Tag Archives: harrisburg

February News Digest

February 28, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

Crime Rate Falls

Harrisburg isn’t commonly known as a low-crime city, but it may be trending that way as overall crime dropped for a third straight year.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse last month announced that total crime dropped 17.7 percent last year compared to 2015. Violent crime fell 3.9 percent while nonviolent crime decreased 31.4 percent versus 2015.

Papenfuse attributed these statistics to Chief Thomas Carter’s leadership, the implementation of a community policing strategy and recruiting talented new hires.

“I think he has set the tone for our Police Department and, as a result, his strategies are effectively trickling down to everyone, and the department is working more effectively than ever before,” Papenfuse said.

In 2016, an 18.47 percent drop in robbery led the decrease in crime compared to 2015. The city’s murder rate also fell. In 2016, Harrisburg recorded 16 murders, compared to 19 in 2015.

For 2016, auto theft was one of the few types of crime to experience an increase. Olivera said the 27.43 percent increase in auto theft reflected the past year’s cold winter when thieves take advantage of motorists warming up cars unsupervised.

Over the past three years, violent crime has dropped 27.5 percent, while nonviolent crime has fallen 29.6 percent, according to the city.

Leading the violent crime category’s three-year drop is a 50.82 percent decrease in robberies and a 36.59 percent decline in burglaries.

Free Parking Zones

There’s some good news for downtown Harrisburg motorists—more free and reduced parking options.

Last month, Park Harrisburg expanded a program that allows 15 minutes of free parking in downtown Harrisburg.

Last year, under pressure from the city administration and business owners, Harrisburg’s parking operator agreed to permit a quarter-hour of free parking in four loading zones along busy N. 2nd Street. That program has now been expanded to 26 zones throughout the central business district.

The zones are marked by new signage and curbs painted white.

In addition, the city last month announced a new mobile parking app through Atlanta-based Parkmobile LLC. Through the downloadable app, parkers pay just $1 an hour to park under a pilot program during “happy hour” times, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The new app also allows merchants to pre-purchase parking validation codes in bulk at a discounted rate for customer use. Moreover, the “LUVHBG” code, which allows four free hours of parking on Saturday, will remain in effect with the new app.

The parking news, however, wasn’t all good.

Last month, Park Harrisburg stopped allowing those using a credit card to buy only a half-hour of parking. Credit card users now must purchase at least one full hour of parking, which costs $3 downtown and $1.50 in Midtown and south of downtown. Afterwards, they can extend their parking sessions in half-hour increments.

When using coins, motorists can continue to buy parking in smaller amounts. For a quarter, parkers get five minutes of time downtown and 10 minutes elsewhere.

Zembo for Sale

One of Harrisburg’s most unique historic buildings is up for sale, as the Zembo Shriners have placed their iconic temple on the market.

In January, the Lemoyne-based Bill Gladstone Group listed the 62,621-square-foot building for sale for $950,000.

The building, at N. 3rd and Division streets, long has served as meeting space for the fraternal society, in addition to hosting the annual Zembo Shrine circus and other large-scale events.

“It’s been a kick in the gut,” said Michael T. Govora Jr., a past potentate. “But we simply can’t afford to do it anymore. It’s a matter of manpower and money.”

Govora said that declining membership and increasing costs are forcing the sale. Moreover, the Shriners want to make certain that they’re able to continue with their principal mission—raising money for 22 children’s hospitals.

“We’re looking at this as a positive,” Govora said. “We’re looking for our fraternity to be fruitful for years to come and not run out of money keeping something we can’t afford.”

The local organization has about 2,200 members, he said, down from about 10,000 four decades ago.

Built in 1928-29, Zembo was designed in the Moorish Revival style, by noted local architect Charles Howard Lloyd.

Both Govora and Gladstone said that it may take awhile to sell the cavernous stone-and-masonry building, given its unique design and features, which include rooms full of dazzling, imported tiles, a large auditorium, a 120-foot minaret and 300 parking spaces.

“So much history is attached to it, so many events have been held there,” Gladstone said. “To their credit, they realized that the time had come to sell.”

Reed Gets Probation

What began as a man’s ambitious vision to develop a network of museums in a city of 50,000 people has ended with two years of probation for former Harrisburg Mayor Stephen Reed.

Judge Kevin Hess sentenced the former “mayor for life” to probation for 20 counts of receiving stolen property. Reed must also pay a $2,000 fee plus the cost of the prosecution.

Hess gave Reed’s stage-four cancer, guilty plea and clean criminal record as reasons for the probation sentencing, as opposed to jail time. He also cited improvements made to the city during Reed’s tenure as mayor.

