THERE ARE REALLY THANKFUL FOR BECKY, AUNT BECKY, YES, THIS IS COVERAGE YOU CAN COUNT ON. WGAL NEWS EIGHT TODAY STARTS NOW. I’M AMY LU IN WASHINGTON WITH THE ESCALATING CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST OVER REPORTS OVERNIGHT OF A POSSIBLE ISRAELI STRIKE, I BELIEVE THAT THEY RUSHED TO JUDGMENT AND MADE A DECISION THAT WASN’T IN THE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR STUDENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY ARE OUTRAGED AFTER THEIR SCHOOL BOARD VOTED TO CANCEL AN ANTI-BULLYING EVENT. WE’LL TELL YOU ABOUT THE ISSUES THE BOARD SAID IT HAD WITH THE EVENT AND HOW STUDENTS ARE RESPONDING. THERE’S A DEMAND FOR TEACHERS IN THE STATES, AND I’LL TELL YOU HOW THE LOCAL COMMUNITY HAS BEEN IMPACTED AND THE DISCUSSIONS HAPPENING THIS MORNING. ON WHAT TO DO ABOUT HIM, A DEEP CLEANING GOING ON HERE AT ITALIAN LAKE. I’LL TELL YOU HOW THE PROCESS WILL IMPACT THE WILDLIFE HERE IN THE AREA. AND WE START THIS HOUR WITH A LIVE LOOK OVER OUR YORK SKY CAM, WATCHING THE FLAG FLAP IN THE WIND THERE ON THIS FRIDAY MORNING. GOOD MORNING TO YOU I’M CAITLIN SMITH I’M MATT BARCARO AT 6:00. WE HAVE REGINA HERE TALKING ABOUT OUR COMMUTE SO FAR OR SO. SO FAR. IT’S OKAY. YEAH. THERE’S A TWO CRASHES THAT WE’LL TALK ABOUT IN JUST A MINUTE. OKAY. STAY TUNED FOR THAT. LET’S GET RIGHT TO CHIEF METEOROLOGIST CHRISTINE FERREIRA, THOUGH WITH OUR FORECAST FOR FRIDAY AND BEYOND THOSE CLOUDS, THAT FLAG THAT LOOK LIKE EASTERLY FLOW TO ME. SO IT IS COMING IN RIGHT OFF THE OCEAN THAT FLOW. AND THAT’S WHAT PACKS IN THESE LOW, GLOOMY LOOKING CLOUDS MIGHT EVEN SEE SOME PATCHY DRIZZLE. I SAW THAT ON OUR LEBANON SKY CAM EARLIER. A COUPLE OF SPECKS ON THE CAMERA LENS. SO YOU MIGHT RUN INTO THAT THIS MORNING. DEFINITELY CLOUDY ACROSS THE BOARD. TEMPERATURES ARE COOL. 46 IN LEBANON, 48 IN LANCASTER. SAME IN CARLISLE AND GETTYSBURG. OUR 12 HOUR FORECAST TODAY I THINK WE STAY IN THE 50S MOST OF THE DAY. SO YOU MIGHT NEED A LITTLE LIGHT JACKET, ESPECIALLY WITH THE BREEZE. IT’LL MAKE IT FEEL COOLER. WE WILL BE SEEING SOME SHOWERS ROLLING IN THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING HOURS FROM WEST TO EAST, SO I’D SAY AFTER TWO 3:00 WEST OF THE RIVER AND CLOSER TO DINNERTIME EAST. IT WAS SHOCKING TO HEAR THAT SOME OF OUR HIGHS ON THIS DATE HAVE BEEN IN THE 90S IN THE PAST, AND NOW WE’RE IN THE 50S TODAY. QUITE A RANGE AT THIS TIME. YES. GOTTA LOVE THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY. THERE YOU GO. HOW LIGHT OF A JACKET SHOULD WE WEAR, THOUGH? THAT’S MY QUESTION, BECAUSE FOR ME, I’M ALWAYS COLD. AND THEN SOMETIMES I’M LIKE, NOT DRESSED PROPERLY. ANYWAYS, GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. I’M IN THE FRIDAY MOOD TODAY. WORDS ARE COMING OUT, JUMBLED UP AND I’M JUST READY TO GO SEE THE TULIPS. I GUESS WE ARE TRACKING THOSE TWO CRASHES RIGHT NOW. THE FIRST ONE HERE IN LANCASTER COUNTY, EAST HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP. WATCH OUT FOR THAT ON JUNCTION ROAD AND LANDIS VILLE ROAD. THERE IT HASN’T SLOWED DOWN TRAFFIC YET, BUT WE’LL KEEP AN EYE ON IT. OF COURSE, FOR YOU, WE DO HAVE THIS ONE ALSO IN YORK COUNTY ON ROUTE 15 SOUTHBOUND BETWEEN RANGE AND ROAD AND GLENWOOD ROAD. SO WE’LL KEEP AN EYE ON THAT ONE AS WELL. AND THAT ONE HAS NOT STOPPED TRAFFIC AT THIS HOUR. THE BELTWAY LOOKING GOOD RIGHT NOW. INTERSTATE 83 AT THE 13TH STREET EXIT, LOOKING LIKE A VERY BUSY FRIDAY MORNING AND SOME DRIVE TIMES FOR. YOU’RE HEADED OUT OF LANCASTER THIS MORNING ON 30 WESTBOUND TO YORK. THAT’S A 12 MINUTE DRIVE. WE’LL HAVE ANOTHER CHECK FOR YOU COMING UP IN JUST ABOUT EIGHT MINUTES. THIS HAS BEEN A LANCASTER TOYOTA TRAFFIC REPORT, BREAKING NEWS OVERNIGHT. NEW FEARS. THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR COULD SPREAD INTO A WIDER REGIONAL WAR AS IT APPEARS ISRAEL LAUNCHED A MILITARY STRIKE INTO IRAN OVERNIGHT. NEWS EIGHT’S AMY LU IS FOLLOWING THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS FROM OUR WASHINGTON BUREAU. NEITHER ISRAEL NOR IRAN HAVE DIRECTLY CONFIRMED, BUT MULTIPLE MEDIA OUTLETS ARE REPORTING THAT ISRAEL CARRIED OUT AN ATTACK, ACCORDING TO ANONYMOUS SOURCES, IRANIAN STATE MEDIA SAYS AIR DEFENSE BATTERIES FIRED FROM SEVERAL PROVINCES AFTER SPOTTING DRONES NEAR A MAJOR AIR BASE AND NUCLEAR SITE IN ONE OF ITS CENTRAL CITIES. TENSIONS HAVE BEEN HIGH SINCE IRAN’S ATTACK LAST WEEK, LAUNCHING OVER 300 DRONES AND MISSILES AIMED AT ISRAEL IN RETALIATION FOR A STRIKE ON ITS CONSULATE IN SYRIA THAT KILLED TWO IRANIAN GENERALS. ISRAEL, AIDED BY ALLIES, WAS ABLE TO SHOOT DOWN NEARLY ALL THOSE MISSILES, HOPING TO KEEP THE WAR FROM SPREADING. THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS WARNED ISRAEL TO THINK TWICE BEFORE CARRYING OUT A RESPONSE, AND HAS MADE CLEAR THAT THE US WILL NOT BE ENGAGING IN ANY SORT OF OFFENSIVE ACTION AGAINST IRAN IN WASHINGTON. I’M AMY LU, THIS MORNING. WE ARE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THOSE VICTIMS KILLED IN THIS WEEK’S WORK ZONE CRASH ON INTERSTATE 83, IN YORK COUNTY. THE CORONER RELEASED THE NAMES AND AGES. THEY ARE 24 YEAR OLD JESSE MCKENZIE, 42 YEAR-OLD ROBERT HAMBY AND 24 YEAR-OLD FILSON BALL. THE THREE, ALL THREE WERE FROM WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. WE WERE ABLE TO TALK WITH THE MOTHER OF ONE OF THE VICTIMS, WHO SAYS HER SON WAS A FATHER OF TWO AND ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED WAS JUST A YOU KNOW, A FUN LOVING GUY, YOU KNOW, GOT A WELL WITH EVERYBODY. THE CORONER SAYS ALL THREE WORKERS DIED OF BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA. THOSE DEATHS HAVE BEEN RULED AN ACCIDENT. RIGHT NOW, A YORK CITY POLICE OFFICER CHARGED WITH RAPING A ONE YEAR OLD CHILD IS OUT ON BAIL. WE’VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE STORY ALL WEEK. STATE POLICE SAY