Tag Archives: Harrisburg School District

Harrisburg High School alumni raise funds to help district students attend college

August 19, 2021 | by Maddie Gittens

Alumni from Harrisburg High School’s class of 1991 at their 15th reunion.

Harrisburg High School’s class of 1991 has plans to host a 30^th class reunion on Labor Day weekend, to reminisce on years past, but also to assist students of the future.

In addition to reconnecting, alumni will hold a scholarship fundraiser to support graduating seniors’ post-secondary education and technical school pursuits.

The pandemic caused a decrease in college enrollment in the fall of 2020, especially impacting students from low-income and historically underserved populations, said Danielle Hairston, director of registration and social engagement for the Class of 1991 committee. Funds and scholarships that were usually available to students, weren’t anymore, she noted.

“I feel like it’s our responsibility to give back,” Hairston said. “We wanted to really be a part of the solution.”

The funds raised from the reunion will go towards the committee’s new scholarship. They hope to raise at least $10,000 in order to provide 10 students with $1,000 scholarships each. The first round of these would go to the class of 2022. They plan to announce the winners in March.

During the reunion weekend, alumni and community members can participate in a tour of the John Harris Campus, enjoy bowling, a kickball competition and an evening social event.

While the class kept up with reunions during the first 15 years post-graduation, it has been a while since many of them have seen each other now.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how much we’ve changed,” Hairston said. “I’m excited to hear about people’s journeys.”

At an awards and recognition luncheon on the last day of the reunion, the committee will unveil its scholarship with remarks from Dr. H. Major Poteat, who served the Harrisburg School District as a principal, director of secondary education, assistant superintendent and superintendent from 1984-1997.

Hairston said that they plan to continue the scholarship every year going forward, with class reunions every five years.

Not only will they be giving students scholarships, but they will incorporate workshops for parents to learn about financial aid, loans, etc.

They will also be selling alumni swag, including apparel, mugs and other items with all of the proceeds going toward the scholarship fund.

“The committee has been working hard to pull this event off, and we believe that it is about time that we get serious about supporting our village,” said Julianne Adams-Birt, chairperson and former class president for the Class of 1991, in a statement. “It is going to be a weekend to remember.”

To donate towards the Class of 1991’s scholarship efforts, contact them at [email protected]. Register for the reunion weekend, here.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

August 6, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Dishes from Tuskers Indian Fusion, which recently opened in Harrisburg. Photo by Rachel Lindsley.

It’s looking like a hot weekend ahead in Harrisburg, so find a pool, lake or AC unit to lounge by while you catch up on this week’s news, listed and linked, below.

Back-to-school checklists are back, but may look different this year. Our magazine story has tips for students and families on how to prepare for the upcoming academic year.

Bethel Village officials made some adjustments to their plan for an affordable senior housing development based on community feedback, our reporting found. At a zoning board meeting this week, they said that they may have some solutions for neighbors’ concerns around parking.

The Department of Education held a free vaccine clinic this week for children aged 12 or older in preparation for the upcoming school year, our reporting found. On Wednesday, kids received the Pfizer vaccine in the Keystone Building in Harrisburg.

Drew Wilburne, aka Big Happy, recently released his first single “Summer Sleep,” our online story reported. Wilburne, a Harrisburg resident, was inspired by his father who has Parkinson’s disease, to write a song about cherishing time with loved ones.

Three Harlem Renaissance poets had ties to Harrisburg and are still influencing the city, our magazine story reported. Now, 100 years later, local artists and teachers are using their stories to inspire a new generation of Harrisburg students.

The Harrisburg School District denied the application of a proposed nursing-focused charter school that hoped to open in Midtown, our online story reported. Pennsylvania Nurses Middle College Charter School officials are deciding what to do next.

The Jackson Lick Pool reopened this week after being closed for over a year due to the pandemic, our online story reported. The pool’s hours have been modified to allow for sanitation, and the Hall Manor pool remains closed.

Local news is at the heart of TheBurg, but does it have a future? Our editor discusses the challenges that small papers face, but also how unique local coverage may be what keeps them alive.

Sara Bozich has you covered, as far as your weekend plans go. Listen to some live music, shop at the HBG Flea, or find another fun event to attend from Sara’s Weekend Roundup.

Tuskers Indian Fusion recently opened in Harrisburg, offering traditional Indian food with a twist. In our magazine story, read about how owners Lycka and Sunil D’Souza made their restaurant dreams come true.

The Westshore Wildlife Center in Etters offers rescue, rehabilitation and conflict resolutions for wild animals, as well as education for humans, our magazine story reported. The facility’s most common clients comprise, but aren’t limited to, Eastern cottontails, possums, turtles, squirrels and ducks.

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Proposed nursing-focused charter school denied by Harrisburg School District

August 4, 2021 | by Maddie Gittens

The Midtown II building, the proposed site of the PA Nurses Middle College Charter School

A proposed charter school that hoped to bring nursing courses to Dauphin County students has struck out for now.

In July, the Harrisburg School District denied an application for the Pennsylvania Nurses Middle College Charter School, which had plans to open in Midtown for the 2022-23 school year.

“I have carefully evaluated the record based upon the standard set forth in the charter school law,” said Janet Samuels, the state-appointed receiver for the district. “It is my conclusion that the application does not meet those standards and should be denied.”

This is the second time the proposed charter submitted an application. The first, in February 2020, also was denied.

The district received the second application in March 2021 and proceeded with two hearings.

According to the charter’s CEO Betsy Snook, the school would serve as a pipeline for students in grades 9 through 12 to continue on potentially to obtain baccalaureate degrees and enter the nursing field. They also hoped to address the racial disparity in the nursing field by attracting and training minority students, she said. The district, she said, doesn’t have a program like this.

“I think it’s unfortunate for the Harrisburg School District students, and it’s unfortunate for our profession,” Snook said of the application denial, when reached by phone on Tuesday.

The school would have been located in GreenWorks Development’s Midtown II building, alongside the PA STEAM Academy.

