At Mayor’s Behest, Council Offers “Show of Unity” on Civil War Museum Funding

August 27, 2014 | by Paul Barker

The National Civil War Museum in Reservoir Park.

Harrisburg’s City Council voted unanimously Tuesday evening to join Mayor Eric Papenfuse’s request to the Dauphin County commissioners to suspend the portion of hotel tax funding that is sent under contract each year to the National Civil War Museum.

The resolution, which did not appear on the agenda and was introduced towards the end of council’s first session back after summer vacation, cites the city’s recent “profound fiscal distress” as well as the museum’s inability to show “measurable, tangible economic benefit to tourism” in Harrisburg as reasons why its funding stream should be cut off.

In his presentation Tuesday night, Mayor Papenfuse said that an affirmative vote from council would be a “show of unity” to county commissioners that the city no longer wished to subsidize the museum’s operations.

Papenfuse made his initial request to the county commissioners at their July 30 hearing. During that presentation, he noted that the museum received around $300,000 per year from a portion of county hotel taxes designated by ordinance for promoting tourism within the city. That money, he said, went to cover a portion of the museum’s more than $1 million in operating expenses.

Additionally, Papenfuse said, the museum paid only $1 to the city in rent on a facility whose fair market value is listed in the museum’s own financial statements at $633,000 per year. The building was constructed with state RACP funding of $16.2 million.

The rent also includes the use of city-owned artifacts, which the city purchased over the course of several years for somewhere between $16 and $18 million.

Papenfuse added that the hotel tax funding and the rent were fixed by agreements that had been extended—one of them out to 2039—in the “waning days” of the administration of former Mayor Stephen Reed. Reed, who spearheaded the Civil War Museum’s construction, is listed in exhibits at the site as the museum’s founder.

Council members mostly expressed dismay Tuesday night at the extent of city subsidies of the museum, as well as the absence of any council vote or discussion on the agreements that stipulate the current funding arrangement.

Councilwoman Susan Brown-Wilson, who shook her head as the mayor quoted the museum’s rent payment, also suggested that the museum needed new board members that better reflected the community.

Councilman Ben Allatt, the chair of the budget and finance committee, said he would like to invite museum directors to make their case before council. He said he would invite them to a committee meeting on Sept. 16.

In addition to the hotel tax and the rent agreement, the city has also made several direct payments to the museum since 2000. On Tuesday before council, the administration cited a figure of $12 million for these payments, and the resolution refers to the same number in its recitals.

A budget printout previously provided to TheBurg, however, shows only $1.2 million in such payments. Bruce Weber, the city’s budget and finance director, later said the administration had misspoken, and that the correct figure was $1.2 million.

The hotel tax is a 5-percent tax on overnight lodging in Dauphin County hotels. Under county ordinance, the city currently receives around $750,000 per year in hotel taxes, which is sent directly to its general fund. A second portion, around $500,000 per year, goes to a visitors bureau to be spent on promoting tourism in the city. It is out of this second portion that the museum receives its contractually established payment of around $300,000.

The National Civil War Museum opened in February, 2001, and is open 361 days per year. After a first-year high of around 96,000 visitors, its annual attendance has fluctuated between 38,000 and 41,000 for the past five years. In a recent conversation with TheBurg, museum board members spoke proudly of their efforts to reduce the museum’s operating expenses, which once covered a much larger staff and totaled upwards of $2.5 million.

For an in-depth feature on Mayor Papenfuse’s request regarding the National Civil War Museum, including an extended interview with the museum board, see the September issue of TheBurg, which will hit newsstands Friday.

Harrisburg Mayor Announces Interim Replacement for City Treasurer Accused of Theft

August 26, 2014 | by Paul Barker

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse has appointed an interim city treasurer, following the announcement of criminal charges Tuesday against city Treasurer John Campbell for theft from a charitable program unaffiliated with city government.

Paul Wambach, a former city treasurer who served for 20 years before retiring in 2012, will assume Campbell’s position on a volunteer basis, the mayor said Tuesday afternoon at a press conference in city hall.

“As chief executive officer of the city of Harrisburg, I have a responsibility to ensure that the city is being managed properly, all accounts are in order, and that city treasury continues to function in the midst of this dilemma,” Papenfuse said.

Papenfuse also announced Tuesday that he had asked the city’s independent auditors, Maher Duessel, to apply extra scrutiny when reviewing the treasurer office’s operations. Expanding the audit would only incur additional costs if an irregularity were discovered, the mayor said, necessitating a forensic investigation.