Hess received numerous letters about the case, including a victim’s impact statement filed by the city. In it, the city requested a two-to-five-year jail sentence.

“We felt that would have been an appropriate sentence given the magnitude of the crime and a continued pattern by the mayor for not accepting the responsibility of his actions,” said current Mayor Eric Papenfuse.

Papenfuse did see some positives. Reed’s guilty plea on the 20 counts leaves the door open for civil suits and possible charges against others from the Reed administration, he said. The city also is seeking the return of the artifacts and “tractor-trailer loads” of public documents from Reed’s 28 years as mayor, he said.

Reed said he will now focus on his stage-four prostate cancer.

“It is a relief for the whole thing to be over,” he said.

More Market Parking

Harrisburg City Council last month added more free parking for patrons of the Broad Street Market.

Council voted unanimously to make James Street, William Street and N. 4th Street two-hour market parking from Verbeke to Sayford streets, starting March 10.

Previously, those streets were residential permit parking for the Marketplace neighborhood, though most of the effected blocks are lightly developed.

New Police Substations

Harrisburg soon will have more police closer to the action, as a new precinct is planned for Allison Hill while a substation opened downtown.

Harrisburg City Council last month took a step toward opening a precinct in Allison Hill, a key aspect of the mayor’s goal to implement a community policing strategy.

Council unanimously approved a resolution to work with SGS Architects Engineers of Carlisle for design and construction management. After a three-month design phase, the construction to complete the renovations will go out to bid, said Mayor Eric Papenfuse.

The Allison Hill precinct on 15th Street is the second of three “full-time, fully staffed” precincts that the mayor aims to create. The Uptown neighborhood will receive its own precinct next, he said.

A Community Development Block Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will fund the construction.

Also last month, Harristown Enterprises and the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District (HDID) opened a security and safety sub-station on 17 S. 3rd St. near Strawberry Square.

The new “S-5” sub-station serves as a hub for unarmed security officers contracted by HDID to cover the district. Pairs of officers man the sub-station five days per week to supplement the daytime presence of the Capitol police, said Brad Jones, CEO of Harristown.

“We will have patrol units continue to canvas the DID to look for situations that are unsafe and, when appropriate, call in the emergency,” he said.

State Hospital Report

The state should move quickly to sell the former Harrisburg State Hospital grounds, potentially transforming the lightly developed area into a mix of commercial and residential uses, while preserving some of its historic structures and open spaces, according to a report sent last month to the General Assembly.

The 161-page report by Lancaster-based RGS Associates recommends selling the entire 295-acre property as a single package at first. If a buyer can’t be found after a 180-day bidding period, the state should consider breaking up the land into four separate, saleable parcels, the report states.

“The Department of General Services fully supports the top recommendation to sell all four parcels together in order to put forth the most appealing opportunity for potential developers and enable them to develop the property in a way that will be most beneficial to the community,” said state General Services Secretary Curt Topper.

Nearly all of the land lies in Susquehanna Township. Only five acres is in Harrisburg proper. The RGS report recommends putting the property on the market in the first quarter of 2018.

The vast site, which extends in a meandering, broken path from N. Cameron Street to I-81, is best suited for a mix of commercial and residential uses, said the report. However, RGS recommends putting in place a covenant to preserve three of the most historic structures on the property: the dedication stone for the original 1851 main building, the 1854 Dixmont Cottage and the 1854 Dix Library.

Parkland Donated

Dauphin County this year will open a new public park, 411 acres of green space in Middle Paxton Township.

The county commissioners last month announced the formation of Detweiler Park, named for the family that is deeding the land to the county. It will be the largest of Dauphin County’s eight parks.

The Detweilers donated $897,500 of the land’s $2.4 million purchase price to the county. The remaining money came from an $887,500 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and $607,500 in county gaming grant money from Hollywood Casino.

The property includes a farmhouse, nine miles of walking trails and a fish hatchery maintained on Clark’s Creek. This summer, temporary parking and an entrance to the trails will be available at the Dauphin County Conservation District’s headquarters, 1415 Peters Mountain Rd.

Public meetings will be held later this year to get input for a master plan on what features should be developed, including a permanent parking area, fields for sporting events and potentially converting the farmhouse to a nature center.

Home Prices Up

Home sale prices climbed higher in January in the Harrisburg metro, though the number of units sold ticked down.

Throughout the area, house sales totaled 503 units compared to 557 units in January 2016, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors. The median sales price rose $1,000 to $153,000.

