VOTE | Final 8 contenders face off in ‘Coolest Thing Made in PA’ contest
WARM, IF NOT HOT, TEMPERATURES WILL STICK AROUND. WGAL NEWS 8. TODAY STARTS NOW. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. 5:00 ON THIS TUESDAY, THE LAST DAY OF MARCH. SO GET OUT AND ENJOY IT. I’M MATT BARCARO. I’M KATELYN SMITH. WE’VE GOT REGINA BACK CHECKING ON OUR ROADS. NICE TO HAVE YOU HERE. AND CHIEF METEOROLOGIST CHRISTINE FERREIRA TALKING ABOUT THAT WARM UP. ARE WE CALLING IT HOT? IF YOU NEED TO WEAR SHORTS, I THINK THAT’S HOT. ALL RIGHT. WELL, 80 DEGREES IS A POSSIBILITY. TODAY WE’RE GOING WITH 78. SO WE’LL SEE HOW WE DO. BUT I’LL TELL YOU WHAT. RIGHT NOW I’M ONLY SEEING PARTLY CLOUDY TO MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES. LOOK AT THE MILD TEMPERATURES. YOU BARELY NEED A JACKET OUT THERE THIS MORNING. TEMPERATURES IN SOME SPOTS ARE IN THE 50S BUT IN OTHERS LOW 60S. SO THE LOW SO FAR THIS MORNING IN HARRISBURG HAS BEEN 61. THE RECORD WARMEST LOW IS 57. WE ALREADY HAVE THAT BEAT. SO THAT SHOULD JUST TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT THE STRENGTH OF THIS WARM AIR. HERE’S A LOOK AT THE 12 HOUR FORECAST. WE’LL SEE. PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES TODAY. OUR HIGH 78. THERE COULD BE A STRAY SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM AROUND, BUT MOST OF THE DAY IS DRY AND BREEZY. THE BIG STORY IS THE WARMTH TODAY. YEAH, I THINK IT WILL BE SWEATING OUT THERE. SO FOR ME THAT EQUATES HOT, RIGHT? WELL, HOTTER THAN HOT. IS IT TOASTY? OUT THERE YET? NOT THERE YET. ALL RIGHT. 501 EVERYBODY AND GOOD MORNING TO YOU AND HAPPY TO BE BACK AND JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUCH KIND MESSAGES. AND I’VE SEEN THEM ALL. AND I REALLY, REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL OF THAT. WELL, RIGHT NOW ACROSS THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY, WE’RE LOOKING GOOD. WE DO HAVE ONE CRASH IN FRANKLIN COUNTY. THIS ONE IS IN LURGAN TOWNSHIP ALONG THE PA TURNPIKE EASTBOUND AT BLUE MOUNTAIN TUNNEL. LOOKS LIKE TRAFFIC IS MOVING JUST FINE. SO YOU ARE STILL GOOD TO GO THERE. SOUTHBRIDGE LOOKING BUSY ON THIS TUESDAY MORNING THIS HARRISBURG, DAUPHIN COUNTY AND SOME DRIVE TIMES FOR YOU. HARRISBURG OUTBOUND TIMES THERE. HARRISBURG TO CAMP HILL, FIVE MINUTE DRIVE THERE. 21 TO CARLISLE AND HARRISBURG TO HERSHEY IS A 14 MINUTE DRIVE. WE’LL HAVE ANOTHER UPDATE FOR YOU IN JUST A BIT. THIS HAS BEEN A LANCASTER TOYOTA TRAFFIC REPORT. DISCUSSING THE STATE OF LANCASTER COUNTY IN JUST A FEW HOURS, COUNTY BUSINESS LEADERS WILL BE GETTING TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND THE GROWTH IN THE REGION RIGHT NOW. NEWS EIGHT’S TAYLOR HESS IS JOINING US LIVE FROM SAINT JOSEPH’S UNIVERSITY IN LANCASTER. THAT IS WHERE TODAY’S EVENT IS SET TO HAPPEN. GOOD MORNING TAYLOR. GOOD MORNING. MATT AND KATELYN. THEY SAY DURING THIS STATE OF THE COUNTY ADDRESS THAT THEY’RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME KEY PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING UP AND HOW THEY’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND BETTER. LANCASTER COUNTY. DURING THIS EVENT, ATTENDEES WILL GET A CHANCE TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THOSE HELPING TO LEAD THE CHARGE IN BETTERING THE COUNTY. SPEAKERS WILL GIVE UPDATES ON THE CURRENT STATE OF LANCASTER COUNTY’S WORKFORCE, THE COUNTY’S HOUSING LANDSCAPE AND THE LAST SPEAKER WILL TOUCH ON THE COUNTY’S ECONOMIC OUTLOOK, SOMETHING THAT LANCASTER COUNTY COMMISSIONER JOSH PARSONS SAYS THEY SHOULD BE PROUD OF. WE JUST HAVE A REALLY GOOD MIX