Pennsylvania
PA Court Affirms Dismissal of Right-Wing Challenge To Lycoming County’s 2020 Election Results
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last week, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania tossed out a right-wing lawsuit brought by two members of the Lycoming County Patriots who challenged the results of the county’s 2020 general election over two years after it took place.
Despite the fact that former President Donald Trump prevailed over now-President Joe Biden by nearly 25,000 votes in Lycoming County’s 2020 general election, the voters who brought the lawsuit claimed that the county’s election results should be decertified upon findings of fraud and irregularities.
The Commonwealth Court’s ruling issued last Wednesday affirmed Lycoming County Judge Eric R. Linhardt’s previous dismissal of the legal challenge last summer on the grounds that it was both legally and procedurally “insufficient.”
In his July 2023 order, Linhardt rejected the right-wing petitioners’ request for an independent post-election investigation of the county’s 2020 election results — known as a “forensic audit” — in order to examine alleged “fraud and irregularities.” The Lycoming County Board of Elections previously declined to vote for a forensic audit — a move that prompted the petitioners to conduct their own investigation into the election results and subsequently file their legal action.
In support of their twice-rejected claims that the election was beset by fraud, the members of the conservative Lycoming County Patriots pointed to “potentially fraudulent” voter registrations — most of which were later canceled by the county’s election director. According to Linhardt’s 2023 decision, the board’s cancellation of the faulty registrations made it “apparent” that it did in fact perform its legal duty to investigate potential election fraud and irregularities.
The unanimous three-judge panel that issued last week’s order wrote that it affirms the dismissal of the suit “based on Judge Linhardt’s well-reasoned opinion.”
The panel also addressed the petitioners’ assertion that the Lycoming County Board of Elections failed to report “suspicious circumstances” to the county district attorney. In particular, the panel held that “it is within a board’s discretion to determine whether there is credible evidence of suspicious circumstances” and that the board has “no mandatory duty to report anything others may deem suspicious.”
As a hotbed of election denialism and conspiracy theories, Lycoming County has experienced numerous election-related tribulations over the last few years. Nearly 800 days after the 2020 election, Lycoming election officials performed a hand recount of nearly 60,000 ballots cast on Election Day — an undertaking that took nearly 560 hours of work, according to the New York Times.
Although the results of the recount had negligible effects on the county’s election results and revealed no evidence of fraud, Republicans in the county have continued to sow doubt and promulgate conspiracy theories surrounding the 2020 election.
Last week’s decision — unless appealed — officially puts an end to the Lycoming County Patriots’ legal challenge to Pennsylvania’s 2020 election results. As the 2024 presidential election nears, the Keystone State is seeing a proliferation of other election-related legal challenges from right-wing individuals and organizations concerning everything from drop boxes to automatic voter registration and more.
Read the opinion here.
Learn more about the case here.
Crews battle blaze on salvage barge in Delaware bay
Crews battled a blaze on a salvage barge in the Delaware Bay Tuesday morning. No injuries were reported. 3/10/26
Delaware, Pennsylvania, and federal agencies have been responding to a barge fire in the Delaware Bay.
The barge, which is carrying salvage metal, is being moved to shallow water so it can be secured, allowing on-scene responders to extinguish the fire and complete salvage operations, according to a March 10 statement from the Delaware Emergency Management Agency.
No injuries have been reported as of 1:15 p.m.
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) is on scene to perform air monitoring, the statement said.
Responding agencies include the Wilmington Fire Department, Good Will, Leipsic Volunteer, Bowers and South Bowers fire companies. Also there are Delaware State Police, DNREC, New Castle County Office of Emergency Management, Kent County Department of Public Safety, the Delaware Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay.
The Philadelphia Fire Department was enroute.
This is a developing story. Check back with delawareonline.com for more information.
Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or eparra@delawareonline.com.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania High School Girls Basketball 2026 Playoff Brackets, Schedule (PIAA) – March 10, 2026
The 2026 Pennsylvania high school girls basketball state playoffs begin on Tuesday, March 10, with second-round games for all divisions.
High School On SI has brackets for every division in the PIAA high school girls basketball playoffs. The state championships begin on March 19th.
Pennsylvania High School Girls Basketball 2026 Playoff Brackets, Schedule (PIAA) – March 10-11, 2026
CLASS 1A BRACKET (select to view bracket)
Second Round
New Covenant Christian vs. Delaware County Christian – 03/11
Philadelphia Montgomery Christian Academy vs. Benton – 03/11
Our Lady of Lourdes Regional vs. Motivation – 03/11
Linville Hill vs. Southern Fulton – 03/11
Williamsburg vs. Elk County Catholic – 03/11
Farrell vs. Bishop Carroll – 03/11
Clarion-Limestone vs. Saint Joseph’s Catholic Academy – 03/11
Bishop Guilfoyle vs. Aquinas Academy – 03/11
CLASS 2A BRACKET (select to view bracket)
Second Round
Shalom Christian Academy vs. Southern Columbia Area – 03/10
Faith Christian vs. Mountain View – 03/10
Wyoming Seminary College Prep vs. Marian Catholic – 03/10
York Catholic vs. Berlin Brothersvalley – 03/10
Neshannock vs. Penns Manor – 03/10
Kennedy Catholic vs. Keystone – 03/10
Bishop McCort vs. Chartiers-Houston – 03/10
Winchester Thurston vs. Wilmington Area – 03/10
CLASS 3A BRACKET (select to view bracket)
Second Round
Imhotep Charter vs. Holy Redeemer – 03/10
Pequea Valley vs. Schuylkill Haven – 03/10
Hughesville vs. Notre Dame-Green Pond – 03/10
Dunmore vs. Executive Education Academy – 03/10
Trinity vs. Troy – 03/10
Northwestern vs. Greensburg Central Catholic – 03/10
Shady Side Academy vs. Beaver Falls – 03/10
Central Cambria vs. Karns City – 03/10
CLASS 4A BRACKET (select to view bracket)
Second Round
Susquehanna Township vs. Universal Audenried Charter School – 03/11
Scranton Prep vs. Allentown Central Catholic – 03/11
Central Columbia vs. Villa Joseph Marie – 03/11
Valley View vs. Neumann-Goretti – 03/11
Delone Catholic vs. Penn Cambria – 03/11
Slippery Rock vs. Oakland Catholic – 03/11
Belle Vernon vs. Blackhawk – 03/11
North Catholic vs. Harbor Creek – 03/11
CLASS 5A BRACKET (select to view bracket)
Second Round
Lampeter-Strasburg vs. Mt. St. Joseph Academy – 03/11
Marple Newtown vs. Crestwood – 03/11
Bethlehem Catholic vs. Villa Maria Academy – 03/11
North Pocono vs. Archbishop Wood – 03/11
York Suburban vs. TBD – 03/11
Peters Township vs. Manheim Central – 03/11
South Fayette vs. Penn-Trafford – 03/11
Baldwin vs. Indiana – 03/11
CLASS 6A BRACKET (select to view bracket)
Second Round
Upper Dublin vs. Perkiomen Valley – 03/10
Hazleton vs. Parkland – 03/10
Easton vs. Red Lion – 03/10
Downingtown West vs. Archbishop Carroll – 03/10
Wilson vs. Cardinal O’Hara – 03/10
Pennsbury vs. Altoona – 03/10
Dallastown vs. Emmaus – 03/10
Canon-McMillan vs. Taylor Allderdice – 03/10
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