When the War Came Home: Harrisburg Academy became part of the victory effort.

January 15, 2012 | by Peter Durantine

Six months after Pearl Harbor and just before April 18, 1942–the day a small group of American medium bombers launched the first reprisal attack against Japan from an aircraft carrier–the army opened a military intelligence training facility in Harrisburg.

Known as the Army Air Force Air Intelligence School (this was before the Air Force became an independent service branch), it was formally established in Washington D.C., in early January of that year, according to “Piercing the Fog: Intelligence and Army Air Forces Operations in World War ll,” a 1996 history published by Air Force Historical Studies Office.

A scramble for a facility in those early days of the war first landed the school at the University of Maryland in College Park in February, but only temporarily.

“Air Force leaders recognized the facilities at College Park would not be adequate for the expansion due to come,” according to “Piercing the Fog.” Even before the first class of 33 officers had graduated from the college course, the AAF paid $300,000 to purchase the Harrisburg Academy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, for the new site of air intelligence training.”

At the time, the future of Harrisburg Academy, founded in 1784 by John Harris Jr., was in question. The Great Depression took a toll on enrollment, but the school managed to continue. It moved in 1959 to its present location on Erford Road in Wormleysburg.

The gothic-looking structure the military bought, located on the grounds of what is now Dixon University Center on N. 2nd Street, was demolished in the early 1990s.

At America’s entry into World War ll on Dec. 7, 1941, the military seized many private properties. Private schools, for some reason, seemed attractive. In Washington, the U.S. Navy took a girls’ school at Massachusetts and Nebraska avenues. “It offered $800,000 for property easily worth $5 million and finally agreed to pay $1.1 million,” according to David Brinkley’s account in “Washington Goes to War.”

Despite its title, the air intelligence school was better known for learning to interpret photos taken by air reconnaissance planes “since that was two-thirds of its original curriculum; the additional one-third was combat intelligence training.”

Combat training included prisoner of war interrogation, counter espionage, learning the organizations of the Axis air forces, Soviet air force logistics, air defense deception and an array of other intelligence gathering skills, according to the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

The school’s first commandant was Col. Egmont F. Koenig and among his students were some notable figures from Hollywood, publishing, sports and literature–actors Robert Preston, Burgess Meredith and Bruce Cabot attended, according to the book “Josh: My Up and Down, In and Out Life,” by writer/producer Joshua Logan, also a student. Novelist Thornton Wilder and Golfer Bobby Jones were students.

Other alumni were Philip Graham, publisher of The Washington Post in the 1960s who during the war served on the intelligence staff of the Far East Air Force, and Major Jesse Marcel, the air force officer who first reported the Roswell UFO incident in 1947.

It’s not clear why the military chose the old Harrisburg Academy for its intelligence school. In spring 1944, the military moved the school out of the Harrisburg Academy to Orlando Fla., but, over the course of the war, according to the historical account, thousands of students passed through its doors.

This Being Harrisburg: A history tale for a resilient people.

January 12, 2012 | by Neil A. Grover

It may take a long time, but our city will conquer today’s legal and financial woes. Will Harrisburg have to change for that to happen? Absolutely. But how much? Well, my guess would be not much at all. Here’s why.

Our local history includes a long-forgotten public official, Mayor William Kepner. If your memory of him is hazy, you may find some help from a story that scrolled across my screen in recent days.

It seems that Harrisburg’s elected council was fighting with a new mayor. They had passed a resolution on a public debt. The mayor was not consulted. More precisely, the council with an out-of-town financier, whose apparent business included handling government bonds and loans. The real dollars were huge for Mayor Kepner’s day, vastly beyond the means of the average resident. City officials moved forward anyway.

In order to re-pay this public debt, local officials earmarked future tax revenue to be spent on the obligation for many years. For the council, the matter must have appeared simple enough, as Harrisburg was renewing an earlier agreement. Terms were set down and a contract drafted, followed by official resolution by council that by an official resolution by council that was quickly approved, all business as usual. But this being Harrisburg, there was a hitch.

