Tag Archives: Sprocket Mural Works

Art in Focus: Murals Among Us

September 30, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

By now, you surely have noticed them.

They’re large, colorful and, until a few weeks ago, didn’t exist at all. They’re Harrisburg’s newest murals.

The 2019 Harrisburg Mural Festival wrapped up last month with 14 new murals adorning public spaces in downtown and Midtown Harrisburg, Allison Hill and a section of the Capital Area Greenbelt.

Sprocket Mural Works brought world-class muralists to Harrisburg for the 10-day festival, which included such events as an artist Q&A, a community paint day and, greatest of all, a huge block party in front of the state Capitol.

But maybe you haven’t seen all of the murals—or would just like to see them all in one place. So, we proudly present the newest kids on the block, stunning works of art that will be with us for decades to come.

To learn more about Sprocket Mural Works, visit www.sprocketmuralworks.com.

Burg Blog: Art Impact

September 3, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Artist Juuri and her husband Eric stand on a lift as they continue painting their mural today at 1005 N. 3rd St. in Harrisburg.

Art is often hard to put into words, to measure and quantify its effects on a community.

But if Friday night’s VIP kickoff celebration of the Harrisburg Mural Festival is any indication, many in the Harrisburg community are embracing, excited and uplifted by the 14 new murals being created under the umbrella of the nonprofit Sprocket Mural Works.

More than 300 people gathered—artists, community leaders, mural sponsors and volunteers—on the plaza between the PA State Archives Building and the PA State Museum to celebrate the 2019 festival launch, which will add 14 colorful new murals to the city’s collection.

It was an impressive showing, and I was excited to emcee the event. Likewise, TheBurg is honored to be a strong supporter and media sponsor of the festival, as we believe that the murals both beautify Harrisburg and foster community here.

So, what is it about public art that has drawn hundreds of people together?

“Murals are making this town beautiful, interesting and dynamic,” said Brad Jones, president and CEO of Harristown Enterprises.

The company, which owns Strawberry Square, sponsored murals for both the 2017 and 2019 festivals. One such mural is currently being created on the entire back of International House, an apartment building housing students from around the country and world, located at 314 Chestnut St., with the mural along its rear-facing Blackberry Alley.

“I want to thank all the wonderful muralists who are bringing their art and their stories here to Harrisburg to share with us—you’re giving us a really special gift for our community,” Jones said to the crowd gathered Friday night.

Artist Marka 27 puts the finishing touches on his mural at the back of International House.

While Harrisburg’s mural gifts are still being unveiled and unwrapped, so to speak, other communities have already measured and studied the effects of murals, which send ripples beyond their colorful surfaces and into the surrounding community landscape.

Sprocket co-founders Meg Caruso and Jeff Copus are inspired by many city mural programs, including the groundbreaking Philly Mural Arts, considered a national and international leader in the mural arts movement.

What started as an anti-graffiti movement in 1984 has blossomed into an organization considered the nation’s largest public art program with a portfolio of 3,600 murals.

A 78-page, 2003 impact study cited both economic and social benefits from Philly Mural Arts’ work.

“For a government agency or public program, costs and benefits are never calculated only in economic terms,” stated the report. “A community mural represents a public good, both as a process and product, and is therefore worthy of public investment.”

“Murals are part of a community ecosystem in that they are a way to engage and mobilize people to address other local issues,” the report said. “Murals are part of a cultural ecosystem in that they intersect with other cultural programs and traditions, urban design and local history.”

While Harrisburg’s mural program is still in its infancy compared to Philadelphia’s program, many in the community recognize the power of the arts to energize Harrisburg.

“Nothing is better than seeing local businesses and artists from all over the world come together to make our city a more beautiful place and we are honored to be a part of that,” said Anna Vazquez, marketing director at XL Live, which is sponsoring an abstract mural incorporating Jimi Hendrix, by nationally known artist Ryan “ARCY” Christenson, on the exterior wall of the live music venue.

Friday night, Jones acknowledged that Sprocket’s second full-length festival is only the beginning for Harrisburg.

“We are so excited for the 2019 murals to be done because then we will truly have a mural trail connecting the many murals in downtown walking up to Midtown,” Jones said. “Public art like this inspires people in so many positive ways.”

The Harrisburg Mural Festival runs through Sept. 8, with a block party on State Street in front of the state Capitol building, and coinciding with 2019 Gallery Walk. This week, many artists will be painting their murals, and they urge you to stop by and watch them at work. For more information, visit the Sprocket Mural Works’ website.

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

August 30, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Bicyclists on Harrisburg’s newly paved lower river walk

Harrisburg eased into the long Labor Day weekend with a mix of stories and events, from school and city news to community and artistic events. Here’s our recap in case you missed any of our coverage over the past week.

Brandon Spicer-Crawley is one of the many talented artists who are hard at work during the Harrisburg Mural Festival. Our feature tells his story, and you now can see his work for yourself.

Community Check Up Center celebrates 25 years of serving Harrisburg this autumn. Read the feature from our August issue on this vital medical resource for Allison Hill and South Harrisburg.

Dr. John George, the Harrisburg school district’s acting superintendent, condemned a proposal to create a voucher program that would allow Harrisburg students to attend private schools with public money. Read about why he objects to the proposed bill.

