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Dauphin County fire company suspended after complaint alleging racial discrimination at affiliated social club

Dauphin County fire company suspended after complaint alleging racial discrimination at affiliated social club
WEDDING BAND. HEAR HOW HE REALIZED IT WAS MISSING. THIS IS COVERAGE YOU CAN COUNT ON. WGAL NEWS EIGHT AT SIX STARTS NOW. A YORK COUNTY WOMAN BEGGED FOR HER LIFE AS THREE MEN STOLE HER CAR. GOOD EVENING. I’M LORI BURKHOLDER AND I’M JERE GISH. SHE SHARED HER STORY WITH NEWS EIGHT’S ED WEINSTOCK AND ED. REALLY? THIS IS PRETTY SCARY. OH, DEFINITELY A FRIGHTENING ORDEAL FOR A YORK COUNTY WOMAN ON THIS STREET. TUESDAY NIGHT. SHE WAS CONFRONTED BY THREE TEENAGERS WHO THREATENED TO SHOOT HER. IT WAS A TERRIFYING THREAT FOR A 37 YEAR OLD WOMAN IN NORTH YORK TUESDAY NIGHT. HE SAID, PULL OUT THE GUN AND SHOOT HER. IF SHE DOESN’T GIVE THE KEY. NORTHERN YORK COUNTY REGIONAL POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR THREE YOUNG MEN SEEN IN THIS RING DOORBELL VIDEO. POLICE SAY THE MEN DEMANDED THE WOMAN’S CAR KEYS AFTER SHE PARKED HER LEXUS ON NORTH GEORGE STREET. WE ARE NOT REVEALING THE VICTIM’S IDENTITY. I JUST KEPT TELLING THEM, PLEASE DON’T HURT ME. PLEASE DON’T HURT ME. I HAVE I HAVE A CHILD, YOU KNOW I HAVE A CHILD. I HAVE TO GET HOME TO. POLICE SAY ALL THE MEN WERE WEARING HOODIES AND TWO HAD MASKS ON. THE VICTIM BELIEVES THEY WERE ALL TEENAGERS. THEY SAID, GIVE ME YOUR KEYS. THE VICTIM SAYS ONE OF THEM REACHED INTO HER POCKET AND GRABBED THE KEYS, AND ALL THREE TOOK OFF IN THE LEXUS. I STARTED TO SCREAM. I STARTED TO SCREAM FOR HELP. POLICE ARE HOPING SOMEONE CAN IDENTIFY THE MEN AND A POTENTIAL WITNESS SEEN IN THE VIDEO. THE VICTIM TOLD ME THAT SHE PLANS TO BE A LOT MORE CAUTIOUS ABOUT GETTING OUT OF HER CAR, ABOUT BEING CAUTIOUS ABOUT HER SURROUNDINGS WHEN SHE PARKS ON THE STREET IN YORK COUNTY. ED WEINSTOCK WGAL NEWS EIGHT. ED. THANK YOU. A FLOODING EMERGENCY DECLARATION IN THE BOROUGH OF NEWPORT AND PERRY COUNTY IS OVER. COMMUNITY LEADERS WERE WORRIED ABOUT WATER LEVELS ON THE JUNIATA RIVER AFTER GETTING SO MUCH RAIN. THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY VISITED THE AREA TODAY AND THEY WERE MONITORING THE WATER AND COLLECTING DATA. AND STORM TEAM METEOROLOGIST ETHAN HOUSTON JOINS US NOW. AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE WEATHER HERE, ETHAN, IT’S SLOW BUT STEADY IMPROVEMENT. YEAH. THAT’S RIGHT. DEFINITELY LEE WE ARE STILL SEEING PASSING SHOWERS AND POSSIBLY EVEN A FEW ISOLATED THUNDERSHOWERS IN THE NEXT HOUR OR SO, BUT IT’S NOT NEARLY AS WIDESPREAD OR AS HEAVY, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME BRIEF DOWNPOURS RIGHT NOW, LIKE YOU’RE SEEING RIGHT NOW THROUGH HERSHEY IN DAUPHIN COUNTY. WE’LL SHOW YOU WHAT’S HAPPENING THERE ON LIVE LOCAL EIGHT RADAR. YOU CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT OF SOME EMBEDDED MODERATE RAIN RIGHT THERE ALONG ROUTE THREE, 22 CHOCOLATE AND COCO AVENUE. AND THAT EXTENDS DOWN TOWARDS ELIZABETHTOWN. ALSO GETTING A NICE DOWNPOUR AND EVEN A THUNDER SHOWER RIGHT NOW. JUST THERE TO THE WEST OF MILLERSVILLE ON OUR LIVE LOCAL EIGHT. RIGHT OVER THE RADAR. RIGHT NOW. BUT AS WE ZOOM ON OUT, IT’S NOT AS WIDESPREAD AS YESTERDAY, SO WE’LL CONTINUE TO SEE THESE SCATTERED SHOWERS, ISOLATED THUNDERSHOWERS FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. BUT WE’LL START TO SEE US DRY OUT AS WE HEAD PAST SUNSET. SO WE’LL KEEP THE CHANCES FOR AN ISOLATED SHOWER AROUND TONIGHT. IT IS GOING TO BE A BREEZY NIGHT TONIGHT WITH LOWS IN THE UPPER 30S. NOW. THE RIVER LEVELS ARE CONTINUING TO DROP A FEW FLOOD WARNINGS STILL REMAIN AND WE’LL TALK ABOUT THAT MORE COMING UP. BUT AS WE GO THROUGH TO TOMORROW, SOME SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL RETURN, MOST LIKELY DURING THE MID AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING, BUT OUR WEATHER WILL SLOWLY IMPROVE. BUT WE GOT TO GET THROUGH A WINDY WEEKEND FIRST SO WHEN, OH WHEN CAN WE PUT SUNSHINE? CALM WEATHER AND WARM WEATHER TOGETHER? I’LL LET YOU KNOW. COMING UP IN THE FULL TEN DAY FORECAST IN ABOUT TEN MINUTES. ALL RIGHT. WE’LL SEE YOU IN TEN MINUTES. THANK YOU ETHAN. EVERYBODY HAS THAT QUESTION FOR YOU. WELL HARRISBURG HAS GIVEN A DEADLINE OF TOMORROW AFTERNOON. ANNE TO THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT. CAMPED THERE IN THE RIVERFRONT PARK TO REMOVE THOSE TENTS AND ALL THEIR BELONGINGS. COCO TOM LEHMAN JOINS US LIVE FROM STATE STREET WITH MORE ON WHAT’S HAPPENING THERE. TOM. YEAH. LORI. JUST IN THE LAST 24 HOURS, SIGNS WERE POSTED IN RIVERFRONT PARK BEHIND ME TELLING ANYBODY WHO’S BEEN CAMPING THERE THAT IF THEY DON’T REMOVE THEIR STUFF BY 3 P.M. TOMORROW, IT WILL BE REMOVED AND CONFISCATED FROM THE PARK BY THE CITY. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN CAMPING THERE BECAUSE THEY ARE UNHOUSED SAY THIS IS A PRETTY TOUGH HARDSHIP ON THEM ON VERY SHORT NOTICE. THEY DON’T CARE ABOUT HOMELESS PEOPLE. ALEXIS DEFORD AND OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN CAMPED OUT IN RIVERFRONT PARK SAY THEY’RE FRUSTRATED ABOUT HAVING TO PACK EVERYTHING UP AND LEAVE. AT THIS POINT, I’M JUST A LITTLE BIT UPSET BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE GO SOMEWHERE, WE HAVE TO LEAVE, HARRISBURG SAYS HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS IN THE PARK HAVE BECOME BOTH PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH ISSUES, PARTICULARLY WITH TRASH AND DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. A CITY SPOKESMAN SAID PEOPLE CAMPED IN THE PARK WERE WARNED NOT TO STAY THERE. LATE LAST YEAR, BUT WERE ALLOWED TO REMAIN THROUGH THE WINTER. NOW THAT WE’RE IN SPRINGTIME, THOUGH, THAT PARK IS GOING TO BE USED ON AN ALMOST DAILY BASIS BY BOTH NON-PERMITTED AND PERMITTED EVENTS