Press Release For 06/97

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AVATAR’S CAFE RETURNS
New Cumberland - Back by popular demand! Avatar’s Homemade Vegetarian cuisine returns with the opening of Avatar’s Express Café, a new take-out service offering an array of healthy lunches to go.
Avatar’s is located at 321 Bridge Street, New Cumberland. 774-7215.

ACADEMY OPENS FOREST HILLS CAMPUS
Harrisburg, PA - The Academy of Medical Arts and Business, regarded a leader among career schools throughout Pennsylvania, announces the opening of its Forest Hills Campus, seven miles northeast of the State Capitol on Academy Drive.

The new 40,000-square-foot building features high-tech classrooms, modern labs, Internet resource center, full-service cafeteria and other facilities for current and future Academy students. The beautiful eight-acre campus, nestled in the foothills of Blue Mountain, will also provide a childcare center and playground, in addition to a Therapeutic Massage Clinic, which will be open to the public. Student housing is also planned.

The Academy of Medical Arts and Business offers Diploma and Degree Programs in the Medical, Dental, Legal, Business and Computer Fields.

AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION GOES NASCAR
Harrisburg, PA - The Wildwood Conference Center at Harrisburg Area Community College will be the site of the upcoming American Diabetes Association Mini 500 race on June 7, 1997. At the Mini 500, a free family event sponsored by Aycock, Inc., you will see local companies in the drivers seat as they drive through a road course designed by the Appalachian Sports Car Club.

The excitement of NASCAR is brought to a local level, driven on a local track by Tri-County companies. Five horsepower gasoline engines that go approximately 25 miles per hour power the miniature replicas of actual NASCAR Winston Cup cars. Each car is fully decorated by the car’s owners. In addition to the race, there is a party the evening before where competition is held for the fastest pit crew, best decorated car and the best-dressed team.

Sponsors of the Harrisburg Mini 500 include Aycock, Inc., Sutliff Chevrolet, Sir Speedy, Wee Bee Audio, WTP 93.5, WHP-TV 21 and UPN 15, P&J Printing, TRIAX, Critter’s Excavating, Harrisburg Hilton & Towers/Strawberry Square and R. S. Mowery & Sons.

For more information about diabetes or the race, you can contact the South Central Regional Office of the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES.

NEW DAYCARE FACILITY OPENS
Harrisburg, PA - Mayor Stephen R. Reed conducted ribbon cutting ceremonies for Capital Kids Care, a new, full-service daycare facility located in downtown Harrisburg at the Fulton Building at North Third and Locust Streets (200 North 3^rd Street).

Reed said Capital Kids Care is the second such facility owned and operated by Principal Art Pursel, Jr., who has successfully operated the West Shore Children’s Center for 28 continuous years. Pursel felt there was a strong market in downtown Harrisburg for their comprehensive childcare services, and first began the effort to move downtown more than a year ago.

For information about Capital Kids Care, contact 238-7737.

COMMUNITY POLICING CENTER OPENS
Harrisburg, PA - Mayor Stephen R. Reed was joined by city residents in formally opening the city’s third and newest Community Policing Center at 313 South 15^th Street. The Center is located in a part of the South Allison Hill Civic Association’s future Neighborhood Center, the rest of which is scheduled to open for public use later this year.

Reed said the new Community Policing Center is the result of nearly three years of work by the SAHCA. The site formerly housed the Houck Printing Shop, which relocated to Industrial Road in 1993. The Civic Association then undertook an intensive fundraising effort to pay for rehabilitation costs, with some of the actual rehab work performed by youth crews from Visions, Inc.

The Mayor said the new Community Policing Center would be staffed by as many as six Community Police Officers and command staff, with office hours varying throughout the week and year. The City’s Community Policing Centers are usually open late afternoons, evenings and at night to better accommodate nearby residents. A full range of police activities, including drop-in and referral services, crime prevention, community relations and informational efforts will be conducted at the new Center. A variety of patrol practices, including foot, bicycle, equestrian and motorized will be used around the Center.

Reed also acknowledged the financial support of many of the area’s financial institutions, whose donations enabled the Center to open. Supporting banks included Keystone Financial, Dauphin Deposit, Core States/Hamilton and Harris Savings. A legislative initiative grant was also secured for the new Center by State Representative Ronald I. Buxton.

CENTRAL PA FRIENDS OF JAZZ
Harrisburg, PA - The Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz will be sponsoring the 17^th Annual Central PA Mellon Jazz Festival on June 20-22 featuring jazz greats Johnny Frigo, Christine McBride Quartet w/Tim Warfield, Ira Sullivan, Mark Murphy, Peter Erskine, Michael Brecker, Joe Diorio and much more. For additional information contact the CPFJ by calling 717-540-1010, or writing CPFJ, PO Box 10738, Harrisburg, PA 17105.

PIECING TOGETHER QUILTING HISTORY
Harrisburg, PA - On Saturday, June 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., The State Museum of Pennsylvania will host "A Patchwork of Pennsylvania," a day devoted to exploring Pennsylvania’s quilt history. Guests include Yvonne J. Milspaw, Ph.D., an associate professor of English and Humanities at Harrisburg Area Community College, and the authors of the recently published book Saved for the People of Pennsylvania: Quilts From The State Museum of Pennsylvania, Lucinda Cawley, Lorraine Ezbiansky and Denise Nordberg. Local quilters will also be displaying quilt fabrics and demonstrating their techniques.

