January News Digest

January 29, 2016 | by Lawrance Binda

Williams Named Council President

Wanda Williams will serve another term as president of the Harrisburg City Council, council members decided last month.

Williams was the only council member nominated for the position and received unanimous support.

Councilwoman Shamaine Daniels was elected council vice president by a 4-3 vote, narrowly besting Councilman Jeffrey Baltimore.

The vote was taken during the council’s reorganization, held with each new term. The reorganization followed the swearing in of three new council members: Cornelius Johnson, Westburn Majors and Destini Hodges. Baltimore, who has served for almost two years, took the oath for his first full term.

Council also announced the following committee chairmanships for the 2016-17 session:

Administration: Wanda Williams
Budget and Finance: Ben Allatt
Building and Housing: Shamaine Daniels
Community and Economic Development: Jeffrey Baltimore
Parks, Recreation & Enrichment: Destini Hodges
Public Safety: Cornelius Johnson
Public Works: Westburn Majors

Council Re-Opens Budget

The Harrisburg City Council last month began reconsideration of the 2016 spending plan passed in December.

The $60.7 million budget added 36 new positions, about half in a newly created Neighborhood Services Division, funded through city trash bills.

The administration also has proposed tripling the local services tax (LST) to $3 per week per worker. The Commonwealth Court must first approve the hike, which then must be sanctioned by council.

Council re-opened the budget to accommodate input from three new council members, who were sworn in last month. A vote on a revised budget is expected this month.

Free Downtown Parking

The Papenfuse administration last month announced a novel plan to allow free, short-term parking in select loading zones in downtown Harrisburg.

Under the plan, people are able to park for 15 minutes for free in eight zones located on N. 2^nd Street between Walnut and Pine streets. This will help customers who want to stop briefly to make a quick purchase or pick up food from restaurants, said Mayor Eric Papenfuse.

For the past two years, shop owners have complained that the cost of parking—$3 per hour—prevents customers from frequenting their stores.

The 15-minute time limit would be strictly enforced, said Papenfuse. After 15 minutes, parkers would face tickets with standard fines for parking in a loading zone.

Parking Breaks to Continue

An experimental plan that lowered some parking rates in downtown Harrisburg will continue this year.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said that there are no plans to stop the program that lowered rates by $1 per hour on weekdays from 5 to 7 p.m. and provided four free hours of weekend parking through the Pango mobile app.

Papenfuse said that the changes were deemed successful because they didn’t lower meter revenue for parking operator, SP Plus.

Meanwhile, rates for garage parking for motorists without monthly passes increased last month to $9 for two hours, up from $8.

School Board Set

The Harrisburg school board is back to full strength as members last month selected community activist Alan Kennedy-Shaffer to join the body.

Members voted unanimously to appoint Kennedy-Shaffer, who also is a member of the Dauphin County Democratic State Committee. The seat was vacant after the sudden resignation in November of former board President Jennifer Smallwood.

Kennedy-Shaffer is a co-founder of the community group Harrisburg Hope and, last year, was forced to drop out of the primary race for City Council following a successful challenge to his nominating petitions.

Police Bureau Changes

A long-time Harrisburg police officer was promoted to captain last month, as five new officers also were sworn in.

Twenty-year force veteran Gabriel Olivera was named captain of the criminal investigation division, most recently serving as a sergeant in that division after rising through the ranks.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse also swore in the following new officers:

Christopher Palamara
Wesley Feduke III
Corre Sommers
Adrienne Monroy
Daren Sharp

Bar Denied License

Harrisburg denied a Midtown bar both business and health licenses last month, though the bar has remained open pending an appeal.

The Third Street Café appealed the denial to the city’s Tax and Appeal Board. Dauphin County Judge Andrew Dowling also issued an order so the city could not fine the bar for operating without a license until the board issues a decision.

The city last year ordered business licenses revoked for three bars it considered troubled. The Royal Pub closed immediately, and the Taproom shut on Dec. 31. The Third Street Café chose to fight the revocation of its 2015 license and now is opposing the denial of a 2016 license.

New Pumper Approved

The Harrisburg City Council last month voted to buy a new, $480,000 pumper for the city’s Fire Bureau.

The vote was unanimous, but made contingent upon receiving a matching grant from the Harrisburg Volunteer Firemen’s Relief Association.

To pay for the pumper, the city had previously allotted $160,000, and another $90,000 was made available last year through a budget reallocation.