The Dauphin County district attorney’s office said Tuesday it did not believe Campbell had stolen any money from the city.

The criminal complaint against Campbell, filed Tuesday morning, alleges that Campbell, 26, stole more than $8,000 out of an account related to a fundraising program to replace city streetlights.

Campbell allegedly stole the money while serving as executive director of the Historic Harrisburg Association, a preservation nonprofit headquartered in Midtown. The funds came from the account associated with a program called Lighten Up Harrisburg, which has raised money to fund citywide lighting initiatives, including the restoration of decorative lights on the Walnut Street Bridge.

Most recently, Lighten Up helped sponsor a 5K “Glow Run” in June, in which runners adorned with glow-in-the-dark necklaces, bracelets and paint ran along Riverfront Park to raise money for replacing downed light poles along Front Street.

In July, the city announced that $22,000 raised from that effort would help fund the replacement of 15 light poles. On Tuesday, Papenfuse announced that the city had completed the work but had not yet been reimbursed by HHA, which discovered funds were missing when it went to reconcile the account holding the donated funds.

Following that discovery, HHA board members requested “monthly bank statements and canceled checks” related to the Lighten Up Harrisburg account, according to the criminal complaint. The board subsequently discovered that Campbell had written himself 10 checks from the account between last December and July, totaling at least $8,481, the complaint says.

The complaint also claims Campbell wrote an email to HHA earlier this month, in which he acknowledged taking the money and spending it on “personal medical and college educational expenses.”

Papenfuse said Tuesday that he fully expects Campbell to resign. If that happens, council will have 30 days to appoint a replacement. The mayor said he had spoken with Council President Wanda Williams before Tuesday’s announcement, who had agreed with his interim appointment of Wambach and would have additional comments about the replacement process during council’s legislative session Tuesday evening.

During Tuesday’s press conference, Wambach made a brief statement about his interim role. “I love this place,” he said of the city. “This place has to know that they’re protected. This place will know that they’re protected.”

Wambach added that he had learned about the forthcoming charges against Campbell last Friday, when the mayor called him to relay what he described as the “shocking” news.

The city treasurer position is part-time and pays $20,000 per year, and does not collect health care or pension benefits. Campbell has held the post since January 2012.

On Tuesday afternoon, HHA posted a statement on its website from its board of directors. “We were shocked to discover the irregularities and are saddened by the alleged actions of our former executive director as outlined today by the District Attorney,” the statement says. “We will seek full restitution of the missing funds.”

Consultant On School Recovery Plan To Oversee Harrisburg Curriculum

August 5, 2014 | by Paul Barker

Drue Miles, an education consultant and the author of the education chapter in the Harrisburg school district’s state-sponsored recovery plan, is the district’s new acting school improvement administrator, following a unanimous vote Monday night by the board of school directors.

The position, which will pay $600 per day, was to be left vacant by the departure of Sherry Roland-Washington, whose resignation was also ratified by board vote Monday night and is effective August 15.

Gene Veno, the district’s state-appointed chief recovery officer, said Monday that he recommended the emergency hiring of Miles while the superintendent searched for a permanent replacement for Roland-Washington.

Miles, a former principal and assistant superintendent in Lancaster, worked as acting superintendent of the Reading school district for about a one-year period covering the 2011-12 school year. In June of 2013, he was appointed acting superintendent in Boyertown, where he served briefly before being replaced by a permanent superintendent early the following school year.

Miles is also the president of Miles Educational Services, where his services include “analyzing educational systems and writing both recovery plans and school/district plans to assist struggling school districts,” according to his LinkedIn profile. He has additionally worked as a senior education consultant for Public Financial Management, Inc., a national financial advisory firm, since February 2013.

On Monday, after the school board vote, Miles described his new role as “continuing oversight” of the development of the district’s curriculum, which is undergoing a process of alignment with new state standards.

That process was delayed somewhat under the tenure of Roland-Washington, who had initially aimed to have the curriculum alignment completed by last August, in accordance with the deadlines established by the original recovery plan.

Late last February, with the updates still not completed, the district opted to switch from an in-house team of teachers and administrators to a contractual agreement with Scholastic for the purpose of finishing the new curriculum. Then, in April, Veno amended his recovery plan to push back the curriculum deadlines by one year.

The first unit of the core curriculum, which comprises courses in English language arts, science, social studies and math, will now be completed in time for teacher in-school planning days next week, Miles said Monday. The complete curriculum, meanwhile, is slated to be finished by April of 2015.