In Dauphin County, sales decreased 10.8 percent to 165 units versus the year-ago period, but the median price increased 4 percent to $139,900. Trends were similar in Cumberland County, as sales declined 19 percent to 163 units, and the median price rose 15 percent to $200,198. In both counties, the average days on market for houses sold fell significantly.

In Perry County, 21 houses sold versus 27 in the year-ago period, while the median price was $124,000 versus $147,000 in January 2016.

GHAR covers all of Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry counties and parts of York, Lebanon and Juniata counties.

Falcons Return

For the 17th straight year, peregrine falcons have returned to nest at the Rachel Carson state office building in downtown Harrisburg.

The pair arrived at the nesting site last month on the 15th-floor ledge of the building, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection. Following a courtship period, eggs typically are laid in mid-March.

You can watch the falcons in real-time by visiting the DEP’s FalconCam.

So Noted

Dauphin County Bar Association last month named Matthew M. Haar, a partner at Saul Ewing LLP, as the organization’s president for 2017. The association recently also honored James P. DeAngelo as Pro Bono Attorney of the Year and Clarissa L. Freeman with the Hon. Clarence C. Morrison Diversity Award.

Harrisburg Christian School announced last month that it acquired the West Shore Christian Academy, unifying under the Christian School Association of Greater Harrisburg. The two schools will continue to operate at their current campuses in Linglestown and Shiremanstown, respectively.

Melissa Nicholson, co-founder of Gamut Theatre Group, has been named president of Shakespeare Theatre Association, an international association for theaters dedicated to the works of William Shakespeare. Nicholson had served as vice president of the group for the past two years.

Rep. Patty Kim (D-103) opened a new district office last month in Kline Village in Harrisburg. The office is open weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

S&T Bank has promoted Zach Dixon of Harrisburg to assistant vice president, business banker. Dixon formerly was a credit analyst at Integrity Bank, a division of S&T.

The State Library of Pennsylvania now offers time in its “Makerspace” in the Forum building, downtown Harrisburg, for maker projects or to test out technology. Hours are weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., by appointment. For more information visit www.statelibrary.pa.gov.

In Memoriam

Mike Bowers died last month from a fall after a balcony railing gave way at an apartment house on N. 2nd Street in Harrisburg. Bowers was widely known in Harrisburg as both a flooring contractor and as a children’s magician for his company, The Magic Workshop.

Changing Hands

Barkley Lane, 2522: A. & A. Mekonnen to W. Workie, $30,000

Boas St., 407: T. Buda to L. Savageau, $156,000

Boas St., 1915: Dobson Family Limited to J. Koons, $30,000

Briarcliff Rd., 211: C. & M. Purdy to Donald L. Pong Trust, $143,000

Briggs St., 219: B. Heivly to D. Skerpon, $175,000

Calder St., 208: J. Martin to K. Landers, $99,900

Chestnut St., 1722: J. Palmer to J. Alverez, $39,000

Conoy St., 102: J. Hagan to P. Taylor & St. Gaus, $130,900

Cumberland St., 251: B. Ausubel to Keystone Properties Group LLC, $104,000

Emerald St., 234: J. Baker & C. Landry to D. Pena, $53,000

Forster St., 1837: K. Bethea Jr. to D. Hall, $34,000

Green St., 1416: J. Karns to G. & K. Fava, $145,000

Green St., 1417: T. Hayman to B. Williams, $40,000

Kensington St., 2235: Federal National Mortgage Assoc. to K. Dinh, $33,100

Locust St., 126: 126 Locust Street LP to JKC Properties LLC, $170,000

Muench St., 236: WCI Partners LP to J. O’Hara, $184,000

2nd St., 2343: G. & E. Zubrod to S. & T. Dunford, $163,500

2nd St., 2525: Sirva Relocation Credit LLC to P. & A. Ramos, $169,900

3rd St., 1619: Bank of New York Mellon Trustee to T. Fridirici, $72,539

3rd St., 2333: Well Fargo Bank NA Trustee to R. Oberton Sr., $51,333

6th St., 3131: J. & C. Kuntz to T. McDougal, $40,000

15th St., 1301: PA Deals LLC to Donegal Properties LLC, $500,000

Cameron St., 1400: 1400 N. Cameron Inc. & Consolidated Scrap Resources to Sunset Key Investors LLC, $1,400,000

Rudy Rd., 1903: K. Stratton to R. Williams Jr., $40,000

Front St., 563: R. Hostetter Jr. to K. Bernhard & K. Schwab, $109,000

State St., 219: K. & B. Sidella and J. & N. Jones to Public Sector Solutions LLC, $245,000

Susquehanna St., 1809: S. Boshnakov to S. Sehar, $45,000

Swatara St., 1436: H. & S. Yi to D&F Realty Holdings LP, $100,000

Tuscarora St., 96: C. Schemeck & J. Lilly to S. Meara & W. Satterwhite, $116,000

Waldo St., 2618: PA Deals LLC to MidAtlantic IRA LLC & Cynthia Hampton IRA, $55,000

Harrisburg property sales for January 2017, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

Author: Lawrance Binda

A Troubadour Wanders In: Folk legend John Prine pays us a visit.

