Plan, Timeline Set For Lt. DeVoe Funeral Procession

March 15, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

The steps of the PA state Capitol will serve as a staging and viewing area for the funeral procession of Harrisburg firefighter Lt. Dennis DeVoe.

The Harrisburg Fire Bureau today released the plan and timeline for the funeral on Friday for Lt. Dennis DeVoe, a Harrisburg firefighter killed in a traffic accident on Saturday as he responded to a fire call.

9 a.m.: A procession of Harrisburg Bureau of Fire apparatus will leave the Geigle Funeral Home at 2100 Linglestown Rd. The procession will proceed east on Linglestown Road to Progress Avenue, where it will proceed south on Progress Avenue to Walnut Street. The procession will then proceed west on Walnut Street into Harrisburg.

10 a.m.: The procession will pick up a contingent of fire apparatus that is to be staged in Reservoir Park and continue west on State Street.

10:15 a.m.: The procession will pick up the family’s antique tractor, which will be driven by Lt. DeVoe’s son and daughter. Harrisburg Bureau of Fire and Bureau of Police personnel in dress uniforms will also assemble and join the procession in a parade march. The procession will continue across the State Street Bridge and merge onto Walnut Street, passing in front of the Forum auditorium to 3rd Street. The procession will turn north on 3rd Street.

10:45 a.m.: The procession will pass by the front of the Pennsylvania State Capitol. The steps of the Capitol are the staging area for all out-of-town members in uniform. The procession will continue north on 3rd Street to Forster Street, where it will travel to the east to 7th Street to its final stop in front of the Forum auditorium.

11 a.m.: The procession of the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire apparatus will arrive back at the Forum auditorium.

12 to 1 p.m. A firefighter service will take place inside the Forum auditorium.

For the general public, recommended viewing areas for the funeral procession include the State Street Bridge and at 3rd and State streets in front of the Capitol building.

Author: Lawrance Binda

Here It Comes: Pending Storm Prompts Snow Emergency

March 13, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

If forecasters have it right, we’re in for a repeat tomorrow of this wintry scene along Reily Street in Harrisburg from January 2016.

In a few hours, Harrisburg will be under a snow emergency, as a pending storm threatens to pound the area with more than a foot of snow.

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse announced the emergency during a morning press conference, stating that all cars must clear out of snow emergency routes starting at 6 p.m. tonight. The snow emergency extends until 6 a.m. on Wednesday.

Snow emergency routes tend to be main arteries in the city, such as 2nd Street, Division Street, State Street, Walnut Street and Paxton Street.

City residents can park for free in the Locust Street Garage starting at 6 p.m. today until 8 a.m. on Wednesday.

Separately, Gov. Tom Wolf declared a disaster emergency for much of the commonwealth, restricting speeds on highways and deploying snow removal resources to the eastern part of the state. Both state and city government offices will be closed tomorrow in Harrisburg for all non-essential personnel. In addition, the city has imposed “liberal leave” for Wednesday.

City sanitation services will be suspended both Tuesday and Wednesday.

During last year’s blizzard, residents of some of Harrisburg’s narrowest streets complained that the city did not properly communicate with them that their cars had to be moved so the road could be plowed. This year, the city has made special arrangements for residents of Penn Street and Zarker Street.

In addition to the Locust Street Garage, residents of Penn Street can park in the HACC Midtown parking lot No. 5, the Fire Museum or City Island. Zarker Street residents can park in the Locust Street Parking Garage, the Old Hamilton Health Center parking lot on Walnut Street behind the school district Administration Building, the Tiny Fingers Tiny Toes Daycare parking lot at 2023 Market St. and City Island.

Currently, a Winter Storm Warning is in effect for the entire Harrisburg area, beginning at 8 p.m. and extending through 10 p.m. on Tuesday. The National Weather Service is forecasting 16 to 20 inches of snow for the area, with up to 2 feet possible. Sustained winds also will be strong at 10 to 20 mph, with gusts of 25 to 30 mph, which will cause blowing and drifting of snow.