So Noted

The Harrisburg Carriage Company vacated the carriage house on City Island last month following the receipt of eviction notices by the city. The city and the company could not reach agreement over long-standing issues such as the payback of five years of delinquent rent, making fixes to the dilapidated stable and properly accommodating several horses.

Harristown Enterprises last month began a three-month project that will replace the escalator in Strawberry Square. The $350,000 project had been in the planning phase for the past two years, with the Dauphin County Industrial Development Authority providing a $100,000 loan to help finance it, said Brad Jones, Harristown president and CEO.

Zeroday Brewing has expanded its hours as it enters its second year of operation. The Harrisburg-based brewery is now open Tuesday through Sunday and until midnight on Friday and Saturday.

Changing Hands

Alison Ct., 3: M. Malinov to D. Patrick, $69,000

Barkley Lane, 2511: V. & D. Rodriguez to K. Clement, $59,000

Boas St., 418: Newlands Asset Holding Trust to PA Deals LLC, $74,250

Chestnut St., 2405: T. & A. Sawyer to W. Majors, $140,000

Croyden Rd., 2778: Secretary of Veterans Affairs to PA Deals LLC, $38,000

Forster St., 1612: N. Combs to S. Mason, $82,900

Fulton St., 1405: A. Pagano to PA Deals LLC, $83,000

Green St., 1400: P. Misivich to S. Weiland, $118,900

Green St., 2245: Y. al-Refae to J. Smith, $56,000

Green St., 2952: S. Gassner & J. Morris to N. Williams, $185,000

Hamilton St., 271 & 275: W. Grace & J. Hadfield to K. Ayres & A. Gupta, $189,585

Herr St., 217: S. Grovers to K. & V. Land, $50,000

Industrial Rd., 3400: Exeter 3400 Industrial LP to Big Box Property LLC & Exeter Property Group, $17,600,000

Kensington St., 2153: Bank of New York Mellon Trust Co. NA to H. Marca, $31,000

N. 2^nd St., 400: GSO Real Estate Inc. & Realty Management Associates LLC to Murphy & Laus Real Estate LLC, $240,000

N. 2^nd St., 2127: J. Livingston to A. Graffius, $84,500

N. 3^rd St., 1700, L57: Bank of America NA to J. Cody, $75,000

N. 6^th St., 1408: Secretary of Housing & Urban Development to PA Deals LLC, $82,250

Norwood St., 947: C. & M. Morgan to PA Deals LLC, $32,000

Penn St., 1204: M. Mekilo & U.S. Bank N.A. to C. Wagner, $109,000

Penn St., 1317: L. Stickley to M. Wilkins, $62,500

Penn St., 1523: E. Jones & J. Lindgren to T. Smith & K. Leighton, $147,000

Reservoir St., 73: G. Neff to H. Rentas, $38,900

Rumson Dr., 353: A. Skillman to W. Assefa, $62,000

Rumson Dr., 2574: PA Deals LLC to R. Reeves, $80,000

S. Front St., 631: K. & A. Gulotta to A. Poindexter, $150,000

Harrisburg property sales for December 2015, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

Brain Gain: Exhibits, arts, crafts pour out of Brain Vessel.

January 29, 2016 | by Susan Ryder

When it comes to creativity, Carlisle Pike is not generally regarded as a center of innovation.

But about halfway between Camp Hill and Mechanicsburg, across from HoneyBaked Ham and Arooga’s, is a place that definitely doesn’t fit the usual mold. A huge, rusted anchor leans against the front of the building, giving a clue to what’s inside.

Jason Kreiger and Douglas Koozer created Brain Vessel, a branding business, in 2013, and now have expanded it to include an art gallery and crafty shop. Koozer said the name describes “a container of creativity, getting our clients to their destination.” He added that it is a metaphor for developing a product from scratch and experiencing unforeseen events along the journey.

The nautically themed (though not exclusively) gallery contains jewelry, glass, paintings, furniture and sculpture. Many of the pieces are functional works of art. The liar’s dice sets, for instance, have hand-stitched, vegetable-tanned leather cups and marble-finished dice. Koozer refers to the benches and stools wrapped in hand-forged, twisted wrought iron, created by Don Shelton, as “generational furniture.” Pewter jewelry includes rings and necklaces engraved with a compass rose, captain’s wheel and anchors.

The gallery’s foundation is its playing cards, ornately decorated with pirates, high seas adventures or creatures resembling the legendary sea monster, the Kraken, all original art work by Kreiger. Some of the decks are licensed by Bicycle. Licensed or not, they bring a “Pirates of the Caribbean” air to any Saturday night poker game. Koozer said the cards serve as a sustainable, go-to product for Brain Vessel, which has shipped sets to 20 different countries.

