Savor the Season: As the weather chills, stir the flavors of fall into your cooking.

October 29, 2013 | by Missy Smith

Every year, I look forward to autumn. The crisp air, the changing leaves and, most importantly, the food, are what made me fall in love with this time of year at a young age. Autumn and the upcoming winter holidays are perfect times to flex your cooking and baking muscles. I personally seem to ramp up my time in the kitchen this time every year.

Here are some seasonally inspired recipes that are simple for both your own weekly meal planning and for holiday parties. Taking inspiration from well-loved recipes and family traditions, these dishes bring a fresh twist to the season’s enchanted flavors.

Autumn Morning Parfait

2 cups plain yogurt
1 apple
1 cup raisins
2 cups granola
2 tablespoons sugar or honey
2 tablespoons cinnamon
Makes 2 parfaits

Our family recently played around with this fall-inspired fruit and yogurt parfait. One of my favorite breakfast items, the parfait is a healthy start to the day and can be reworked with many different fruits and flavors. The combination of crisp apples, raisins and cinnamon adds a special seasonal flair. The great thing about parfaits is there is really no wrong way to make them. If you prefer more of any ingredient, feel free to adjust the recipe to your taste.

Pick out 2 mason jars or decorative glasses for your parfaits. Chop 1 large apple into small chunks, leaving 2 slices for garnish if you would like. Using half of your chopped apples, place an equal amount at the bottom of each glass. Top each set of apples with ½-cup of yogurt. Next, add ½-cup of granola to the top of each yogurt layer. Top your first complete parfait layers with ¼-cup raisins, 1 teaspoon of sugar or honey and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Complete a second tier: apples chunks, then yogurt, granola, raisins, cinnamon and sugar. Dress up your parfait with a dollop of yogurt and sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon over top. Serve with a sliced apple to garnish.

Roasted Roots

2 potatoes
1 sweet potato
2 carrots
1 beet
1 onion
4 garlic cloves
olive oil
1 tablespoon rosemary leaves
salt and pepper to taste
Makes about 4 side servings

A simple, yet delicious recipe, this version of roasted root vegetables is perfect to make for weeknight dinners and large get-togethers. I love the sweetness and color that this combination of vegetables brings to the dish. Chop some veggies, stick them in the oven and enjoy a hearty, satisfying fall side dish.

Start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees. Cut all of the vegetables into roughly 1-inch chunks and place into a large bowl. Top with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and the rosemary leaves. Toss the mixture to coat the veggies. Arrange the cut veggies around a greased baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast your root veggies in the oven for about 45 minutes or until they achieve a golden color. Serve right away.

Fall Sausage Bake

1 pound sausages, cut into 2- or 3-inch pieces
2 or 3 apples, cored and sliced into wedges
2 onions
Olive oil
Cinnamon
Sugar
Makes 4-6 servings

This is a fall childhood favorite that my mom discovered in a church cookbook years ago and made quite often for our family. It’s easy to make, it’s savory and sweet, and it’s usually a hit with both adults and kids. I added caramelized onions to this version for an extra treat.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Chop the onions into circular rings, and spread them around a large baking dish, greased with olive oil. Drizzle a small amount of oil over the onions and top with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Place in the oven for 10 minutes to start caramelizing the onions, while you cut the sausages and apples. After 10 minutes, remove the onions from the oven. Scatter the sausage pieces around the baking dish and arrange the apple slices between the sausages. Sprinkle the apples with a modest amount of sugar and cinnamon. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the sausages brown and the apples become tender. Serve warm.

Butternut Squash Chowder

3 butternut squash, halved
olive oil
1 pound of chicken thighs
½ bag frozen corn
1 pear
2 garlic cloves
½ cup of cheddar cheese
½ cup cream
1 tablespoon paprika, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste
hot sauce (optional)
Makes about 6 cup-size servings

A bit of a twist on the traditional butternut squash soup, this chowder adds a delightful sweetness from the corn and pear. The chicken gives it a hearty chowder feel, and the cheese brings out the richness of the butternut squash. When we recently made this chowder at home for dinner, it disappeared in no time.

Place the chicken, corn and garlic in a crockpot on high and cook for 6-8 hours. When the chicken and corn are fully cooked, turn your crock pot to a low setting.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Slice the pear in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and remove the stem. Grease a small baking dish with olive oil and place the pear facing down. Bake for 35 minutes, then let cool for about 10 minutes. Place the pear in a blender or food processor, and blend until you have a puree.

Grease a large baking dish with olive oil. Halve the butternut squash and place the pieces face down in the baking dish. I prefer to remove the seeds after the squash has finished cooking, but you may remove them before you pop the squash in the oven. Bake for about 1½ hours or until the flesh becomes very tender. Set aside for about 10-15 minutes.

Once the squash has cooled, remove the seeds, scoop out the flesh and place the cooked squash and cream in the blender or food processor, in which you pureed the pear. Blend until smooth. Pour the squash mixture into the crockpot and stir in the cheese. Season with paprika, salt and pepper. Let the soup reheat. Once ready, top each serving with shredded cheese and a splash of hot sauce if you’d like.

Whoopie Pies

Practically famous throughout Pennsylvania, the whoopie pie can be found in local bakeshops, restaurants and tourist attractions around our region and beyond. As a kid growing up, the whoopie pie was a must-buy when I toured Lancaster County with my family. So impressed by these adorable treats, I didn’t realize just how easy they are to make until a few years ago. Most recently, I got to know the book “Whoopie Pies,” in which authors Sarah Billingsley and Amy Treadwell give baking enthusiasts the liberty to play around with funky flavor combinations. Inspired to create my own interesting versions, I came up with these artisan renditions, which are perfect for autumn and the winter holidays.

Pumpkin Chai Whoopies

2¼ cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon ginger
½ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup butter (room temperature)
1½ cup pumpkin
1 egg (room temperature)
1 tablespoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, making sure that the rack is in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In one large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and salt. In a second large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat together the brown sugar and butter on low speed. Add the pumpkin, egg and vanilla, blending well. Slowly add the dry ingredients on a low speed.

Scoop out heaping tablespoons of batter onto the baking sheet, spacing them at least 2 inches apart; this amount makes small-sized whoopie pies. If you’d like larger whoopies, spoon out about 2 tablespoons for each little cake. Smooth out the appearance of your whoopie pies by molding its shape with moistened fingers. If you’re a lazy baker like me, you don’t have to fuss with a whole lot of shaping. Hey, it adds character right?

Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cakes spring back with a gentle touch. Let the cakes cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes and move them to a cooling rack. While they are cooling, you can get started on the filling.

