Open Seat: Jeffrey Baltimore Resigns from Harrisburg City Council

August 4, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

Jeffrey Baltimore, far left, at a recent Harrisburg City Council meeting.

Harrisburg City Councilman Jeffrey Baltimore announced his resignation today from Harrisburg’s seven-member City Council.

In his resignation letter, Baltimore said he made this “difficult” decision after “person reflection” and “deliberation with his family,” according to Joyce Davis, the city’s communications director. He further said that he was “proud” to have served with “a creative, talented, caring and enthusiastic team” on council, Davis stated.

Baltimore was appointed to his council seat in 2014 following the death of Councilwoman Eugenia Smith. The next year, he was elected to a four-year term.

Baltimore has served as chairman of council’s Public Safety Committee and currently is chairman of the Community & Economic Development Committee. His resignation is effective Aug. 11.

“Councilman Baltimore was a great asset to Harrisburg City Council,” said Council President Wanda Williams. “He is very passionate about public service, community development and an outstanding role model to the youth of our city. On behalf of City Council, we wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

Council now must pick a replacement for Baltimore. Council members will begin accepting applications on Aug. 14 to fill the vacant seat. The person selected will serve until January, and an election for a two-year council term will take place this November.

Author: Lawrance Binda

Camera-Ready: Funding secured for first Midtown security camera.

August 4, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

The view up 2nd Street from Forster Street, where a new security camera soon will capture the action.

A wireless security camera will be coming soon to Harrisburg’s Midtown neighborhood, as a community group has received a grant to extend the city’s video surveillance system.

Midtown Action Council (MAC) today announced it received a $15,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to help fund the extension of Harrisburg’s wireless security infrastructure to N. 2^nd and Forster streets. Currently, the system’s downtown component ends at 2^nd and Pine streets.

“Safety is our No. 1 priority as a community group, and it’s on the mind of every resident in Harrisburg,” said MAC President Jonathan Hendrickson. “This grant will help us access the infrastructure we need to eventually place wireless security cameras in the neighborhood.”

Before the system can be installed, MAC must raise $4,120 in matching funds. However, the organization is confident it can secure the funding for deployment this fall, said Dan Fulton, MAC’s secretary/treasurer.

“It should move pretty quickly,” he said.

In 2013, Harrisburg began deployment of a wireless security infrastructure, including 10 cameras downtown, Uptown and on Allison Hill, which allow city police and Dauphin County to conduct real-time surveillance. The $425,000 system was funded by Dauphin County’s Crime Task Force.

In Midtown, the first wireless camera will be installed facing north on 2^nd Street, from the intersection with Forster Street.

Johnson Controls, which installed the city’s original system, also will deploy this one, Fulton said. The project includes a wireless node, camera mount, antenna, software, electrical improvements and one camera, among other components.

Fulton said this project “sets the stage” for future wireless cameras to be installed strategically through Midtown.

“This is just a first step, but it’s arguably the most important step because it gives us a foundation to build on,” said Fulton, who served as project manager for the grant, which MAC applied for last summer.

“It’s something we’re really proud of doing,” he added. “It’s one of the benefits of having these types of neighborhood organizations that are project-oriented.”

If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to MAC to cover its share of the matching grant, checks can be mailed to Midtown Action Council, 1230 N. 3^rd St., Harrisburg, Pa., 17102.

Author: Lawrance Binda

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

August 3, 2017 | by Sara Bozich

Cheers to the weekend!

We have a big week of Poured in PA shoots next week, so I’m hoping for a restful weekend.

Friday night, though, join us and the Down in Front pundits for an 80s Preparty at ZerØday ahead of the screening (and riffing) of Xanadu at Midtown Cinema.

Saturday morning is my usual: Next Step, Broad Street Market + since it’s first Saturday, I’ll swing by the HBG Flea, as well.

What are you doing this weekend?

(more…)

Born to Run: Fred Joslyn takes his love of running around the midstate, across the world

July 31, 2017 | by Karen Hendricks

Burg in Focus: Fleet Feet Mechanicsburg from GK Visual on Vimeo.

Fred Joslyn ran on his wedding day.

And on the days his three children were born.

Joslyn, in fact, runs every day. No exceptions.

He has a daily running streak dating back to March 2004. That’s 13 years, averaging 90 to 100 miles per week, around 65,000 miles, and he’s still going strong.

Despite his commitment, Joslyn jokes that he does not hold the longest running streak in the Harrisburg area.

“There is a local woman, also in her 30s, Cori Brindle, who is half-a-year ahead of me,” he said. “Every time I see her, we ask each other if our streaks are alive—it should be a fun, long-term challenge.”

Nonetheless, if there’s a face of Harrisburg’s running community, Joslyn’s is it.

Over the years, he has won just about every competitive distance race in the area, often by a lot. Two years ago, he ran two marathons, two half-marathons and a 5K on consecutive weekends—and won them all.