The proposed school was founded by the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association, which Snook also oversees, and the Nursing Foundation of Pennsylvania.

Samuels said that, for numerous reasons, she had concerns with the school’s plans.

Those concerns included a belief that the charter did not provide demonstrated support from community members, teachers, parents or other stakeholders, she said.

Samuels also said that the school might not provide a comprehensive learning environment to students, stating that the district didn’t receive a complete curriculum that meets state standards from the charter. She added that the charter failed to provide a plan for its healthcare classes and components–the main aspect of the school.

Snook said that the charter did have a comprehensive curriculum, that she worked on it herself, but that they didn’t provide the district with all of the components of it.

“This curriculum has infused throughout it all of the nursing practices that are required within the profession,” she said. “But we neglected to get it all in there. That’s OK with us for now. I’m not sure I wanted them to have all of the curriculum that we proposed.”

Snook expressed concern that the district might take some of their ideas from the proposed curriculum.

Samuels’ other reasons for denial included concern over the proposed school’s budget and alleged inadequate support services for English language learners and minority students.

“I find that the proposed charter school would not serve as a model for other public schools,” Samuels said.

But Snook refuted that fact, saying that they had a sound budget and proposed student support systems.

“That budget was a good budget,” she said. “What they were concerned about was that we forgot to add a janitor.”

Snook said that the charter’s board plans to meet and discuss their next move in the coming weeks.

For more information about the Pennsylvania Nurses Middle College Charter School, visit their website.

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Harrisburg & Harlem: Programs spotlight three local women hailed as Harlem Renaissance poets

July 30, 2021 | by M. Diane McCormick

Esther Popel

I pledge allegiance to the flag—
They dragged him naked
Through the muddy streets,
A feeble-minded black boy!

—“Flag Salute” by Esther Popel

This pretty futile seam,
It stifles me—God, must I sit and sew?

—“I Sit and Sew” by Alice Dunbar-Nelson

Oh, little brown girl, born for sorrow’s mate,
Keep all you have of queenliness,
Forgetting that you once were slave,
And let your full lips laugh at Fate!

—“To a Dark Girl” by Gwendolyn Bennett

Esther Popel, Alice Dunbar-Nelson and Gwendolyn Bennett were three major voices of the Harlem Renaissance—lost to time, in part, because those voices belonged to women.

All three poets had ties to Harrisburg. Now, 100 years later, Harrisburg artists, civic leaders and historians are educating a new generation of students who find inspiration in their stories.

In an age rededicated to equity, lessons about the artists of the Harlem Renaissance confirm the imperative of paths to opportunity and promise.

“With learning about yourself, about your culture, you are definitely able to propel your community and become your full self, knowing who you are and being comfortable in your skin, being an African American,” said Courtney Brown, president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Epsilon Sigma Omega Chapter, Harrisburg, which is educating students about the Harlem Renaissance and the three poets. “This allows for that, to say you have forefathers who have been in poetry, art and dance, and you’re able to continue on that legacy and be glad in it.”

Alice, Esther, Gwendolyn

Harrisburg. Harlem Renaissance. Safe to say, the two are rarely linked. Until now.

The Harlem Renaissance was the flowering of African American culture in the 1920s and ‘30s. The likes of Langston Hughes, Paul Robeson, Marcus Garvey and Josephine Baker flourished amid a literary, musical, activist and intellectual environment devoted to creativity, free expression and Black empowerment.

In the years before the Harlem Renaissance, Harrisburg had its thriving 8th Ward, where African Americans joined a diverse mix of cultures and faiths to build homes, businesses and places of worship. By the 1920s, it was gone, demolished to make way for the expansion of the state Capitol grounds.

On the Capitol grounds, the Commonwealth Monument now commemorates the civic and economic vitality of the Old 8th. Among 100 names listed of the residents who gave the 8th Ward a place in history, three are poets whose voices battled injustice.

Alice Dunbar-Nelson (1875-1935): Author, poet, playwright, publisher, peace activist. Indefatigable suffragist whose 1915 speaking tour across Pennsylvania—including an audience of 1,000 at Harrisburg’s Wesley Union AME Zion Church—challenged men, in the words of one headline, “to Present Real Argument Why Women Should Not Vote.” Her poem, “I Sit and Sew,” seethes against an African American nurse’s only pathway to contributing to the World War I effort while men died “in that holocaust of hell, those fields of woe.”

Harrisburg tie: The marriage to her first husband, poet Paul Lawrence Dunbar, fell apart amid his abuse and alcoholism. After his death in 1906, she married prominent Harrisburg publisher Robert Nelson and split her time between Harrisburg and Wilmington, Del.

Esther Popel (1896-1958): Poet, writer, educator, editor of African American periodicals. The academically gifted Popel (also known as Esther Popel Shaw) was the first Black woman to graduate from Dickinson College, which named the Popel Shaw Center for Race & Ethnicity in her honor. Popel’s searing “Flag Salute” juxtaposes lines from the “Pledge of Allegiance” with an account of a highly publicized Maryland lynching (“With Liberty—and Justice—They cut the rope in bits/And passed them out/For souvenirs, among the men and boys!”).

Harrisburg tie: Born and raised, a graduate of Central High School.

Gwendolyn Bennett (1902-1981): Poet, artist, commentator, a founder of the Harlem Renaissance. Langton Hughes, Countee Cullen and Zora Neale Hurston conversed in the salons that Bennett hosted.

Harrisburg tie: Born in Louisiana but kidnapped by her father after her parents divorced, she grew up in the 8th Ward and excelled at Harrisburg schools.

As the Commonwealth Monument project accelerated, local historians and artists spotted the ties between the three women.

“These are really significant women,” said Messiah University Professor Jean Corey. “It’s not like Gwendolyn Bennett was a little bit of Harlem Renaissance. She helped start the Harlem Renaissance.”