Miles also said on Monday that he will take a leave of absence from Public Financial Management for the duration of his employment by the Harrisburg school district.

More West Nile Virus Found in Harrisburg

August 1, 2014 | by TheBurg Editor

Two additional samples of West Nile virus have been discovered in Harrisburg, the city said today.

The following is a release announcing the discovery of the samples, what is being done about it and actions that residents can take:

The Dauphin County West Nile Virus Control Program says it has collected two more samples of mosquitoes infected with the West Nile virus in the city of Harrisburg.

The samples were collected Thursday and as a result of the additional positive samples, the county will expand its efforts to kill mosquito larvae in city catch basins in the areas where the mosquitoes carrying the virus were discovered.

The first mosquitoes with the West Nile virus were discovered in Harrisburg on July 23. No cases of humans being infected with the virus have been reported in Dauphin County. The city has been working closely with county officials to try to prevent the virus from spreading.

Capital Region Water teams have used bleach to clean water inlets to kill larvae that may be in stagnant water. The Dauphin County Conservation District is continuing to collect mosquito samples in Harrisburg to track the presence of the West Nile virus.

The Dauphin County Conservation District monitors mosquito populations throughout the county and says the discovery in Harrisburg is the 11th positive result this year for the presence of mosquitoes infected with the West Nile virus.

The virus can cause encephalitis, an infection that can result in an inflammation of the brain. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all residents of areas where virus activity has been identified are at risk of getting West Nile encephalitis. Although the risk of contracting WNV from an infected mosquito is small, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems are advised to take precautions to reduce their risk of exposure to the virus.

The county’s West Nile Virus Control program is increasing surveillance and control measures to reduce the mosquito population and contain the virus.

Residents are urged to take the following precautions:

· Use products with Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis)–a naturally occurring bacteria that kills mosquito larvae but is safe for people, pets and plants–for stagnant pools of water in the lawn and garden.

· Remove any standing water in pots, containers, pool covers, tires, wheelbarrows, wading pools, roof gutters and other containers that hold water.

· Make sure screens fit tightly over doors and windows to keep mosquitoes out of homes.

· Consider wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks when outdoors, particularly when mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk, or in areas known for having large numbers of mosquitoes.

· Reduce outdoor exposure at dawn and dusk during peak mosquito periods, usually April through October.

· Use insect repellents according to the manufacturer’s instructions. An effective repellent will contain DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Consult with a pediatrician or family physician if you have questions about the use of repellent on children, as repellent is not recommended for children under the age of two months.

To learn more about WNV and prevention, visit the CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/westnile. For more information about Dauphin County’s WNV Control Program, contact Christopher Hooper, program coordinator, at 717-921-8100.

Boy’s Life: Actress Patricia Arquette dishes on what it was like acting in the groundbreaking “Boyhood.”

July 31, 2014 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

If you were to shoot a film over the course of 12 years about a boy’s adolescent life, pouring your own experiences into it and creating the script as you go, what would that experience be called?

Patricia Arquette, who, for the past 12 years has been acting in a film that did just that, called it “the strangest, most unorthodox and beautiful experience ever.” Director Richard Linklater called it “Boyhood.”

The film takes you on a journey through the life of a boy named Mason (Ellar Coltrane), starting when he is in first grade and ending just as he enters college. The film cuts in and out of his life in a way that is refreshing and natural. We aren’t burdened by the clichéd turning points of life, like a first lost tooth or first kiss, but instead get to see Mason in his downtime, relating with his friends and family. It becomes more about his character than what’s happening around him.

Sometimes, the film jumps in time and the audience has to scramble to catch up. Life is never the same for more than a moment, and Linklater makes sure to portray that. Overall, the film does a beautiful job of encapsulating the interactions of this family, so much that you feel you really get to know them.

In a phone interview, Arquette gave me a little more detail about how the film was created. Fascinatingly, the scenes were shot in real time, in the midst of other projects, so you actually watch these people as they age.

Why did she call the project unorthodox?

“I immediately said yes,” Arquette remembers, “and [Linklater] said, ‘We don’t have any money,’ and I was like, ‘Yeah yeah yeah, I’m in!’ And I said, ‘Can I look at the script?’ and he said, ‘Well, we don’t have one.'”

It turns out that Linklater had the structure for the script, but wanted to leave room in order to develop the characters naturally as they grew. So, Arquette and the rest of the cast had to discover the script as they went.

