Tag Archives: harrisburg

Officer Down: Update

June 19, 2013 | by Paul Barker

Harrisburg did not pay for the certification of its recently-resigned health officer, according to David Patton, the deputy director in the city’s codes office.

After his hire, in March of 2012, Johnson took and passed the state Board of Health exam, which does not involve any fee, Patton said. Subsequently, the city raised his salary by $2,000, to $42,000 annually.

City Council President Wanda Williams had previously claimed that Harrisburg “paid for him to get certified,” and cited this as one of several reasons she and other members of Council were angry that the receiver had refused to raise his salary to $50,000.

Johnson, who resigned from his position at the end of last month, took an offer from Susquehanna Township, which offered him $50,000 for its health officer position. In a resignation letter obtained this morning through a right-to-know request, Johnson told Mayor Thompson his departure was “not an easy decision.”

“My experiences working in this great city have given me many tools which I will use for the rest of my life,” Johnson wrote. “I was able to learn the true meaning of public service and how to prevail during tough times.”

Mayor’s Race: A Long, Dirty Road Ahead?

June 19, 2013 | by Lawrance Binda

And let the mudslinging begin . . .

It appears that the general election campaign for Harrisburg mayor is off to an unexpectedly early and potentially ugly start — and that start is today.

Many of the area’s prominent Democrats will gather tonight in Midtown Scholar Bookstore for a “Unity Rally” in support of the party’s nominee, Eric Papenfuse. These Dems include everyone from state officeholders (Eugene DePasquale, Rob McCord, Rob Teplitz, Patty Kim) to county (George Hartwick) to local (a bunch of City Council members). Notably, it also includes city Treasurer John Campbell, formerly a fervent Dan Miller guy, which may signal which way Miller, who won the GOP nomination as a write-in, is leaning about running as a Republican.

The Papenfuse rally evidently prompted independent candidate Nevin Mindlin to come out swinging this morning, as he released a very negative press release, which starts out:

“Nevin Mindlin, Independent candidate for Harrisburg Mayor, today denounced the Dauphin County Democrat party’s call for post primary unity on behalf of Eric Papenfuse as an abject failure. Citizens across the political spectrum, including those at the heart of the local Democrat party organization, continue [to] express distrust of the primary winner.”

And it doesn’t get any more positive from there. [Note to Nevin: If you want to get the support of Democratic voters, don’t use the silly Republican slight “Democrat Party.” Free advice.]

Meanwhile, the (so far) two-way race is about to turn into a three-way, with the entry this afternoon of Air Force Staff Sgt. Nate Curtis, who will announce as an independent. No word yet on when, or whether, he’ll start to go negative.

When Papenfuse won the primary last month, the mayor’s race appeared to be mostly settled in this largely Democratic town. That may still be the case, but now it seems like it could be a long, dirty road to Nov. 5.

Paved Paradise: Update

June 17, 2013 | by Paul Barker

Tonight’s meeting at the Zoning Hearing Board has been cancelled, according to Geoffrey Knight, the city’s zoning officer.

The cancellation was due to an error the city made in an advertisement announcing the meeting. The advertisement, required by law to be distributed two weeks before the meeting, mistakenly printed the date as July 17 instead of June 17.

Tonight’s meeting would have included a ruling on an application from Bethel AME Church, regarding a special exception to use a vacant lot the church owns for commercial parking. (You can read our comment on the application and the lot’s history here.)

Knight said no date has been set yet for the rescheduled hearing. The next Zoning Hearing Board meeting on the calendar is July 22. But Knight said a special meeting may be scheduled for an earlier date. “We’re trying to arrange a meeting, if all parties are amenable, in the next few weeks,” he said.

Paved Paradise

June 17, 2013 | by Paul Barker

The view of the lot from Herr St., with the Zoning Hearing Board notice in the foreground.

The view of the lot from Herr Street, with the Zoning Hearing Board notice in the foreground.

Students of urban planning and Harrisburg history: a long-running war over an empty lot near the capitol should reach its conclusion tonight around 6:00 p.m., in the Public Safety Auditorium in City Hall.

Like any good war in a litigious age, this one is being fought with websites, hearings and zoning applications instead of swords and clubs. Though bloodless, it’s got the usual mix of misinformation and vitriol. And as with most wars, its outcome will probably be depressing.