The creative lights of the Harlem Renaissance, including Harrisburg’s contributors, form the centerpiece of an arts-education initiative meant to fill gaps in African American cultural history caused by cuts to the arts in schools, said Brown.

The service sorority’s in-school programs planned for this fall could culminate in performances that provide “opportunities for students to showcase their talents and maybe develop their gifts in a way that they didn’t realize their ancestors before them have already done here in America.”

“It’s not something new,” Brown said. “It’s something that they can continue.”

“This Happened Here”

For students, shining a light on women from Harrisburg who built national followings through uncompromising words inspires the realization that others have blazed a path, said Brown.

“They can be engaged in the arts in this way, and it gives them some commonality to say, ‘I can lead from where I am because other people have done it,’” she said.

For girls, Brown added, the women offer “mentorship through history. They’re seeing themselves, and they’re also seeing that there’s opportunity, especially when times arise again that you’re looking at the difficulties of sexism in America. They’re able to see that they can propel through those difficulties and obstacles and stand on top of their fields, be it athletics, be it science, be it entertainment.”

Bennett and Popel definitively answer the question, “Can anything good come out of Harrisburg School District?” said Sharia Benn, founder, president and executive artistic director of Sankofa African American Theatre Company.

“This happened here,” she said. “Esther would not have been what she became if she had not been here. I continue to be amazed. In the face of exclusion and adversity, she still rose. These women are phoenixes.”

Give today’s students the same access and opportunity, Benn added, and they, too, can develop “creative legacies of honor and legacies that honor our present, our past and will reflect our future.”

Conduits for Education

Benn had a “wait a minute” epiphany while developing her play, “Voices of the Eighth.” It was approaching 2020, a year of elections and census. Culling sources from the 100 Voices/Commonwealth Monument Project, she spotted the three poets and the parallels to our times.

“These women spoke to the importance of being counted,” Benn said. “They addressed the importance, as a woman, of being seen as a valuable member and contributor to their society and to politics and to policymaking.”

Benn wrote Bennett and Popel into “Voices of the Eighth” (a.k.a. “VOTE”), presented for students and audiences throughout the area. As a pandemic-year follow-up, Benn created a virtual presentation, “Do You Know Me?” featuring Dunbar-Nelson and her most famous poem, “I Sit and Sew.” That presentation, with talkback and study guide, reached 2,500 students and teachers.

The women’s poetry—including Bennett’s powerful “To a Dark Girl”—enraptures students already accustomed to word slams and rap, said Benn.

“Being able to use those rhythms presented with words is engaging,” Benn said. “They’re hearing history that they’ve never heard before, never encountered before, didn’t even think was possible.”

Brown experienced the power of that connection with a group of St. Stephen’s School boys, seemingly too cool to engage in a workshop with renowned poet Nikki Grimes. Then they used the poetry of the Harlem Renaissance to inspire their own raps, and they were all in.

“This was a way to showcase their talents, to show that music is not only rhythmic, but it’s also a way to express yourself as a writer,” Brown said.

In the coming year, Benn hopes to explore the characters more fully in a “VOTE Part Two,” Because their calls for human rights and dignity continue.

“It’s sad but true,” she said. “They’re calling out for equality, for compassion, for justice and also to other African Americans, particularly women, to fight for freedom, to recognize the beauty that is in us as a people, to celebrate that. It’s also an appeal to humanity to live and fight for the marginalized, to recognize that an inclusive and respectful society is the most healthy and progressive and successful society.”

For more information on Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Epsilon Sigma Omega Chapter, visit www.akaepsilonsigmaomega.com.

For more information on Sankofa African American Theatre Company, visit www.sankofatheatrehbg.com.

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“I Believe in Me”: Harrisburg educator Markisha Peace teaches students a lesson she also had to learn—self-love

July 30, 2021 | by Maddie Gittens

Markisha Peace

When Markisha Peace found out she had won an award recognizing her as one of 14 impactful educators in central Pennsylvania, she cried. But they weren’t tears of joy.

“It was tears of ‘why me?’” she said. “What do they see in me? What makes me so special?”

This past year was Peace’s second year of teaching fourth-grade students at Foose Elementary School in the Harrisburg School District. After graduating from Millersville University, Peace found herself with a job offer from Harrisburg, the district she grew up in. It wasn’t where she had seen herself teaching—in fact, she wasn’t looking to return to Harrisburg at all. But, Peace said, she now knows it’s exactly where she’s supposed to be.

When Peace received word that she was selected by WITF and the Rotary District 7390 as a winner of their 2021 Teacher Impact Awards, she doubted herself. She held only two years of experience, a small fraction compared to her seasoned colleagues, some who were teachers when she was still a student.

But then she thought about her students. She thought about everything she teaches them about confidence and self-love.

“I had to speak positivity to myself,” Peace said. “I’m working on helping my kids have those positive self-affirmations because, when I was a child, I feel as though if I practiced them more, I wouldn’t be struggling so much as an adult.”

In Ms. Peace’s classroom, it’s one where negative self-talk isn’t tolerated and positive affirmations are taught instead. It’s one where everyone feels included and welcomed—that’s her goal. Being in Peace’s class “just feels good,” said Foose Assistant Principal Michelle Archie, who nominated Peace for the Impact Award, something she’s never done for any teacher before.

“I love going to her class,” Archie said. “I always wanted to stay. You leave feeling like a better person.”

Safe Haven

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced Foose Elementary to shut its doors early in 2020, as it did all schools in the Harrisburg district, Peace hadn’t even finished her first year as a teacher.

It was hard for her, she said—there wasn’t closure. But she knew it would be even harder for many of the kids.

“For a lot of them, coming to school is their safe haven,” she said. “I’ve definitely learned to maintain my resilience through this and to be strong, not just for myself but for my students.”

Peace sent cards to all of her students, and to this day, still keeps in touch with her first class. Once a month, she hosts movie nights for them. It’s important that all of her students feel valued, the way her teachers made her feel when she was a student.

“She says that she loves us like her own kids,” said Alexanderia, one of her past students in a video recording.