“It took a really different skill set…and I was excited by that,” added Arquette. “Rick would write the rough draft of a scene, and we would read it, and then we would talk about different people’s life experiences that sort of correlated to the scene in some way or another, or each other… and then we would do an improvisation of it, and Rick would say, ‘That second part of that story you told about your friend, let’s use that. That little improv you said on that line, let’s use that part.’ And he would craft it from there, and then we would shoot it the next day. So, it was a bonding experience and a really creative, collaborative experience every year going back.”

This collaborative way of creating the story meant that it was ultimately a blend of different people’s experiences, even in the little, “dumb” moments.

“My friend told me that story about her son sharpening a rock,” Arquette said. “It’s so crazy how the world’s set up. You teach little children, here’s this tool, here’s what it does. It sharpens something. And then, they’re kind of brilliant, and they think, I want to sharpen this thing—I’m gonna use a sharpening instrument. And then they get in trouble.”

The beauty of this collaborative blend is that every moment is based on something true. That explains why the characters feel so real: there’s not a contrived moment in the film. You see all sides of this family, even the ugly ones, and that becomes the message of the film.

“Families bug each other, and they get on each other’s nerves, and they push against each other… but what love feels like is… imperfect, but it’s there,” said Arquette. “It’s your base, but it’s not always flowery and perfect. You go through things in life, everyone goes through things in life. You show me the perfect parent, I’m gonna show you a lunatic.”

And that on-screen family became a kind of second family.

“I never got the full script, so Rick would tell me, ‘Oh, this year their dad’s gonna take them camping…’ But I didn’t know exactly what they talked about. So when I saw it, my character was also watching. And my character immediately had a lot of thoughts, like when they went on that little hang out with their friends, and he lied to his mom, I was just thinking, ‘What are you doing, I don’t like that guy, you’re never hanging out with him again, I’m coming to get you right now…’ My character just started thinking, while I was watching the movie.”

Of course, the actors were very different from their characters. “[Ellar Coltrane and Lorelei Linklater] were both only children, they didn’t really know what that sibling dynamic was like, so they were playing it very early on.”

She spoke of the haircut scene: “Rick called [Ellar] and said, ‘Don’t cut your hair this year, we’re gonna do a haircutting scene.’ Ellar was dying to get a haircut. He looks really bummed in the scene, but he was really happy… And it was one take, just that. So we were like, can he pull it off, or will he just start laughing?”

I asked her about people’s reactions to the film.

“For seven years I was doing a TV show, and people would say to me, ‘You used to make these art movies, and you’d work with these really interesting directors,’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, I still am.’ And they would look at me like, yeah, right. I was like, ‘I’m making a movie right now; I’m making a really important art movie right now!’ I told so many people, and so did Ethan, and we both had this experience that nobody cared. It wasn’t interesting and their eyes would glaze over and they’d get really bored…” She laughed. “And I didn’t understand it because the second I heard about it, I thought it was incredible. But they didn’t.”

But, once the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, people came around.

“You know, it’s such a personal, beautiful project, and we cared so much about these characters and story and experience, and each other, and I was worried about giving it to the world… but people really come up to you and tell you personal things, and are moved, and introspective, and they want to call their mom, and have a different perspective on their life…and so the love we made has been returned, and it’s been incredible.”

And the film truly is incredible. “Boyhood” will be playing at the Midtown Cinema, and I recommend that you don’t miss it.

The full interview with Patricia Arquette is available on the Midtown Cinema website, www.midtowncinema.com.

Sammi Leigh Melville is a staff member and film reviewer at Midtown Cinema.

August Events at Midtown Cinema
Brunch & a Movie
8/3 10:30 am brunch; 11 am movie
“Mean Girls”: Celebrate the 10th anniversary of this cult classic with a great brunch sourced from the Broad Street Market & Yellow Bird Cafe. BYOB.

2^nd Sunday Foreign Series
8/10 6pm
Fritz Lang’s “M,” a 1931 German drama/thriller starring Peter Lorre.

3^rd in The Burg $3 Movie
8/15 about 9:30 pm
“Aliens”: Ripley & crew return to the planet to kill the remaining aliens that have slaughtered the colonists.

3^rd Sunday Down in Front!
8/17 7pm
Help us make fun of the horrifically bad 1960 horror/accidentally hilarious ghost story, “Tormented.” BYOB

National Theatre Live
8/17 4pm & 8/19 7pm
A recording of the play, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” based on the best-selling novel by Mark Haddon.

Moviate Night
8/24 7pm
Moviate night at the MC. Film TBA.

======

BBC Worldwide WWI Series
Three highly acclaimed productions focus on events leading up to the First World War.