He also owns (along with wife Shelby) Fleet Feet Sports in Mechanicsburg, coaches several hundred runners in area clinics annually and serves as a board member to the Harrisburg Area Road Runners Club (HARRC).

The 33-year-old Joslyn, of Mount Holly Springs, originally from New York state, achieved victory on a worldwide stage last year, finishing second at the 2016 50K U.S. National Championships. That earned him a spot on the six-man American team, which claimed the World Championship in Qatar last November.

So, yes, Joslyn knows how to finish, big. But he actually spends most his time trying to get others across the finish line.

“When Fred runs a race, he often wins,” said Kelly Spreha, HARRC president. “But as soon as he’s done, he runs back out on the course to cheer others on; he runs them in. And that summarizes Fred as a person—the way he shares his passion and joy of running with as many people as possible.”

Life-Changing

Recently, Joslyn took his joy for running halfway around the globe, traveling to India to teach children’s running clinics. The trip was organized and inspired by Camp Hill’s Betsy McCoy, founder of Communities Rising, a nonprofit that supplements the education of rural children in southern India.

“None of the kids had shoes or had ever owned shoes,” Joslyn said.

He leveraged his relationships through his running shop to provide socks, shirts and medals—all of which he personally packed and carried in his luggage and carry-ons. Corporate fundraising allowed him to purchase sneakers, in India, for all of the children, nearly 300.

“We ran every morning at 6 a.m.—it was usually about 90 degrees,” he said. “The first day, I was kind of struggling, but the teachers reminded me that the kids are always in these temperatures, so they’re much more used to it.”

Joslyn adapted his “Begin to Run” program from Fleet Feet for the kids—a mix of boys and girls, ages 10 to 14.

“The first day, we ran-walked about a mile and talked about form, foot strike, posture, cadence, and we did some planks,” he said. “Most of the kids had never done any type of physical education, but they really enjoyed it.”

McCoy said Joslyn’s running program was the highlight of summer camp.

“He taught the kids not only about running, but about the importance of setting goals—then having the determination to reach them,” McCoy said. “Our goal was to run a 5K race by the end of the week.”

Despite the many challenges—105-degree days, a lack of electricity and sometimes water and having to work with almost 300 campers and counselors with little or no running experience—he made it all work, said McCoy.

The experience was a learning one for all involved—including Joslyn himself.

“Organizations like Communities Rising are so important to support, seeing their work first-hand makes you more compassionate,” he said. “It was definitely life-changing.”

Something Greater

Now back in Harrisburg, Joslyn is training area runners of all skill levels in preparation for fall half-marathons and marathons.

And his personal running goals? They’re on the backburner for a while, other than maintaining his daily streak, as he adjusts to family life with three children, including a new son. But he plans to run November’s Harrisburg Marathon, which both he and Shelby won in 2015—a cherished memory that happened soon after the couple moved here.

“I’ve lived in several communities but haven’t seen one so passionate about running,” he said. “Harrisburg is a great city to run in. You have the best of both worlds here—the Greenbelt is fantastic, and there are great trails including the Appalachian Trail.”

More philosophically, Joslyn believes that running, though often considered a lone sport, can transcend the individual.

“I think at some point running becomes something greater than the sport itself,” he said. “It gives you a sense of purpose. It builds community. I love to see the running community rallying around each other, seeing each other through struggles and then accomplishing goals—it’s extremely inspirational.”

To learn more about Fred Joslyn’s running clinics, visit www.fleetfeetmechanicsburg.com or stop by Fleet Feet Sports, 6416 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg (in the Silver Spring Square Shopping Center) or call 717-691-3000.

Author: Karen Hendricks

To Have a Chance: Nativity School pours resources, attention on the middle-school years

July 31, 2017 | by Rachel Jenkins

Photo by Dani Fresh

It sounds simple in concept.

Take middle-school boys from at-risk areas, provide specialized schooling, send them off to higher education and repeat. However, in reality, the Nativity School of Harrisburg depends upon the entire community to make it successful.

A member of that community, volunteer Audry Carter, explained why there’s a need for a special school such as this, for boys in sixth through eighth grades.

“There are established schools that you can get children into starting at ninth grade,” she said, referring to local private high schools such as Bishop McDevitt, Trinity High School and Harrisburg Academy. “[The Nativity School founders] saw there was a need to intervene earlier to get these boys to have a chance. They weren’t entering with enough skills to be competitive to get in to some of these schools.”

Support, Stability

The school currently enrolls 45 students a year, broken down into classes of 15 in grades six, seven and eight.

Executive Director Lavelle Muhammad explained that one of the school’s greatest educational challenges is preparing pupils for future educational endeavors.