HERE OF DIFFERENT ECONOMIC SECTORS, WHETHER IT’S MANUFACTURING, AGRICULTURE, OF COURSE. HIGH TECH NOW, MANY DIFFERENT THINGS. AND I THINK THE PEOPLE IN LANCASTER COUNTY WORK REALLY HARD. AND THAT’S WHY WE CONSISTENTLY ARE RANKED ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW, STRONGEST ECONOMIES. REGISTRATION FEES ARE $45. IF YOU’RE A MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, 60 IF YOU’RE NOT, EVERYTHING WILL KICK OFF HERE AT 730 IN LANCASTER COUNTY. TAYLOR HAS WGAL. NEWS 8. ALL RIGHT, TAYLOR, THANK YOU. WELL, TWO IRON HILL BREWERIES IN HERSHEY AND LANCASTER THAT CLOSED IN SEPTEMBER, EXPECTED TO REOPEN BY THE SUMMER. A GROUP BOUGHT THE ENTIRE RESTAURANT CHAIN, INCLUDING FIVE LOCATIONS IN PENNSYLVANIA. THE GROUP TAKING OVER IS CALLED RIGHT LANE, LLC. IT SAYS THAT SOME OF THE THINGS ON THE MENU WILL RETURN WITH A FEW NEW ADDITIONS. STUDENTS AT FRANKLIN AND MARSHALL COLLEGE, WHICH IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE LANCASTER LOCATION, SAY THEY’RE EXCITED TO HAVE IRON HILL BACK. I MEAN, YOU GOT CAMPUS RIGHT THERE. YOU GOT THE CAMPUS APARTMENTS RIGHT HERE. SO VERY, VERY CONVENIENT. IT’S AWESOME FOR LIKE WHEN MY FAMILY IS HERE, LIKE WE ALWAYS GO DOWN THERE. AND NOW THE NEW OWNER SAID THEY HAVEN’T DETERMINED EXACTLY THE, THE REOPENING DATE FOR THE LANCASTER AND HERSHEY RESTAURANTS. THEY SAY THOUGH, THAT GIFT CARDS THAT YOU HAD AT THE PREVIOUS RESTAURANTS CANNOT BE HONORED BECAUSE THEIR BALANCES WERE TIED TO THE PREVIOUS COMPANY. BUT PREVIOUS LOYALTY PROGRAM MEMBERS HAVE BEEN AUTOMATICALLY RE-ENROLLED WITH 100 COMPLIMENTARY POINTS. THE CITY OF HARRISBURG IS HELPING SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS GROW THROUGH THE FIFTH ANNUAL SMALL BUSINESS ACCELERATOR PROGRAM. THIS IS PART OF THE CITY’S PLAN THAT’S FOCUSED ON BOOSTING, BOOSTING BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN. AND NEWS 8. GABRIEL THOMAS IS JOINING US LIVE IN HARRISBURG WITH WHAT EXACTLY THIS PROGRAM MEANS. GOOD MORNING. GABRIELLE. GOOD MORNING, MATT AND KATELYN, WHERE THERE ARE SO MANY BUSINESSES HERE ALONGSIDE SECOND STREET IN DOWNTOWN HARRISBURG. BUT IT’S THE PEOPLE RIGHT HERE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT CONTINUE TO HELP THOSE BUSINESSES GROW. AND THAT’S WHY THE CITY OF HARRISBURG IS PLANNING TO POUR BACK INTO THOSE BUSINESSES BY INVESTING IN THEM WITH THIS PROGRAM. LET ME BREAK IT DOWN TO YOU AND TELL YOU MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM. NOW, RECENTLY, MAYOR WANDA WILLIAMS INTRODUCED A CITYWIDE REVITALIZATION PROGRAM OR PLAN AIMED AT BOOSTING BUSINESSES AND BRINGING PEOPLE BACK TO THE CITY OF HARRISBURG THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH HARRISBURG UNIVERSITY AND M AND T BANK, THE CITY IS INVESTING IN LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS TO HELP THEM DRIVE LONG TERM GROWTH. NOW, AS ECONOMIC GROWTH CONTINUES TO BUILD, 40 LOCAL BUSINESSES HERE IN THE AREA WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN, CONNECT, AND GAIN THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO TAKE THEIR NEXT STEP FORWARD. PARTICIPANTS WILL ALSO COMPETE IN A PITCH COMPETITION, CONNECTING WITH INVESTORS AND BUILDING FINANCIAL LITERACY ALONG THE WAY. IF WE EQUIP THEM CORRECTLY, IF WE GIVE THEM THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED THROUGH THESE SMALL BUSINESS LABS, THEN THEY. AND IF THEY DECIDE THEY WANT TO OPEN A STOREFRONT, THEN THEY HAVE A VOICE AND THEY THEY’RE EQUIPPED TO USE THEIR VOICE IN A WAY THAT MAKES THE DOWNTOWN BETTER, HELPS INDIVIDUALS FEEL. I WOULDN’T I DON’T WANT TO