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Microbrewery Celebration!

admin May 7, 2015 Entertainment Comments Off on Microbrewery Celebration!

breweryA few weeks ago Harrisburg enjoyed a huge celebration with the unification of craft breweries. The Harrisburg Beer Week enabled fans (and I’m certainly in that category!) to celebrate local microbrews for a full eight days throughout eateries and breweries in the region.

There were nearly 150 events during that week! Harrisburg has an awesome craft beer movement. I personally have an affinity toward Hershey’s Troegs, and Harrisburg’s Appalachian Brewing Company. Now there are microbreweries which have sprung off from that.

What else was great was that at the celebration you end up feeling quite virtuous (something that doesn’t happen all that often to me when I’m drinking beer!) as it is a fundraiser following the 2011 destruction of Cameron Street headquarters due to Tropical Storm Lee.

The celebration thus raises awareness for Harrisburg River Rescue too. So I really did eat, drink and became merry…with justification!

Great News for Harrisburg Job-Seekers

admin November 7, 2011 Uncategorized Comments Off on Great News for Harrisburg Job-Seekers

Finally some good news in Harrisburg. It’s about time too.  With flooding and fiscal issues, the city certainly needs something good to wake up to in the mornings.    As the Fall season began, statistics rendered by the state Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) for unemployment in the Harrisburg-Carlisle region (Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry) dropped significantly to a new low of 7.4 percent. This was a reduction of 40 percent, marking the fifth lowest out of the 14 regions in the department’s study.  Further, just looking at statistics from the same timeframe a year ago, it was found that unemployment was 30 percent lower.  Today the figure is less than the state and national average.

Non-Agricultural Jobs in Trouble

However, the region is still not out of trouble. It seems that farming jobs are somewhat easier to come by, but other areas are still fighting to stay on top.  Indeed, in September, the amount of non-farm job vacancies plummeted by 2,600 to 317,500 which was described by the DLI as “the largest decline in a single month since 1990.”  That cannot be making the working class of the Harrisburg-Carlisle region very happy.

As well, looking at other industries, leisure and hospitality service jobs also witnessed a significant plummet of 4,400.  Mining went down too, but only by 300.  According to the DLI, some of these were expected (especially those in the hospitality service areas due to normal seasonal adjustments) but the situation was definitely worsened by the flood damage from tropical storm Lee that was encountered at Hersheypark and restaurants in the area.  But there was an increase in job availability in the areas of IT, education and government.

So it seems overall, there is hope for Harrisburg employment but there are still various obstacles the city has to pull down before everyone who is viable to work is in an appropriate job.  The city has had a lot to deal with recently; one step at a time needs to be its motto now.

Relax with Some Laughter at Harrisburg’s Comedy Central

admin September 14, 2011 Entertainment Comments Off on Relax with Some Laughter at Harrisburg’s Comedy Central

Following the devastation caused by Tropical Storm Lee flooding, things do seem to finally be getting back to normal in the Harrisburg region.  So it might be a good time to take in some comedy.  Check out Comedy Central over the weekend as Tony Boswell, esteemed writer, stand up and actor, will be performing.

Boswell has an impressive resume.  To date, he has performed at The Boston Comedy Festival and on Comedy Central, KSHB’s Kansas City Comedy Hour, the San Francisco International Comedy Competition, the New Orleans’ Comedy Festival, the Seattle International Comedy Competition, Night Shift, Comedy on the Road, and in two movies (The Babe, and Meet the Parents).

Boswell’s performance is rib-tickling, sarcastic, intelligent and, most importantly, enjoyable.  He is popular and good-natured with his audience and it really is a not-to-be missed show for Harrisburg residents who need a laugh.

Tropical Storm Lee Flooding

admin September 12, 2011 Weather Comments Off on Tropical Storm Lee Flooding

Finally it looks like Harrisburg residents will be able to go home.  Following the Tropical Storm Lee flooding, tens of thousands of the residents who were evacuated at the time were told it was safe for them to return home, last Saturday.   At the time it was such a tough flood, reports claimed that it was the worst in nearly 40 years, since Hurricane Agnes.

Evacuees Return Home

Before the notice came for these individuals to return home, the evacuation order was lifted in northeastern Pennsylvania for up to 60,000 (of the 70,000 residents) in and around Wilkes-Barre to return home.  The Susquehanna River’s level was receding during this time.  Thereafter, more were given the go-ahead on Saturday as well as Sunday.

Deaths from Flooding

According to Gov. Tom Corbett, there have been at least seven deaths resulting from the storm.  As well, around five deaths were said to be “storm-related.”  However, good news is finally in sight as Corbett said at a Harrisburg news conference, “it appears no that the worst of the flooding is over.”  He has requested President Obama declare a “major disaster in the flooded counties.”

Other Damage

Along with the deaths, there have been other issues that have arisen as a result of the flood.  Finally, things have taken their toll.  Indeed, Stephen Bekanich, Luzerne County Emergency Management Agency Director, estimated damage to be in the tens of millions.  Harrisburg is still experiencing problems due to the falling river.  Officials are still attempting to restore power while crews attempted to repair damage from the storm.

Impact on Harrisburg

Given that there are various roadways closed in the region, this will impact the people of Harrisburg as well.  The city’s mayor assured that power will be restored to city residents.  Still, around 2,300 residences “remained without power.”  But Harrisburg residents can be assured that water will be sent to them – 800,000 gallons of fresh water per day to American Water will be “distributed to metropolitan and suburban areas where fresh water was in short supply. City reservoir water levels remain high and were not affected by the flood.”

Slowly, things are returning to normal for Harrisburg residents.  It’s going to take time, but the city and its officials are taking care of things following Tropical Storm Lee and its repercussions.