Student Scribes: Three Poems

November 30, 2015 | by Alanna Dougherty

Doctor Bowtie

Doctor Bowtie blinks at me from his large leather chair.

…Am I supposed to say something?

It’s cold in his office
I take notice
That all the degrees on the wall
Don’t make it any warmer

His usual clientele consists of
Bored housewives and impotent guys
He’s selective,
Catering mostly to white wealthy pill-heads

Plus, he’s expensive.
I pay him with stories
And manic mood changes

His sheepish demeanor tells me
I’m the most excitement he gets all week
So I try to be a good shepherd.

He searches my eyes for ghosts
His question is a spinning compass;
My answer often points north-north-west.
Maybe I’m lying?

That’s why my file says “Borderline”
But there’s no fix,
There’s only medication

So I shake his hand and say goodbye,
And skip off with prescriptions signed “Dr. Bowtie”

St. Michael

St. Michael, the angel, he’s not the same
Does he talk to himself or is he just praying?
‘Says he speaks to angels who know him by name

St. Michael, out on the roof in the rain
Play-fights with demons, but he’s not playing
St. Michael, the angel, he’s not the same

St. Michael, my uncle, they said drugs were to blame
Curled up in a stupor, muttering, what’s he saying?
‘Says he speaks to angels who know him by name

St. Michael, he’s different. They call him insane
Medicated so much, he’s clearly decaying
St. Michael, the angel, he’s not the same

St. Michael, the genius, we all see his pain
His beautiful mind is the price that he’s paying
‘Says he speaks to angels who know him by name

St. Michael, the angel, one day the rest came
They took him back home where he reigns entertaining
St. Michael, the angel, he’s not the same
‘Says he speaks to angels who know him by name

Untitled

And thus, the Lord spoke to me from an open
Bottle of Jack Daniels: “I am the Lord your God,
Creator of all things—including the alcohol you currently
Drink.” Indeed, one could say I was drunk. But who would try to make such a claim?
Even Jesus wouldn’t drudge up such an issue with me—we’ve had our problems.
For I was only as drunk as a harmonica sings softly from the
Ganges, where one probably wouldn’t hear
Harmonicas. Unless Indians have harmonicas. Which I doubt because
Indian instruments are uncommon to me. Although just because
Justice lies in the bottoms of peaches or maybe their pits,
Keyboards never sound as grand as pianos. While I’m
Lying about loitering down by the liquor store; it sounds like truth to
Me. Maybe I won’t escape alcoholism that runs through my family name like
Nuns running to stop a virgin from a deflowering defamation.
Only God can judge you.
Polonius said, “This above all: to thine own self be true.” Yet Hamlet still
Questions why his father couldn’t go out like Caesar, killed by an honorable,
Righteous man, right? The righteous man will inherit
Something, although I can’t recall the psalms or beatitudes.
Thus says the Lord:
“Until you know why, you’ll never know how.” I made that up. Like how
Virgins get pregnant. Or how Walt Whitman
Weaves together words like water turns to wine. No need for
X-rays. It’s already established I’ve got no spine. Soon no Liver to live. Why ask why I’m
Yellow? From too much booze. Good times turn sour with drinks made of sours. I believe in the
Zodiac, which supposedly makes me crazy. In all fairness, I’m a Libra.

Alanna Dougherty is a junior studying liberal arts at Penn State Harrisburg.

Keeping It Real: Made to Keep sticks to an ageless formula: paper, ink, design, fun.

November 30, 2015 | by Alexis Campbell

Even in the so-called digital age, Melissa Rhoads believes that there’s nothing like getting a handwritten card.

“People appreciate getting a card, they get really excited,” she said. “And I think they appreciate the art of card-making, and the extra effort of sending a card.”

And that’s a good thing, too. Rhoads owns Made to Keep, a unique stationery and gift shop in Linglestown’s historic Plot 40. Made to Keep started as a custom stationery and graphic design business in 2006, when Rhoads was a college student in Philadelphia.

A lifelong arts and crafts aficionado, she began creating Christmas cards and valentines for her family. She slowly started selling them to friends, and a business was born. Fast-forward to May 2015, and a sweet boutique opened in the first floor of a 225-year-old building, greeting card shelves hanging on the original logs.

“I opened the retail shop because I saw a need for a boutique like this,” she said. “We have a wide variety of stationery and jewelry, and we try to use local artists as often as possible.”

Indeed, the shop offers many hard-to-find-elsewhere items, such as quirky decorated wine glasses and hand-lettered mugs, as well as unique paper products, including invitations and event notices. However, cards remain closest to Rhoads’ heart.

“Our cards are quirky and funky, and, when people come in, they have fun just browsing or laughing at the cards,” she said. “It’s really neat.”