A few art pieces are designed specifically to house the decks of cards. The quadriptych holds four decks side by side in a superbly engraved wooden frame. The engraving resembles scrimshaw, an art form in which whalebone is engraved then ink applied to the etching. While in the frame, the decks create a complete narrative—whaling ships on the hunt. The decoration continues on the inside of the frame, when the cards are removed. Poster-sized sheets of uncut cards are available for sale, as well.

Koozer describes the gallery’s contents as being “about detail and quality. It’s affordable and collectible.”

The gallery, according to Koozer, “is a product of everything that I’ve ever experienced, put all into one.” Those experiences include his many business ventures, such as a sign business that he owned for 10 years, an events company, which he sold to Motorama Events, and Gotta Pea, a children’s entertainment property.

His combined business experience also has driven Brain Vessel’s branding expertise. Although it may not be obvious at first, art and branding work together, Koozer said.

“We want to build a community of artists, creatives and brands—have resources for them either that they wouldn’t normally know how to find or be able attract themselves,” he said, adding that artists and startups often know how to create but not how to get the word out.

Brain Vessel is in the process of building out studio space for artists and increasingly wants to host artists’ showings and events for area residents. In October, Shawn Feeney, an artist, musician and master vegetable carver, featured on Food Network’s “Halloween Wars,” taught a seven-hour pumpkin carving class. Classes like this aren’t just for artists—Brain Vessel welcomes and encourages participation by novices.

Upcoming events include a Feb. 22 and 23 show by Thom Glace, a local watercolor and oil artist who specializes in fish, dragonflies and landscapes. Local gear heads might be interested in an April exhibit by Casey Hall, who focuses on painting carburetors. This show coincides with the spring Carlisle Collector Car Swap Meet.

Whether it’s branding businesses and products or providing space for events and artists, Brain Vessel focuses on collaboration. It doesn’t simply exist for itself, but desires to serve as an anchor in the artistic community, helping to brand artists and leverage its creative prowess to help businesses.

“I want to come into work every day, not even work—my space—and be able to love what I’m doing and inspire people and also be inspired,” said Koozer.

Brain Vessel is located at 4702-04 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg. For more information, visit www.bvcargo.com or Brain Vessel’s Facebook page.

Musical Notes: Heavy Feb–Rock it from Groundhog Day to Leap Year Day.

January 29, 2016 | by Andrew Dyrli Hermeling

Truth be told, I wanted to present a Valentine’s themed column this month. But, sometimes, things don’t go as expected. So, while I might not recommend these shows as the perfect date night, per se, I can confidently say that you won’t be disappointed. Instead, get ready to rock hard all month long, as all of these bands combine big hooks, instrumental athleticism and powerful melodies.

THE APRIL SKIES, 2/6, 9PM, H*MAC STAGE ON HERR, $5: This powerful rock band hails from Hershey. Huge guitars and soaring melodies could easily fool you into thinking they were an arena-ready opening act on tour with U2 or MUSE. April Skies’ most recent EP, 2013’s “Yet it Floats,” sees the band further reifying their sound. Sadly, tragedy struck the band as they recently experienced the unexpected death of their guitarist, Andy Book. The February show will therefore serve as a benefit to raise money for Book’s three daughters. So, while this is a band worth seeing any time they’re performing, it will be an extra special night in support of some artists playing with heavy hearts.

ETHEREAL GROOVE INC., w/MISTER F, 2/14, 9PM, ABBEY BAR, $5: This is a band that works hard to defy categorization. Fans of jam bands will find a lot to like here, but so will those who prefer funk or prog-rock. Super slinky slapped bass lines are laid over complex polyrhythms, and they’ve gathered a devoted following in the Midwest. They will be joined by another funky, high-energy band, Mister F. Hailing from Albany, N.Y., the band’s complex arrangements and start-and-stop rhythms reveal a high level of virtuosity behind the artistry. But don’t come expecting short, power-pop songs from either of these bands. Both are prone to letting their arrangements develop into lengthy jams.