Harrisburg unveiled its repaired and rebuilt lower river walk along the Susquehanna River this past week. Newly laid concrete now extends about two miles from Shipoke to Maclay Street. Read about the project here.

Harrisburg Mural Festival kicked off on Friday, with local, national and international muralists creating 14 large-scale works of art. You can see these talented artists in action through Sept. 8, when the festival concludes with a big block party. Read what our arts columnist has to say and check out the online brochure.

Harrisburg Sketchers opened their first formal exhibit last week, in the DeSoto Vault space of the Susquehanna Art Museum. This homegrown Harrisburg group has come a long way, says our writer. Read her feature story here.

Kipona begins on Saturday and goes through the long Labor Day weekend. There will be plenty of food, music and water-based fun, along with a beer garden, Native American pow-wow and lots of special activities. Read our story here.

Quiche holds a special place in the heart of many baby boomers, and now it’s back, says our food writer. Read Rosemary’s column and recipe here.

Sara Bozich has plenty of ideas for the final weekend of the traditional summer season, with no end of festivals, outings and special events. Check out her list of 100-plus things to do.

Sprocket Mural Works was our “Artist in Focus” for our August issue. Check out their past work as you prepare for many more murals to take shape around Harrisburg over the next 10 days.

TheBurg released our new September issue, with a heavy focus on local arts. We have you covered, whether your preference is paint, performance or another artistic medium. Pick up the new issue or check it out online.

Whitaker Center and local officials took sledgehammers to a wall to ceremonially begin a new project—a new STEM Design Studio on the lower level of the Harsco Science Center. Shortly after, details were announced for the 2019 Très Bonne Année, one of Whitaker Center’s largest annual fundraisers. Read about both events here.

Do you receive TheBurg Daily, our daily digest of news and events? If not, subscribe here!

Meet the Artist: Brandon Spicer-Crawley installs his first large-scale work during Harrisburg Mural Festival.

August 30, 2019 | by Karen Hendricks

Artist Brandon Spicer-Crawley (far left), along with volunteers from Sprocket Mural Works, prepares his mural prior to installation.

Sandra Spicer-Sharp said it was one of her proudest moments as a mom.

Her son’s artwork, created on parachute cloth, was laid out on the grass aside the Stokes Millworks Lumber Storage Building on 4^th Street near the Broad Street Market on Thursday evening, ready to be installed as part of the Harrisburg Mural Festival.

“My emotions are all over the place,” she said. “When it goes up on the wall, I’m going to lose it.”

While some muralists paint directly onto primed walls, live during the festival, others like Brandon Spicer-Crawley create their works ahead-of-time on the durable cloth that is then adhered to a wall’s surface and sealed, preserving it as mural art.

Spicer-Crawley is no ordinary artist. Within the diversity of the 2019 Harrisburg Mural Festival’s artist lineup, he is an intellectually disabled, African-American artist with a prolific ability for art.

“I knew he had artistic talent when he was 4 years old,” said Sandra Spicer-Sharp. “He was born with his own intrinsic drive to create art.”

Although the 38-year-old artist has had numerous gallery exhibits in his native Philadelphia area, this is his first mural and first large-scale work. Abstract in nature, it’s filled with patterns including repeating circles of bright colors. Like Spicer-Crawley himself, the work seems to radiate happiness and joy.

Brandon Spicer-Crawley’s mother, Sandra Spicer-Sharp, and his stepfather look at the mural installation site.

He created the mural over the past several months at the Wynnewood, Pa.-based studio, the Center for Creative Works, where he’s been a practicing artist since their opening in 2010. One tenet of the nonprofit Sprocket Mural Works is that artists creating murals for its Harrisburg Mural Festival are compensated for their talents; the rest of the festival is 100-percent volunteer-driven.

Thursday night’s installation means that festival attendees can view Spicer-Crawley’s mural during the entire 10 days of the festival, Aug. 30 to Sept. 8, and beyond. At the conclusion of the festival, 14 new murals will grace Harrisburg’s streetscape, bringing Sprocket’s grand total throughout the city to 40 murals.

Spicer-Sharp, who teaches special education at the Community College of Philadelphia, perched on a log bench set up by Millworks for the occasion and reflected on the significance of the moment.

“It’s poignant for me, because, in our special education textbooks, we note that, as a society, we talk about people’s exceptions before we talk about the person themselves,” she said. “But we also talk about people being capable—capable of anything with the right kind of exposure. I think today, with this mural, we’re moving the needle a little bit, creating a little change in the world.”

For more information on the Harrisburg Mural Festival, see https://www.sprocketmuralworks.com/. TheBurg is the event’s media sponsor.

The Painted Word: Mural Festival, Gallery Walk open Harrisburg’s autumn art season

August 29, 2019 | by Bob MacGinnes

Early bird: A mural is already in progress across the street from the state Capitol, with many more coming soon during the 2019 Harrisburg Mural Festival.

All the lines from the 1950s TV show, “The Adventures of Superman,” apply: “faster than a speeding bullet” (14 murals in 10 days), “able to leap tall buildings” (artists on scaffolds)… “look up in the sky, it’s…” – the Harrisburg Mural Festival.