“You have students who, initially, when they come to us in sixth grade, are underperforming,” he said. “They’re reading and writing on third– and fourth-grade levels, sometimes second or third. And, because of our environment, they’re able to go up to seventh- and eighth-grade level by the time they graduate, which is almost a miracle.”

Beyond education, Nativity School offers support, mentoring and social development.

Case in point: math teacher Michelle Stine, whose job involves much more than teaching long division and fractions.

“She will take some of the students to get haircuts, or we will buy them clothes because there’s a great need sometimes,” Muhammad said.

Many students come from single-parent families, with fathers or grandfathers out of the picture. Because of this, faculty and volunteers both take on mentoring positions to provide support and stability for students in and out of the classroom.

School is in session Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., a longer day than in a standard public school. Another difference is the length of the school year. The Nativity School averages 205 to 210 days in session compared to 180 days for most public schools.

“Two days a week, we have an extended study hall until 5:30 p.m.,” Stine said. “It’s for extra help with reading, which is our biggest area of weakness. But on a daily basis, there’s an hour added in every day where they are in study hall, which is just an opportunity to get help from their teachers, do their homework with each other, to collaborate and do those types of things.”

An extended day may sound like punishment for many school kids. But for the boys at the Nativity School, it’s a welcomed opportunity to receive support, accomplish work and hang out together in a safe space.

“Sometimes, they stay just to stay,” said Muhammad.

It Works

Nativity School is distinctive in many respects. For instance, it organizes a summer camp program, which takes place at the end of and right before the beginning of the school year. Counting as a day of school, the boys are taken out of the city, into the wilderness and given a chance to learn, explore and socialize.

“They’re able to get out of the city, able to stay together, and it also enforces that brotherhood too,” Muhammad said. “It’s good; it works.”

A common theme in the school is the idea of “brotherhood” and its direct relationship to academic success. The bond amongst students in an all-male classroom of 15 often proves itself strong enough to last post-graduation. Muhammad and his staff embrace this idea and strive to seamlessly intertwine relationship-building into education.

The school’s unconventional approach seems to be working. Nativity School alumni have a high school graduation rate of 90 percent, about double that of Harrisburg High School, according to statistics provided by the school.

Moving forward, the Nativity School has several long-term goals.

First, school officials want to expand their admissions to younger students, extending at least one grade level. However, the school must come up with the funds every year just to continue operating. Because of this, the opportunity to expand is based solely on the success of fundraising efforts and private donations.

“One of our dreams would be to bring fifth graders on board, because then that really captures the middle and allows us to have one more year to get them up to the grade level that they need to be in,” Carter said.

Secondly, Nativity School would like to have its own building. Currently, the school is located on the second floor of the Camp Curtin YMCA on N. 6th Street. Muhammad believes that the school must have its own facility before it truly can fulfill its mission for its students.

“We go way beyond school hours,” he said. “We’re like an extended parent.”

The Nativity School of Harrisburg is located at 2135 N. 6th St., Harrisburg. For more information, or to make a donation, visit nativityschoolofharrisburg.org.

Author: Rachel Jenkins

Air Rights: Harrisburg may be late to the Airbnb game, but now it’s here, with opportunities, challenges.

July 31, 2017 | by M. Diane McCormick

Ted Hanson, at his home.

“Newly remodeled studio near Capitol.”

“Luxury Condo facing Capitol, River and State St.”

“Charming 1920s Bungalow near River & Italian Lake.”

Judging from the listings, the secret to Airbnb success is location, location, location. A search of Harrisburg, PA, on Airbnb.com brings up 177 rentals. Many are in the city itself, perhaps “steps from the Capitol” (or “Capital,” say the spelling-challenged), while others are in surrounding areas—“Hershey Park 15 minutes,” or in New Cumberland, “’Weston,’ the 1982 Vanagon.”

As Airbnb takes hold, its relationship with the city of Harrisburg is in flux. One Airbnb owner is questioning a letter seeking payment of the city’s Business Privilege and Mercantile Tax. The city, in the meantime, says it’s looking into its powers over Airbnbs.

“The city is obviously authorized to regulate business activity within its borders,” said a statement from Joyce Davis, spokesperson for Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “We are currently reviewing how best to regulate Airbnb operations popping up around the city, if at all.”

Do the math, and Harrisburg–area listings comprise .000059 percent of Airbnb’s 3 million listings worldwide. Indeed, tiny Harrisburg will never be a tourist mecca like New York, Paris or San Francisco. However, at least anecdotally, the city does seem to be attracting more visitors these days, and Airbnb hosts are responding, with rooms and apartments popping up to serve them.

Ready for Business

Former city Councilman Brad Koplinski is among the city’s hosts.

His “Commonwealth 67,” on North Street “Steps from the Capital” (yes, Brad, you’re the spelling–challenged one), was once saved from destruction by Historic Harrisburg Association’s pleas to preserve this example of working-family housing.