The dispute concerns a sloping, paved lot at the corner of 6^th and Herr Streets. The lot contains numbered parking spaces, marked by faded paint, and is surrounded by unkempt hedges and bushes. It’s been out of use since 2010. But the present calm covers a long and tortuous history.

The lot is currently split between two owners. Bethel African Methodist Episcopal, a historic black church, owns the eastern part. The Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority owns the other half, which consists of several smaller parcels.

The history can be summed up in two discrete phases. In the first phase, during the ’70s and early ’80s, the city, through the HRA, squabbled with Bethel Church over possession of the western half of the lot. Bethel had occupied a church on the eastern half—previously called Ridge Avenue Methodist—since 1953. The church also owned several vacant residences on the western half, which the HRA wanted to acquire for rehabilitation.

Bethel tried to protect the lots with something like a scorched-earth strategy, demolishing the vacant properties before the HRA could get them. HRA responded by condemning the empty parcels. The church then appealed to City Council, who struck the property from HRA’s acquisition list, but left the title to them in HRA’s hands. This placed the lots in a curious position. They adjoined the church, which used them for parking, but HRA technically owned them.

This uneasy balance was brought to light in 1991, in a series of memos between the HRA’s director and Mayor Stephen Reed. That year, Ted Hanson, a resident of Old Fox Ridge, the neighborhood west of the church, had approached the city with a request to lease a portion of a dead-end alley bordering the empty parcels. Reed supported Hanson’s request and, upon learning about the adjacent lots, added that he’d be “especially pleased” if the entire site were developed as housing, rather than off-street parking. But the HRA director, citing the convoluted history, expressed doubt about the legal options available.

For years, nothing happened. HRA continued to own the parcels, and Bethel kept using them for parking. That more or less concludes Phase I.

Phase II began in 1995, when an arsonist torched the Bethel Church, and the ruined building was razed. Bethel eventually relocated to its current site, at 1721 N. 5^th St., but sought permission to use the lot, now doubled in size, as a site for commercial parking for state workers. And there, unfortunately, lie the seeds of the current controversy.

In order to use the spot for parking, Bethel required a special variance to the city’s zoning code. They were granted this variance in 2002, for a period of four years, but with the expectation that by the end of those years they’d submit a plan for more appropriate development.

In 2006, the variance expired, and Bethel had no development plan. Instead, they applied again for a variance, and were granted another two years for commercial parking. In 2008, the cycle repeated. Finally, in 2010, after increasing complaints by the neighborhood, the church shuttered the parking operation, and the lot fell vacant.

It remained inactive until late this May, when a laminated yellow notice appeared on one of the lot’s utility poles. The notice announced that, once again, the church was applying for a special variance, to resume using the site for commercial parking, this time until an “unspecified” date in the future.

Ted Hanson, who still lives in Old Fox Ridge, saw the notice and immediately set into action. Hanson, a bit of a self-styled digital vigilante, started a negative campaign on a website, foxridgeneighbors.org. Along with relating the parking lot’s history, he also attacked Mayor Thompson, whom he accused of using her office to curry favor with the Bethel church.

“Linda is looking to her secure her future,” Hanson wrote, by delivering a “cash cow to one of Harrisburg’s major black churches in the waning days of her administration.”

Hanson pointed out several troubling aspects of Bethel’s latest application. For one, the church has a documented history of applying for a special variance, promising a legitimate development, and reneging on that promise when the variance expires. The church also provided a collection of signatures that it claimed showed community support of the project, even though all of the signatories lived outside of Fox Ridge. Hanson also provided evidence that the church has not paid property taxes on the lot for two years running.

Finally, and most disturbing, the Thompson administration appears to have tried to shroud the application in secrecy. When Hanson attempted to gain access to the application in advance of the public hearing, a zoning officer, Geoffrey Knight, demanded that he submit a right-to-know request, which can take upwards of a week to fulfill.

I’ve written about Ted Hanson and this block of North 6^th Street before, in the article “Missing Pieces” in the May issue of TheBurg. Hanson’s efforts on behalf of his neighborhood are commendable, if a touch overzealous. If Thompson really did attempt to speed Bethel’s application, then it was a serious oversight and an abuse of her powers.

