Greater Harrisburg's Community Magazine
A relatively low-key weekend awaits me. Tonight, I’m headed over to Tröegs for the opening reception of the Art of Tröegs and Wild Elf preview. Tomorrow, post-meetings, I’m thinking massage and a night in with the pup.
Saturday, Andy and I are doing one of our favorite things — attending a Chef’s Table Beer Pairing Dinner at The Garlic Poet. This one features Collusion Tap Works.
Sunday = Pool Day? Hopefully!
The Harrisburg band Flower Garden played in the courtyard of the Broad Street Market last year during one of the first 3rd in the Burg events held there.
As a young reporter, I was once taken down a notch by a volunteer firefighter in a town that I covered.
I wanted to write what I considered to be a harmless piece about a fire department fundraiser. But, evidently, this firefighter had felt wronged before by another reporter who, he believed, had messed up a story. And he was still angry about it.
“What do you know about what’s happening here?” he snipped to me. “I’ve never seen you before.”
He was correct. I really didn’t know anything about the people I supposedly covered—who they were, what they did, what made them tick. As we say in the biz, I “parachuted in,” which meant that any reporting I did would be superficial, at best. There was no way I could understand the nuances of who these people were and why they did what they did.
I was reminded of this long-ago episode because of an article published yesterday by PennLive. This article linked declining food truck sales during 3rd in the Burg to a shooting up the block during the April event.
As I read the story, I thought to myself, “No, that’s not right.” I felt that much of the real story, the deeper meaning, the part you learn by living in a community, participating in it, was missing.
I used to manage 3rd in the Burg and, today, TheBurg continues to organize the event. So, we know very well what’s happening on the third Friday of the month in Harrisburg. And the April shooting, which stemmed from a domestic dispute in a house nearby, while tragic, is not primarily responsible for the decline in the popularity of the “Food Truck Feast” portion of 3rd in the Burg.
Last month, during the June event, I was at the food truck area at N. 3rd and Harris streets and thought the crowd size was respectable, despite the shooting two months before. That said—the long lines of a few years ago were gone, like the day back in 2014 when it took me nearly an hour to get a taco.
The people, though, had not really disappeared. I knew that they had just moved a few blocks south to the Broad Street Market.
A year ago, the Broad Street Market, rich with amazing food options, began participating in 3rd in the Burg, and that’s where all the energy–and all the hungry people–have gone. In fact, several market vendors have reported their greatest single-day sales ever during 3rd in the Burg days.
“We’ve seen a steady and even dramatic increase from month to month,” market Manager Beth Taylor told me today. “We get families, young children, single people. It’s been fabulous.”
In fact, once the market opened, attendance at the food trucks began to tail off almost immediately, and the organizers of the Food Truck Feast, citing decreased business, even cancelled it once or twice last year, months before the shooting.
For her part, Taylor has made the market a centerpiece of 3rd in the Burg. Besides all the food options, there’s live music, indoor and outdoor seating, and a fun, friendly community vibe. In the courtyard, there have been craft beer samples, an ice cream stand, coffee drinks, baked goods and homemade fudge samples. The event this month will even include a kid’s bounce house.
The market is also perfectly located in the middle of the action, as opposed to the more out-of-the-way HACC parking lot, where the food trucks set up. It has shelter and bathrooms and is open year-round.
In 2013, when the Food Truck Feast arrived, it was a great addition to 3rd in the Burg. Over the years, we’ve loved working with the trucks and wish them the best at their new location in Mechanicsburg.
However, here in Harrisburg, the action has shifted a few blocks away, to a more natural community space and a more natural gathering point, which also has terrific amenities for attendees. Simply put—people enjoy hanging out at the Broad Street Market.
“I love that the market participates in 3rd in the Burg,” Taylor said. “It’s one of my favorite parts of the month. It should be a good one next week.”
The next 3rd in the Burg takes place on Friday, July 21. In addition to the Broad Street Market, about 40 venues in Harrisburg will participate. Come see for yourself!