Kepner decided that he did not like the way council had handled the matter. He voiced objections to the deal, insisting the council had no right to approve public expenditures by a mere resolution. Yet council read it differently, finding that the City Charter denied the mayor any power in such matters. With a stalemate brewing, and with this being Harrisburg, the Mayor refused to sign. He saw council as poaching his territory, taking power that rightfully belonged to him. He insisted an ordinance must be passed whenever public funds were at issue, meaning a different process, one that included him. Does this sound familiar yet? This being Harrisburg, a lawsuit quickly followed. The council asked the court to direct the mayor to sign the contract, arguing he had no right to ignore such official actions and worse, in doing so, he was playing the city’s sorely needed credit at risk. Though a Dauphin County jury sided with council, this being Harrisburg, the fight did not end. In short order, officials found themselves before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the final referee in government disputes.

In fact, this tale of Mayor Kepner in large part can be found in the resulting Supreme Court opinion, in the case of Kepner v. Commonwealth, published 150 years ago, in 1861. That historical timestamp stands out for many reasons, the most important being that our little burg on the Susquehanna just had been reinvented in 1860, when Harrisburg was officially reclassified to be a city. With that move, a new city of 13,000 held its first local election, voting William H. Kepner to be the first elected mayor. The officials who were doing battle with him in the courts were the members of our first elected council, a body then known as a “common council.”

In its decision, the Supreme Court ruled that there was little read difference between a local resolution and ordinance, rejecting the arguments of all sides. That opinion was issued by Chief Judge Lowrie, who found the city’s newly formed council had inherent powers including the power to make rules to govern themselves, to borrow money on behalf of the city and to exercise general power over city affairs. Score one for council.

But after dispensing with the officials’ arguments on who holds what power, Judge Lowrie moved on to address what he saw as the important points. He reminded these public servants that, in matters impacting the affairs of the city, “the people have a right” to the judgment of both their mayor and their council. A desire to get their input on public matters was the very reason they were each chosen. That said, the court went on to find that Mayor Kepner should get an opportunity to consider any legislation. Therefore, as the council had not consulted him about the contract, the court found Mayor Kepner under no obligation to sign.

Of course, this being Harrisburg, the decision did little to resolve the issues surrounding the large public debt. The city still owed an earlier loan, an obligation first approved by the Borough of Harrisburg. Because the court decision sent the local officials back to square one, the lawsuit resolved nothing in terms of the city’s actual financial concerns. Therefore, at the end of the city’s first legal battle, Harrisburg’s official still left to find their own workable solution to the city’s debt problem.

In a tradition abandoned by modern courts, Chief Judge Lowrie’s decision offered sage advice to these feuding officials. Using words in the style of his day, the Judge pointed our the one thing that could resolve this dispute, reminding everyone that “respect for the law, and respect for each other… will be… a very sure remedy against official encroachments and official jealousies.”

In modern terms, he told the parties that they must respect each other and through such mutual respect, they could prevent or at least stop most disputes, as a respectful work atmosphere would help those in government concern themselves with doing their own jobs.

Did our very first mayor and council heed that wise advice? Who knows? But this we do know: We have watched local officials wage the very same fight in much the same way, some 150 years later. So this being Harrisburg, perhaps we should not only realize that these battles rage on, but also ask if these fights are really about the powers and duties of public officials. far too often, these battles are little more than raw political theater. We watch as the same scenes get acted out year after year, while different players enter and exit our main stage. So what, if anything, does this history lesson tell us about what to expect for Harrisburg in 2012?

Consider this one thing: Most of us locals know that we are about to enter more difficult times and yet, this glimpse into our city’s past just might offer a small ray of hope, if not a hint of what our future holds. Despite the long history of a government plagued by relentless infighting, history shows that, somehow, the city abides. The root of that stubborn endurance could be found resting in those who formed Harrisburg or still exists in those who later strayed on to live here.

The people of this city have been the ones who refused to let local officials–whether they were the original slate, our present-day officials or anyone in between–to bring our city to ruin. Thus, with this being Harrisburg, our fractious history suggests that those who call Harrisburg home will be who makes certain this city abides.