Chai Cream filling

black tea bag, or a chai tea bag for an extra spice kick
8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
3½ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon clove
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Steep the tea bag in 2 tablespoons boiling water and set aside until cool. Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the tea, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, clove and nutmeg. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar until well blended. Scoop about a tablespoon of the filling onto the flat part of one whoopie cake/cookie and sandwich another whoopie on top. Make sure your whoopie cakes have cooled completely so your filling doesn’t melt.

Dark Chocolate Ginger Whoopies

1¾ cups all purpose flour
¾ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ginger
¾ cup butter (room temperature)
¾ cup brown sugar
1 large egg (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup buttermilk
½ cup warm strong coffee

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, placing the rack in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ginger together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar with a mixer. Add the egg and vanilla extract and blend well. Combine the buttermilk and coffee in a glass.

Alternately blend the dry ingredients and coffee mixture into the butter/sugar mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Follow the steps in the pumpkin chai whoopie recipe to arrange your batter on the sheet.

Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the tops spring back. Let the cakes cool while you mix the filling.

Ginger Cream filling

8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
3½ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ginger

Combine all ingredients on a low mixing setting, starting by blending the cream cheese first. Gradually mix in the confectioners’ sugar, and add the vanilla and ginger. Your end result should be a creamy, yet slightly fluffy, filling. Piece together your whoopie pie as explained above.

Thank you to Spiral Path Farm for donating produce for these recipes.

Next Stop–Harrisburg: Hot indie names attracted to little city’s perfect location, growing arts scene.

October 29, 2013 | by Andrew Dyrli Hermeling

The Beach Arabs. Photo credit: Carly Sioux

On various evenings across Harrisburg, crowds gather outside coffee shops, bars and art galleries. The crowds are small—just like the venues—but eager.

Inside, as microphones are tested and levels adjusted, road weary bands chat casually. But who are these out-of-town musicians stopping for an evening at The MakeSpace or Little Amps as they travel the country? With tour dates in far larger locales like Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore or New York, why even bother stopping in Pennsylvania’s modest capital?

I reached out to two bands that recently stopped in Harrisburg while on tour to get a better sense of our city’s appeal.

Good Graeff, a pop-folk band hailing from Sarasota, Fla., is the perfect expression of twin sisters Brooke and Brittany’s incurable wanderlust. They decided to make the transition to full-time music-making after crossing paths in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2012. Since then, they have cut an EP, “Better Half,” purchased a converted sleeper van that they have lovingly christened “Roosevelt” and taken to the road full-time. They made their latest stop in Harrisburg last month at The MakeSpace.

Liz Hogg formed Beach Arabs, a surf-rock band from Brooklyn, N.Y., in 2010 with fellow students from LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts. The current line-up has solidified around bassist Nathanial Sabat and drummer Andrew Orenstein. They have recorded two LPs, “Under the Whale” and “Wild Movement,” while building a loyal fan base by playing shows within New York’s expansive network of intimate venues. As part of their first tour outside of the New York metro area, they played at the downtown Gingerbread Man in August.

Musical Networks

Harrisburg’s geographic placement midway between other venues makes the city a convenient booking. Do-it-yourself bands are touring without the support of labels and typically do not know exactly how much money they will receive for playing. Thus, the mileage between tour stops becomes a concern.

“We are just hoping to make enough gas money to get to the next place,” says Brittany Graeff.

Beach Arabs’ stop was similarly motivated.

“We already had shows in Philly and Allentown,” says Hogg. “In the process of booking those shows, we were given names of a handful of Harrisburg promoters, one being Peter Allan. I wrote him, and he asked us to play at the Gingerbread Man downtown.”

Hogg’s experience illustrates the interconnectedness of Harrisburg’s small music community. Allan serves as a manager at Little Amps and is often instrumental in bringing bands to the city. His own experience as a wanderer has connected him with musical networks in other cities, links vital for the small, DIY band.

Local musicians are also essential for supporting touring bands. Allan’s band, Baby Brains, opened for Beach Arabs; Catamt/Coyote supported Good Graeff during their August stop.

Local acts help draw crowds. Many of these out-of-town bands lack name recognition. Thus, crowds come to see a Harrisburg band they already enjoy while knowing that they’ll also get an opportunity to discover new music. It is no coincidence that Harrisburg’s newfound status as an excellent tour destination correlates with the emergence of excellent musicians that call the city home.

Up and Coming

For both bands, a stop in Harrisburg came with low expectations. However, “the lower the expectations, the better everything turns out,” says Brooke Graeff, with a laugh.

True, Harrisburg lies on the intersection of Pennsylvania’s main interstates, but, for the bands, Harrisburg proved to be a highlight, not just a pit stop.

“We’ve hit a lot of cities on the tour, and people in every city say that their city is up and coming,” says Graeff. “Harrisburg is the first place that actually felt like one.”

But what makes Harrisburg so inviting to artists? Good Graeff was blown away by the reception that they received.

“People came to the show and they had no idea who we were,” says Brittany Graeff. “There are so many artists here who understand what the artistic life is about, and they support bands who come through.”

Liz Hogg had a similar experience with Beach Arabs.

“Harrisburg has a great sense of community, in which everyone knows each other through real life, face-to-face contact,” she says.

Hogg adds that, the next day, prior to traveling on to the next date, she met plenty of people who had gone to the show.

“Everyone in Harrisburg seemed to love and patronize art of all sorts, from the ground up,” she says.

Coming Back

The more I listened to Liz, Brittany, and Brooke, the more I realized how lucky I am as a music-lover living in a small city. After playing in larger places, Brittany and Brooke noted that many cities take good music for granted.

“People would come just to see one band and leave. Even the bands would play their set and then leave. It was really disheartening to see such indifference,” says Brooke.

And perhaps that is what makes Harrisburg so inviting—we know that bands stopping here isn’t a given.

As Hogg put it, “Harrisburg offers bands a sense of comfort and security, as well as a general sense that they’re being appreciated.”

Brooke Graeff agrees. “We were taken aback by how excited people were to have a band coming through. It was so wonderful, we had to book Harrisburg again.”

Check out Beach Arabs at beacharabs.bandcamp.com and Good Graeff at goodgraeff.com

Heart of a Community: LHACC provides support, celebration for Harrisburg’s growing Latino population.

October 29, 2013 | by Rick Kearns

Gloria Vázquez Merrick

Located in the heart of vibrant South Allison Hill, the Latino Hispanic American Community Center (LHACC) is gearing up for more initiatives on the heels of its successful block party in mid-September.

LHACC, a multi-faceted non-profit agency, provides information and referrals, case management, education outreach and a variety of advocacy services to the entire Latino community, with an eye on developing programs for youth and senior citizens.

Executive Director Gloria Vázquez Merrick explained that this year’s block party drew more than 800 people with stands featuring 40 different organizations, including churches, colleges, private businesses and other non-profit agencies. The party also featured a local salsa band, Los Monstros, a few Puerto Rican youth dance troupes, an awards ceremony for businesses with good diversity hiring records and several Latino food vendors. She pointed out that, in 2010, the gathering drew just 250 people, with 30 organizations sponsoring tables and stands.