But it’s also important to put the accusations in proper perspective.

Bethel AME and other churches fill a vital community role. They provide places where citizens can gather, affirm common goals and provide support and guidance to one another. To perform these functions, churches must find some way to draw sufficient revenue to pay their upkeep costs, which are often substantial. (We wrote about the community work of Harrisburg’s historic black churches, as well as their financial difficulties, in our April issue.)

In light of all this, Bethel AME should have been able to make a legitimate appeal. They should have made contact with the parking lot’s actual neighbors, to come up with a plan agreeable to all parties. They should have offered a firm timeline for development, rather than a suspicious repeat of the indefinite special exceptions of the past. They should have been transparent about their unpaid taxes, and made an urgent case for financial need.

But instead, they submitted an application riddled with dubious claims, and did so in a way that opened them to charges of political horse-trading. (They have also made themselves difficult to reach for comment. I spoke to a Bethel representative Friday, who started to answer questions and then demanded not to be quoted until a scheduled interview with the pastor Monday. On Monday, the pastor missed our appointment and as of this writing had not returned my calls.)

The result has been a lot of bad press and ill will. Depending on the outcome of tonight’s hearing, it may also be that the land remains as it is for the indefinite future, unused and overgrown.

If that happens, it will be a shame. Despite recent history, the lot has actually seen one notable improvement in the past few years. It came in April, when the county installed a sign beside it, as part of a project known as the Bethel Heritage Trail. The sign commemorates the former site of the church and the contributions of the many black leaders among its congregation.

It would have been quite an achievement if, looking up from the sign, a visitor saw some appropriate memorial to Bethel’s remarkable history. A park, perhaps, or a plaza or sculpture garden, conceived in some joint effort by the church and community.

In place of that paradise, for now, there’s a parking lot.

He’s Back: Philbin Returns as COO

June 13, 2013 | by Lawrance Binda

It looks like Bob Philbin will make back some of his lost city salary after all.

Mayor Linda Thompson today appointed Philbin to be the city’s new chief operating officer/business administrator, tasked with running the city government on a day-to-day basis. In addition, Philbin said he would focus on continuing to implement the city’s financial recovery plan, crafting a budget for 2014 and helping with the transition to a new administration.

Philbin is taking a seven-month leave of absence from his job as communications director for Capital Area Transit to accept the job, which will pay an equivalent of $110,000 annually. He replaces Ricardo Mendez-Saldivia, who left after about a year.

In case you may have forgotten, the fate of Philbin has been a source of drama during much of Thompson’s mayoralty. Thompson quickly lost two spokespeople before Philbin took the city communications director job. City Council, facing a budget deficit, then de-funded the $75,500-a-year position for 2012, leading Philbin to work for free. A state judge even ordered the council to re-fund the position, but she later reversed her own decision, and Philbin, once more, was without pay.

Council re-funded the spokesman position this year, only to have Philbin leave to take the job at CAT in February. Philbin said he expects to return to CAT once Thompson’s term is up in January.

Officer Down

June 13, 2013 | by Paul Barker

Wednesday, on a cool, dry morning after days of rain, the Municipal Financial Recovery Advisory Committee—if the label is unwieldy, you can call it by its acronym, MFRAC—convened in the City Council Chambers.

The MFRAC meetings, which bring together the city’s receiver, the City Council President, the Mayor, and others to discuss the progress of the recovery plan, are supposed to occur on the 2^nd and 4^th Wednesday of each month. But the committee had skipped its previous meeting, presumably because it fell on the Wednesday after Mayor Thompson’s ouster in the Democratic primary.

As with most meetings in the Council Chambers, the MFRAC meeting set aside time to take comments from the public. When the floor was opened, it was the rare moment of heat in an otherwise room-temperature affair. A man identifying himself as a resident of 3^rd Street stepped forward and lambasted the receiver, William Lynch, for letting Harrisburg’s health officer go.

In this case, “let go” is not a euphemism. The health officer was not fired. He elected to leave the city this month to work in another municipality. The speaker blamed Lynch because, as City Council had explained the night before at its legislative session, Lynch had denied Council’s request to give the officer a raise.