Author: Lawrance Binda
If hired by the Harrisburg school district, you just might land at the Benjamin Franklin School.
Have you always wanted to be a schoolteacher? Or maybe you’re considering it for the first time?
If so, the Harrisburg school district would like to talk to you.
School officials will hold an in-person recruitment event of potential educators on Thursday, beginning at 10 a.m., at the Lincoln Administration Building on State Street. The open house is meant to help fill faculty jobs, which begin next month, for grades K to 12 in all areas of study—from English and history to career services and special education.
“We wanted to do something out of the box and to expand opportunities for recruitment,” said Kirsten Keys, district spokesperson. “This event is a move to expand and to be innovative in our approach in recruiting highly qualified talent to teach in our district.”
The district needs to fill 27 to 40 spots vacated recently by retirees, young educators moving on or people who decided to change careers, Keys said. On-the-spot video-chat interviews will be available for those who have registered.
“Teachers [need to be] able to teach in a diverse population, be exposed to different types of challenges that you may not encounter in other settings, and have the ability to change the lives of their students,” said Curtis Tribue, the director of human resources.
Keys refers to working in an urban environment as a “calling” considering the challenges the children face, which include high poverty rates, parentless homes and no homes to go to at all. As of 2015, 77 percent of students’ families in the district live at or below the poverty line.
“There are differences when it comes to working in an urban setting versus a suburban or private or charter setting,” Keys said. “I would say it is something that links to that teacher passion—to come to an inner-city setting and teach children who come from diverse backgrounds, not only racially and ethnically but also socioeconomically.”
Minority and bilingual educators are especially encouraged to apply due to the diversity of Harrisburg’s student body.
African-American students make up 59 percent of student enrollment, and Hispanic students constitute 31 percent, with rapid growth. Nearly 13 percent of students are considered Limited English Proficient or English Language Learners. To help address these needs, the district has reached out to the University of Puerto Rico and to historically black colleges across the East Coast.
“It’s important for children, for students, to see teachers that look like them, that can relate to them, and care about them and their ability to learn and become successful outside of high school,” Keys said.
She added that the Harrisburg school district offers a completive salary, great benefits and the chance to impact a child.
“Our students are amazing,” she said. “Despite challenges some of the students face, our students are some of the most amazing students that you will find. They have high hopes, dreams, and aspirations. It’s a great place to work to impact the lives of students here.”
The Harrisburg school district’s Summer Educators’ Recruitment Event will take place Thursday, July 13, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Lincoln Administration Building, 1601 State St, Harrisburg. To register, contact the district’s Human Resources Department at 717-703-1499 or email [email protected].
Author: Yaasmeen Piper
Soon, this storefront will house Provisions, a new grocery store.
If you’ve been hungering for an urban-style grocery store in Harrisburg, here’s some very good news—your wait is almost over.
In a few months, Provisions will open in Strawberry Square, emphasizing natural, organic and locally produced goods, mostly sold in bulk.
Provisions will occupy 2,350 square feet of space next to Fresa Bistro with a storefront entrance on N. 3rd Street, said Brad Jones, CEO of Harristown Enterprises, which owns Strawberry Square.
“You’re going to be able to get fresh food that you can shop daily for,” said Jones, who described the market as a “locally grown Trader Joe’s.”
Jones expects the build-out of the space to begin immediately, with the store opening in mid-October.
Provisions is the brainchild of Shaun Donovan, the owner of the online grocery store Appalachian Organics, and Adam Porter, co-owner of the co-working space Startup Harrisburg.
Porter said that the pair met several years ago through mutual friend and fellow Harrisburg entrepreneur, Adam Brackbill.
“I said to [Donovan] one day, ‘I need a car just to feed myself,’ and down this path, we went,” Porter said, explaining how the idea began.
After searching for potential sites, the pair decided on N. 3rd between Market and Walnut streets due to the rapid development of downtown apartments in recent years, as well as an influx of state workers into Strawberry Square.
