• Differing approaches to urban renewal mark Lancaster and Harrisburg: In the present day, Lancaster and Harrisburg, despite being separated by less than 50 miles, have differing successes in attracting people to their downtowns. Both cities began looking towards urban renewal in the 1990s. Lancaster developed a painstakingly crafted plan for their urban renewal, while Harrisburg’s plans were kept looser. The attractions the cities built also differed. While Harrisburg built the Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts, and their City Island attraction, Lancaster would focus on a blend of old and new, such as the city’s Central Market. Lancaster also had a dense downtown going for it which brought more residents closer to the city’s attractions. (Source: LNP)
• Vietnamese authors and artists to exhibit works at Ware Center: On April 30, 50 years after the fall of Saigon to the Communists during the Vietnam War, Vietnamese Americans will present works in the Millersville University Ware Center centering on their experiences coming to America. The exhibit is run by Len Tran, who is a board member of the non-profit Vietnamese Boat People. The exhibit is meant to be a preview of their exhibit “Our Journeys: 50 Years After the Fall,” which will debut in New York City in September. The full exhibit will come to the Ware Center in February 2026. (Source: LNP)
• All Harmony Tower residents now have hot water: For the first time since Thanksgiving, all residents of the Harmony Tower apartment building in downtown Harrisburg now have hot water again. The process of restoring the hot water service involved replacing valves. Each apartment has three of them, in the bathroom, kitchen and laundry area. The workers replaced valves starting in the 10 remaining apartments without hot water and continued floor-by-floor. The city government issued 174 citations to the building’s owner on the issue. (Source: ABC 27)
• Lancaster CareerLink to offer on-the-spot birth certificates: Birth certificates will be offered through a pilot program at the Lancaster CareerLink. The program, if it goes well, will be expanded to other locations. It is being run through the Departments of Health and Labor and Industry. People will need to pre-register online for their birth certificates. Birth certificates may be required for obtaining a job or getting a Real ID. (Source: ABC 27)
• 911 dispatcher mishandled call from governor’s mansion arson subject: Dauphin County officials said that the 911 dispatcher who took the call from the arson suspect in the burning of the governor’s Harrisburg home should have escalated the call. This in part caused the response to the arson to be hamstrung, though no one was hurt during the incident. It took more than 12 hours to capture the suspect Cody Balmer, even though he repeatedly attempted to turn himself in. Two criminal justice experts, Chalon Young Pfeifer and Brian Higgins, both said that there were errors made in the response, as the severity of the incident and the presence of someone admitting to the crime should have triggered an escalation. (Source: LNP)
• Nation/world: Mark Carney wins federal election (Source: AP News) Cardinal Becciu withdraws from conclave (Source: AP News) Polls on Trump’s presidency (Source: NBC News) Ex-Hong Kong Lawmakers released from prison (Source: UPI) Trump tariffs increase consumer gloom (Source: ABC News)