Today, the walls are a sort of museum for Koplinski’s extensive political memorabilia collection—a Ronald Reagan “Bedtime for Brezhnev” poster, a photo autographed by Jimmy Carter when Koplinski caught him coming out of the World Bank in Washington, D.C.

Originally, Koplinski envisioned the space as a fundraiser venue, so a bar spanning the long wall in the open first floor is topped with bumper stickers—“BABBITT, Democrat for President”—lacquered in place by Koplinski’s girlfriend, Melissa Vayda, who works with him on the venture. In the bright, open kitchen, the breakfast bar showcases buttons ranging from the FDR years and earlier to one of Koplinski’s own buttons when he took a shot at the lieutenant governor nomination.

Once he decided on an Airbnb, Koplinski found the process “surprisingly easy.”

“Make sure the place is squared away, take some pictures, load them up to the website, and you’re ready for business,” he said.

Since Koplinski opened the doors in January 2017, guests have included numerous people doing state business in Harrisburg, such as the regular guest who attends Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency training.

“The location is just fantastic,” Koplinski said. “You’ve got three of the best restaurants in the city on this block. We offer a parking space. You can walk to the Capitol, the State Museum, the river. All of those things combined have allowed us to be pretty much booked.”

Airbnb guests are “the type of people who want to stay in other people’s houses,” said Teena Brinkley, who “Airbnbs” two of the eight bedrooms in the 1920s-era 2nd Street bungalow she shares with her 19-year-old son (“Historic House in Up Town Harrisburg”).

“They’re good people,” she said. “They’re friendly people. They’re more open to conversation. They’re not coming to trash your house.”

Brinkley works from home as a software engineer and has traveled cross-country, Airbnb-hopping, with her son. When she moved out of Camp Hill in 2016 and scouted a city home, the idea of running an Airbnb breezed across the back of her mind. She “just fell in love” with her pristine bungalow and its many original touches—a stone fireplace, leaded-glass sidelights surrounding the front door, bathrooms tiled in black and white—but decorated in a cheery, contemporary fashion, including a purple consignment-store couch that might have come from a bridal salon.

Guests have included a couple traveling from Virginia to bike the Capital Area Greenbelt and a military family with a 3-year-old daughter who stayed three months while waiting to close on their new home. Another visitor is set to stay for 90 days.

All guests are sure to meet Foster, Brinkley’s 13-year-old Westie love bug. Her guests treat the home with respect and “kind of become extended family.” They can step out to the terracotta tile front porch or the back deck for coffee, chatting with her or the neighbors on the friendly block.

“It’s a busy house, with people coming over, and I love it,” she said. “I’m originally from the South, and having people pop over is normal.”

Brinkley’s next-door neighbor, Shane Gallagher, went Airbnb in late 2016, a few months before Brinkley. He offers an air mattress (“but it’s a very nice air mattress,” Brinkley said) that’s popular with mid-20 and 30-somethings seeking a low-cost place to crash while traversing nearby I-81. One weekly guest of Gallagher’s, a nurse studying for her master’s degree, frequently skates with Brinkley, a former roller derby player.

With Airbnb’s reasonable rates, visitors have more money to spend on nice meals at local restaurants, usually recommended by the Airbnb host, said Brinkley.

“Note needs to pay us a commission,” she joked about the 2nd Street bistro a short walk or Uber up the block.

Airbnb hosts say they’re not raking in buckets of money, but “it’s a smart thing to do if you have a room or an apartment,” said Koplinski. “It’s a reflection of the self-motivated economy. We’re taking it out of the hands of the big corporations and putting it in the hands of everyday people. It’s not like there’s no rules anymore, but it’s almost like you can make your own rules, and this is a neat way to do that.”

Many guests heading for Koplinski’s place take the train into Harrisburg “and Uber over.”

“It’s an updated crowd,” he said. “You learn things as you go along. People really like coffee, so you better have the pods ready to go. No one really cares about television. They all care about where they can plug in their chargers and that the wi-fi looks good.”

Excited to Share

Neither Koplinski nor Brinkley has received a city notice levying the Business Privilege and Mercantile Tax, but Ted Hanson has.

Hanson put the rental home that adjoins his Victorian rowhome in Old Fox Ridge on Airbnb in October 2014 (“Private townhouse near PA Capitol”). Guests vary from administration appointees to Hersheypark visitors.

This past May, Hanson got a letter from the city’s Tax & Enforcement Office requiring that he obtain a license and pay the tax, “pursuant to the Local Tax Enabling Act.”

Not so fast, Hanson responded by letter. He has rented out the building for 20 years, “and the only thing that has changed is the manner in which I receive bookings.” Aside from the “beyond confusing” forms he was asked to fill out, he wrote, there is the matter of City Ordinance 5-715.3 C (5), stating that “no such (Mercantile License) tax shall be assessed and collected on the gross receipts received as rent by a landlord or his agent.”