In addition to the quality of the cards themselves, people appreciate finding specific cards for special relationships, like a birthday card from one twin to another.

One of those local artists is Rhoads herself.

“I recently started getting back into creating cards and designing new things,” she said. “I try to create things that are unique and fun.”

Rhoads uses time-honored processes like letterpress and gold foil, in addition to digital printing, and also does a good deal of hand-lettering in her designs.

“Letterpress and hand-lettered work is on trend now,” Rhoads explained. “Even a few years ago, back in 2010 or 2011, you weren’t seeing a lot [of hand-lettered or letterpress].”

In other words, what’s old is new again.

“It’s really important to us that we stay current with what people are looking for, and that we give them something special,” she said.

Made to Keep Boutique is located at 5922 Linglestown Rd., Harrisburg (Linglestown). For more information, call 717-579-7723 or visit www.madetokeep.com. Made to Keep is also part of the newly formed Linglestown Artisan Trail, a consortium of area businesses. Get more information at their Facebook page: Linglestown Artisan Trail.

On the (Future) Job: Once a year, West Shore students flock to a mammoth career day.

November 30, 2015 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

Allen Middle School students Breanna Hooper and Andrew Schlegel were among the 600 or so West Shore School District eighth-graders who toured a Career Awareness Fair held on Nov. 4 at Crossroads Middle School.

When you were in the eighth grade, did you know what you wanted to do as an adult?

If the answer is no, then maybe some of the answers from eighth-graders attending a Career Awareness Fair sponsored by the West Shore School District might surprise you.

The annual event, held last month at Crossroads Middle School in Fairview Township, offered a total of 37 presenters representing a wide spectrum of local careers, from child care to modeling to mortuary science.

“I think it’s nice you can learn all about different jobs here,” said Crossroads eighth-grader Jacob Strausbaugh, 13, who mentioned that he’d like to become a graphic designer or an engineer.

About 600 West Shore eighth-graders from Crossroads, Allen and New Cumberland middle schools took turns that morning filing through career information displays. Each student was required to interview at least five career representatives, said Crossroads guidance counselor Stacey Ehrig.

This is the third year that the West Shore School District has sponsored a Career Awareness Fair for its eighth-graders, according to Ryan Argot, the district’s spokesman and director of federal programs. Derived from the district’s strategic planning process, the career fair is intended to give students an opportunity to learn about and consider future careers before they enter high school.

Andrew Schlegel, 14, an Allen eighth-grader, said, so far that morning, he had visited information displays for physical therapy, engineering and banking and was about to do a dental hygienist interview. Of all the displays, he liked engineering the best, he said.

“My older brother is an engineer, and I like math,” he said. “I like creating and designing stuff, too. I was thinking about being a lawyer, but I could be an engineer as a backup.”

Allen eighth-grader Breanna Hooper, 13, visited the law enforcement, counseling and mortician information displays, with two more on deck. Her favorite was the law enforcement, she said, because she is considering a career in either that or graphic arts.

Hooper said she stopped at the Parthemore Funeral Home & Cremation Services display because she was curious about mortuary science.

“Before, I thought it was kind of scary,” she admitted, but added that the career seemed much less so after interviewing Gib Parthemore and Red Land High School senior Katelyn Fahnestock.

Parthemore runs the family business with brothers Bruce and Steve in New Cumberland. The West Shore School District is near to his heart because he’s a former district school director and a member of the West Shore Foundation.

Fahnestock, who plans to become a mortician, is job shadowing at the business for her senior graduation project. While shadowing, Fahnestock watches the Parthemore brothers in action and takes plenty of notes. Her ultimate goal is running her own mortuary business, she said.

“I wanted to go into this because I like to help people,” she explained. “This is a way that I’m helping the grieving. I plan on going to college for business and then to mortuary school.”

So what do middle school students want to know about mortuary science?

“The kids want to know how much you make, what a typical day is like,” Parthemore noted.

Bill Whale, who runs the Whales, Snails and Puppy Dog Tails Child Care Center in Etters with wife Judy, said he heard the same types of questions from students.

“The kids want to know what sort of credentials you need for this job and how much is the pay,” he said. “Daycare is not all about the money. You have to love the work. If you’re working in daycare, you can be right there in the center where your kids are. You don’t have to be away from them all day working somewhere else.”

Whale said that he had seen “at least a dozen” of his former daycare students come through his display that day. “They all have a story to tell me,” he noted.

West Shore School Board President Ron Candioto was on hand to tell students about Hershocks, Inc., of Lemoyne, a construction contractor specialty service. Candioto, the company’s vice president and senior estimator, was passing out foam stress balls shaped like hard hats.

“What’s the worst thing you have to do at your job?” asked one of the many students gathered around Candioto’s table.

