casey Jones’ Restaurant.

The Red Caboose Motel is located at 312 Paradise Lane, Ronks. For more information, call 717-687-5000 or visit www.redcaboosemotel.com.

Fulton Steamboat Inn

Finding a steamboat-shaped hotel in Lancaster County may seem odd at first. But it does make sense if you flip through your American history textbook.

Robert Fulton, inventor of the steamboat, was born in the southeastern part of the county in 1765. His invention transformed transportation in the early 1800s and directly led to the concept of the floating hotel—that is, the modern cruise ship.

The inn hearkens back to the golden age of river boating, and you have a choice of two room themes: nautical or Victorian. The period-style décor features fussy drapes, intricate woodcarvings, wrought iron embellishments and somber patterns. Depending on where you are in the hotel, you may be in a room with wavy walls.

In a nod to Fulton himself, the hotel is situated on the water (sort of)—a little pond with Adirondack chairs along the bank. If you’re like me and like to watch things happen while you sit in those chairs, the pond contains a fountain, koi and ducks. On the right night, you can stare at the fire pit along the shore. If you’re feeling more active, there is a walking trail and a ship-shaped playground for the kids.

The Fulton Steamboat Inn is located at Routes 30 & 896, Lancaster. For more information, call 717-299-9999 visit www.fultonsteamboatinn.com.

Tiny Estates

Tiny Estates is more unconventional than unusual, but it still offers far more interest than a night in your average Hampton Inn. Newly built, the Elizabethtown complex is perfect for camping or glamping (glamorous-plus-camping), a writer’s getaway retreat or to test drive minimalist living.

You may already be familiar with the tiny house movement due to programming on channels like HGTV. Just how tiny? The smallest micro-house is the Alfa, measuring 140 square feet. That rental is for one or two people. Some cabin models, up to 400 square feet, can fit six people.

“Most people who stay in a tiny home find it liberating,” said Amy Schaefer, administrative assistant at Tiny Estates. “Many people who take our tour are researching to see if they could go tiny.”

Inside the tiny homes, you will find creative design foldout features, putting you in mind of a Swiss army knife on wheels. For example, you might find vertical ladders to loft bedrooms instead of stairs. If you do find a staircase, there are drawers or cubbies inside or under them. Doors slide instead of swivel. One unit even has a Murphy bed.

There were no closets or secret compartments under floorboards, like those on HGTV. But guests will find homey amenities similar to a boutique hotel, plus some common areas to spread out a little. Property amenities include a hot tub, fire pit, games and entertainment area and fishing from the retention pond.

Tiny Estates has been growing quickly since its debut in early 2018. When the property first opened, there were a handful of houses along dirt roads. Now there are 32 houses of various styles and improvements like paved roads, stones (to lessen the mud) and an electronic gate. Future plans include a privacy fence and a community room for entertaining larger parties.

Tiny Estates is located at 867 Schwanger Rd., Elizabethtown. For more information, call 717-715-0030 or visit www.tiny-estates.com.

Musical Notes: Warm Ways

May 31, 2019 | by Kait Gibboney

With the long, warm days, excellent (often outdoors) entertainment is easy to find around the Burg this month. I’m very excited about our featured performances, but it’s hard to choose, given all of the other quality entertainment.

Two Celtic performance pairs, known as DuoDuo, combine the unique talents of percussive dancing, harp, cello and acoustic guitar on one stage at the Abbey Bar. Rapper Robert Van Winkle, better known by his stage name Vanilla Ice, rose to popularity from his hit single “Ice Ice Baby,” and he’s bringing his Billboard-charted talent to XL Live.

Featured last month, the Legendary Performers of Doo-Wop, Soul and Rock N’ Roll featuring Bobby Brooks Wilson will be here for one night only on June 2 at the Scottish Rite, so be sure not to miss out. The Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet is featuring its “Founder’s Series” from June 19 through June 22, showing five unique and unforgettable performances of classics and new works.

And it doesn’t get more Harrisburg than the Pride of the Susquehanna, which has set sail for a 31st season. Many exciting shows are scheduled for the iconic riverboat through autumn, including Indian Summer Jars on June 12.

If you’re bored in the Burg and looking for some excitement, you’ve definitely come to the right place.

MEN WITHOUT HATS, 6/7, 7PM, XL LIVE, $15
If you’re a fan of ‘80s music like I am, you’ve got to catch this iconic performance. Returning to the pop scene, Men Without Hats will set shop in Harrisburg’s hottest venue, XL Live. Originally from Quebec, the Canadian new wave group was active and popular from the mid-‘70s to the early ‘90s. Lead singer Ivan Doroschuk re-formed the group in 2010 and released an album in 2012, “Love in the Age of War.” Check out their new, yet familiar, sound during the performance of this album, which is partly inspired by early ‘80s music that hearkens back to the time of their mega-hit song, “Safety Dance.” If you, like me, happened to learn the safety dance at some point in your life, this is the perfect opportunity to bust it out.

MOON HOOCH, 6/12, 8PM, THE ABBEY BAR, $12
Anything’s possible when it comes to music, especially if you have the talent and drive to make it happen, and Moon Hooch has tons of both. Catch the captivating performances of drummer James Muschler and saxophonists Mike Wilbur and Wenzl McGowen for one of the most unique performances to hit our city. Getting their starts while attending the New School for Jazz & Contemporary Music and first performing on New York City subway platforms, the trio has come a long way. They’ve toured with groups like They Might Be Giants and Lotus, eventually toured solo for a few albums, and even were featured on the NPR “Tiny Desk Concert” series. They’ve been reviewed by NY Mag and the NY Post, praised for their energetic and funky sounds. Their second album, “This is Cave Music,” reached number five on the Billboard jazz albums chart. Catch some of their musical fever at the Abbey Bar.

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE, 6/19, 7:30PM, RIVERFRONT PARK, $40
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t extremely excited for this show. It’s official: Death Cab for Cutie is coming to Harrisburg’s own Riverfront Park! This alt-rock band from Washington state was originally a solo project by frontman Ben Gibbard, a multi-talented vocalist, guitarist and pianist. Eventually, the concept grew into a full band with Death Cab’s premiere album, “Something About Airplanes,” in 1998. A favorite of many millennials like myself, their soft, indie emo rock style won people over across the country. Their most recent studio album, “Thank You for Today,” was released in late 2018. Here’s hoping that their performance in the park includes a bit of the old and a bit of the new. Gates open at 6 p.m. on the south end of Riverfront Park, across from UPMC Pinnacle Hospital.

Mentionables:

DuoDuo, June 2, The Abbey Bar;

Legendary Performers of Doo-Wop, Soul and Rock N’ Roll, June 2, Scottish Rite;

Nita Strauss, June 7, H*MAC Stage on Herr;

Vanilla Ice, June 8, XL Live;

Indian Summer Jars, June 12, Pride of the Susquehanna;

Wolfpac, June 21, H*MAC Stage on Herr

May News Digest

May 31, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Challengers Sweep School Board Incumbents

Voter turnout may have been light, but the impact on Harrisburg could be huge, as challengers for city school board swept the Democratic primary last month.

The four challengers on the reformist slate known as C.A.T.C.H. (Concerned About the Children of Harrisburg) were all victorious: Gerald Welch, Jayne Buchwach, Steven Williams and Doug Thompson Leader. Challenger James Thompson, a former member of the school board, also picked up a nomination for one of the five, four-year seats at stake.

All four incumbents lost, some by a lot: Lola Lawson, Ellis R. Roy, Lionel Gonzalez and Patricia Whitehead-Myers. Three other challengers, Lewis Butts Jr., Cory X. Williams and Ralph Rodriguez, failed to secure nominations.

The victorious challengers had all run campaigns broadly critical of the policies of the current school board majority and the district administration led by Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney.

“This feels gratifying. It feels like mission accomplished,” said Buchwach, the top vote-getter for city school board. “But it’s not my win. It’s a win for Harrisburg, and that’s what feels great to me.”

Buchwach said that, once seated, the new board would have to get to work improving the district’s finances, bettering its academics and rebuilding trust with residents.

“We have to be transparent. We have to be accountable in everything we do,” she said. “We have to tell the citizens of Harrisburg, ‘This is what we will do and why.’”

No Republicans ran in the primary election for Harrisburg school board, meaning that the winners likely will prevail in the general election in November.

In the six-person race for Harrisburg City Council, incumbents Westburn Majors, Dave Madsen and Danielle Bowers easily won nomination for three, four-year seats, defeating challengers Christina Kostelecky, Dionna Reeves and Brianna Smith.

No Republicans ran in the primary, meaning that the winners likely will prevail during the general election in November.

In Dauphin County, incumbent commissioners Jeff Haste and Mike Pries ran unopposed for the two Republican nominations. On the Democratic side, incumbent George Hartwick won a spot on the November ballot, as did challenger Diane Bowman, who prevailed over challenger Tom Connolly.

