December 9th, 1999 Press Releases

For Immediate Release
December 9, 1999 Press Releases

Whitaker Announces New Web Site
Harrisburg, PA – The Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts has announced the debut of its redesigned website. Visitors to the website will find all of the information needed to plan and enjoy a visit to Whitaker Center on the informative site at www.whitakercenter.com.

Included in the redesigned site are hours of operation for the Science Center, film times for the Grass/Rite Aid IMAX Theater, a schedule of performances for the Sunoco Performance Theater, and directions to Whitaker Center. Specific information to has been added regarding the three components of the Center, as well as information to guide teachers on School Group Visits. Segments on Memberships, as well as Job and Volunteer Opportunities are also available.

The site was redesigned by a dynamic website development team, D2 Media, Harrisburg.

Kwanzaa Workshops at Creative Expressions
Harrisburg, PA – Creative Expressions, a new shop recently opened at 908 N. Third Street in Midtown, is an extension of Creations of Family Muhammad’s at the Broad Street Market. Throughout Kwanzaa, proprietor and self-taught artist, Latifah Shabazz, will provide Kwanzaa Workshops, and will stock a full line of kinaras, straw mats, and corn, complete Afro centric outfits, handcrafted holiday items, Kwanzaa banners, and greeting cards. Year round, shoppers will find ethnic pieces of exceptional caliber such as one-of-a-kind authentic African masks, artifacts, and other finely crafted articles.

Honoring the final Kwanzaa season leading into the Millennium, Shabazz’s Kwanzaa Workshops are every Saturday through December 18 at Creative Expressions. Sessions begin at 6 pm. The Workshops will define the seven principles of Kwanzaa and its history, and will educate families on ways to observe and celebrate the seven-day period.

Funeral Practitioner Receives Certification
New Cumberland, PA – Stephen K. Parthemore of New Cumberland, PA, has recently been awarded the designation of Certified Funeral Service Practitioner (CFSP) by the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice (APFSP). Many professions award special industry certifications upon completion of specified academic and professional programs and “CFSP” is the funeral service’s national certification.

In order to receive this award, Mr. Parthemore completed a 180-hour program of continuing education activities and events. Credits are awarded by the Academy for work leading to personal and/or professional growth in four areas including: academic activities, professional activities, career review, and civic activities.

Chesapeake Bay Launches New Website
Annapolis, MD – In response to the overwhelming public demand for Bay-related information, the Chesapeake Bay Program has launched a new website: www.chesapeakebay.net. The new site offers many interactive features and activates the Chesapeake Information Management System, also know as “CIMS.”

“The new page presents information in a much more intuitive, public-friendly way and, with the CIMS connection activated, the Bay Program page is a much more powerful tool,” said Robert Magnien, chair of the Bay Program’s Information Management Subcommittee.

The additions to the already popular features such as Environmental Indicators, information on the Bay and its ecosystem and water quality information include: an interactive Bay Atlas, a Critter of the Month, and a State of the Chesapeake Bay report.

Girl Scout Registration Still Available
Harrisburg, PA – It’s not too late for girls and adults throughout the area to register for a new year in Girl Scouting. Girl Scouting offers a safe, all-girl environment where girls can travel to new places and explore challenging programs while making new friends. The Girl Scout program offers activities in math, science, career exploration, computers, music, sports, community service, and more.

All girls are welcome in Girl Scouting regardless of race, religion, national origin, or socio-economic status. A $7 national membership fee is due upon registration. Financial assistance is available.

For more information on registering for the Girl Scouts, call the Girl Scout office in Harrisburg at 233-1656 or 1-800-692-7816.

Historical Society Announces Award Recipients

Carlisle, PA – The Cumberland County Historical Society announced Tandy and Charles Hersh and David Gority as the recipients for the 1999 Historian and Volunteer of the Year Awards before almost 200 members and guests during the Society’s annual dinner meeting October 19.

The Milton E. Flower Historian of the Year Award honored Tandy and Charles Hersh for scholarly research in the area of textiles and clothing.

The Roger K. and Helen E. Todd Distinguished Volunteer Award was presented to David Gority by last year’s recipient Andrea Sheya. Gority was recognized for his innumerable contributions and tireless dedication for fifteen years. Sheya characterized Gority as a “behind the scene” volunteer who is “actively engaged” in every aspect of the Society’s operations.

CAT Votes To Bring Regional Rail to Central PA
Harrisburg, PA – The Capitol Area Transit (CAT) Board of Directors has voted to adopt a plan to develop a regional rail system in Central Pennsylvania that will support anticipated growth into the next century. The vote follows completion of a comprehensive 12-month assessment of six transportation alternatives, which included a commuter rail system, expanded highways, enhanced bus services, the development of bus ways for rapid transit, employer-sponsored transit, or doing nothing at all. Of these six alternatives, the CAT board selected the rail alternative for several reasons — such as improved mobility within our region, higher transportation capacity that other modes, and reduced travel time.

The regional rail system would entail a 54-mile corridor stretching from Carlisle to Lancaster via Harrisburg, called Corridor One. While Corridor One would be the first transportation corridor to be developed, CAT’s entire regional transportation plan includes several other corridors.