“We were really excited about the turnout,” Vázquez Merrick said, “and the responses to the tables follow what we’ve been seeing.”

She noted that many of their clients—and they average about 600 to 700 service requests per month—are looking for help with food, employment, English as a Second Language classes and immigration problems.

“But a large percentage of folks coming to the center are coming for jobs,” she stated. “Today, we had an employment agency come in, so we connected them to the people on our list. We are also finding that employers are realizing the value of bilingual workers, and we help to fill those needs too.”

Many of these same clients, she added, are looking for English language classes and help with immigration issues such as renewing a green card or working on passports.

She added that, while the Center has a strong human services component with its case management program, the staff also has found that there’s a need for culturally sensitive and bilingual services for seniors and for youth.

“When we were first starting, we heard from many of our seniors that they felt left out and that they were in need of culturally sensitive programming,” she stated.

From there, Vázquez Merrick started a Wednesday night event for Latino seniors called the Sharing Wisdom program. This weekly gathering features visits from speakers presenting information about dealing with diabetes, heart disease, education and recreation. The participating seniors also play dominoes, cards, bingo and just socialize.

“We also found that there was a clear need for Latino youth programming,” Vázquez Merrick said. Based on those conversations, she began to conduct outreach to local universities and schools, eventually joining the Youth Advisory Council run by school board member Ruth Cruz-Roldan.

“We have met with Latino students from all across the area, and I’ve started an initiative that will involve youth leadership training and educational support,” she stated. “We need to invest in our young people.”

The Latino Hispanic American Community Center is located at 1301 Derry St., Harrisburg. More information can be found at www.lhacc.org or by calling 717-232-8302.

Community Corner: Notable events in November.

October 29, 2013 | by Admin

Halloween Ghost Tour

Nov. 1: Enjoy a candlelight ghost tour through a centuries-old mansion. The spooky tour of Harris-Cameron Mansion will include stories of old Harrisburg, giving a rare peak into the creaks and glimmers of a building’s past. The tour begins at 7 p.m. and admission is $15, $5 for children under 12. Call 717-233-3462 for reservations.

Fixing the Immigration System

Nov. 2: Be a part of the immigration dialogue as the Harrisburg Friends Meeting (Quakers) and the Harrisburg Center for Peace and Justice hold a free public program at the Quaker Meetinghouse, 1100 N. 6^th St., Harrisburg. The meeting will also include a documentary screening and presentations from scholars in the field. There will be a potluck dinner provided at 6 p.m. followed by the program at 7:15 p.m. For more information, call Kay Pickering at 717-233-3072.

Halloween Dance Party

Nov. 2: Dress up and join the LGBT Center and Harrisburg Gay Men’s Chorus for a spooktacular ghoulish dance party to benefit the Harrisburg Gay Men’s Chorus at the Harrisburg Maennerchor on North Street. Prizes for the best costume will be awarded along with a raffle and 50/50 drawings throughout the night. Doors open at 9 p.m. and tickets are $10 a person. For more information, visit centralpalgbtcenter.org.

Meet Mr. Lincoln

Nov. 2: Stop by the National Civil War Museum as President Abraham Lincoln (really James Hayney) speaks and leads a discussion regarding the Gettysburg Address. Hayney’s discussion will begin at 1 p.m. and conclude at 2 p.m. Tickets to the discussion are included with general admission to the museum. For more information, visit nationalcivilwarmuseum.org.

“Out of Festival” Night of Comedy

Nov. 2: The Harrisburg Jewish Film Festival presents “When Comedy Went to School,” a documentary exploring the birth of modern stand-up comedy in the “borscht belt” of the Catskill Mountains. Stop by the Jewish Community Center in Harrisburg at 6:30 p.m. to enjoy the film, as well as a live stand-up performance by comedian Nancy Redman. Tickets are $10 at the door. For more information, visit hbgjff.com.

Cornucopia Wine Quest

Nov. 3: Travel to more than 12 participating wineries and taste the fruits of the season. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., participating wineries will host local street vendors, alongside tastings, as guests enjoy their own wine quest. For more information, tickets and participating wineries, visit hersheyharrisburgwinecountry.com.

The Middle East Riddle

Nov. 6: Join the Culture Club of Central PA with a presentation led by Medhi Noorbaksh discussing the Middle East’s effect on international relations. Noorbaksh is an associate professor at Harrisburg University with multiple articles published on the subject of the Middle East and Iran. The presentation will be held at the Hershey Medical Center at 7 p.m. For more information and details, visit worldcultureclubpa.org.

Vision Resources Dinner

Nov. 7: Vision Resources of Central Pennsylvania will hold its signature dinner event, “An Evening in the Shadows,” from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Civic Club of Harrisburg. The five-course meal will be specially prepared for the evening by Karen’s Catering, and each course will be paired with a different wine from Waltz Vineyards. Tickets are $75 per person. To learn about Vision Resources or to purchase tickets, visit www.vrocp.org or call 717-238-2531.

Autos & Ales

Nov. 8: Be a part of the AACA Museum’s unique annual Beer Fest. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and close at 10 p.m. The fun-filled evening will include beer tastings, a free wing contest, live music, brewing demonstrations and antique car, truck and motorcycle memorabilia. Admission is $40 in advance and $45 on the night. For more information, visit autosandales.com.

Presidents Circle Gala

Nov. 8: Show your support for the Ned Smith Center at this premiere fundraising event at the Country Club of Harrisburg. The night will feature a cocktail buffet, live and silent auctions, musical entertainment and more. Tickets are $175 per person, $300 per couple and $1,000 per group of eight. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.nedsmithcenter.org.

FAB 2013

Nov. 9: Join the LGBT Center for a fabulous night of fundraising and support at the Hilton Harrisburg from 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. The evening will include live music by the Harrisburg Gay Men’s Chorus and Central PA Womyn’s Chorus, as well as live painting by street artist Tyler Wallach. Tickets are $125 or $100 before Oct. 1. For more information, visit centralpalgbtcenter.org.

Wreaths for a Reason

Nov. 12-14: A silent auction and sale of homemade holiday wreaths takes place at Strawberry Square, Harrisburg, starting each day at 7 a.m. and closing at 6 p.m. Proceeds benefit Shalom House, a homeless shelter for women and their children on Allison Hill. More information at www.shalomhouse.net.

CPGLCC Networking Mixer

Nov. 14: Bring your business cards and professional attire to the Central Pennsylvania Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Business Mixer at Goldcrafters Corner, 5301 Jonestown Rd., Harrisburg. The mixer will begin at 6 p.m. and conclude at 8 p.m. Registration is $10. For more information and registration, visit www.cpglcc.org.

