Harrisburg’s mayoral candidates meet up in last forum before May 18 primary
Updated May 13, 2021;
Posted May 12, 2021
The four top-tier candidates in the race for the Democratic nomination for Harrisburg mayor brought their pre-primary debate season to a close Wednesday night.
Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com
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Here’s a look at the highlights of the four participants’ pitches.
Otto Banks.
The former city council member and deputy assistant secretary in George W. Bush’s Department of Housing & Urban Development lobbed an interesting new proposal on the table, saying that if elected he would proposed selling the current City Government Center building on 2nd Street and moving the city’s offices to the site of the National Civil War Museum in Reservoir Park.
Spending in 2021 Harrisburg mayoral primary will set city record
Updated May 11, 2021;
Posted May 11, 2021
The race to occupy Harrisburg s mayor s office is breaking fundraising records, according to campaign finance reports filed with Dauphin County. (Photo by Christine Vendel, PennLive, File.)Christine Vendel, PennLive
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Dave Schankweiler, the retired founder and publisher of the Central Pennsylvania Business Journal, has shown he may have the best Rolodex in the Harrisburg mayor’s race, out-raising all candidates who have filed campaign finance reports so far.
The big wild card? Former Harrisburg city councilman Otto Banks, who has the single-biggest donor in the race, but whose campaign committee had not yet filed a report as of noon, Tuesday.
‘One more blow could have been fatal’: Harrisburg man gets 15 to 30 years in prison for two brutal rapes
Updated May 12, 2021;
A Harrisburg man who pleaded guilty to committing two brutal rapes, including one a prosecutor said was nearly fatal, will be spending the next 15 to 30 years in a state prison.
Dauphin County Judge Deborah E. Curcillo imposed that penalty on Michael Wright on his 36th birthday, nearly three years after Wright was arrested by city police.
“The surgeon who treated her said one more blow could have been fatal,” Gettle said.
Michael Wright
Wright was sentenced under a plea agreement that covered the July 2018 of that woman, a May 2018 rape of another woman, and an unrelated burglary. He will have to register with state police for life as a sex offender, Gettle said. She said it still must be determined whether Wright will be designated a sexually violent predator, the most dangerous kind of sex offender.
Harrisburg mayoral candidates forum scheduled for today is postponed
Updated May 05, 2021;
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The scheduled “Candidates Conversation” between the five candidates in Harrisburg’s Democratic Party mayoral primary will not air at 7 this evening as scheduled, due to technical difficulties during taping.
Event organizers are working to reschedule and will announce a new date as soon as it is confirmed.
Today’s forum was being held virtually and taped for streaming on the two news outlets’ various digital platforms.
One of the area’s most spirited races, the primary presents voters with a choice between incumbent Mayor Eric Papenfuse, who is seeking a third term; current City Council President Wanda Williams; former councilman and Bush Administration official Otto Banks; retired publisher Dave Schankweiler; and Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center general manager Kevyn Knox.