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Human Interest - Bensalem Township

Fitzpatrick, Boyle Launch Bipartisan SEMI Act to Reassert U.S. Control Over Critical Chip Materials and Strengthen American Manufacturing

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Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1), along with Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-2) have introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Strengthening Essential Manufacturing and Industrial (SEMI) Investment Act, landmark legislation that closes the most significant remaining gap in U.S. semiconductor policy: the lack of support for the materials that make chip manufacturing possible.

For years, China has controlled the global market for substrates, thin films, lithography materials, process chemicals, and other inputs that American fabs depend on. The SEMI Investment Act, introduced in the Senate by Senators Bennet, Blackburn, Tillis, and Coons, directly counters that imbalance. By extending the CHIPS tax credit to upstream materials, the bill ensures these capabilities are built in the United States, not outsourced to strategic competitors.

This reform strengthens America’s economic resilience, reduces exposure to coercive supply-chain pressures, and reinforces the industrial base that supports our national defense.

This legislation is supported by the leading organizations across America’s semiconductor, advanced materials, chemical, and manufacturing sectors, including SEMI, Entegris, CoorsTek, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Qnity Electronics, Brewer Science, the American Chemistry Council, the Compressed Gas Association, and EFC Gases & Advanced Materials.

“Semiconductor leadership starts long before a chip ever reaches a fabrication line—it starts with the materials that make modern manufacturing possible. Our SEMI Investment Act ensures those materials are built here at home. By expanding the credit to upstream suppliers, we secure every link of the semiconductor ecosystem, strengthen our resilience, reduce dependence on China, and give American manufacturers the certainty they need to compete, innovate, and lead,” said Fitzpatrick. “This is a bipartisan, practical solution to a structural weakness in our supply chain, and positions the United States to stay ahead for decades to come.”

Fitzpatrick continued, “Pennsylvania is already a national hub for advanced manufacturing, research, and engineering talent — and this legislation builds directly on that strength. As colleagues and proud Pennsylvanians, Congressman Boyle and I are working to bring materials production home, drive new investment into our region, support high-quality jobs, and ensure that Pennsylvania’s workers and industries remain at the forefront of America’s semiconductor future.”

“Revitalizing American semiconductor manufacturing is essential to our economic strength and our national security. I was proud to support the CHIPS and Science Act — and our new legislation builds on that work by strengthening our semiconductor supply chain for the long term,”said Boyle.

Key Provisions of the Semi Investment Act

  • Expands the CHIPS Act tax credit to include upstream materials essential to semiconductor production.
  • Provides clear statutory definitions for direct and indirect production materials, reducing uncertainty for industry planning and investment.
  • Requires annual materials qualification lists from Treasury and Commerce, with an expedited review pathway for emerging technologies.
  • Extends the Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit through 2031, aligning federal incentives with long-horizon capital investments.

Why This Legislation Is Urgently Needed

  • China controls up to 85% of global processing of rare earth elements and key semiconductor inputs.
  • These materials underpin America’s defense systems, AI computing, clean energy technologies, medical devices, and the broader innovation economy.
  • Without domestic materials production, CHIPS-funded fabs remain vulnerable to supply shocks, export controls, and strategic coercion from the Chinese Communist Party.

Read the one pager here.

Background

Congressman Fitzpatrick has been a leading champion of strengthening America’s semiconductor competitiveness and rebuilding domestic manufacturing capacity. He was a champion of the original CHIPS and Science Act, signed into law in 2022, which reestablished U.S. leadership in advanced chip production, created the 25% Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit (AMIC), and helped drive more than $630 billion in announced semiconductor investments nationwide.

In 2023, Fitzpatrick also backed the Building Chips in America Act, which removed permitting barriers, accelerated project timelines, improved federal coordination, and ensured CHIPS investments could move from planning to construction more quickly. Together, these landmark laws launched the largest resurgence of U.S. semiconductor manufacturing in decades.

The SEMI Investment Act builds directly on that progress by expanding the CHIPS tax credit to the upstream materials sector, the final missing link in establishing a fully American semiconductor supply chain.

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Human Interest - Bensalem Township

Police Seek Info on Missing Teen Believed to be in Lower Bucks Area

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Police from Plumstead Township Police Department with an assist from Tullytown  Borough Police  are asking for help from the community in attempting to locate a missing  17 year-old .

Ryan  Jaatar Age 17 is  5ft 8in Brown eyes and has not been seen since January 3, 2026, police say.

Jaatar was last seen by his father at their residence in Plumstead Township.

Jaatar’s, according to investigators,  is believed to be in the Levittown/Bristol/Croydon area.

Anyone with information, please contact Detective Stacie Arnosky at sarnosky@plumstead.gov or 215-766-8741, ext. 120 or Contact the Tullytown Borough Police Department at 215-945-0999. You can also submit a confidential tip at through this link.

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Cops

No Selling Coquito for You LCB Authorities Say to Croydon Deli Owner, Employee

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The owner and an employee of the Croydon based State Road Deli Market have been charged for allegedly selling Coquito to customers.

According to state authorities, on Dec 23, 2025, a web complaint was received reporting the State Road Deli Market, located at 2518 State Road, Croydon posted on their Meta Page that they were taking orders for Coquito -coconut-based rum alcoholic beverage- for the holidays.

Investigators from the the state’s Liquor Control Board on Dec. 29, 2025, contacted the tipster who reported that they saw multiple Facebook posts from the premises advertising sales of homemade Coquito. Continued on this date, an open source query yielded the premises’ Facebook page displaying a post with a picture of a bottle of Coquito, and stated that they were taking orders with prices of  $8.00 for virgin (non-alcoholic) and $12.00 with alcohol.