“We chose to locate our new store in Strawberry Square to be a part of the growing community that has been developing here,” Donovan said. “The strategic location, within a short walking distance of transit centers and the developing residential sector, make the store very accessible.”
The future Provisions, from inside Strawberry Square.
Provisions will make the most of its relatively snug space by selling most items in bulk, thereby eliminating bulky, wasteful packaging. This strategy also will keep costs down, so that items should sell at an affordable price, Porter said. In addition, customers can measure out exactly how much of an item they need, reducing waste.
“We can put items on the shelf in a concise way,” Porter said. “So, we don’t need as much square footage in the store.”
Some items, like meats, cheeses and dairy products, will be sold in more conventional packaging. The store also will carry items like cleaning supplies, locally roasted coffee, fresh-made baked goods and locally sourced produce.
“We’re going to use as many local vendors as we can,” Porter said. “We may not have quite as wide a variety as a supermarket, but it will still be a robust selection.”
He added that Provisions is intended for a local shopper—a resident or worker—who wants fresh items and, therefore, will patronize the store more often than one might visit a supermarket, perhaps several times a week.
“Our primary customer is someone within a 10-minute walk,” Porter said.
He said that he wouldn’t be surprised to get some suburban shoppers, who might be attracted to the unique items and shopping experience. To that end, he and Donovan plan to promote Park Harrisburg’s reduced-rate street parking, which includes free parking on Sundays, four hours of free parking on Saturdays using an online code and reduced prices weekdays between 5 and 7 p.m.
If the concept is successful, Porter envisions Provisions expanding, with smaller-format stores in more neighborhoods in Harrisburg. That would contrast sharply with the current model of downscale corner stores in the city and sprawling supermarkets in the suburbs.
“People always ask me, ‘What about a grocery store?’ when you talk about a downtown renaissance,” Jones said. “Now, you’re going to be able to get fresh food you can shop daily for.”
ProvisionsHBG will be located at 15-17 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg, also accessible from inside Strawberry Square. Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) is ProvisionsHBG. A website will be located at www.provisionshbg.com.
Author: Lawrance Binda
Under an expansion plan, State Street would become part of the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District.
What a difference a couple of years can make.
The last time the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District (HDID) was up for renewal, the city government put the nonprofit through the wringer—and on a short leash.
This year? Smooth sailing.
“I’m impressed with what you’ve done,” City Council President Wanda Williams told Executive Director Todd Vander Woude during a hearing last week. “You’ve done good work.”
The HDID is seeking a five-year reauthorization of the district, which expires at year-end. In 2015, council refused to grant a full, five-year term, offering only two years with instructions to become more visible and active. Back then, some council members—along with several business owners—said that HDID wasn’t doing enough to attract people downtown and make it more of a destination.
Given the positive reaction of council, it appears—mission accomplished.
During the hearing, Vander Woude outlined a few recent highlights: last year’s “Dino-Mite Summer” public art project, this year’s “Discover the Ducks Downtown,” the St. Patrick’s Day parade and run, several new murals, more bike racks, brightly painted planters, a new safety substation.
“Our focus is making downtown clean, safe and beautiful,” he said.
Getting firm council support is particularly important this year, as the HDID is seeking to expand its northern boundary from Pine Street to State Street, bringing 58 more properties into the district and upping the organization’s annual budget by $40,000 to $820,000. Each commercial property is assessed a 1.75 mil surcharge on its city property taxes to cover the cost of HDID services, which also include cleaning, safety and beautification measures.
Property owners within the proposed district have 45 days from last week’s council hearing to vote against the district. Forty percent of properties within the boundary must vote against it for reauthorization to be defeated.
This summer’s “Discover the Ducks Downtown” is one of many recent projects spearheaded by the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District.
With three properties on State Street, WCI Partners will have to kick in an extra $10,000 in annual tax, representing one-quarter of the total revenue for new properties in the expanded territory, said company President Dave Butcher. Nonetheless, he supports the proposal, as State Street, he said, is one of the most visited and photographed streets in the city.