We in Harrisburg are resilient people, ones who soldier on each day, equal to whatever the next battle brings. In the tale of Mayor Kepner, it is the quiet power of our resilience that must be the lesson taught and learned. If we are to find a remedy for today’s financial woes and restore our city, we will need to call upon that resilience once again, for in the end, the people of this city most likely be the ones left to administer our own cure and remedy our own problems, this being Harrisburg.

Encouraging Dreams: Keystone Human Services marks 40 years.

January 12, 2012 | by Ann H. Moffitt

All people have dreams. And regardless of abilities or disabilities, all people have strengths.

Forty years ago, though, people with developmental disabilities, encouraged to dream. For them, there was no notion of strength or equal opportunity. Children and adults were strategically segregated in institutions; locked away from everything society holds dear–freedom of choice, family, home and community.

All of that started to change in 1972. That was the year Keystone’s co-founders envisioned a system that is dedicated to the fundamental rights of all people, regardless of abilities.

Because of our co-founders’ vision and courage, children and adults with disabilities no longer have to lead isolated lives in dehumanizing institutions. Indeed, across America, millions of individuals and families who experience challenges are now receiving support in the community while pursuing fulfilled lives.

Every day, Keystone Human Services fulfills its mission to advance the human spirit by providing specialized services so that adults with developmental disabilities, children living below the poverty line, individuals experiencing mental illness, autism, aging and physical disabilities, can access the necessary resources to pursue their dreams.

Sometimes that means creating attractively furnished and supported residences so that individuals with intellectual disabilities or mental illness can benefit from the joys of home, family and community.

Other times, it means providing professional support for adolescents with autism who have difficulty communicating; being there with timely professional respite for a family in crisis; or providing skilled intervention at a public school where there’s been a tragic shooting.

Whether we’re giving pre-schoolers a “Head Start” with early education and a nutritious breakfast, teaching a recently hospitalized adult who was experiencing mental illness to manage his own medication or training Susquehanna Service Dogs so that people with disabilities can access the community with greater ease and self-sufficiency, Keystone’s mission is quietly and confidentially everywhere, providing reassuring, dependable support whenever it is needed.

This year, as we celebrate our 40th year of service to the community, the family of agencies known as Keystone Human Service is a widely respected nonprofit that is recognized for having played a leadership role in shaping the evolution of community-driven human services, not only here in central PA, but across America, Eastern Europe and beyond.

Our leaders are respected as “can-do” innovators. Our services are lauded for providing exceptional support to more than 6,000 individuals from Chambersburg, Pa., and Hartford, Conn., to Moldova, Azerbaijan, Russia and beyond. And it works through our responsive, integrated system of support that empowered by thousands of dedicated professionals.

Many know the name Keystone Human Services because of ChocolateFest Weekend,our largest public relations and fundraising effort that takes place each year at the Hershey Lodge. This year’s ChocolateBall and ChocolateFest, are Jan. 28 and 29, respectively. Purchase tickets online, at www.keystonehumanservices.org, or at Boscov’s, Metro Bank or Giant. Regionally, many know of us through PawsAbilities, the trained dog festivities and competition at the Farm Show that raises monies in support of Susquehanna Service Dogs.

After 40 years of service, our organization is honored to be celebrating the advancement of individually chosen paths, fully empowered lives and the passion of dedicated employees and volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure that Keystone remains an invaluable resource individual and families.

Confidential inquiries about our continuum of services are welcome at 717-232-7509 or at www.keystonehumanservices.com.

Restaurants Possible: New Eateries, changes abound around Harrisburg.

December 23, 2011 | by Lawrance Binda

November was an especially active month in the never-dull restaurant scene in Harrisburg.

The heart-of-downtown corner of N. 2nd and Locust has seen numerous bars and eateries come and go over the years. The latest “go” was Spice, an American-style bistro. In its stead, Arooga’s will open its fourth location and first within Harrisburg proper.

The new Arooga’s Draft House and Sports Bar will be designed specifically for an urban location, with more drafts and a sleeker look, according to Arooga’s. It’s expected to debut early next year.