WHERE PEOPLE ARE PAYING TO USE THE PARK. WE HAVE TO RESPECT THAT. WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT. THE CITY IS ENCOURAGING PEOPLE IN THE PARK TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL SERVICES, OR WHATEVER SHELTER MAY BE AVAILABLE, BUT DEFORD SAYS THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO STEP UP AND CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. Y’ALL GOT ALL THIS MONEY? HOW ABOUT YOU GIVE US LIVING. NOW THE CITY SAYS THAT IT’S WORKING WITH THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE AND DAUPHIN COUNTY ON LONG TIME STRATEGIES TO HELP THE HOMELESS HERE IN THE HARRISBURG. THAT’S BECAUSE THE I-83 CONSTRUCTION PROJECT THAT’S ONGOING RIGHT NOW IS GOING TO DISPLACE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE CAMPED OUT BY THE PENNDOT BUILDING AT THE TENT CITY, AS IT’S CALLED IN THAT AREA IN HARRISBURG, TOM LEHMAN. WGAL NEWS EIGHT. TOM, THANK YOU. A LANCASTER MAN IS CHARGED WITH HOMICIDE BY VEHICLE WHILE DUI IN CONNECTION WITH A DEADLY CRASH THAT HAPPENED ON CHRISTMAS DAY. POLICE SAY 24 YEAR OLD STEVEN MALDONADO HAD MARIJUANA AND FENTANYL IN HIS SYSTEM. A PASSENGER IN THE CAR, 27 YEAR OLD KARINA CRUZ CAMEO, OF LANCASTER, WAS KILLED. INVESTIGATORS SAY MALDONADO WAS GOING AT LEAST 50 MILES AN HOUR ON WALLBANK ROAD IN LANCASTER TOWNSHIP WHEN HE WENT IN THE ONCOMING LANE TO PASS A VEHICLE AND THEN HIT A CAR HEAD ON, COMING THE OTHER WAY. THE SPEED LIMIT THERE IS 35. POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR A YORK MAN WANTED FOR A HOMICIDE IN STEELTON, DAUPHIN COUNTY, LAST MONTH. INVESTIGATORS SAY 33 YEAR OLD KEIR SIMS GOT INTO A FIGHT WITH THE VICTIM, OTILIO LUGO RIVERA, AT THE HIDEOUT LOUNGE, MARCH 23RD. WITNESSES TOLD POLICE SIMS ATTACKED THE VICTIM, HITTING HIM IN THE HEAD. THAT CAUSED THE VICTIM TO THEN HIT A WALL. A FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST RULED THE CAUSE OF DEATH WAS BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA TO HIS BRAIN. A FEDERAL GRAND JURY INDICTED A HARRISBURG MAN AFTER INVESTIGATORS SAY HE STOLE GUNS FROM A LICENSED DEALER. INVESTIGATORS SAY 20 YEAR OLD EDWIN CORDOVA STOLE 13 GUNS FROM A DEALER IN MECHANICSBURG, CUMBERLAND COUNTY, IN DECEMBER OF 2022. THE MAXIMUM PENALTY, IF CONVICTED, IS TEN YEARS IN PRISON. THE SWATARA FIRE CHIEF IN DAUPHIN COUNTY HAS SUSPENDED THE OPERATIONS OF FRIENDSHIP FIRE COMPANY, A BRESLER. THE CHIEF SAYS THIS FOLLOWS A COMPLAINT ALLEGING RACIAL DISCRIMINATION BY THE COMPANY’S AFFILIATED SOCIAL CLUB. THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL INVESTIGATED THE CLUB IN 2022 AND REQUIRED REMEDIAL ACTIONS. THE NEW COMPLAINT IS BEING INVESTIGATED AND WHILE THAT HAPPENS, THE COMPANY IS SUSPENDED IN PERRY COUNTY. A WEST PERRY SCHOOL DISTRICT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUS CRASHED THIS MORNING. FOUR STUDENTS WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. THAT