ABC27 • 12th May 2026

George Washington slept here, here and here

(WHTM) — Signs proclaiming “George Washington Slept Here” are so common along the eastern United States that they’ve become somewhat of a joke among historians.


At least 80 historical markers in Pennsylvania mention Washington. No stranger to outsized events in American history — the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution were all signed there. But it’s the more ordinary moments — where Washington slept, traveled or prepared for battle — that endure i...

ABC27 • 5th May 2026

Pennsylvania sues Character.AI maker, accusing it of unlicensed medical practice

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Pennsylvania has sued Character Technologies, Inc., an AI chatbot maker, accusing it of unauthorized practice of medicine in the state.


The lawsuit seeks to block the company from offering chatbots on its popular website, Character.AI, that claim to practice medicine. The Pennsylvania Department of State and State Board of Medicine joined the Commonwealth as petitioners.


More than 20 million users visit Character.AI to talk to hyper-realistic, customizable chatbots...

ABC27 • 6th April 2026

Harrisburg Mayor's dumpster case cost taxpayers $32,000

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — The Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission’s mission is to promote public faith in government, enforcing rules designed to prevent public officials from benefiting financially from their offices. It received 348 ethics complaints last year, including a high-profile one regarding Harrisburg’s mayor.


As part of an ethics settlement for using a city-owned dumpster, Mayor Wanda Williams agreed to pay the city $912.70 to offset the cost of the service.  According to figures...

ABC27 • 16th February 2026

Lancaster students uncover city’s history of slavery

LANCASTER, Pa. (WHTM) — There’s no shortage of history in Lancaster ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary.


One of the nation’s oldest inland cities, it was once the U.S. capital — for a single day.


George Ross, who signed the Declaration of Independence, had a law practice there. Edward Hand, adjutant general to George Washington, owned a Lancaster home that still stands today. The country’s 15th president, James Buchanan, is buried just a mile away from the property.
And despite P...

ABC27 • 19th October 2025

Dan Miller ran as a Republican once before. Data shows he has a difficult path to victory

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — In 2013, then-City Controller Dan Miller lost the Democratic primary for Harrisburg’s mayor to political newcomer Eric Papenfuse by just under 400 votes. Despite his loss, Miller still appeared on the November ballot.


That’s because Miller encouraged Republicans to write his name on their ballots. With no declared candidates, he won the GOP nomination with fewer than 200 votes.


“This is a Democracy,” Miller told abc27 News in 2013 to explain why, as a longtime Demo...

ABC27 • 29th September 2025

Gavin McKenna deals with the pressure ahead of college hockey debut

CENTRE COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — There’s no better metaphor for Gavin McKenna’s commitment to Penn State than the fact his first game as a Nittany Lion will be played in the desert.


The 17-year-old forward’s switch from the CHL — made up of the Western, Ontario and Quebec Maritimes leagues — to the NCAA opened a new era for CHL players after the collegiate league changed its rule barring them from eligibility. More than 300 Canadian players have since followed.

McKenna, widely expected to be the...

ABC27 • 26th September 2025

Midstate township rejects controversial data center amendment

CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — Hampden Township Commissioners unanimously denied an amendment to the township’s zoning ordinance that would have designated land for data centers.


Commissioners heard more than two hours of public comment on Thursday from dozens of people, most of them opposing the proposed zoning amendment permitting the construction of data centers in the township’s office park district. The district directly borders residential areas.


Residents overwhelmingly rejected th...

KentStater • 12th May 2025

How Portage County Sheriff plans to enforce immigration law

When Portage County Sheriff’s deputies make a traffic stop, they may soon ask for proof of citizenship on top of license, registration and insurance.
This is because the office signed an agreement with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to enforce federal immigration law in the county. Known as the 287(g) program, it allows deputies to interrogate and arrest those suspected of being in the country unlawfully.
How will they identify people unlikely to have proper legal documentation to...