As a kid, Peace grew up in Uptown Harrisburg in a single-mother household. From a young age, she loved school. She loved learning in her classes and staying after school for extracurriculars. When she wasn’t in school, she was playing pretend school with her cousins or complaining about being home during the summer.

But Peace also experienced bullying during her time as a student, which caused her to doubt herself. At the same time, she struggled with having an absent father.

“I sought out a lot of my teachers for guidance, for support, for love, and they fell nothing short of providing that,” she said.

Just like Peace with her students, her own teachers are still involved in her life. In 2019, many of them threw Peace a first-year-of-teaching party to celebrate her accomplishments and journey ahead.

“It took my first year of teaching for me to realize that this is exactly where I need to be,” she said. “I’ve had moments where I reflect, and I actually get tears of joy knowing that it worked out, not how I wanted, but how it was supposed to.”

I Believe

On the wall of Ms. Peace’s classroom hangs a body-length mirror with positive affirmations written around it.

When she sees students getting discouraged or doubting themselves, Peace will point them to the mirror to refocus.

“I’ll say, ‘go look at yourself in that mirror, talk to yourself the way you would talk to a friend,’” she said. “You wouldn’t say to a friend, ‘you can’t do this, you’re stupid.’ So, why would you say it to yourself?”

Her lessons on positivity have paid off, she said. She’s seen the way students have not only learned to be kind to themselves, but it’s impacted how they treat their peers.

During a virtual Zoom lesson one day, Peace called on a girl to read something aloud. The girl agreed, with a disclaimer that she had speech problems and didn’t like the way she sounded. Another student messaged the girl in the group chat saying, “your voice is beautiful; we love when you speak,” Peace said.

“They’ve completely taken the baton and ran with everything they’ve learned,” she said.

It’s all Peace could ask for—her students making strides toward loving themselves and each other. It’s something Foose Principal Will Hicks is happy to see, as well.

“She fits in extremely well with the culture of this school district,” Hicks said. “We are trying to build relationships with our kids. Everybody does that in our building, but Ms. Peace is phenomenal.”

Believing in herself the way that others do is still hard for Peace, but she’s come a long way since her days as a student. With each lesson she teaches her kids, she reminds herself, too.

“It’s an honor to know that people see in me what I sometimes struggle to see in myself,” she said. “I can help my kids heal and it’s kind of, in a way, healing for me, as well, because I go back to heal my younger self.”

This past year, Peace selected a class song for her students, an anthem for them. It was “I Believe” by DJ Khaled and Demi Lovato. When I later listened to it, I was struck by how perfect it fit with the atmosphere of her classroom. The pop artists may have sung it in a way that was catchy and hip, but it’s what Peace has been instilling in her kids all along.

“Today, I saw a rainbow in the rain/ It told me I can do anything/ If I believe, I believe, I believe in me/ I believe, I believe, I believe in me.”

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

July 9, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

The new superintendent of the Harrisburg School District, Eric Turman, was sworn into office this week.

We’ve definitely made it to the dog days of summer here in Harrisburg. That’s also the theme of this month’s TheBurg Podcast, out now. If you liked our July magazine stories, the podcast digs even deeper into several of them. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, but first, catch up on the latest local news, listed and linked, below.

COVID-19 vaccines are being offered in the Harrisburg area at two upcoming clinics, our online story reported. On July 14 and 15, Harristown Enterprises will sponsor a clinic inside of Strawberry Square, and Central Penn College will hold one on July 16 and again on Aug. 6.

Eric Turman was sworn in as the new superintendent of the Harrisburg School District this week, our online story reported. Turman was the former principal of Reading High School before starting his position with Harrisburg on July 1.

Gun violence awareness will take center stage at an event at Italian Lake Park this weekend, our online story reported. A Harrisburg mother planned the event to honor those affected by gun violence in the community.

H*MAC’s former owners were awarded millions in a defamation lawsuit, our reporting found. Judge John McNally awarded them about $4.7 million in combined damages, ruling that they were defamed in online comments.

Harrisburg City Council approved two development projects, including a community of tiny homes for veterans on S. Front Street and a mixed-use office and apartment building on N. Cameron Street. For more information on other approved resolutions, read our online story.

Harrisburg City Council’s finance chair, Ben Allatt, voiced concern over a proposed debt repayment plan, our reporting found. He and council President Wanda Williams say the city can settle its debt with cash on hand, rather than through a proposed refinancing.

Harrisburg Young Professionals’ Italian Lake Concert Series kicks off this weekend, our reporting found. Local musician Shine Delphi will perform for free on Sunday.

Levi Fetterman has touched the hearts of many of his Twitter followers, even without opposable thumbs. Our magazine article tells the story of the lovable pup who was rescued by Giselle Fetterman, the second lady of Pennsylvania, and her husband John Fetterman, lieutenant governor.

Low-end real estate in Harrisburg attracts buyers from all over the country. In his column, our editor reflects on why this happens and the impact it has on residents of the city.

Murals are coming to Allison Hill and Steelton as part of the 2021 Harrisburg Mural Fest, our online story reported. Sprocket Mural Works will paint murals at the new Recycle Bicycle location in Harrisburg and at Mid Penn Bank in Steelton.

Sara Bozich highlights live music events in the Harrisburg area this weekend. Take a look at her Weekend Roundup, here.

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Eric Turman sworn in as the new superintendent of the Harrisburg School District

July 6, 2021 | by Maddie Gittens

Eric Turman, second from left, is sworn in as the school district’s new superintendent.

The Harrisburg School District celebrated a milestone on Tuesday as officials recognized the newly appointed superintendent of schools.

Former Reading High School Principal Eric Turman started as the Harrisburg superintendent on July 1, but was officially sworn in today at the district’s administration building on State Street.

“This is a very special day here in the Harrisburg School District,” Receiver Dr. Janet Samuels said. “We know that the role of superintendent is one of the most important roles and responsibilities in any school district.”