The health officer, whose name is Cornelius Johnson, departed for a $50,000 salary he’d been offered by Susquehanna Township. His salary in Harrisburg was $40,000; Lynch had consented to a $2,000 raise, but would not go higher.

Johnson is the third city employee to leave Harrisburg in the past few weeks. (The budget manager, Joseph Bream, and the Chief Operating Officer, Ricardo Mendez-Saldivia, left shortly after the primary.) Everyone believed it was someone else’s fault.

Council, at its session on Tuesday night, pinned Johnson’s departure on Lynch and Thompson. Lynch, replying to the man at the microphone, referred to the pay freeze affecting all employees under the recovery plan. He said that making an exception for the salary of one officer would have a “corrosive” effect.

Thompson, meanwhile, blamed Council, and took credit for Johnson’s hiring in the first place. “I hate going back down memory lane, but the position was cut out by City Council for two years,” she said. “My administration finally got it back in.” She added that she pushed for the hiring of Johnson because she “found him to be one impressive man.”

It’s not exactly true that Council “cut out” the position for two years. The health officer’s job is to inspect city restaurants to ensure they’re complying with health codes. The previous health officer, Heather Kreeger, resigned in June of 2011. For nine months, a codes officer, David Patton, covered inspections in his spare time. (His spare time, needless to say, was insufficient to cover the 600-odd inspections the health officer would conduct each year under normal circumstances.)

Johnson wasn’t hired until March of 2012. It’s not clear why the city stalled. They seemed to have hoped that the state Department of Agriculture would step in and do the inspections on the city’s behalf. The Department of Agriculture, itself strapped for resources, did not leap into the breach.

Once Johnson was hired, in any case, all parties seemed to be pleased. The city paid for his certification with the Department of Agriculture. This investment was among Council President Williams’ laments when she learned that Johnson was leaving. “City Council did everything they could to try to retain him,” she said, and shook her head.

The various regrets and accusations miss the mark. There’s a whiff of mismanagement in the wrangle over Johnson’s wage, to be sure. And the mayor’s comments, as they have before, turned an opportunity to solicit goodwill into sour grapes. (She might have focused on other employees, whose sacrifices during the pay freeze were honored, rather than on her role in acquiring the employee that she lost.)

But there is little in the receiver’s actions that warrants controversy.

It might be pointed out that the one person no one was quite willing to blame was the health officer. That, given the details of his tenure, is peculiar. Johnson took a position and, one year later, during a period of fiscal constraint, attempted to bargain for a $10,000 raise. Moreover, he left after the city, as his employer, paid for the certification he’ll carry to his new job.

Perhaps Johnson’s skills were such that he really was worth the extra money. Councilwoman Brown-Wilson, on Tuesday night, said Johnson was Susquehanna’s “number one choice” for the job. It’s not clear what makes for an exceptional health officer; it would seem to be a matter of experience, rather than natural aptitude. (Does Johnson have a sixth sense for detecting warm milk?) But if his skills were such that the city couldn’t afford him, there’s no shame in acknowledging that and letting him leave with its blessing.

Harrisburg’s employees—health officers included—are public servants. An expectation that they prioritize more than their earnings ought to be implied. To the extent that the receiver refused to bargain with someone so eager to leave, he did right by the city’s residents, as well as its other employees.

Harrisburg is weathering a period of financial distress. Whether it survives will depend on people who work here because they love the city and want it to prosper. If a worker is motivated purely by something else, we might be better off without him.

We Have Pressers: Mayor Speaks on New COO, Old Sewer Lines (not a Scam)

June 13, 2013 | by Lawrance Binda

Even post-election, Mayor Linda Thompson has resumed her flurry of press conferences.

Today’s concerns the appointment of a new COO for the city, which we’ll update after the 11 a.m. event. Ricardo Mendez-Saldivia, who took the COO job just last year declaring he had “bought a one-way ticket,” bought another one-way ticket and left about two weeks ago, one of several recent high-profile departures. The COO position was created as part of the receiver’s financial rescue plan for Harrisburg, tasked with bringing professional administration to the habitually poorly run city.