If the storm is even worse than expected, Papenfuse said that the city may extend the snow emergency.

Author: Lawrance Binda

Meet a Muslim: Conversation, learning on the streets of Harrisburg.

March 13, 2017 | by Susan Ryder

Amy, Luke and Liam Kelton (center), with several members of the Hadee Mosque, stopped by to “Meet a Muslim” on Saturday outside of Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg.

“I’m a Muslim. Ask me anything.”

That’s not a phrase one would typically hear going about errands in Harrisburg. But, outside of Midtown Scholar Bookstore this past weekend, a group of men stood holding signs with just that statement written on them.

“I’m a Muslim. Ask me anything #meetamuslim.”

These men belong to Hadee Mosque, which sits on Division Street.

“We want to come out into the community with our friends and neighbors to have a conversation,” said Mohammed Safiullah. “To get to know each other better.”

Next to Safiullah, Saif Raza added that most Americans have never met a Muslim—more than 60 percent—and said that this was “an opportunity where everyday Americans could meet a Muslim.”

These men are Ahmadiyya Muslims, like Sunnis and Shi’ites, a sect of Islam. The Ahmadiyya Muslim community began having “Meet a Muslim” days in January. Saturday was “National Meet a Muslim Day,” with Ahmadiyya Muslims making connections in 100 cities across the United States.

The response from the community thus far has been overwhelmingly positive, said Sarfraz Ahmad. People often beep as they pass or stop and say “hi,” he said.

Amy Kelton, with her two sons, dropped by and gave Ahmad Bhatti, donning a #meetamuslim shirt, a snack.

“I’m raising these young guys, and I want them to see what makes America great is all the differences,” she said, when asked why she stopped.

Kali and Gary Tennis paused for a chat on their way to the Broad Street Market and asked about the possibility of visiting a mosque. The two were spending the year visiting different churches every week.

The group of men explained that people don’t have to be Muslim to visit, that a mosque is the house of God, and that many folks come to the mosque out of curiosity.

As Harrisburg resident Veronica Rowland bounded by, she yelled, “Muslims are welcome. Veronica Rowland says so!”

One wiseacre quipped, “What did you have for breakfast today?” To which Safiullah earnestly replied, “Cereal.”

Another woman added that she hoped Muslims felt comfortable here.

The group was eager to address some of the most common misperceptions about Islam— ISIS and jihad.

“Jihad is the most misunderstood concept in the West,” said Safiullah.

He said that the Arabic word “jihad” means to struggle, but people think it means to fight with the sword.

“To struggle against self is a jihad of the highest order,” he said.

On ISIS, Bhatti said, “ISIS is not who we are. It’s political.”

They didn’t just take softball questions.

One man asked the group if they would throw gay men off of buildings like he had seen done on the Internet. Safiullah said he was not familiar with these types of incidents. Incredulous, the man assured him it was happening and would show him videos. Safiullah said that the Quran does not say to do that and, if that is happening, “It’s wrong.”

Another woman, who said she was formerly Amish, asked about burqas, a type of dress that covers the entire female body, including the face. Safiullah explained that the Quran promotes modest dress, but isn’t specific about exactly how to achieve that. Women are covered in certain ways, he said, “depending on where they live,” because culture and politics affect the interpretation and implementation of modesty and other Islamic principles. The woman acknowledged that the Amish promote modest dress, as well.

Safiullah noted that a female bystander, dressed in a coat and slacks but no head covering, would be considered modestly dressed.

The man concerned about the treatment of gay people interjected, “Could a man wear a bikini on the beach?” Safiullah said, “No, men are to be modest too. “

A common theme in the discussion was how politics and culture affect how one lived out Islam.

When asked about the treatment of women in places like Saudi Arabia, where they are not permitted to drive or be out in public without a male relative, the mosque members explained that nowhere does the Quran say these things. These rules are based on culture where one lives and how religion and politics relate there, they said.