In the general election, voters will select three commissioners from the two Republican and two Democratic nominees.

For other county offices, all of the Republican incumbents had no competition in their primaries, so won nomination: District Attorney Fran Chardo, Sheriff Nick Chimienti, Clerk of Courts Dale Klein, Recorder of Deeds Jim Zugay, Treasurer Janis Creason, Controller Timothy DeFoor and Register of Wills/Clerk of Orphans’ Court Jean Marfizo King.

On the Democratic side, four candidates ran unopposed and therefore won their party’s nominations: Cole Goodman for Recorder of Deeds, Brad Koplinski for Clerk of Courts, Tim Butler for Treasurer and Bridget Whitley for Register of Wills/Clerk of Orphans’ Court.

The general election is slated for Nov. 5.

School Tax Hike Proposed

For a second straight year, Harrisburg property owners would see their tax bills shoot up under a proposed budget by the city school administration.

The district is proposing a 3.4-percent tax hike that would increase the millage rate from 28.8 mills to 29.78 mills.

The average city homeowner, with a median property value of $42.800, would see the school portion of their property tax bill increase by $41.91, according to budget data. The hike would raise $1.37 million for the district.

Property taxes support about one-quarter of the district’s annual budget, with the remainder originating from a variety of other taxes and fees, as well as state and federal government support.

“I don’t agree with raising taxes to make up for the budget shortfall,” said board member Carrie Fowler, who added that she opposes the proposed budget. “We’ve been taxed enough. We don’t need to be taxed more for this over-bloated administration.”

The $155.5 million proposed budget for the 2019-20 school year is about $5 million more than the current, 2018-19 budget and about $9 million more than the 2017-18 budget.

The greatest increases in expenses originate from faculty pay and retirement contributions. The district, which has 6,540 K-12 students and 936 faculty and staff, also proposes dipping into its reserve (savings), reducing that fund by some $3 million.

Last year, school property taxes rose 3.6 percent, the maximum amount allowable under state law.

5-Year Plan Unveiled

Harrisburg officials last month dug into the details of a proposed, five-year financial plan for the city, a critical step to fulfill a state mandate and ultimately exit Act 47.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse made a presentation of what he called a “responsible” long-range budget, which assumes “no significant growth” in the city’s tax base, yielding a flat operating budget of about $64 million through 2023.

“This is, in my opinion, a fiscally responsible plan,” he said. “It doesn’t call for the raising of taxes.”

The commonwealth required Harrisburg to draft a five-year financial plan as part of legislation passed last year that allowed the city to retain its elevated local services and earned income tax rates for another five years.

That plan must be approved by the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (ICA), the state-created body tasked with overseeing the city’s financial recovery.

After the budget plan passes muster, both the ICA and City Council must approve an Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement. Papenfuse said that he hoped that step would occur by early July, before council takes its traditional six-week summer recess.

At that point, the city would be able to exit Act 47, the state’s program for financially distressed municipalities, Papenfuse said. The city has been in the program since 2010.

While revenues are assumed to remain mostly flat over the five-year period, expenses are expected to increase by several million dollars per year, with the gap made up by tapping the city’s substantial fund balance.

Over the next five years, the fund balance is projected to decrease from the current $21 million to about $3.3 million, leveling out at about 5 percent of the operating budget, which, according to Papenfuse, is the city’s target level.

In recent years, the city has built up a large fund balance mostly by under-spending its budget over successive years.

HMAC Sale Pending

A major arts and entertainment venue in Harrisburg is poised to exit bankruptcy, in a move that promises to bring significant change to the House of Music, Arts & Culture (HMAC).

Judge Henry W. Van Eck, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, has approved the sale of the sprawling Midtown venue, its liquor license and other assets for $6 million to a new partnership called HMAC LLC. This will enable the current controlling entity—Bartlett, Traynor & London—to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Chuck London, a founding HMAC partner, is a minority owner in the new entity. His founding co-partners, Gary Bartlett and John Traynor, will have no ownership in the new company.

“I feel we’re at a turning point with the promise of a new beginning,” London said, in a telephone interview. “We need to take all the lessons we’ve learned from the past and make them our future.”

Bartlett, Traynor & London LLC entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy last August following a loss of business that Traynor blamed on a social media firestorm directed at the venue. He also said that the bankruptcy filing would allow the company to reorganize its finances in preparation for a sale.

Under the new ownership, Traynor said that he will step down as the day-to-day manager of HMAC, which, until a rebranding, was known as the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center. He expects to stay on for about six months to help with the transition and to help supervise a period of construction.

That construction will include the renovation of the basement level into a third music space, a rooftop deck and a “major facelift” to the front of the building, Traynor said. Much of the construction will be funded with a $1 million state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant that HMAC received in late 2017, he said.

“Now that we have new ownership, it’s going to be a bright new future for this building and for this community,” Traynor said.

In late 2007, Traynor, Bartlett and London purchased the former Harrisburg Jewish Community Center and Police Athletic Club building from the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority. At the time, the sprawling, 34,000-square-foot building had been long abandoned and was badly blighted.

A lengthy, costly renovation followed that eventually yielded the Stage on Herr bar and performance space on the lower level, a restaurant and bar on the main level and the spacious Capitol Room upstairs.

Area Home Sales Strong

The Harrisburg area’s housing market had a solid start to the spring buying season, as inventory dropped and prices crept up.

For April, the median sales price increased 2.9 percent to $180,000 from $175,000 in the year-ago period, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

The number of unit sales dropped to 573 from 623, which GHAR blamed on a lack of inventory. Indeed, “average days on market” dropped significantly, to 50 days from 67 days in April 2018, GHAR said.

In Dauphin County, the median sales price increased to $168,000 versus $156,450 in the year-ago period, while unit sales fell to 265 from 296, according to GHAR. In Cumberland County, the median price fell slightly, to $200,000 from $205,500, with sales falling to 281 units from 300 units in April 2018.

Perry County saw a significant increase in the median sales price, $189,900 compared to $160,000, while sales were flat at 27 units, GHAR said.

So Noted

Alexis Singleton-Robinson last month was named the recipient of the Harrisburg Area Civic Garden Center Inc. scholarship. A graduating senior of Sci-Tech High, she plans to attend North Carolina A&T State University.

Fredricksen Library cut the ribbon last month to its new lower-level entrance, which will allow easier access to the children’s library and public meeting rooms on the ground floor, according to the library. It also debuted its new, main-floor Business and Career Center @ Fredricksen, which will bring workshops, programming and technology assistance for employment and career goals. A final phase, a “reading plaza” on the Walnut Street side, should be completed this fall.

Harrisburg University last month named Jay Jayamohan as executive director for its new Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. An engineer, product manager and entrepreneur, Jayamohan brings more than 20 years of experience developing startup companies and tech products, according to HU.

Historic Harrisburg Association last month named two new members to its board of directors: Dr. David Bronstein and Michael Waterloo. Bronstein has practiced medicine locally for more than 63 years and has served on numerous other nonprofit boards. Waterloo works as a content manager for Bravo Group. They join 17 other members of the board of HHA, which is dedicated to historic preservation, urban revitalization and smart growth.

Midtown Scholar Bookstore will be expanding into a nearby storefront located at 1324 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. Co-owner Catherine Lawrence said that she her husband, city Mayor Eric Papenfuse, purchased the long-time location of Fornwald’s Shades to house their discount book retail operations.

Orrstown Bank last month named Zachary “Zack” Khuri as its new executive vice president and market president for the Capital Region. In this role, he’s responsible for overseeing the bank’s business development and community engagement efforts throughout Dauphin and York counties, as well as the West Shore community in Cumberland County.

The Storm, Harrisburg University’s varsity e-sports team, captured the ESPN Overwatch National Championship trophy last month, defeating three other teams in the inaugural Collegiate Esports Championship. The victory closed out The Storm’s undefeated 33-0 season.

Three Mile Island plans to proceed with a plan to shut down the nuclear energy facility by Sept. 30. In a news release, TMI owner Excelon Generation stated that hoped-for legislative relief would not come in time to save the plant, which is located in Londonderry Township.

In Memoriam
Edward “Naed” Smith Jr., the long-time manager of the St. Martin de Porres Catholic Worker House in Harrisburg, died suddenly last month. Smith, 52, was born in Wilkes-Barre, where he began his career advocating for social justice and serving the poor. He moved to Harrisburg more than 20 years ago, serving the Allison Hill community and anyone who needed help. Friends are encouraged to make contributions in his memory to the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 1439 Market St., Harrisburg, Pa., 17103, or to the St. Martin de Porres Catholic Worker House, 1440 Market St., Harrisburg, Pa., 17103.