When you stop to think about it, Mural Fest is a super feat of artistic achievement, and like with Superman, the public is grateful for its vision. No kryptonite here, just Sprocket Mural Works in high gear (no pun intended).

The power of art speaks for itself. Started in 2014 as a valiant volunteer brigade, Sprocket Mural Works evolved from an idea to 2017’s initial Mural Fest that featured 18 new murals, with local, regional, national and international artists participating in the event.

The 2019 Harrisburg Mural Festival, which starts on Aug. 30, will yield 14 more grand works, as a select group of art-busting aficionados unleash their collective power, ready for the public to tour them by end of the festival, on Sept. 8.

On that day, a block party will set up near the state Capitol, along with mural tours, live music, food vendors, a pop-up biergarten and more, including an artist’s market sponsored by the Harrisburg Flea.

Harrisburg photographer Dani Lucas perhaps put it best when, speaking about the 2017 Mural Festival, she said, “It is one thing to say that murals are tools for civic engagement. It is another to witness it on such a grand scale.”

As just mentioned, the mural festival wraps up on Sept. 8, which happens to coincide with another artistic blockbuster, the 31st citywide Gallery Walk.

The Gallery Walk lineup this year totals 19 sites, fitting for 2019, if only in that the stars are aligned. It begs the question, did Carrie Wissler-Thomas, founder and coordinator of the art walk, plan it that way?

No matter, as the venues are as eclectic as they come. Starting with the catalyst for art in Harrisburg is the Art Association’s 93rd anniversary. The Pennsylvania State Museum and the Susquehanna Art Museum round out three main art institutions in the city, all taking part. At the outside perimeter of Gallery Walk lies the Latino Hispanic American Community Center across the Mulberry Street Bridge and, also pushing the boundary, is the Olewine Nature Center at Wildwood Park. Four churches feature art: St. Stephen’s Riverfront Gallery, Zion Lutheran Church, Pine Street Presbyterian Church and Salem United Church of Christ.

Wissler-Thomas shared that Riverfront Gallery’s exhibit, “Icons in Transformation,” by artist Ludmilia Pawlowska, is a must-see for its depiction of contemporary religious iconography.

Young artists abound at the Capital Area School for the Arts (CASA). Midtown Scholar Bookstore, the Dauphin County Historical Society and the Historic Harrisburg Resource Center all bring their own unique dimensions to the event. And City House Bed & Breakfast doesn’t take its art lying down either.

As is its tendency, The Millworks offers food, fashion and an on-site brewery, in addition to its three-story artist’s enclave. The LGBT Center of Central PA creates a common ground for art and art lovers, welcoming the public to view the world through cultural and social engagement. Penn National Insurance and Old City Hall, as well as the Sprocket Mural Works block party, bring the total to 18 venues.

Last, but certainly not least, is the sole independent gallery participating that puts the “V” in Verbeke. That’s shorthand for Vivi on Verbeke, home to Harrisburg’s hippy couple of Bohemian bonhomie, Vivian Sterste and Jackson (Jeb) Boyd. You will find them at 258 Verbeke, out on their “perfect for people watching” bench in front of their pottery/art gallery. They’ll be offering humble hospitality to all who enter their powerhouse palace of art apart.

So, plan to come downtown, Midtown and all around Harrisburg on Sunday, Sept. 8, and party till the cows come home (so 2007) at the Harrisburg Mural Festival block party and Gallery Walk. Be ready to walk and talk and also leap tall buildings. See you there.

The 2019 Harrisburg Mural Festival runs Aug. 30 to Sept. 8 at numerous venues around Harrisburg. For more information, see the brochure in TheBurg’s August issue, at select locations or visit TheBurg’s website or Sprocket Mural Works. The 31st annual Gallery Walk takes place Sept. 8 at many venues throughout Harrisburg. For more information, visit the Gallery Walk website.

2019 HBG Mural Fest Brochure

August 5, 2019 | by Admin

Sprocket Mural Works

Thank you to the Sponsors:

The Generous Life: We have nice things, thanks to you.

July 31, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Illustration by Rich Hauck.

This summer, as you gaze out across the Susquehanna River, you might see a familiar sight.

There she is, the iconic, red-and-white Pride of the Susquehanna riverboat, chugging upstream, then circling around and heading back to her home base on City Island.

Harrisburg, give yourself a hand, pour yourself something nice. You made this happen.

Last year, after three decades afloat, the Pride almost had her final sail. As the weather warmed, the teeming rains came, raising the waters, flooding the dock and making operations impossible. The Pride lost one-third of her sailing days, putting the boat in financial straits.

The Harrisburg Area Riverboat Society put out the call for help, and the community responded, in force, donating nearly $90,000 over just a few months.

“People stepped up to the plate and made a difference,” Jason Meckes, executive director of the Harrisburg Area Riverboat Society, told me. “A lot of people love this riverboat and wanted it to return. It means a lot to a lot of people.”

And, today, you can see the evidence with your own eyes—it’s right there on the water.

This kind of public generosity is hardly an exception.

At a recent City Council meeting, Scott Dunwoody, executive director of Bethesda Mission, beamed as he told me how people had donated, to date, $2.3 million so the social service group could build a new community center in North Allison Hill.