SAY SAFE, BUT HELPS THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE IN COMING INTO THE CITY AND ENJOYING ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THE CITY OF HARRISBURG HAS TO OFFER. THE PROGRAM IS EIGHT WEEKS LONG AND REGISTRATION IS OPEN UNTIL APRIL 10TH. I’LL HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION ON MY FACEBOOK REPORTING LIVE HERE IN DOWNTOWN HARRISBURG. I’M GABRIEL THOMAS WGAL NEWS EIGHT. ALL RIGHT. THANKS, GABRIELLE, FOR THAT HAPPENING TONIGHT. PENNDOT IS HOLDING AN OPEN HOUSE ABOUT A PLANNED PROJECT ON ROUTE 222 IN LANCASTER COUNTY. CREWS ARE SET TO WIDEN AND REPAVE THE ROAD FROM STONER PARK TO BOUCHON ROAD IN MANHEIM TOWNSHIP. THAT PROJECT IS SET TO HAPPEN BETWEEN 2028 AND 2030, BUT THE PLANS ARE ALREADY POSTED ON ITS WEBSITE. IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AND THAT OPEN HOUSE IS SET FOR FIVE TONIGHT, IT’S AT CALVARY CHURCH THAT’S ON LANDIS VALLEY ROAD, AND PUBLIC COMMENT IS STILL GOING TO BE ACCEPTED UNTIL THE END OF APRIL. ALL RIGHT. IT IS 507. GET OUTSIDE TODAY. DO SOMETHING OUTSIDE TODAY. RIGHT. CHRISTINE, THIS IS THE DAY YOU HAVE TO. IT IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE NICEST DAYS OF THE WEEK, AND THE RAIN SHOULD BE MINIMAL. THE RAIN CHANCES SHOULD BE MINIMAL, BUT WE WILL HAVE MORE CHANCES COMING YOUR WAY. RIGHT NOW HIGH PRESSURE IS STATIONED OFFSHORE. THERE’S A BOUNDARY STALLED TO OUR NORTH. LOOK AT ALL THAT LIGHTNING THERE AT THE TOP OF YOUR SCREEN, GOING ALONG THAT BOUNDARY THAT WILL STAY TO OUR NORTH TODAY. BUT IT DOES DROP SOUTH TOMORROW, INCREASING OUR RAIN CHANCES IN THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY. BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE PARTLY CLOUDY TO MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES. LOOK AT THE NUMBERS 50S AND 60S OUT THERE THIS MORNING. COMPARED TO THIS TIME YESTERDAY, TEMPERATURES ARE RUNNING AROUND 10 TO 20 DEGREES WARMER. THAT’S CONSIDERABLE. HERE’S A LOOK AT OUR WIND SPEEDS TODAY. THEY’LL BE OUT OF THE WEST SOUTHWEST. WE’RE LOOKING AT SPEEDS ABOUT 10 TO 20MPH ONCE AGAIN. SO WIND SPEEDS SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY. WEATHER PLANNER. WE HAVE PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES FOR YOU. WARM AND BREEZY IS THE CALL WITH THAT HIGH OF 78. A STRAY SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM OTHERWISE DRY FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE DAY. AND TOMORROW, A SLIGHTLY BETTER CHANCE FOR SOME RAIN. I’M GOING TO PLAN THAT OUT FOR YOU. COMING UP. ALL RIGHT CHRISTINE. THANK YOU. POLICE IN SWATARA TOWNSHIP, DAUPHIN COUNTY, ARE NOW CHARGING A WOMAN WITH FALSELY REPORTING THAT SEVERAL OF HER COWORKERS AT A RESTAURANT SEXUALLY ASSAULTED HER, COURT DOCUMENTS SHOW. IN FEBRUARY, PRISCILLA GUZMAN TOLD POLICE FOUR PEOPLE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED HER AT EL RANCHO RESTAURANT. POLICE SAY THEY LOOKED AT SURVEILLANCE VIDEO AND INTERVIEWED THE RESTAURANT EMPLOYEES, AND COULD NOT FIND ANY EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT WHAT SHE SAID. DOCUMENTS THEN SHOW THAT SHE TOLD OFFICERS SHE DIDN’T REMEMBER MAKING THE CLAIMS. HER NEXT COURT DATE IS SET FOR JUNE. THE RED CROSS IS HELPING FIVE PEOPLE AFTER A HOUSE FIRE IN YORK COUNTY. THAT FIRE SENT ONE PERSON TO THE HOSPITAL FOR SMOKE INHALATION. THIS WAS JUST ABOUT 24 HOURS AGO. JUST BEFORE 5:00 YESTERDAY MORNING, THIS HOME CAUGHT FIRE ON SILVERSTEIN ROAD. THE ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF SAYS THAT WHEN THE CREWS GOT THERE, SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE HOME. FIREFIGHTERS SAY THE FIRE WAS IN THE BASEMENT. A JURY FOUND A LANCASTER COUNTY MAN GUILTY ON CHARGES OF ANIMAL CRUELTY. THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAYS THE SPCA FOUND 21 ANIMALS IN A BOARDED UP HOME IN CONOY TOWNSHIP. THE SPCA SAYS THE ANIMALS INCLUDED 15 CATS, A KITTEN AND A SNAKE. ANOTHER CAT HAD TO BE EUTHANIZED, THE D-A SAYS. ERIC WARNER, JADEN MOORE AND MARY GOODE WERE EVICTED FROM THAT HOME ON FALMOUTH ROAD IN 2023. NO
