Bulk Up: New grocery store planned for downtown Harrisburg.

July 11, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

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. 3^rd 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. 3^rd 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. 3^rd 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

Bigger Duck Pond: Downtown Improvement District seeks renewal, expansion.

July 8, 2017 | by 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

Council Update: Housing funds approved; meeting urged between police, residents.

July 6, 2017 | by 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:

City Housing Rehabilitation Programs: $330,000
Tri-County HDC: $150,000
City Emergency Demolition: $120,000
Harrisburg Fire Bureau: $51,686
Habitat for Humanity Greater Harrisburg Area: $30,000
Rebuilding Together: $15,000
Christian Aftercare Recovery Ministries: $25,000
A Miracle 4 Sure: $25,000
Latino Hispanic American Community Center: $25,000
Fair Housing Council: $25,000
Mid Penn Legal Services: $15,000
Neighborhood Dispute Settlement: $3,900

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:

Approved a series of resolutions for the installation and monitoring of video security systems at Reservoir Park and at the playground at N. 4^th and Emerald streets.
Passed a resolution allowing the city to enter into a professional services agreement for engineering and environmental services with Lower Allen Township-based Barton & Loguidice for the city’s proposed new composting facility in Susquehanna Township. The resolution will allow the city to complete an application required by the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Approved a resolution for a professional services agreement with Hampden Township-based Dawood Engineering for engineering services for MulDer Square, a major revitalization project on Allison Hill.

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

College Try: Eastern University outlines plan to renovate, re-locate inside Harrisburg city hall.

July 6, 2017 | by 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. 2^nd 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

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

July 6, 2017 | by Sara Bozich

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

What are you doing this weekend?

(more…)

To Buy or Not to Buy: Police, opponents give views on new riot gear.

July 5, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

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. 6^th Street.

Author: Lawrance Binda

Burg View: The state must regularize its annual payment to Harrisburg.

June 30, 2017 | by 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

Capitol Capital: State restores annual payment to Harrisburg.

June 30, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

The state legislature is expected to pass a 2017-18 budget today, which includes a $5 million payment to Harrisburg.

Harrisburg looks likely to receive its full state funding after all, as the legislature has re-inserted a $5 million payment to the city in its final budget agreement.

A vote is expected today on a $32 billion state budget for 2017-18 that includes full funding of the “Capitol fire protection” line item, a type of payment in lieu of taxes that the city counts on to help fund emergency services.

“This is great news for Harrisburg,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “And I’d like to thank (Rep.) Patty Kim and (Sen.) John DiSanto for working hard on behalf of the city.”

Over the decades, this annual payment has ranged widely from nothing to the current $5 million, an amount decided upon while the city was under state receivership. However, the money is not guaranteed, meaning that Harrisburg isn’t certain it will receive the funds until the always-fraught state budget is passed.

The money lands in the city’s general fund, but Harrisburg officials say it offers compensation for services that the city provides to about 30,000 state workers, in addition to many others who come to Harrisburg to do business with the state. The state pays no property taxes on its massive holdings in the city, which includes some 50 state-owned buildings on about 42 percent of the city’s land.

The payment was included in the proposed budget released in February by Gov. Tom Wolf. However, the Republican-controlled Senate later stripped it from its budget proposal, with some legislators criticizing the city for tripling the local services tax, which affects everyone who works in Harrisburg. At the time, Kim and DiSanto both said they’d fight to have the money restored.

Once passed by the legislature, Wolf is expected to sign the budget into law.

Author: Lawrance Binda

Foot Falls: What are the most dangerous spaces for pedestrians in Harrisburg?

June 30, 2017 | by Danielle Roth and Steve Cline

With just nine minutes remaining before his 5 p.m. shift, Chris* peddled his aluminum bike from his Midtown apartment toward the downtown restaurant where he worked as a server. No helmet, headphones playing underground rap music, he glided down the sidewalk along Front Street to pause at the sidewalk’s mouth as it opened to the six-lane behemoth of Forster Street.

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Chris said he watched the traffic light controlling Forster Street’s rush-hour traffic turn red, started pedaling, and collided with the front bumper of a silver sedan.

The next thing he remembers was lying on the pavement, thinking, “I got to get up.” With a dented bike, broken leg and blooded face, he could not move.

Chris, who has since recovered, represents one of many Harrisburg residents and visitors who navigate the city without a car, either by need or by preference. Over the years, TheBurg reporters have heard of many other accidents involving pedestrians—and nearly been victims a few times themselves. So, we paired with Steve Cline, owner of map-making project Urban 3D Modeling, to find out how the city interacts with its walking population.

Cline mapped the car crashes that involved pedestrians in Harrisburg by using PennDOT Open Data from 2012 to 2016.

The top four areas of accidents probably won’t surprise those who don’t use cars, and neighborhoods prone to foot traffic showed more incidents.