At yesterday’s press conference, Thompson reminded city residents that a new warranty program for city homeowners’ outside sewer lines is not — we repeat (because she did, repeatedly) not a scam. Over the past month, most property owners have received two letters from the city on behalf of a company called Service Line Warranties of America (SLWA) offering coverage of the line that runs from a house to the city’s main sewer line, which is the responsibility of the homeowner and typically not covered by homeowner’s insurance. SLWA is charging $7.95 per month or $90.40 if paid annually for this coverage. Thompson said replacing a damaged line often costs homeowners $4,000 or more. She said she held the press conference because her office has been flooded with calls from property owners asking if the offer is a scam. Anyone interested in this non-scam can enroll online at www.SLWofA.com. So far, 850 city property owners have done so, said Thompson. Again, not a scam.

Hospital that Once Was: In a few decades, Harrisburg State Hospital went from thousands of patients to zero.

May 19, 2013 | by Jason Wilson

Just east of the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex are the grounds of the Harrisburg State Hospital, the commonwealth’s first public facility for the mentally ill and disabled.

Originally planned in 1845, the official name became the Pennsylvania State Lunatic Hospital in 1848 and eventually just the Harrisburg State Hospital. The hospital was an outgrowth of progressive reforms in Pennsylvania government, but also the tireless lobbying efforts of famed social reformer Dorothea Dix.

The first “main” building was built and designed by architect John Haviland. The large structure could accommodate 300 patients, as well as hospital staff and administration. Room, board and treatment were funded by the patients themselves or provided for by the counties of admission. The initial fee was $2 a week per patient, but was later based upon ability to pay.

As admissions to the hospital grew, the construction of the north and south wings became necessary. One wing was for female patients and the other for male patients. Over time, more wings were added, each 20 feet back from the former.

This design, called the “Kirkbride Plan” was named for Dr. Thomas Kirkbride, superintendent of the Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane in Philadelphia. This plan allowed as much air and natural light into the buildings as possible. To the rear of the main structure was a bakery and boiler facility for heating the hospital. As the 19^th century wore on, the hospital kept expanding, including numerous types of trade buildings, such as a carpenter’s shop, blacksmith’s shop, paint shop and a 150-acre farm, which made the entire hospital largely self-sustaining.

By 1893, the main building was showing signs of wear. Therefore, the General Assembly appropriated $100,000 to remove it and build a new administrative building, completed by architect Addison Hutton in 1895. The commonwealth went on to appropriate more funds to remove old buildings and construct new ones, and the overall plan of the hospital was changed to what was termed the “cottage house” system.

Architect Hutton, along with John Dempwolfe, practically redesigned and reconstructed the hospital in its entirety from 1893 to 1912. The new hospital could accommodate 1,000 patients, and the male and female areas mirrored each other in construction. Numerous employee quarters were also constructed on the grounds, including physician quarters and residences for married employees. Tunnels connected the buildings and also served as conduits for steam and electric.

During the 1930s and ‘40s, the hospital continued to grow in terms of patients, but was able to avoid expansion through parole of patients, as well as transfers to other hospitals. At its peak in the 1940s, more than 3,000 patients were housed at the hospital. By the 1960s and ‘70s, changes in the approach and treatment of mental illness led to the gradual abandonment of numerous buildings.

Patients at the hospital decreased until the late 1990s. Governor Ed Rendell officially closed the Harrisburg State Hospital in 2006, but not after it gained some fame for being used in 1999 for the set of the film “Girl, Interrupted.” Most buildings have now been taken over for use by other state agencies, but a walk around the grounds is still a journey through the history of institutional architecture and mental health in Pennsylvania.

Jason Wilson is a historian for the Capitol Preservation Committee.

Tour de Stash: Some of Harrisburg’s most creative ladies join forces for new boutique.

May 19, 2013 | by Dan Webster

Don’t be confused by the name, midstaters: Pennsylvania has not legalized the goofy green. Stash is the newly minted name for a vintage boutique store co-owned and operated by four city residents: Anela Bence Selkowitz, Jessica Flynn, Haley Harned and Jen Merill.

You might recognize these women from their day jobs as photographer/events promoter of Studio A, spunky and agreeable barista of Little Amps, craft all-star and freelance journalist, respectively – and now they’ve combined their artistic passions to galvanize their love of second-hand attire. Spawned out of a conversation to begin a multi-level food/clothing co-op, they settled on part of the dream, Stash.

