Pooch Paradise: Dog park proposed for Midtown Harrisburg.

May 26, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

This grassy expanse soon may become Harrisburg’s first public dog park.

Terriers and hounds soon may displace groundhogs and squirrels from a block of long-empty land in Midtown, as plans are afoot for Harrisburg’s first public dog park.

The community group Friends of Midtown is raising about $18,000 to cover two years of expenses for the off-leash park, which would be created on a grassy, three-quarter-acre expanse at N. 7^th and Granite streets.

“We have the enthusiastic support of the city, the planning bureau,” said Annie Hughes, who is spearheading the effort for Friends of Midtown with her husband Andy. “Everybody’s all in, essentially.”

Recently, a small group of dog-lovers toured the lot, a former industrial area now devoid of most structures. According to Hughes, it would make a great dog park, as it’s large, empty and distant enough from most occupied buildings, yet still walkable from much of Midtown and Uptown.

The Vartan Group owns the lot and has agreed to a two-year commitment, Hughes said. Friends of Midtown should hear soon on the fate of a grant application from PPL Electric and also is soliciting funds from individuals. It hopes to have the park, which would be free and open to the public, ready by spring 2018.

Plans call for a fence to ring the lot, which would be divided into two areas—one for large dogs and the other for small dogs. Dog waste bags would be available on site, and signs would be posted with the rules of the park.

Midtown resident Ginger Coleman said that she and her dog, a 3-year-old boxer rescue named Apollo, can’t wait for the park to become a reality.

“He’s very, very active,” she said. “He needs this so he can release all his energy.”

The desire for a dog park in Harrisburg has come up repeatedly in recent years. Two years ago, it was the fifth most-popular suggestion among 1,200 ideas for inclusion in the city’s comprehensive plan, Hughes said.

She added that the dog park would be temporary, serving as a pilot for the city, which may use data collected from this effort to build a permanent park.

Ultimately, a dog park should be considered part of the city’s economic development strategy, she said, offering a key amenity and improved quality of life for residents and their pets.

“A dog park is something Harrisburg really needs,” she said. “The goal is to provide more for existing residents and attract new residents.”

If you would like to contribute, please visit the Friends of Midtown website or mail a check, indicating “dog park” in the memo line, to Friends of Midtown, P.O. Box 5291, Harrisburg, Pa., 17110.

Author: Lawrance Binda

Litter-free HBG: New trash can lids aim to reduce city-wide litter.

May 25, 2017 | by Danielle Roth

Cleanup volunteers pick up litter from an empty lot.

A small change to trash can lids may cut the amount of litter on Harrisburg streets.

That’s the idea behind “Stop the Drop,” a campaign to turn home trash cans into, essentially, public trash cans. Plus, the new lids may feature artsy designs from residents.

The new lids are bright orange with a hole in the center that residents can attach to their trash cans, replacing their existing, solid lids. Pedestrians then can put litter into the can through the hole, rather than toss it in the street, said Julie Walter, neighborhood revitalization manager at Tri County Community Action, a part of the grassroots coalition Clean and Green Harrisburg.

A successful three-month pilot run on 6^th and Market streets convinced the coalition to roll out the lids citywide, Walter said.

“[We were] excited that people were actually using the lids,” she said about the trial run. “When we would go check them out, there would be coffee cups and chip bags in the cans. You can tell that there was actually a need.”

In late July, residents citywide will be able to volunteer to swap their lids out with the new lids. These new lids work well with rowhome residents who place their trash cans at the front of their house, she said.

Find entry forms at Capital Region Water’s Pine Street office or at Tri County Community Action’s Derry Street office.

In the meantime, residents get the chance to design a decorative decal for the lids. The lids will feature the top designs from each age group, and the top four designs from each division will earn cash prizes. Find fliers with a design template at local community centers, businesses, TCCA’s Derry Street office or Capital Region Water’s customer service center on Pine Dr. near Arsenal Blvd.