February 28, 2017 | by Jess Hayden

John Prine, the legendary troubadour who writes powerful songs about common, everyday people, has often been compared to Mark Twain.

“It’s the combination of being that tender, wise and astute, mixed with his homespun sense of humor,” longtime friend Bonnie Raitt has said.

Like Twain, Prine is good at delivering a message in such a way that puts even the weightiest statements across with remarkable ease. As a result, his catalog of songs feels like treasured anecdotes shared between trusted friends.

This month, you have the chance to see Prine as he gives a rare central Pennsylvania performance at the Hershey Theatre.

Now 70 years old and a two-time cancer survivor, Prine can look back at a career that has spanned nearly five decades.

Considered to be one of the most influential songwriters of his generation, Prine has won plenty of awards, including a Grammy in 1991 for his album “The Missing Years” and another in 2004 for “Beautiful Dreamer.” In 2003, Prine was given a Lifetime Achievement Award for songwriting by the UK’s BBC Radio 2 and was also inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He has recorded with some of the biggest names in music, including Johnny Cash, Bonnie Raitt, the Everly Brothers, John Denver, Kris Kristofferson, Carly Simon, Ben Harper and Joan Baez.

Prine and his three brothers grew up in the Chicago suburb of Maywood, Ill., but he always felt rooted to the town of Paradise, Ky., where his parents were raised and he spent summers as a boy.

The town, which later disappeared when the Green River was dammed to allow boats to reach the mines owned by the Peabody Coal Co., became the subject of his popular song “Paradise.” The poignant lyrics of the song’s chorus are:

“Daddy won’t you take me back to Muhlenberg County,
along the Green River where Paradise lays.
I’m sorry my son but you’re too late in asking.
Mr. Peabody’s coal train has hauled it away.”

Prine served in the Army during the Vietnam War and was a mailman for five years before beginning his musical career in Chicago. Delivering mail gave him the time to hone his craft and, on rainy days, he has said that he would often crawl inside a postal relay box to eat a ham sandwich and work on a song. In the late 1960s, he began to sing at open mic evenings at the Fifth Peg on Armitage Avenue, where he was eventually offered a steady gig. By chance, the great film critic Roger Ebert, who worked for the Chicago-Sun-Times, saw Prine’s show and wrote in a review that he was a “great songwriter.”

Prine had become a central figure in the Chicago folk revival by the time he got his first big break. His friend, singer-songwriter Steve Goodman, had brought Kris Kristofferson to a club where Prine was playing. Liking what he saw, Kristofferson invited Prine to play with him in New York City. Soon after, Prine was offered a contract with Atlantic Records, recording his debut album. As fans of John Prine know, this album was jam-packed with some of his best songs, including “Sam Stone,” “Paradise,” “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore,” and, perhaps most famously, “Angel from Montgomery.”

The album was an instant success. Prine has gone on to record 22 additional albums and has written numerous songs that have been covered by artists such as Bonnie Raitt, The Highwaymen, My Morning Jacket, The Avett Brothers, Old Crow Medicine Show, Lambchop and Sara Watkins.

Today, Prine lives in Nashville with his wife Fiona and their three sons. Once asked if writing so many classics early in his career had put pressure on him, Prine responded that it had, but now he’s just glad that his old songs feel as fresh as they do. As his fans agree, John Prine songs have no expiration date. His lyrical storylines about people of humble means, basic desires and imperfect qualities will continue to be relevant for years to come.

John Prine performs March 31 at 8 p.m. at the Hershey Theatre, 15 E. Caracas Ave., Hershey. Ticket prices are $62.35 to $102.35. For tickets and information call 1-800-840-9227 or visit www.hersheyentertainment.com/hershey-theatre.

Author: Jess Hayden

A Better Bureau: Bureau of Fire slated to receive funds to renovate 1980s-era fire stations

February 23, 2017 | by Danielle Roth

Built in 1980, this fire station is slated to receive renovations to the dormitory.