(The ” Coquito”  posts have since been removed – a review of the deli’s Meta page.)

Investigators on Dec. 30, 2025, reviewed state data that showed the premises was not licensed by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB). Additionally, PLCB certification confirmed that the premises did not have any authority to sell alcoholic beverages within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (CWOPA).

On Jan. 3, 2026, at 3:01 p.m., Liquor Control Officers Messinger and Marrow entered the premises where  Ofc. Marrow  removed one (1) bottle of Coquito from the cooler and placed it on the counter. The clerk (later Identified as Effie Mae McMahon) confirmed that the bottle contained alcohol as written on the label. Marrow handed McMahon $13.00, and was provided ¢.28 in change, and the sale was rung up.

The bottle was secured, and later placed into evidence with a sample sent for laboratory testing. Continued on this date, a search of PA State Department records identified that the premises’ owner was Wilfredo M. Sanchez. A further open source search identified Wilfredo Miguel Sanchez-Caparachin and McMahon as workers at the premises. A further query of Bureau databases disclosed that neither Sanchez-Caparachin nor McMahon are registered and/or authorized by the PLCB to sell liquor within the CWOPA, officers wrote in court papers.

On  Jan. 14, 2026, at 7:15 a.m., Investigators returned to the  deli where they  noticed four bottles of Coquito in the cooler. A bottle was placed on the counter, purchased for $13.00. The bottle was secured, and later placed into evidence with a sample sent for laboratory testing, investigators said

On Jan. 21, 2026, at 7:01 a.m.,  investigators Messinger and Marrow entered the premises where Marrow noticed two bottles and purchased one (1) bottle of Coquito, court papers show.

The investigators reentered the deli, identified themselves to McMahon. McMahon was identified after presenting their Pennsylvania driver’s license as being (20) years old.

Authorities seized the remaining bottle of Coquito from the cooler and both bottles were secured, and later placed into evidence with samples sent for laboratory testing. Ofc. Marrow then recovered the currency used  to make the purchase from the register. Marrow requested that McMahon contact Sanchez-Caparachin to respond to the premises.

While awaiting Sanchez-Caparachin, McMahon was given Non-Custodial rights and agreed to answer questions, court papers show.

McMahon, according to the probable cause, admitted that they did possess and sell Coquito a rum based alcoholic beverage to Marrow on the above listed dates. McMahon further stated that they have been employed at the premises for over five (5) years and continued working under the new owner Sanchez-Caparachin since May 2023, McMahon also admitted that they assisted Sanchez-Caparachin in making the Coquito under Sanchez-Caparachin’s direction.

At 7:50 a.m. Sanchez-Caparachin arrived at the premises and was identified after presenting their Connecticut driver’s license. Sanchez-Caparachin was given Non-Custodial rights, and agreed to answer questions. Sanchez=Caparachin stated that they are the registered owner of the premises since May 2023 and are the sole operator with their only employee being McMahon. Sanchez-Caparachin admitted to purchasing Bacardi Coconut Rum Liquor at various liquor stores in New Jersey and transported
the rum into Pennsylvania in order to make Coquito and sell it at the premises. Sanchez-Caparachin further admitted that since May 2023 they have made and sold about fifty (50) bottles of Coquito and that they do not have a valid license to sell liquor within the state of Pennsylvania.

On Feb.9, 2026, PLCB certification confirmed that McMahon, Sanchez-Caparachin and/or the premises did not have authority to sell or dispense alcoholic beverages in the CWOPA from Jan. 1, 2025 through Jan. 21, 2026, according to court records.

On Feb. 21, 2026 analysis from the Pennsylvania State Police Laboratory confirmed that all samples submitted contained alcohol, the criminal complaint says.

Sanchez-Caparachin has been charged with selling alcohol illegally, selling of alcohol by a minor, and related offenses.

McMahon has been charged with selling alcohol illegally and a related offense.

Both were charged by mail summons and are scheduled to appear for hearings on April. Neither has a attorney of record listed as of publication time.

 

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Cops, Courts & Fire -Newtown Township

Newtown Twp. Police Reports: “Romance Scam” Investigation Launched, Identity Theft Reported and More!

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Newtoown Police

Newtown Township Police Reports – Feb 20 2026 – Feb 26 2026

2/20/26
At approximately 10:25 am a Newtown Township resident contacted police to report a scam attempt. She received an email from someone claiming to have access to her phone with evidence of her wrongdoings. They threatened to send that evidence to all of her friends unless she paid them in Bitcoin. The resident recognized it as a scam and did not fall victim.

2/24/26
Police were dispatched to a Newtown Township residence shortly before 2:00 pm for the report of a fraud-in-progress. The resident explained that his wife had gone to the bank to withdraw $15,000 in cash due to a message she received from someone claiming to be the FBI. Police confirmed that it was a scam and met with the wife at the bank to verify that her accounts were not jeopardized. No money was lost.

Police were dispatched to a Newtown Township residence around 3:30 pm for the report of a romance scam, where the victim suffered significant financial loss. The investigation is ongoing.

PSA: In romance scams, a criminal uses a fake online identity to gain a victim’s affection and trust. The scammer then uses the illusion of a romantic or close relationship to manipulate and steal from the victim.  Operating on dating apps, social media, or email, these scammers often claim to be overseas for work, such as in the military or construction, to avoid in-person meetings. Never send money, gift cards, or provide bank details to someone you have not met in person.

At approximately 6:15 pm a Newtown Township resident responded to headquarters to report identity theft. Police documented the incident and provided the resident with steps to take to protect her identity from future incidents.

2/25/26
At approximately 11:00 am police were dispatched to Acme Market for the report of retail theft. The investigation is ongoing.

 

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