Clean and Green Harrisburg, a coalition of community groups, is taking the lead on the project while sponsors, including Capital Region Water, will assist with purchasing lids and decals. Clean and Green Harrisburg also coordinates 2-Minute Tuesdays and the Great Harrisburg Cleanup on Earth Day, which CRW also supports.

Limited city resources led the coalition to a solution not found in other cities, Walter said.

The coalition opted for this campaign proposed by the Weathergauge Group, a collaboration of Fathom Studio and JPJ Consulting, because it “was innovative and very community oriented,” she said.

“The community starts taking control of their own issue,” she said. “Everything is very community-grounded.”

This article was updated at 5:00 p.m. to correct sponsorship information and the name of the consulting group.

Author: Danielle Roth

Weekend Update with Sara Bozich

May 25, 2017 | by Sara Bozich

Why do I feel like my life is ruled by hockey lately? That’s tonight’s plan (though I need a food plan).

This weekend, I’m foregoing the group camping trip to hang with my GK Visual peeps and try our hand at the Vidjam Filmmaking Weekend.

Saturday, I’ll hit the gym (and hopefully market) before filming, then we’ll wrap something up by 7 p.m. Sunday.

Monday, I’m hoping to be poolside for a friend’s birthday!

What are you doing this weekend?

(more…)

City Council Update: Park updates, police contract approved.

May 24, 2017 | by Danielle Roth

green grass in bckground, playground in foreground. Blue sky, rowhomes behind it.

The park at 4th and Emerald streets is slated to receive two trees.

Harrisburg may be a step closer to fixing its two city pools, which have struggled for years to open on time and stay open all summer.

Last night, City Council approved a measure to examine the feasibility of renovating its existing pools or constructing a new one. Council approved other measures for city parks, too, including planting trees at four parks, and a police contract.

The city will begin the pool feasibility study after checking that former Mayor Linda Thompson’s administration did not already conduct a similar study. Parks and Recreation Chair Destini Hodges added an amendment that the administration will search for the previous study before the June 6 council meeting.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said it’s possible that the previous administration conducted a similar study, adding that current city officials did not know of any study. Papenfuse and Council President Wanda Williams both said they would ask the previous administration about the existence of a prior study.

The pools, built in the 1960s, have experienced maintenance issues that have caused closures or delayed openings in the past ten years. This year, both pools will open mid-June.

In other action, four parks are slated to receive a total of 25 trees after council approved a $3,750 grant from TreeVitalize, a program established by the state to increase urban canopies. The trees will be planted in Riverfront Park and in parks at 4^th and Emerald streets, 19^th and Forster streets and 7^th and Radnor streets.

In a 5-2 vote, Council also approved a new labor agreement with the Bureau of Police. In March, the administration and police officers’ union negotiated a contract designed to encourage young officers to stick with Harrisburg’s force, in addition to rewarding seasoned officers.

Councilman Cornelius Johnson, public safety committee chair, voted against the contract. He said the contract had “wins” for the administration and the police officer’s union, especially under Act 47 constraints. However, he said he voted against it because the negotiating process excluded city council until the final stages.

“While I do commend the administration, I vote no [because] we need to include council when moving forward,” he said. “In the future regarding all union contracts, [we should] make sure that council is a partner. This puts us in a position when we are unable to make changes.”

Author: Danielle Roth

Question of Ownership: Reed requests return of artifacts, memorabilia after pleading guilty.

May 18, 2017 | by Danielle Roth

two white men loading a truck with what appear to be old chairs. They stand outside a red brick home

Two years ago, the state seized many artifacts from Stephen Reed’s Cumberland Street house. The ownership of those are now an issue.

What should be the fate of 1,790 items seized from former Mayor Steve Reed?

A judge began grappling with that question today, as the commonwealth and Reed’s attorneys argued over matters of rightful ownership and proper return.

In February, Reed pleaded guilty to 20 counts of theft-related charges. Now that that case is settled, he’s asking the state to return artifacts, memorabilia and city documents seized during the criminal investigation.