The Harrisburg Bureau of Fire recently replaced all the curtains hanging in its two stations, which, said Fire Chief Brian Enterline, made a “night and day difference.”

Now, more significant updates are afoot for the stations.

This week, the Dauphin County Gaming Advisory Board recommended that the bureau receive $250,000 from a fund generated by revenue at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course. The Dauphin County commissioners will vote on the recommendations March 1.

The $250,000 is earmarked to renovate Fire Station #2’s roof and the dormitories in Fire Stations #1 and #2, both built in 1980.

“Really, the projects we have are overwhelming,” Enterline said. “We are just trying to hammer away and get the most bang for the buck.”

The current dormitories lack privacy, Enterline said. Right now, 16 beds sit in large, square rooms in each fire station. The renovation plans include adding walls to divide the space and installing locker rooms, he said.

“We are trying to utilize the most space possible so we don’t have a ton of wasted space,” he said. “Right now, we have a ton of wasted space.”

This will be the first major change to the dormitories since the stations were constructed, he said.

The roof renovation for Fire Station #2 includes incorporating aspects of Capital Region Water’s community greening project, an environmentally friendly way of managing stormwater runoff.

Enterline said the last roof renovation was in 1988, and now its deteriorating state threatens to lead to leaks and damages.

“Everything is original. It’s been a real challenge,” Enterline said. “We are trying to do projects as we get the money to do them, and we are trying to be the best stewards of that money.”

This funding is part of $5.6 million county-wide grants generated from a tax on Hollywood Casino in accordance with the Pennsylvania Gaming Act. A September State Supreme Court ruling determined this act violated the state constitution, leaving the future of the grant program in jeopardy.

Hollywood Casino agreed to provide grants for the first half of 2017, said Jeff Haste, chairman of the county board of commissioners.

“Hollywood Casino at Penn National has stepped up and agreed to provide local share money through at least the first half of 2017, but it is imperative that the legislature and Gov. Tom Wolf act to save this vital program,’’ Haste said in a statement.

Enterline also doesn’t want to see this funding disappear.

“The Fire Bureau has always gotten great support from the [Gaming Advisory Board],” he said. “It’s a huge benefit for our city, the region and everybody.”

The Gaming Advisory Board recommended these other local projects for funding:

$350,000 to Dauphin County Parks & Recreation for Detweiler Park acquisition
$163,236 to Susquehanna Township for public safety building debt reduction
$151,000 to Lower Swatara Township for bridge replacement and fire apparatus debt reduction
$140,650 to Paxtang Borough and Central Dauphin School District for school building safety improvements
$217,100 to Lower Paxton Township for park playground project, Penn Colonial Pool improvements and Linglestown Fire Co. Building improvement
$39,250 to Steelton Borough for firefighting equipment replacement
$110,154 to Swatara Township for water rescue response boat and vehicle and Reliance Hose Co. Station improvements
$55,000 to Penbrook Borough for Elm Street Park improvements
$43,152 to Highspire Borough for firefighting equipment
$30,000 to Dauphin County Human Services to purchase a van for transportation program
$200,000 to Dauphin County Court Administration for the construction of MDJ buildings
$127,000 to Dauphin County Conservation District for agricultural stewardship project
$69,001 to Dauphin County Land Bank Authority to renovate two vacant homes
$100,000 to PinnacleHealth for an addiction and substance abuse urgent care clinic
$33,000 to Dauphin County General Authority for maintenance equipment acquisition
$35,000 to Steelton Borough/Homeland Center for upgrades to emergency back-up generator
$70,000 to Salvation Army for new headquarters and services facility
$50,000 to Steelton Borough/Boys & Girls Club of Harrisburg for John Hall Clubhouse renovation
$50,000 to Steelton Borough/Monumental AME Church for HVAC upgrade and boiler removal
$26,204 to Susquehanna Township/Jewish Family Services for headquarters renovations
$35,000 to Susquehanna Township/American Literacy Corps for Books in Barbershops program

Author: Danielle Roth

Safety Update: For the third year in a row, Harrisburg crime dropped in major categories.

February 20, 2017 | by Danielle Roth

Harrisburg isn’t commonly known as a low-crime city, but it may be trending that way as overall crime has dropped for a third straight year.

In a press conference today, Mayor Eric Papenfuse stated that total crime dropped 17.7 percent last year compared to 2015. Violent crime fell 3.9 percent while nonviolent crime decreased 31.4 percent versus 2015.

Papenfuse attributed these statistics to Chief Thomas Carter’s leadership, the implementation of a community policing strategy and recruiting talented new hires.