CRASH HAPPENED AROUND 830 THIS MORNING ON FISHER HILL ROAD. THAT’S NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF DOBBS ROAD, JUST NORTHWEST OF LANDISBURG. STATE POLICE SAY THE BUS HEADING FOR BLAINE ELEMENTARY WENT OFF THE ROAD AND HIT A UTILITY POLE AND ALSO SEVERAL FENCE POSTS BEFORE GOING UP AN EMBANKMENT. AND THERE WERE 16 STUDENTS AND DRIVER ON THAT BUS. STATE POLICE SAY THE FOUR STUDENTS HAD SUSPECTED MINOR INJURIES, AND IN YORK COUNTY, NO STUDENTS WERE INJURED WHEN AN SUV REAR ENDED A SCHOOL OR EXCUSE ME, A SOUTHWESTERN SCHOOL DISTRICT BUS. WHILE IT WAS ON ITS WAY TO SCHOOL THIS MORNING. THAT CRASH HAPPENED AT GRANDVIEW AND BLACK BLACKROCK ROADS IN PENN TOWNSHIP AROUND 815 THIS MORNING. THE DISTRICT SAYS 25 STUDENTS WERE ON BOARD, AND THAT BUS WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE ITS ROUTE. THE PRINCIPAL OF CEDAR CLIFF HIGH SCHOOL AND THE WEST SHORE SCHOOL DISTRICT SAYS IT IS IDENTIFIED A STUDENT RESPONSIBLE FOR TWO HANDWRITTEN THREATS THE PRINCIPAL SAYS THAT STUDENT WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THIS IS THE SECOND DAY THE SCHOOL HAS DEALT WITH A THREAT IN A BATHROOM. YESTERDAY, THE DISTRICT SAYS THERE WAS OFFENSIVE GRAFFITI IN A STALL. THE DISTRICT AND POLICE SAY THEY FELT IT WAS SAFE FOR CLASSES TO CONTINUE. THE SCHOOL SAYS IT HAS INCREASED SUPERVISION THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING AND WALK THRUS OF RESTROOMS. THE STATE IS GOING TO LOOK INTO COLUMBIA GAS REQUEST TO RAISE RATES. THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TODAY TO INVEST AT THE REQUEST IN MARCH. COLUMBIA GAS SAID UNDER THE PROPOSED INCREASE, THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS BILL WOULD GO FROM ABOUT $118 A MONTH TO NEARLY $137 A MONTH BECAUSE OF THE PUC’S ACTION TODAY, THE RATE INCREASE IS SUSPENDED FOR UP TO SEVEN MONTHS. THE PUC’S FINAL DECISION IS DUE BY DECEMBER 14TH. ALL RIGHT, HERE’S A QUESTION FOR YOU. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET PAID TO TEST PRODUCTS ON AMAZON? THIS IS A PITCH LINE THAT’S APPEARING MORE OFTEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA THESE DAYS. EIGHT ON YOUR SIDE CONSUMER INVESTIGATOR BRIAN ROCHE TELLS US WHY YOU SHOULD BE CAUTIOUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA THESE DAYS. YOU’LL FIND A LOT OF ADS AND VIDEOS FEATURING WAYS TO BECOME AMAZON PRODUCT TESTERS TO EARN EXTRA MONEY AND ENJOY FREE PRODUCTS, AND THAT MAY SOUND INTERESTING TO YOU, AND IT’S CERTAINLY INTERESTING TO POTENTIAL SCAMMERS. AND THESE PRODUCT TESTING OPPORTUNITIES ARE NOT JUST ONLINE. CHECK THIS OUT HERE. A VIEWER JUST SENT ME THIS POSTCARD FOR AN AMAZON NEW PRODUCT TEST INVITATION. IT’S INVITING THEM TO TEST A NEW REMOTE CONTROL CAR. LET’S EXAMINE THIS POSTCARD A LITTLE MORE CLOSELY. THE EMAIL ADDRESS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH AMAZON. THE WEBSITE SCAM DETECTOR SAYS