8/3 4pm
“37 Days,” a drama about the machinations that took place between the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and the declaration of war.

8/10 4pm
“Royal Cousins at War”
A riveting account of three first cousins: the tsar, the kaiser and the king of England, whose relationship helped fuel the war.

8/24 4pm
“Churchill’s First World War”
A fascinating documentary on the lesser-known period in Churchill’s life when he was disgraced politically and militarily.

Central PA as Classroom: International students & their hosts find that learning goes both ways.

July 31, 2014 | by Deanne Shirey

Many international students visit central Pennsylvania to learn about America, whether they are a high school exchange student, a college student taking classes, or a college student working an internship with a local business. And we learn from them, too.

One of the most valuable experiences I have had was serving as housing host to Polish graduate students. Over the past 10 years, I have opened my home to five young ladies who were between the ages of 21 and 23. These particular students have traveled extensively throughout Europe and could speak three different languages. It was my duty to make sure they had a ride to and from their jobs and to provide them with a nice home environment during their stay in central Pennsylvania. As the students practiced their English language skills, I shared my way of life with them while being exposed to their traditions.

Although the students have been screened to participate in such international programs, you never know what an individual will be like until they are actually living in your home. But that’s life…meeting new people and learning to appreciate different lifestyles. People often get stuck in their own circles of family and friends. In Europe, it’s very common to let a stranger stay in one’s home. This was a wonderful opportunity for me to expand my horizons, and I am glad that I embraced it.

The young women I hosted valued faith and family. They attended church every Sunday. The students were kind and especially well-mannered. I was amused that, after I asked my first student to take off her shoes when coming into my home, she and her friends would leave all of their shoes at the bottom of the stairs every time they entered the home—I never had to ask again. And every new student who stayed with me followed suit. They were happy to do so without any rumblings. I do not have any children of my own, but these students were a real treat to be a part of our temporary family.

Foreign students are fascinated by American history. Since my boyfriend is a history buff, we always had fun taking the students exploring noteworthy sights in Harrisburg and the surrounding areas. Places like the National Civil War Museum and Gettysburg broadened the students’ knowledge of the area. The students also went on weekend trips to Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh, Baltimore, New York, and they often made the excursions on their own.

On the flip side, they shared stories of their lives and travels. My most recent student and her family vacationed in Trou-aux-Biches, Mauritius, an island located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa. It was exciting to hear about a beach—a place on the other side of the world, that I never imagined visiting myself.

Christmas is a major holiday in Poland. While in Harrisburg, the students contributed their culinary talents to celebrate the holiday by making pierogies from scratch, and bigos (hunters stew), made of sauerkraut and meat, that is a Polish national dish. The meal was a delicious variation from American traditions. In addition, we exchanged gifts and attended Mass on Christmas Eve.

Although they were thin, the students were concerned about gaining weight while living in the United States. They were not accustomed to eating processed foods. Even the local bread was too sweet for their taste buds. Other observations from the kitchen: The students preferred to drink water without ice, they liked dark beer, and frowned upon using plastic sandwich bags when packing their lunches, which were considered to be harmful to the environment.

Ten years ago, a European student could only make an occasional phone call to hear the voices of family abroad. Now, Skype allows face-time with loved ones. It’s instant communication from anywhere. And, thanks to Skype, the Polish students would talk for hours, especially with their boyfriends.

With every new student I hosted, I learned something new. I take pride knowing that I enhanced the lives of these young ladies. I consider myself to be very fortunate to have made these friendships. When you open your heart and your home to someone different, you will be surprised by the rewards.

Become a Host

If you have an interest in sharing your life with an international exchange student, here are several organizations to check out.

Nacel Open Door, Inc.
www.nacelopendoor.org

Pennsylvania Partnerships Abroad, Ltd.
www.ppa-ltd.org

AFS-USA
www.afsusa.org

Making “The Ask:” A new column seeks to add diverse voices to TheBurg.

July 31, 2014 | by Wendy Jackson-Dowe

Wendy Jackson-Dowe

In November 2013, I was having coffee in the downtown location of Little Amps when I was introduced to Lawrance Binda. Well, my mind immediately starting racing and I thought, “Yep, I’m going to ask him!”… so I did.

I knew Lawrance was editor-in-chief of TheBurg, a magazine I really enjoyed reading and looked forward to each month. However, each issue seemed absent of a perspective that, in my opinion, was and is quite necessary to share, particularly in central Pennsylvania. The perspective I’m referring to is that of the progressive and professional black population in our region.