“I think he has set the tone for our Police Department and, as a result, his strategies are effectively trickling down to everyone and the department is working more effectively than ever before,” Papenfuse said.

In 2016, an 18.47 percent drop in robbery led the decrease in crime compared to 2015. The city’s murder rate also fell. In 2016, Harrisburg recorded 16 murders, compared to 19 in 2015.

Over the past three years, violent crime has dropped 27.5 percent, while nonviolent crime has fallen 29.6 percent.

Leading the violent crime category’s three-year drop is a 50.82 percent decrease in robberies and a 36.59 percent decline in burglaries.

All categories of violent crime except for rape saw a double-digit decrease when looking at the past three years. Capt. Gabriel Olivera credited a change in state law that affected how the city reported rapes to jump in reported rapes last year. When combined with the sexual offenses category, as was the method before the law change, the numbers show a modest increase.

“The 2016 numbers [on rape] will provide a good baseline when moving forward,” Papenfuse said.

Papenfuse credits the community policing model with proactively affecting crime rates.

“Community policing means developing relationships with the community in such a way that proactively prevents crime from happening,” Papenfuse said.

Nonviolent crimes, also termed “quality of life” crimes, decreased 31 percent, showing double-digit drops in every category except arson compared to last year. Theft-related charges, criminal mischief and drug-related charges decreased each by at least 20 percent.

“We see more businesses come into the community because they feel comfortable and safe,” Capt. Olivera said. “That benefits all of us.”

Arson increased 29 percent from 21 arsons in 2015 to 29 arsons last year. Papenfuse linked this with the “raging opioid epidemic” in the region. Those addicted to drugs will squat in abandoned properties and start fires.

The child abuse category has seen a 23 percent increase since 2013 and a 17 percent decrease since last year. Officials credit mandatory reporting laws created in reaction to Jerry Sandusky’s child abuse scandal as the reason for the three-year increase.

Papenfuse called these numbers “impressive,” while adding that “no one is satisfied with the current crime rate.”

This summer, the Bureau of Police is expected to add at least eight new police officers in addition to 10 officers added in January, Papenfuse said. The department is actively looking for two information-support officers to assist communication and data analysis.

Papenfuse noted that the city is funneling more resources into the Allison Hill and Uptown neighborhoods. Construction on an Allison Hill safety sub-station will begin this year. After the that sub-station is functional, the city will install one in the Uptown neighborhood.

Data from the City of Harrisburg shows an overall decrease in crimes from the past year and the past three years.

Find the City of Harrisburg’s crime data, including the above chart, here.

Author: Danielle Roth

The Final Frame: Red Crown Bowl to Close Next Month.

February 16, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

Red Crown Bowl n Brew is just weeks away from closing, as the owners have decided to sell their property to their neighbor, the trucking company J.B. Hunt.

It’s a winning game for the owners, but a gutter ball for our area’s passionate bowlers, as Red Crown Bowl n Brew plans to close next month.

The Harrisburg institution will shut its doors for the last time in early March after 80 years of strikes, spares and splits, said owner Don Kirkpatrick, who is selling the property to his next-door neighbor, J.B. Hunt, the national transportation and logistics company.

“My neighbors have been after me to sell for several years, and they finally came up with a price we were looking for,” he said, declining to state the purchase price.

Red Crown first opened its doors in 1937 at 80 S. Cameron St. in Harrisburg. It moved to its current, 20,000-square-foot location on Sycamore Street in Swatara Township, just outside the city, in 1959. The Kirkpatrick family has owned it for the past 37 years.

Kirkpatrick, 67, said that he plans to retire, and his children, who have worked at the alley most of their lives, will find other jobs that don’t require having “to work weekends and nights.”

Still, Kirkpatrick described the end of the era as “bittersweet.”

“This has been my life,” he said, becoming emotional. “We’ve had so many wonderful customers over the years.”

Harrisburg Young Professionals is one of those customers, as the alley currently hosts the group’s 16-team bowling league. HYP Executive Director Derek Whitesel said that he’ll need to find a spot in one of the region’s other four bowling alleys to finish up the season, which will only be half-complete when Red Crown closes.

“It’s been a great relationship from our perspective, so we’re sad to see them being sold,” he said.

Kirkpatrick said that J.B. Hunt plans to demolish the alley’s building to expand its trucking facility, located right over a chain-link fence, as the Harrisburg area continues to grow as a center for distribution and logistics.

“I will really miss my customers,” he said. “If you see the posts on our Facebook page, it’s been just phenomenal.”