On the other side of Forster Street, the long-rumored sale of Garrason’s Tavern finally went beyond rumor, as owner Rob Fogleman said he will relinquish his decade-long reign behind the bar this month. Garrason’s is under contract to be bought by an experienced Harrisburg tavern manager. The new owner, who asked not to be named until the sale is final, said he plans significant changes for the re-named Sturges Speakeasy.

Roxy’s Café owner Richard Hanna has been on something of a tear lately, announcing last month that he will take ground-floor space for a new restaurant in The 1500 Project, a condominium complex at N. 6th and Reily streets.

Café at 1500 will feature an American-style diner and deli food and is expected to open in early spring with the completion of the 43-unit building. This is the second restaurant Hanna has announced recently. Last month, he took over the former Confit Bistro space in Camp Hill, turning it into a Mediterranean-style eatery called Layel Bistro.

In addition to Layel Bistro, several new restaurants opened their kitchens last month, including Jayyid Harvest and Pho Cali.

Broad Street Market Names New Manager

Elissa Feinstein has been named the new market manager for the Broad Street Market and Nicole Sheaffer the facilities manager.

Feinstein was founder and editor of Harrisburg’s CityBeat Magazine, which published between 1990 and 2002. She replaces Jennifer Sim.

“I have been involved in the advertising, journalism, public relations industry since 1989,” Feinstein said.

She said she also owned a six-location produce- and street-vending business in Boston. She moved to Harrisburg from Boston in 1980.

Annual Perohi Sale for Christmastime

Perohi, a popular eastern European-style dumpling with various fillings from cheese to meat to prune, are being sold through Dec. 21 by St. Ann Byzantine Catholic Church, 5408 Locust Lane, Harrisburg, as part of a pre-Christmas fast.

Sales of perohi (also known as pierogi) are Wednesdays, noon to 1 p.m., and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon, in the parish hall.

Proceeds benefit parish educational activities. Call 717-652-1415 or visit www.stannbyz.org for more information.

You’re on the List: Holiday concert, feast–it’s all on Allen.

December 23, 2011 | by Lawrance Binda

Unlike a certain gloomy resident of Bedford Falls, Allen Quirk Jr. knows that he’s had a wonderful life.

The Harrisburg native considers himself particularly fortunate, with a long, satisfying career working for the state and few financial concerns.

So, in retirement, Quirk has dedicated himself to giving back to a city and region that have provided him with so many opportunities.

“I’ve lived in Harrisburg all my life,” said Quirk, 75. “I feel that I owe something to the community.”

For more than two decades, he’s been active in organizations like The Salvation Army, the Capital Region Partnership for Career Education and the Harrisburg Regional Chamber of Commerce.

But Quirk may best be known for his role with Habitat for Humanity’s Home for the Holidays Concert, a benefit for the organization that helps build homes for low-income people.

Each year, come early autumn, Quirk leaves his apartment at River Plaza on N. Front Street armed with a stack of invitations to the concert, which features the Eakin Piano Trio and takes place at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral downtown.

He personally delivers them to anyone he thinks may be interested in attending. But here’s the catch: it’s all on him.

For his guests, Quirk foots the bill for the whole shebang, which includes the concert, plus the feast that follows prepared by the Harrisburg Gourmet Society.

And everyone’s welcome, not just the folks he personally has invited. Just show up and walk on in and say you’re with Allen.

“Come on in and be my guest–and bring your family,” he said.

Quirk began this tradition about 15 years ago. He already had attended the concert, now in its 22nd year, and had an idea.

“I wanted to do something to get more people to attend this wonderful event–and I wanted to do something for the people of Harrisburg,” he said. “So I thought, ‘What if I just take care of everything for them?'”

Quirk estimates that his efforts typically bring in about 50 attendees each year for a venue that holds as many as 350 people.

Eve Wahhaus, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Harrisburg Area, said that Quirk takes on a range of responsibilities for the event–from recruitment to publicity to signing up sponsors.

“He really is why the event is so successful,” she said. “For a long time, Allen has been the primary catalyst behind the concert.”