If you have a question for the men, the mosque sponsors “Coffee, Cake and True Islam,” a program held Tuesdays from 5 p.m. to closing at the Midtown Scholar in Harrisburg.

Folks can come, order a drink and snack on the mosque’s tab, and ask anything they wish.

“Choose to have the discussion, choose to meet your neighbor,” said Christopher Khalid-Janner, director for public outreach for the mosque. “We’re not so scary if you meet us.”

The men on the corner didn’t look scary at all. As they stood, they sipped on something hot to keep warm on one of the colder days this winter, speaking to folks as they passed, encouraging questions. Raza summed up why they stood in the cold.

“Education helps to end bias,” he said.

For more information about the Hadee Mosque in Harrisburg, visit www.ahmadiyya.us/chapters/york-harrisburg/1354-hadee-mosque.

Author: Susan Ryder

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

March 9, 2017 | by Sara Bozich

I had a great time in NYC last weekend, and with this weekend’s travel plans dashed, I don’t have much going on.

This morning, I am “live” at the new Weis Markets Enola Grand Opening (follow me on social — buttons are up there ⬆ or down there ⬇).

Saturday, of course, is my usual Next Step Performance self-torture, followed by a hangout at my favorite community space, the Broad Street Market (find me at Elementary Coffee at 9:30ish, like clockwork-ish).

What are you doing this weekend?

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And They’re Off: The race is on for Harrisburg mayor, council, school board.

March 7, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

Five candidates for mayor, seven candidates for City Council, and 10 candidates for school board.

Harrisburg voters will have three very competitive local races to consider come the May 16 primary, as the deadline passed today for candidates to submit nominating petitions.

The roster of candidates doesn’t offer many surprises, as most had already announced for office or indicated an interest in running.

For mayor, incumbent Eric Papenfuse will face off against former council President Gloria Martin-Roberts, former city police officer Jennie Jenkins, newcomer Anthony Thomas Harrell and old foe Lewis Butts in the Democratic primary. No Republicans submitted petitions to run.

Notably, two candidates who stated an interest in the race did not submit petitions for the primary: former state Assembly candidate Gina Roberson and former council candidate Chris Siennick, who has indicated that he may run as an independent in the general election in November.

For council, three incumbent Democrats filed for four, four-year seats: Wanda Williams, Shamaine Daniels and Ben Allatt. They will face four challengers: former council candidate Jeremiah Chamberlin, school board member Ausha Green, activist Angela Kirkland and Dauphin County Young Democrats leader Dave Madsen. No candidates filed to run on the Republican side.

The Democratic roster for four, four-year seats on the school board includes incumbents Judd Pittman, Danielle Robinson and James Thompson and challengers Brian Carter, Carrie Fowler, Edward Saterstad, Richard Soto, Gerald Welch and Cory Williams. Newcomer Percel Eiland is the only candidate running for the board’s sole two-year seat. Thompson also filed on the Republican side, the only school board candidate to do so.

Incumbent city Treasurer Dan Miller and incumbent city Controller Charlie DeBrunner are running unopposed in the Democratic primary. There is no Republican challenger for either office.

This election cycle, magisterial district judge races also attracted a lot of interest from candidates.

For District 12-1-02, incumbent Justice Barbara Pianka will face off against challengers Joshua Feldman and Marcellus Taylor on the Democratic side. Pianka and Feldman also submitted petitions for the Republican nomination.

For District 12-1-04, Justice David O’Leary will take on challengers Beverly Johnson, Ryan Sanders and former city Treasurer Tyrell Spradley

District 12-1-05 is an open seat, as longtime Justice George Zozos decided not to seek re-election. The candidates for this seat include Harrisburg City Councilwoman Destini Hodges, former Councilman Kelly Summerford, Hanif Johnson and Claude Phipps, who also filed on the Republican side.

Because Harrisburg is overwhelmingly Democratic, the primary is typically the most significant election in selecting the city’s office-holders.