Reed’s lawyer Allen Welch insisted that these items should be returned to Reed, while state Deputy Attorney General Danielle Graham said that the former mayor needs to prove ownership.

In a Thursday review hearing, Judge Kevin Hess began to deal with the legal arguments for returning the items to the rightful party.

“The issue is who has the burden of proving what, when items are seized in relation to an investigation but aren’t connected to illegal activity,” Hess said.

Hess moved to schedule a civil trial this summer to determine the ownership of the artifacts.

The state possesses 150 items subjected to criminal prosecution and about 1,600 items seized under a grand jury indictment that were not subjected to criminal prosecution, Graham said. The state cannot return the 1,600 items that were not subject to criminal investigation because “when [they were] seized, it was in connection of an investigation,” she said.

Saying “they’re mine” should be enough to return the items to Reed, Welch said.

“They should be returned immediately,” he said. “The commonwealth has no basis to [keep them].”

However, Graham said the state seeks “the production of credible evidence” that proves Reed owned the items.

Hess compared this situation to police officers seizing a television in addition to illegal drugs and guns in someone’s living room. The television set was seized as part of a criminal investigation, but the suspect didn’t prove ownership to have the television returned, he said.

To that, Graham said, “It’s nuanced.”

“The distinguishing factor is that this is significant memorabilia with a specific, unique purpose and high value,” she said.

The state has some receipts and “hand-written, somewhat illegible” documentation, Graham said. However, she questioned their authenticity and said her office had difficulty connecting the documents with the corresponding items. She requested the original documents to inspect their authenticity, she said.

Welch said Reed can prove he owns the items in question.

“We are prepared to present evidence to show when they were purchased by Stephen Reed, not the City of Harrisburg,” he said.

Hess suggested the process could be streamlined.

“If they establish ownership of 150, [it could] dispense the necessity of showing evidence of the rest of the 1,600,” he said.

The state possesses city documents such as mayoral notes and minutes from cabinet meetings, Deputy Attorney General Rebecca Franz said after the hearing. The state cannot return the documents to the city right now because Reed asserts that they are his items, she said.

Author: Danielle Roth

A Pint of PA: The filmmakers behind “Brewed in the Burg” are now capturing Pennsylvania’s craft beer story with a new documentary.

May 18, 2017 | by Yaasmeen Piper

Sara Bozich interviews Bob Batz, Jr., Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter, for GK Visual’s documentary, “Poured in PA.”

Two years ago, five visual storytellers debuted the documentary “Brewed in the Burg,” a short documentary about brewers and beer-lovers in the midstate.

After recording and interviewing in local breweries, the production team at Harrisburg-based GK Visual realized there’s much more to Pennsylvania’s beer story. Now, they aim to capture the voices in craft brewing across the state in a new documentary, “Poured in PA.”

“A lot of people seemed to like [“Brewed in the Burg”],” said Nate Kresge, co-owner of GK Visual and the film’s executive producer. “Since then, we were like, ‘Man, it would be really cool to do a documentary on the entire state.’”

With a truck filled with equipment and their snack of choice, Combos, GK Visual set off for Pittsburgh to begin filming “Poured in PA.” The filmmakers plan to feature beer-makers across the state—from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, from State College to Erie, and of course, Harrisburg.

More than 100 breweries call the Keystone State home, including Yuengling Brewery, one of the nation’s oldest and the fourth-largest American beer producer, which GK Visual hopes to visit.

Last week marked GK’s first week of filming. The team interviewed brewers at Penn Brewery, Spoonwood Brewing Co., East End Brewing Co. and Dancing Gnome Brewing Co., all in Pittsburgh.

The team plans to spend the summer traveling to film the documentary, leaving the fall and winter for editing. Kresge anticipates releasing the documentary in local independent theaters and online at Amazon and Netflix in April.

“We travel pretty often for all our projects, so it’s always great to get out and see familiar faces in other parts of the state,” Kresge said. “It’s a big state, and it’s interesting how different every corner of it is from each other, but still seemingly tied together.”