Chamber & CREDC Business Expo

Nov. 14: Grow your business and brand while supporting the local business community at the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC Business Expo in the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. Attendees will be given the opportunity to make contacts with more than 1,500 regional businesses during the day. For more information and registration, visit harrisburgregionalchamber.org.

Hershey Sweet Lights

Nov. 15: Get ready for the holiday as Hershey begins its annual Sweet Lights experience, which consists of more than 600 animated light displays for onlookers as they drive by. The displays, covering more than two miles of wooded trails, are located between Route 39 and Sand Beach Road in Hershey. For more information and admission prices, visit Hersheypark.com.

Screening of “The Yellow Ticket”

Nov. 17: Chisuk Emuna Congregation in Harrisburg presents “The Yellow Ticket,” a classic silent film about discrimination in tsarist Russia. World-renowned klezmer violinist Alicia Svigals and pianist Marilyn Lerner will accompany the showing. General admission is $22, $24 at the door. Student price is $15. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. For more information and tickets, visit chisukemuna.org.

Central PA Oratorio Singers Concert

Nov. 17: Franz Joseph Haydn’s oratorio, “The Seven Last Words of Christ,” is performed at 3 p.m. at Market Square Presbyterian Church, 20 S. 2nd St., Harrisburg. The concert includes a 50-voice chorus, a 23-piece orchestra and soloists.Parking is free at the adjacent Market Square Parking Garage. More information at www.cposingers.com.

Superman Book Talk, Signing

Nov. 19: Learn about the origins of America’s most beloved superhero as author Larry Tye discusses his book “Superman: The High-Flying History of America’s Most Enduring Hero” at Beth El Temple in Harrisburg, 7:30 p.m. A question-and-answer session, book signing and dessert reception follow the presentation. Admission is $18 for adults, $10 for students and a $5 discount if in costume. For more information, call 717-232-0056 or visit betheltemplehbg.org.

“The Last White Knight” Screening

Nov. 21: Join the conversation as the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg Cardozo Society screens this Civil Rights-themed film followed by a related legal discussion. The screening will be held at the Jewish Community Center in Harrisburg and will begin at 7 p.m. For more information and registration, visit jewishharrisburg.org.

Winter Raptor Surveys in PA

Nov. 21: Join Greg Grove, founder of the Pennsylvania Winter Raptor Survey program, at Christ Presbyterian Church in Camp Hill as he describes the organization and the surveys. Refreshments and social time will begin at 7 p.m. followed by the program at 7:30 p.m. For more information, visit appalachianaudubon.org.

Paxtang Art Association Show

Nov. 22-24: The Paxtang Art Association will hold this annual exhibition at the Paxtang Municipal Building. The event will showcase the eclectic work of more than 100 artists. Highlights will be landscapes in the Hudson River School tradition, Venetian waterscapes of the Grand Canal, Tuscan landscapes, still lifes and portraits, as well as an artists’ reception. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.paxtangart.com.

Odd Ones Holiday Bizarre

Nov. 23: The funky and spunky collide with this alternative arts and crafts fair at the Orange Room in The Second City Church, Harrisburg. The event features music by Moviate Sound and runs run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free and creativity is welcome.

Grant Durrell Music Festival

Nov. 24: The Appalachian Brewing Co. presents a music festival benefiting the Grant Durrell Memorial Fund and Aevidum, a central Pennsylvania organization serving to inspire teens and teachers to action in recognizing depression. The festival will begin at 2 p.m. and conclude at 7 p.m. $30 for general admission. For more information, visit abcbrew.com.

May He Be This: Mr. Next Mayor–Here’s what your city needs in a leader.

October 29, 2013 | by Tara Leo Auchey

By the time some of you read this article, the new mayor of the city of Harrisburg will be elected.

Yet, for some of you, this article will be in your hands only a few days before the election.

So, with the Nov. 5 election either merely days away or just passed, this article serves to assist the undecided or rally the winners and losers to demand the same thing no matter who has won: good leadership for Harrisburg.

The next mayor, may he be this—cosmopolitan.

This is important for Harrisburg because, after all, Harrisburg is a city.

Not only is it a city, it’s a capital city. As the chief city of Pennsylvania, it should be a prototype for innovative strategies, social ingenuity and upstanding practices.

A good leader for Harrisburg will be in tune with the rich opportunities that only the pulse and ways of a city can present. A city is a plethora of cultures, languages, faces and random conversations. It’s a place for variety and choice without exclusiveness. It’s a stronghold of perspectives and potential.

In the past, leaders have not realized this.

As a consequence, the city of Harrisburg has acted more like an overgrown town than a small city, which has stifled the dynamic energy of this urban place.

Harrisburg is a city, and I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, “Call it a city, and it’ll act like a city.”

It will be important for our next mayor to embrace and foster the true essence of what a city is, should be, needs to be and can be.

May he not be this—vain.

We’ve had enough vanity in the mayor’s office to last generations.

While anyone who wants to get into elected office has to have a healthy ego (I mean, how could anyone handle the job without it?), Harrisburg can do without the inflated sense of self-importance that has gone hand-in-hand with “The Mayor” for the past two administrations.

No more should ego triumph over common good. No more should personalities take over projects. No more totalitarianism, referring to oneself in the third person or personal taste dominating decisions.

No more.

May he do this—mind the basic services.

It’s no secret over the past decades that the city’s infrastructure has been allowed to dilapidate. Aside from the decrepit and neglected underground network of pipes, there are blighted buildings rotting alongside overgrown and trashed lots posted with “City on the Move” signs, a leftover public relations initiative from Mayor Stephen Reed.

Streetlights are out. Too often, it’s a burnt-out bulb, but, in some places, a jagged metal stump sits where a post should be. Look into one of these orifices, and you’re likely to see garbage and muck. Of the lamps that do work, many of them are covered in dirty clumps of cobwebs and insects.

Roadways are rippled with cracks, indentations and pits growing into massively deep holes where quick fixes have been the norm.

Crosswalks are faded or nonexistent. Litter and leaves clog storm drains. Overgrown trees, bushes and weeds dangerously obstruct walkways and pathetically spread over city parks.

Ordinances are ignored, police are more reactive than proactive, and it’s a challenge for a resident to access clear, consistent information.

These are the daily quality-of-life issues, and, while money is always an issue, efficient management could go a long way as a remedy.

May he do this, too—use the citizens.

City government has been cut to the bare bone. Much institutional knowledge has gone or withered away in the past few years and, overall, morale is low throughout the city’s halls.

Antiquated procedures and strained management have created the appearance of incompetency. Certainly, most of the city’s employees are doing the best with what they have, but it’s been awhile since Harrisburg’s government has run smoothly or efficiently.