Author: Lawrance Binda

School Recovery Update: Report Shows Progress, Substantial Challenges Remain

March 7, 2017 | by Danielle Roth

Benjamin Franklin Elementary School at 6th and Verbeke streets is a part of the Harrisburg School District.

The Harrisburg School District is showing improvement financially and academically, but significant challenges remain, according to a report released last month.

The report, a mid-year update to the amended HSD Recovery Plan, ranked the district’s initiatives on a scale of complete, in progress and not completed. Of the 85 initiatives, 50 have been completed, 31 are in progress and four have not been completed.

“I was encouraged because I know how far we have come,” said School Board President Danielle Robinson. “We still have a lot of work to do, but I was encouraged to see the growth and the movement.”

Chief Recovery Officer Dr. Audrey Utley, with the assistance of PFM, a Philadelphia-based government and nonprofit consulting group, prepared the report using information from the district, financial reports and interviews with district staff.

Major gaps remain for the academic goals. If these goals are not met or have not shown advancement, the district risks having a state receiver appointed.

“If the District fails to meet these targets or show significant progress in each building toward the goal by the end of the Plan period, the CRO and the [State] Secretary of Education can take steps to appoint a Receiver effective for the 2018-19 school year,” according to the report.

The phrase “significant progress” saves the district from entirely having to meet academic targets, Robinson said. This phrase, added in the amended recovery plan in May 2016, means that the district will exit recovery next year “as long as there’s growth toward these numbers,” she said.

“We fought to make sure the language was in [the amended recovery plan],” Robinson said. “It’s always under review how can we can make this better.”

The recovery plan’s academic goals challenge the district to “eliminate the gap” or “close the gap by 50 percent” between the district’s testing, attendance and graduation metrics and state averages by June 2018, according to the report.

These targets mean big academic leaps for students and their teachers by June 2018, the end of the recovery plan period.

Take third grade PSSA exams as an example. Last school year, 19.4 percent of district third graders scored proficient or advanced in English and language arts (ELA) on this state test. That’s an improvement from last year’s score of 18.6 percent, but a far cry from the state average of 62 percent. The academic target goal expects 33 percent of district third graders to achieve proficient or advanced levels. That’s a 14.5 percentage-point jump.

For math PSSA scores, students need to make a similar jump of 12.7 percentage points. In other words, 23.1 percent of third graders need to score proficient or advanced in math.

Other goals require smaller jumps on state tests.

For example, Keystone exam scores for John Harris High School students need to jump 7.7 to 8.3 percentage points this year to meet half of the state average.

In general, the report shows steady academic progress, though the scores continue to be below state guidelines.

Other metrics are more encouraging.

District attendance for grades 9 to 12 has steadily increased from 79 percent in 2012-13 to 83 percent in 2014-15. This is just 3 percentage points away from next year’s academic target attendance rate of 86 percent.

John Harris High School’s graduation rate jumped from 42.7 percent in 2013-14 to 52.8 percent in 2014-15.

The report calls the growth in Keystone test literature scores at John Harris High School “promising.” In 2014-15, 23 percent of students scored proficient or advanced. Last year, the school saw nearly a 6 percentage-point increase. Harrisburg High School SciTech Campus exceeds the state averages for proficient or advanced scores in algebra and literature.

“I don’t think that the academic goals are not able to be reached,” Robinson said. “We just must become more focused.”

Pressing “front-burner” issues, such as union contract negotiations and the financial recovery, took priority over student academic achievement in previous years, Robinson said.

“It’s not just, you get into the district and these things are going to change right away,” she said. “Once we got stable financially, now we can say let’s work on our academics. Let’s change the perception of Harrisburg and the district.”

Financially, the report indicated similar mixed messages. The district has a “significant fund balance” of $29.2 million this year. However, the report notes a “concerning” annual structural shortfall of increased expenditures

“… the expenditures are slated to consistently outpace revenues in the coming years and several costly projects and contingencies could consume a substantial portion of the current fund balance,” the report said.

The report calls for the district to create a plan to maintain an 8 percent reserve fund balance (between $12 and 13 million) to ensure “sufficient working capital and provisions for contingencies” for the future.