In addition to being a beer enthusiast, Kresge said he appreciates the respect most brewers have for one another.

“Nine times out of 10, brewers are more than willing to help each other out,” Kresge said. “They want their industry to survive. Yes, there is competition, and, yes, there’s some people that don’t get along. But, overall, a brewer can call up another brewer and say, ‘Hey I am out of hops; do you have any I can buy from you?’ Or ‘Could I come over there and borrow some kegs?’ That kind of thing.”

One of the biggest challenges GK Visual faces is funds. The production company funded “Brewed in the Burg” out of pocket. Traveling across the state for this documentary will cost more, Kresge said.

With that, they started fundraising on Indiegogo, a website where supporters can donate money. From early March to May 8, the campaign raised more than $6,000 from 89 contributors. As a thank you, each of those who donated received a “Poured in Pa” T-shirt, mug or behind-the-scenes access with the filmmakers.

The campaign did not go as well as they hoped, raising 13 percent of the intended goal. But GK Visual gathered what they could to tell Pennsylvania’s beer story.

“We always love getting on the road and meeting new people,” Kresge said “I mean, who doesn’t love talking about beer?”

Author: Yaasmeen Piper

And the Winners Are: TheBurg Snags a Pile of Press Awards

May 18, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

It’s late May, which, in the world of PA journalism, means that it’s time to hand out the big awards.

At a ceremony on Saturday in Lancaster, TheBurg will collect 14 Keystone Press Awards. This includes, for the second year in a row, the prestigious “Sweepstakes Award,” as we performed best in our division throughout the entire commonwealth. Sweepstakes winners are asked to make acceptance videos, and you can see ours above.

Each year, I’m asked about the stories and art that won awards. So, I thought I’d list and link to them so our readers can see what the judges thought was among the best work in 2016 in journalism throughout Pennsylvania.

First Place: Columnist
Lawrance Binda (a group of three columns)
“Uncertain Decision”
“A Crime Story”
“Going Gone”

First Place: Business or Consumer Story
M. Diane McCormick
“Food Network”

First Place: Feature Photo
Megan Davis
“Landslide” (photo below)

First Place: Graphic/Photo Illustration
Rich Hauck, Megan Davis
“Return Visit” (illustration below)

Second Place: Investigative Reporting
Paul Barker
“Huge Relief”

Second Place: News Feature Story
Paul Barker
“Quiet in the Hall”

Second Place: Photo/Story Essay
Megan Davis
“Academic Achievement”

Second Place: Headline Writing (a group of three headlines)
Lawrance Binda
“Razing the Bar”
“Savaged by the Bell”
“Land of the Flea”

Second Place: Graphic/Photo Illustration
Ryan Spahr
“Spooky Time” (illustration below)

Honorable Mention: Feature Story
Paul Barker
“Clean Slate”

Honorable Mention: News Beat Reporting
Paul Barker
Harrisburg City Government Beat

Honorable Mention: Headline Writing (a group of three headlines)
Lawrance Binda
“Corn Meals”
“Groom to Grow”
“Drawing Rooms”

Honorable Mention: Graphic/Photo Illustration
Stephen Haas, Megan Davis
“Pumpkin Plan” (illustration below)

The Keystone Press Awards are sponsored annually by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Foundation. This year, nearly 3,400 entries were received from 130 PNA newspapers.

Author: Lawrance Binda

TheBurg Podcast, May 18, 2017

May 18, 2017 | by TheBurg Editor

Welcome to TheBurg Podcast, a weekly roundup of news in and around Harrisburg.

May 18, 2017: This week, editor-in-chief Lawrance Binda and city reporter Danielle Roth discuss Tuesday’s primary election. Binda shares details from Mayor Eric Papenfuse’s victory party at the Midtown Scholar. Roth describes the scene at mayoral challenger Gloria Martin-Roberts’ election night party. They talk mayoral campaign strategies, what surprised them about the primary election results, and their “Most Harrisburg Thing This Week.”