At the time, the project’s first phase was wrapping up, and plans were afoot for phase two, which will require another $700,000 to $1 million in fundraising, giving Bethesda Mission 20,000 square feet of new space for children and families to gather, play, learn and just be together.

He didn’t think he’d have any problem meeting that goal.

“We do believe in the next year, we’ll be able to accomplish that,” he said.

Harrisburg, take another bow.

I could go on and on. The Salvation Army of Harrisburg is building an entirely new facility after raising $12 million; Gamut Theatre raised $2.2 million (and counting) to create its permanent home from the vacant, historic First Church of God; Urban Churn crowd-sourced $10,000 to renovate an old, rundown storefront for its new retail location.

Indeed, without the incredible generosity of we, the people, there may be no riverboat, no scoop shop, no Bethesda Mission community center, no amazing new home (and second stage!) for Gamut Theatre.

Likewise, TheBurg would not exist without this community digging deep, since community journalism—always a tough slog—gets harder to pay for all the time.

At the end of this month, Sprocket Mural Works will kick off the second Harrisburg Mural Festival, a 10-day celebration that will raise some 15 new murals throughout the city.

As you watch the amazing artists at work, pause for a moment and think about what it costs to make that happen.

There are the artist fees (yes, they get paid), transportation and lodging (Sprocket brings in world-class artists to Harrisburg), the high cost of the special paint that’s used, the lifts, the various events, etc., etc.

Have you ever wondered how that’s paid for?

Sprocket has been raising money for nearly a year to make it all happen. It has received substantial donations from everyone from a brewer (Tröegs) to a solid waste company (LCSWMA) to an eye care company (Premier Eye Care Group), as well as many other organizations, foundations and individuals.

These folks regard murals as a public good—just like the riverboat, the community center, the theater, TheBurg—and are willing to donate to make Harrisburg a more beautiful, engaging and livable place.

I realize that, to an outsider, this all just seems to magically happen. Suddenly, the city is bedecked with a dozen stunning paintings, the kids of Allison Hill get a new place to study and play, and a wonderful, free magazine falls from the sky.

But, of course, that’s not what happens. Profound community generosity underlies (and underwrites) it all.

So, yes, Harrisburg, pat yourself on the back. You deserve a huge thank -you for making your city a better place.

But while you’re writing that love note to yourself, perhaps you can also write a check? There’s always another worthy local cause to support.

Lawrance Binda is editor-in-chief of TheBurg.

Artist in Focus: Sprocket Mural Works

July 31, 2019 | by Admin

Two summers ago, Sprocket Mural Works painted 18 murals over the course of 10 days.

Those murals are now part of our landscape, as much a part of Harrisburg as some of the city’s most famous buildings and monuments.

Late this month, Sprocket will be at it again, giving us the second Harrisburg Mural Festival, with plans to mount more than a dozen works of art. In anticipation, we thought we’d share some works from the previous mural festival.

According to co-organizer Megan Caruso, the ultimate goal is to create a mural walking trail that begins at the train station and extends up the 3rd Street corridor. So, visitors can hop off the train and make a day of it.

Sprocket, though, isn’t limiting itself to downtown and Midtown. Murals also are planned for Allison Hill and even along the Capital Area Greenbelt.

So, over 10 days, check out the gifted painters creating amazing art, then join Sprocket for one of their numerous community events and parties. After all, it’s not just about art. It’s also a celebration of Harrisburg.

The Harrisburg Mural Festival runs Aug. 30 through Sept. 8 in many locations around Harrisburg, wrapping up with a block party on State Street near the Capitol building. For more information, visit www.sprocketmuralworks.com.

The Painted Word: From the Schuylkill to the Allegheny, art festivals abound this summer.

May 31, 2019 | by Bob MacGinnes

Samantha Sanders. Photo by Landon Wise.

Going, going, gone.

Those three words may be best associated with baseball’s “boys of summer,” but they could equally apply to my favorite summertime pursuit—art festivals in Pennsylvania. As in, “I’m going to an art festival,” and “I’ve gone to an art festival.”

Art’s summer season recognizes many stages: the studio, the gallery, the museum and even the floorboards where the lights go up. So, in this season of the great outdoors stage, look for inspiration wherever your travels take you.

But, first, this commercial interruption.

This edition of “The Painted Word” is brought to you by the 26th year of free “Shakespeare in the Park” under the band shell at Reservoir Park in Harrisburg with “Much Ado About Nothing.” Now that is something! This year, the Gamut Theatre Group production runs May 31 to June 15—let’s all hope for good (dry) weather!

Trendy

It’s good to be a little nosy. In Pittsburgh, nosy people are known as nebbers, as in, “I was nebbing in on the conversation, and I found stuff I shouldn’t have” (thanks Urban Dictionary). During the 10-day span of June 6 to 16, make certain you neb around the Three Rivers Art Festival, which takes place in downtown’s Point State Park, 101 Commonwealth Pl., noon to 8 p.m. daily, featuring some 300 exhibitors.

Over the following weekend, June 22 and 23, head the other way on the Turnpike to the Manayunk Arts Festival, which features 300 exhibitors in this trendy part of Philadelphia. Hours are Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Manayunk is known as a hipster hangout, offering a welcome change of pace from the hustle and bustle of Center City. Manayunk translates from the Lenape, “It’s where we go to drink,” and, appropriately, there are plenty of great watering holes and restaurants along Main Street.

