Fixing History: Harrisburg begins to replace, refresh historical signs.

July 27, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg recently replaced some of its damaged historical signs, including this one in Riverfront Park.

On a visit to Harrisburg’s Riverfront Park, you may have wondered about the history of your surroundings—the story behind such prominent structures as the Walnut Street Bridge and the J. Donald Cameron Mansion.

The information is there for you. It’s just been hard to read on the soiled, bleached, tagged and damaged historical markers scattered throughout the park and the city.

The city administration now has begun to freshen up Harrisburg’s history by replacing many of the Plexiglas-covered signs that offer information on everything from Governors’ Row to the Hope Fire Station.

“Many were in terrible shape,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “Over the years, they had been covered in graffiti and damaged from sun bleach.”

The signs themselves aren’t actually very old. Part of the “Harrisburg History Project,” they were installed between 2002 and 2004 at 113 locations throughout the city. However, by 2015, they already were in such poor shape that Historic Harrisburg Association placed them on its list of preservation priorities.

“We were delighted when we started seeing the new signs appearing,” HHA Executive Director David Morrison said today. “They’re a wonderful asset to the city.”

In June, the city replaced about 30 signs, part of a duplicate set it received along with the project 15 years ago. Over the years, the duplicates apparently had been moved from one storage facility to another, and, through administration turnover, had been forgotten about, Papenfuse said.

“Security rediscovered them, and we put them out,” he said.

Unfortunately, the rest of the duplicate set is missing. Papenfuse believes these signs were used for other purposes—for instance, mounted as part of other historical displays during the Reed administration.

This worn and vandalized sign, which tells the story of Verbeke Street, awaits replacement.

“We don’t have a complete set,” he said.

Not all of the signs need to be replaced, as some are still in good shape, Papenfuse said. He added that he hopes to find funds to replace the others. In addition to the signs, some of the metallic, podium-style stands have suffered damage and need to be replaced. In fact, over the years, some units have been removed entirely after getting hit by cars or otherwise destroyed.

But, to Morrison, 30 new signs is a good start.

“This is wonderful,” he said. “We’d love to see it completely restored.”

Author: Lawrance Binda

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

July 27, 2017 | by Sara Bozich

Cheers to the weekend!

It’s been a busy Poured week for the GK Visual crew. We spent Tuesday at Yuengling (Go! What a great tour), are heading to Lancaster Brewing Co. today, and visit Elk Creek Ale Works in Millheim tomorrow.

I’m hoping to catch JAWS at Midtown Cinema on Friday, but the forecast looks as though it may be pushed to Saturday.

I’ll start Saturday with my usual Next Step Performance workout, then hit the Broad Street Market.

»» Shop Camp Hill businesses on Saturday during the Summer Soiree!
»» Details here

By night, you gotta check out Gamut Theatre’s one-night-only performance of The Golden Boiz.

What are you doing this weekend?

(more…)

A Park’s Future: Reservoir Park Master Plan Unveiled.

July 26, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

A map of proposed improvements for Reservoir Park under the new master plan.

On an average day, sprawling Reservoir Park is a rather quiet place.

A guy walks his dog, a car cuts through to Market Street, a handful of people visit the National Civil War Museum.

It’s a place that’s lightly used, which is great if you’re a squirrel or groundhog, but probably not what you want in the middle of a busy city.

Harrisburg now has taken a major step towards reviving public interest in the 87-acre park, unveiling a master plan that will help steer its future.

At a meeting last week, landscape architect Peter Simone, president of Norristown-based Simone Collins, offered a detailed presentation of a multi-year, $7.7 million plan to make improvements ranging from new lighting and restrooms to playgrounds and handball courts.

“The park has had less use in recent years,” Simone told a group of about 50 residents. “So, we want to increase use of the park.”

The master plan is the culmination of an 11-month process that included public meetings, surveys, focus groups and an 11-member steering committee. The $100,000 study, funded equally by the city and the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, was led by Harrisburg-based landscape architects H. Edward Black & Associates.

Simone offered some park history, saying that it sprang from the City Beautiful movement of a century ago.

“It’s the same park that your forebears enjoyed 100 years ago,” he said.

Over the years, many features have been added to the park, including an arts village, a greenhouse, fountains and sports facilities, many now in disrepair. The city just completed rehabilitation of the band shell, one of the park’s most prominent structures.

Simone broke the master plan into seven phases. The first, the most expensive at $2 million, would cover pricey items like park security and lighting. It also would include less expensive features, like meadow planting and a dog park.