“It’s helpful because we’ll have long-term institutional support for the (State Street) median in maintaining it and keeping it beautiful,” said Butcher, a member of the HDID board.
Currently, Butcher passes the hat among his fellow State Street property owners to help maintain the two-block long, landscaped median that runs from Riverfront Park to the state Capitol building. If its boundaries are extended, HDID will maintain the median, while also offering street cleanup, planters, flowers and other benefits.
Despite the proposed expansion, at last week’s meeting, no property owners told council that they object to the plan. Council President Williams made the only critical remark, pleading with the HDID to do what it can to bring retail back to downtown Harrisburg.
Vander Woude was optimistic. Over the past few years, several developers have converted worn-out office buildings into high-end residential space, and there’s now a waiting list for those apartments.
“I’m hopeful that, with the residential growth downtown, retail will follow,” he said.
To learn more about the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District, visit www.harrisburgdid.com.
Author: Lawrance Binda
Harrisburg City Council tonight approved numerous resolutions tonight before going on summer hiatus.
Harrisburg City Council doled out some $1.9 million in federal housing funds tonight, but not before making tweaks to the administration’s proposals.
Council provided $25,000 to the Heinz-Menaker Senior Center from the city’s portion of annual Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, a program of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“It is the only senior center in the city of Harrisburg,” council President Wanda Williams said after the meeting. “The services they provide are outstanding.”
The city administration had denied funding for the center, saying its application scored too low to merit a grant.
Williams said she agreed to fund the center on the condition that the money pay for critical infrastructure needs, not the salary of center Director Les Ford. In turn, Ford said he’d use the money to refurbish bathrooms and replace faulty fire doors, in addition to several smaller projects.
To make room for the Heinz-Menaker grant, $15,000 was taken from a proposed allocation for the city’s Police Bureau, which still will receive $90,000 to help pay for a new community policing van and a police cadet program.
Another $10,000 was taken from the city’s Department of Community and Economic Development, which still will receive about $43,000 to cover unreimbursed costs related to the sinkhole project on S. 14th Street, including money for fencing.
City Council wanted to fund a small nonprofit called Breaking the Chains, which works with at-risk youth in Harrisburg. However, before the meeting began, council members determined that the organization’s application did not meet the requirements of the CDBG program.
Like last year, the greatest single amount of money, $562,248, went to repay federal loans the city backed during the Reed administration for several development projects, including the disastrous Capitol View Commerce Center project, which went bankrupt before being completed years later by a new owner.
Other CDBG recipients included:
While the city undertook the annual process of distributing CDBG money, funding is not assured as the Trump administration has threatened to end the program.
Also at tonight’s meeting, City Council:
Originally, council had planned to vote tonight on whether to transfer $65,000 to permit police to purchase new protective, or riot, gear. That vote has been delayed until after council members return from summer break on Aug. 29.
In the interim, Councilman Ben Allatt asked the administration to schedule two meetings between community members, especially those who oppose the purchase of the gear, and police to discuss differences between them and to help heal divisions.
“I’m very concerned about a growing disconnect I see between law enforcement and the community,” Allatt said.
Author: Lawrance Binda
Harrisburg city hall, where Eastern University hopes to locate.
Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse calls it “a good opportunity for the city.”
Some Harrisburg City Council members see a potential for problems.
All agree that a proposal by a college to move into Harrisburg’s government center is an unusual arrangement, but one that could benefit a cash-strapped city seeking novel solutions to its profound infrastructure needs.
Last night, council members heard the details of a proposal by Eastern University, a St. Davids, Pa.-based Christian college, to move its satellite campus from a building near I-83 in Lower Paxton Township into the basement of city hall.
“I wanted to be in the city,” said Wesley Bunting, the Harrisburg campus site director, explaining the potential move. “We’ve been here, but the people of Harrisburg don’t know we’re here.”
Therefore, the university approached the city with a novel offer. It would spend about $615,000 to fully renovate the mostly empty, worn-out basement of the MLK Jr. City Government Center on N. 2nd Street.