Red Crown Bowl n Brew is located at 2471 Sycamore St., Harrisburg (Swatara Township). You can read the company’s farewell at www.redcrownbowling.com or their Facebook page.

Author: Lawrance Binda

Park & Go: Harrisburg announces cheaper after-work parking, new mobile app.

February 16, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

After-work parking rates in downtown Harrisburg will be reduced again under a new pilot program for mobile app users.

The “happy hour” rate will be just $1 an hour from 5 to 7 p.m. for users of a new downloadable app offered by Atlanta-based Parkmobile LLC, which is slated to launch on March 1.

“We are excited to be working with Parkmobile,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse in a statement. “The new app will open up a lot of possibilities for parking specials throughout the city.”

Harrisburg will hold a press conference tomorrow morning to announce the new app and the “After5” reduced-rate pilot program.

Two years ago, the city convinced Park Harrisburg, which runs the city’s parking system, to reduce the “happy hour” rate from $3 to $2 an hour downtown. This rate remains in effect for all users.

Around the same time, the city also partnered with Pango USA to launch an app for mobile phone users. The Parkmobile app will replace the Pango app, which some users said had glitches that didn’t always register the parking they had paid for.

The new app will allow for additional benefits, Papenfuse said. For instance, it will give merchants the ability to pre-purchase parking validation codes in bulk at a discounted rate, which could benefit customers and workers, and has the ability to offer other offers and discounts. It will be available for users of iPhone, Android and Windows-based phones.

The city said that the popular “LUVHBG” code, which permits four free hours of parking on Saturday, will remain in effect with the new app.

Author: Lawrance Binda

City Council Update: More Broad Street Market parking; codes inspection fee increased

February 15, 2017 | by Danielle Roth

Broad Street Market patrons can expect more free parking after a City Council vote tonight to change the designation of several surrounding streets.

Council voted unanimously to make James Street, William Street and N. 4th Street free, two-hour market parking from Verbeke to Sayford streets.

Previously, those streets were residential permit parking for the Marketplace neighborhood, though most of the effected blocks are lightly developed.

Council’s action capped an active few months for Harrisburg’s historic farmers market. In December council gave the all-clear for the market to transition to a nonprofit entity by approving a lease and management agreement with the newly formed Broad Street Market Alliance.

In other news tonight, City Council approved a measure to rename a city code inspection program, calling it the “Residential Rental Unit Registration Program,” and increasing the fee for landlords requesting code enforcers to inspect rental units.

This fee increase covers the cost of a code enforcer to visit the unit, a process that takes about three hours, said Council Vice President Shamaine Daniels.

Daniels said that the city and council need to be aggressive on blight and take steps to create habitable housing, especially considering the recent fatal fall from a balcony by a man leaning on a railing.

“He’s not the only one,” she said, adding that homes with mold, structural or other blight-related issues negatively impact resident’s overall health and day-to-day lives.

“It’s a huge problem if the city doesn’t intervene and tenants are at the mercy of the power of the landlord,” she said.

Though the railing that caused Mike Clark Bowers, 59, to fall from the third story of a downtown home did not violate Harrisburg codes, it did violate federal standards, Daniels said.

City Council President Wanda Williams sent nine measures, including a resolution on the Central Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, which would further regionalize bus transit to committees for further discussion.

Author: Danielle Roth

Parking Tweeked: More free spaces, but changes come with a cost.

February 13, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

A Park Harrisburg worker assists a customer with a meter in downtown Harrisburg.

There’s some good news for folks who need to stop downtown briefly to pick up a coffee, dry cleaning or a snack.

Park Harrisburg has announced that it will expand a program that allows 15 minutes of free parking in downtown Harrisburg.

Last year, under pressure from the city administration and business owners, Harrisburg’s parking operator agreed to permit a quarter-hour of free parking in four loading zones along busy N. 2^nd Street. Starting Wednesday, that program will be expanded to 26 zones throughout the central business district.

“This solution was developed based on feedback provided by business owners in the CBD,” said Chris Sherman, an SP+ senior vice president. “The solution has been a success, making an expansion of the program the logical next step.”

Neither SP+ nor Park Harrisburg immediately stated where those zones would be, but they will be marked by signage. In addition, curbs in the zones will be painted white.

For this carrot, though, there’s also a stick.

Starting Wednesday, Park Harrisburg will stop permitting those using a credit card to buy only a half-hour of parking. Credit card users must purchase at least one full hour of parking, which costs $3 downtown and $1.50 in Midtown and south of downtown. Afterwards, they can extend their parking sessions in half-hour increments.