THOSE MANIC SEAS, 2/25, 8PM, THE MAKESPACE, $5 SUGGESTED DONATION: Up from Richmond, Va., this post-punk band finds a wonderful groove somewhere between the danceable New Wave of the ‘80s and the more recent and noisier post-hardcore and post-rock. But their most defining feature is their unique take on touring. Formed by three musicians who couldn’t find a full-time vocalist, they recruited “Kilroy,” a pre-recorded video that is then projected through a television fixed atop a mannequin. The result is a bizarre and somewhat disjointed live show, full of energy yet very manufactured. While more cerebral music fans are sure to pull out themes of 21st-century digital alienation from the band’s live performance, in the end, it is just great, raucous music to shake your hips to.

Mentionables: Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, 2/4, Abbey Bar; Shawan and the Wonton, 2/5, Little Amps Downtown; Millennium Music Conference, 2/19-2/20, various locations

City Snow Relief Expected to Hit Half-a-Million Mark

January 27, 2016 | by Paul Barker

Passersby try to push a car out of a snow bank on Sunday night in Midtown Harrisburg.

Clearing the 30 inches of snow that last weekend’s storm dumped on Harrisburg is expected to cost the city about $500,000, officials said today, just hours after ending the declared snow emergency and opening emergency routes like 2nd and 7th streets once again to parked cars.

The costs include city laborers working overtime shifts as well as special contractors the city hired to work 24 hours a day, transporting piles of snow from the streets to a collection site on City Island.

Trash service will continue to be suspended through the end of the week, with sanitation workers diverted to the snow-clearing efforts, said public works director Aaron Johnson. The city is asking residents to dig out a path so that workers can access their trash and recycling bins once service resumes next Monday, Feb. 1.

Johnson also reassured residents that they would be allowed to dispose of more than a single toter’s worth of garbage, the usual limit under city policy, given the week of missed pickups. “We’ll take everything you put out there,” he said.

Officials said they were optimistic that both Dauphin County and the state would pass the thresholds required for disaster relief funding, which would reimburse large portions of the costs of dealing with the snow.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse thanked city workers and private contractors for their efforts over the past several days, as well as Gov. Tom Wolf and PennDOT, who deployed vehicles to clear 2nd, 7th and Market streets. He also thanked residents for the “spirit of community” they demonstrated in shoveling out their streets and sidewalks in their neighborhoods.

The mayor urged people to continue clearing their walks, noting that the city was lenient in the wake of the storm but that it would begin to cite owners who neglected to remove snow and ice from their property. Property owners are responsible for clearing any sections of sidewalk falling within their parcels under city code.

Jan. 25-29: This Week in Harrisburg

January 25, 2016 | by Admin

A City Council community and economic development committee meeting scheduled for this Monday has been rescheduled to next Monday, Feb. 1 at 5:30 p.m. For updates on snow removal, check the city’s website or its Twitter feed. The public works hotline is 717-412-4320.

Tuesday, Jan. 26

City Council Legislative Session, 6 p.m. – RESCHEDULED TO FEB. 2
City Council Chambers, City Hall, 10 N. 2nd St.

Various issues appear on the council’s agenda this week, including the creation of a fine for cannabis possession, an amendment to council’s rules and an agreement with the Humane Society of the Harrisburg Area to provide services for city animal control. View the agenda here.

Wednesday, Jan. 27

Capital Region Water Board Meeting, 6 p.m. (open workshop at 5)
212 Locust St., First Floor

Harrisburg’s water and sewer authority holds its monthly board meeting. A workshop open to the public precedes the meeting at 5 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 28

City Council Budget Hearing, 5:30 p.m. -RESCHEDULED TO FEB. 1 AT 6 P.M.
City Council Chambers, City Hall, 10 N. 2nd St.

Council has reopened the 2016 budget and will hold the first hearing for new council members to consider any changes. Brad Koplinski, who lost his council seat in last year’s election, tried to slash the administration’s budget last month in order to avoid a tax hike on city workers. The administration dismissed the proposals as unrealistic, pointing out that several of the suggested cuts were contractual obligations of the city. Koplinski was unsuccessful, but the new council members could theoretically revisit some of the cuts now that the budget has been reopened.

Thursday, Jan. 28

City Beautiful H2O Community Meeting, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Camp Curtin YMCA, 2135 N. 6th St.

City Beautiful H2O is a campaign by Capital Region Water to promote green infrastructure projects and reduce sewer overflows that can pollute local waterways during heavy rainfall. This meeting and another on Feb. 2 will introduce community members to ways they can reduce flooding, beautify their neighborhoods and keep their water cleaner. For more information, click here.

TheBurg Podcast, Jan. 22, 2016

January 22, 2016 | by Admin

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

**The downside of optimism…ignore the part of the podcast saying the Market will be open tomorrow, because after we finished editing the podcast, we got word it won’t. Sorry folks!