Cameron and Market streets topped the list with seven crashes involving pedestrians at a single intersection.

A whopping 58 crashes took place along Derry Street. The map shows a concentration along 13th and 17th streets, plus the intersection of Derry and Mulberry streets.

Forster Street, where Chris’ accident took place, clocked in at nine crashes along the downtown portion. Four crashes took place at the 3rd and Forster intersection.

The downtown corridor bordered by Front, Chestnut, 4th and Walnut streets saw 20 crashes with pedestrians. Many took place along Front Street, and three pedestrian crashes (of 25 crashes of all types) took place at Front and Market streets near the Market Street Bridge.

A cross-shaped region around N. 6th and Maclay streets showed 12 crashes with pedestrians out of a total 508 crashes.

“At some point in every journey, everybody’s a pedestrian, even if you park in a lot and you’ve got to cross a street to go to an office,” said Geoffrey Knight, the city’s director of planning. “Pedestrian infrastructure is important for everybody, not just people who rely on walking to get around most of the time.”

A Change
Knight’s office dreams up the “pie in the sky” ideas to design the city for pedestrians—larger sidewalk “bump outs” that trick drivers to slow down, trees placed for shade and safety and well-designed crosswalks.

“From a conceptual standpoint, we are always trying to make the city as accommodating to pedestrians and all road users as possible,” he said.

This perspective on city planning marks a change from past generations.

“A lot of last centuries’ engineering as far as streets … in many cities, was designed to get people in and out the city as fast as possible,” Knight said. “So, now communities are having to correct that.”

Roads such as Forster and Front were widened to accommodate more cars, which benefited commuters, but gave pedestrians dauntingly wide streets to cross.

A few projects are in the works to make the city more appealing for those who don’t drive cars.

A $3 million state grant-funded project is in the works with the goal of transforming the streetscape near the intersection of Mulberry and Derry streets. This Allison Hill intersection, known as Mount Pleasant or MulDer Square, saw nine total crashes, with five incidents involving pedestrians, according to the PennDOT data.

“The purpose of this project is green infrastructure and pedestrian activity because that is what is going to increase property value and safety,” said City Engineer Wayne Martin.

Project leaders also plan to develop a safe path to Cameron Street (following the “goat paths” that walkers already have worn into the dirt) and to transform Nectarine Alley—an alley so rife with potholes that cars cannot pass; I tried it and failed—into a green space.

Martin called this Y-shaped intersection a “sea of asphalt.” A small mini-mart sits at the crux of the Y. The expanse of asphalt makes it difficult for a pedestrian to pop between parked cars to see when a car will whir pass and in which direction.

“What if we made it plaza space, green space,” Martin said about underutilized space. “Give it back to the pedestrian, because it’s not really needed for roadways for traveling vehicles.”

Pinch Points
Though Derry Street, combined with stretches of S. 13th and S. 17th streets, saw the greatest number of pedestrian-related crashes, the intersection of Cameron and Market streets clocked in as the most dangerous intersection for pedestrians.

Cycling community advocate and founder of the bike repair nonprofit, Recycle Bicycle, Ross Willard called this area a “death wish” to cross.

“We have an island that starts from downtown to Midtown to Uptown,” he said. “[This means the city] has pinch points. All the pinch points are deadly because we have high speeds, lots of walkers and lots of traffic.”

Already this year, on a Monday evening in late January, a taxi driver hit a 25-year-old city resident attempting to cross the four-lane, industrial-zoned behemoth. The pedestrian was taken to Hershey Medical Center because of multiple injuries, according to the Harrisburg Bureau of Police.

Last month, a drunk driver killed a woman walking on State Street, another “pinch point,” on an early Saturday morning.

For many residents and workers, crossing these “death wishes” is a day-to-day necessity. Residents staying at a halfway house on Cameron Street can only bike or walk, Willard said. Knight pointed out that the PA CareerLink Center attracts walkers crossing Cameron Street.

To get to jobs downtown, this intersection presents the most convenient route. Over at Front and Forster, that’s what Chris was doing when he got hit. He was just following his normal daily routine.

Now, about a year after the crash, he’s mostly recovered. He continues to bike (on a new one he called “a beauty”). He said he wears his headphones about half as much.

Most importantly, he’s altered his route. He still needs to bike downtown and cross Forster at Front street. But now he opts for the more controlled crossing at Riverfront Park.

*Chris is a pseudonym for the real biker, who asked not to be named.

Author: Danielle Roth and Steve Cline

Small Town Escape: Take a day to take in Mifflinburg.

June 30, 2017 | by Don Helin

When people think of small Pennsylvania towns, they often aren’t aware of the jewels that may be found there.

Such is the case with Mifflinburg. Recently, my wife and I made a day out of it, starting with a morning hike in the Tall Timber Natural Area before enjoying a repast at the Rusty Rail Brewing Co. and finishing up with a visit to Penns Creek Pottery.