In recognition of Quirk’s contributions, Harrisburg Habitat honored him with a Humanitarian Award in 2008. It was one of many honors that Quirk has received for his volunteer work since he retired from the state two decades ago. In 2004, the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC recognized Quirk’s contributions with its Distinguished Volunteer Service Award.

As for the future, well, Quirk has no desire to slow down. Most days, he’s out walking the familiar streets of Harrisburg, heading to another event or meeting. He’ll meet up with just about anyone, anywhere, at any time, if it’ll help one of his charities.

The Home for the Holidays Concert, however, may be nearest to his heart, as he finds it so inspiring.

“When you leave the church, you have love in your heart for humanity,” he said. “It’s about the gift of love that we all receive.”

The 22nd Annual Home for the Holidays Concert takes place Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral, 221 N. Front St., Harrisburg.

Protest of Wills: Occupy Harrisburg builds cause, community.

December 23, 2011 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg, meet your new neighbors.

Many of them are young, but not all. Many are left-of-center–some way left–but again not all. They’re of all races, backgrounds and religions, or no religion at all.

They’re the not-so-temporary residents of Occupy Harrisburg. And, despite having their Riverfront Park encampment torn down last month by the city, they plan to stick around town awhile, maybe a long while.

“We’ll be here until our leaders listen to us, until they stop cutting backroom deals,” said Nelson Lugo, a 23-year-old Lancaster native. “We’re here for as long as it takes.”

They have passion and principle and a belief that their government has been hijacked by big money and big business. To them, an appropriate motto might be, “out of sight, out of mind,” so they plan to stay visible as long as they can.

Already, the Occupiers have shown some mettle, braving rough fall weather that included a bizarre October snowstorm.

They’ve also braved some hecklers screaming out car windows and a few people who’ve wanted to argue with them. But, all in all, they say that most passersby have been supportive, with a steady stream of passing cars honking approval in front of the protest on the Capitol steps.

Woody Wiest, 29, is another resident of the Occupy Harrisburg neighborhood, and he also spends his days beneath a canopy at the base of the Capitol.

Originally from Elizabethville, Wiest was working in France when the Occupy protests began. Needing to return to the United States to renew his visa, he migrated back to his old midstate stomping grounds, picked up a sign and became an activist.

Here, he’s found a community within a community–a group of like-minded people, as well as many city residents who have been supportive of the cause he’s dedicated to.

“There’s been such a positive response from the people who walk and drive by here,” he said.

Until late November, that warm welcome seemed to extend to official Harrisburg. The city let the Occupiers camp in Riverfront Park without a permit for almost two weeks before a changing course and removing about a dozen tents.

“The city is sensitive to First Amendment rights,” city spokesman Robert Philbin said. “However the encampment (was) in violation of four city ordinances …”

A few days later, the Harrisburg Friends Meeting allowed the group to move its site on N. 6th St., a few blocks from the Capitol, providing room for camping, as well as bathrooms and cooking facilities. The city later approved the site.

Elsewhere in Harrisburg, the Occupiers also have found comfort.

Up N. 3rd Street, Café di Luna has become a gathering place where owner Ambreen Esmail has offered a warm place to escape the chill, encouragement and even some freebies to the new neighbors.

Further up 3rd, some of the first organizational meetings were held at Midtown Scholar Bookstore. This month, the movement plans a series of teach-in events there, including an appearance by controversial activist Bill Ayers on Dec. 14.

“it’s good to see young people so engaged in the community and caring passionately about important issues,” said Eric Papenfuse, co-owner of Midtown Scholar. “I would encourage the public to come to an event here and engage them in conversation.”

Back on the street in front of the Capitol, the city’s crackdown hasn’t deterred the Occupiers. Nor do they seem concerned that they will wear out their welcome from a city that, so far, has been relatively tolerant.

They’re remaining positive and are bracing for winter’s fury.

“No matter what happens, we’ve been successful because we got our message out,” said Lugo.

City Muddled: Harrisburg history enters a new phase.