“We have to go through and figure out what we can do to make sure we don’t have yearly shortfalls that are going to put us back into debt,” Robinson said. “That’s constantly under review.”

The district is hiring three major positions per the recovery plan: a human resources director, a chief financial officer and a professional grant writer.

Robinson said the district is vetting candidates for the human resources position. The district possibly will promote a candidate internally for the CFO position, she said.

The recovery plan outlines the need to hire a grant-writing professional to seek additional funding from competitive grant programs and non-traditional sources. Hiring this position and securing outside funding are two of the four items marked “not completed.” The grant-writing employee retired last year, Robinson said. So far, there’s “nothing solidified” with filling that position, she said.

In addition, the report outlined a need for a full-time English language learning coordinator position, which is currently filled by the director of the online school, Cougar Academy.

One of the hiring challenges is “making sure that the people who we bring in will actually stay,” Robinson said. “Harrisburg [School District] is still growing. You have to be able to grow with us,” she said.

The other incomplete administrative target is creating incentives for teachers to build careers within the district. This item, added with the May 2016 amended plan, suggests the district give teachers a small loan to help purchase homes in the district. Implementing a program has been pushed to next school year, according to the report.

Robinson said the board continues to focus on moving forward.

“We know that it’s not a sprint,” she said. “It’s a marathon.”

Read the full report here.

Author: Danielle Roth

Green Day: What to know about the city’s St. Patrick’s Day parade and 5K/10K race.

March 7, 2017 | by Danielle Roth

Amanda Spangenberg Baughman plays the bagpipes with the Lochiel Emerald Society Pipes and Drums.

Bagpiper Amanda Spangenberg Baughman has “lost count” in the number of parades she’s participated in. But Harrisburg’s St. Patrick’s Day parade is her favorite.

“It’s in our hometown, and we are the only Harrisburg bagpipe band,” she said, referencing the group she plays with, the Lochiel Emerald Society Pipes and Drums.

On March 18, she will be joined by more than 1,000 participants, including dancers, local celebrities and the Harrisburg High School band, for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade. The parade starts at 1 p.m., immediately after the Lucky Charm 5K/10K race, said Todd Vander Woude, executive director of the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District (HDID).

The parade steps off at Walnut and 4^th streets to follow a new route down Market, 2^ndand North streets. This year is the first year with HDID organizing the event.

“This new route gives us the opportunity to highlight our downtown business community,” Vander Woude said.

The 5K and 10K race, sponsored by Fleet Feet Sports in Mechanicsburg, will also “be a host in showcasing the city,” said owner Fred Josyln.

“Runners will get to see some of the beautiful things in the city,” he said, while wearing lime green running sneakers to match his Lucky Charms race T-shirt.

The race begins at 10 a.m. and will end in time for the parade, he said.

Officials from SP Plus and Parkmobile, a mobile parking application, will be educating residents and visitors about discounts and the new parking app, which launched March 1 in Harrisburg, Mayor Eric Papenfuse said.

Parkers can receive four hours of free parking using the code “LUVHBG” every Saturday, including March 18. Remembering the code is not necessary. The discount code appears when a user selects to enter a promotional code, Papenfuse said.

Papenfuse also encouraged those celebrating St. Patrick’s Day on Saturday to enjoy downtown Harrisburg on Friday for 3^rd in the Burg.

“The whole weekend is going to be celebrated,” he said. “Come down Friday and come back Saturday.”

For more information about the parade and the Lucky Charms 5K/10K race, including route information, visit www.harrisburgstpatricksdayparade.com and www.luckycharmrace.com, respectively.

Author: Danielle Roth

New Eats: Fresa Bistro to Open Monday in Strawberry Square

March 3, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

The dining room of the new Fresa Bistro on Third

Harrisburg diners will have a new, healthier option next week, as Fresa Bistro on Third is slated to open Monday in Strawberry Square.