Turman was sworn into office by Magisterial District Judge Hanif Johnson.

Turman comes to the district after having served with the Reading School District for over 20 years, both as a teacher and principal.

His term as superintendent runs through June 2026. He will receive an annual salary of $179,500.

He joins Harrisburg as the district prepares for students to re-enter its buildings after over a year-and-a-half of virtual learning. Turman said that he expects to face challenges with students’ learning gaps and mental health after they’ve been at home for so long.

He also enters the district during its third and final year of state-sanctioned receivership. He took the place of Chris Celmer, who served as acting superintendent until a permanent replacement was found. Celmer said that he will remain with the district, under the office of the receiver, to help with Turman’s transition and to assist Samuels with the district’s recovery plan.

“I welcome the opportunity to collaborate with Mr. Celmer and Dr. Samuels,” Turman said.

Turman said that he plans to work with students, staff and the community, as well, to identify needs and to develop means for improvement. Visibility and developing trust within the district are important to him, he said.

“Anytime there is a question or we want to come up with a decision . . . I’m always going to say is, ‘is this best for the children of Harrisburg?’” Turman said.

He plans to do this by addressing the root issues that cause hurdles to learning among students, he said.

“I’m so excited about where I think Harrisburg can go,” Turman said.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

July 2, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Camp Curtin church was recently purchased

Have you seen Mack the cat on the front cover of our new issue yet? Grab a copy of our special pet issue of the magazine and read about Harrisburg-area fluffy friends. Also, read our local news coverage from this past week, listed and linked, below.

An affordable housing development for seniors was proposed by local developers RB Development, our online story reported. “Bethel Village” would sit at the corner of N. 6^th and Herr streets in Harrisburg.

Bob’s Art Blog raves about self-taught artist Jessie Waite. Her paintings are imaginative and abstract, inspiring viewers to enjoy the simple pleasures in life.

Camp Curtin Memorial Mitchell UMC church sat on the market for almost two years before Harrisburg couple Chris and Erica Bryce purchased it on June 10, our reporting found. The developers may potentially turn the church into an apartment building, while preserving the history.

Our editor gives a shout-out to the pets of Harrisburg featured in this month’s pet issue of the magazine.

Fireworks and pets don’t always go well together. Our magazine story has tips for how to keep your pup calm during what could be an overwhelming experience for them.

Fourth of July celebrations will be in full swing this weekend in Harrisburg, our online story reported. After the pandemic put festivities on hold last year, fireworks and food trucks will again return to Riverfront Park.

Harrisburg’s debt refinancing plan may be in jeopardy as the city’s mayor and City Council president are at odds over how to move forward, our online story reported. Council President Wanda Williams said she does not support Mayor Eric Papenfuse’s proposal to refinance some of the city’s general obligation bonds at a lower rate.

The Harrisburg School District revised its 2021-22 budget after learning that it would receive additional state funding, our reporting found. Receiver Janet Samuels approved the budget, which is now nearly balanced thanks to the grant money.

H*MAC is bringing barbecue to its menu, as Zachary’s BBQ & Soul is opening in the venue next week, our online story reported. Philadelphia-area chef Keith Taylor will offer his take on soul food staples such as Carolina pulled pork, pulled chicken, boneless short rib, pork spare ribs and Caribbean jerk barbecue chicken.

Our July News Digest provides a briefing on the top stories of the previous month. If you like “The Week that Was,” check out our monthly version in the magazine.

The Pride of the Susquehanna has set sail. Certainly, the last 16 months have been a rough go for “the Pride,” but hopefully smoother sailing is ahead, our magazine story reported.

Rice & Beans Restaurant on Allison Hill has quickly built a base of loyal patrons who visit regularly for the shop’s authentic island food. In our magazine story, read more about the owners and their restaurant, which features flavors from the Dominican Republic, Colombia and Puerto Rico, among other countries.

Sara Bozich lists ways to celebrate the 4^th of July in her Weekend Roundup. Included are Harrisburg’s Food Trucks and Fireworks festival, live music, baseball and shopping suggestions. Plan your weekend, here.

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Harrisburg School District makes revision to 2021-22 budget, nearly closes deficit

June 30, 2021 | by Maddie Gittens

A screenshot from the virtual business meeting on Wednesday.

The Harrisburg School District announced a change to the 2021-22 budget on Wednesday, after additional funding was allocated to the school.

Receiver Janet Samuels approved a revised budget of $184.8 million, closing a deficit and creating a nearly balanced budget. The budget does not raise property taxes.

Just last week, Samuels had approved a budget that used some of its federal Elementary Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to close a $5.6 million budget deficit.

District officials explained that they are receiving an additional $5.4 million in state grant money, from the Level Up PA School Funding program and Basic Education Funding. They also will receive another $356,000 in special education funding from the state.

Therefore, the new budget is nearly in balance without needing to tap the ESSER funds.

For more information, visit the district’s website.

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July News Digest

June 30, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

School District Superintendent Appointed

The Harrisburg School District has a new superintendent.

At a board meeting last month, district Receiver Janet Samuels appointed former Reading High School Principal Eric Turman as the district’s new leader.

“This is a very critical role,” Samuels said. “It encompasses providing our students with the very best, and our students so richly deserve the very best. When we think about the commitment and having a proven leader who excels—Mr. Turman is the leader who exudes those skills.”

Turman served as the principal of Reading High School in Reading for the past 10 years. He had been with that district for over 20 years, starting as a fifth-grade teacher.

After a nationwide search, the district announced Turman as a finalist in May. He began his new position with Harrisburg on July 1 and will serve as superintendent through June 2026. He receives an annual salary of $179,500.

“I’m delighted and humbled to have the opportunity to serve as your superintendent of schools,” Turman said at June’s board meeting. “I can’t wait to get started.”

Acting Superintendent Chris Celmer will help Turman transition into his role, Samuels said. Celmer has been with the district for nearly two years, but officials were looking for a permanent superintendent to fill the role as the district enters its third, and final, year of state-imposed receivership.