“The worst thing is when I have to tell people they don’t have a job anymore,” Candioto answered candidly. “It doesn’t happen often, but as a vice president of the business, I have to do that.”

Another student asked what school courses were vital to the construction business.

“Math is critical, especially algebra,” Candioto replied. “I use it every day. Also, you need good communication skills. That’s very important. You need to look someone in the eye when you’re talking to them.”

Other businesses and organizations featured at the Career Awareness Fair included Barbizon, an acting and modeling school in Lemoyne, the Fairview Township Police Department and Diakon Family Life Services. Susan Ryder, a communications professional and freelance writer for TheBurg, was on hand to talk about writing careers.

“The kids enjoy it. The adults enjoy it,” said West Shore Superintendent Todd Stoltz. “I think it’s a wonderful way to expose kids to a variety of careers.”

November News Digest

November 30, 2015 | by Admin

New Council Members

Harrisburg City Council will have a fresh look next year, as voters last month elected three newcomers to the city’s seven-member legislative body.

Cornelius Johnson tallied 3,383 votes, while Westburn Majors took 3,343. Jeffrey Baltimore, the only incumbent running, earned 3,563 votes.

All three were running unopposed for the three, four-year seats after topping a crowded Democratic field during the May primary. No Republicans ran.

Destini Hodges tallied 3,514 votes running unopposed for the lone, two-year council seat.

Three council seats were open after councilwomen Susan Brown-Wilson and Sandra Reid decided not to run and Councilman Brad Koplinski lost in the primary.

For city treasurer, Tyrell Spradley earned his first full term, taking 3,545 votes in the general election.

School Board Shakeup

Harrisburg voters last month elected several new members to the district school board last month.

Meanwhile, newly re-elected board President Jennifer Smallwood announced her resignation from the body.

Ellis R. Roy, Lionel Gonzalez, Matthew Krupp and Melvin Wilson Jr. each earned four-year seats, as did Smallwood. Judd Pittman, who recently was appointed to the board to fill an opening, took the lone two-year seat.

The candidates all ran unopposed for their seats after emerging victorious in the May primary. Krupp was the only candidate on the Republican ballot, having been nominated by both parties.

The board now must appoint a replacement for Smallwood. That person will serve until the next school board election in 2017.

County Commissioners Re-Elected

The makeup of the Board of Commissioners will be unchanged as Dauphin County voters last month retained the three incumbents.

Voters returned Republicans Jeff Haste and Mike Pries, as well as Democrat George Hartwick, to office. Democrat Tom Connolly lost his challenge.

In other competitive county races, Republican Nick Chimienti beat Democrat Tim Carter for county sheriff, and Republican Timothy DeFoor defeated Democrat Eric Gutshall for county controller.

Several incumbents won re-election running unopposed, including District Attorney Ed Marsico, Clerk of Courts Dale Klein and Treasurer Janis Creason.

Water Rate Hiked

Customers of Capital Region Water will pay 9.7 percent more next year for drinking water, as the board last month passed a rate increase.

The new water rate will be $7.88 per 1,000 gallons, as opposed to $7.18 in 2015. The “ready to serve” charge also will increase 9.7 percent

“We don’t take rate increases lightly, and our board of directors is sensitive to the burdens already placed on the people and places we serve, but the systems that our customers rely on to deliver safe drinking water every day and to clean wastewater before it reaches the Susquehanna River were long ignored,” said Capital Region Water CEO Shannon Williams.

Sewer rates will remain unchanged at $6.05 per 1,000 gallons.

“After years of deferred maintenance and lack of investment into our drinking water, wastewater and stormwater systems, we continue to build up to necessary staffing levels and to make long overdue improvements to our aging infrastructure to prevent the even higher costs of failure,” Williams said.

County Taxes Steady

For the 11^th straight year, Dauphin County property taxes are expected to be unchanged, the county commissioners said last month.

The county portion of the property tax should remain at 6.876 mills for 2016, according to a statement by the commissioners.

The county commissioners are expected to pass a 2016 budget this month, which will affirm their tax plan.

Managers Get Payouts

Five Harrisburg department managers will receive payouts for unused off-time following approval last month by City Council.

Council authorized the city administration to spend almost $29,000 to compensate these managers for unused sick and vacation time from 2013. It was about $7,000 more than the administration was requesting.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said that, following negotiations, the managers had agreed to take 75 percent of the amount owed them for the unused time. Council, however, authorized Papenfuse to reimburse them for up to 100 percent of that time.

Sinkhole Relief Denied

Harrisburg received disappointing news last month, as the Federal Emergency Management Agency rejected its application for sinkhole relief funds.

FEMA notified Harrisburg that it had turned down a request for $4.1 million to buy out homeowners in a sinkhole-ravaged area of S. 14^th Street.