Changing Hands

Berryhill St., 2306: Jiang Brothers Realty LLC to D. Dang, $43,000

Brookwood St., 2610: University Park Plaza Corp. to Harrisburg Mini Storage LLC, $239,000

Briggs St., 1941: V. Rivas to A. Reyes & F. Narvaez, $65,000

Crescent St. 243: M. Redding to ICE Properties LLC, $32,500

Cumberland St., 261, 263 & 265: J&S Estates to A. Himalaya PA II LLC, $355,000

Delaware St., 263: R. & C. Steele to K. Chaney, $139,900

Derry St., 2505: C. Johnson to M. Ousley, $62,000

Fulton St., 1726: R. & K. Lloyd to T. Reinhart, $110,000

Fulton St., 1939: R. Bowman to Wells Fargo Bank NA, $65,985

Graham St., 304: S. Walther to J. & K. Pianka, $120,000

Green St., 1114 & 221 Sassafras St.: L. & L. Raver to R. Snyder, $148,000

Green St., 1117: PNC Bank NA to A. Nebbou & C. Myers, $55,500

Green St., 1804: C. & R. Stevens to S. Serafini, $140,000

Green St., 2031: WCI Partners LP to M. & M. Doughty, $237,000

Green St., 2046: M. Hochberg to HAMR Property Services LLC, $108,000

Greenwood St., 2239: AADE RML LLC to Rental Link LLC, $33,100

Hamilton St., 232: A. & M. Fretz to J. Serra Jr., $164,900

Hamilton St., 336: S. Heredia to J. Pierre, $35,000

Herr St., 312: M. Kraemer to M. Harris, $133,000

Hudson St., 1131: R9 Holdings to T. Smarsh, $45,000

Lewis St., 228: C. Moss Trust to J. & C. Bisel Trust, $68,500

Logan St., 2222: Jakk B Ventures LLC to B. & K. Saltzgiver, $44,250

Logan St., 2235: Jakk B Ventures LLC to B. & K. Saltzgiver, $44,250

Logan St., 2305: Jakk B Ventures LLC to B. & K. Saltzgiver, $44,250

Logan St., 2157: Jakk B Ventures LLC to B. & K. Saltzgiver, $44,250

Maclay St., 324: R. & S. Keller to J Elias Holdings LLC, $37,500

Market St., 1903: Federal National Mortgage Assoc. to CAR Property Holdings LLC, $62,000

Market St., 2019: T. & T. Black to Harrisburg Community Partners LLC, $140,000

Market St., 2101: E Street Properties LLC to C. Good & B. Mengel, $60,000

Muench St., 273: WCI Partners LP to S. Eicher, $143,000

N. 2^nd St., 1205: L. Smith to S. & J. Toole, $80,000

N. 2^nd St., 1611: A. Skocik to S. & J. Toole, $140,000

N. 2^nd St., 1708: J. Seigle to Harrisburg Redevelopment Group LLC, $176,000

N. 2^nd St., 1710: G. Miller to Harrisburg Redevelopment Group LLC, $182,700

N. 2^nd St., 2522: A. Graham & J. Hays to G. Narehood, $120,500

N. 4^th St., 1911: M. Demeo to D. Bukowski, $80,000

N. 4^th St., 2428: D. Leaman to A. Norris, $51,500

N. 4^th St., 2635: Jhonleo Home Renovations LLC to A. Sload & M. Drake, $121,000

N. 6^th St., 2500, 2502 & 2504: J. & E. Cooper to Harvest DCP of Pennsylvania LLC, $750,000

N. 6^th St., 3203: Premier Property Solutions LLC to Wylie and Wylie Enterprise LLC, $41,000

N. 14^th St., 228: J. Johnson to G. Brown, $47,000

N. 15^th St., 1609: Cama Sidra LLC FBO Shirley Mitrovich IRA to T. & D. Yuncker, $49,000

N. 16^th St., 805: Premier Property Solutions LLC to M. Temba, $39,738

N. 17^th St., 29: D. & L. Godoy to S. Mercado, $39,485

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 405: S. Freet to C. Crago, $153,000

N. Front St., 1701: R. Simons & T. Bissey to 1701 N Front LLC, $350,000

Penn St., 1908: K. Smyth & D. Smith to T. Palmieri & S. Russell, $172,500

Penn St., 2119: G. Neff to DHS Team LLC, $40,000

Race St., 568: E. Fultz to Green Book Enterprises LLC, $142,100

Rudy Rd., 2406: P. & R. Brehm to J. Cruz & C. Proctor, $195,000

Rudy Rd., 2482: N. Wright to F. Sisuc, $52,000

Rumson Dr., 2965: Reverse Mortgage Solutions Inc. to T. Jones, $52,900

Shellis St., 2102: A. Bintavihok to E. Lillo, $52,000

S. 13^th St., 330: A. & R. Stoltzfus to S. Fisher, $35,000

S. 13^th St., 421: B. Nguyen to D. Nguyen, $34,000

S. 16^th St., 943: L. & D. Burkhart to Dowling Management Co. LLC, $35,250

S. 17^th St., 137: D. Peffley Sr. to WH RE LLC, $230,000

S. 25^th St., 434: T. Thompson to W. & C. Eubanks, $95,000

S. 26^th St., 633: M. Tucci to Q. & L. Tran, $75,000

State St., 1510: J. Ansell to Shizzymac 717 Homes LLC, $36,000

Susquehanna St., 2246: University Park Plaza Corp. to Harrisburg Mini Storage LLC, $114,500

Swatara St., 2039: J. Stoltzfus to JPC Property LLC, $49,350

Sycamore St., 1705: K. Jarrett to C. Faicon, $38,000

Waldo St., 2610: W. Foutres to Tassia Corp., $35,000

Walnut St., 120 & 122: Tang & Perkins Property Management LLC to A. Himalaya PA II LLC, $455,000

Zarker St., 1423: T. Freeman & Habitat for Humanity to C. Waters, $64,000

Games Seniors Play: Central PA makes its presence known at the National Senior Games.

May 31, 2019 | by Don Helin

Elaine Eichner, Heide Moebius, Ben Hawn, Pam Schorr and Bob Locke.

What do a retired electrical engineer, a school teacher, a corporate insurance manager, an office manager and an export executive have in common?

They all live in central PA, are over 60, and are very athletic.

In fact, they’re so athletic that they’re part of the Pennsylvania delegation to the National Senior Games, which will be held this month in New Mexico.

Sixty-one-year-old Ben Hawn, a retired electrical engineer, recently moved from Louisiana to Lancaster to be near his family.

A veteran of 10 iron man triathlons, he competed in the 2017 Senior Games in Birmingham, Ala., and finished fifth. He qualified at the Pennsylvania State Games last year and is looking forward to participating in the national games in Albuquerque.

“I stay fit by doing three to four bike rides, three to four swims and four to five runs each week,” said Hawn. “Then I like to add a number of weekly strength sessions.”

This 19-sport, biennial competition for men and women aged 50 and older is the largest multi-sport event in the world for seniors, said Pam Schorr, wellness manager at Willow Valley Communities, a 55-plus community in Lancaster County that has a history of fielding senior athletes.

“Events range from tennis to track and field, and it’s a great way not only to stay in shape, but to make new friends,” she said.

Athletes vying to compete in the National Senior Games must first qualify at the state games held the preceding year. They must score in the top four of all participants in their sport at the state level or meet a qualifying standard.

For Pennsylvania residents, the state games were held in Wilkes-Barre last July, Schorr said.

“If a state doesn’t host a particular sport, for instance some track and field events, athletes can participate in another state games to qualify,” she said.

I Can Do That

Swimmer Bob Locke, 73, was a competitive swimmer in both high school and college. His competitive flame blew out during a busy career as a corporate insurance manager at Air Products and Chemicals Co., but lit back up again upon his retirement.

“I believe swimming saved my life,” he said. “I had a heart problem I wouldn’t normally have identified, but one day, while I was swimming, I felt a tightness in my chest. It turned out almost all of my arteries were blocked.”

It’s also improved his social life. At two different meets, he spotted old teammates from college. He hadn’t seen them for 40 years, but they’ve since reconnected.

Heide Moebius and her husband, Richard, came to the United States from Germany in 1960.

Heidi long enjoyed playing tennis and skiing, but, one day, decided to take up running, which became her competitive sport.

“One day, I came off the tennis court and saw someone running by,” she said. “I thought to myself, ‘I can do that.’”

Since then, Moebius has run in more than 700 races, including more than 100 half marathons and 10 full marathons, including the Boston Marathon. Husband Richard serves as her coach.

“I had on my bucket list to run the Athens ‘Authentic’ Marathon, which follows the first Greek marathon route of so many years ago,” Moebius said. “I entered and was proud to win in my age group just one day after my 80th birthday.

Since 1999, she has won 20 medals in senior games, but said that she’s “most proud” to have won three gold medals for the United States in the Masters World Championship in Poland.

A Few More

Elaine Eichner’s father was a well-known amateur tennis player who spent a great deal of time with his daughter, teaching her how to play tennis. She was a varsity tennis player all three years in high school.