HBG Beach Club to Debut

A new destination is coming to City Island, as the Harrisburg Beach Club announced that it would open at the point, near the historic bathhouse.

Area businessmen Adam Maust and Bryan Donovan expect to open this month, offering patrons the opportunity to rent chairs and umbrellas, buy drinks and food, and socialize and relax. The city currently does not allow swimming from the beach.

Much of the beach area will remain outside of the Harrisburg Beach Club space, but even the part they’re renting from the city will remain open to the public, Maust said.

Built in 1921, the bathhouse marks its centennial this year, but has been mostly closed for a long time. The partners plan to use just the first floor for now, renovating the bathrooms and changing rooms.

Outside of the building, the club will feature two bars serving Pennsylvania beer, wines and spirits. They will offer beer from six local breweries on tap, as well as their own signature beer, Maust said. Food trucks will be on site for snacks and meals.

They plan to beautify the area with plants and flowers and fix and upgrade the existing sandboxes. The bars and other infrastructure are being built to be easily removable in case of flooding, Maust said.

Maust said that he envisions the Harrisburg Beach Club as a four-season destination, with cool- and cold-weather activities, such as an artificial skating rink, supplementing the summer high season.

Maust and Donovan both said that they hope their venture will help reinvigorate City Island as a destination. Over the years, the island has lost many of the small, tourist-oriented businesses once sprinkled around the 1-mile paved loop.

“Our vision is to bring people to the island to help other vendors there,” Donovan said. “This could be a catalyst for other things starting in the future.”

Maust said that he believes that people will be attracted by the uniqueness of the location, including the views of the Susquehanna River and city skyline.

“People will enjoy meeting up at an enchanted spot in the city,” he said. “We’re hoping to add value to spending the day on City Island.”

Midtown, Allison Hill Projects Get Go-Aheads

Several development projects in Harrisburg received their final city approvals last month, allowing them to begin.

During a virtual legislative session, City Council approved the land development plan for conversion of the former Salvation Army building in Midtown to a 16-unit, market-rate apartment building.

The “Lofts in Midtown,” by Wormleysburg-based Integrated Development Partners, will convert the 10,920-square-foot building at Green and Cumberland streets to one- and two-bedroom units. A paved lot across the street will provide parking for the project.

Council member Danielle Bowers was the sole vote against the project, objecting to the fact that all units would be market-rate. In April, the city approved a package of bills to incentivize the construction of affordable housing in Harrisburg.

The building, built in 1954, has been empty since late 2019, when the Salvation Army relocated to its current location on the 500-block of S. 29th Street.

Council also approved a development project to construct six town homes on Allison Hill at Hummel and Kittatinny streets. Tri-County HDC plans to demolish a building currently on the property and construct affordable housing.

The project has received a $500,000 state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant.

The project is part of the South Allison Hill Safety Plan, a partnership between several nonprofit organizations that aims to make the neighborhood safer. Gary Lenker of Tri-County said previously that he hopes to break ground on the project later this summer.

Cathedral Education Center Breaks Ground

A new Catholic education center took a key step forward with a ceremonial groundbreaking in downtown Harrisburg.

Surrounded by students of Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School, Bishop Ronald Gainer led the groundbreaking in a parking lot near the future Cathedral Education Center.

“This is a great day for our parish and for downtown Harrisburg,” Gainer said.

The project will renovate and combine two buildings: the 1951 Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School on Liberty Street and the 112-year-old Shanahan Center on North Street.

When the project is complete, the diocese plans to consolidate its two Harrisburg elementary school campuses at the facility—the Cathedral Campus, which serves pre-K and grades 5-8 in downtown Harrisburg, and the Holy Family Campus, which serves grades K-4 and is located on Allison Hill.

The pastor of St. Patrick Cathedral, the Rev. Joshua Brommer, said that the $5.7 million project will proceed in three phases.

The first phase is a three-story, 3,250-square-foot addition between the two buildings, which are currently separated by a walkway. The construction phase will combine the buildings and create a new school entryway and house an elevator.

The second phase will follow, turning the Shanahan Center into classroom, laboratory and dining space. A third phase will include the renovation of the existing elementary school building on Liberty Street.

When completed, the school will have 10 new classrooms, a STEM lab, art and music facilities and a new dining hall in 26,475 square feet of space.

The project architect is Mechanicsburg-based TKS Architects, with Harrisburg-based JEM Group as the general contractor.

Toni Morrison Bench Unveiled

Just a few days before Juneteenth, the holiday that celebrates the end of slavery in the United States, Harrisburg dedicated an African American historical marker.

Last month, a new bench, named after the late author Toni Morrison, was unveiled on the state Capitol grounds.

The bench sits near the recently erected Commonwealth Monument Project’s large bronze monument at 4th and Walnut streets. Officials hope it will serve as a place for people to sit and reflect on the history before them.

The bench is part of a network of 30 benches installed around the world by the Toni Morrison Society for its “Bench by the Road” project. According to Craig Stutman, project chair, the idea came from something Morrison said in an interview. She believed that there needed to be more monuments to African American history, Stutman said.

“Having a Toni Morrison Society Bench by the Road, right here, is a reminder to all of us of the importance of marking and remembering our missing histories,” said Gov. Tom Wolf, who spoke at the event.

The bench, along with the Commonwealth Monument, recognizes the history of the Old 8th Ward, a historically Black and immigrant neighborhood in Harrisburg that was destroyed to expand the Capitol grounds.

Also at the event, Commonwealth Monument Project officials presented Wolf with a bronze replica of a map of the Old 8th Ward.

Home Sales, Prices Up

Home sales and prices climbed in the Harrisburg area during May, according to the area’s realty association.

Last month, the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors reported that total sales shot up to 722 houses versus 357 in May 2020, as the median price rose to $239,950 compared to $205,000 a year ago.

Last year’s sales numbers were affected by the state-mandated industry shutdown during the month, due to the pandemic. A better comparison may be May 2019, when 720 houses sold at a median price of $191,850.