In the competition for funds, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency had ranked Harrisburg’s request first in the state, but, instead, FEMA approved a $2.1 million application from Palmyra, which was ranked second.

PEMA appealed the decision, and Mayor Eric Papenfuse also wrote a letter asking FEMA to reconsider.

Housing Data Strong

Home sales showed continued strength in October, sustaining a yearlong trend in the Harrisburg area.

For the month, 791 housing units sold, compared to 671 in October 2014, with the median price increasing to $162,900 from $156,500, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors.

In Dauphin County, sales totaled 245 units versus 229 units in the year-ago period, with the median price inching up to $139,000 from $138,000, GHAR reported.

Cumberland County sales actually dropped slightly, to 297 units from 303, but the median price increased to $185,000 from $175,000, said GHAR. Perry County followed a similar trend, with sales decreasing to 28 units from 43, but the median price rising to $129,250 from $115,000, GHAR reported.

In addition to all of Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry counties, GHAR’s coverage area includes parts of York, Juniata and Lebanon counties.

So Noted

Little Amps Coffee Roasters last month opened its third location, a kiosk on the main floor of Strawberry Square in Harrisburg. Little Amps was founded in 2011 at a location on Green Street in Olde Uptown and later opened a downtown café at N. 2^nd and State streets.

Allen Distribution has signed a 321,333-square-foot lease at 100 Capital Lane, part of the newly renovated Capital Logistics Center in Middletown. The logistics company has leased the entire building, one of six comprising the 1.55-million-square foot industrial complex.

Level 2 is making changes going into 2016. The popular Latin Night will move to Friday and combine with the monthly Latin Fuzion party to create Fuzion Fridayz. Level 2 also is responding to increased demand for private events, with the space available for fundraisers, rehearsals, receptions and more. For information and updates, visit www.level2.us or their Facebook page.

Changing Hands

Alricks St., 638 & 651: Central Dauphin Realty Co. to Coho Spawning Industries & Meridian Recycling LLC, $650,000

Boas St., 235: L. Dempsey & B. Hartlage to C. Guy, $171,500

Calder St., 115: L. Paige to A. & M. Anselmo, $42,500

Derry St., 2436: M. Miranda to M. & I. Collins, $63,000

Forster St., 416 & 418: Pennsylvania Psychological to ITSM Specialties LLC, $145,000

Forster St., 1844: D. & D. Hall to S. Martin, $75,000

Fulton St., 1400: C. Krobath to PA Deals LLC, $90,000

Green St., 1617: A. Doherty to A. Calvano, $124,000

Green St., 3214: M. Traxler to D. Bartels, $105,000

Hale Ave., 397: J. & G. McCarchey to J. Gonzalez, $62,000

Hamilton St., 235: R. Swartz to G. Huggens, $168,900

Hamilton St., 238: LSF8 Master Participation Trust to J. Manzella, $63,900

Hamilton St., 326: K. Stratton to R. Hadrick, $110,000

Hanover St., 1701: C. Cheam to S. Chen, $400,000

Hoffman St., 3206: Skynet Property Management LP to J. Ostrander, $75,000

Kelker St., 315: N. Schock to C. Clymire, $109,900

Kensington St., 2313: Skye Holding LLC to J. Meas, $45,000

Locust St., 110 & 112: Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency to Locust Company LLC, $140,000

Market St., 1811: B. Vorndran to HE Pressley Properties LLC, $33,000

N. 2^nd St., 717: M. Hilden & S. Farzin to BCRA Realty LLC, $150,000

N. 2^nd St., 806: Pennsylvania Council of Republican Women to H. Fang & K. Zhu, $77,000

N. 2^nd St., 1200: W. Moyer to Harrisburg Second Street Apartments LLC, $65,000

N. 2^nd St., 2403: CNC Realty Group LLC to AON LLC, $470,000

N. 2^nd St., 2517: 8219 Ventures LLC to AXL Realty Group Inc., $42,000

N. 2^nd St., 3002: B. & K. Elgart to E. Stailey, $152,000

N. 3^rd St., 1100 & 268 Herr St.: Triple Ace LP to AON LLC, $352,000

N. 3^rd St., 2248: M. Coleman to N. Hartwig, $85,000

N. 4^th St., 2737: T. Murphy to Mountaincrash Investments LLC, $37,000

N. 5^th St., 3208: W. & R. Bragunier to K. & D. Roberts, $61,760

N. 6^th St., 2610: S. Wright to J. Shutter, $34,650

N. 18^th St., 120: G. Neff to D. Geiger, $35,000

N. Front St., 2233: Mancke and Wagner Real Estate to J.A. Hartzler & K. Werley, $300,000

Penn St., 1110: G. Latasha to A. St. John & R. Wagoner, $180,000

Penn St., 1111: D. Cooper to H. Landenberger, $114,000

Rolleston St., 1013: R. & A. Showers to W. & J. Wirfel, $30,000

S. 13^th St., 240: NJR Group LLC & Touch of Color to A. Radon, $460,000

S. 19^th St., 1111: Secretary of Housing & Urban Development to K. Saqib, $31,500

S. Front St., 315: JGPA Realty LLC to S. Eicher, $146,650

S. Front St., 605: B. Glazier & E. Tsumura to J. & C. Fabian, $152,000

Valley Rd., 2313: Secretary of Housing & Urban Development to K. & E. High, $78,000