STEVEN CUGINI SEXUALLY ASSAULTED A 13 MONTH OLD CHILD AT A HOME IN ELIZABETHVILLE, DAUPHIN COUNTY, AND SPRINGETTSBURY TOWNSHIP, YORK COUNTY, LAST WEEK. THE YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT PLACED CUGINI ON SUSPENSION FOLLOWING THE CHARGES. HIS BAIL WAS SET AT $200,000. NEW THIS MORNING FROM MARYLAND, AN 18 YEAR OLD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT FACING CHARGES AFTER POLICE SAY HE POTENTIALLY WAS TRYING TO CARRY OUT A SHOOTING AT TWO SCHOOLS. THE STUDENT WAS ARRESTED THIS WEEK FOLLOWING A JOINT INVESTIGATION THAT INCLUDED THE FBI. AUTHORITIES BELIEVE THE STUDENT WAS POTENTIALLY PLANNING TO CARRY OUT A SHOOTING AT A HIGH SCHOOL AND AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE ROCKVILLE AREA. A SEARCH WARRANT OBTAINED BY POLICE LED TO INTERNET SEARCHES, DRAWINGS AND DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THREATS OF MASS VIOLENCE. THE TEEN IS BEING CHARGED WITH A SINGLE COUNT OF A THREAT OF MASS VIOLENCE. THIS MORNING, WE ARE HEARING REACTION FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT AFTER THE SCHOOL BOARD DECIDED TO REVOKE AN AWARD WINNING AUTHORS INVITATION TO SPEAK AT AN ANTI-BULLYING EVENT. ACTOR MAULIK PANCHOLY, WHO IS BEST KNOWN FOR HIS ROLE IN THE TV SHOW 30 ROCK, WAS SET TO HOLD THE EVENT AT MOUNTAIN VIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL NEXT WEEK OR NEXT MONTH UNTIL THIS WEEK, WHEN THE SCHOOL BOARD VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO CANCEL THAT APPEARANCE. PANCHOLY IS GAY AND WRITES ABOUT GROWING UP IN THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY IN SEVERAL OF HIS BOOKS. DURING THAT BOARD MEETING ON MONDAY, TWO MEMBERS SAID THEY HAD CONCERNS ABOUT HIS, QUOTE, LIFESTYLE AND ACTIVISM AND WORRIED THE EVENT WOULD TURN POLITICAL. SOME SAY, THOUGH THEY ARE DISAPPOINTED WITH THE BOARD’S DECISION, AND NOW THERE IS A PETITION TO TRY TO MAKE THOSE VOICES HEARD. ALL THE PEOPLE WHO SIGNED THIS WANT HIM TO COME TO THE SCHOOL AND FEEL THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO EVERYBODY. THE SCHOOL ALWAYS TALKS ABOUT LIKE EMPATHY AND ANTI-BULLYING, AND THAT’S WHAT HE WOULD HAVE TALKED ABOUT. AND NOW HE CAN’T COME. IN A STATEMENT RELEASED ON INSTAGRAM YESTERDAY, PANCHOLY RESPONDED TO THE BOARD’S DECISION, SAYING IN PART, QUOTE, MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE ENTIRE MOUNTAIN VIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL COMMUNITY AND PARTICULARLY TO THE STUDENTS. THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY SCHOOL PERINTENDENT ALSO ISSUED A LETTER SHOWING DISAPPOINTMENT WITH THE BOARD’S DECISION, AND WE DID TRY TO REACH OUT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR COMMENT BUT HAVE NOT HEARD BACK. IT IS 606 AND HAPPENING TODAY. TEACHERS, LAWMAKERS, SUPERINTENDENTS THEY’RE ALL GETTING TOGETHER AT MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY TO TALK ABOUT THE TEACHER SHORTAGE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE SEEN ACROSS THE STATE FOR YEARS NOW, AND NEWS EIGHT’S JAKE REYES WAS ABLE TO SPEAK WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT ABOUT HOW THE SHORTAGES ARE AFFECTING HIS DISTRICT. LET’S GO TO JAKE NOW LIVE FROM MILLERSVILLE WITH WHAT WE CAN EXPECT TODAY AND WHAT THAT SUPERINTENDENT HAS TO SAY. YEAH, MATT AND CAITLIN, THE SUPERINTENDENTS, TEACHERS AND EVEN THOSE WHO ARE NOT EVEN OUT OF COLLEGE YET BUT ARE ASPIRING TO BE TEACHERS, ARE ALL BEING AFFECTED BY THESE SHORTAGES. AND THAT’S THE POINT OF THESE DISCUSSIONS TODAY TO LEARN NOT ONLY HOW THEY’RE BEING AFFECTED BY THE SHORTAGES, BUT ALSO TO TRADE IDEAS ON WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM. NOW, THESE DISCUSSIONS ARE HAPPENING AFTER THE STATE PASSED A STIPEND PROGRAM LAST YEAR FOR STUDENTS LOOKING TO BECOME A TEACHER. THAT PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO HELP THAT TRANSITION AND EASE SHORTAGES, BUT THERE IS STILL MORE WORK TO BE DONE. A STATEWIDE COALITION LED BY TEACH PLUS AND THE NATIONAL CENTER ON EDUCATION AND THE ECONOMY RELEASED AN ANALYSIS THAT THE TEACHER CERTIFICATIONS HAVE PLUMMETED BY 70% IN THE PAST DECADE. NOW, I SPOKE TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF LANCASTER SUPERINTENDENT DOCTOR KEITH MILES, AND HE TELLS ME HE IS ALSO SEEING THESE ISSUES BEING REFLECTED IN HIS CLASSROOMS WITH 24 POSITIONS NEEDING TO BE FILLED. ALTHOUGH THAT MAY SEEM LIKE A SMALL NUMBER, IT HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN HOW HIS SCHOOLS ARE OPERATING. WE’RE SEEING, UM, THE NEED TO PULL NON-INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF INTO THE CLASSROOM. UM, THOSE BE CLASSROOM ASSISTANTS, THOSE COULD BE GUIDANCE COUNSELORS. OTHER NON CLASSROOM BASED STAFF ARE HAVING TO TO STEP IN TO ENSURE STUDENT SAFETY AND TO KEEP, UH, STUDENTS MOVING FORWARD IN THEIR LEARNING. NOW, ONE OF THE IDEAS THAT DOCTOR MILES IS INTRODUCING TO EVERYONE TODAY IS A PILOT PROGRAM THAT HE’S BEEN HAVING IN HIS SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND THAT BASICALLY AIMS TO EVEN GET HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS STARTED IN A CAREER OF TEACHING. NOW, THAT DISCUSSION WILL HAPPEN THIS MORNING AT 11, BUT STAY TUNED BECAUSE IN ABOUT 30 MINUTES I’LL TELL YOU HOW A STUDENT TEACHER HAS ALSO BEEN AFFECTED BY THESE SHORTAGES. REPORTING LIVE IN MILLVILLE, JAKE REYES WGAL NEWS EIGHT. THANK YOU, JAKE. COMMITMENT 2024 COVERAGE. NOW AS WE ARE UNDER FOUR DAYS NOW FROM THE PENN SYLVANIA PRIMARY ELECTION AND RIGHT NOW ELECTION OFFICIALS IN LEBANON COUNTY, THEY SAY THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE GETS THOSE MAIL IN BALLOTS IN ON TIME. SO YOU DO HAVE UNTIL THE POLLS CLOSE TUESDAY NIGHT AT 8:00 TO MAKE SURE YOUR VOTE GETS THERE ON TIME. THE LEBANON COUNTY DIRECTOR OF ELECTIONS IS ALSO SAYING, YOU