To listen to this week’s episode, click here.

Jan. 22, 2016: Larry and Paul take the podcast on the road this week, paying a visit to the Broad Street Market to pack up on victuals in advance of the impending snowstorm. They talk about updates to the city’s recovery plan presented to council Thursday night, and they ask who’s looking out for Harrisburg when it comes to parking promises. They also discuss investments downtown – from the state, and from Eastern Europe – and offer their takes on the week’s Most Harrisburg Thing.

TheBurg Podcast is proudly sponsored by Ad Lib Craft Kitchen & Bar at the Hilton Harrisburg.

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

You can now subscribe to TheBurg podcast in iTunes!

Jan. 18-22: This Week in Harrisburg

January 19, 2016 | by Admin

Thursday, Jan. 21

Environmental Advisory Council Meeting, 9 a.m.
Public Works Building, 1820 Paxton St.

Harrisburg’s Environmental Advisory Council, or EAC, will meet to elect new officers and discuss a public forum set for Feb. 22. The EAC’s goals for this year include developing a strategic plan for urban trees, educating residents on recycling, and introducing composting to the city, according to the agenda.

City Council Strong Plan Hearing, 5:30 p.m.
City Council Chambers, City Hall, 10 N. 2nd St.

Council will hold an administrative committee meeting expected to include discussion of amending the Harrisburg Strong Plan, the state’s recovery plan for the city. Among the issues on the table: What sort of revenues – from parking, income and real estate taxes, and other sources – can the city realistically expect in the years to come? Should the city pursue a home rule charter? Should the $2-per-week tax hike on city workers be permanent or temporary?

Looking ahead…

Thursday, Jan. 28

City Council Budget Hearing, 5:30 p.m.
City Council Chambers, City Hall, 10 N. 2nd St.

Thursday, Jan. 28

City Beautiful H2O Community Meeting, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Camp Curtin YMCA, 2135 N. 6th St.

TheBurg Podcast, Jan. 15, 2016

January 15, 2016 | by Admin

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

To listen to this week’s episode, click here.

Jan. 15, 2016: How would you describe your vision in three adjectives? This week, Larry and Paul talk about Mayor Papenfuse’s own look back at 2015 and his goals for the city this year. Then, they discuss free short-term parking downtown, a very Harrisburg storytelling show and the opening of the city’s first distillery in a long, long time.

TheBurg Podcast is proudly sponsored by Ad Lib Craft Kitchen & Bar at the Hilton Harrisburg.

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

You can now subscribe to TheBurg podcast in iTunes!

Jan. 11-15: This Week in Harrisburg

January 11, 2016 | by Admin

Tuesday, Jan. 12

City Council Legislative Session, 6 p.m.
City Council Chambers, City Hall, 10 N. 2nd St.

Harrisburg City Council holds its first legislative session of 2016, under re-elected Council President Wanda Williams. The seven-member body has three new faces and will reopen the annual budget passed at the close of last year. To view the full agenda, click here.

Thursday, Jan. 14

Police Swearing-in, 10 a.m.
City Hall, 10 N. 2nd St.

Six officers will be sworn in, including acting Capt. Gabriel Olivera, who will accept a promotion to captain.

Free Parking Pilot Program, 11 a.m.
City Hall, 10 N. 2nd St.

The city will announce a pilot program to make eight 2nd Street loading zones available for free 15-minute parking.

Friday, Jan. 15

Family Art Night, 6-8:30 p.m.
Camp Curtin YMCA, 2135 N. 6th St.

Free family fun at the Uptown Y. Space may be limited, so call 238-9622 to reserve a spot.

All week:

The Pennsylvania Farm Show, 8 a.m.-9 p.m.
Farm Show Complex, 2302 N. Cameron St.

The Pennsylvania Farm Show continues this week, with exhibitions, competitions and the legendary food court open until 9 p.m. For the full schedule of events, click here.

TheBurg Podcast, Jan. 8, 2016

January 8, 2016 | by Admin

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

To listen to this week’s episode, click here.

Jan. 8, 2016: This week, Larry and Paul talk about the swearing-in of new City Council members, a pair of hearings in the corruption case against former Mayor Stephen Reed, the court pressing the reset button on a bar the city has targeted for closure, and their picks for the first Most Harrisburg Things of the year.

TheBurg Podcast is proudly sponsored by Ad Lib Craft Kitchen & Bar at the Hilton Harrisburg.

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

You can now subscribe to TheBurg podcast in iTunes!

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