Next, we take you out of the city for the rustic vibe at the Kutztown Folk Festival, which runs from June 29 to July 7 at the Kutztown Fairgrounds in Berks County. There, you’ll discover more than 200 crafts people and folk artists, along with plenty of good, old-fashioned Pennsylvania Dutch food. Be sure to not “throw the cow over the fence.”

Heading west again, the 53rd edition of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts beckons, with the street fair spanning the avenues of State College and on the campus of Penn State. Dates this summer run from July 10 to July 14. A sidewalk art sale takes place concurrently on the streets of State College. For more details, visit www.arts-festival.com.

Looking for something out of the ordinary? An oozing monster just might do the trick. The 19th Annual Blob Fest takes place in Phoenixville. Yes, actor Steve McQueen’s career was launched in the 1958 cult classic, “The Blob,” partially filmed in Phoenixville in the Colonial Theater, which is central to the three-day horror film festival, which runs July 12 to July 14. Join the madness being re-enacted as participants scream and run out of the theater. Saddle shoes and poodle skirts are optional.

Explore, Enjoy

Closer to home, it wouldn’t be summer without the 45th Annual Mt. Gretna Outdoor Art Show over the weekend of Aug. 17 to 18, held under the oaks of the Chautauqua section of Mt. Gretna at Rt. 117 and Pennsylvania Avenue. Hours are Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with 250 to 300 exhibitors and an admission fee of $8.

Several other central PA festivals close out our summer of art.

The Long’s Park Festival in Lancaster takes place over Labor Day weekend, Friday, Aug. 30, to Sunday, Aug. 31, in its 41st offering. Expect to share the experience with more than 10,000 spectators over the three-day event. Ranked as one of the top-50 fine art festivals in America, all proceeds from ticket sales benefit the foundation’s free summer music series.

If underground art is more your thing, drive down to historic Gettysburg over Labor Day weekend for Creature Feature Weekend. This independent film festival/horror convention features a lineup of dark and bizarre movies, along with celebrity guests, Q&A’s, vendors and food trucks. And, while in Gettysburg, it’s requisite to hop on a ghost and/or film location tour. More information can be found at www.creaturefeatureweekend.com.

Finally, circle back home for the 2019 Harrisburg Mural Festival. Over 10 days, starting on Aug. 30, watch as world-class muralists bring to life grand outdoor paintings around the city. The festival will include numerous public and participation events, capped off with a block party downtown to coincide with the Art Association’s annual Gallery Walk on Sept. 8. For all the details, visit the Sprocket Mural Works website: www.sprocketmuralworks.com.

Given the gamut of festival fare listed, it is certain that summer is a state of mind. So get outdoors, explore and enjoy the beautiful weather, with art acting as a perfect complement.

February News Digest

March 1, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Delay in School Board Appointment

It may be months before Harrisburg residents learn who will be the newest member of the district’s school board, as a court hearing in the matter isn’t slated to take place until late April.

Court of Common Pleas Judge John McNally has scheduled an April 23 court date to hear a citizen’s group response to a petition supporting Ralph Rodriguez, a city resident who wants to fill the vacant seat.

The group known as Concerned about the Children of Harrisburg (CATCH) responded to the petition filed on Jan. 24 on behalf of Rodriguez. As part of its response, CATCH asked the court to appoint its own preferred candidate, Cornelius Chachere.

This petition response appears to have triggered a series of events that will take several months to resolve.

The parties now have until mid-March to finish their discovery processes, followed by the April 23 court hearing.

Jayne Buchwach, a member of CATCH, said that her group opted to respond to Rodriguez’s petition, as opposed to filing an original petition in support of Chachere, after they saw that Rodriguez’s supporters had filed first.

“The response states our objections,” she said. “It also tells the court—this is who we think should be on it.”

The response touts Chachere’s qualifications and, like an original petition would, asks the court to appoint him.

To add further complexity to this issue, former school board Director James Thompson also has filed a petition with the court for the seat. Technically, this makes four candidates for the seat: Rodriguez, Chachere, Thompson and Marva Brown. In their petition, Rodriguez’s supporters mention that appointing Brown also would be acceptable to them.

The board seat became empty following the Dec. 16 death of school board Director Melvin Wilson. The remaining board members, split between Rodriguez and Chachere, failed to muster a majority of five votes to replace Wilson within a 30-day time period, throwing the matter to the court.

Buchwach said that she wasn’t concerned about having only eight members on the board for an extended period.

“The board is contentious,” she said. “So, having eight there or nine there—it really doesn’t matter.”

Meanwhile, five of the nine school board seats will be up this election year. CATCH has vowed to put up its own slate of candidates for the board seats.

Fetterman Starts Listening Tour

A packed room and dozens of speakers greeted Lt. Gov. John Fetterman in Harrisburg last month, as he kicked off a statewide listening tour on the proposed legalization of recreational marijuana.

Some 300 people filed into the auditorium of the Harrisburg Jewish Community Center for the first of 67 such events, as Fetterman began to wind his way through every county in the commonwealth.

For about two hours, Fetterman listened patiently and respectfully as speaker after speaker rose either in support of or in opposition to the proposal, often sharing with him emotional stories from their lives.