KNOW, DON’T MAIL THEM IN, JUST TURN THEM IN IN PERSON AT THE ELECTIONS BUREAU. A LOT OF PEOPLE DO MAIL IN BECAUSE THEY STRUGGLE TO GET TO THE POLLING PLACE. I UNDERSTAND. I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT PUTS SOME PEOPLE OUT. BUT AT THIS POINT THERE’S REALLY NO OTHER WAY LIKE THEY HAVE TO PHYSICALLY DELIVER IT TO US. THE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS ALSO SET UP A NEW DRIVE THRU KIOSK IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE. THEY DON’T EVEN HAVE TO GET OUT OF YOUR CAR. THAT KIOSK WILL BE OPEN FROM 830 IN THE MORNING UNTIL 430 IN THE AFTERNOON TODAY, AND ON MONDAY, AND THEN ON PRIMARY DAY, WHICH IS TUESDAY, WILL BE OPEN FROM SEVEN IN THE MORNING UNTIL EIGHT AT NIGHT. IF YOU DO NEED TO DROP OFF YOUR BALLOT BUT DON’T LIVE IN LEBANON COUNTY, WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED THERE AS WELL. YOU CAN GO ONLINE TO WJHL.COM. THERE YOU’LL FIND OUR VOTER GUIDE AND A FULL LIST OF THOSE DROP BOX LOCATIONS ACROSS THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY. IT’S 609 AND MAYBE YOU’VE NOTICED SOME CHANGES. IF YOU EVER DRIVE BY. OR MAYBE WALK AROUND ITALIAN LAKE IN HARRISBURG. SOUNDS LIKE SOME MUCH NEEDED CHANGES TO HELP THAT LAKE IN THE LONG RUN. SO LET’S GO TO NEWS EIGHT’S GABRIELLE THOMAS. SHE IS LIVE AT THE LAKE IN HARRISBURG WITH HOW IT’S GETTING CLEANED UP, GABRIELLE. GOOD MORNING, MATT AND CAITLIN. WELL, ITALIAN LAKE HAS BEEN HERE IN HARRISBURG FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS. AND NOW IT’S TIME FOR A DEEP CLEANING. NOW BUILT IN THE EARLY 1900S, THE LAKE IS HOME TO MANY WILDLIFE, FISH AND PLANTS. OVER TIME, THINGS LIKE TREES, LEAVES, TRASH AND ANIMAL FECES MADE ITS WAY TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE, MAKING IT HARD FOR WILDLIFE TO SURVIVE. THIS WEEK, THE LAKE WILL UNDERGO A PROCESS OF DREDGING TO FLUSH OUT TRASH, DEBRIS AND SEDIMENT THAT IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE. THE PROCESS WILL TAKE ABOUT 7 TO 10 DAYS, AND CREWS WILL TAKE A GIANT VACUUM TO SUCK OUT ANYTHING THAT IS IMPACTING THE QUALITY OF THE LAKE. THE CITY OF HARRISBURG SAYS THEY WILL SPEND ABOUT $27,300 A YEAR TO CLEAN THE LAKE. LAST YEAR’S CLEANING WAS DONE IN THE SOUTHERNMOST QUARTER, CLOSER TO DIVISION STREET. THIS YEAR, CREWS WILL CLEAN THE NEXT CLOSEST QUARTER TO THE NORTH. WE SPOKE WITH THE CITY OF HARRISBURG AND THEY SAY THIS DEEP CLEANING COULD IMPROVE OXYGEN LEVELS IN THE AREA. THAT’S WHEN IT WAS DECIDED THAT, OKAY, IT’S BEEN TOO LONG. UH, NO ONE REALLY KNOWS FOR SURE WHEN THE LAST TIME THAT THE LAKE HAD A GOOD, GOOD CLEANING POSSIBLY NEVER. UM, BUT BUT WE KNOW IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME, AND. AND, UH, THE LAKE DESERVES A GOOD CLEANING. THE CITY OF HARRISBURG IS ASKING WHILE CREWS ARE OUT HERE DREDGING THE LAKE OR CLEANING, THAT YOU COULD JUST AVOID THIS AREA. LIVE IN HARRISBURG. GABRIELL