The store is a discussion of its own. Owned by Bill Andring, whose law practice once occupied the space, both the exterior and interior seem serendipitously suited for the Stash girls’ concept. Situated on the corner of Green and North, the storefront is defined by its black columns and large, oval windows with a wainscoated skirt of light blue panels outlaid by golden pinecones.

Flynn said they all walked and gathered at the Green Street location, marveling at this corner building, only to find that they were at the wrong place. The prospective landlord was up a few doors waving them down to a row house they ultimately decided against. Fortunately, the first floor of the 234 Green St. was tenant-less, and Andring was happy to lease them his former office.

Inside, as they prep the interior, Merrill points out that almost all the accoutrements are “sustainable and upcycled. The driftwood was gathered by Anela to make the clothing stands, and the bookcases were bought at auction,” so the ethos of recycling will be all encompassing. For the interview, they all sat on top of a recently purchased second-hand carpet.

When asked who their target market is, Flynn answers, “everyone,” and Bence Selkowitz says, “we hope to attract the vintage lovers as well as 50-year-olds,” before Harned adds, “and the 12-year-olds as well.” Their ambitious and synchronized goals are butting up against conventional wisdom that says clothing storefronts are a dying breed, much like the print publication you are reading. But Merrill sees the Etsy online model as overhyped and senses that people in this area are ready for a shop like this.

Situated in between the thriving, upscale restaurant operations of Home 231 and Mangia Qui, a stone’s throw from the Capitol complex and positioning themselves as a 3rd in The Burg destination, Merrill can at least justify the “location, location, location” mantra. Just as important, however, they will sell their clothing at a generous and democratic price point.

“The bulk of the items will be less than $50,” says Harned, “and most dresses will only cost between $20 to $30,” says Selkowitz. While they’ve decided against consigning, at first, they will offer men’s, women’s and children’s clothing along with some specialty items like furniture and accessories.

“This will be a clean operation, everything will be steamed and sanitized,” says Harned, so you won’t need to dig through racks and racks (i.e. thrift store style).

The paradigm of fashionable/vintage stores is evident in places like A Passage in Time located in Lancaster and various boutique joints in the Hampden neighborhood of Baltimore. What Bence Selkowitz and cohorts realize is, unlike those stores, they have to avoid price gouging, so they can cater to their market while Harrisburg can add to its growing compilation of valuable (and hip) entities in the Midtown and Uptown neighborhoods. The next evolution can be found in places like Stash.

Stash is at 234 Green St., Harrisburg. Hours are Wednesday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Community Corner: Notable Events in May

May 19, 2013 | by Admin

Annual Quilt Exhibition

May 1: The annual Quilt Exhibition returns to the Winters Heritage House Museum in Elizabethtown through May 31, featuring more than 30 quilts of many sizes and patterns. Each piece is displayed along with its background story so visitors may enjoy the quilts’ colorful histories as well as their craftsmanship. Admission is $3/person. For more information, contact Nancy Landis at 717-367-4672.

The Harrisburg Singers

May 3-5: The Harrisburg Singers are back with their most popular concert series, “Pops to Broadway!” Audiences will be treated to selections from the Broadway stage, as well as music by Bruno Mars, The Supremes, Paul Simon and the Rat Pack. For tickets or locations/times, call 717-233-1005 or visit www.harrisburgsingers.org.

Author Book-Signings

May 3 & May 18: Harrisburg’s own Gene Albano will hold two signings this month: the first on May 3 at the Strawberry Patch, adjacent to the Hallmark store in Strawberry Square, Harrisburg; and the second on May 18 in the kitchen at the Cornerstone Coffeehouse, 2133 Market St., Camp Hill. Both events are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Albano will sign copies of his new novel, “Letters to Andrea,” as well as copies of his other books.

2^nd Annual Cinco de Mayo Block Party

May 4: El Sol Mexican Restaurant is hosting a block party in celebration of Cinco de Mayo. Food, drinks, live entertainment, a jalapeno eating contest and a salsa dancing competition will be held on the grounds directly outside the restaurant on S. 3^rd Street, Harrisburg. For more information, call 717-901-5050.