December 23, 2011 | by Lawrance Binda

Last month, I attended a forum at Midtown Scholar Bookstore honoring the work of Paul Beers, the popular Patriot-News columnist who died recently.

The forum was held along with the release of a book compiling Beers’ columns called “City Contented, City Discontented: A History of Modern Harrisburg.”

Sitting there, listening to the panelists, I thought (and I’m sure I wasn’t alone) that, if Beers had continued to write, he would need to find another adjective to describe Harrisburg today.

City Frustrated? Angry? Exhausted? All would apply.

November was a particularly troubling month in a particularly troubling year for Harrisburg.

The state effectively denuded the city of its autonomy and now will force it to sell its most valuable assets to pay creditors complicit in the incinerator upgrade debacle and the resulting, crippling debt load.

The takeover came after more than a year of contentious meetings, as Harrisburg’s elected officials groped futilely for a solution, only to show a city so deeply at odds with the county, the state, itself.

A city discontented indeed.

The Beers’ book divides Harrisburg history into two large chunks: its glory days beginning with the City Beautiful movement at the turn of the 20th century and its post-war decline, the result of de-industrialization, white flight, race riots, the 1972 flood and inept attempts to deal with all the above.

Each time Harrisburg seemed to make a little progress, another blow would beat it back down.

Which leads us to today.

Harrisburg is about to enter a new period, a time it’s never before experienced. The state takeover is unlike the city’s previous downs. In this down, Harrisburg is almost completely at the mercy of outsiders who, most certainly, will not have the interests of the people who live here as a first priority.

The state receiver’s highest priority will be to see that the bills get paid, more than $310 million worth just from the incinerator disaster. The legislation that led to the state takeover is clear that creditors stand first in line.

So, anything that can be turned into cash probably will–starting with the parking garages but possibly extending to everything from City Island to municipally owned buildings. Protecting the interests of suburbanites, as made clear by both state Sen. Jeff Piccola and Rep. Glen Grell, is another priority.

For what it’s worth, I believe that bankruptcy is the best of bad choices for Harrisburg, offering it the greatest potential to protect its assets while allowing the pain to be shared with the state, the county, Wall Street and anyone else who deserves it.

That option, however, was taken off the table last month by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Mary France, who ruled that the filing was made improperly, hurried through one night by City Council, contrary to state law and without the review and consent of the administration.

France’s decision was expected and, from a procedural standpoint, correct. Given existing rules, the rushed petition never stood a chance.

So, what will Harrisburg look like when it emerges from receivership?

Some bankruptcy advocates have painted a dire picture of the city once stripped of its parking garages, one with empty storefronts, empty houses and empty streets.

I doubt something so drastic will come to pass.

Over time, Harrisburg will heal. Apart from its dysfunctional political culture, the city has many strengths to build upon, from a relatively stable workforce to a dynamic small business community to emerging, vibrant districts for nightlife and the arts.

The issue then becomes how long it will take to heal.

The receiver must draft a recovery plan within 30 days of his confirmation, which would seem to put Harrisburg on a very rapid path to recovery. However, the receiver’s inevitable solution–a fire sale of city assets–is likely to have unintended consequences that will linger for years.

Well after the receiver has packed his bags, Harrisburg probably still will be socked with high debt levels, but will have few options for generating income, leaving it to struggle to deliver services, balance its budget and keep taxes reasonable. Like most Act 47 cities, it may remain stuck in the program for years, if not decades.

Moreover, the city’s nearly 50,000 residents will endure all the pain of the exhausting return to fiscal health. Tragically, those most dedicated to the city–people who live, work and own property here–will bear the greatest burden.

Progress will come, but it will come very slowly.

So perhaps we can call the next phase of Harrisburg’s history, “City Muddled, City Unmuddled.” It’s mostly a matter of how long it takes for us to muddle through.

Lawrance Binda is co-publisher/co-editor of TheBurg.

Building Restored, Shop Saved: Another piece in place for Midtown arts district.

November 24, 2011 | by Lawrance Binda

Midtown Harrisburg shrieked a collective, “Oh no,” when Dawn Rettinger decided to close her popular crafts and consignment shop at N. 3rd and Herr streets.

