Pennsylvania

Where Pennsylvania is losing Democrats

Published

2 years ago

May 7, 2024

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HARRISBURG — For the first time in at least 16 years, the Democratic and Republican parties in Pennsylvania are within half a million registered voters of one another.

Since 2008, Democrats’ registration edge over Republicans has steadily shrunk — from a 12% advantage in April 2008 to about a 4% advantage in April 2024, according to a Spotlight PA analysis of Department of State data.

The number of people registered as independents or under a third party has also grown, from 11% of total registered voters in 2008 to 15% this year.

Political consultants who spoke with Spotlight PA said that while registration trends can signal an electorate’s moods, they can’t tell you everything about how a closely divided state like Pennsylvania will vote.

Stephen Medvic, a government professor at Franklin & Marshall College, said 2010 was a high water mark for Democratic registration in recent Pennsylvania history and that there was “nowhere to go but down” from there in terms of registration numbers.

The party’s relatively lower registration rate is “not good [for Democrats], but I’m not sure it spells doom,” said Medvic.

Beyond that, consultants say Pennsylvania has undergone a political realignment in the last decade and a half. Anne Wakabayashi, a Democratic political consultant with public relations firm BerlinRosen, said registration is “catching up more with the behavior of the electorate.”

That behavior, she said, includes working-class voters in Western Pennsylvania who have historically been part of labor unions changing their registration to Republican in recent years, coupled with an influx of highly educated and wealthy transplants establishing themselves in the suburbs of Philadelphia.

Sam Chen, a GOP political consultant based in the Lehigh Valley, pointed to the same dynamic and noted that it can be seen in the commonwealth’s changing registration geography. Democrats used to dominate counties in the industrial and rural parts of the state, particularly in the southwest and northeast. Now those areas are redder, while Democrats have consolidated support in suburbs, particularly in the populous southeast.

“The Republican Party has shifted away from traditional conservativism into a more populist version of it, which speaks to traditional Democratic values like made-in-America union labor,” Chen said. “On the Democratic side, I think you see that shift away from traditional liberalism over to a little bit more of a progressivism.”

Wakabayashi noted that registration doesn’t always keep pace with quickly shifting political preferences.

In her experience, voters can be slow to change registration even as their political opinions change. Sometimes they vote across party lines, opt to split their ticket and vote for candidates in both parties, or just don’t turn out to cast a ballot.

For example, despite a dwindling advantage in the party’s number of registered voters in Pennsylvania, Democrats won top-of-ticket races for president in 2020, and U.S. Senate and governor in 2022.

However, in the latter year, Republicans Stacey Garrity and Tim DeFoor won statewide races for state treasurer and auditor general — flipping those offices.

Political consultants and academics also say the increase in independent and third-party voters is significant and could indicate a growing disdain for the major political parties and a wider apathy that results in low voter turnout, such as during the 2024 primary election.

This is particularly notable as Pennsylvania is one of 10 states with a closed primary system, which excludes independent and third-party voters from choosing which major party candidates will end up on the November general election ballot.

Some experts noted that this system could lead to fewer voters who consider themselves politically independent registering as such. Plus, voters can switch their party registration up to 10 days before the election, which they may do close to a primary so that they can participate in choosing a major party candidate, before switching back.

“As our partisans are getting increasingly more partisan, there are a lot of people that are heading to either third parties or the middle of the road,” said Wakabayashi. “Some of that is disillusionment with the parties on both sides.”

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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s Deepest Inland Lake Is A Crystal-Clear Beauty East Of Pittsburgh For Camping And Fishing – Islands

Published

4 hours ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

Pennsylvania’s Deepest Inland Lake Is A Crystal-Clear Beauty East Of Pittsburgh For Camping And Fishing – Islands

WhiteHotRanch/Shutterstock

Pennsylvania is littered with more than 2,500 natural and manmade inland lakes. So when you find the deepest of these tucked among state forests 130 miles east of Pittsburgh, you’ve probably stumbled upon a gem. Raystown Lake’s rural location makes it one of Pennsylvania’s best-kept secrets, often overlooked for other lakes closer to the state’s cities and civilization. But those who commit to the three-hour drive are rewarded with 8,300 acres of tranquil and clear water that reaches a maximum depth of 200 feet. While it’s not as deep as Wazee, Wisconsin’s deepest inland lake and scuba diving gem, it still offers great fishing, swimming, boating, and other water sports.