As with many young athletes, tennis later took a back seat to raising a family and to work, in her case as an administrator in a dental office. In her senior years, she rediscovered her love for athletic competition.

“I was pleased to be a member of a women’s doubles team which ranked third at a United States tennis event in 2010,” said Eichner, 75.

She went to the Pennsylvania Games in 2018 and won six medals. This year, her fifth time at the National Senior Games, she hopes to win a few more.

Debbie Mink, 67, moved to Lancaster after retiring as a fourth-grade teacher. A long-time tennis player, she participated in the 2015 National Senior Games in Minneapolis.

“I qualified in both table tennis and tennis at the state games in York, so played in both in the Minneapolis games,” she said. “The competition is fierce, and I was proud that, in both events I made it through the first round, but was not able to go any farther.”

She’s now gearing up for the 2019 games.

“I’m hopeful that at the games in Albuquerque, I’ll be able to bring home a ribbon in table tennis,” she said.

The National Senior Games takes place June 14 to 25 in Albuquerque, N.M. For more information, visit www.nsga.com.

Sips & Sounds: At Fort Hunter, the wine is local, the music is country.

May 31, 2019 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

Music. Wine. Nature.

On a warm, early summer day, that combination can be fun, peaceful, relaxing—pick your adjective. And, most importantly, it’s one that can be enjoyed this month near the banks of the Susquehanna River.

For a 12th year, the Dauphin County Music & Wine Festival returns to Fort Hunter Park, this time stretching into a two-day celebration, with the music portion tweaked to emphasize country performers.

“This year, we’re putting a new twist on one of our most popular festivals and going country,” affirmed Jeff Haste, chairman of the county board of commissioners.

Scheduled musicians include recording artists Jay Allen and Josh Gracin. Allen is known for the song “Blank Stare,” which he wrote about his late mother who had Alzheimer’s disease. Gracin initially gained fame as a second-season finalist on television’s “American Idol” competition.

“Looking forward to playing the Dauphin County Music & Wine Festival,” Gracin said last month. “The PA crowd is always a high-energy crowd.”

Other scheduled performers include Chapel Hill Country Band, a Harrisburg country-rock cover ensemble; The Flat Wheels, native Perry County folk-rockers now based in Carlisle; and the Jess Zimmerman Band, country hard rock recording artists from Fayette County.

Also taking the weekend stage are central Pennsylvania’s Make Mine Country Band performing a self-described mix of classic country, old rock and roll, blues and gospel; country/pop artist Dion Pride, son of Country Music Hall of Fame’s Charley Pride; and Ward Hayden & The Outliers, a Johnny Cash-esque ensemble from Boston.

As the name of the festival implies, music is only half the story. Each year, the event attracts some of the best wineries in central Pennsylvania. Guests can enjoy five free samples, and bottles and cases will be available for sale.

This year’s participants include area wineries Armstrong Valley Vineyard & Winery, Broad Mountain Vineyard, Four Springs Winery, J&P Winery, Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery, Nissley Vineyards, Spring Gate Vineyard and the Vineyard at Hershey.

If you’re hungry, food vendors will offer a variety of fare, and craft artisans will have wares for sale. And, if wine isn’t your drink of choice, two local craft brewers will have beer available for purchase.

Dean Miller, an owner of Armstrong Valley Winery, said that his Halifax-based business has participated in the yearly festival “many times.”

“We like it because it’s local,” Miller said. “Lots of people go there, so it’s great exposure for us. We also like supporting the local businesses and Dauphin County Parks and Recreation.”

Michelle McKeown, assistant program director for Dauphin County Parks and Recreation, said that the annual festival has become more than a local event. It’s also become a tourist attraction, with many out-of-towners venturing to the Harrisburg area.

“We’ve seen an uptick of people coming to this [festival] from outside of the area,” she said.

McKeown cited visitors from places like Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Haste agreed that the county’s events have become an economic driver.

“Our summer concert series, including Music & Wine, not only showcases our beautiful parks but also brings a big economic boost to the region,” he said.

The Dauphin County Music & Wine Festival takes place June 8 and 9 at Fort Hunter Park, 5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg. Gates open at 3 p.m. each day. Weekend passes cost $35 in advance and $45 at the door. Patrons can bring their own coolers, picnic baskets and lawn chairs, but outside alcohol is not permitted. For more information, visit www.dauphincounty.org and www.forthunter.org.

Happenings: Our June Calendar of Events

May 31, 2019 | by Missy Smith

Museum & Art Spaces

AACA Museum
161 Museum Dr., Hershey
717-566-7100; aacamuseum.org

“Studebaker Cool: 114 Years of Innovation,” exploring South Bend, Indiana’s contribution to wheeled transportation,” through Oct. 20

“Harley-Davidson: History, Mythology and Perceptions of America’s Motorcycle,” through Oct. 20

“Raymond Loewy: A Retrospective,” an exhibit on the American industrial designer, who achieved fame for his design efforts, through Oct. 20

Art Association of Harrisburg
21 N. Front St., Harrisburg
717-236-1432; artassocofhbg.com

“91st Annual International Juried Show,” through June 20

“Free for All,” a membership and school show, June 29-July 19; reception, June 29, 5-8 p.m.

BrainVessel Gallery
4707 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg
717-350-2306; bvcargo.com

“Along the Painted Journey,” works by the Pennsylvania Watercolor Society Board of Directors, through June; receptions: June 7 and 8, 7 to 10 p.m.

Carlisle Arts Learning Center
38 W. Pomfret St., Carlisle
717-249-6973; carlislearts.org

“IMAGERY and FIELD,” an exhibition of contrasts with paintings by Mary Hochendoner and color field work by Maaike Heitkönig, through June 1

“Works and Working,” works by Arlyn Pettingell and Sharon Pierce McCullough, June 14-July 20; reception, June 14, 6:30 p.m.

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
717-737-5026; thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

Artist of the Month: David Thompson

Fort Hunter
5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg
717-599-5751; forthunter.org

“Needle Art Exhibit,” featuring the handiwork of local needle artists, through June 16

“Leisure Time Exhibit,” highlighting what the Reily family did for fun in their spare time as previous owners and residents of Fort Hunter, June to December

Gallery on the Square
Millersburg Area Art Association
226 Union St., Millersburg
Facebook: Gallery on the Square

“Teachers, More Than the 3 Rs,” showcasing the diversity and creativity of Millersburg Area Art Association educators, through June 22

“Membership Show & Gallery Student Show,” highlighting the art and craftwork of Millersburg Area Art Association class and workshop participants and association members, June 26-Aug. 3

Messiah College School of Arts
One College Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2511; messiah.edu

“Department of Art and Design Annual Juried Show 2018-2019,” through Sept. 6

The Millworks
340 Verbeke St., Harrisburg
717-695-4888; millworksharrisburg.com

New works by Tina Berrier, Yachiyo Beck, Lauren Castillo, John McNulty and Rachelle Lowe, through June 16

New works by Meg Caruso, Jonathan Bean, Mary Gelenser, Marsha Souders and Paul Vasiliades, June 18-July 14

New Cumberland Public Library
1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland
717-774-7820; newcumberlandlibrary.org

“Christy’s Creations,” an eclectic collection of artwork by Christy L. McKenna, through June; meet the artist: June 3, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Black-and-white prints and watercolor giclee prints of local scenes by Jennifer Burke (first floor showcase)

Pennsylvania National Fire Museum
1820 N. 4th St., Harrisburg
717-232-8915; pnfm.org

Exhibits dedicated to Pennsylvania firefighting history

Perry County Council of the Arts
Landis House, 67 N. 4th St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

“Big, Bigger, Biggest,” showcasing sculptures and large-scale original wall art in a variety of media, through June 1

“Class Reunion,” a showing of artwork by PCCA student award winners, interns and staff members of years past, and a special exhibit by Wanda Pines, June 14-Aug. 3; reception: June 14, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Perry County Council of the Arts
PCCA Gallery, 1 S. Second St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

“Clay—The Way of the Maker,” an exhibition featuring the work of the Central PA Potters, through June 1

“Homegrown,” a group showing of works in a variety of media by Perry County artists, June 7-Aug. 3; reception: June 14, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Pine Street Presbyterian Church
310 N. Third St., Harrisburg
pinestreet.org

“Summer Art Show,” through summer; opening: June 21, 7 to 9 p.m.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania
300 North St., Harrisburg
717-787-4980; statemuseumpa.org

“Pennsylvania at War: World War I Posters from the Pennsylvania State Archives,” through Dec. 29

“Pennsylvania at War: The Saga of the USS Pennsylvania,” through Dec. 29

“Art of the State,” the 52nd annual juried exhibition featuring Pennsylvania artists and craftspeople, June 23-Sept. 8; reception: June 23, 1-5 p.m.