Mercifully, the bad news proved to be short-lived, as Rettinger announced that The HodgePodgery will be the anchor tenant in a new arts-oriented building just a few blocks up the street.

“We plan to open again around the holidays, as soon as the building is renovated,” said Rettinger, who added that she’s able to relocate due to a much lower rent.

Last month, Eric Papenfuse and Catherine Lawrence, co-owners of Midtown Scholar Bookstore, said that they would purchase the three-story building at 1320 N. 3rd St. for $55,000 from long-time owner, The West End Republican Club. The sale is due to close Nov. 1, said Papenfuse.

The dilapidated building needs to be completely renovated. In addition to The HodgePodgery, the 3,452-square-foot building will include artist studio space and Rettinger’s new travel business, Dawn’s Escapades.

“We’re delighted to be able to develop arts-oriented space, including artist’s studio space, something that will complement the Susquehanna Art Museum, as well as the (Midtown Scholar) bookstore and the Broad Street Market,” Papenfuse said.

Rettinger said that the new Hodge Podgery will have a “fresher look and feel” with many new items that will provide a higher-end shopping experience.

This building would be the fourth that Papenfuse and Lawrence own on the block. In addition to Midtown Scholar Bookstore at 1302 N. 3rd St., they own both 1300 N. 3rd St., which houses Garden Fresh Market & Deli, and 1306 N. 3rd St., the home of the Mantis Collective art gallery and Moviate film co-op.

Serving Harrisburg, Family Style: The Cribaris will greet you, feed you like family.

November 23, 2011 | by Lawrance Binda

For more than two decades, Ernie Cribari has had his living and his love.

His living was law enforcement, slapping handcuffs on criminals and fugitives as a state constable in Midtown Harrisburg and as a member of the PA Task Force for fugitive recovery.

His love, though, was always food, an affection gained at an early age by watching his grandmother Concetta and his mother Luisa, both from Calabria, Italy, work magic in the kitchen while he grew up on Allison Hill.

Now, his living and his love have become one as last month he opened his namesake trattoria, Cribari’s Ristorante, on Reily Street, in the space last occupied by Nonna’s Deli-Sioso.

“I always loved to cook,” said Cribari, a Bishop McDeviitt graduate who recently turned 50. “I saw an opportunity to get away from the handcuffs and guns and pursue my passion.”

Cribari, a 32nd-degree master Mason, actually had years of experience in the kitchen, as he’s long volunteered as the executive chef for Cedars Grove, the Mason-affiliated catering hall on Jonestown Road east of Harrisburg. So, after Nonna’s closed, he phoned owner Ray Diaz and asked about the space. And not only did he acquire the restaurant, but bought the entire building, moving into the spacious, beautifully renovated apartment upstairs.

Upon walking in, the restaurant looks much like the old Nonna’s, as Cribari acquired the place lock, stock and barrel. Beyond the decor, though, the differences are substantial.

The menu is streamlined and the prices substantially lower. Cribari starts with a core of traditional Italian dishes such as chicken parmigiana, rigatoni with a hearty, homemade tomato sauce and penne with a vodka sauce (with real Grey Goose vodka). Around those items, he wraps lunch favorites, such as hot and cold sandwiches, and even a few uniquely American dishes, like the pulled pork barbeque, of which Cribari is rightly proud.

He’s also not hesitant to get creative. Cribari’s offers specials each day, often a pasta dish, such as, on one recent evening, homemade lobster ravioli and, on another, penne and sausage in a savory marinara sauce.

At $17.95, the New York strip steak–center cut Angus beef served with a baked potato and vegetable–is, by far, the most expensive dish on the regular menu. Nearly every other item is less than $10, a price-point that, Cribari said, other area restaurateurs told him was too low.

“I’m not trying to get rich,” he said. “I just want to pay my bills and make my customers happy.”

Along the way, he’d like to give something special to the community that he’s called home all of his life.