Waldo St., 2708: Freddie Mac to Tassia Corp., $30,000

Wilson Parkway, 2734: PA Deals LLC to G. & C. Rodda, $80,000

Wiconisco St., 611 & 2641 Agate St.: Thompson LLP to Stop & Store Inc., $175,000

Wyeth St., 1417: Secretary of Housing & Urban Development to D. Drabik, $71,000

A 3rd Act on the 2nd Floor: Lawrence Knorr may have retired, but, pursuing his passions, he’s busier than ever.

November 30, 2015 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Lawrence Knorr has been enthusiastic about art since a young age.

“I picked up a camera around the age of 10, and it changed my world,” he said.

Over the years, Knorr has worn many hats, from chief information officer at the PA Liquor Control Board to director of strategy information at Ahold to his current position as president of the nearby Sunbury Press and economics professor at Wilson and York College.

As if that weren’t enough, he’s added another job to that impressive list—owner of the 2^nd Floor Gallery in Mechanicsburg.

The sturdy, brick building located in the heart of town dates back to the 1800s and has been through several incarnations over time, once operating as a Union field hospital and more recently as a Presbyterian Church.

When the congregation relocated in the early 2000s, local art aficionado Jeffrey Van Boskirk set plans in motion to repurpose the building and transform it into a showcase for art lovers. Since then, the gallery has not only survived, but thrived, winning numerous awards, including the “Simply the Best” award from Harrisburg Magazine for the past four years.

When Van Boskirk decided that it was time to move on, he contacted Knorr, and the two struck a mutually beneficial deal. Knorr hit the ground running on Sept. 1 with plans to make the 5,000-square-foot gallery an East Coast art destination.

One of Knorr’s first moves was to bring in Ashley Walkowiak as a partner to assist with marketing and publicity. Since then, the two have been working in tandem to move the gallery into its next phase.

The front of the building has been spruced up with new landscaping, and the interior has been given a fresh look with new paint. Gone are the first floor rugs, which gave way to refurbished hardwood floors. Dull, plastic weatherproofing, which stole some of the dramatic thunder from the glorious, turn-of-the-century stained glass windows, will soon be gone, and copious amounts of light will illuminate the fine art.

Knorr has shown his photography at 2^nd Floor Gallery for years and once owned the West Shore Gallery in Wormleysburg. So, he’s no stranger to the art world.

“I’ve always had this desire to try it again,” he said, only now he will have more time to focus on the project, having recently retired from Ahold.

The gallery currently houses about 500 pieces of art and plans are afoot to put a call out for new work.

“We want to have a nice collection of art that appeals to the West Shore community with an eclectic collection of portraits, landscapes, country scenes, contemporary and abstract art,” said Knorr.

An international art competition is also in the works, an endeavor that worked well for Knorr in the past.

“When I owned the West Shore Gallery, I ran a competition called ‘River Art: Susquehanna International Fine Art Competition,’” said Knorr. Today, those 438 works from artists from seven different countries are memorialized in a book of the same name.

Entries in the upcoming competition will go on display at the gallery from March through May 2016 and will be moved to the state Capitol in July.

Knorr will work with a committee to assist him in making decisions on what is displayed at the gallery.

“There are five on the jury who will guide us in determining what to hang here,” he said. “I, myself, tend to think about marketability.”

A commission service is also planned.

“If someone wants a portrait of a family member, house or pet, we’ll have artists who can do that, as well,” said Knorr.

Pat Koscienski has been showing her work at the 2^nd Floor Gallery for about 10 years. The Lewisberry artist works with oil, acrylic and pastel when she creates her paintings, which include landscapes, pets and still life. She is optimistic when discussing Knorr’s plans.

“I’m looking forward to the energy, enthusiasm and new ideas that he will be bringing to the gallery,” she said. “This area has a lot of great, talented artists, and everyone’s excited about the new changes.”

Knorr, who himself has authored several books, said that the Sunbury Press will eventually be integrated into the 2^nd Floor Gallery.

“We now have about 400 titles and 200 authors under management, so we’ll likely be bringing the bookstore into the first floor of the gallery, where we’ll hold author events,” he said.