Derby Day Returns

May 4: Dust off your sundress and big, floppy hat for the annual Derby Day celebration, which has made several changes this year. In a departure, the event, which includes food, music and an auction, will be held on the grounds of a private home in Lewisberry. Proceeds benefit the Harrisburg-based arts organization Jump Street. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.jumpstreet.org/events/derbyday.

Keystone Capital Chorus

May 4: The Keystone Capital Chorus will present its 65^th annual Spring Show, “Haunting Memories,” at Scottish Rite Auditorium, 2701 N. 3rd St., in Harrisburg. The show follows the antics of a wicked witch who hates a cappella music and has turned the singers into ghosts, goblins, Frankenstein, Dracula and even members of The Addams Family. Halloween in May, folks. Tickets are available at kccsing.com, by calling 717-695-7527 and at the door. Show times are at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The Art of Flower Arranging

May 4: The Harrisburg Chapter #18 of Ikebana International will present an ikebana demonstration by Midori Tanimune at 11 a.m. at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2000 Chestnut St. Camp Hill. Ikebana is the ancient Japanese art of flower arranging. To reserve a seat and for more information, call Alice Hartman at 717-545-5394.

Garden Faire

May 5: The annual Garden Faire returns to Fort Hunter, with dozens of vendors selling plants and crafts. There will also be food, children’s activities, exhibits on Victorian daily life, mid-1800s dancing, live music, garden chats and a Peep Show—art made from marshmallow Peeps. Event is 10 a.m.-4 p.m. More information at www.forthunter.org.

Photography Lecture

May 5: The Art Association of Harrisburg will host a lecture by photographer Jeffrey Stoner, “The Fine Art of Photography,” 2-4 p.m. Stoner will explain the evolution of photography over time and share tips and techniques to improve one’s own photography. A $10 donation is requested. Call 717-236-1432 for more information or visit www.artassocofhbg.com. The Art Association is located at 21 N. Front St., Harrisburg.

Susquehanna Art Museum Groundbreaking

May 7: The Susquehanna Art Museum will commemorate the future site of its long-awaited facility. Remarks will be at 5 p.m., followed up by a block party. Meet the staff and board of directors, ask questions and learn about the project. 4:30-8 p.m. at the site of the proposed museum at the corner of N. 3rd and Calder streets, Harrisburg. Refreshments will be served and admission is free. Additional information is available at 717-233-8668 or www.squart.org.

Farmer’s Market Kick-Off

May 7: A summertime Harrisburg tradition returns as the weekly open-air farmer’s market sets up in the parking lot of the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex off N. Cameron Street. Each Tuesday through September, farmers will sell their in-season produce directly to consumers. Visit www.pafarmshowcomplex.com for more information.

Mayoral Debate

May 8: Harrisburg Young Professionals hosts the can’t-miss event of the campaign season: a mayoral debate just weeks before the primary election. At press time, incumbent Linda Thompson and challengers Eric Papenfuse, Dan Miller and Nevin Mindlin had confirmed for the event, according to HYP. The debate takes place at the Hilton Harrisburg, 7-8:30 p.m. It will be moderated by abc27’s Dennis Owens and include panelists from other area news organizations. www.hyp.org.

Annual Home Tour

May 11: The homes of Midtown Harrisburg will be open and awaiting visitors during the 15^th annual Home Tour sponsored by Harrisburg Young Professionals. Attendees can tour about 15 homes, 1-5 p.m., followed by an after-party at the King Mansion on N. Front Street. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.hyp.org.

Author Event at Grumpy’s Books

May 11: Andi O’Connor, local fantasy author, will read from her fantasy novel, “The Lost Heir,” and will sign copies following the presentation. 2-4 p.m. at Grumpy’s Books, 3619 Walnut St., Harrisburg. For more information, call 717-743-1332 or go to www.andioconnor.

Community Yard Sale:

May 11: Friends of Midtown will host a community yard and sidewalk sale in neighborhoods throughout Midtown Harrisburg. The day kicks off with a pancake breakfast at Second City Church on Verbeke Street, 8-11 a.m., with proceeds benefiting Friends of Midtown beautification projects. If interested in participating in the yard sale, either with a table in front of your home or at the Broad Street Market, send an email to [email protected].

