Pennsylvania lawmaker proposes bill that prohibits smoke shops near schools
GOOD MORNING. IT IS 5A6 55. TIME FOR WGAL NEWS EIGHT TO GO. WE BEGIN WITH REGINA WHO IS FOLLOWING SOME BREAKING NEWS ON THE ROADS. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. RIGHT NOW IN CHAMBERSBURG, FRANKLIN COUNTY THERE IS A SINGLE VEHICLE ROLLOVER HAPPENING ON THE SOUTHBOUND SIDE OF INTERSTATE 81. WANTING TO SHOW YOU ON THE MAP HOW FAR THAT SLOWDOWN IS STRETCHING AT THIS HOUR. RIGHT LANE, RIGHT SHOULDER CLOSED, TAKING YOU LIVE ON SCENE RIGHT NOW. WE’RE STILL LEARNING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED AND IF THERE ARE ANY INJURIES. THIS HAPPENED AT 620, SO ABOUT 30 MINUTES AGO NOW. AND RIGHT NOW YOU CAN SEE TWO LANES KIND OF MERGING INTO ONE THERE. AS ONE LANE IS RESTRICTED. WE’LL HAVE MORE ON THIS FOR YOU AT 725. I’M GABRIEL THOMAS LIVE HERE IN LOWER SWARATA TOWNSHIP TODAY EMPLOYEES HERE AT THE PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE WILL BE PACKING 250 CARE PACKAGE BOXES FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS. YOU CAN SEE THERE THAT THESE BOXES WILL BE PACKAGED WITH ESSENTIAL ITEMS THAT USUALLY WE TAKE FOR GRANTED, LIKE BODY WASH, SOAP AND TOOTHBRUSHES, JUST TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE EVERYTHING THEY NEED. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP OR IF YOU ARE A VICTIM AND YOU WANT. IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING. WE HAVE A NUMBER ON OUR WEBSITE. I ALSO PUT IT ON MY FACEBOOK AS WELL. TODAY, THE MANHEIM TOWNSHIP SCHOOL BOARD IN LANCASTER COUNTY IS TO APPOINT A SUBSTITUTE SUPERINTENDENT. THE CURRENT SUPERINTENDENT WAS PLACED ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE. THE BOARD OF SCHOOL DIRECTORS SENT A LETTER TO PARENTS SAYING THEY PLAN TO APPOINT DOCTOR MARTY HUDAX AS THE SUBSTITUTE SUPERINTENDENT. CLASS IS BACK IN SESSION AS NORMAL FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE SHIPPENSBURG AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT. YESTERDAY, A WATER MAIN BREAK SENT STUDENTS HOME AROUND NOON. THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT SAYS WORKERS DID REPAIR THAT BREAK OVERNIGHT. 657 YOU CAN SEE ON THE SQUARE IN GETTYSBURG, IT IS DRY AND QUIET THIS MORNING. WE DO HAVE A LOT OF CLOUDS AS A WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTH INTO NEW YORK STATE. NOW OUR FORECAST TODAY IS FOR A WARMING TREND. IT’S NOT QUITE AS COLD AS IT WAS YESTERDAY MORNING. AT THIS TIME. 32 IN LANCASTER, 33 IN YORK, 34 IN CARLISLE. AND WIND CHILLS THIS MORNING ARE ONLY IN THE 20S AS OPPOSED TO THE TEENS. SO WE DO GET UP TO NEAR 50 DEGREES TODAY. LOOK FOR A FEW PEEKS OF SUN THIS AFTERNOON AND JUST A STRAY EVENING. SPRINKLE TONIGHT. DRY, PARTLY CLOUDY AND SEASONABLY CHILLY, DOWN TO 32 TOMORROW. HIGH TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE IN THE 50S. WE’RE GOING FOR 58 DEGREES FOR THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING. WE’LL TALK ABOUT WARMER WEATHER FOR THE WEEKEND COMING UP. GAS PRICES ARE ALSO GOING UP. THE STATE AVERAGE FOR A GALLON OF REGULAR IS UP ANOTHER $0.02 THIS MORNING. THAT’S A TOTAL INCREASE OF $0.70 A GALLON SINCE THE START OF THE WAR. LANCASTER AND MIFFLIN COUNTIES ARE BOTH ABOVE THE STATE AND DAUPHIN COUNTIES ARE AT 3.74. ADAMS AND LEBANON COUNTY ARE AT 3.73, WHILE FRANKLIN COUNTY IS COMING IN WITH THE LOWEST AVERAGE PRICE IN THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY AT 3.63 A GALLON. HARRISBURG GAVE AN UPDATE ON WORK TO REBUILD THE BRICK BUILDING AT THE BROAD STREET MARKET. THE CITY SHARED THESE RENDERINGS. YOU’LL SEE A LITTLE BIT HERE AND SAYS THAT IT GOT PLANS FROM ENGINEERS FOR A NEW FOUNDATION