One young man named Darryl said that he was arrested and jailed for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia and now can’t find a full-time job because of those convictions.

“That’s why I’m struggling so badly, because of a stupid possession charge,” he said. “It’s time to end this.”

To that end, a few speakers recommended not only legalization but expungement of criminal records for those previously convicted.

Les Stark, executive director of Reading-based Keystone Cannabis Coalition, a pro-legalization advocacy group, said that, in Pennsylvania, about 25,000 people a year are arrested for marijuana possession.

“How many lives have been ruined in Harrisburg alone?” he asked. “Over the next 10 years, will we ruin the lives of 250,000 more Pennsylvania citizens?”

Several speakers identified themselves as users of medical marijuana, which is legal, and testified to the effectiveness of cannabis for treating their conditions.

While most attendees spoke in favor of legalization, some did not.

Several speakers said they feared that legalizing recreational marijuana would lead to greater threats to public safety—from the potential of more car accidents to the possible greater use of harsher drugs.

“My main concern is that I have a grandchild turning 16,” said one man. “My concern is that I believe recreational marijuana is a mind-controlling substance. I’m afraid for her to be driving out on the highway when some other driver’s mind is being controlled by marijuana.”

Other speakers accused the state of wanting to legalize recreational marijuana as a revenue-raising tool.

“I’m not against medical marijuana, but I am against use of recreational marijuana,” said one man. “I believe the administration just wants to create a new revenue source to tax and spend.”

Throughout the lengthy event, Fetterman said little from his seat on the stage, listening attentively as people spoke their minds.

At one point, he asked would-be speakers to allow a woman, who was holding an infant, to move to the front of the long line. The woman, who said she drove in from Hummelstown, offered a moving story about surviving AIDS then, relatively late in life, giving birth to her baby.

“Medical cannabis helped me survive by the skin of my teeth,” she said. “It can’t be denied to others.”

Illegal Guns Seized

Harrisburg police have seized hundreds of firearms over the past few years, following a department-wide push to take illegal guns off of city streets.

At a press conference last month, police lined three long tables with handguns, rifles and shotguns, which they said was a small sample of the 646 illegal weapons confiscated from 2016-18.

Capt. Gabriel Olivera said that, in 2016, city police Commissioner Thomas Carter instructed officers to focus on the epidemic of illegal weapons in the city.

“All these guns were seized mostly without officers engaging these individuals with gunfire,” Olivera said. “Our officers have shown great restraint.”

According to Olivera, 196 guns were seized in 2016, 252 in 2017, and 198 in 2018. The far majority of these weapons have been handguns.

Carter said that, even before 2016, his officers routinely seized illegal firearms. But he wanted them to be more mindful of illegally owned guns, most of which have been stolen, as they patrolled and made arrests.

“I work with these amazing men and women on a day-in and day-out basis, and I know their capabilities,” he said, referring to his officers. “It’s something the entire agency bought into.”

Olivera mentioned that, for 2018, Harrisburg had about a 10-percent drop in “Part 1” offenses, which include the most serious crimes like murder, robbery and aggravated assault, compared to 2017. He also cited a 5- to 6-percent reduction in “Part 2” crimes, such as simple assault, disorderly conduct and most drug possession offenses, which are generally considered to be less serious.

“I can’t tell you that the number of guns has reduced the homicide rate,” Carter said. “But I can tell you that it has reduced violent crime.”

Olivera said that, after police seize a stolen gun, officers try to determine the rightful owner, so it can be returned. If no owner is identified, the gun eventually is destroyed, he said.

ICA Board Complete

A Harrisburg resident and former media executive has secured the final seat on Harrisburg’s new financial oversight board.

David Schankweiler, former publisher of the Central Penn Business Journal, was appointed to the five-member Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (ICA) by state Senate Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati.

Schankweiler joins UPMC Pinnacle executive Tina Nixon, nonprofit professional Audry Carter, attorney Kathy Speaker-MacNett, and property developer Ralph Vartan on the newly created ICA, which will oversee Harrisburg’s finances for five years.

Until 2016, Schankweiler was the CEO and owner of Journal Multimedia, which published the Central Penn Business Journal and other publications. Since his retirement from the publishing industry, he has served on numerous nonprofit boards.

The board met for the first time last month for an organizational meeting.

New Police Gear

Harrisburg police last month showed off a pile of new protective gear, equipment it purchased with a grant from UPMC Pinnacle.

At a press conference, the city’s police bureau shared samples of new vests, helmets and steel plates, part of about 120 pieces of protective gear that will help protect officers from lethal, high-caliber weapons, according to police Commissioner Thomas Carter.

In total, UPMC Pinnacle donated more than $40,000 for the equipment purchase. That figure includes about $20,000 raised last June from the “3.2 to Protect the Blue” race, which was organized by UPMC Pinnacle emergency room nurses, with the UPMC Pinnacle Foundation donating much of the remainder.

“I had no idea of the dedication and love that these people showed our officers,” said Carter, flanked by UPMC nurses and Harrisburg police officers.

The new gear includes 60 helmets, 40 “body armor level 3 ballistic” protective vests with steel plates and 20 additional steel plates. The vendor, Royersford, Pa.-based Body Armor Megastore, contributed another 10 armor body vest sets.