Fresa will feature a menu of freshly made items, including sandwiches, panini, salads, wraps and soups. It will have a 60-seat dining area, accessible from both inside and outside of Strawberry Square, as well as food for takeout.

“The menu items from Fresa Bistro are a perfect fit for what our customers have been asking for in recent surveys,” said Brad Jones, president and CEO of Harristown Enterprises, owner of Strawberry Square.

Fresa (Spanish for “strawberry”) brings together in partnership several of Harrisburg’s best-known restaurateurs: Juan and Lisa Garcia of El Sol Mexican Restaurant and Nino Purpurra of JoJo’s Pizza. It is expected to employ 10 full- and part-time workers.

Fresa is one of many recent developments in Strawberry Square, which include a new Hallmark store, new apartments and expansions of both the Market on Market convenience store and the AMMA JO boutique. Soon, a new, 14,000-square-foot Rite Aid is slated to open, with access from both inside Strawberry Square and Market Street.

Fresa opens Monday, but the “official” ribbon cutting with Mayor Eric Papenfuse will be held the following Monday, March 13, at 2 p.m.

Fresa Bistro on Third is located in Strawberry Square, also accessible from 15 N. 3rd Street, Harrisburg. Hours will be Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Click here to view the Fresa Menu.

For more information on developments in Strawberry Square, read our feature story from the March issue.

Author: Lawrance Binda

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

March 2, 2017 | by Sara Bozich

This weekend I’m headed to New York City.

I’m pretty excited about this trip. Our agenda is relatively loose, but include a secret Sofar Sounds show tomorrow night (I wonder who we’ll see?!), Sunday in the Park with George starring Jake Gyllenhall on Broadway, and dinner at Mario Batali’s Babbo on Saturday!

Other needs: Central Park, pizza, shopping, touristy stuff.

What are you doing this weekend?

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Happy Hour, Anyone? New Parking Phone App Goes Live with Discounts Today

March 1, 2017 | by Danielle Roth

Good news drivers: There’s no reason anymore to be wet or cold as you input all your information into Harrisburg’s parking meters.

This morning, the new Parkmobile parking app went live, offering convenience, discounts and a simple user interface.

To see how (and if) if the app worked, I tried it out myself downtown. I logged into the app, selected the zone closest to the blue dot indicating my location, and entered my car and payment information.

I saved this information in the app (nicknaming my Honda Civic) to make future payments easier and went about my business. The app notified me when I had 15 minutes left, as well as when my time expired. And you know what? It worked. There was no little slip of paper from Park Harrisburg (aka a ticket) when I returned.

The easy-to-use interface gets an “A+” in my book.

After I selected my zone, the app also gave me a chance to enter a promotion code. Drivers can take advantage of a downtown happy-hour discount ($1 an hour between 5 and 7 p.m.) and four hours of free parking on Saturdays. When promotions run, drivers will be able to select one to use from a list of discounts. So, unlike the previous Pango parking app, parkers won’t have to memorize any codes.

“It will be very easy and very possible for business to promote their discounts,” Mayor Eric Papenfuse said recently when announcing the switch to Parkmobile.

At least on this first day, he was spot on about that.

Other benefits of the new app include the ability of business owners to receive a 10-percent discount when offering bulk discounts to users. They also can validate parking in real time, Papenfuse has said.

“I think this empowers businesses in a way that will allow businesses to grow, and it empowers the city by bringing more people downtown,” he said recently, adding that the app also promises better communication with users about discounts and parking regulations.

The city also can use the app to communicate updates for festivals and events such as the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day parade, giving residents information about the parking situation.

In addition, the app addresses a constant complaint from people who use the physical meters—that they’re sometimes charged for time that is supposed to be free. The app does not allow that, so that free parking hours—Sundays, holidays and evenings after 7 p.m.—are actually free.

All in all, I found the new Parkmobile app to be a significant improvement over the old Pango app, as well as a better than paying the meter in person. However, improved experience did come at a cost. The app charges 35 cents per transaction, which is a 20-cent increase from Pango’s fee.

Author: Danielle Roth

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