VOTE | Final 8 contenders face off in ‘Coolest Thing Made in PA’ contest
Updated: 10:34 AM EDT Mar 31, 2026
The “Coolest Thing Made in PA” competition is heating up as Round Four begins with just eight contenders still in the running.Video above: Headlines from WGAL News 8 Today.The bracket-style contest, organized by the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, celebrates products made across the commonwealth and invites the public to vote for their favorites in head-to-head matchups on social media. This year’s competition began with 56 Pennsylvania-made products spanning a wide range of industries and regions. 8 remaining contenders Eat’n Park Smiley Cookie Smith’s Hot Dogs Sheetz MTO Penn State Creamery Ice Cream Rita’s Italian Ice Crayola Crayons Denim Coffee Martin’s Potato Rolls How to voteRound 4 voting began at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 31, and runs through 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 1. Voting will take place on the PA Chamber’s X account, with additional votes accepted during the final 24 hours of each round on the PA Chamber’s Instagram story, TikTok story, Facebook story and LinkedIn. Winners are determined by the combined totals across all platforms. Voting Schedule Fourth Round: March 31 (9 a.m.) – April 1 (4 p.m.)Semi-Finals: April 2 (9 a.m.) – April 3 (4 p.m.)Championship: April 6 (9 a.m.) – April 7 (4 p.m.)Stay with WGAL for updates. Did you capture a moment that you would like to share with News 8? Send us your photos or videos at https://www.wgal.com/upload.
The “Coolest Thing Made in PA” competition is heating up as Round Four begins with just eight contenders still in the running.
Video above: Headlines from WGAL News 8 Today.
The bracket-style contest, organized by the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, celebrates products made across the commonwealth and invites the public to vote for their favorites in head-to-head matchups on social media.
This year’s competition began with 56 Pennsylvania-made products spanning a wide range of industries and regions.
8 remaining contenders Eat’n Park Smiley Cookie Smith’s Hot Dogs Sheetz MTO Penn State Creamery Ice Cream Rita’s Italian Ice Crayola Crayons Denim Coffee Martin’s Potato Rolls
PA Chamber of Business and Industry
2026 Coolest Thing Made in PA
How to vote
Round 4 voting began at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 31, and runs through 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 1.
Voting will take place on the PA Chamber’s X account, with additional votes accepted during the final 24 hours of each round on the PA Chamber’s Instagram story, TikTok story, Facebook story and LinkedIn.
Winners are determined by the combined totals across all platforms.
Voting Schedule Fourth Round: March 31 (9 a.m.) – April 1 (4 p.m.)Semi-Finals: April 2 (9 a.m.) – April 3 (4 p.m.)Championship: April 6 (9 a.m.) – April 7 (4 p.m.)
Stay with WGAL for updates.
Did you capture a moment that you would like to share with News 8? Send us your photos or videos at https://www.wgal.com/upload.