Susquehanna Art Museum
1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-233-8668; sqart.org

“Picasso: A Life in Print,” highlighting 1904-1970 works of Pablo Picasso from the collection of the John Szoke Gallery, NYC, June 8-Sept. 22

“Explore: Archives & Collections,” an investigation of archives and collections in the S. Wilson and Grace M. Pollock Education Center Gallery, through Aug. 11

“Inspired: Contemporary Responses to a Legacy of Courage,” through Aug. 18

The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; artsmu.com

“Expanded Visions: Lancaster Summer Arts Festival,” June 7-28

Wildwood Park
100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg
717-221-0292; wildwoodlake.org

“Art In The Wild,” naturally inspired trailside creations along Wildwood Park’s wandering trails and wetlands, through Oct. 31

Zeroday Brewing Co.
250 Reily St., Harrisburg
717-745-6218; zerodaybrewing.com

Art gallery by Nate Demuro, through June 20

Art gallery by Gretchen Gross, June 21-July 18

Read, Make, Learn

BrainVessel Gallery
4707 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg
717-350-2306; bvcargo.com

June 12, 19: Create Your Own Creatures 2-Day class, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
June 19: Make-a-Face Mug, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Carlisle Arts Learning Center
38 W. Pomfret St., Carlisle
717-249-6973; carlislearts.org

June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Upcycled, Sustainable Fashion, 5 Saturdays, 12-2 p.m.
June 3-7: “Mix It Up” Summer Camp (ages 5-12), 8:30-11:30 a.m.
June 3-7, June 24-28: Art & Adventure Camp (ages 9-14), 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
June 4, 11, 18, 25: Illustrative Impressionism—Portraiture, 4 Tuesdays, 6-8 p.m.
June 5, 12, 19, 26: Impressionist Landscapes in Watercolor, 4 Wednesdays, 5-7:30 p.m.
June 10-14: “Under the Sea” Camp (ages 5-12), 8:30-11:30 a.m.
June 10-14: “Dance Me a Story” Camp w/ Central PA Youth Ballet (ages 3-7), 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 10-14: “I Ink I Can, I Ink I Can!” Camp (ages 5-12), 1-4 p.m.
June 11, 18, 25: Basic and Continuing Ceramics, 3 Tuesdays, 6-8 p.m.
June 17-21: Cartoons & Movie Camp, 8:30-11:30 a.m.
June 17-21: “WaterWorks” Camp (ages 5-12), 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
June 21: Craft Beer & Clay, 7 p.m.
June 24-28: “FiBear Arts” Camp (ages 5-12), 8:30-11:30 a.m.
June 26: “Set The Table” Ceramic Workshop, 6-8 p.m.
June 29: Fun with “FiBear Arts” Adult Camp, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
717-737-5026; thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

June 7: “Meet The Millworks” Tapas & Beer Tasting, 6:30-9:30 p.m.
June 14: “Grilling Favorites,” 6:30-9:30 p.m.
June 21: “Fresh From the Dock,” 6:30-9:30 p.m.

East Shore Area Library
4501 Ethel St., Harrisburg
717-652-9380; dcls.org

June 4: Hubble Telescope, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
June 6: Internet Fundamentals, 6-7:30 p.m.
June 9: “A Starry Night” Painting, 1-3 p.m.
June 18: Bank on Your Success—Banking Basics, 4-6 p.m.
June 20: Device Club, 1-2:30 p.m.
June 25: Friends of East Shore Area Library Meeting, 9:30-11:15 a.m.
June 30: eReader Resources, 1-2:30 p.m.

Elizabethtown Public Library
10 S. Market St., Elizabethtown
717-367-7467; etownpubliclibrary.org

June 1, 15: Cards & Coffee, 10 a.m.
June 1, 15, 29: Family LEGO Club, 11 a.m.
June 4, 11, 18, 25: Cards & Coffee, 9:15 a.m.
June 4, 11, 18, 25: Evening Cards & Coffee, 6:30 p.m.
June 13, 27: Community Knitters, 6 p.m.

Fort Hunter
5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg
717-599-5751; forthunter.org

June 29: Native Americans Along the Susquehanna, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Fredricksen Library
100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill
717-761-3900; fredricksenlibrary.org

June 4: Curl up with the Classics—“A Grief Observed,” 10 a.m.
June 5: Moving Forward Book Group w/ Hospice of Central PA, 1 p.m.
June 6, 20: Blood Pressure Screenings w/ UPMC Pinnacle, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
June 6, 13, 20, 27: The Plot Twisters (ages 15-18), 6:30 p.m.
June 7: Youth Chess Night, 6:30 p.m.
June 8: Community Plant Swap, 1:30 p.m.
June 9: Summer Reading Kickoff—A Universe of Stories, 1-4 p.m.
June 10-Aug. 2: Summer Drop-In Story Times (under 3 years old), 9:30 a.m.
June 10-Aug. 2: Summer Drop-In Story Times (over 3 years old), 10:30 a.m.
June 10-Aug. 5: Teen Summer Movies, 6:30 p.m.
June 10: Twisted Stitchers, 6:30 p.m.
June 10, 24: Teen Makerspace Drop-In (ages 12-18), 4-6 p.m.
June 11: Djembe—African Drum Circle, 10:30 a.m.
June 14, 28: Foreign Film Friday, 2 and 7 p.m.
June 21: Family Movie Night, 6:30 p.m.
June 24: Fredricksen Reads—“Becoming Mrs. Lewis,” 7 p.m.
June 25: Jesse the Reptile Guy, 10:30 a.m.
June 26: Stranger Things Party (ages 12-18), 3 p.m.

Gallery on the Square
Millersburg Area Art Association
226 Union St., Millersburg
Facebook: Gallery on the Square

June 29-30: Pet Portraits in Watercolor, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Harrisburg Improv Theatre
1633 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
hbgimprov.com

June 10-July 29: Character Level 2, Mondays, 7-10 p.m.

Hershey Area Art Association (HAAA)
40 Northeast Dr., Hershey
hersheyart.org

June 11-13: The Art of Collage, 1-4 p.m.

Hershey Public Library
701 Cocoa Ave., Hershey
717-533-6555; hersheylibrary.org

June 4-27: Penn State Hershey—Mothers & Babies Together, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m.
June 7: Children’s Summer Quest Kick-off Open House, 11 a.m.
June 7: Dungeons and Dragons, 2 p.m.
June 8: 2nd Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
June 12, 19, 26: Next Generation Yoga for Teens, 3 p.m.
June 17, 24: Book and Babies, 9:30 a.m.
June 17, 24: Book Buddies, 10 a.m.
June 17, 19, 24, 26: Chewsy Readers, 12:15 a.m.
June 18, 25: 1, 2 Whee!, 10 a.m.
June 18, 25: Terrific Tuesday, 1 p.m.
June 18, 25: Children’s Program, 1 p.m.
June 19, 26: Sensory 1, 2, Whee!, 10 a.m.
June 19, 26: Teen Time, 1:30 p.m.
June 19, 26: Furry Tales, 6:30 p.m.

June 20, 27: LEGO Club, 1:30 p.m.
June 21: Play Day for Families, 10 a.m.
June 24: Central PA Blood Drive, 3 p.m.
June 28: Movie and a Craft—“Wonder,” 10 a.m.

Joseph T. Simpson Public Library
16 N. Walnut St, Mechanicsburg
717-766-0171; simpsonlibrary.org

June 3, 17: Monday Morning Board Games, 10-11:30 a.m.
June 4, 11, 18: Tea & Stitches, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 4: Tabletop Games, 6-8 p.m.
June 5: Elder Care: Part 2, 7-8:30 p.m.
June 6: Learn to Knit/Crochet, 7-8 p.m.
June 6, 13, 27: Mah Jongg, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
June 10: iPad/iPhone Beginners, 1-3 p.m.
June 10, 24: English Conversation Group, 6:30-8 p.m.
June 12: Mad About Mysteries, 7-8 p.m.
June 17: Monday Night Book Club, 7-8 p.m.
June 19: SciFi Book Club, 7-9 p.m.
June 22: DollyCon, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
June 25: Tea & Stitches, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
June 26: Apple Users Group, 1-3 p.m.
June 26: Yoga for Beginners, 7-8 p.m.
June 27: Thursday Morning Book Club, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Kline Library
530 S. 29th St., Harrisburg
717-234-3934; dcls.org

June 8: 2nd Catan Tournament, 1-4:30 p.m.
June 12: Internet Fundamentals, 5-6:30 p.m.
June 13: Make Your Own Telescope, 2-3:30 p.m.
June 20: Friends of Kline Library Meeting, 6:30-8 p.m.
June 26: Knit 1, Crochet Too! 6-8 p.m.

The LGBT Center of Central PA
1306 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-920-9534; centralpalgbtcenter.org

June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Passageways—Trans and Non-Binary Group, 2-4 p.m.
June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Common Roads Young Adult, 4-6 p.m.
June 5, 12, 19, 26: Common Roads Youth, 6-8 p.m.
June 8: Queer & Trans People of Color Advisory, 6-8 p.m.

