Jay Scott Smith

Lancaster

News Anchor and Reporter at WGAL-TV (Lancaster, PA)

Award-Winning Broadcaster • Emmy Nominated 📺 ⚓️ & 🎤 • Podcast Host • Virgo ♍ • #MadeInDetroit 🦁 🚙• #SpartanStrong 🟢⚪️• Hope ≠ Strategy • ΦΒΣ 🤘🏾

Articles

Committee of Seventy works to help beat election misinformation in PA

Oct 29, 2024 | wgal.com | Jay Scott Smith

There have been legitimate concerns over the safety and integrity of the voting process, and people are trying to sift through what's real and what's not. Video above: Headlines from WGAL News 8. The debunked Russian viral video that showed a supposed Bucks County poll worker destroying ballots — along with last week's revelation of 2,500 fraudulent voter registration applications here in Lancaster — has only further stoked confusion.
State reps to hold hearing to address homelessness

Sep 13, 2024 | wgal.com | Jay Scott Smith

The impact of June's U.S. Supreme Court ruling regarding homelessness and sleeping on public property will be the focus of a public hearing in Lancaster today. Today's hearing, which will be led by Democratic State Reps. Izzy Smith-Wade-El, Katie Muth and Nikil Saval, will highlight the experiences of homeless people here in the commonwealth, and how the ruling by the Supreme Court is empowering local governments to arrest people for sleeping outside.
Woman killed in fire that damaged 3 rowhomes

Sep 12, 2024 | wgal.com | Rachael Lardani |Jay Scott Smith

A woman was killed in an early morning rowhome fire in Dauphin County, according to fire officials. Video above: WGAL Anchor Jay Scott Smith reporting from the fire sceneThe fire broke out at a rowhome in the 200 block of North 15th Street in Harrisburg around 3:30 a.m.There's a large fire crew presence on the scene still working to put out the flames.
New state law requires all Pennsylvania schools to observe 9/11 with moments of silence

Sep 10, 2024 | wgal.com | Jay Scott Smith

Pennsylvania schools are observing moments of silence today to honor the victims of the September 11 attacks, marking the first year under a new state law. Gov. Josh Shapiro signed the bill in June, mandating public and private schools to hold these moments of silence and providing a curriculum to educate students about the significance of 9/11. Schools across the Susquehanna Valley, including Conestoga Valley and Cumberland Valley, are participating.
Campaign intensifies: Trump, Walz will both be in town today

Sep 3, 2024 | wgal.com | Jay Scott Smith

GOOD MORNING MATT AND CAITLIN AND WE ARE JUST 63 DAYS FROM ELECTION DAY. AND AS MENTIONED, WE’RE GOING TO BE SEEING A LOT OF THESE CANDIDATES OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. AND THAT INCLUDES TODAY HERE IN LANCASTER WHEN VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS IS RUNNING MATE, MINNESOTA GOVERNOR TIM WALZ WILL BE HERE IN DOWNTOWN LANCASTER, AND IT’S GOING TO BE THE GOVERNOR’S FIRST SOLO APPEARANCE HERE IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA SINCE JOINING THE TICKET AT AN EVENT ONE MONTH AGO IN PHILADELPHIA.
Turnpike Commission warns of text phishing scam

Sep 3, 2024 | wgal.com | Jay Scott Smith

THIS IS COVERAGE YOU CAN COUNT ON. WGAL NEWS 8 TODAY STARTS NOW. IT’S THE SCAM THAT JUST WON’T GO AWAY. A TEXT CLAIMING THAT YOU. OWE THE TURNPIKE SOME AMOUNT OF MONEY. WE’LL HAVE MORE ON WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR. COULD A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT BE RESTARTED IN DAUPHIN COUNTY? GROUPS ARE COMING TO THE STATE CAPITOL TO ARGUE WHY IT SHOULDN’T. THIS MORNING, I’M AMY LU WITH HOW THE LEADING PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDERS ARE SHAPING THEIR CAMPAIGN PITCHES TO THE AMERICAN WORKFORCE.
Residents leap from burning building in Lancaster

Aug 26, 2024 | wgal.com | Jay Scott Smith

Five people jumped from a window to escape a fire above a grocery store in Lancaster Monday night.Viewer video captured the moment they leaped to safety as flames poured out of the building on Woodward Street. Lancaster Fire Chief Todd Hutchinson said the residents heard a smoke alarm, saw the flames, and realized they had no choice but to jump. "We did have five people trapped in the home. They heard the alarm, went to investigate, opened the door and had fire on exterior of the building.
Rally for peace held at PA state capitol after neo-Nazi march

Aug 25, 2024 | wgal.com | Jay Scott Smith

A peace rally called "Unite Against Hate" was held at the state capitol in Harrisburg Sunday in response to a neo-Nazi march through downtown, which happened Saturday.The neo-Nazi march, which featured participants in red shirts and masks chanting racist and antisemitic slogans, prompted a strong response from city officials and residents. The city condemned the march on social media, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg also issued a statement against hate.
Susquehanna Valley archer takes aim at gold in Paris Olympics

Jul 22, 2024 | wgal.com | Jay Scott Smith

The opening ceremony for the Olympic Games in Paris is this Friday. Even before the celebration, Susquehanna Valley archer Casey Kaufhold will be competing. Her first event is Thursday, when she will participate in the individual ranking round. Before she went to France, she spoke with News 8. "To me, my journey has always felt natural. It's just what I know I've always wanted to do. But a lot of times, it catches other people off guard," she said.
Susquehanna Valley archer to get Olympic send-off

Jul 16, 2024 | wgal.com | Jay Scott Smith

AND WE ARE JUST NINE DAYS AWAY FROM THE START OF THE 2024 SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES AND TEAM USA IS CURRENTLY GETTING READY TO MAKE THE TRIP TO PARIS. AND THAT INCLUDES LANCASTER’S OWN CASEY KAUFHOLD. SHE’S AN ELITE LEVEL ARCHER. IN FACT, AT 20 YEARS OLD, CASEY IS THE WORLD’S NUMBER ONE RANKED ARCHER, AND SHE HEADS TO PARIS LOOKING TO BECOME THE FIRST AMERICAN WOMAN TO MEDAL IN ARCHERY SINCE LUANN RYAN WON THE GOLD IN MONTREAL BACK IN 1976.