AND A PLAN TO SUPPORT THE EXISTING WALLS, WHILE CREWS WORK TO PUT UP THE NEW WALLS. IT SAYS WORK IS ALSO UNDERWAY ON THE SIDEWALKS OUTSIDE AND ALSO AROUND THE WINDOWS. HAPPENING TODAY. LANCASTER COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE INVITED TO AN OPEN HOUSE TO LOOK AT MAPS FROM A PLAN FOR THE COUNTY OWNED PARK SYSTEM. THE COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS CONSIDERING ADDING TO THE EXISTING NETWORK OF PARKS, NATURE PRESERVES AND TRAILS. THE OPEN HOUSE IS SET FROM 4 TO 7 TODAY AT THE LANCASTER COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING CENTER. THAT’S ON CHAMP BOULEVARD AND EAST HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP. YOU CAN ALSO GIVE FEEDBACK ON THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT’S WEBSITE. WE DO HAVE A LINK TO THAT@WGAL.COM. AND AS WE APPROACH SPRING, IT’S TIME TO THINK ABOUT GETTING THAT YARD CLEANED UP RIGHT AFTER A LONG, COLD WINTER. WE WILL SEE NOT AS COLD TEMPERATURES TODAY WITH HIGH TOMORROW. YOU CAN GET OUTDOORS FOR A GOOD PERIOD OF THE DAY BEFORE WE SEE SOME EVENING SHOWERS ROLLING IN. AND THOSE SHOWERS ARE LONG GONE FOR SATURDAY. WARM AND PLEASANT IS THE CALL WITH A HIGH NEAR 60. NOW WE GET EVEN WARMER ON SUNDAY. I THINK WE’LL SEE INCREASING CLOUDS. SOME SHOWERS LATE ON SUNDAY, BUT BY MONDAY. WHAT A CHANGE. DOWN TO 46 DEGREES. SO IT’S STILL THAT TIME OF THE YEAR WHERE YOU CAN GET BIG SWINGS IN TEMPERATURES AFTER A COLD FRONT COMES THROUGH. IT IS NICE TO SEE THE GRE
Pennsylvania lawmaker proposes bill that prohibits smoke shops near schools
Updated: 9:10 AM EDT Mar 19, 2026
A Pennsylvania lawmaker has proposed a bill that would prohibit smoke shops near schools, according to the memo. Video above: Headlines from WGAL News 8 Today. State Rep. Ben Waxman introduced legislation that restricts new smoke shops from opening within 500 feet of K-12 schools, daycares and other youth-focused spaces. “The proliferation of smoke shops in our communities is a problem,” Waxman said. “As more smoke shops open in our communities, where they open becomes a concern. Smoke shops should not be easy for our children to access.” Waxman cited a similar Philadelphia zoning rule, stating that it helped reduce the number of tobacco retailers by 20 percent. He said the proposal is designed to build on that model and keep smoke shops away from places where children learn and play.The bill was introduced in the state House and referred to the Finance Committee on March 18. Stay with WGAL for updates as we learn more. See news happening? Send us your photos or videos if it’s safe to do so at https://www.wgal.com/upload.
A Pennsylvania lawmaker has proposed a bill that would prohibit smoke shops near schools, according to the memo.
Video above: Headlines from WGAL News 8 Today.
State Rep. Ben Waxman introduced legislation that restricts new smoke shops from opening within 500 feet of K-12 schools, daycares and other youth-focused spaces.
“The proliferation of smoke shops in our communities is a problem,” Waxman said. “As more smoke shops open in our communities, where they open becomes a concern. Smoke shops should not be easy for our children to access.”
Waxman cited a similar Philadelphia zoning rule, stating that it helped reduce the number of tobacco retailers by 20 percent.
He said the proposal is designed to build on that model and keep smoke shops away from places where children learn and play.
The bill was introduced in the state House and referred to the Finance Committee on March 18.
Stay with WGAL for updates as we learn more.
See news happening? Send us your photos or videos if it’s safe to do so at https://www.wgal.com/upload.