From 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Dr. Milspaw will give an illustrated lecture entitled "A Social and Cultural History of Pennsylvania Quilts" followed by the authors’ presentation "Making the Cut," which highlights their research experience and development of the book’s content. Lunch is included and will be served from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. The book will be on sale in the Museum Shop, and the authors will be available to sign copies.

Tickets are $25 (Friends, $22.50) and include the morning presentations, luncheon, book signing and quilt demonstrations. For more information and tickets, please call the Friends of The State Museum at (717) 787-6590. The deadline for registration closed May 30.

General admission to the museum is free. The museum is located on Third & North Streets, Harrisburg. For 24-hour information on museum hours and events, call (717) 787-4978. Individuals with disabilities who need special assistance or accommodation should call (717) 787-4979 or the Pennsylvania TDD relay service at (800) 654-5984. Parking on weekends is free.

CITY’S 3^RD HOMEOWNERSHIP AUCTION
Harrisburg, PA - Mayor Stephen R. Reed announced the city’s third annual Housing Opportunities Auction, set for Saturday, June 28, as he officially opened the Auction Information Office at 311 Reily Street. The Office will now be open for potential homebuyers interested in purchasing one of the more than 45 new or renovated city homes being offered for sale to owner-occupants.

Reed said the city’s Third Annual HOP Auction will also feature recently completed new homes in the Marketplace and Penn Green developments, and all of the homes offered for auction are affordably priced between $35,000 and $75,000. The homes are located throughout the city, the Mayor added. Anyone from throughout the region can bid, but each buyer is expected to become the home’s occupant.

A unique marketing program, the Housing Opportunities Auction was first begun by the Mayor in 1994 when 35 homes were sold to new homeowners. Another 40 were sold last year and, with the 45 to be sold this year, brings to 120 the total number of new or renovated homes sold to owner-occupants through this program alone. Since 1982, the City of Harrisburg has seen to the rehabilitation or construction of nearly 4,000 housing units, making the city the largest residential housing developer in Central Pennsylvania.

Reed said the city offers a variety of incentives to most homebuyers. Many will be eligible for the Mortgage Tax Credit Certificate (MCC). Harrisburg was the first city in the nation to issue the MCC’s, that today return 50 percent of the interest the homebuyer pays on the mortgage each year, for the life of the mortgage.

Reed said the Housing Opportunities Auction involves a comprehensive buyer preparation program, with potential homeowners first receiving financial counseling to ensure they can afford the home they desire. Approved bidders are then helped through the mortgage approval process, and once they have successfully obtained approval for a mortgage, are then eligible to participate in the Auction. Successful bidders are also eligible to take a special 40-hour Home Repair Course, where they receive a tool kit for use in doing typical small maintenance chores that occur in any home.

Reed said a Homebuyer’s Education Course is currently being offered by the Fair Housing Council which teaches prospective bidders how to qualify for a mortgage, budgeting skills, credit reports, shopping for a home and the closing process. The sessions were held at Harrisburg Area Community College in May, and will be held at the Penn State East Gate Office Center on June 2, 9, and 16. Potential homeowners should call the Harrisburg Fair Housing Council to register for the course at (717) 238-9540.

The Mayor said the city would also be conducting a series of Buyer Awareness Previews to help buyers prepare for the auction. Sessions are set for May 27 at the Harrisburg Fair Housing Council, 2100 N. 6^th Street; June 3 at the Central Allison Hill Community Center, 1524 Walnut Street; June 10 at the Mt. Pleasant Hispanic American Center, 301 S. 13^th Street; and June 19, at the Neighborhood Center, 1801 N. 3^rd Street.
Open Houses at homes slated for the auction are currently set for June 14 and 15, and June 21 and 22.
The Mayor said interested homebuyers should contact the city’s auction representatives at 1-800-424-1283

STYLES BOUTIQUE OPENS
Styles Boutique, a contemporary consignment shop is pleased to announce the opening of their new store on Tuesday, June 3. Styles Boutique is located at 4702 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg, near the Hampden Center.

According to owner Susie Stoner, the store’s "partnership" philosophy is what sets Styles apart from other consignment shops in the area. "At Styles, we believe our consignors and shoppers are our partners," explains Stoner. Our success depends on consignors bringing in fashionable, high-quality items." Styles Boutique will not only offer a return to consignors, but it will provide great values and a unique shopping experience to those who shop there.

First time consignors should make an appointment to set up an account and may bring along a maximum of 15 items. Styles Boutique has established a 60-day consignment period and accepts items that are no more than three years old, in excellent condition and seasonal.

Styles receives women’s, men’s (sports jackets, sweaters, and casual shirts), and children’s clothing, as well as, handbags, belts and shoes in like-new condition. Store hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information about Styles Boutique, contact Susie Stoner at (717) 975-5585

FREE SHAKESPERE IN THE PARK ’97 PERFORMS IN JUNE
The Harrisburg Shakespeare Festival presents fourth annual Free Shakespeare in the Park. Come and see the famous scamp, Jack Falstaff, in William Shakespeare’s outrageous comedy, The Merry Wives of Windsor. This comedic roller coaster is presented with a contemporary twist, more reminiscent of Central PA than Elizabethan England. For any woman who’s ever wanted revenge, have we got a show for you!

The Merry Wives of Windsor runs June 6-8 and 12-15 in the Bandshell at Reservoir Park in Harrisburg. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. and are free to the public. Parking at Reservoir Park is $2. Bring a canned good and waive the parking fee! All canned goods will be donated to the Bethesda Mission. For more information call (717) 238-4111.