However, there is underutilized help out there, on-call and ready to serve.

Enter city residents and stakeholders.

From volunteer cleanup crews to organizations like Lighten Up Harrisburg!, there is a wellspring of sweat equity in this city.

Instead of being regularly encouraged and called to action, though, too often the citizens have been deemed intrusive, stepping on the toes of government instead of being looked at as vital assistance.

Hopefully, this leadership attitude will be gone in the new year.

Oh, and one last thing: may the next mayor of Harrisburg not continually confuse the public.

With Reed, it was a shell game and grandiose promises. With Thompson, it’s been a barrage of announcements and partially executed measures.

Despite a parade of press conferences out of both administrations, citizens are frequently asking, “What’s going on?”

Our former mayors seem either to not know or not want to tell, holding truth too close to the vest or spewing falsity all at once.

This public perplexity leads too easily to apathy, the very thing that will cause the ruin of the city.

To sum up….

This election may not yield an ideal leader or even an excellent one for that matter. Harrisburg might not be quite there yet.

But what we do get is a renewed chance to demand “good” based on the standards above, and that’s good enough. For now.

Tara Leo Auchey is creator and editor of todays the day Harrisburg. todaysthedayhbg.com

Bringing It Back(Stage): Much of the action in theater takes place out of sight.

October 29, 2013 | by Barbara Trainin Blank

Dan Burke relishes a good fight. Onstage.

The actor has played characters tough (Macbeth) and gentle (Friar Lawrence) and has directed. He will stage “The Dresser” at Gamut Theatre Group in 2014 and is a founding member of Stage Door Company, an offshoot of Gamut.

But Burke’s most unique role may be that of fight choreographer. “I like all aspects of theater,” he said. “But I really enjoy a fight.”

Burke took stage violence as an elective in his freshman year of college and liked it so much he continued with the course all four years.

He has choreographed fights for Gamut and other area theaters, including Open Stage of Harrisburg, Hershey Area Playhouse and Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg.

He’s been an instructor at Lebanon Valley College—he calls teaching on the college level “a dream come true”—and recently worked with the Harlem Shakespeare Festival and the Shakespeare’s People Project at Millersville University.

“Safety is first and foremost,” said Burke, who has his own company, Safe Violence. “Our tagline is ‘Keep your actors and audiences safe—and keep the violence real.’”

His interest arose in part from a child’s love of magic tricks. For him, stage violence is, to a large degree, magic. “Done effectively, the audience gets fooled. It intrigues me to fool people,” he laughed.

Jane Hess has loved theater for years. She sang in choruses and choirs and saw lots of shows, mostly at Allenberry Playhouse, from high school on.

But the only time you’ll find Hess on stage is “pushing a piece of the scenery,” if that’s what called for. Hess is a volunteer extraordinaire for Theatre Harrisburg—a Jill of all trades and a master of many.

Since retiring from the Harrisburg School District in 2006, Hess has stepped up her involvement. Since many of her friends perform or participate in Theatre Harrisburg, it “seemed natural” to start attending and volunteering.

She started by ushering when asked to by one friend, Rich Askey, who was music-directing a show at the community theater, but since then has produced or co-produced musicals. She has painted sets, collected props, assembled costumes, done spotlights and, yes, pushed scenery. She’s provided casts with water and snacks.

“I like doing a little bit of everything,” Hess said.

Ask Gwen Alsedek which show she liked most, and she’ll reply, “The last one I worked on.” But push Open Stage’s resident costume designer further, and she’ll admit her “favorite” is “The Big Bang.” Everything on stage becomes something else—a prop or costume. “That was a challenge,” she said.

While an undergraduate at Kutztown University, Alsedek was asked to help take care of the costume shop as part of her work-study job. “I walked into the room with a pile of clothing, which was a total mess,” she recalled.

Alsedek learned about budget limitations when a fellow student was given $500 to create five costumes for a production of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” She helped her friend meet that challenge.

There are others. Alsedek has had to sew people into costumes on opening nights and struggle with ornery zippers.

“I find the challenges interesting,” said Alsedek, who holds a master’s degree in fine arts and trained at the Missouri Repertory Theater.

Her interest in clothing goes back to playing with dolls and the quilting tradition of her Berks County upbringing. Not to mention her theatrical family—her mother and brother, Donald, were active in Theatre Harrisburg before he co-founded Open Stage.

In theater, necessity is often the mother of invention. That’s the case with Joyce O’Donnell, costume designer for Oyster Mill Playhouse.

Her first theater experience was in high school as an unintended assistant costumer for a musical revue. O’Donnell was in the dance group, but enlisted to make skirts with nets for herself and the other members. “Next year, I got stuck with it again,” she laughed.

At the time, “it” didn’t suggest a job title. O’Donnell didn’t know the formal profession of costume designer existed.

She has since found out. O’Donnell has been affiliated with Oyster Mill Playhouse from when it was called Met Rep. She also worked for Sharon Hillegas, one of Met Rep’s founders, at Fishing Creek Playhouse.

At first, O’Donnell did a lot of acting and directing, but has morphed into “basically OMP’s resident costume designer.”

Her interest in costumes dates back to childhood. She loved playing dress-up and exploring her mother’s jewelry box. She even got into trouble once for using the “expensive stuff.” On the other hand, her best friend had an extensive dress-up box, with freer access.

O’Donnell was also inspired by her “idol,” Theatre Harrisburg’s costume designer, Paul Foltz. And she is grateful to the many volunteers who help dress the actors and assisted in setting up a costume rental program for schools, other theaters and individuals.

A retired lab technician, O’Donnell comes into Oyster Mill six days a week. “I also lie in bed for an hour thinking how to accessorize,” she said. “Theater has always been my first love. Where else can you play dress-up with other people at age 72?”

Cross the Rubicon–Then Have a Drink, a Nosh: The ladies of Mangia Qui are about to bring fine bar culture to Harrisburg.

October 29, 2013 | by Dan Webster

At 10 p.m. on a Tuesday evening in late August, a lone party of eight is finishing up their meal at Mangia Qui, waiting for their limo to show up. They won an auction gift that was an in-kind donation from the owners, Staci Basore, Elide Hower and Qui Qui Musarra, who sit around me, eager to chew the fat about their new restaurant, Rubicon.

Musarra keeps using the atmospheric buzzword “convivial” to describe their endeavor. Staci Basore, front of the house manager and co-owner, keeps coming back to the horseshoe bar, a 20-person showcase piece that will define the space. Elide Hower, baker extraordinaire and co-owner, provides input on Rubicon’s proposed hours.

Still short on details, the main thing we know about Rubicon is that the restaurant being constructed next door to Mangia Qui/Suba will be a “proper bar.” Or, in the words of Qui, “bar culture fortified by good food.” A couple of other firm points: a menu mainstay will be French onion soup, and Ashlyn Hawkins, long-time Suba employee, will be tapped as the restaurant’s maître d’. Everything else is up to your imagination until they open in the next few months.