Madeline L. Olewine Memorial Library
2410 North 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-232-7286; dcls.org

June 5: Dungeons and Dragons, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
June 6: Banking Basics, 4-6 p.m.
June 10: Astronomy Trivia, 6-7 p.m.
June 10, 17, 24: Video Game Club, 4-5 p.m.
June 17: Cookbook Book Club—Pop Culture Cooking, 6-7 p.m.

McCormick Riverfront Library
101 Walnut St., Harrisburg
717-234-4976; dcls.org

June 4: Bank on Your Success—Banking Basics, 4-6 p.m.
June, 5, 12, 19, 26: Mid-Day Getaway, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
June 21: Alien Felties, 6-8 p.m.
June 25: Device Club, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Middletown Public Library
20 N. Catherine St., Middletown
717-944-6412; middletownpubliclib.org

June 3, 10, 17, 24: STEM Club, 5:30-7 p.m.
June 4, 11, 18, 25: Storytime and Craft, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
June 4, 11, 18, 25: Tales with T.A.I.L.S., 6-7 p.m.
June 4, 18, 25: Family Yoga, 6-7 p.m.
June 6, 13, 20, 27: LEGO Club, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
June 7, 14, 21, 28: Science Fiction Book Club (meets online)
June 8: Summer Reading Kick-off, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
June 12, 19, 26: Summer Reading—Other Worlds Wednesdays, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
June 28: Trivia Night, 7-8 p.m.

Midtown Scholar Bookstore-Café
1302 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-236-1680; midtownscholar.com

June 4: An Evening w/ Jericho Brown, 7-9 p.m.
June 6, 13, 20, 27: Almost Uptown Poetry Cartel, 7 p.m.
June 7, 14, 28: Nathaniel Gadsden’s Spoken Word Café, 7 p.m.
June 8: An Evening w/David Epstein, 7-9 p.m.
June 12: An Evening w/Bernice Hausman, 7 p.m.
June 16: LGBT Book Club, 4:30 p.m.
June 18: An Evening w/Casey Cep, 7-9 p.m.
June 22: An Evening w/Randi Hutter Epstein, 7-9 p.m.

The Millworks
340 Verbeke St., Harrisburg
717-695-4888; millworksharrisburg.com

June 1-2: Acrylic Abstract Painting 2-Day Workshop, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
June 8, 9: Fluid Art Class, 12-2:30 p.m.
June 22: Wine and Tine Modern Calligraphy Workshop, 1-4 p.m.

The Movement Center
2134 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg
717-238-0357; themovementcenter.net

June 9: Community Beginner Yoga Class, 10 a.m.

National Civil War Museum
One Lincoln Circle, Harrisburg
717-260-1861; nationalcivilwarmuseum.org

June 8: “Mississippi and the Care of Confederate Veterans,” 1-2 p.m.

Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg
717-692-3699; nedsmithcenter.org

June 1: Fishing for Families, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
June 8: A Dose of Vitamin N(ature), 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 25: Smoothies and Smocks, 1:30-4 p.m.
June 27: Smoothies and Smocks, 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

New Cumberland Public Library
1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland
717-774-7820; newcumberlandlibrary.org

June 6: Ruth’s Mystery Discussion Group, 10:15 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 7-Aug. 8: Summer Reading for Adults
June 7-Aug. 8: “A Universe of Stories” Summer Learning Program
June 8: Write-On Writer’s Workshop, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
June 10: Fun with My Gym! (ages 3-5), 10:30 a.m.
June 11: Fun with My Gym!, (ages 1-2) 11:15 a.m.
June 11, 25: Family Movie Night, 6:30 p.m.
June 12, 26: Wednesday Great Books Discussion Group, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
June 12-July 31: Ready for K!, 10:15-11:45 a.m.
June 13, 20, 27: Thursday Family Entertainment, 10:30 am.
June 14: Teen Library After Hours, 6:30-8 p.m.
June 15: Couponing for Extreme Savings, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 15: Children’s Book Writers Critique Group, 2-4 p.m.
June 17: Kindergym (ages 3-5), 10:30 a.m., 11:15 a.m.
June 17: Maker Mania! (ages 8-14), 4-6 p.m.
June 18: Kindertots (age 2), 10:30 a.m.
June 18: VanGo! Museum on Wheels—Special FX, 1-2 p.m.
June 18: Tales for T.A.I.L.S., 6:30-7:30 p.m.
June 20: Teen Gaming Hour, 3-4 p.m.
June 24: Peaceful Poses Kids Yoga (ages 3-6), 10:30 a.m.
June 24: Family Game Night, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
June 25: Build & Play (6-24 months), 11:15 a.m.
June 26: PennWriters Writing Group, 6-9 p.m.
June 28: Mommy & Me Music, 10:30 a.m.
June 28: Library After Hours—Family String Art, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Palmyra Public Library
50 Landings Dr., Annville
717-838-1347; palmyra.lclibs.org

June 10: Book Club Meeting, 6:30-8 p.m.
June 10, 17, 24: Monday Family Program, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 11-27: Little Explorers Story Times
June 14, 21, 28: Makerspace Friday, 1-2:30 p.m.

Perry County Council of the Arts
Landis House, 67 N. 4th St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

June 1: Drop-In Art, 1-4 p.m.

Pine Street Presbyterian Church
310 N. Third St., Harrisburg
717-238-9304; pinestreet.org

June 8: Shawl Ministry, 10 a.m.

Rockhill Trolley Museum
430 Meadow St., Rockhill Furnace
814-447-9576; rockhilltrolley.org

June 1: Aughwick Antique Tractor Ride & Show, 11 a.m.-4:15 p.m.
June 8-9: Johnstown Car Days, 11 a.m.-4:15 pm.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania
300 North St., Harrisburg
717-787-4980; statemuseumpa.org

June 7: Story Time—“What a Treasure,” 10:30 a.m.
June 20: Curiosity Kids—Bubbles, 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 21, 28: Learn at Lunchtime, 12:15-12:45 p.m.
June 26: Nature Lab—“Leaf Identification,” 11:30 a.m.
June 27: Nature Lab—“Dinosaurs in Pennsylvania,” 11:30 a.m.

Susquehanna Art Museum
1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-233-8668; sqart.org

June 1-Aug. 24: Saturday Morning Art Club, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 1-Aug. 25: Young Artist Camp, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 19: Life Drawing Class, 6-9 p.m.

Wildwood Park
100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg
717-221-0292; wildwoodlake.org

June 1: Brownie Scout Program—Wonderful Water, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
June 2: Tree ID Walk, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
June 8: Volunteer Work Day, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
June 9: Kids Discover—Frogs & Turtles, 1:30-3 p.m.
June 12: Stress Relief Walk, 5:45-7:15 p.m.
June 13: Bird Walk—Nesting Birds, 7:30-9:30 a.m.
June 16: Flower Walk—Peak of Blooming, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 17-21: Wild Way Day Camp 1 (ages 6-8), 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
June 20: Get in Shape Walk, 5:45-7:15 p.m.

William H. & Marion C. Alexander Family Library
200 W. Second St., Hummelstown
717-566-0949; dcls.org

June 4: Novel Thoughts Book Club, 6:30-8 p.m.
June 6: Teen Night—Escape Room, 6-7 p.m.
June 12: 2nd Wednesday Cinema, 6-8 p.m.
June 18: Novel Thoughts Too Book Club, 1-3 p.m.
June 24: Full Moon Folklore, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Yoga at Simply Well
28 S. Pitt St., Carlisle
717-968-0167; yogaatsimplywell.com

June 5-26: Restore Your Core, 4 Wednesdays, 2-3:30 p.m.
June 29: Meditation & Yoga Six Pack, 2:30-4:30 p.m.