In his response to Harrisburg, Hanson recognized “the city’s desire to find additional revenue streams and regulate Airbnb operations within its borders. However, this approach seems cobbled together and might not withstand judicial scrutiny especially in terms of levying additional taxes on Airbnb hosts beyond the property and school taxes we already pay.”

Chatting over deliciously messy burgers from nearby Jackson House while seated on his covered patio, Hanson said he just wants to see a thoughtful approach in any effort to regulate city-based Airbnbs.

“It would benefit everybody if there were some sort of regulation, but do you want to regulate, or do you want to tax?” Hanson said. “What are you concerned about? Are you concerned about public safety or taxation?”

The public nature of Airbnb listings makes them easily visible to city tax officials, Hanson noted.

“If I was renting it off a bulletin board, or off Craigslist, how would they know?” he said. “In fact, why would they know? I’m not taxable, anyway.”

Brinkley can’t foresee any move to shutter Airbnbs.

“It’s one of those things that’s taken off,” she said. “There’s no going back. If they shut down Airbnb, that service is going to exist somehow, because people like it. It’s too perfect not to find another way out.”

Airbnb collects payments from renters and distributes the proceeds to hosts. Without that money-managing service, Brinkley isn’t sure she would have gone Airbnb. She would “feel weird collecting from people, because I’m so happy they’re here.”

“For me, it’s about meeting people and offering up this beautiful home to travelers,” she said. “I’m very proud of this house. It’s a beautiful house. I feel very excited to share it.”

Do you run an Airbnb? Are you thinking about it? Harrisburg will hold a public meeting on Aug. 9 at 6 p.m. in City Council chambers to hear input about how the city should address issues pertaining to Airbnb in Harrisburg.

Author: M. Diane McCormick

Next Stage: Stuart Landon ushers in the future of Open Stage

July 31, 2017 | by Barbara Trainin Blank

Stuart Landon

Stuart Landon had only a minimal learning curve when he assumed the role of producing artistic director of Open Stage of Harrisburg last month.

“I’d spent the last 10 years at Open Stage,” Landon said of the downtown Harrisburg theater, established in 1986 by Donald and Anne Alsedek, along with Marianne Fischer.

A decade ago, Landon landed at Open Stage after performing in a handful of community-theater productions—including as the male lead (Curly) in “Oklahoma” at Allenberry Playhouse—and directing a few others. He auditioned for Open Stage’s annual production of “A Christmas Carol.” Not even three years later, he was on staff, first as marketing manager and later as associate artistic director.

Since then, Landon hasn’t done any “outside” acting, except for a few regional cabarets.

He was drawn to Open Stage after being impressed by two of its productions, “Come Back, Little Sheba” and “I am My Own Wife.” But as a self-described “musical theater guy,” Landon might not have formed such a strong connection if he hadn’t learned Open Stage was presenting “Little Shop of Horrors.” He auditioned for, and later starred in, the horror comedy-rock musical.

Even with such exposure, Landon claims he didn’t “fully understand” the essence of Open Stage until Donald Alsedek, its founding artistic director, cast him in “Well.” The play by Lisa Kron deals with mother-daughter relationships and the concepts of health and illness.

“It was a crazy cast, pretty intimate and a pretty magical experience,” he said.

Obvious Choice

Over the years, Landon has appeared in several of Open Stage’s most notable productions, including “Sondheim on Sondheim,” “The Santaland Diaries,” “Frost/Nixon,” “Doubt” and “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.” His directorial efforts have included “The Hobbit,” “Oz” and “The Diary of Anne Frank.”

He has so impressed Open Stage’s founders that he was their first choice to continue what they developed and grew over 31 seasons.

“Needless to say, Stuart is extremely talented, as he has proven time and again,” said Donald Alsedek. “From the point he first auditioned and was cast, he continued to work with Open Stage and grow through the ranks as an actor, teacher, director, producer and administrator. When I made the decision to retire, Stuart was the obvious choice.”

A few things will change on Landon’s watch. Open Stage will remain at its same location in the belly of the Walnut Street Garage, but has “big plans” to change its façade, Landon said.

He also hopes to present musical theater more consistently, while retaining Open Stage’s dedication to new comedies and thought-provoking dramas. For the coming season, many of the works are by women about women.

Scheduled for 2017-18 are “The Vagina Monologues” by Eve Ensler, “Akeelah and the Bee” (by Cheryl L. West, based on the book by Doug Atchison) and “Collective Rage: A Play in Five Betties” by Jen Silverman. Open Stage also has commissioned a new adaptation by Laura Dugan of the classic, “Little Women.”

Open Stage also has hired a few local female artists to stage productions in the upcoming season: Karen Ruch, Kristi Ondo and Sharia Benn, director of the new Sankofa African American Theatre Company.