What is certain is that, if the test kitchens are any indication of the creativity and care the ladies of Mangia Qui are putting into this place, Rubicon is sure to live up to their vision par excellence.

On a beautiful June night, a selection of Harrisburg’s own was invited to serve as glorified guinea pigs in Qui’s backyard patio garden. We were de facto food and drink testers, business concept judges and community supporters, offering up our “mmm’s” and nonverbal cues (mostly thumbs up) when eating the battered frog legs (that could have been chicken wings), slurping the French onion soup and dipping crackers into the paté.

The design of a test kitchen is simply this: It’s a way to engross select community members in lively conversation to solicit feedback about the epicurean delights and overall strategy of an incoming restaurant.

While the test kitchen has been selective, Rebecca Miller, former employee of Mangia Qui, has augmented Rubicon’s social engagement with the community through a robust Facebook, Twitter and Instagram campaign.

She says, “Our goal is to engage the community via an image-based media campaign.” Photos by Anela Bence-Selkowitz, owner of Studio A and a local photographer, have been popping up on Facebook since late June, providing glimpses of the construction, the drink concepts. Some posts have asked for opinions from the larger community on matters ranging from preferred libations to the kind of sustainable flooring that should be installed. Call it community input.

And this is because Rubicon, as Basore notes, is all about accessibility.

When asked about the demographic most likely to patronize Rubicon, the three owners are unanimous in saying, “all ages.” Whereas Suba is geared toward a young professional/higher-end drinking crowd, and Mangia Qui to a wealthier strata with a mixture of locals and tourists, Rubicon is a destination designed to attract a wider spectrum of people: those wanting a classic drink at a reasonable price, the best hamburger in town, seasonal dishes or charcuterie.

As the planning gears up, JEM Group continues its work on a total rehabilitation of the former Neptune Lounge, which closed two years ago.

As of this writing, workers had completely gutted the inside, making way for the grand bar with tables that will encircle the main dining area. A staircase will take you to the second floor landing, where you can sip drinks and look down on the goings-on below. Above, you will look into the rafters, where a yet-to-be-purchased light fixture will dangle its way down the three floors and ultimately hang above the bar. The bar’s expansiveness will be a horizontal and vertical feature, and the intended vibe is to evoke an era gone by and now being resurrected here in Harrisburg.

Hawkins, however, says it plainly: “The ladies of Mangia Qui are opening a bar.”

Sold.

Rubicon will be located at 268 North St., Harrisburg.

Good Lord, for Alliance!*: HATA brings area theaters together for common goals.

October 29, 2013 | by Lori M. Myers

Dave Olmstead & Brenda C. Eppley

It happened quite by accident, in the midst of a conversation that Brenda C. Eppley, professor of theater at Harrisburg Area Community College, was having with a director at Allenberry Playhouse. At the time, the economy was taking a downturn, and that director noticed that this region didn’t have a mechanism by which theaters here could support one another—each seemed to be going it all alone.

“The news was saturated with stories of theater closings due to financial loss,” Eppley recalls. “Theater is my passion, and I am connected both professionally and personally as a performer, educator and audience member.”

So Eppley took that passion and got to work. She approached her friend and HACC colleague, Dave Olmstead, a theater instructor/director/designer, and the two discussed the idea of creating the Harrisburg Area Theatre Alliance or HATA, which would join together this area’s regional theaters to strengthen their missions and help ensure their longevity. As educators, the two had witnessed theater’s powerful effects on their college students. They saw how, even if a student decided not to choose theater as a career, that influence proved positive as he or she became an involved member of a community.

Eppley and Olmstead approached Gamut Theatre, Open Stage of Harrisburg, Theatre Harrisburg, and HACC’s theater program, believing that each represented a cross-section of theater in the area. They discussed HATA’s mission of uniting, strengthening, promoting and advancing the theater community in Pennsylvania’s capital region and forming a central hub of information for those working onstage and behind the scenes.

“We thought it was fantastic, but what if they thought we were out of our minds?” Olmstead says. “Thankfully, as we talked to each group, it was so exciting to see their reactions and their enthusiasm for this project.”

Indeed, Samuel Kuba, executive director at Theatre Harrisburg, thought it was a great idea, although the theaters had already formed close relationships over the years.

“The fact that we all knew and actually liked each other made the hard work necessary for the creation of HATA a much more pleasant process,” Kuba says. “We definitely had—and continue to have—a good time.”

Several networking events have already been held and another is coming up this month. It is a free event that is open to theaters, schools, actors, designers and patrons.

“It will be a wonderful opportunity to meet and greet with other theater lovers and practitioners, share resumes and headshots and generally bask in the gloriousness that is the theater community of central PA,” Olmstead says.

Despite theater’s long history and multitude of transformations, the struggle for survival continues as financial support from government, community and arts organizations decrease. Eppley and Olmstead want HATA to be at the forefront of ensuring theater’s continuance and growth in our area.

“We know that in order for (theater) to continue to survive and thrive, we must nurture and advocate for it,” Olmstead says. “We must be willing to adapt and change, as well. We are in the midst of a maelstrom of technology and social media revolution.”

HATA’s board currently consists of representatives from the four theater groups, and memberships have begun from other area theater organizations and colleges. Soon, individual memberships will be accepted. Membership is open to any theater, professional or amateur, including high schools, and anyone with a shared interest in theater.

As far as the future for the organization, Eppley is very hopeful. Her vision, she says, is to expand the impact of theater by greatly increasing the audience base and strengthening support in the community and government to “ensure that we don’t merely exist, but thrive.”

“We simply, as a society, cannot afford to lose theaters or theater programs,” she says. “Our region is rich with theater offerings, and I am still surprised that a significant number of theater enthusiasts are unaware of much of the theater activity in this area. That needs to change.”

With HATA’s help, Olmstead is confident that it will.

“I believe that theater will see a renaissance in this area,” he says. “But wouldn’t it be great if someday we didn’t need an organization like HATA because theater had become an integrated part of our culture, our schooling and our lives? We would all truly embrace the power of live theater, and that would be a great thing.”

HATA holds its next networking event on Saturday, Nov. 9, noon to 2 p.m., in the Rose Lehrman Arts Center at HACC. You can visit HATA on Facebook.

*William Shakespeare, “Much Ado about Nothing”

The Good, the Bad and the City: The Harrisburg mayor’s race has said much about the candidates–and a little about us.

October 29, 2013 | by Lawrance Binda

By this point, the Harrisburg mayoral election has been analyzed, categorized, sliced, diced, sifted and puréed.