He’s pledged to use as many locally sourced products as possible. And when he says local, he means local–produce from the Broad Street Market, a soup offering from the Soup Spot, perhaps some items from Garden Fresh Market & Deli, all located in Midtown Harrisburg. And, like Nonna’s did, he plans to start “dinner and movie” specials with the Midtown Cinema across the street.

But, mostly, he wants to give the neighborhood an affordable place to catch a nice meal, a restaurant that is friendly and comfortable and treats its patrons like one large, extended Italian family. In a way, he wants to re-create the feeling he had during his youth on Chestnut Street on Allison Hill, where food and family and friends all blended so warmly together.

“Having my own restaurant has always been my dream,” he said. “It’s even more special to be able to serve my neighborhood and community.”

Cribari’s Ristorante, 263 Reily St., Harrisburg. Open Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. BYOB. 717-412-0550.

Family, with Eggs and Toast: For 54 years, the Mallioses have nourished Harrisburg.

October 24, 2011 | by Lawrance Binda

In 1957, when James Mallios began frying eggs and making sandwiches at the Keystone Restaurant in Midtown Harrisburg, he couldn’t have known that he was starting something much greater–a restaurant dynasty.

But that’s exactly what happened. The Keystone, a diner at the corner of N. 3rd and Boas streets, has spawned three generations of restaurateurs, each adding a new angle and update to the Harrisburg dining scene.

From the Keystone came the Paradise Hotel, now called the Colony House, in Mechanicsburg, founded by sons John and Tom. Then, last year, John’s daughter, Jacquie, and her husband Steve started Brick City Bar & Grille, just a few blocks from the Keystone.

“After all these years, I can say I accomplished something,” joked James, who started his business not long after emigrating from his native Greece. “I didn’t waste my time.”

Now 77, James still begins his day at the Keystone at 5 a.m., working until 3, making his signature soups and from-scratch pot pies. And, as she has for five decades, wife Evdokia (known to all customers as Yia Yia–“grandmother” in Greek), labors beside him, preparing pastries and Greek specialty dishes, such as moussaka.

For the past decade, son John has actually owned and run the business, taking the position at the grill where he watched his father spend countless hours.

“We grew up in this restaurant,” said John. “Starting at age 9, we were cleaning and stacking dishes, peeling potatoes.”

The Keystone actually began diagonally across the street, where Mercado’s Pizza is now, and moved to its current location in 1984, when James bought the building at 1000 N. 3rd St., which was, for many years, the Senate Drugstore.

For 54 years, from that intersection, James has been witness to the sometimes-good, sometimes-troubled history of Harrisburg. Indeed, it’s a unique corner, where races and classes come together, where the people who live in the neighborhood meet the people who work there.

John, 48, remembers a time from his childhood when the 3rd Street corridor was lined with storefronts and small businesses, before many buildings were razed and turned into surface parking for state workers. His father recalls the good times, but also the bad, when floods ravaged the city, people fled and crime increased.

“It’s a lot better now,” James said. “The area has come back, and it’s a big improvement.”

Through all the ups and downs, the Keystone has been the one constant in the neighborhood. In the late 1950s, you could go there for coffee and eggs and local chit-chat–and you still can today.

John said that gabbing with his regulars is a big part of his day, making the long hours behind the grill go faster. They come in, talk local politics, kid each other about their favorite sports teams (the Indianapolis Colts for John, the Nittany Lions, Eagles and Steelers for most others).

“I know my customers personally,” he said. “I know what they’ll order and get the food started the minute they walk in.”

Recently, Buddy Winters sat at the counter enjoying a mid-morning breakfast, as he does every day.

“The food is very good,” said Winters, who makes the daily trip from his home near John Harris High School. “But I really come here because they treat me like family. They do that for everyone who comes in through the door.”

So, where does the Mallios family go from here?

Recently, Jacquie gave birth to a baby girl, who, in a year or two, will probably be running in the aisles and climbing onto the booths–just like John and his siblings did and Jacquie and her sisters did.

“We’ve all raised our kids in the Keystone,” John said.

And the dynasty continues … .

Keystone Restaurant, 1000 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. Open Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. 717-236-3273. The Mallios family would like to thank all its customers for supporting the Keystone during its many years in business.

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