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10. so mAnY murALs Historically, I've kicked off my annual top-10 list with a good news story—so why stop now? Last year, Sprocket Mural Works mounted its second Harrisburg Mural Festival, bringing world-class muralists into Harrisburg during the first 10 days of September. e result: big art, beautiful art, permanent art. Not long ago, a stroll up 3rd Street was a dull trek indeed, but now there's so much to see, admire and Instagram. Who's up for a selfie? 9. goIng uP Harrisburg has seen precious little new construction in many years, ever since the Reed administration's creatively financed downtown projects. at's now changing as a new federal courthouse rises on Reily and N. 6th and, a mile or so down the road, the 17-story Harrisburg University tower gets going. Last year, Harristown announced that it would like to join the party with a new office building on Market Street. However, it appears that this addition to the city skyline remains on the drawing board as the company awaits an anchor tenant. 8. cLosIng tIme In 2018, the Susquehanna United Methodist Conference announced it would close most of its churches in the Harrisburg area and consolidate congregations. en, last year, it actually happened, with six churches hitting the market at the same time. You can add that inventory to several other churches, a couple of firehouses and a few school buildings, creating a mass of institutional properties for sale all at once. Brewery? Art space? Community center? What says you, Harrisburg? 7. In the Zone Here's how much of a city nerd I am—I love me some zoning (and some planning!). Variances, special exceptions, I can't get enough. Seriously, land use interests me greatly, sometimes because there's a fascinating underlying issue, but mostly because it typically means building, renovation and development. Planning and zoning issues really hit the news late in the year after a company called Seven Bridges Development asked the city to rezone a prime swath of Midtown Harrisburg, with an eye towards constructing mixed-used buildings. Soon after, the city itself introduced an ordinance to allow greater density in most residential zones. Both ordinances were later withdrawn, but they're not dead yet. Watch for these planning and zoning issues to hit the burner again in 2020. 6. oFF-oFF YeAr e 2019 primary election came in hot, with interest way up for the usually sleepy off-off-year contest. e campaign was marked by numerous debates with sizeable crowds, especially for the five contested school board seats. Residents responded, voting for accountability by tossing out all the school board incumbents. However, by the time November's general election rolled around, the cause had lost its mojo, as, in the interim, state receivership had stripped the board of most of its power. It now will be interesting to see, for 2020, if Receiver Janet Samuels involves the new, reform-minded board members or continues to rule by decree. happy neWsy yeaR Join me in the time machine way back to—2019. bY LAwrAnce bInDA W ith the flip of the calendar, most people turn their focus to the year ahead, making resolutions and plans for the next 12 months. Not this guy. Each January, I use this space to review what made headlines in the year just ended. So, without further delay, here's my look into the rearview mirror, a wildly subjective ranking of the top 10 local news stories of 2019.

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