Funded by a $16.2 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in addition to other public and private monies, Mayor Reed said the building will be a major contribution to historic preservation, education, and research.

Reed said the Museum is modeled after mid-19th Century exterior with a brick façade, plazas, overlooks, and a grand cupola rising 40 feet into the air above Harrisburg. The Museum is surrounded by the bucolic rolling hills of the 90-acre Reservoir Park, with large open space areas to allow the Museum to host re-enactor parades, drills, encampments, and re-enactments.

The Mayor said the project has been designed by the Harrisburg-based fim of Hayes Large Architects, with construction management and engineering services provided by the respective city-based firms of Alexander Constructors and Brinjac, Kambic and Associates.

Reed said the starting salaries for city firefighters, after their successful completion of a 12-week training course, is $33, 371.61 per year. Applicants must meet the following criteria for consideration:

• Must have been residents of the City of Harrisburg for the preceding 12 months

• Must be at least 20 ½ years old on the date the application is filed

• Must be a United States citizen

• Must have graduated from High School or received a general equivalency certificate

• Must hold a valid driver’s license, with no suspensions in the past three years

The Mayor said Fire Civil Service applications may be obtained at the City’s Bureau of Human Resources, Room 303, of the King City Government Center on weekdays between the hours of 8a-5p. All applicants must file a completed, notarized application in person and provide the required documentation to the Bureau of Human Resources on weekdays between the hours of 9a-4p. A $25 non-refundable processing fee must be paid at the time of application filing. Applications submitted by mail will not be accepted.

Keystone Public Relations Officer Bob Fisher said the award recognizes a major effort by the local chorus to become better known in the community for the professional quality of entertainment it has been providing for the past 54 years.

“This recognition is a reflection of the hard work done by our local communications team, including members who market the chorus, run the website, and publish the group’s monthly newsletter,” Fisher said.

The new construction is part of the Mayor’s ongoing Summit Terrace Revitalization Project, which since 1996 has realized the addition of 18 new single-family homes in the formerly blighted neighborhood, along with the demolition activity of non-restorable structures and the rehabilitation of many existing homes.

The Mayor said the Summit Terrace Revitalization Project will eventually realize the construction of as many as 60 new townhomes, all of which are being marketed to first-time and low to moderate income buyers. “A wide range of financing options are available to buyers,” Reed said, noting that area lenders have been working together with the developer since 1992.

“We’re very proud of my father for receiving this very high honor,” said Ron Leitzel, owner of Mountz Jewelers, referring to the award that was given to his father at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center late last month.

Marvin Leitzel entered the jewelry business started by his older brother Charles in Millersburg, later buying out his brother and bringing his sons and wife, Kathryn, into the store. Leitzel prides himself on being the ‘founder’ of a local jewelry dynasty — with two sons and a daughter working in the business.

According to Ron Leitzel, his father has developed a “big following” over the past 50 years — with customers coming back to Millersburg from the Harrisburg area. Leitzel also adds that his father will most likely never retire, “He enjoys what he does. The things he does are almost automatic, he’s been doing them so long. Basically, he’s dedicated his life to the jewelry industry.”

According to Lynne Dillard, President of The Volunteer Center, “The Volunteer Center approached United Way about a potential merger arrangement last year … Our Board of Directors saw the benefit of being part of the United Way and thought a merger will be beneficial for both organizations and our community. We will continue to offer quality programs to the community and local residents.”

Constance Foster, Esq., Vice Chairman of The United Way of the Capital Region said, “We applaud the efforts and vision of Lynne Dillard and The Volunteer Center Board of Directors for taking this step. This merger is a positive step for both organizations and we view it as such for the community.”

“The Board of Directors felt it was the right time for a new name to go along with our beautiful new performance home in the state-of-the-art Sunoco Performance Theater,” said Ellen Warren, board chairman. “We feel the new name best represents the calibre of performance which theatre-goers have come to expect from us. It also tells newcomers and visitors to Harrisburg that they can expect to see a professionally staged production.”

“We are thrilled to have Theatre Harrisburg as the Resident Theater Company at Whitaker Center,” said Thomas R. Stone, president and CEO of Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts. “The Theatre brings with it a rich history and a superb reputation for professional-quality productions. The new name is a good fit for such a fine theatre company. We look forward to a long run with Theatre Harrisburg.”

Theatre Harrisburg is also launching a competition to design a new logo to complement the new name. “The design should reflect the excitement associated with our new name and location,” said Kuba. It should also reflect the Theatre’s mission which is to enhance the quality of life in the Capital Region by providing diverse and affordable theatre experiences and opportunities for creative expression, theatre education, and intellectual stimulation.

The Students from the Chinese Martial Arts Center competed in several Taiji barehand and weapons forms divisions. Taiji, also known as Tai Chi, is a style of Chinese martial art that is best known in North America for its health benefits. The competitors are students of Coach Jose Johnson, the 1995 United States national Taiji champion.

Recognizing the critical role of small business to the economic well-being of the Commonwealth, the Pennsylvania General Assembly has increased its investment in the Pennsylvania SBDC program over the past two years so that the SBCDs could increase service delivery. In addition, numerous independent studies have shown that the program’s services in 1999 are poised to contribute significantly to the state’s continuing economic expansion.

“By any measure, the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers represent an excellent investment for the Small Business Administration and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” said Gregory L. Higgins, Jr., state director of the Pennsylvania SBDC network. “It is the communities of the state, however, that are the ultimate beneficiaries.”

Barry Starke, President of the American Society of Landscape Architects, said: “The Medallion award program is designed to focus public attention on the landscapes that contribute to the everyday life of our communities. They give us an opportunity to commemorate the beauty and wonder that landscape architects have created and our citizens have enjoyed for the past century.”

“We are delighted and honored to receive these prestigious national awards, which have been independently selected by our nation’s premier landscape architecture professionals,” said Mayor Reed.

The idea to promote charter flights to State College for games was conceived by Bill Young, Harrisburg Jet Center’s marketing coordinator and a Penn State alumnus. “We always see a lot of private planes departing Central City Airport bound for Penn State games in the fall, so we want to make flying an option for other local fans who don’t own their own aircraft,” explained Young.

Fans can travel in two aircrafts that accommodate up to six or eight people, to both home and away games. Passengers traveling to home game will enjoy direct transportation from University Park Airport to and from Beaver Stadium via a shuttle bus. For passengers flying to away games, transportation to and from the game can also be arranged.

“Penn State football is a tradition in this area, and charter gives people the freedom to travel to the games on their schedule. A group can charter a plane and be in State College in approximately 30 minutes as compared to spending three or more hours on the road,” said Young.

For Penn State charter details, contact the Harrisburg Jet Center Charter Department at 909-8732.

UCP Internet Workstation Has Moved to Dauphin County Library System
Camp Hill, PA – In cooperation with the Dauphin County Area Library System, UCP has relocated its Internet workstation for persons with disabilities and their families to the East Shore Library. The station is designed to guarantee accessibility for all disabilities, utilizing adaptive devices and computer software. The new location will allow for greater usage of the workstation by offering extended hours.

As part of the agreement, UCP will retain full ownership and responsibility for repairs to the workstation while providing the library staff with ongoing training on the many adaptive devices that are available. The East Shore Area Library will provide staff to set up the assistive devices during regular library hours and will implement the current library Internet acceptable use policy including charges to patrons for paper used, for printing, and for purchasing floppy disks. Together, both parties will consult and cooperate on a continuous basis regarding on-going staff training on equipment, resolving equipment problems, and newly identified consumer needs regarding the Internet or adaptive equipment.