“It wasn’t deliberate, but it could be a theme of sorts, to lift up female voices,” Landon said. “The selection of these plays also offers the question of what other stories Open Stage needs to tell.”

Artistic Vision

So, what are Landon’s thoughts as he settles into his second month as Open Stage’s new producing artistic director?

“I loved my time with the Alsedeks and learned a lot,” he said. “Now I’m itching to spend time and skills and energy to promote the theater.”

For his part, Donald Alsedek said he is “very comfortable” passing the Open Stage baton to Landon.

“Stuart understands the culture of the organization, and I’m certain that he’ll be more than just a steward,” he said. “He will meld the values of the theater with his unique artistic vision.”

Even in retirement, Donald Alsedek will continue to shepherd Sankofa, which Open Stage helped launch, while Anne Alsedek, Open Stage’s long-term education director, still will teach classes at the downtown Harrisburg theater.

Besides his theater duties, Landon will retain his “second” job: director of community relations at Midtown Cinema.

“I’ve come to realize how much the patrons and subscribers of live theater and of independent film overlap,” he said.

In his new position at Open Stage, Landon will have his hand in just about everything, including theater administration, which he’s eager to take on.

“He’s full of ideas, eager and ready to take charge of the theater,” said Anne Alsedek. “He has given Don and me respect and cooperation and is well liked and admired in the community.”

Ultimately, the Alsedeks are confident that their great gift to Harrisburg—Open Stage—is in good hands as they retire.

“Things will change, but they should,” said Anne. “I wish him the best of luck, and can’t wait to see what he does.”

Open Stage of Harrisburg is located at 25 N. Court St., Harrisburg. For more information, call 717-232-6736 or visit www.openstagehbg.com.

Author: Barbara Trainin Blank

Flood of Memory: The Agnes flood was 45 years ago. Will Harrisburg ever recover?

July 31, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

Illustration by Rich Hauck.

On a recent Saturday, I wandered into Midtown Scholar Bookstore just as local historian Erik Fasick was queuing up his slideshow chronicling the most devastating event to hit Harrisburg—the flood from Tropical Storm Agnes.

The 1972 disaster put the nail in the coffin for a city already staggering from deindustrialization and suburbanization. After that, it was basically game over so that, 45 years later, Harrisburg continues its slow return as a place people want to be, as opposed to escape as fast as possible after another tedious day at the office.

Fasick’s presentation showed Harrisburg at a point of collapse, and you could almost hear its heart break as the floodwaters rushed down from Wildwood and rose up from the Susquehanna River.

Fascinating as the talk was, I already knew most of the story. But what had escaped me was how Agnes permanently changed the city’s geography, how the flood wiped entire neighborhoods off the map.

Before Agnes, there was a small neighborhood (with a school) at Paxton and Cameron streets, now a vast surface parking lot. Before Agnes, there was “the real Shipoke,” as Fasick called it, a gritty, insular neighborhood of narrow streets where Pennsy Supply now stores its heavy equipment. Before Agnes, rowhouses lined portions of N. 2nd and Penn streets near Maclay, now, respectively, asphalt lots and grassy fields.

These places were drowned, condemned and bulldozed. Some caught fire.

They weren’t the city’s first losses. The “old 8th” ward, a dense, working-class neighborhood of winding alleys and small, clapboard houses, got taken out when the Capitol Complex expanded to the east. A few decades later, another Capitol expansion—and the related widening of Forster Street—removed most of the rest of the primarily African-American neighborhood. Meanwhile, Agnes was just the final blow to Shipoke, which already had been cut to ribbons by the expansion of I-83, so that, today, only the rump of this once-sprawling neighborhood remains.

Uptown, the breakdown was slower but just as complete. Over decades, the loss of people, the decline of industry and the neglect by property owners turned vibrant streets of houses, businesses, hotels and nightclubs into block after block of nothing.

And what happened to such grand downtown buildings as the Penn-Harris Hotel, the Senate Theater and Keystone Hall? All fell to the wrecking ball.

So, Mother Nature wasn’t only to blame for Harrisburg’s downfall. That’s shared by the changing economy and politicians and by just regular people.

As I write this column, it’s a gorgeous, sunny summer day, so unlike the relentless rains of 45 years earlier. Bells ring from one of the many churches that line State Street. Streams of people walk past, returning to work, going to lunch, stopping for coffee. Tourists take pictures of the vista bookended by the state Capitol, the dome set off by deep blue skies and puffy white clouds.

With the city so busy and beautiful, I can’t help but be optimistic.

Harrisburg will never get back what it lost. The “real Shipoke” and the old 8th ward and Senate Theater are gone forever. They live on only in images—and in the memories of a dwindling number of people.