Live Music

American Music Theatre
2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster
717-397-7700; amtshows.com

June 8: Kristin Chenoweth
June 9: Sonny Turner, Charlie Thomas’ Drifters, The Original Coasters
June 17: The Robert Cray Band, Marc Cohn, Blind Boys of Alabama, Shemekia Copeland
June 21: Everclear, Fastball
June 22: The Turtles, Chuck Negron, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, The Buckinghams, The Classics IV, The Cowsills
June 23: Martina McBride
June 26: Diana Ross

Appalachian Brewing Co./Abbey Bar
50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg
717-221-1083; abcbrew.com

June 1: Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band
June 2: DuoDuo
June 12: Moon Hooch
June 15: Cousin Earth

Appell Center for the Performing Arts
50 N. George St., York
717-846-1111; appellcenter.org

June 1: York Symphony Orchestra
June 1: Croce Plays Croce
June 2: York County Hours Choirs
June 6: Exmag Live Band
June 8: Todd Snider
June 9: Susquehanna Valley Theatre Organ Society w/ Donnie Rankin
June 23: Blondie

Boneshire Brew Works
7462 Derry St., Harrisburg
717-469-5007; boneshire.com

June 20: The Super High-Tech Jet Fighters, Johnny Stanec
June 27: Brandon Reece

Carley’s Ristorante and Piano Bar
204 Locust St., Harrisburg
717-909-9191; carleysristorante.com

June 1, 12, 22: Roy Lefevre
June 4, 7, 11, 14, 18, 20, 21, 25: Noel Gevers
June 5: Christine Purcell
June 6: Corinna Joy
June 8, 29: Ted Ansel
June 13, 26: Andrea Britton
June 23, 27: Anthony Haubert
June 28: Corinna Joy and Noel Gevers

Central PA Friends of Jazz
www.friendsofjazz.org

June 14: Sean Jones at Messiah College

Chameleon Club
223 N. Water St., Lancaster
717-299-9684; chameleonclub.net

June 1: Jameson Rodgers
June 5: Texas Hippie Coalition
June 7: Tech N9ne
June 8: A Scent Like Wolves
June 11: The Lemonheads
June 15: The Wild Feathers
June 22: Wolf Blood

Cliff’s Tavern
1104 Carlisle Rd., Camp Hill
717-412-7323; cliffstavern.com

June 1: Nine D

Club XL
801 S. 10th St., Harrisburg
717-409-8975; xlhbg.com

June 7: Men Without Hats
June 8: Vanilla Ice
June 13: The Zapp Band
June 14: Frontier—The Ultimate Journey Tribute Band
June 15: Kix
June 21, 22: Electron
June 27: Mikey Avalon & Dirt Nasty

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
717-737-5026; thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

June 1: Dominick Cicco
June 2: Shelba Purtle
June 7: Antonio Andrade
June 8: Kevin Appleby and Erik Bohn
June 9: Kirk Wise
June 14: Michael Arthur
June 15: Doug Morris
June 16: Brian Davis
June 21: Kevin Kline
June 22: Hard Travelin
June 23: Rayzen Kane
June 28: Steven Gellman
June 29: Janie Womack and Jody Echterling
June 30: Mary-Kate Spring Lee

Fredricksen Library
100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill
717-761-3900; fredricksenlibrary.org

June 13: Trinidad & Tobago Baltimore Steel Orchestra
June 24: West Shore Symphony Orchestra

Gretna Music
gretnamusic.org

June 22: Ahn Trio and Nai Chen Dance Company
June 30: Alicia Olatuja

Hollywood Casino
777 Hollywood Blvd., Grantville
717-469-2211; hollywoodpnrc.com

June 1: Emily’s Toybox
June 1, 29: DJ Ray Rossi
June 7: M80 Band
June 8: DJ Magic
June 14: The Luv Gods
June 15: DJ Matrix, Smooth Like Clyde
June 28: Josh Squared Band
June 29: 7 Bridges, Radio Neon

House of Music, Arts & Culture (H*MAC)
1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-441-7506; harrisburgarts.com

June 1: Founding Fathers, Big Gorgeous, Knite Bitch, The Mighty Klucks
June 4: Frank Iero and the Future Violents, Reggie & The Full Effect
June 7: Nita Strauss, Kore Rozzik, Kamikaze Kupcakes
June 14: A Killer’s Confession, Eve to Adam, Suicide Puppets, Satanic Panic, UltraViolent
June 15: Anika
June 21: Wolfpac
June 22: Mir Fontane, Nicky The Jet, Messiah
June 28: Smile Empty Soul, Anthrophobia, Eternal Frequency, Coldville, Dead Eyes, Stellar Circuits, East Coast to Nowhere, Backseat Hooligans, Slik Helvetika, The Curly Jeffersons

Johnny Joe’s Sports Bar & Grill
5327 E. Trindle Rd., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2254; johnnyjoesbar.com

June 1: Observe the 93rd
June 5, 12, 19, 26: Open Mic, Walter DeWall
June 7, 14, 21, 28: DJ Joe Hertz
June 8: Suicide Puppets
June 15: fith
June 22: Adrian Blitzer
June 29: The Jacks

Keystone Concert Band
717-421-1512; keystoneconcertband.com

June 2: Concert at Peace Church, Mechanicsburg

The Lodge at Liberty Forge
3804 Lisburn Rd., Mechanicsburg
717-756-5032; libertyforge.net

June 6: Swisher Sweets
June 13: Acoustic Moose
June 20: Nate Myers Trio
June 27: Acoustic Stew

Luhrs Performing Arts Center
1871 Old Main Dr., Shippensburg
717-477-7469; luhrscenter.com

June 1: Classical Mystery Tour—A Tribute to The Beatles

Majestic Theater
25 Carlisle St., Gettysburg
717-337-8200; gettysburgmajestic.org

June 28: Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers

Messiah College School of Arts
One College Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2511; messiah.edu

June 14: Sean Jones

The Mill in Hershey
810 Old W. Chocolate Ave., Hershey
717-256-9965; themillinhershey.com

June 1: Laredo, Dave Kelly
June 8: Sought Out City
June 15: Steve Dincau
June 22: Emmanuel Nsignani
June 29: Hank Imhof

Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg
717-692-3699; nedsmithcenter.org

June 8: Parrot Beach
June 22: After Hours Big Band

Perry County Council of the Arts
Landis House, 67 N. 4th St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

June 22: Justin Angelo Band

Rusty Rail Brewing Company
5 N. 8th North St., Mifflinburg
570-966-7878; rustyrailbrewing.com

June 7: Robert Kimbrough, Sr.

Stock’s on 2nd
211 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg
717-233-6699; stocksonsecond.com

June 1: TBA
June 2: Visitors Duo
June 3: Kevin Koa
June 14: Ben Simcox
June 15: Drew Adams
June 21: Natalie Ness
June 22: Erica Lyn Everest
June 28: Shea Quinn and Friends
June 29: Quentin Jones

The Susquehanna Folk Music Society
717-745-6577; sfmsfolk.org

June 2: DuoDuo (at Abbey Bar)
June 22: Justin Angelo Band at Perry County Council of the Arts

The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; millersville.edu/muarts

June 9: Allegro’s Young Music Masters Competition
June 15: 24^th Annual Imani Edu-Tainers Community Concert

Zeroday Brewing Co.
250 Reily St., Harrisburg
717-745-6218; zerodaybrewing.com

June 21: Bend the Rails

The Stage Door

Appell Center for the Performing Arts
50 N. George St., York
717-846-1111; appellcenter.org

June 8, 9: Greater York Dance
June 14: Rich Guzzi

The Belmont Theatre
27 S. Belmont St., York
717-854-3894; thebelmont.org

June 14-16: “My Fair Lady”

Capitol Opera Harrisburg
capopera.com

June 14, 15: “The Magnificence of Mascagni!” at Bishop McDevitt High School

Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre
510 Centerville Rd., Lancaster
717-898-1900; DutchApple.com

June 1-22: “Camelot”
June 27-Aug. 10: “Annie”

Fredricksen Library
100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill
717-761-3900; fredricksenlibrary.org

June 18: “Andrew’s Big Show”

Gamut Theatre Group
15 N. 4th St., Harrisburg
717-238-4111; gamuttheatre.org

June 1-15: Shakespeare in the Park—“Much Ado About Nothing” at Reservoir Park

Gretna Music
gretnamusic.org

June 23: Ahn Trio w/the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Co.

Harrisburg Christian Performing Arts Center
1000 S. Eisenhower Blvd., Middletown
717-939-9333; hbg-cpac.org

June 28-30: “Hamlet”

Harrisburg Comedy Zone
110 Limekiln Rd., New Cumberland
717-920-5653; harrisburgcomedyzone.com

June 6, 13, 20, 27: Open Mic
June 8: Seth Knorr and Lee Hardin
June 9: “Oxymorons Improv Comedy” Show

Harrisburg Improv Theatre
1633 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-798-6973; hbgimprov.com

June 2: Musical Level 2 Class Show
June 7: Persnickety/Elderprov
June 14: Meow Meow Precious/Ferd Majelly
June 15: WoW MoM/Without a Tres
June 21: Persnickety/Room Temp
June 21, 23: Intro To Improv Class Show
June 28: Character Level 1 Class Show, Meow Meow Precious/Mary Todd Lincoln
June 30: Character Level 1 Class Show

House of Music, Arts & Culture (H*MAC)
1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-441-7506; harrisburgarts.com

June 22: Revolution Wrestling Federation

Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg
915 S. York St., Mechanicsburg
717-766-0535; ltmpa.com

June 7-23: “Cannibal! The Musical”

Majestic Theater
25 Carlisle St., Gettysburg
717-337-8200; gettysburgmajestic.org

June 15-16: “Newsies” w/The Vault Theater Company

Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg
717-692-3699; nedsmithcenter.org

June 1: Pennsylvania Regional Ballet

Open Stage of Harrisburg
223 Walnut St., Harrisburg
717-232-OPEN; openstagehbg.com

June 1-16: “Ragtime”

Oyster Mill Playhouse
1001 Oyster Mill Rd., Camp Hill
717-737-6768; oystermill.com

June 1-16: “The Fox on the Fairway”

The Playhouse at Allenberry
1559 Boiling Springs Rd., Boiling Springs
717-258-3211; allenberry.com

June 21-July 7: “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder”

River City Blues Club & Dart Room
819 S. Cameron St., Harrisburg
717-525-8926; rivercityhbg.com

June 30: “Risque Business” Drag and Burlesque Show

Theatre Harrisburg
513 Hurlock St., Harrisburg
717-232-5501; theatreharrisburg.com

June 14-23: “Sylvia” at Whitaker Center

Untitled: A Storytelling Project
untitledhbg.com

June 9: “Midtown at the Cinema—View Life through a New Lens” at Midtown Cinema

The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; artsmu.com

June 7: “We the People—Rise Festival”

Whitaker Center
222 Market St., Harrisburg
717-214-ARTS; whitakercenter.org

June 14-23: “Sylvia” w/Theatre Harrisburg
June 19-22: “Founder’s Series” w/Central PA Youth Ballet

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

May 30, 2019 | by Sara Bozich

Happy Weekend!