Preliminary estimated costs for a regional rail system along Corridor One are $247 million. Corridor One will be developed in phases, beginning with the most heavily congested area at this time.

From this point, the CAT Board’s recommendation goes to the Harrisburg Area Transportation Study (HATS) committee, the metropolitan planning organization, for final recommendation before being submitted to the Federal Transit Administration and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Area Business Owner is Part Of “Harrisburg Hollywood”
Harrisburg, PA – When Columbia Pictures releases Girl, Interrupted next month, most capital area residents will be looking for familiar landmarks and faces, since the movie was shot in and around Harrisburg. Todd Taylor and his 14 employees, however, will be paying close attention to the on-screen signage.

Taylor is president and owner of both the East and West Shore FASTSIGNS franchises, which did the computer generated signs for Girl, Interrupted, and various other signage for the Paramount Pictures film, Numbers — the film starring John Travolta that recently finished weeks of shooting in the area.

“FASTSIGNS is the world’s largest sign franchise, and has a national reputation for delivering quality product on time,” Taylor notes. “In Southern California it’s the best-known sign maker, so it was natural for filmmakers to come to us.”

Local UPS Driver Recognized For 25 Years of Safety
Harrisburg, PA – Garry Teter has been inducted into United Parcel Service’s (UPS) Circle of Honor — the highest level of UPS defensive driving recognition. Teter currently works in the Harrisburg Hub located at South 19th Street.

At a banquet held at the Harrisburg Hilton and Towers, on November 13, Teter and six other safe drivers were inducted in the Circle of Honor. As apart of their induction, each new member of the Circle of Honor receives a plaque from UPS, a Circle of Honor tie, golden custom-tailored sports jacket and engraved nametag, and a congratulation letter from Governor Tom Ridge. Each inductee is also given a frame photo of themselves and one with their spouse as a personal gift from UPS.

Teter joins a group of only 162 UPS Package Car and Feeder Truck drivers currently in UPS of Central Pennsylvania’s Circle of Honor. Teter achieved this honor by driving with UPS for 25 years with no traffic accidents. This honor places Teter in the top ten percent of the best UPS drivers in Central Pennsylvania.

New Stent-Grafting Technique Available at PinnacleHealth
Harrisburg, PA – Cardiovascular surgeons at PinnacleHealth Heart institute will begin performing a new, minimally invasive technique for treating abdominal aortic aneurysms in December.

An aneurysm is an abnormal widening or “ballooning” of a blood vessel. This weakens the vessel, which can rupture. Less than 50% of all people with a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm survive.

Until now, repairing an abdominal aneurysm required major surgery and up to a seven-day hospital stay. The new procedure involves making two small incisions in the femoral artery and using a catheter to insert a “stent graft,” a cloth-like device shaped like a straight or Y- shaped tube, inside the aorta at the site of the aneurysm. Once in place the graft provides a safe path for blood flow.

The new technique typically reduces hospital recovery time to just 48 hours and results in fewer complications. Patients experience less pain and are likely to resume their normal lifestyles sooner.

William B. Iams, M.D., and Gregory S. Keagy, D.O., of the Cardiovascular Surgical Institute, will perform the area’s first minimally invasive stent graft procedures. Both have completed the FDA requirements for certification in this new procedure. PinnacleHealth Heart Institute is the first area facility to offer the recently FDA-approved stent grafting procedure.

For more information, call Pinnacle Health Heart Institute at 1-800-872-6000.

Susquehanna Art Museum to Take on New Space
Harrisburg, PA – The Board of Directors of the Susquehanna Art Museum is pleased to announce that the Museum will be renovating the first three floors of the Kunkel Building, located on the corner of Market and Third streets in downtown Harrisburg. Currently housed on the second floor of Strawberry Square, the Museum’s galleries, offices, and classroom space will move to this new facility, which is 2,200 square feet bigger than their current location, in March of 2000.

The renovations of the new space, which are expected to total more than half a million dollars, are pointed towards advancing the Museum towards accreditation by the American Association of Museums. Accreditation, for which the Museum will apply in the years following its move, will open the door for major, internationally touring exhibitions. In line with these aims, the specific physical features of this new space include a museum-quality temperature and humidity control system, advanced lighting, a new security and surveillance system, and an art storage component.

As in its current facility, admission to the new space will be free. The Museum is open from Monday-Saturday, 11:00am – 3:00pm, and by appointment.

United Way Reports Progress
Harrisburg, Pa – Ten weeks into its annual fundraising campaign, the United Way of the Capital Region announced that $5,035,370 had been raised. This amount represents 72% of the $7,000,000 goal established for this year’s campaign.

Campaign chair Marion C. Alexander said, “We are hoping we can overcome some significant challenges to make this campaign a success. Because of some downsizing and uncertainty at a number of our leading accounts, we need the community to come forward and support the United Way of the Capital Region. While there are numerous companies who are showing remarkable and positive results, we need more companies to do the same.”

Those interested in donating charitably to the United Way of the Capital Region should call the organization at 255-1010 to request a pledge card. For more information about the United Way, consult the organization’s web site at www.uwcr.org.