The city would be able to use a portion of the space for a new, state-of-the-art emergency operations center. It also would get access to classroom space when not in use and to the lounge, which could be used as a break room. The city would receive the building improvements but no monetary rent from Eastern University during the 10-year lease term.
If approved by council, the project could start immediately and would take less than a year to complete, Bunting said.
The offer furthers an existing relationship with Harrisburg, as the city and the university last year inked an agreement offering city workers and their families a 25-percent tuition discount to attend the college. That partnership also provides city employees with free workforce training.
“This is a substantial investment in the building with resources that we otherwise would have to draw from somewhere else,” Papenfuse said. “It’s true that it is not a typical type of relationship, but Harrisburg does have a unique financial position, given its distressed status.”
There are other benefits, Papenfuse said. It would bring more people downtown, would boost building security, especially after hours, would offer technology upgrades in the building and would help create a “critical mass” of colleges downtown, adding to the existing presence of Harrisburg University, Temple University and Messiah College.
“It’s not just the EOC (emergency operations center),” he said.
Some council members, though, seemed uneasy with the proposal. Councilman Westburn Majors said that a partnership between the city and a Christian-oriented college “just doesn’t sit right with me.”
“To me, there should be a separation of those two things,” said Majors who, added that, otherwise, he understands how the city would benefit from the project.
Joyce Davis, the city’s communications director, said the arrangement does not mean that the city is taking a position on faith-based education.
“We are not endorsing or advocating any one faith,” she said. “It’s simply a business relationship.”
Councilwoman Shamaine Daniels, an attorney, brought up potential liability issues for the city. However, city Solicitor Neil Grover assured council members that Harrisburg’s agreement with Eastern University includes full indemnification, so the city would be protected legally.
“From our view, the city is completely covered,” he said.
Majors said that he would feel more comfortable if there were precedent for such an arrangement, but city officials said they knew of none.
“I think we’re on the front lines of this,” said Papenfuse, who added that he also would favor a public-private partnership that would lead to the renovation of the rundown city Public Safety building next door.
The basement of city hall, which Eastern University would like to turn into classroom space.
Both Eastern University and the administration had hoped that council would approve the agreement at its legislative session tonight. However, council President Wanda Williams decided to table the resolution until after council’s six-week summer break, which starts tomorrow.
Several council members said they needed more time to study the agreement and perhaps confer with residents.
“This is the first time community members have heard about this,” said Councilman Cornelius Johnson. “I would be interested in that community buy-in.”
Bunting said he was comfortable waiting if the council felt it needed additional time and input.
“I do not want to rush you,” he said. “I want to make sure everything is right.”
Author: Lawrance Binda
Happy Weekend!
You almost made it. The weekend is basically here — again! — so power through (I know you’re still recuperating from a long 4th of July holiday).
Tomorrow night, we’ll be at Tapas & Tasting at Cornerstone Coffeehouse (congrats to Fina S., our ticket winner — see you there!).
On Saturday, follow along as we treat our Poured in PA winner to a guided tour along the Cumberland Valley Beer Trail. Follow: #FoundItInCV
Harrisburg Police Chief Thomas Carter and Capt. Derric Moody showed City Council the protective gear they wish to buy, on the right, with an old shield on the left. People who objected to the proposal sit on the far right.
Vocal opponents of a proposed police spending measure packed Harrisburg’s government center tonight, as City Council chewed over whether to allow the department to purchase new riot gear.
More than two dozen activists attended a council work session, some decrying a Police Bureau plan to purchase 30 “top to toe” protective suits.
“Simply possessing more militarized gear . . . escalates the situation further,” said Amanda Arbour of Harrisburg. “We have seen it’s not the police getting hurt at these types of situations.”
Police are asking council to approve the transfer of $65,000 in unspent personnel funds to buy the equipment. The bureau’s current gear is old—about 25 years old—and inadequate, according to Capt. Derric Moody.
Chief Thomas Carter stated that the Harrisburg police need the equipment as the rate of protests in the state capital—and their volatile nature—is making the force more vulnerable.