CSE REVIEW SUPPORT. COM HAS A MEDIUM RISK OF BEING A SCAM SITE. I SEARCHED THE RETURN ADDRESS ON THE POSTCARD LISTED IN CALIFORNIA, AND WHILE IT DOES EXIST, IT’S ACTUALLY A SHOE WAREHOUSE. IT HAS NO AFFILIATION WITH AMAZON AT ALL. NOW, AMAZON DOES HAVE A LEGITIMATE PRODUCT TESTING PROGRAM CALLED AMAZON VINE, BUT IT’S BY INVITATION ONLY FROM AMAZON CUSTOMERS WHO CONSISTENTLY WRITE INSIGHTFUL REVIEWS ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE INVITED, USUALLY, CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE WRITTEN 100 REVIEWS OR MORE SHOPPERS ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO ORDER ITEMS FOR FREE, AND AGAIN, THEY ARE NOT PAID TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM. NOW, THERE ARE ALSO NON-OFFICIAL PRODUCT TESTING SITES. THESE SITES ARE NOT RUN BY AMAZON, AND YOU SHOULD BE VERY CAREFUL OF ANY WEBSITE THAT GUARANTEES YOU MONEY FOR TESTING PRODUCTS. I’M BRIAN ROACH ON YOUR SIDE WGAL NEWS EIGHT. MYSTERY SOLVED. THE OWNER OF A WEDDING RING FOUND IN A COMPOST PILE IN LANCASTER COUNTY CAME FORWARD TODAY. THIS DIDN’T TAKE LONG. NEWS EIGHT’S ANNE SHANNON WAS THERE. THANK YOU. WOULD YOU PUT IT ON AGAIN AS YOU DID AS YOU DID 60 YEARS AGO? WHEN 83 YEAR OLD STEPHEN ENGLE MISPLACED HIS WEDDING RING LAST WEEK, HE THOUGHT IT WAS GONE FOREVER. THANK YOU. I LOVE YOU, LOVE YOU TOO. BUT THANKS TO MANHEIM TOWNSHIP POLICE, STEVE’S GENTLY WORN GOLD BAND IS NOW BACK ON HIS FINGER. A GOOD SAMARITAN SPOTTED THE RING AT THE TOWNSHIP COMPOST SITE AND TURNED IT IN. INVESTIGATORS TRIED TO FIND THE OWNER AND SHARED THE STORY WITH NEWS EIGHT. AND THEN I’M WATCHING. WE ALL AND YOU’RE THERE. AND I SAID, THAT’S MY RING. AND SHE DIDN’T BELIEVE IT. I WAS SURPRISED AT HOW FAST IT HAPPENED. WITHIN HOURS, STEPHEN REACHED OUT TO POLICE. HE WAS ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT THE DATES AND ALL THE INITIALS MATCHED UP, AND THEY WEREN’T MARRIED IN LANCASTER, WHICH IS WHY, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN’T FIND ANYTHING WHEN WE LOOKED. STEPHEN AND JANICE ENGLE WERE MARRIED ON JULY SIX, 1963, IN ALTOONA. THEY RETIRED TO LANCASTER ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO. THEY’RE GRATEFUL FOR THE PERSON WHO TURNED THE RING IN. YEAH, I WISH I COULD KNOW WHO THAT PERSON IS. I REALLY, REALLY DO. I’M PRAYING FOR YOU. I THANK YOU SO MUCH. WHOEVER YOU ARE. THEY ALSO BELIEVE THERE WAS A HIGHER POWER AT WORK. I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT. I THOUGHT IT WAS A MIRACLE. OKAY. I THOUGHT IT WAS GOD. THAT’S WHAT I THOUGHT. ANNE SHANNON. WE SHALL NEWS 8 MAYBE THERE WAS SOME DIVINE INTERVENTION. OH MY WORD, WHAT A GREAT STORY, A GREAT ENDING. OH MY GOODNESS, 61 YEARS. HE HAD THAT GOT THE RING BACK ON. BUT HE STILL HAS IT BACK. WELL, STEPHEN AND JANICE, THEY MET AS STUDENTS AT PENN STATE UNIVERSITY, YOUR ALMA MATER. HE TOLD US HE WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS TO TELL HIS WIFE THAT HE LOST HIS WEDDING RING 61 YEARS. HE’S HAD HIS RING. HE DIDN’T LOSE IT AND 61 YEARS. BUT THEN WHEN SHE FOUND OUT, HE SAYS SHE WAS COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND. OF COURSE. ABSOLUTELY. JANICE WAS, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING AFTER SHE FOUND OUT THAT STORY. NO, I REALLY DO. SO GLAD THAT THE RING IS BACK WHERE IT SHOULD BE. HAPPY ENDING. ABSOLUTELY. COMING UP NEXT, WE ARE FACT CHECKING AN AD IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL, AND IT DEPENDS ON HOW YOU RECEIVE THE AD ON WHETHER IT’S TRUE OR NOT. DO YOU HEAR THE CLAIM OR DO YOU SEE THE CLAIM ON THE SCREEN BECAUSE WE FOUND THERE’S A DIFFERENCE. HEADS UP. IF YOU’RE WATCHING US IN LANCASTER COUNTY, GOT A COMPACT THUNDERSHOWER MOVING OVER FROM MILLERSVILLE NOW INTO SOUTHERN LANCASTER CITY TOWARDS WILLOW STREET 30 MILE PER HOUR GUSTS AND POSSIBLY EVEN SOME HAIL ASSOCIATED WITH THIS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE THESE SCATTERED SHOWERS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS, BUT OUR WEATHER WILL SLOWLY IMPROVE THROUGH THE NIGHT. TONIGHT. TOMORROW I’LL TALK ABOUT THAT
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Dauphin County fire company suspended after complaint alleging racial discrimination at affiliated social club
The Swatara Township fire chief in Dauphin County has suspended the operations of the Friendship Fire Company of Bressler.Video above: Headlines from News 8Chief Michael Ibberson said this follows a complaint alleging racial discrimination by the company's affiliated social club.The state attorney general investigated the club in 2022 and required remedial actions.The new complaint is being investigated."The Township takes these allegations very seriously, especially in light of the history of this issue and this Fire Company's social club," said Thomas Connolly, the chair of the township's public safety committee. "I support the Fire Chief's quick action, referral of this matter to high authorities, and immediate and thorough investigation."

The Swatara Township fire chief in Dauphin County has suspended the operations of the Friendship Fire Company of Bressler.

Video above: Headlines from News 8

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Chief Michael Ibberson said this follows a complaint alleging racial discrimination by the company's affiliated social club.

The state attorney general investigated the club in 2022 and required remedial actions.

The new complaint is being investigated.

"The Township takes these allegations very seriously, especially in light of the history of this issue and this Fire Company's social club," said Thomas Connolly, the chair of the township's public safety committee. "I support the Fire Chief's quick action, referral of this matter to high authorities, and immediate and thorough investigation."