As possible movie deals based on Sunbury books make their way through the pipeline, Knorr may have even more on his plate in the future. But, for now, the relentless multi-tasker said he’s just happy to have more time to pursue his passions.

“It’s nice to be at a point where I can decide what to do with my time, rather than having others decide that for me,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed creativity and have a lot of energy for it.”

2^nd Floor Gallery is located at 105 S. Market St., Mechanicsburg. For more information, call 717-766-1825 or visit www.2ndfloorgallery.com.

A Wine Wonderland: Our wine guy gives his picks for an every day sip, a special holiday pour.

November 30, 2015 | by Steve Juliana

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year …”

Those words are in the air wherever you go during the holiday season. And why? Gift-giving is certainly one reason, but so are food and drink, as special meals and wines add to the joy and appreciation of spending time with friends and family.

With that in mind, I recently attended a Chairman’s Selection® tasting, sponsored by Fine Wine & Good Spirits. Steve Pollack, the buyer for the Chairman’s Selection programs, took us on a guided tour of the offerings, pointing out nuances in these quaffs and educating the participants about the vinous personalities of the amazing wines.

Whether you need a gift for that certain person or a unique bottle for a meal or celebration, I present my tasting notes to help guide you in your selections.

WHITE WINE

Claudie Peguet Pouilly-Loché Blanc 2014, code 78039, $ 19.99: Clean citrusy, peachy Chardonnay from Burgundy, France.

Robert Mondavi Fumé Blanc Oakville 2013, code 33924, $23.99: Rich, melon-nosed Sauvignon Blanc from Napa. Silky, creamy finish.

RED WINE

Tenuta Ulisse Amaranta Montepulciano D’Abruzzo 2012, code 33929, $17.99: Rich, complex Italian wine with spice and licorice flavors, matching a fruity finish.

Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Syrah 2011, code 33975, $14.99: Ripe and complex with fruit and herbs on the palate. Ready for red meat.

Pianirossi Sidus Montecucco 2012, code 78032, $12.99: Violet-nosed with juicy fruit and an easy-to-drink style. From Tuscany’s “wild west.”

Dezzani Barbaresco Starde 2011, code 33953, $16.99: Tasty Nebbiolo with spices, fruit and an elegant, smooth finish.

Bersano Barolo Nirvasco 2010, code 33949, $24.99: Another Italian Nebbiolo, this one to lay down. Big and powerful.

Windmill Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2011, code 33873, $19.99: Classic Napa Cab with cassis and cherry. Soft and balanced.

Havens Winery Black and Blue 2012, code 33969, $19.99: Interesting Napa blend of Syrah and Cabernet. Cocoa nose leads to dark fruit and smooth finish.

Stonehedge The Nobel Red 2012, code 33966, $19.99: Odd blend of Merlot and Zin makes for an easy drinking fruit and vanilla quaff.

Gandolini Cabernet Sauvignon Las 3 Marias Vineyards 2011, code 78023, $29.99: Exquisite blend from Chile. Classic to drink now or lay down. 92 percent Cabernet. Spice, cassis and dark fruit dominate.

Château Latour A Pomerol 2006, code 33927, $54.99: Well-aged Bordeaux with balance and elegance. Drink now or cellar.

DESSERT WINE

Feuerheerd’s 10 Year Old Tawny Porto, code 33882, $19.99: Showing a sweet side with caramel, raisin and hazelnut flavors. Nice, dry finish.

Offley Late Bottled Vintage Porto 2010, code 33879, $13.99: A delicious wine to finish a meal or just to enjoy.

Barao de Vilar Vintage Port 2011, code 33937, $39.99: A huge and complex wine. Zings the palate, great finish.

Keep sipping, Steve

TheBurg Podcast, Nov. 27, 2015

November 27, 2015 | by Admin

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

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

Nov. 27, 2015: This week, Larry and Paul talk about Mayor Papenfuse’s proposed 2016 budget, the final resolution of a long-running dispute with the county tourism bureau, fact versus fiction in the corruption charges against former Mayor Reed, and the notion of Harrisburg “outsiders” you hear invoked from time to time around town, even from elected officials.

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!

Still Short-Staffed, City Seeks to Hike Tax on Residents and Commuters

November 25, 2015 | by Paul Barker

Workers leaving state offices Tuesday afternoon in downtown Harrisburg’s Strawberry Square.

When Mayor Eric Papenfuse proposed his 2016 budget for Harrisburg Tuesday night, he justified its millions of dollars in new expenses in part by saying they would be “building critical capacity” at a pared-down city hall.

To help cover those costs, he is asking for a $3 million hike in the local services tax, a flat-rate levy on people who work in the city that would increase from $52 to $156 per year.