Homegrown Market

May 11: Presented by The MakeSpace, Home Grown Market will feature local vendors (art, handcrafts, music, food, etc.) every Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., starting May 11 through the end of November. If you’d like to know more or would like to apply for vendor status, please visit homegrown-market.com or email [email protected].

Pennsylvania Passenger Trains

May 14: Mike Shafer, the editor of “Passenger Train Journal,” will give an illustrated talk to the Harrisburg Chapter National Railway Historical Society at Hoss’s Restaurant, 743 Wertzville Rd., Enola. Starts at 6 p.m. The program is open to the public. For more information, contact Sloan Auchincloss at [email protected] or 717-237-2131.

Conscription During the Civil War Exhibit

May 15: The National Civil War Museum has announced a new exhibit “In the Service of our Nation: Conscription During the Civil War.” The exhibit will examine the events and reasoning that led the Union and Confederate governments to pass conscription acts during the Civil War. A cheese and wine reception will take place 5:30–7:30 p.m. Reservations must be made by contacting Bryan Guerrisi at 717-260-1861 or [email protected].

Star Trek on IMAX

May 15: The sci-fi thriller, “Star Trek Into Darkness: An IMAX 3D Experience” beams into Harrisburg at the Whitaker Center’s IMAX Theater for a special showing. Follow the continuing adventures of the crew of the starship Enterprise in this movie directed by J.J. Abrams and starring Zoe Saldana, Chris Pines and Zachary Quinto. For more information and tickets, visit www.whitakercenter.org or call 717-214-ARTS.

Business Networking Mixer

May 16: The Central Pennsylvania Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce will hold its monthly networking event at the LGBT Center of Central PA, 1306 N. 3^rd St., Harrisburg. Business dress attire is requested. Free for members/$10 for prospective members, 6-8 p.m. www.cpglcc.org.

41^st Annual Greek Festival

May 17-19: Experience the sights, sounds and sweet aromas of Greece at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church Cathedral’s Greek Fest 2013 on May 17, 18 and 19 at 1000 Yverdon Dr., Camp Hill. The annual festival runs 11 a.m.- 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and noon-5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free. For more information, call 717-920-1579 or go to www.PAGreekFest.com.

Armed Forces Day

May 18: Drop in on the annual Armed Forces Day event, a showcase of all things military, on City Island. The day starts at 8 a.m. with the annual Armed Forces Day 5K Run/Walk around the island. It picks up again later that morning and runs through the afternoon with a display of military-themed hardware, programs and more. Visit the city’s website at www.harrisburgpa.gov.

85^th Annual International Juried Exhibition

May 18: The Art Association of Harrisburg’s 85^th Annual International Juried Exhibition will premier with a reception, 6-9 p.m. Central Pennsylvania artists predominate the roster of 68 accepted artists this year—with four from out of state. Visit www.artassocohbg.com for more information or call 717-236-1432.

Historic Harrisburg Association Milestone

May 23: Historic Harrisburg Association will toast four decades of preservation efforts and accomplishments at Milestone on the River, 2701 N. Front St., Harrisburg. In addition, the organization will announce its annual Historic Preservation Awards. For more information, call John Campbell at 717-233-4646 or visit www.historicharrisburg.com.

Harrisburg River Rescue Presents Earl David Reed & Friends

May 23: Comedian and 105.7 The X Morning Show co-host Earl David Reed will perform at the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center (HMAC). Tickets can be purchased in advance for $20 at HMAC and Abrams & Weakly pet shop, or by emailing [email protected]. Event is 7-10 p.m. Proceeds benefit Harrisburg River Rescue and Emergency Services.

Arts on the River

May 25-27: If it’s Memorial Day weekend, it must be time for Artsfest, the annual three-day arts competition, music showcase and fair along the Harrisburg waterfront. This year, the arts group Jump Street is organizing the event, taking over from long-time organizer, the Greater Harrisburg Arts Council, which is disbanding. A $5 admission fee, instituted several years ago, is being eliminated for the 46^th annual event. Simultaneously, the 15^th Annual Harrisburg Artsfest Film Festival, sponsored by Moviate, will run at venues throughout the city. For more information, visit www.jumpstreet.org and www.moviate.org.

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