As I have shared with some who cared to know (and perhaps some who didn’t), most of my adult life has been lived outside of Harrisburg in places like Nashville, Chicago and Maryland. You may wonder, “What does this have to do with anything relative to TheBurg?” It is, in fact, the impetus of the “ask” I made of Lawrance—or LB as some call him.

Although Harrisburg is my hometown and my family has deep roots here, I sometimes struggle with the realization that I now live here and am raising my impressionable children in this region. When I left Harrisburg in 1980 to go to Fisk University as an impressionable, eager college freshman, I soon was exposed to—and interacted with—black folk who owned banks, motels and insurance companies; who published national magazines and were transplant surgeons; who owned multiple luxury car dealerships and investment banking firms; who leased their sprawling acreage to railroad companies. This exposure left quite an impression on me, as it would anyone.

So my “ask” of LB was to add a perspective to the magazine that highlights success stories from the greater Harrisburg black community, past and present, as they relate to intellectualism, economic empowerment, fiscal leadership, the sciences, banking, etc. We embody incredible intellectual capital, and, too often, it is omitted, overlooked, slanted or simply spoken about within an insular setting.

As stated in my first article published in the magazine, too often black folk are lauded for our superior athleticism or our exceptional ability to entertain. We are barraged with the negative images of black boys and men in the news. Now, people certainly should be held accountable for their actions. However, I feel these images cannot be the only prominent images of black men, young and old, that my children and members of the greater population believe to be true.

This dynamic also added to my eagerness to make “the ask.”

There is no stopping the “browning of America,” and, if we are to live together, we must have constructive dialogues that work toward the greater good, work in teams that are efficient and productive, hire one another, take direction from each other, provide constructive criticism, successfully apply for business loans, and rely on one another to protect our communities. We must teach our young, award contracts to each other, and promote those who may look a little different to positions of power. We must make a greater effort to get to know each other outside of often-superficial workplace relationships.

You won’t read about a victim mentality in my articles. You will read stories of hard work, stories of a tenacious desire to reach a goal, stories of pride, stories of economic empowerment, stories of a dignified people. My hope is to inspire, to move people to engage one another, to open minds to make considerations where one may not have before. Some may call it bold; I call it common sense.

So, again, I say, thank you to Lawrance Binda who saw value in my “ask” and who provides me a platform to do my part to make a positive difference in my space of the world in central Pennsylvania and beyond.

You can reach Wendy Jackson-Dowe at [email protected].

A Legacy of Learning: Artist Oliver LaGrone devoted his life to teaching others. A scholarship in his name ensures that his work continues.

July 31, 2014 | by Ann Myers

Screenshot 2014-07-30 21.24.35 Oliver LaGrone, noted poet, sculptor, educator and humanitarian, believed in educating through generosity. He wanted to make education possible and dreams come true.

In 1974, LaGrone inspired members of the Unitarian Church of Harrisburg (UCH) to establish a scholarship in his name. He wanted to help graduates of the Harrisburg School District attend college so they could lead more productive, successful lives.

This past June, that dream came true for one Harrisburg grad, Merced Ramirez, now a sophomore at Messiah College. He was awarded $5,500 as the 2014 recipient of the Oliver LaGrone Scholarship.

“The LaGrone Scholarship helped me stay at Messiah,” he said. “I thought of transferring to another college that offered a full scholarship. But my professors at Messiah helped me work through my financial challenges, and, with the LaGrone Scholarship, I found a way to continue at Messiah.”

LaGrone, a committed Unitarian Universalist, was not a Pennsylvania native. He found his way here in 1970 after accepting a position teaching art education and African-American history at Penn State. He also was artist-in-residence at Penn State Harrisburg and held a similar position with the Hershey Foundation and Boas Center of Learning for the Harrisburg School District.

Several of his sculptures are prominently displayed in the UCH. In fact, proceeds from the sale of his sculpture, “The Dancer,” helped provide initial funding for the scholarship. His sculptures also can be seen in the LaGrone Cultural Arts Center at Penn State Harrisburg.

Dedicated, Driven

Meeting Ramirez at Cornerstone Coffeehouse in Camp Hill, I was introduced to a bright, articulate and witty young man. Graduating in the top 5 percent of his class from Harrisburg SciTech High, mathematics and languages were his favorite subjects.

While in high school, he was a member of the National Honor Society, Youth and Government Club, varsity soccer team and track and field team. He also participated with the Joshua Group, an at-risk youth mentoring organization in Harrisburg. That experience inspired his strong commitment to helping others and serving his community. Dedicated and driven, Ramirez now is majoring in international business with a minor in Chinese.