It’s a busy weekend for us. We have our community Yard Sale on Friday (and Saturday), a family wedding Friday night. Bo starts swim lessons on Sunday, and post-nap, we’ll be hitting the Serb Picnic!

What are you doing this weekend?

(more…)

Split Harrisburg school board passes preliminary budget with 3.4% tax increase

May 30, 2019 | by Mary Imgrund

The Harrisburg school board in a meeting last night

At a special board meeting Wednesday night, the Harrisburg school board squabbled over, and ultimately passed, a preliminary 2019 budget that would raise the school portion of the Harrisburg property tax by 3.4 percent.

The majority voting bloc, led by board President Danielle Robinson, defended the budget against board opponents Carrie Fowler, Judd Pittman and Brian Carter.

Four of last week’s five Democratic primary winners, Douglas Thompson Leader, Jayne Buchwach, Steven Williams and James Thompson, attended the meeting. All of the defeated incumbents, Lionel Gonzalez, Lola Lawson, Patricia Whitehead-Myers and Ellis Roy, now in lame-duck status until December, supported the new budget.

Before the protracted budget fight, resident Peter Marks made the only public comment, suggesting that the board ensure that the length of new contracts don’t stymie the incoming board’s policy agendas.

“There will be, in December, a large change to the composition of the board,” Marks said. “I would respectfully suggest that it would be improper for the board to enter into any long-term agreements between now and the time the new board takes these seats.”

During the debate over the new budget, Pittman asserted that his questions and concerns were not adequately answered about the new budget. He claimed that his suggestion to move towards a decentralized budget, akin those in Chicago and New York City public schools, sparked no dialogue or interest from other board members.

“Let’s really engage the public in really thoughtful and mindful dialogue,” Pittman said, referencing the low public attendance of the school board’s public meetings regarding the budget. “Having a meeting to have a meeting to say you had a meeting isn’t engagement.”

Robinson disagreed, saying that there was ample opportunity for questions and comments for both the public and board before the vote took place this evening.

Kirsten Keys, the district’s public relations coordinator, stated that the public meetings were publicized on the website and in local print publications. The board’s social media is occasionally active, though no events or posts about opportunities for public comment on the budget are present.

Pittman also referenced a potential storm water fee that could create a significant financial strain on the district as it owns large swaths of impermeable land, such as parking lots, across the city.

Meanwhile, none of the members addressed the ongoing dispute with the teacher’s union, which had threatened a one-day strike on Friday over ongoing issues with contract negotiations.

Wednesday night’s budget vote approved the district’s preliminary budget for the 2019-20 school year. The school board still must approve a final budget by June 30.

In city hall ceremony, Harrisburg police officer receives Congressional Badge of Bravery

May 30, 2019 | by Maddie Conley

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey awards Harrisburg Officer Chad McGowan with the Congressional Badge of Bravery.

It’s not every day that U.S. Attorney David Freed looks out his 3^rd and Locust street office to see a Harrisburg police officer involved in open fire.

But, 17 months ago, that’s exactly what happened.

On Dec. 22, 2017, Harrisburg Officer Chad McGowan responded to a call for assistance after a Capitol police officer was shot at.

McGowan had a county probation officer and three officers in training in his vehicle with him. Approaching the suspect’s car, the gunman began firing at McGowan. The officer quickly took cover beside his vehicle and shot back at the suspect, while his passengers left the vehicle. The man charged McGowan and the PA state trooper that came to his assistance. However, they were able to fatally wound the man and end the assault.

Yesterday, Officer McGowan received the 2017 Congressional Badge of Bravery. In a ceremony hosted by U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey and the Harrisburg Police Bureau, McGowan was recognized for his courage and service in a dangerous shootout.

“Officer Chad McGowan is an American hero,” Toomey said simply.

“Chad McGowan went toward the danger and stayed until the job was done,” Freed added.

For his act of courage, McGowan was awarded one of the 18 badges given by the U.S. attorney general to U.S. police officers each year.

In 2008, Congress passed the Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery Act to honor “exceptional acts of bravery in the line of duty by federal, state and local law enforcement officers,” according to the Office of Justice Programs. To be awarded the badge, officers must have sustained or faced risk of serious injury or death.

“Every day across Pennsylvania, about 25,000 men and women put on the uniform,” Toomey said. “They put on the badge, and they answer the call of anybody who needs help. While the rest of us have the luxury to run away from trouble, they run toward it, to protect and defend all of us.”

Toomey presented McGowan with the badge as resounding applause and a standing ovation followed.

“I am so humbled by this experience,” McGowan said. “I’m so proud to wear this badge on my shoulder.”

McGowan held his head high, freshly adorned with his red, white, blue and gold badge.

He then recalled his humble beginnings as an officer, lying tired and out of breath on the Police Academy floor, with Harrisburg Police Commissioner Thomas Carter towering over him and yelling, “Get off your face!”

Carter had walked in, a moment McGowan would never forget, and made the trainees do pushups.

“That’s when I knew I wanted to work for Harrisburg city,” McGowan said.

Nearing 1½ years after confronting the gunman, McGowan still desires to serve Harrisburg through his work, even when it is life-threatening.

“Today is truly a great honor to the city,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse, during the ceremony. “It’s a great honor to the Harrisburg Police Department and the region.”

Harrisburg gets closer to exiting Act 47, as state body backs 5-year financial plan

May 29, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

City Solicitor Neil Grover speaks during today’s meeting of the Harrisburg Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority.

The state-appointed body tasked with overseeing Harrisburg’s finances today approved the city’s five-year financial plan, getting Harrisburg a step closer to exiting Act 47.

The Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (ICA) unanimously endorsed the city’s long-term financial plan, following some tweaks and updates from an earlier draft plan.

“I believe that working on this will allow us to take a first necessary step for the city of Harrisburg,” said ICA board member Kathy Speaker MacNett.

Next, the ICA and the city need to draft an Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement, which will formally set the terms and conditions of the intergovernmental relationship. A draft should be ready by mid-June, said ICA Chairman David Schankweiler.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said that he hopes the final agreement will be approved by the ICA and City Council before council goes on summer hiatus in early July. At that point, with Commonwealth Court approval, the city can formally exit Act 47, the state’s program for distressed municipalities. The city has been in the program since 2010.

The financial plan approved today had some good news in it.

Since the May 1 draft, the city’s financial picture has brightened considerably. Real estate taxes, earned income taxes, local services taxes and interest income have all been stronger than projected, adding about $1.1 million in projected revenue for 2019.

Meanwhile, projected medical expenses for this year were reduced by $750,000.

As a result, the city expects to be able to pay down its debt faster than it projected just a month ago. It also expects to have to use less of its fund balance over the five-year period.

Nonetheless, Papenfuse remained concerned over what will happen when the five-year plan period expires in 2023. At that point, the city would lose some $12 million in extra taxing authority granted by the state legislature.

If, in the interim, the state does not allow Harrisburg to continue its elevated earned income and local services taxes, the city’s options would be to slash expenses, raise property taxes or perhaps pass a home rule charter, which could allow it to recoup some of the lost taxes.

Several ICA members voiced one reservation about the five-year financial plan. They noted that projected revenues were expected to be basically flat over the period, prompting several members to advocate a strong economic development policy for the city.

“There’s a lot to be done on the economic development front,” said ICA board member Audry Carter.

Following the meeting, Papenfuse said that he welcomed all ideas and proposals from the ICA to spur economic development in the city. He also said his administration is proposing transferring money that was used to fund a city communications director to hiring an economic development director.

The communications director position has been vacant for several months after Joyce Davis left to join PennLive. The economic development director job, which had been funded by the Harrisburg Regional Chamber, has been vacant since last year when then-director Jackie Parker left.

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Happy Weekend!

What are you doing this weekend?

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