Raystown Lake can thank Raystown Dam for its impressive depth, as this manmade reservoir only came to be when the Juniata River, just north, was dammed to control flooding. While natural lakes in Pennsylvania don’t exceed 85 feet in depth, Raystown’s significantly deeper and colder areas make it a better spot for anglers seeking deep-water fish species worthy of their trophy cabinets. These game fish range from striped bass (stripers) and trout to walleye and Atlantic salmon.

Raystown Lake is also surrounded by over 21,000 acres of pristine forest covering the encircling Allegheny mountains in earthy greens and browns — a picturesque setting for a day on the water. The lake’s size and numerous fishing spots along its 118-mile shoreline also help it feel uncrowded when you’re sharing the water with other fishing boats, pontoons, kayaks, and houseboats. Fishing Booker recommends looking for the largest stripers in Raystown’s deepest sections, while largemouth and smallmouth bass can be caught in shallower spots. You can also reel in 20-pound trout during winter and fall when fishing depths beyond 80 feet. Trolling, jigging, and ice fishing are also all possible here during the year.

Peaceful camping at Pennsylvania’s Raystown Lake

A sunny day on Raystown Lake as viewed from the back of a boat

Karen Leisey/Shutterstock

After driving three hours here from Pittsburgh or 3.5 hours from Baltimore, no one expects you to turn around at the end of the day and drive all the way back. That’s why Raystown Lake has about 20 campgrounds for tents and RVs to choose from, as well as houseboats, glamping, B&Bs, hotels, and resorts. The campgrounds typically let you stay closest to the water and provide a serene setting to escape those everyday stressors for a while. They’re also generally more affordable.

If you love roughing it, Putt’s Camp is open year-round. This no-frills campground offers eight campsites for group bookings, including one waterfront spot. You also have a picnic shelter, fireplace, water pumps, and vault toilets. It’s close to state forest walking trails and a quiet section of the lake for swimming, fishing, and paddling. Seven Points Campground is another great option, especially for families and anglers wanting to catch largemouth and striped bass. Open from April to October, it has over 260 tent and RV sites, adjacent walking trails, and beach and marina access. Hot showers, electric and water hookups, playgrounds, a nearby grocery store, and picnic tables all make the camping experience much more comfortable.

Raystown Lake is a year-round destination surrounded by natural scenery and charming towns, including Huntingdon, a picturesque Pennsylvania borough nestled along the Juniata River about 13 miles away. The borough also has the Lincoln Caverns, a small show cave where you can pan for real gems, in case you don’t have any luck fishing. Speaking of fishing, you’ll need to purchase a Pennsylvania fishing license online beforehand. And always stick to the state’s bag and size limits — it helps keep the lake well-stocked for everyone to enjoy.

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Pennsylvania

100 skulls and mummified body parts found in a Pennsylvania grave robbery case, police say | CNN

Published

16 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

100 skulls and mummified body parts found in a Pennsylvania grave robbery case, police say | CNN

AP
—

Bones and skulls visible in the back seat of a car near an abandoned cemetery on Philadelphia’s outskirts led police to a basement filled with body parts, which authorities say were hoarded by a man now accused of stealing about 100 sets of human remains.

Officers say a Tuesday night arrest culminated a monthslong investigation into break-ins at Mount Moriah Cemetery, where at least 26 mausoleums and vaults had been forced open since early November.

Investigators later searched the Ephrata home and storage unit of Jonathan Christ Gerlach, 34, and reported finding more than 100 human skulls, long bones, mummified hands and feet, two decomposing torsos and other skeletal items.