A Rhythm

Tall Timber Natural Area is located at the base of Jacks Mountain, about an hour north of Harrisburg. There, we hiked the Swift Run Trail along the creek. There are some ups and downs, but most of the easy-walking trail follows the creek through a forest of white pines and other hardwoods, then up the mountain. Listen for the musical calls of the thrushes and other birdsong along the way.

Once you finish your hike and the appetite begins to build, it’s an easy, 20-mile drive to Mifflinburg. Turn left off of Route 45 at 8^th Street and, in half a block, you’ll see the Rusty Rail Brewing Co. on the left, located in a historic, red-brick building. Inside, you’ll find everything you need to fuel back up. You can even relax with some pool or darts and even take in a dose of Pennsylvania’s industrial past.

The Rusty Rail occupies an enormous, century-plus-old building that, over the years, has made everything from automobile bodies to pool tables to kitchen cabinets.

A few years ago, brothers Paul and Eric John decided to convert the cavernous building into a brewpub and events space, which entailed a complete redesign and remodel, as well as an enormous investment. General Manager Rich Schrader said that they used many existing elements during the renovation and construction, repurposing materials and objects to reflect the industrial heritage of the building and the town.

Next, they recruited a team—chef, brewer, restaurant manager, events coordinator and brewery/sales manager—to lead the different areas of the operation.

“Like any startup, we had our share of turnover, but, overall, we have retained the largest portion of our original staff,” Schrader said. “We had to find a rhythm with the team. On our busiest days of opening the restaurant, 350 customers a day seemed like a lot. Two years later, we are serving over 800 people on our busiest days.”

The restaurant now smokes its own meats, bakes its own breads and creates its own bases, sauces and desserts. The specialties of the house include smoked brisket, cheesesteak spring rolls, Asian veal short ribs and venison meatballs.

Beer-wise, the brewery has six core brands, including an IPA, a pale ale, a blonde ale, a stout, a witbier and a lager, as well as various seasonals. In the near future, the Rusty Rail plans to start brewing sour and barrel-aged beers and to add canning to its packaging.

“The production and distribution side of the brewery has grown tremendously,” Schrader said. “We are present in most of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and we plan to continue to expand into surrounding states and beyond.”

The Rusty Rail’s events side—for weddings, live music and other happenings—also has grown substantially, which should be enhanced further once an outside pavilion and beer garden are complete.

“The future looks very bright,” Schrader said.

One of a Kind

After our meal, we ventured down to Penns Creek Pottery, located on Route 104, about 3½ miles south of Mifflinburg—right on your return trip to Harrisburg. Owners Bill and Sharon Lynch have been at this location since the late 1970s.

“We moved to Mifflinburg in 1978 and didn’t know a soul,” Bill said. “The ice jam of February 1979 flooded our home and workshop, and recovering from that natural disaster was quite a job. It took at least six months to put things back together, while trying to establish a market for my pottery and a brand for myself.”

Another challenge was restoring the 200-year-old, water-powered flourmill on the property and turning it into a production studio and retail gallery. The mill was in derelict shape after ceasing operation in 1951 and serving as a chicken coop for many years. They set a goal for themselves—making and selling pottery in the mill within a decade.

They met that goal and, over his career, Bill has earned many prestigious honors, including the Phil Patterson Memorial Award for Outstanding Design and Craftsmanship from the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen.

“I think pottery is so important today because we live in an increasingly impersonal world,” he said. “Most of what we use today in our everyday lives is made anonymously, often in factories halfway around the globe.”

People are hungry, Bill said, for things that are not mass-produced—that are one of a kind and made locally.

“Everything I make at Penns Creek Pottery is sold right here,” he said. “Visitors can see pots being made as they browse through the collection of finished pottery, and they can meet the potters and learn something about the process while they shop. People really like that.”

Once you leave Penns Creek Pottery, consider a stop at Shade Mountain Winery. It’s right on the way back to Harrisburg and a perfect way to end your day trip.

GOING THERE

Tall Timber Natural Area: Follow Route 322 West until you reach Thompsontown, then exit at Route 333. Drive north on Route 333 until the road intersects with Route 235, then enjoy a scenic drive over Shade Mountain until you reach the tiny town of Troxelville. Turn left at the sign for the Snyder-Middlesworth Picnic Area and follow the road, partially paved, partially gravel, until you reach the area.

Rusty Rail Brewing Company, 5 N. 8^th St., Mifflinburg. Visit www.rustyrailbrewing.com or call 570-966-7878.

Penns Creek Pottery, 30 Pottery Lane, Mifflinburg. Visit www.pennscreekpottery.com or call 570-837-3809.

Shade Mountain Winery, 16140 PA Route 104, Mifflinburg. Visit www.shademountainwinery.com or call 570-837-3644.

Author: Don Helin

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