Pennsylvania

Judge tosses GOP congressmen's lawsuit over Pa.'s overseas and military votes

Published

2 years ago

October 29, 2024

Judge tosses GOP congressmen's lawsuit over Pa.'s overseas and military votes

During a streamed update on election matters Tuesday, Schmidt said his agency “is pleased that this frivolous lawsuit was dismissed.”

Conner said the plaintiffs were asking “to impose new verification procedures the contours of which plaintiffs themselves have been unable to fully flesh out three weeks into this litigation.” He said an injunction now “would upend the commonwealth’s carefully laid election administration procedures to the detriment of untold thousands of voters.”

During oral arguments on Oct. 18, Conner asked why the plaintiffs had not sued earlier over procedures that have been in place for years. He also pressed their lawyers to show how their clients were directly harmed by the current policies, as required for such claims.

The order issued Tuesday said the Republican congressmen had only “hypothetical concerns” about the impact overseas votes might have on their own reelection contests.

“Their status as candidates, without more, gets them nowhere,” the judge wrote.

The case could have affected thousands of ballots in Pennsylvania, a pivotal swing state in the presidential contest between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

The plaintiffs had asked the judge to declare current practices illegal under federal law and to order that the secretary of state’s office confer with the congressmen and PA Fair Elections about how to verify the identity and eligibility of people casting votes under the U.S. Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. They also asked to have overseas and military ballots segregated during the current election season pending the additional verification.

Lawyers for Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration, representing Schmidt and his deputy, had argued that the plaintiffs were saying valid votes could be diluted by improper ones, which they said would not be sufficient grounds for the judge to act. They said federal laws exempt overseas voters “from identification requirements imposed on other voters who register to vote by mail.”

Military voters are more likely to be Republican, while other overseas voters tend to lean Democratic. The Democratic Party is spending money this year in an effort to boost their turnout.

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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s beloved 100-year-old amusement park still refuses to charge admission

Published

18 minutes ago

June 5, 2026

Press Room

Pennsylvania’s beloved 100-year-old amusement park still refuses to charge admission

In an era of pricey theme parks and gated admission, one Pennsylvania amusement park is still letting guests in for free.

Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, Pennsylvania, has been admission-free since it opened nearly a century ago.

Knoebels opened its doors on July 4, 1926 — and will celebrate its 100th anniversary this year, as the nation celebrates America’s semiquincentennial.

Many of the earliest amusement parks in the late 19th and early 20th centuries operated without admission fees, especially so-called “trolley parks,” which made money from charging guests for rides, food and drink.

Park owner Brian Knoebel, 52, recently told PA Local he “had to pinky-swear” to never change the free-admission model.

“It’s who we are,” he said. “It’s that traditional park.”

Knoebel said he recognizes that grandparents “get more satisfaction out of watching their grandkids ride the rides than they do themselves.”

“And Grandma and Grandpa are on a limited income,” he said. “So they don’t pay to park. We don’t force you to buy food in the park — if you want to bring a picnic lunch, then bring a picnic lunch.”

Knoebel, who said his ancestors came to America from Germany and worked as lumberers, said the amusement park began as a modest venture.

“After church on Sunday, they’d come down and park their horse and buggy off to the side, and frolic in the stream and have a little picnic,” he told PA Local.

“My great-grandfather would feed and stable your horses for, I believe, a quarter.”

Knoebel added, “Little by little, he started building some picnic tables and park benches, and on July 4, 1926, we opened a swimming pool, a restaurant — appropriately named ‘The Restaurant’ — and we rented a steam-powered carousel.”

Despite the park’s growth, Knoebel said its old-fashioned atmosphere has remained intact, including the canopy of trees, shaded walkways, creekside seating and classic attractions.

“How has it changed? We started with one ride, and one food stand, and the pool,” he said.

“We now have 60 rides, I believe 38 food stands, 24 games, and water slides … Quarter-mile down the road, we own the 18-hole golf course, complete with a bar and tavern.”

Overall, Knoebel said that he and his family “absolutely know our brand.”

“We know our fans,” he said.

“And that throwback amusement park from yesteryear is exactly who we continue to be,” he added.

“We don’t have roller coasters that reach the clouds. We have rides for thrill seekers … but, of course, we have more traditional rides.”

Knoebels is the largest free-admission park in the United States. “Knoebels does not have a gate, and you only pay for what you want once you are at the park,” the venue says on its website.

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