It’s a tax with a lot of tradeoffs. It affects both residents and commuters, in a city where a huge portion of the workforce lives outside town. That means it hits the wallets of people who rely on city services, but who also can’t vote against it.

It’s regressive, eating up a larger portion of your income the poorer you are, though it also has exemptions for retirees and people earning below $15,600 per year.

It’s temporary, meaning Papenfuse or his successor will have to find a replacement for it or else slash the budget again, in at most five years. That’s the latest the proposed hike could be authorized under current rules for cities like Harrisburg in the state’s financial distress program.

And if passed, the hike will represent yet another cost borne by residents of Harrisburg and its commuters, in a recovery that has paired austerity in city services with higher income and real estate taxes and increased parking fees.

“It’s painful thinking about it,” said Councilman Ben Allatt, chair of the budget and finance committee. “We’d like to see what other options are there. I wish we could do it another way.”

Council has yet to fully vet the mayor’s proposal, which will be revisited in more detail during budget hearings on Dec. 8 and 9 before a final vote Dec. 15.

But, both as a matter of practicality and of state law, the city has few other means of raising revenue. A tax on earned income is already maxed out under the law, and money from the parking system has come in below expectations. In December council will likely face a choice: either approve the hike, or cut the budget.

To take effect, the local services tax hike would first have to be authorized by the Commonwealth Court, which still has jurisdiction over the state plan guiding the city’s recovery. It’s not clear how soon court approval will be sought or granted, although Papenfuse’s budget estimates assume full enactment by March or April.

A spokesman for Fred Reddig, who oversees the plan as its coordinator at the state Department of Community and Economic Development, said Wednesday that the local services tax hike will be “an element of the modifications” being considered for the city’s recovery plan. He would not say whether Reddig supports it.

Papenfuse, in his presentation Tuesday night, described the tax hike as the “least painful” of the city’s options for raising what he says is essential revenue. That met with mixed reactions from elected officials—Councilman Brad Koplinski, for example, has questioned its necessity—as well as from residents and commuters.

Zach Monnier, a self-described “rare bird” who both works and lives downtown, said he supports the hike because he believes it is the necessary cost of fixing the city’s decaying infrastructure. “The only way to do that is to pay more money,” he said. “The city is looking for revenue streams, and this is a viable one.”

A legal assistant at the state Department of Banking and Securities, Monnier said he felt confident that the city really did need the additional tax revenues and would not squander them. “It doesn’t look like anyone’s trying to waste money,” he said. “It looks like they’re trying to improve services.”

Another state worker, standing apart from the flow of commuters from offices downtown on Tuesday afternoon, said she had learned about the tax increase that morning and opposed it, though she didn’t know all the details.

“That’s a big jump,” said the worker, who declined to give her name, saying she was not supposed to speak to media without authorization from her employer. “Me, as a single mom, that’s a lot,” she added, referring to the $104 increase in annual taxes.

The worker said she commuted from Tower City, in northern Dauphin County. “We work here, but we don’t live here,” she said, noting that she and many neighbors came to the city to work because there were few job opportunities closer to home.

A pair of valets at the downtown Hilton, Cameron Clarke and Justin Weber, had slightly different takes on the tax hike, when asked about it late Tuesday afternoon.

Clarke, who commutes from New Cumberland across the river, opposed it, saying non-residents contributed plenty to the city economy already. “This mayor needs to keep in mind, all the revenue is coming from commuters,” he said. “I hate to say it, but not much is coming from the residents. I think everyone should be against this.”

Weber, who lives in the city’s Midtown neighborhood, mostly agreed, though he said he was open to hearing the mayor’s position. “If he has a reasonable justification for it, I’d be OK with it,” he said. “Not necessarily happy about it, but I’d be OK with it.”

Papenfuse, Departing from State Plan, Proposes Tax Hike, New Hires

November 25, 2015 | by Paul Barker

Mayor Papenfuse on Monday announcing a sponsorship deal with Mary Smith, director of the Hershey Harrisburg Regional Visitors Bureau, that the city says will help fund two full-time hires next year. The 2016 budget adds dozens of new positions at city hall, about half of them funded through outside sources.

In an unapologetic rebuke to the state’s recovery plan for Harrisburg, Mayor Eric Papenfuse on Tuesday night proposed a 2016 budget that includes at least $5 million in additional expenses and 36 new positions, paid for in part by $3 million in new taxes he says are needed to provide essential services for the Pennsylvania capital.

Presenting City Council with his spending plan in preparation for December’s budget hearings, Papenfuse described the expenses as a way of fixing a state plan he has repeatedly said is not working and of “building critical capacity” at city hall.

Some of the additional expenses are inherited, and Papenfuse was quick to point blame at incorrect projections by the state regarding the price of certain budget items. Among these are health care and pension costs, which the administration said will each be $1 million higher than initially projected for next year.