Subscribe to TheBurg Podcast on iTunes and Google Play.

Special thanks to Paul Cooley, who wrote our theme music. Check out his podcast, the PRC Show on iTunes.

Find the stories related to this week’s podcast:

Papenfuse Wins Re-nomination for Harrisburg Mayor; Council Incumbents Successful

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

May 18, 2017 | by Sara Bozich

We had another great event last night at Strawberry Square — thanks to everyone who came out to enjoy treats from ZerØday, Raising the Bar, MoMo’s and music from Nina Scarcia. Look for us next month — we have a real treat planned for you!

Friday is National Pizza Party Day (according to my planner), so I think pizza party for 1 for me. Knead, hello. See you soon. Should pair well with hockey and frustration. Why did I become a hockey fan? Why??

I hope you’ll join us on Saturday — BUY MATCH TIX FOR JUST $9 by 5 p.m. Friday — for the Harrisburg City Islanders match and FREE pre-game party with yours truly at McGrath’s Pub.

Otherwise, it’s a much needed low key weekend.

What are you doing this weekend?

(more…)

Burg Blog: Some of Harrisburg

May 17, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

Gloria Martin-Roberts talks to the media last night.

“I want to be mayor of all of Harrisburg.”

So said Gloria Martin-Roberts as she threw her hat into the ring last November, a phrase she repeated, in varying ways, umpteen times over the following months. In fact, you could say it was the theme of her campaign for mayor.

So, did she do that? The numbers say no.

Martin-Roberts did well where everyone expected her to do well—in Uptown and much of Allison Hill. However, she got clobbered in the so-called “river wards,” and that proved to be her Achilles’ heel in the election.

Let’s dig into some data.

Martin-Roberts did best on her home turf (no surprise) in Uptown Harrisburg. In the four precincts of sprawling Ward 10, she tallied 498 votes, nearly one-quarter of her total of 2,048. In contrast, incumbent Mayor Eric Papenfuse limped in with 314 votes, winning just one small precinct that borders the river. She also did well in wards 7 and 8, industrial and residential areas of northern Allison Hill.

Papenfuse, though, killed it down by the river. He won by more than 100 votes in Ward 4 (northern downtown), and wards 5, 6, 11 and 12 (all of Midtown from Forster to Maclay streets) and Ward 14 (Riverside/Italian Lake). His overwhelming margins in these wards swamped his challengers, proving to be far too much ground for Martin-Roberts to make up.

While, in her concession speech, Martin-Roberts blamed the media and, weirdly, the electorate for her loss, she really can only blame her own campaign’s flawed, Trump-like strategy—digging deep into her base, trying to squeeze every vote from a handful of precincts and wards.

It is certainly fine if, as a candidate, you base your campaign in certain parts of the city or certain demographics, but you can’t stop there. That’s basically what Martin-Roberts did, never really reaching out to voters outside of her core constituency, thus ceding wide swaths of Harrisburg to her opponents.

Her low-energy campaign also did not help, since trying to unseat an incumbent requires months of vigorous, sustained effort. Lastly, she did nothing to court new voters in Harrisburg, too often invoking that tired “us vs. them” attitude that means nothing to newcomers.

Interestingly, challenger Jennie Jenkins seemed to spread out her support best of the five candidates. She only received 506 votes, but they came from all over the place—a little here, a little there.

In the end, Martin-Roberts lost by more than 600 votes to Papenfuse, a substantial margin in the light-turnout election. If she had run to represent all of Harrisburg, as she repeatedly promised, she might have stood a chance. But she didn’t do that. She was basically invisible from Shipoke to Riverside, giving people in the growing, diverse neighborhoods along the river little reason to vote for her.

Author: Lawrance Binda

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I hope you’ll join us on Saturday — BUY MATCH TIX FOR JUST $9 by 5 p.m. Friday — for the Harrisburg City Islanders match and FREE pre-game party with yours truly at McGrath’s Pub.

What are you doing this weekend?

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