Subsequent phases would include new restrooms, a water spray park, handball courts, new pavilions, changes to roads, more parking, a food truck pull-off area, new playgrounds, a grandstand and band shell seating.

“This is a plan that will take a decade or more to implement,” Simone said. “It’s not going to happen overnight.”

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said that he’d like the city to begin the first phase soon, following a presentation to City Council this fall.

“We believe we can fund a portion of it from city funds,” he said. “We’re looking to grant a portion, too.”

The plan recommends seeking grants from numerous sources, including the state departments of Environmental Protection, Community and Economic Development and Conservation and Natural Resources.

At last week’s meeting, the park’s neighbors seemed generally supportive of the plan, but a few spoke out on the subjects of security and roads.

The plan addresses security through more cameras and by installing long-lasting LED lighting, and Papenfuse said that the city is about to add second park ranger.

“If we’re going to put an investment of millions of dollars into this park, we’ll also put the investment into the personnel to make sure the park is safer,” he said.

The crowd seemed split on proposed changes to roads and traffic flow, with some insisting that all existing roads should remain open and others advocating restricting automobile use. The plan recommends making some roads one-way to make room for pedestrians and bicyclists and possibly closing off a portion of Park Drive to traffic.

“I like driving through Riverfront Park,” said one resident who wanted to ensure she still could cut through the park between State and Market streets. “It’s a lot quicker and much more beautiful.”

The crowd seemed to agree that Reservoir Park was a diamond in the rough, a remarkable city asset that needed investment, a little love and a lot more use.

“The first time I went up to the park and looked out, it was like, ‘Wow, this is a million-dollar view,” Simone said. “It’s an important facility, and one that’s not really replicated in communities all across the country. This is a very special place.”

Find more details about the Reservoir Park Master Plan at www.harrisburgpa.gov/reservoirplan.

Author: Lawrance Binda

Petite Plants: New Hershey Gardens exhibit teaches sustainable gardening on a small scale.

July 25, 2017 | by Allison Moody

The Hoop House, a new sustainable gardening exhibit at Hershey Gardens.

Fruits and veggies have taken root where butterflies once took wing, as Hershey Gardens recently debuted its new sustainable teaching garden.

This space, formerly the Butterfly House, is now the Hoop House, containing multiple varieties of fruits, vegetables and herbs, planted in ways promote sustainable gardening.

“What we were lacking in here were vegetable gardens,” Hershey Gardens Associate Director Dan Babbitt said.

The exhibit opened the week of Memorial Day following six months of preparation.

But don’t worry about the butterflies—they’re doing just fine. Last year, they were captured and moved to the new Butterfly Atrium, leaving space within Hershey Gardens for something new.

In Hoop House, crops will be rotated with the seasons, so each trip should look different. Current varieties include mid-summer crops like cantaloupe, corn, cucumbers and more, all grown to maximize resources.

“You don’t need a lot of space to grow your own veggies,” Hershey Gardens Horticulture Specialist Alyssa Hagarman said.

Throughout the exhibit, small signs teach visitors about sustainable gardening techniques. Some of the recommendations include choosing smaller varieties of each plant, growing vertically on poles or trellises and planting natural pest repellents like marigolds or peppermint.

Hoop House itself was designed to promote sustainability. Plants are watered with rainwater collected in a barrel, lowering electricity and water costs. Food produced from the small garden feeds Hershey Garden’s bugs and butterflies, as well as some hungry staffers. In the future, extra food may be donated to a local food bank.

Although this inaugural season has been mostly trial and error, the Hoop House has been well received by visitors, said Hagarman.

“Interest [ranges] from toddlers to the elderly,” she said. “Everyone is really excited about it.”

In the future, staffers at Hershey Gardens hope to use Hoop House to explore new programming opportunities, including cooking, canning and children’s activities. There will be an observational beehive installed by August, where visitors can watch bees work without the danger of getting stung.

Hershey Gardens is located at 170 Hotel Rd., Hershey. Regular admission to the Hershey Gardens is $12.50 per person, and includes entrance to the Hoop House. For more information, visit www.hersheygardens.org.

Author: Allison Moody

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

July 20, 2017 | by Sara Bozich

Congrats to all the Harrisburg Mile runners last night!

I think today calls for a pool day (once I get some work done, of course).

Tomorrow, we’re heading down to Collusion Tap Works for both a Poured in PA shoot and a Know Your Brewer interview for the site. It’ll be my first visit, but I tasted some of their beers at last weekend’s Chef’s Table at The Garlic Poet, and they were great.

If energy allows, I’d love to 3rd in the Burg and maybe even see Badfish (finally), but … we’ll see.