In Dauphin County, 347 houses sold in May for a median price of $210,000, versus 167 houses in the prior year for $176,000, GHAR said.

Cumberland County had sales of 335 homes in May compared to 149 in the year-ago period, while the median price increased to $265,000 from $233,000.

In Perry County, 33 houses sold versus 19 the year before, as the median price rose to $217,000 versus $154,700 in May 2020.

Houses were also selling much faster than in recent years. The “average days on market” dropped to 21 days, compared to 53 in May 2020 and 51 in May 2019, according to GHAR.

So Noted

Chad Saylor last month was appointed as a Dauphin County commissioner. Saylor, the county’s long-term chief clerk, replaced commission Chair Jeff Haste, who resigned in May to pursue a private-sector opportunity.

Comcast opened a new Xfinity store last month at Hershey Square, 1154 Mae St., Hummelstown. In addition to product demonstrations, customers can find about services or devices, learn about Xfinity apps, sign up for Xfinity services, pay bills at kiosks, return or acquire equipment, and purchase accessories for mobile devices.

Deborah Addo has been named the new executive vice president and chief operating officer of Penn State Health. Addo, the president at Inova Loudoun Hospital in Virginia, will join the health system in August and succeeds Alan Brechbill, who retired in 2020.

Harrisburg Academy last month named Lindsay Bowman as the next head of its middle and upper schools. Bowman, director of the academy’s centers for experiential learning and innovation, succeeds Benjamin Murphy, who left to pursue an out-of-state teaching opportunity.

Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC last month received renewal of its “5-Star Accreditation” from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This distinction is achieved by fewer than 5% of chambers across the nation and signifies “transparent governance practices, sound financial controls, safe work environments, value in programming and effective communications,” according to the U.S. Chamber.

Harristown Enterprises last month celebrated the interior construction phase of its newest residential project in downtown Harrisburg, Menaker Apartments. The century-old Market Square building is slated to become 28 one- and two-bedroom units. The building last housed the Skarlatos Zonarich law firm, which has relocated to Strawberry Square.

Jennifer Wilburne has been named a Harrisburg School District board director, appointed by Receiver Janet Samuels. Wilburne, an official with the Wolf administration, replaces Jayne Buchwach, who resigned after moving out of the district.

Penn State Health last month opened two new medical facilities locally. Penn State Health Medical Group-Blue Ridge is located at 1540 Alexandra Lane, Harrisburg, and Penn State Health Diagnostic Center-Union Deposit is located at 4250 Union Deposit Rd., Harrisburg.

West Shore Home opened its new corporate headquarters last month in Mechanicsburg. Founded in 2006 as a locally based home improvement company, it now operates in 12 states, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Widener University’s Commonwealth Law School last month announced the appointment of Michael J. Hussey as dean. Hussey, a long-time professor, has served as interim dean since 2020 and previously served as associate dean for academic affairs.

Changing Hands

Adrian St., 2455: L. Mahoney to A. Muhammad, $68,900

Balm St., 106: Lagr Properties LLC to SL Homes LLC, $32,500

Barkley Lane, 2526: G. Smilek to Wyco Investments LLC, $70,000

Bellevue Rd., 1915: J. Charles to D. Vanlee, $32,000

Benton St., 551: D. Thompson & Y. Brown to A. Taylor, $102,000

Berryhill St., 1309: Anpat LLC to J. Monegro, $85,000

Boas St., 409: P. Cannon & M. Hertrich to T. Devaraj, $210,000

Briggs St., 205: Trip Aces LLC to BD Property Management LLC, $137,000

Briggs St., 1617: Amos Financial LLC to Gamma One LLC, $48,500

Calder St., 115: Penn Real Estate Solutions LLC to JMW Property Group LLC, $108,000

Calder St., 215: M. & A. Zehring to C. Fee, $100,000

Chestnut St., 2120: JBAB LLC to D. & K. Thompson Leader, $265,000

Chestnut St., 2304: M. & K. Johnson to N. Dexter & D. Madsen, $254,500

Croyden Rd., 2933: A. Wood to M. Cabrera, $68,000

Derry St., 2459: C. Spinner to B. Ortega, $40,000

Derry St., 2526: E. Dale to T Wy Enterprise LLC, $45,000

Division St., 423: Ahmadiya Movement in Islam Inc. to D&F Realty Holdings LP, $110,000