But we can fill in the blanks. The renewal of Harrisburg has begun, but there’s so much more to do, with empty lots and fields abundant in almost every neighborhood. With so much of this once-dense city still underbuilt and under–populated, Agnes can continue to claim victory.

As I watch people walk up from the riverfront, I think about the first settlers here, who came ashore not far from where I sit. They and their followers built Harrisburg from the ground up. It’s now up to us to take on their good work, marginalized by men and washed away by the waters.

Lawrance Binda is editor-in-chief of TheBurg.

Legacy of the Land: Detweiler Park welcomes locals into the family

July 31, 2017 | by Allison Moody

On a beautiful summer morning, I strolled the trails of newly established Detweiler Park with two people instrumental in creating it.

We talked about the nuts and bolts of the process, pausing along the way to admire the gorgeous landscape of pine trees, deciduous forest and fields surrounding us.

“This is the same kind of walk I took with David that eventful day three years ago,” Dauphin County Parks and Recreation Director Carl Dickson told me.

Dickson and M. David Detweiler IV met through work in the Parks and Recreation Department, but their friendship grew deeper as the years passed. It was on a tour of David’s childhood home that he asked the question: “Would Dauphin County be interested in turning this land into a park?”

David died in September 2014, but this initial conversation led to the creation Dauphin County’s newest and largest park.

Detweiler Park includes 411 acres of sprawling Pennsylvania wilderness with seven miles of trails spread throughout. Situated between Peter’s Mountain and Clark’s Creek, within view of the Appalachian Trail, the property’s preservation is vital for wildlife and keeping local waterways clean.

“This is a critical piece of land that needed to be preserved,” Dauphin County Commissioner Jeff Haste said.

Pieces of the land can be traced back through four generations of the Stackpole and Detweiler families. Mary Frances “Frankie” Stackpole and Meade D. Detweiler III married and built a house on the property, which still stands. Every summer, children and grandchildren would come to visit, making this land the heart and soul of the family.

“No matter what happens to me or my mom, that place will be there for generations and generations of other families to enjoy,” said David’s son, John Detweiler.

Meade and his wife Frankie, as well as their son David, were cremated, and their ashes were spread throughout the estate. Before he died, Meade made his intentions clear that the land should be preserved and passed on to members of the community.

“We were not really owners, so much as stewards of the property,” said Meade’s daughter, Esme Detweiler Freedman.

In December 2016, the time came for the land to change hands. Appraised at $2.4 million, the property was acquired by Dauphin County through a combination of donation by the

Detweiler family and grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Dauphin County.

The property already had many trails in place, though it needed some love and care. Dickson’s Parks and Recreation team worked to prepare for the opening, cleaning up trails and building a bridge from recycled materials.

“Our staff loves this park, and they really take it to heart,” said Haste. “They’ve gone above and beyond to make this what it is.”

Historically, parks add to property values in the area, as well as quality of life, giving locals another opportunity to get into nature for their health and wellbeing. Though many county parks consist of little more than baseball fields and a playground, Detweiler Park offers something different.

“Where else can you live in a capital city and, within 10 minutes, have 411 acres of pristine nature?” Haste said. “You can’t really put a price on that.”

While the park property is preserved forever, its full potential has yet to be realized. There are farm dumps to dispose of and trails to be blazed, but much of the input on improvements will come from the community.

Over the coming years, there will be community meetings where people can share their recommendations for the future of Detweiler Park with members of the family, Dauphin County and DCNR. If you are eager to share your opinion, you can submit your ideas at detweilerpark.org or send a letter to the Dauphin County commissioners.

Detweiler Park is located at 1451 Peter’s Mountain Rd. in Dauphin. For more information, visit www.detweilerpark.org.

Author: Allison Moody

Plate Date: Feta, a knife cut and a star turn for Tanner Waxman

July 31, 2017 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Photo by Waxman Photography.

Tanner Waxman relaxes on the couch of his dad’s photography studio in Hershey, a lock of his signature blue hair escaping from the side of his baseball cap as he shares a few details about his unique opportunity to appear on a popular Food Network cooking show.

It turns out that landing a slot on “Chopped, Junior” wasn’t Tanner’s first shot at fame.

“I did some Skype interviews for ‘Food Network Star Kids’ and learned not to pair radishes and peanut butter,” said Tanner, an impish smile spreading across his broad face.

His mother Tijen offered a little more information.

“He was the youngest one to compete at the time, and we got really far in the process,” she said.

As for the odd food pairing, Tijen suggests that they might have been looking for something more like a slaw, rather than a mixture. The timing was less than ideal anyway. The family was in the process of moving their business and dealing with the aftermath of a flood.

“The initial competition would have required us to be in Los Angeles for three weeks,” Tijen said.

The experience, although short-lived, was nonetheless valuable in giving the student an edge when the next opportunity presented itself.