On Saturday, we’re scheduled to visit Little Italy in Baltimore for a mini overnight getaway, but it looks like the state legislature has decided to ruin that for us. I have some backup plans.

What are you doing this weekend?

(more…)

Military Melodies: PA National Guard Band to play at Italian Lake.

July 18, 2017 | by Allison Moody

Harrisburg’s Italian Lake, the site of a concert on Saturday.

This weekend, patriotic tunes will temporarily displace the usual sounds of songbirds and water fowl at Italian Lake.

Starting at 6 p.m., the 28^th Infantry Division Concert Band will perform a variety of music, including John Phillips Sousa marches, in honor of the Pennsylvania 28^th Division of the National Guard and veterans around the nation.

The musicians are all active duty members of the Pennsylvania National Guard and will travel from all corners of the state for the performance.

The Special Projects Committee of the Greater Harrisburg Area is sponsoring the event. This committee is simply “a group of men and women who want to help get things done,” according to committee member Mike Trephan.

It was over lunch at the West Shore Plaza Family Restaurant that the idea for the tribute concert came about. Committee members felt as though National Guard service often goes unrecognized and uncelebrated, and they wanted to host something to show their appreciation.

“There’s been a toll on these people serving multiple tours,” said committee member and former WGAL anchor Jim Sinkovitz.

The committee and its members have been involved in numerous projects in the past, including the Pride of the Susquehanna, City Island, and more recently, getting Reservoir Park’s fountains up and running. The goal is to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of residents in the greater Harrisburg area, and this concert fits into their mission.

“We don’t have any agenda other than to keep what our forefather’s left us going,” said Trephan.

The 28th Infantry Division Concert Band will perform Saturday, July 22, beginning at 6 p.m. at Italian Lake, N. 3rd and Division streets, Harrisburg. The concert is free.

Author: Allison Moody

Novel Attraction: Salman Rushdie to visit Harrisburg as part of book tour.

July 13, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

Midtown Scholar Bookstore will host world-famous author Salman Rushdie in September.

One of the world’s most famous authors soon will be making a stop in Harrisburg, as Salman Rushdie plans to visit to promote his new novel.

On Sept. 29, Rushdie will stop by Midtown Scholar Bookstore for a reading and question-and-answer session, part of a 12-city tour to promote his novel, “The Golden House,” said Alex Brubaker, Midtown Scholar’s books and programs manager.

“We’re pretty thrilled,” Brubaker said. “We have been emphasizing trying to get the most respected and innovative authors to come here.”

The visit came about after Brubaker reached out to Rushdie’s publicist to see if Midtown Scholar could get on the tour itinerary.

“Harrisburg may not be the biggest market, but we have a really strong literary community, and I sold it on that,” Brubaker said.

Rushdie is the author of 12 previous novels, perhaps best known for his 1981 novel, “Midnight’s Children,” and his controversial 1988 work, “The Satanic Verses.” Queen Elizabeth II knighted Rushdie, who is of British-Indian descent, in 2007.

Rushdie’s publisher, Penguin Random House, describes his new novel “as “an epic of love and terrorism, loss and reinvention.”

To attend “An Evening with Salman Rushdie,” you must pre-order a signed copy of “The Golden House,” priced at $32. Otherwise, tickets are free, but available on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors will open at 6 p.m., with the event beginning at 7 p.m. at Midtown Scholar.

“I am thrilled that such an extraordinarily accomplished author and public intellectual has chosen to include Harrisburg and the Midtown Scholar on his latest book tour,” said Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse, who owns the bookstore with his wife, Catherine Lawrence.

Harrisburg is, by far, the smallest city on the tour, with St. Louis the next smallest, said Brubaker.

“[The visit] was rather surprising to us, too,” he said. “But it’s definitely exciting.”

Midtown Scholar Bookstore is located at 1302 N. 3^rd St., Harrisburg. Click here for more information and to obtain tickets for the event.

Author: Lawrance Binda

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

July 13, 2017 | by Sara Bozich

Happy Weekend!

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!

What are you doing this weekend?

(more…)

Burg Blog: Food Flight

July 12, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

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 3^rd 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 3^rd 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 3^rd in the Burg.

Last month, during the June event, I was at the food truck area at N. 3^rd 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 3^rd 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 3^rd 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 3^rd 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 3^rd 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 3^rd 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

Apply Here: Harrisburg school district to hold teacher recruitment event.

July 11, 2017 | by Yaasmeen Piper

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

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Happy Weekend!

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»» Shop Camp Hill businesses on Saturday during the Summer Soiree!
»» Details here