Duke St., 2435: A. Clark to V. & T. Raskot, $124,500

Duke St., 2441: A. & R. Clark to V. & T. Raskot, $118,000

Ellersie St., 2346: D. Clark to HBK Properties 1 LLC, $76,500

Emerald St., 650: Spring Dell Investments LLC to Awesome Tenants LLC, $44,000

Forrest St., 603 & 605: Neidlinger Enterprises LLC to A. Eiras, $139,500

Forster St., 1839: C. Arnold to Tender Loving Care Healthcare Services, $30,500

Fulton St., 1706: C. Dyno & L. Houser to K. & E. O’Conor, $170,100

Fulton St., 1943: C. & L. Banks to R. Mpinga, $114,900

Green St., 909: Schoolhouse 1 Holdings LLC to 909 Lofts LLC, $5,500,000

Green St., 1320: C. & S. Boettinger to D. Martin & N. Douglas, $175,000

Green St., 1419: Lancaster Real Estate Fund LLC to M. DeJesus, $139,000

Green St., 1526: M. Goldberg to S. Jusufovic, $147,000

Green St., 1601: M. Goldberg to S. Jusufovic, $141,000

Green St., 1828: M. Vaccarella to N. Luong & N. Nguyen, $170,000

Hanna St., 103: DLK Properties LLC to T. Kham, B. Kong & L. Kun, $136,000

Hoerner St., 110: S. Gllis to SPG Capital LLC, $45,000

Hunter St., 1610: P. Anandan to K. Williams, $64,750

Kensington St., 2030: D. Rosario to Two Three Two Investments LLC, $43,000

Kensington St., 2245: D. & T. Nguyen to H. Nguyen & Q. Lu, $45,000

Luce St., 2361: Kirsch & Burns LLC to Integrity First Home Buyers LLC, $40,000

Manada St., 2029: F. Avila to M. Loja, $75,000

Market St., 1248: Cleotilde Inc. to C. Munoz, $55,000

Market St., 1901: M. & J. Buchwach to G. & C. Lutz, $159,900

Mercer St., 2419: A. Overcash to D. Franklin, $100,000

Mercer St., 2460: A. Meck to Integrity First Home Buyers LLC, $32,000

North St., 1846: J. Krum & L. Crum to A. Jones, $89,000

N. 2nd St., 1008: M. Kushner to Grentals LLC, $190,000

N. 2nd St., 1410: R. & R. Janes to Gamehenge Properties LLC, $221,000

N. 2nd St., 2127: A. Graffius to A. Nicols, $147,500

N. 2nd St., 2131: BCRA Realty LLC to C. & K. Potter, $149,900

N. 2nd St., 2220: G. Rhoads to Planet 3 Properties LLC, $46,500

N. 2nd St., 2434: P. Kessler to M. Juba, $270,000

N. 2nd St., 2538: M. Parsley to C. Dickison & L. Garner, $201,500

N. 2nd St., 2812: T. Brinkley to J. & K. Reed, $350,000

N. 2nd St., 3115: C. & C. Harris to B. Smith, $175,000

N. 3rd St., 2218: D. Lee to J. & N. Grant, $40,000

N. 3rd St., 2221: W. Geisel to W. & B. Hoover, $170,000

N. 3rd St., 3134: M. Cruz to R. Myers, $140,000

N. 4th St., 1416: P. Bayer to 1417 4th Street HBG LLC, $31,501

N. 4th St., 2135: R. Rammouni & J. Hamad to JP Investment Holding LLC, $76,000

N. 4th St., 2139, 1414 Regina St.: NJR Group LLC to JP Investment Holding LLC, $456,000

N. 4th St., 2543: Neidlinger Enterprises LLC to S. Goddard, $139,900

N. 4th St., 2721: D. Chandler to K. Palmer, $100,000

N. 5th St., 3141: R. & R. Vallareal to L. & R. Biacchi, $185,000

N. 6th St., 2407: We Buy PA Inc. to D. Boyle, $36,000

N. 6th St., 2640: M. Woo to A. Gomez & N. Hernandez, $34,000

N. 16th St., 1207: M. Robinson to C. & S. Orellana, $36,500

N. 18th St., 68: LAGR Properties LLC to SL Homes LLC, $32,500

N. 18th St., 912: T. Evans to Dreams2Reality Services LLC, $50,000

Park St., 1813: J. String & M. Comp to J. Acosta, $38,000

Penn St., 1820: D. Kapil to Alex Manning Enterprises, $115,000

Penn St., 1920: T., M. & T. Sneidman to B. Taylor & A. Hibbard, $192,000

Penn St., 2130: Three Dog Properties LLC to R. Lane, $43,000

Pennwood St., 3129: T. & S. Kane to T Wy Enterprise LLC, $75,000

Race St., 562: S. Garnes to SJL Rentals LLC, $177,500

Race St., 608: Shipoke LLC & G. Dunbar to M. Parsley, $158,500

Radnor St., 618: D. Nelson to M. Temba and C. & J. Liu, $85,000

Ross St., 615: M. Cvetko to P. Melendez, $50,000

Rumson Dr., 2659: P. Chapman to Bermuda Land LLC, $97,000

Seneca St., 521: E. Spencer to M. & G. James, $89,900

S. 14th St., 450: Brothers Group LLC to Luciano Transportation LLC, $110,000

S. 14th St., 521: D&L Development Inc. to E. Milanes, $85,000

S. 17th St., 1012: P. Hollinger to G&H Holdings LLC, $70,000

S. 18th St., 6: CR Property Group LLC to 2020 Luong Family Trust, $135,000

S. 19th St., 533: V. & D. Morales to Best By LLC, $81,000

S. 19th St., 535: V. Morales to Best By LLC, $81,000

S. 27th St., 800: E. Dale & D. Housel to T Wy Enterprise LLC, $45,000

S. Summit St., 161: A. Jackson & M. Wade to HLI Properties PA LLC, $69,900

State St., 231, Unit 702: LUX 1 LP to W. Stansill, $155,000

State St., 1719: R. & A. Sharp to D. & J. Shaw, $85,450

Summit St., 24: S. & M. Turner to JAAE Rental Properties LLC, $45,000

Susquehanna St., 1823: G. & B. Hanthorn to WCI Partners LP, $90,000

Susquehanna St., 1841: M. Reuveni to SJL Rentals LLC, $120,000

Swatara St., 2022: J. & N. Thompson to E. Milanes, $62,000

Verbeke St., 212: Kingdumb Properties LLC to C. Fee, $101,500

Verbeke St., 224: S. Crossin to K. Sun, $210,000

Verbeke St., 1731: C. Jenkins to T. Sweet, $90,000

Walnut St., 106: W. Fulton to N&R Group LLC, $85,000

Walnut St., 108: E. Etzweiler to N&R Group LLC, $175,000

Walnut St., 1232: C. & C. Hinckley to Bethsabee LLC, $45,000

Walnut St., 1431: Church of the Living God to Skycam LLC, $40,000

Woodbine St., 414: E. Bruton to M. & N. Jacobs, $35,000

Woodlawn St., 2512: C. Cain Jr. to R. Westover, $138,000

Vernon St., 1563: Lee Jang & 17th Street Cleaners to C. & S. Orellana, $34,050

Zarker St., 1825: Great Row LLC to I. Martinez, $42,000

Zarker St., 1919: D. Hargrove & D. Surbrena to R. Burgos Soto, $35,000

Harrisburg property sales for May 2021, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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