The campaign often has reflected people’s own inclinations and purposes. It became like a Rorschach test, perhaps saying more about the observer than the observed.

I’m not immune from filtering the campaign through my own priorities—what I believe Harrisburg needs in terms of policy and leadership. In this spirit, I’d like to share what I perceive to be three significant strengths and weaknesses of the campaigns and candidacies. I hope these points provide some meaningful information to voters before the election or, following it, offer residents insight into how the next mayor of Harrisburg will govern.

Dan Miller, Republican candidate

Strengths

Service delivery: Miller believes that the delivery of basic services is the primary function of municipal government. In my opinion, this message was the strongest part of Miller’s campaign. “It’s really about the city government doing its basic functions,” he said during one debate. “Let’s fix the potholes, let’s get the lights on, let’s clean the streets, let’s make Harrisburg a place where people want to live.” Amen.
Management focus: Related to the previous point, Miller emphasized the need to attract competent people into city government. He rightly criticized the Thompson administration for losing so many good, experienced employees who chafed at her management style. During one debate, he said, “We need competent people in city government. That’s the number one priority for a Dan Miller administration.” Amen again.
Financial experience: During the campaign, Miller often said that the city needs a financial expert during these trying times. Conversely, his critics said that his knowledge of accounting had little in common with the complex financial issues facing the city. I conditionally agree with Miller’s view. His financial background both as an accountant and as city controller represents a considerable strength, but, in the end, only if used wisely.

Weaknesses

Harrisburg Strong: Long an advocate for municipal bankruptcy, Miller repeatedly condemned the Harrisburg Strong financial recovery plan in strong language because, he said, the numbers don’t add up, it relies on shaky assumptions, it’s a tool for Wall Street, it won’t lead to a balanced budget, it rips off the poor, and it generally dooms Harrisburg to a miserable future. But he later said, as mayor, he’d work to implement it anyway. He also distanced himself from his own, 3-year-old recovery plan after daring the audience at the first mayoral debate to go read it. I find Miller’s position on the city’s most pressing priority to be very confusing.
Accountability: I put great stock in people being responsible and accountable for their actions. Back in August, I criticized Miller after he released a two-page statement blaming other people for his loss in the Democratic primary (basically, Papenfuse and his campaign contributors). Not only did I find it odd that Miller blamed his opponent for his electoral defeat, but he and Papenfuse actually raised about the same amount of money from outside sources, albeit in different ways. In my opinion, Miller lost the primary largely because he was out-planned and out-campaigned.
It gets personal: In his public life, Miller has sometimes shown a thin skin. Therefore, it’s no surprise that Miller’s legitimate policy differences with Mayor Linda Thompson, who also personalizes issues, quickly turned into a bitter feud. The people of Harrisburg were the ones who suffered from the inability of the city’s mayor and controller to get along.

Eric Papenfuse, Democratic candidate

Strengths

Harrisburg Strong: Papenfuse’s position in favor of the Harrisburg Strong recovery plan has been clear, consistent and forceful. There is no guarantee that the Strong plan, in its complexity, will deliver everything it promises. However, I believe that it is better than other options and is far superior to bankruptcy. To help ensure success, the plan requires a leader who will embrace it fully, working every day, with conviction, with the receiver, the county, City Council and others, to implement it.
Positive focus: Papenfuse ran a community-oriented campaign that was relentlessly positive. He offered an optimistic, can-do future for a city so beaten down by cynicism and negativity. That said—Papenfuse is no Pollyanna. If things aren’t going well, he can be a stern critic. He also doesn’t hesitate to go on the offensive when he feels he needs to, as was witnessed several times during the mayoral debates.
Rock-solid campaign: Both in the primary and general election, Papenfuse set an ambitious plan for his campaign and, each day, took one step forward to implement it. That’s no small achievement, as political campaigns are long, arduous and complex, requiring meticulous planning, hard work and successful execution. Harrisburg could benefit substantially from someone who knows how to set goals then methodically move forward to achieve them.

Weaknesses

Too much vision? At one moment, Papenfuse can be deeply pragmatic, the next something of an idealist. It’s the latter quality that concerns me, as I see the mayor of Harrisburg as primarily an administrator who must corral his staff to deliver basic services to the people who are paying for them. In my view, loftier goals should be set aside until the city can do the fundamental things right.
Expansive agenda: During debates, Papenfuse said he wants to “sell Harrisburg to the world.” He also wants to recruit businesses, convince people to buy houses, reform education, investigate past wrongs, lead neighborhood visioning sessions and much more, in addition to fundamentally reforming the broken government. Papenfuse needs to whittle down his list to a core group of goals focused on the delivery of services. If the city is well run—and can achieve reasonably safe, attractive streets—the world will want to live and work here without needing to be sold on the idea.
Lack of government experience: During the campaign, Papenfuse tried to compensate for his scant experience in government by emphasizing how he built an entire business—Midtown Scholar Bookstore—from scratch. He makes a fair point, as building a successful business requires a multitude of skills. That said—government is its own beast, and this city’s bureaucracy is particularly dysfunctional. Therefore, if elected, Papenfuse will face a steep learning curve and numerous challenges that some experience serving in city government may have eased.

I have one final observation about the mayoral campaign, which also reflects my wishes for this city.

During one debate, Miller, prompted by a panelist question, told a heartfelt story about first meeting Papenfuse and his wife Catherine, who, 15 years ago, were a young couple thinking of moving to Harrisburg. He saw them walking around his former neighborhood in Shipoke, invited them inside his house, told them what a wonderful city this was and encouraged them to move here.

They did.

Later on in the same debate, Papenfuse said he believed that he and Miller would be able to come together, restoring a decent relationship following a bitter campaign. Given the importance of these two men in our community, I share that hope.

Lawrance Binda is editor-in-chief of TheBurg.

Coming Together for Health Care Reform: A Q/A in partnership with INGROUP Associates.

October 29, 2013 | by TheBurg Staff

In the United States, the way that healthcare is consumed is changing rapidly. Just last month, people were able, for the first time, to sign up for healthcare coverage under the Affordable Care Act, a federal law that mandates health insurance for all Americans. Therefore, TheBurg, along with healthcare solution provider INGROUP Associates, asked several industry experts about those changes and how they impact consumers.

1. Today more cost transparency tools are available to consumers. These tools make the difference in cost for procedures between facilities more well known to consumers. The same procedure can cost 35-40% more between facilities. What are you doing to address these cost differences?

Highmark: Highmark Blue Shield provides easy-to-use quality and cost comparisons, along with other practical information, through a number of online transparency tools. By making cost and quality information transparent, we help members across all plan types make educated choices when deciding on physicians, hospitals, medical procedures and prescription medications.

