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Human Interest - Bensalem Township

Penn Capital-Star Report: Independent Voters File Lawsuit to End Closed Primaries in Pa.

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A group of five independent voters including political commentator Michael Smerconish filed a lawsuit Wednesday asking a Pennsylvania court to end the commonwealth’s bar against independent voters participating in primary elections.

Under Section 2812 of the Election Code, people who are not registered as members of the two major political parties cannot vote in partisan primaries.

The group, which also includes David Thornburgh, chairman of Ballot PA Action and son of former Gov. Dick Thornburg, argues the provision is unconstitutional.

It violates the right “to cast an equally weighted vote” and to “have an equal opportunity to translate votes into representation,” enshrined in the Free and Equal Elections Clause of the state Constitution, the lawsuit claims.

“After 88 years of being treated as second-class Pennsylvania citizens, 1.4 million independent voters will finally get our day in court,” Thornburgh said in a statement.

The filing in Commonwealth Court follows an unsuccessful request to the state Supreme Court to exercise its power to hear extraordinarily important or sensitive matters without first being considered in lower courts. The high court rejected the group’s King’s Bench petition in August.

“Our current law disenfranchises independent voters,” said Shanin Specter of Kline & Specter, who represents the independent voters. “It is past time independent voters are given the same rights as Republican and Democratic voters.”

In addition to Kline and Specter, the five petitions are represented by Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath.

The new petition includes expert testimony citing Pennsylvania election data that shows how denying unaffiliated voters participation in primaries dilutes the power of their votes.

Carnegie Mellon University Department of Mathematics Professor Wesley Pegden analyzed election data between 2002 and 2020 for all state House and Senate races. He also looked at mayoral and school board elections in the counties where the petitioners live and major local elections for mayor and other executive roles across the state.

The analysis measured voter influence, which is the number of votes it would take to flip the outcome of an election. The smaller the margin, the more individual votes matter in a given race, Ballot PA Action said in a news release.

“Since Democratic and Republican voters get to vote in two elections — both a primary and a general election — and independents are only allowed to vote in the general election, the partisan voter’s influence is greater when elections are contested,” the organization said.

Pegden found the median influence of Democratic and Republican voters in legislative elections from 2002 to 2020 was nearly double that of independent voters. The only time affiliated and unaffiliated voters have equal influence is when the primary and general elections for an office are uncontested, and that, Ballot PA Action said, is because the number of votes doesn’t matter.

“In other words, the only elections in which independent voters have equal electoral influence to partisan voters is when no voters have any choice at all,” Ballot PA Action said.

According to the Department of State, more than 1.4 million Pennsylvanians are registered to vote as unaffiliated or as members of a minor party. The Democratic and Republican parties have 3.8 million and 3.6 million registered voters, respectively, according to the most recent count Nov. 3.

Legislation intended to end the prohibition on independent or unaffiliated voters casting ballots in primaries has also fizzled in recent years.

Rep. Jared Solomon (D-Philadelphia) has a bill currently making its way through the state House that would allow unaffiliated voters to participate in either the Democratic or Republican primary, but wouldn’t allow third-party voters. The legislation passed the House State Government Committee in May.

Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Northampton) introduced a bill to end closed primaries in 2023 but it did not advance beyond the Senate State Government Committee. Boscola said earlier this year she intends to reintroduce the bill.

Sources vary, but Pennsylvania is one of between nine and 11 states with closed primaries in which only voters registered as a Democrat or Republican may vote.

Other states allow voters to cast primary ballots through a variety of systems — ranging from registering with a party at the polls to choosing which party’s ballot to vote on in the voting booth, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Editor’s Note: The story above is republished from the Penn Capital-Star under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

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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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