Carter said that the need for the equipment arose last year following the death of U.S. Deputy Marshal Christopher Hill during a raid on a house in Allison Hill. The bureau realized that its helmets and vests were not adequate to protect against today’s powerful firearms, he said.

Deputy Police Chief Deric Moody said that his officers will not wear the equipment regularly, but will keep it nearby in case it’s needed.

After the press conference, Mayor Eric Papenfuse stressed that the equipment was not the full body armor “riot gear” that the bureau requested in 2017 after high-profile clashes throughout the city between “anti-Sharia” protestors and “antifa” counter-protestors. That gear was already purchased following a $68,000 allocation from City Council, he said.

Teachers Protest Pay

A sea of teachers dressed in red and carried homemade signs at a Harrisburg school board meeting last month, protesting what they perceive as unfair pay.

Hundreds of teachers flanked the standing-room-only gymnasium and wore “Red for Ed,” demanding to know why the school board denied a grievance settlement that would have raised the pay of veteran teachers.

In response, the district claimed that the pay raises would be prohibitively expensive for the struggling district, saying, in a prepared statement that “the settlement costs would run into the millions of dollars because of its continuing impact on salary costs in the district.”

At the heart of this fight is a set of intersecting problems: the Harrisburg school district’s budget issues, complaints of low pay and high teacher turnover rate. Veteran teachers demand that their pay reflect the time they’ve invested in Harrisburg schools, but the district asserts that veteran teachers are already being paid competitive wages.

“The more veteran the teacher is at Harrisburg, the more competitively they are paid under the negotiated salary schedule,” the statement read. “The board also believes that if the [Harrisburg Education] association was so concerned about the turnover problem in the district, it would have recommended that this be addressed in our ongoing labor contract negotiations where the teachers have refused to make a salary proposal after 14 months of negotiations.”

“We haven’t refused anything,” Barksdale responded. “We have to settle this before we agree on anything.”

The events culminating in the protest began in August when the Harrisburg Education Association filed a grievance against the board, claiming that veteran teachers were underpaid.

In it, they stated that the district had hired new teachers at rates higher than veteran teachers with equivalent experience, violating their contract. In January, the union reached a verbal agreement to raise the salaries of some of the lowest paid veteran teachers, but the board voted down that contract.

2019 Arts Awards Announced

Theatre Harrisburg has announced the recipients of the 2019 Awards for Distinguished Service to the Arts in the Capital Region (“Arts Awards”).

Ronnie Waters, a jazz musician, arranger, composer and educator, will receive the “Award to an Individual,” and The State Museum of Pennsylvania will receive the “Award to an Organization, Company or Group.”

The awards will be presented on Sunday, June 2, in a theatrical gala at Whitaker Center in downtown Harrisburg. The event is open to the public, and proceeds benefit Theatre Harrisburg.

For more information about the awards, including banquet reservations, visit www.theatreharrisbug.com/artsawards.

Mural Fest Returns

The Harrisburg Mural Festival is returning for another round, as Sprocket Mural Works last month announced a 2019 festival.

Co-organizer Megan Caruso said that Sprocket will oversee the creation of 10 murals over 10 days, from Aug. 30 to Sept. 8. The purpose, she said, is to add density to Harrisburg’s existing “mural trail,” which runs mostly along 3rd Street in downtown and Midtown.

“We want Harrisburg to be a mural-dense city,” she said. “So, they have to be concentrated.”

Sprocket also plans to mount a mural in Allison Hill, Caruso said. The organization created 18 murals during its first mural festival, which was held in 2017.

Lobbying Contract on Hold

Maverick Strategies will need to wait until mid-month to find out if its lobbying contract with Harrisburg will be renewed.

City Council was expected to vote on a one-year, $60,000 contract with the city-based lobbying shop last month, but pulled the resolution at the start of a council legislative session.

Earlier, council had asked Maverick for detailed billing statements for their prior contract, which ended Dec. 31. That information was received just before February’s legislative session, and council needed time to review the bills, said President Wanda Williams.

“We need clarification on these invoices,” Williams said. “City Council has additional questions they want to ask.”

Williams said that they’ll request that Maverick appear at the next council work session, which is slated for March 5, with a contract vote likely at the following legislative session on March 12.

So Noted

Brooks R. Foland of Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman and Goggin has been named president of the Dauphin County Bar Association for 2019. The rest of the 2019 executive committee includes Lisa M. Benzie of Navitsky, Olson & Wisneski LLP; Paula J. McDermott of Post & Shell P.C.; Scott B. Cooper of Schmidt Kramer Harrisburg; and Thomas P. Gacki of Eckert Seamans.

D&H Distributing plans to move its headquarters from Harrisburg to Lower Paxton Township later this year, it was announced last month. The century-old company will relocate from the 2500-block of N. 7th Street to a 50-acre campus near I-81.

Harrisburg University has named former professional player Alex Chu to coach its “League of Legends” e-sports team. Chu joined Giuseppe Gramano and Chad Smeltz to round out the e-sports coaching staff at the university.

Joyce Davis has left her position as Harrisburg’s communications director to take a post as the new opinion editor at PennLive. At press time, her replacement in the city had not been named.