Our transparency tools are simple to navigate and provide clear, up-to-date procedure cost and provider information. One of these tools is the care cost estimator which shows members what portion of a procedure they’ll be responsible for paying. This tool integrates provider allowances, deductibles, coinsurance and out-of-pocket information to calculate member cost-sharing on hundreds of inpatient and outpatient procedures. Estimates include the typical fee for a procedure plus the costs of related services, including facility, physician, lab tests, x-rays and more.

Capital Blue Cross: Capital BlueCross has been at the forefront of the industry in making costs transparent to our customers. They can sign on to our site at capbluecross.com and access the MyCareAdvisor tool to compare costs of health services at different facilities and make informed decisions about the care they choose and how much it will cost. We also provide consumers tools to make it easy to find providers in their area and with the specialties they need. Taking control of your health care doesn’t have to take a lot of your time.

UPMC Health Plan: Transparency will reveal variances in costs for the same procedures in different facilities. Many factors go into determining costs. While we cannot comment upon factors used by other providers, we can say that we do whatever possible to keep costs as affordable as possible. Additionally, we are committed to providing transparency not only on price, but also on quality. Every consumer must weigh all the factors that are important to them before they make their healthcare decisions. It is our intent to provide the tools and information to allow our members to make decisions that are right for them.

PinnacleHealth: PinnacleHealth has always been concerned with providing the highest quality care while helping to contain healthcare costs. By working closely with area employers and key stakeholders, we can continue that trend, as well as encourage patients to receive the right care in the right setting with an emphasis on preventive care and better coordination of care — all with a singular focus on the patient.

True cost is not published rates or charges–it is the negotiated payment rates between the insurers and the providers. Medicare also pays different amounts based on regional wage differences and the cost of medical education in certain hospitals. The real difference is what the insurance companies have negotiated and what the hospital and or physician charge an uninsured individual, and that information is not very transparent yet.

PinnacleHealth launched a new web-based tool called the PinnacleHealth E$timator to help prospective patients and their families better understand the cost of their healthcare. Found on the PinnacleHealth homepage, prospective patients can complete a three-part form to obtain price information about a diagnosis or procedure.

Employers are asking their employees to share more of the cost of their healthcare through high deductible health plans. PinnacleHealth is providing them with a tool to make more cost-effective healthcare choices. The Estimator can be used in conjunction with information provided by health plans and physicians.

The software application uses “average reimbursements” (not charges or ranges of charges), generating dynamic results. Hospitals might have very similar charges/rates for a given service, but depending on insurance contracts the difference in what the hospitals are paid and what is billed back to patients can vary significantly.

2. What are your perceptions of how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will impact your industry and your company directly?

Highmark: We have been preparing our products, our systems and our communications for reform since the law was signed in 2010. We are offering a variety of health plans to meet the diverse needs of individuals and families through the marketplaces. In Central Pa., we are offering 13 plans for sale on the marketplace, as well as two Blue Cross Blue Shield Association multi-state plans.

We’ve worked hard to price these plans affordably, given the many new requirements and fees under reform. We and the industry have made it clear that costs for some people may be lower, and for others, it may be higher than previously, as a result of the law. We encourage people to learn more about reform by visiting www.discoverhighmark.com, where they can explore how reform works, what it means to them personally and what their coverage obligations and options are.

Capital Blue Cross: It is difficult to overstate what a change the ACA represents to the entire health care industry, let alone health insurance. While many employer-sponsored health insurance plans will keep their main features, insurers must adapt how they write insurance for individuals and small groups, how they manage risk across their consumers, and what kinds of services they cover. As a community insurer for 75 years, Capital BlueCross has always offered a variety of plans to meet the needs of our businesses and customers, and will continue to do so in the new health care environment.

UPMC Health Plan: There are approximately 200,000 uninsured individuals in our service area who will be able to purchase coverage on the marketplace. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 20-30 percent of uninsured will purchase coverage in 2014. This equates to 40,000-60,000 new members on the marketplace, and the competition to insure those members will certainly have an impact on our company.

Overall, we expect one of the biggest impacts of the ACA will be that it will give an increasing number of consumers access to affordable coverage. Additionally, it should also allow for increased competition and transparency in the market, which should greatly benefit consumers in the end.

PinnacleHealth: The ACA is already driving change in the healthcare industry through various penalties and incentives connected to Medicare payments. Healthcare providers are brought into the driving force behind the ACA to improve the health status of America’s population and to reduce unnecessary costs through more coordinated care.

In addition, health systems are preparing and investing in additional providers, staff, HIT solutions and redesigning our care delivery model to implement community based care coordination.

3. What would you recommend to employers to help them control their healthcare costs? Has anything really changed for most employers under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as they attempt to control future costs of providing their employees healthcare?

Highmark: The Accountable Care Act will ultimately mean more people get health insurance coverage and that is a good thing. It probably does not go far enough when it comes to addressing the costs of care and we know that costs now are unsustainable.

We work closely with our customers to meet their specific needs and develop a customized strategy. Employers need to look at their health plan design for example, how much cost sharing for employees do they want to consider. Employers also need to encourage their employees to get engaged in wellness and other programs through financial incentives so employees take greater control and responsibility of their own health care issues and have a greater role in how their health care dollars are spent.

Capital Blue Cross: Most large employers already offered their employees health insurance coverage before the ACA, and will continue to do so now that it has been implemented. The law means there will be some changes in the type and cost of coverage they can provide their employees, but it also means that small employers and individuals will have greater access to coverage, as well. In the long run, the fact that everyone must have health coverage will also make for a healthier workforce overall. While some of the mechanisms that have helped employers to manage health care costs have been significantly limited or even eliminated, such as preexisting conditions and waiting periods for coverage, there are still fundamental things employers can do to reduce the cost of coverage and increase the health of their employees. Implementing a health and wellness program is one example.

UPMC Health Plan: Population health management, with a focus on wellness and prevention, is a key element for employers to control healthcare costs. More than 50 percent of healthcare spending is on preventable illnesses due to unhealthy lifestyle habits. With the growing obesity crisis and the associated diseases that come with it (such as diabetes and hypertension), a comprehensive health and wellness program coupled with incentives can have a major impact on employer healthcare costs.

UPMC’s HealthyU products provide this type of program for employers by allowing employees who complete certain preventive and healthy activities to earn funds into a Health Incentive Account.

PinnacleHealth: We would recommend wellness and prevention programs and incentives, health risk assessments, and defined contribution plans. PinnacleHealth has a corporate wellness program, CARES, that provides an array of corporate and community wellness programs that include disease risk assessment, nutrition and weight advice, seminars from leading health experts, health fairs and disease prevention education. These are provided onsite at the workplace.

Employers now can choose whether and how they want to participate in providing health insurance to their employees. This is a game changer and will result in employer sponsored benefit reductions over time. New taxes, penalties and regulations have redefined the traditional role and given employers an out.

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