“They were in various states. Some of them were hanging, as it were. Some of them were pieced together, some were just skulls on a shelf,” Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse said.

Most were in the basement, authorities said, and they also recovered jewelry believed to be linked to the graves. In one case, a pacemaker was still attached.

Police say Gerlach targeted mausoleums and underground vaults at the 1855 cemetery. It’s considered the country’s largest abandoned burial ground, according to Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery, which helps maintain the 160-acre landmark in Yeadon that’s home to an estimated 150,000 grave sites.

Police had been looking into the string of burglaries when an investigator checked Gerlach’s vehicle plates and found he had been near Yeadon repeatedly during the period when the burglaries occurred. Police say the break-ins centered on sealed vaults and mausoleums containing older burials, which had been smashed open or had stonework damaged to reach the remains inside.

He was arrested as he walked back toward his car with a crowbar, police said, and a burlap bag in which officers found the mummified remains of two small children, three skulls and other bones.

Gerlach told investigators he took about 30 sets of human remains and showed them the graves he stole from, police said.

“Given the enormity of what we are looking at and the sheer, utter lack of reasonable explanation, it’s difficult to say right now, at this juncture, exactly what took place. We’re trying to figure it out,” Rouse told reporters.

Gerlach was charged with 100 counts each of abuse of a corpse and receiving stolen property, along with multiple counts of desecrating a public monument, desecrating a venerated object, desecrating a historic burial place, burglary, trespassing and theft.

He is jailed on $1 million bond. No lawyer was listed in court records. A message seeking comment was texted to a cellphone linked to him.

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Pennsylvania

Delaware County, Pennsylvania sports field damaged by ATVs, causing thousands of dollars in damages

Published

1 day ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Delaware County, Pennsylvania sports field damaged by ATVs, causing thousands of dollars in damages

A sports field at Ridley Municipal Park in Delaware County has been shut down after police say off-road vehicles tore up the grass following a mid-December snowstorm, causing thousands of dollars in damage and threatening spring sports for hundreds of local children.

Ridley Township police say the field is now unsafe and unplayable after individuals illegally drove all-terrain vehicles and a dune buggy across the grass, leaving deep ruts and torn-up turf.

“The issue that we’re having is the field is unplayable now,” Sgt. Mark McKinney, of the Ridley Township Police Department, said.

Police believe the damage happened when the suspects were “joy riding” on the field after snowfall, performing donuts that dug deep grooves into the ground.

“We believe they were joy riding. They did some donuts in the grass, and it dug up some big ruts into the grass, which causes a problem for when the kids have to go back out on the field in the spring,” McKinney said.

Investigators are asking for the public’s help identifying three individuals seen on surveillance video riding ATVs and a dune buggy through Ridley Township streets. Detectives believe they are responsible for an estimated $5,000 to $10,000 in damage to the park field.

Repairing the field will not be quick or simple, police said.

“It’s not just something that you can just go out there and patch right away,” McKinney said. “It’s something that’s going to take time.”

The repair process involves laying new soil, rolling the field and growing new grass — a timeline that could disrupt the upcoming sports season.

“You can’t have the kids on there while the grass is growing or the grass won’t grow,” McKinney said. “So it’s set up quite a bit of a dilemma for us.”

The damage is especially personal for McKinney, who also serves as a coach for Ridley Youth Lacrosse. Fellow coach Matt Flynn said the damaged field is their primary game field, with the season scheduled to begin in less than two months.

“Right now, the field would be unplayable because any kid would turn their ankle in the ruts,” Flynn said.

Flynn added that the situation is frustrating after months of work maintaining the field.

“It’s more disappointment because we work so hard to get that field into good shape, and now we just have to start again and do more work, and then find other fields to play on during the season,” he said.

Township officials are currently gathering repair estimates, but the field will remain closed until it is safe for play.

Police say the suspects could face charges including trespassing and criminal mischief. Anyone who recognizes the individuals seen in the surveillance footage is urged to contact Ridley Township police detectives.

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