National Association of Collegiate Esports last month announced that it had selected Harrisburg for its 2019 annual conference. The July 17-19 convention will attract 300 to 400 attendees, with most events taking place at Harrisburg University and Whitaker Center.

Wildheart Ministries is seeking skilled artists to do small art installations for its third annual Summer Project in Allison Hill, June 9 to Aug. 3. For more information, contact Serena Viera at [email protected].

Changing Hands

Berryhill St., 2156: M. & J. Rider to V. Marsico, $42,500

Bigelow Dr., 37: BSR Rental Trust to L. Pate, $67,500

Briggs St., 2018: D. Patterson to Cohen Altman Properties LLC, $40,000

Brookwood St., 2202: D. McCahan to Z. Hess, $80,000

Calder St., 517: R. Godshall to PA Deals LLC, $80,000

Crescent St., 332: Dynaspek Holdings to K. Stoute, $55,000

Croyden Rd., 2963: M. Thomas to D. Jamison, $49,900

Emerald Ct., 2450: S. Manly & J. Ebenezer to J. Gilliam, $80,000

Emerald St., 235: R. Valentine & C. Frater to R. Liddick, $35,000

Green St., 1022: Dilks Properaties of Harrisburg LLC to S. & J. Toole, $100,000

Green St., 1605: C. Frater to Fratelli Property Investments LLC, $110,000

Green St., 1609: C. Frater to Fratelli Property Investments LLC, $110,000

Green St., 2035: G. Neff & City Limits Realty to Heinly Homes LLC & W. Hoover, $55,000

Green St., 2037: WCI Partners LP to D. Ranson, $219,000

Green St., 3224: Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB & Selene Finance LP to C. Wise, $51,500

Greenwood St., 2516: W. & C. Davenport to R9 Holdings LLC, $33,000

Hoffman St., 3010: Innovative Devices Inc. to R. Wiley, $122,000

Hummel St., 250: Y. Martinus to M. Fragoso, $150,000

Kensington St., 2135: A. Segin to L. Scott, $61,000

Lenox St., 2011: R. Volcy to N. Burrell, $162,000

Logan St., 2303: M. Arnold to S. & S. Stridiron, $30,000

North St., 251: Peleton Investments to Trip Aces 251 LLC, $135,000

N. 2^nd St., 719: J&S Estate LLC to Hasan Properties LLC, $265,000

N. 2^nd St., 1937: M. Horgan to B. & A. Klinger, $201,000

N. 2^nd St., 2449: L. Lee to J. Reed & M. DePhilip, $120,000

N. 2^nd St., 2739: S. Staub & E. Adler to K. Werner & D. Neyman, $242,000

N. 2^nd St., 2953: PI Capital LLC to V. Edwards, $272,000

N. 3^rd St., 1931 & 1933: C. Frater & R. Valentine to GMG Harrisburg A LLC, $350,000

N. 4^th St., 1729: J. & E. Lonon to C. & E. Little, $142,000

N. 4^th St., 1924: Equity Trust Co. Custodian Julie Burns IRA to C. Williams, $117,500

N. 4^th St., 2030: I. Alderton to B. Russ, $87,000

N. 4^th St., 2448: A. Barber to S. Lewis, $84,000

N. 6^th St., 1002: A. Antoun to N&R Group LLC, $31,000

N. 6^th St., 2933: C. Wise to J. Ryan, $134,900

N. 6^th St., 3105: M&T Bank to K. Kissam, $52,000

N. 18^th St., 59, 61& 63: MSP Associates Inc. to Shutter Real Estate LLC, $85,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 314: D. Forney to A. Winch, $90,000

Paxton St., 1626: S. Reed to D. & B. Chisolm, $55,000

Penn St., 1933: D. Ranson to J. Hunter, $149,900

Race St., 600: D. Korlewitz to K. Douglas, $135,000

Randolph St., 1416: A. Campbell to N. Tran, $74,000

Reel St., 2742: L. Polite to W. Edgerton, $58,900

S. 13^th St., 401: N. & A. James to C., A., F. & S. Weaver, $59,000

S. 17^th St., 1112: Wells Fargo National Association to HT Properties LLC, $35,920

S. 18^th St., 1039: Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to T. Bilbo & J. Seay, $42,200

S. 19^th St., 1141: Z. Robinson to PA Deals LLC, $42,000

S. 20^th St., 512: GKT Enterprises LLC to Equity Trust Co., $34,000

S. 25^th St., 448: J. & J. Nuhfer to K. & M. Stone, $100,000

S. 26^th St., 737: S. Wedemeyer to W. Quezada, $33,000

S. 27^th St., 728: E. Patterson to H. Alcantara, $33,621

S. Front St., 577: M. Kuhns to E. Stover, $138,000

State St., 1816: M. Ochoa to H. Plaza, $50,000

State St., 1900 , 1902 & 1904: D. Kapp & W. Cupp to Cassiano Properties LLC, $175,000

Wiconisco St., 523: N. McCoy & M. Gordon to Equity Trust Co., $42,000

Wiconisco St., 623: V. Rivas to L. Cruz & I. Perez, $55,000

Wyeth St., 1405: J. & M. Reis to L. Stamm, $115,000

Harrisburg property sales for January 2019, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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