He does his best to make ends meet. He has a job at UPS this summer and hopes to be a residential advisor during his junior year. After graduation, he plans to work abroad collaborating with professionals from many backgrounds and careers.

When asked how he will give back to his alma mater, Ramirez said he wants to help students who struggle financially, providing secure pathways, allowing them to stay at Messiah and finish their education.

“My message is don’t let hard times destroy the possibility of a great future,” he said. “Don’t let disadvantages set you back. Make the hardest times the best times. Use them to grow and overcome adversity.”

Strong Foundation

In May of 1992, at the age of 84, LaGrone journeyed back to Harrisburg to celebrate the revitalized scholarship. Redefined to suit more diverse needs, the scholarship now may be used for any legitimate cost connected with schooling, such as tuition, books, room and board, transportation and childcare.

Margaret Carrow, chairwoman of the selection panel for the Oliver LaGrone Scholarship program, believes that a strong educational foundation can help people make a difference in the world.

“I grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., and was fortunate to attend Clark University in Worcester, Mass.,” she said. “By chairing this committee, I am assuring that students have their chance to go to college and make a difference in the communities in which they live.”

The scholarship is given based on motivation to completion of one’s education despite obstacles, as well as financial need and knowledge and skills gained from life.

A unique feature of the scholarship is its mentoring component. A member of the UCH is matched with the scholarship recipient to provide personal support and encouragement throughout his or her education.

“My mentor understands me and the adversity that I have overcome,” said Ramirez, pausing before summarizing what the scholarship is really all about. “This is a great opportunity.”

That’s Amore! It’s the dog days and guess what? A new gelato shop is set to open.

July 31, 2014 | by Emma Barr

Hot, right? Maybe you could use a refreshing treat?

Well, we’ve got some good news for you.

A new take on the original ice cream shop will debut this month in the Point Shopping Center just outside Harrisburg. Amore Artisan Gelato & Yogurt is the perfect remedy for those who want to sit and enjoy a frozen treat in an intimate, European-inspired café.

Amore is born from owner Robin Dobson’s early passion for frozen treats. As a girl, she watched her grandmother hand-make ice cream, using ice from a nearby creek.

“My husband and I have this business together, and we are both retired,” she said. “I took this opportunity to pursue my lifelong passion, which is ice cream.”

Amore’s patrons will find that they are in for more than just basic ice cream. Certainly, gelato is delicious, but it’s healthier, too. It clocks in at 8 to 12 percent fat as opposed to 35 for ice cream. It’s “low in air, but high in flavor,” says Robin.

This is because gelato is aged for 24 hours and then brought up to temperature, decreasing the amount of air to 15 to 20 percent. It’s also served at a slightly warmer temperature, and “that means less brain freeze!” she says.

The process of making gelato is more intense than one might think. Robin received her education in gelato making at PreGel, a leading Italian maker of gelato products, where she was able to test several different machines.

In the end, she found what she calls the “Lamborghini of gelato makers,” an import straight from Italy and the ideal machine for crafting perfect gelato. She also made sure to have the proper case for storing it, allowing her to bring the exact type of frozen confection enjoyed in Italy to central Pennsylvania.

In keeping with the Eurocentric theme, the Dobsons worked with local interior designer Carol Gmuender of Gmuender Designs to create the café, which includes blond wood, an intimate “niche” layout, a cozy fireplace and soft, comfortable seats.

“I wanted to break down the loud, bright ice cream shop and make it the perfect place for couples to come after the movies or a nice dinner,” says Robin. “That’s really the crowd we hope to attract.”

The inclusion of free wifi and artistic decor also will appeal to those wanting to work peacefully on their laptops while enjoying a cup of coffee.

In all, the Dobsons will manufacture 100 rotating flavors, with 12 available on any given day. Options will include traditional gelato flavors, as well as such inventions as apple pie biscotti, peanut butter and jelly, lemon basil, Shirley Temple and caramel bacon.

But Amore will serve more than just gelato. The menu also will include frozen yogurt, gelato tacos, cannoli, donato and an assortment of beverages. There also will be specialty options such as gelato cakes and pies, all of which can be requested for takeout and catering services.

After a lifetime of travel, the Dobsons can’t wait to bring the rich and creamy desserts that they’ve enjoyed in Italy to the Harrisburg area. In fact, for their café, they purposely chose a location convenient to both the east and west shores.

“Everywhere I’ve traveled across the country and the world, I’ve sought out gelato,” said Robin. “This is our dream come true.”