When using coins, motorists can continue to buy parking in smaller amounts. For a quarter, parkers get five minutes of time downtown and 10 minutes elsewhere.

For more information about Park Harrisburg’s rates, visit www.parkharrisburg.com.

Author: Lawrance Binda

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

February 9, 2017 | by Sara Bozich

From a month of almost nothing to a packed weekend. Tonight, join us at the GK Visual office in Midtown for some free live, local music.

Friday will be low-key, maybe a movie, then Saturday is the usual Next Step Performance workout followed by my weekly visit to Broad Street Market (I’m excited to pick up my first CSA share from North Mountain Pastures).

After, maybe a trip to The Great American Outdoors Show.

On Sunday, I’m thinking an at-home brunch — but later, we’re doing note for Valentine’s Day.

What are you doing this weekend?

(more…)

Up or Down? School Board to vote on new arts charter school at next meeting

February 7, 2017 | by Danielle Roth

The former building for Bishop McDevitt High School has sat vacant since 2012.

The former home of Bishop McDevitt High School may become an arts-centered charter school, pending a vote by the Harrisburg school board.

On Feb. 21, the board is slated to decide whether to grant a charter to the newly formed Arts to the Core Charter School. The school incorporates music, dance, visual arts and theater into teaching core curriculum to kindergarten through eighth-grade students, said Richard Caplan, president of Arts to the Core.

“[The arts are] an attraction for kids going to school,” he said. “The arts cater to a lot of different learning pathways. Some kids learn better by physically doing things.”

If approved, Arts to the Core will open in September for the 2017-18 school year. More than 500 children from the Harrisburg School District have pre-enrolled. The school would accept 300 students from a lottery system to fill the first kindergarten through fourth grade classes, he said.

Students do not need to demonstrate artistic ability to attend the school.

“We essentially write off their talents if we don’t try to encourage them,” said Caplan, whose academic background is in the arts.

A Lancaster-based attorney, Caplan pursued music degrees before receiving his law degree from New York University. He said he “grew up in a family of educators” and has served for 10 years on public school boards in Lancaster County.

Caplan modeled the Arts to the Core school after the North Carolina Arts Council’s A+ charter school program. He said this approach is successful with inner-city children.

“The teachers find it much more exciting to teach because it’s more creative for them,” he said. “The parents love it because the kids want to go to school instead of being coerced to go to school.”

Jim Thompson, vice president of the school board, said he supports the Arts to the Core school and the arts-centered approach.

“I think it’s a good idea. I’ll ask them if they’ll let me come in and draw,” said Thompson, an architect. “To me, having an arts charter school as a feeder program to CASA makes a lot of sense.”

He said the community has reacted positively, most saying that it will be a good use of the iconic, 115,000-square-foot building at 2200 Market St. The building has sat vacant since 2012 and has been subject to vandalism since the private Catholic school relocated to Lower Paxton Township.

“I’m sensitive to community input,” he said, adding that he would not approve the charter just because it would put the property back into use.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse also supports the Arts to the Core school, saying that the school would encourage young families to stay in or move to Harrisburg.

“There’s probably no more important issue in terms of Harrisburg’s recovery,” Papenfuse said.

An increase in population, he said, is vital to re-energizing the city and boosting the tax base.

“We have seen growth among young professionals in various sectors,” he said. “A lot of times, young people will move to the city, enjoy city living and all that it has to offer, but, when it comes time for children to become school age, they have concerns.”

Students would attend the nonprofit school for free. The district would pick up the tab, at an estimated $1 million per 60 students. The school could apply for state and federal funds, as well. As a nonprofit, the school also could accept public donations.

Laws around charter schools restrict the school board from considering cost when voting on the proposal.

“Theoretically, [the district] should save that million dollars by not educating those children,” Caplan said.

Superintendent Dr. Sybil Knight-Burney, citing legal restrictions, declined to comment on the charter school.

Caplan brought the idea to the school board last November after a difficult search for urban school buildings in York, Lancaster and Chester counties led him to the former Bishop McDevitt building.

The building, built in 1930, needs renovations, including a new boiler, a security system and accessibility updates per the Americans with Disabilities Act, he said. This construction will take four to six months and cost more than $2 million, an expense Caplan said he will pay out of pocket.

Arts to the Core will complete the purchase of the school from the Harrisburg Catholic Diocese contingent on the charter’s approval from the school board, he said. If the board approves the charter, Caplan said he will move ahead with renovations and hiring staff. He said 12 people have expressed interest in heading the school.

For more information about the Arts to the Core Charter School, please visit the Facebook page.

Author: Danielle Roth

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