Tanner and his dad Ali volleyed back and forth how the idea for “Chopped, Junior” came about and exactly how many Skype interviews were involved. But both seemed to agree that the first shot at fame was good practice for the second. Tanner tried again and, this time, beat out 3,000 other hopefuls for a slot. Afterwards, the real work began.

Ali, who specializes in food photography, reached out to friends willing to share their knowledge and help young Tanner prepare for his debut. Café Fresco Chef Travis Mumma rose to the challenge.

“He was very hands on,” said Ali.

Tanner chimed in, adding, “He said, ‘cut that celery, cut those carrots.’”

Chef David Mills, who works as a culinary instructor at HACC, also spent time with Tanner.

“We met about once a week for two months to prepare for the competition,” said Mills. “He showed a lot of promise, and whatever I asked him to work on, he came back knowing exactly how to do it.”

Deep Cut

By October, 11-year-old Tanner had absorbed what he needed to know to compete on the show. He packed his bags and headed out to New York’s Chelsea Market for filming, joined by his biggest cheerleaders—mom, dad and 18-year-old sister Didi.

There, the budding young chef joined three of his peers to compete for the grand prize of $10,000 in an episode titled, “Three-Ring Kitchen,” based on a circus theme.

The show began with a bang as the children ran excitedly around the kitchen to gather ingredients for an appetizer using corn dogs, avocados, corn on a stick and circus cookies, while judges Ryan Guzman, Geoffrey Zakarian and Sunny Anderson chatted in the background. Buttoned-up Zakarian, whom Tanner found a bit intimidating, took a ribbing for claiming to never have consumed a corn dog.

“Geoffrey likes his corndog with a little dollop of caviar,” joked host Ted Allen.

With his fun sense of humor and confident stage presence, Tanner stood out early on with colorful commentary.

“If I were in a circus, I’d definitely be a strong man because of these guns,” he said with a grin, while pointing at his biceps. “I’m the definition of a circus because hey, I’m cool, and who wouldn’t want this in the main show,” he quipped, gesturing towards his blue Mohawk.

The lighthearted background banter among the judges suddenly turned serious when they realized that Tanner had cut himself while slicing an onion to make guacamole. Tanner shared his feelings about the setback with the audience.

“I’m freaking out,” he said. “This is a huge disadvantage right now. I don’t have much time left.”

Producers consulted with Tijen on the situation.

“They told me it was a really deep cut, and he could opt for stiches at the hospital, and they could call an extra, or they could glue it on the set.”

Tijen was torn, but in the end, decided to trust the medics enough to allow them to glue the finger. The crew then broke for a 90-minute lunch, and Tanner resumed cooking, finishing his dish in a mere 20 minutes.

Tanner’s corn dog taco with guacamole and a sweet and spicy sauce won over the judges, who especially liked that he used feta in the preparation.

“That feta saved my butt,” Tanner said.

For round two, the three remaining chefs were given hamburger sliders, heirloom tomatoes, pretzel rods dipped in chocolate called “Tiger Tails” and purple-hued “jester” potatoes.

“I have no idea why they call them ‘jester’ potatoes, they’re not really that funny,” said Tanner, shrugging his shoulders.

The ingredients proved to be a challenge for Tanner, thwarting his effort to make it to the third round. Zakarian said he was hoping that he would do “something more with the burger” and also objected to the tiger tail “icing” Tanner used in the preparation of his dish. Nonetheless, his superb plating skills piqued the judges’ curiosity, which provided Tanner with the opportunity to give a shout-out to his dad and explain how he learns various techniques by tagging along on his father’s photo shoots.

No Hurry

According to Tanner, one of the most challenging parts of the experience was keeping the information under wraps for months before the episode aired. Once the cat was out of the bag, however, the excitement was palpable. More than 100 students and members of the community turned out to support Chef Tanner at a viewing party held at the Hershey Middle School.

“It was a lot of fun,” said proud mom Tijen, who takes pleasure in fostering her children’s hopes, dreams and creativity. “I teach them to stay present, don’t overthink things, to love and trust themselves, and they will be OK, no matter what.”

These days, Tanner and his father are joining forces in an entrepreneurial endeavor.

“We came up with an idea called PB&J Plus,” said Ali. “Basically, it’s using his creativity and my photography to market a product which will combine ingredients like pretzels and potato chips with peanut butter.”

For Tanner, who has since turned 12, there’s really no hurry to decide what he wants to pursue as an adult, although he’s currently toying with the idea of becoming a lawyer due to a desire to help people. When questioned about his next cooking endeavor, he grins, looks over at his parents and hints that his cooking chops might come in handy someday.

“I’ll cook for someone, when I get a girlfriend,” he said.

Author: Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

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Friday night, though, join us and the Down in Front pundits for an 80s Preparty at ZerØday ahead of the screening (and riffing) of Xanadu at Midtown Cinema.

What are you doing this weekend?

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