Amore Artisan Gelato & Yogurt will open Aug. 20 at 4235 Union Deposit Rd., Harrisburg, in the Point Shopping Center. Hours are daily, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. More information is at 717-919-0738 or at www.loveamoregelato.com. Amore also can be reached through Twitter, Facebook and Google+.

Yes, And: Life unfolds at a silly pace at the Harrisburg Improv Theatre.

July 31, 2014 | by Lori M. Myers

HACC student Haad Naqvi of Hummelstown remembers being on his way to visit a professor on campus when a flyer caught his eye.

It was for a class—sans grades and credit points—to learn a comedy form known as improvisation. The place? The new Harrisburg Improv Theatre in Midtown Harrisburg. The instructors? Its resident troupe known as The HIT Squad.

“I was hesitant to participate,” Naqvi recalls. “I actually didn’t have any acting, singing, comedy, performing skills. At the same time, I know these things work better with everyone participating, so I decided that my hesitance should die right away.”

But that “hesitance” took a little while to make its exit. Naqvi had told The HIT Squad members that he would perform only if it were a requirement to take the class. After all, his initial intention was simply to think quicker on his feet, but Naqvi ended up performing, found it valuable and was hooked.

“The experience was fantastic,” he says. “I felt performing completed the experience.”

Intimate, Artsy

Harrisburg already lays claim to several improv groups that perform around the region, but now the comedy form has a home of its own. Go on over to the Midtown space—a former shoe repair and tailor shop and then an art gallery—now repurposed as a theater by Perry County native Jake Compton and his wife, Somers, a native of Etters. The Harrisburg couple are amazed that their dream of offering a place for improv and other creative endeavors has come true.

About 10 years ago, Jake got hooked on improv and took some classes in New York after inviting himself along when friends wanted to give it a try. He discovered that he loved it, but got busy with other things and put it on the back burner.

“I knew it would cycle back in my life,” Jake says, as he relaxes on one of the cushioned pews in this cozy theater. “We launched classes at MakeSpace and got a full house.”

That evidence of interest was all Jake needed. It fueled his need for a space where creativity and the improv mantra of “yes…and…” (meaning that performers always affirm each other’s contributions) could flourish. At the end of last year, Jake was online and noticed that a building on 3rd Street was available, and, when the price dropped, he and Somers were able to make that dream a reality.

It was perfect—intimate, artsy, filled with potential. Jake wanted a niche space for improv; Somers sought a place where people could rent the storefront building for events like birthday parties and bridal showers, as well as poetry slams. They compromised. It was going to be all of those things.

“We look at this and laugh,” Jake says. “How legitimate we must look to other people.”

Open, Welcoming

The theater officially opened in June, but not before hitting an unexpected snag. After taking ownership of the building, the Comptons decided to paint over a mural on an outside wall facing a community garden. At the time, they didn’t know that the mural was a commissioned work that had become a cherished part of the neighborhood.

A brief media kerfuffle ensued, and the Comptons suddenly found themselves facing TV news cameras, explaining and apologizing for their oversight. The controversy now seems to have receded, allowing them again to focus on the potential of the theater.

“We’re very excited about what the future holds,” Jake said.

So is Jennie Adams of Hummelstown, a seven-year improv performer/teacher, member of Gamut Theatre’s TMI Improv Troupe and a performer with and co-owner of the all-female No Artificial Sweeteners. She took a class at MakeSpace with Jake last spring and enjoyed it so much that she signed up for Level 2.

“Jake and Somers Compton have been very open and welcoming to the already strong Harrisburg improv community and are open to collaborating with all the existing troupes here,” Adams says. “In fact, No Artificial Sweeteners and The HIT Squad did a joint show that benefited their improv class scholarship program.”

The young improvisers scholarship is for young people ages 17 to 19 who are interested in taking a class but for whom price might be an issue.

“We are hoping it helps to draw in young people who otherwise would not become involved,” Jake says. “I lucked into getting involved with improv when I was 19. I’m excited at the chance to give young people the same opportunity I had.”

On Aug. 15, the Harrisburg Improv Theatre will present a Level 1 class show at 6 p.m. and a Level 2 class show at 7 p.m. Then The HIT Squad will take to the stage at 8 p.m. At 9 p.m., there will be a free mini class and mixer for those who want to try improv.

“If it terrifies you, you should take a class,” Jake says. “It will help you with life.”

The Harrisburg Improv Theater is at 1633 N. 3^rd St., Harrisburg. See www.hbgimprov.com for more information on classes and shows.

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like