At the same time, however, Papenfuse sent a clear signal through his proposal that he will demand much faster growth at city hall than the state was prepared to recommend in the guiding document it drafted two years ago.

The mayor wants the growth to be paid for in part through the tripling of the local services tax, a flat tax on anyone who works within city limits, which would increase from $52 to $156 per year, or from $1 to $3 per week. After a few months’ delay before the hike can be enforced, the city expects it to net $3 million next year.

Calling it the “least painful” of available revenue sources, Papenfuse said the local services tax hike would not affect retirees and people earning below $15,600 per year, while being distributed between working residents and commuters.

The budget’s new hires would encompass 28 union and eight management-level jobs, ranging from additional firefighters and police officers to public works employees, bill collectors and staff devoted to managing the city’s annual festivals.

About half of the new positions would be funded by sources other than city taxpayers. Five additional police officers will be partly funded by federal community policing grants, while four new firefighters are expected to pay for themselves through savings in overtime. A litigator position in the city solicitor’s office is expected to pay for itself, as are three additional bill collectors.

Eighteen of the proposed hires—17 union workers and one manager—will fall under the umbrella of a new “neighborhood services” division Papenfuse plans to create next year. The new division, building on recommendations in a consultants’ report last year, will merge trash collection with tasks like street repair, park maintenance and fielding 311 calls in a single unit with a $15.8 million budget.

The neighborhood services budget, which is separate from the tax-dependent general fund, will be funded almost entirely by Harrisburg trash customers.

Papenfuse described the additional sanitation staff, along with $1.3 million he plans to invest in new equipment, as essential to providing reliable services to both residents and the hundreds of commercial trash accounts the city hopes to win back from private haulers in the next two to three years.

Papenfuse said Tuesday night that he had reached agreements with many commercial customers, along with the three major private trash haulers in the area, to switch their accounts back to the city. But the campaign to win back such clients has also hit snags, including a lawsuit last year accusing the city of “unconscionable” trash rates that it said subsidized government expenses unrelated to sanitation.

The proposed 2016 budget depends heavily on revenues the city is set to lose if it ever leaves the state oversight program for financially distressed municipalities. These include the hike in the local services tax, which cannot be assessed without approval from the state court overseeing the city’s recovery, and an increase in the local income tax that has been in effect since 2012.

Papenfuse, addressing this concern Tuesday, said he hoped to make up for these losses in future years with a combination of revenues from new residents and businesses and a permanent authorization of certain tax hikes through a home rule charter initiative. He also said, in reference to the state’s 2018 deadline for the city’s exit from state oversight, “There is no chance we’re getting out on their timeline.”

Even if council approves the mayor’s budget as proposed, it doesn’t necessarily mean the city will spend all the money it’s asking for. Since taking office, Papenfuse has consistently scaled down or withheld expenses until the city had demonstrated it had sufficient revenues coming in to pay them.

But the administration was resolute in defending the new expenses. Comparing the city to a “ship that isn’t sinking anymore, but needs some repairs and investments in human and physical capital to make her seaworthy,” finance director Bruce Weber said the choice was either to spend now or “put her out in dry dock and go home.”

“If we can’t run the city functionally at a minimum of capacity, with some realistic plan for future improvements, then you might as well close up the city now,” he said.

Nov. 23-27: This Week in Harrisburg

November 23, 2015 | by Admin

Monday, Nov. 23

Harrisburg City Council Budget & Finance Committee, 5:30 p.m.
City Hall, 10 N. 2^nd St.

On the agenda: Two housekeeping items—a contract with an outside tax collector and an agreement with the school district on business privilege, mercantile and amusement tax collection.

Tuesday, Nov. 24

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

On the agenda: First reading of Mayor Papenfuse’s 2016 budget. The city is still under state oversight, so watch for disagreements between the city and state over the revenue sources and staffing levels in the spending plan. Papenfuse said in September that the city will need to raise taxes. But some of those hikes would expire if the city ever left state oversight, which the mayor also wants it to do.

Wednesday, Nov. 25

Dauphin County Commissioners, 10 a.m.
Dauphin County Administration Building, 2^nd & Market Sts., 4^th Floor

On the agenda: Presentation of the county’s 2016 budget.

Harrisburg School Board Community Relations Committee, 6 p.m.
District Administrative Offices, 1601 State St.

On the agenda: Unknown. The superintendent’s office said an academic committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday was cancelled, and that the same might be true for Wednesday. The board is in a period of upheaval, with the surprise resignation last week of its president, Jennifer Smallwood. The nine-member board will soon have five new members— four newly elected, one appointed to replace Smallwood—after two straight years of declining test scores under a state recovery plan. The board’s reorganization meeting is scheduled for Dec. 7 at 6:30 p.m.

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