“Protective gear is used to de-escalate the situation,” he said. “Protective gear is used (by police) to protect themselves. Without the proper gear, a situation would be escalated more.”
Moody emphasized that the purpose of the gear is protection.
“How can we protect others if we can’t protect ourselves?” he said.
Carter said that the bureau has deployed its existing gear several times recently, including two visits by now-President Donald Trump and a June protest that attracted both “anti-Sharia” activists and masked, black-clad members of a group called Antifa, which stands for “anti-Fascist.” During that event, several fights broke out between the opposing groups, and one woman was arrested for allegedly injuring a state police horse.
“Anytime there’s a potential for harm, potential injury to persons, you would see this gear come into play,” Moody said, who added that the gear wouldn’t be deployed for protests where there is no apparent threat of violence.
Police brought along samples of the suits to show council. Currently, city police riot gear consists mostly of aging helmets, shields and gas masks, Moody said. The requested money would buy full protective suits, which Moody has described as “scalable,” meaning that parts—individual pieces for shoulders, hands, legs, chests, shins, etc.—could be deployed as needed. The suits also come with helmets, shields and riot sticks, which are longer than standard police sticks, Moody said.
Several residents urged council to divert the money to other community needs, perhaps even asking residents what they believe will make the city safer.
“I don’t know that we need to be spending that money on this at this very time,” said Patricia Stringer, a former city councilwoman.
Council members appeared alternatively supportive and skeptical of the bureau’s request.
“There have been protests at the Capitol for a very long time,” said Councilman Cornelius Johnson. “The message got to the masses of people that, because of the increase in the amount of protests, we need to update our gear.”
Moody said that, in fact, protests have become more frequent and virulent.
A vote on the measure was expected tomorrow during council’s final legislative session before its six-week summer hiatus. However, council delayed a vote on the issue until after the recess as police rushed out of the meeting during their presentation to attend to protests at Sen. Pat Toomey’s town hall at ABC27 News studio on N. 6th Street.
Author: Lawrance Binda
Where state and city meet.
Bruce Weber isn’t typically known for his serenity.
By his own admission, he’s a worrier, which is probably the correct disposition when you’re Harrisburg’s budget and finance director.
However, even by a calmer standard, the recent struggle over the state’s annual payment to Harrisburg was a nail-biter.
When asked recently what would happen without the state payment, which, in recent years, has represented about 8 percent of the city’s general fund, Weber thrust his hands into the air, making a “who knows” gesture. Without it, Harrisburg’s budget would have a massive hole in it.
How would it be filled? Who knows?
Back in February, Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed 2017-18 budget contained $5 million to Harrisburg for services in lieu of taxes. Then it was stripped out, in its entirety, by the state Senate. At the last minute (i.e. this week), the money suddenly reappeared, thanks to the Herculean efforts of state Rep. Patty Kim and Sen. John DiSanto. This is no way to run a city—or a state.
I’m not going to address the issue of exactly how much the payment should be. Is $5 million a year a fair figure for an entity that owns 42 percent of Harrisburg’s land yet pays no taxes, but still needs 50 buildings and 30,000-plus workers and visitors served and protected each day?
It’s probably in the ballpark, although city Councilman Ben Allatt, citing New York’s greater payment to its capital of Albany, argues it should be much more.
Whatever the figure, it’s time for the state to own up to the fact that it depends upon Harrisburg for fire protection and other services—and that those services cost money to provide. Moreover, Harrisburg, still financially fragile, cannot afford to wait until halfway into its own fiscal year to learn whether or not it’s going to receive a state payment—and, if so, how much.
Therefore, we call upon the state to enter into a long-term agreement with the city to provide a knowable, mutually agreed-upon annual payment, which would not be subject to the vagaries of partisan politics and the whims of politicians.
Doing so would allow the city to budget responsibly, while fostering a more respectful and beneficial bond between city and state. It also might help calm Weber’s nerves—and ours.
Author: Lawrance Binda