(Beaver County, Pa.) Democratic Pa State Rep. Rob Matzie trailed his Republican Challenger Rico Elmore to start the day and as mail in ballots are being counted Matzie has closed the gap to where Elmore only leads by 300 votes as of late Wednesday afternoon.

When early results came in early Wednesday morning Elmore held a nearly 11 percent lead totaling 12,306 votes to Matzie’s 9,894 votes. At last look at 3:30 pm today Elmore and Matizie were in a dead heat with Elmore having 12,316  votes to Matzies 12,097.

Beaver County has counted close to five thousand of the 29,000 mail in ballots they have received thus far. How many left to count in that district that covers parts of Beaver and Allegheny Counties is unknown at this time.

Ford recalls over 375K Explorers to fix suspension problem
DETROIT (AP) — Ford is recalling more than 375,000 Explorer SUVs in the U.S. and Canada to fix a suspension problem that has caused 13 crashes. The recall covers SUVs from the 2013 through 2017 model years built at Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant from Sept. 4, 2012 to Jan. 25, 2017. They were sold or registered 22 states and six Canadian provinces where salt is used to clear roads during the winter. The automaker says the rear toe links can fracture, reducing steering control. A toe link puts weight on the tires so they stay on the ground. Ford says six people were hurt in the crashes. Dealers will inspect the suspension and replace parts if necessary. Customers will be notified starting the week of Nov. 30.

Trump sues for Michigan ballot access, asks Wis. recount
By MARK SHERMAN Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump campaign says it has filed a lawsuit in Michigan state court demanding “meaningful access” to locations where ballots are being counted. Michigan is one of the undecided states that could determine whether President Donald Trump gets another four years in office. The Trump campaign says it is calling for a temporary halt in the counting until it is given “meaningful access” in numerous locations and allowed to review ballots that already have been opened and processed. Trump is running slightly behind Democratic nominee Joe Biden in Michigan. Trump’s campaign also says it will ask for a recount in Wisconsin, which The Associated Press called for Biden on Wednesday afternoon. Campaign manager Bill Stepien is citing “irregularities in several Wisconsin counties.”

Pennsylvania vote goes smoothly, but tallying may take time
By MARK SCOLFORO and MICHAEL RUBINKAM Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvanians are waiting for the results of counting after an election that drew large numbers of voters to the polls. The voting Tuesday produced few of the glitches some had feared. But there is still a mountain of ballots to be counted in coming days amid national scrutiny. All 18 of the state’s members of Congress sought reelection, and at least 10 have won. Many other races, including the Legislature and row offices, haven’t been resolved. In a sign of the state’s importance, Democrat Joe Biden visited his hometown of Scranton on Tuesday and Republican Donald Trump called in to a northeastern Pennsylvania radio show with just hours left in the voting.

(Beaver County, Pa.) With all 129  Beaver County  precincts reporting  a total of 63,917 ballots were cast in yesterday’s election  the Republican were  the unofficial winners..

High court could halt move toward leniency for kids who kill
By JESSICA GRESKO Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is suggesting it could halt what has been a gradual move toward more leniency for children who are convicted of murder. In cases over more than a decade, the court has concluded that children should be treated differently from adults, in part because of their lack of maturity. But the court, which has become more conservative over the last few years, could decide not to go any further. The justices on Tuesday were hearing a case about sentencing juveniles to life without parole. The court has previously said that should be rare, and the question before the justices has to do with what courts must do before deciding to impose a life without parole sentence on a juvenile.

Justice Barrett joins Supreme Court arguments for first time
By JESSICA GRESKO Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — She didn’t have to wear a black robe or even be in Washington, but Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined her new colleagues at the Supreme Court on Monday to hear arguments for the first time. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the high court began hearing cases by phone in May. That meant the public didn’t see the new justice Monday, but at the beginning of the day’s arguments Chief Justice John Roberts welcomed her publicly to her new role with the traditional greeting. He wished her “a long and happy career in our common calling.”

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has ordered U.S. Postal Service inspectors to sweep more than two dozen mail processing facilities for lingering mail-in ballots and for those ballots to be sent out immediately.

The order, which includes centers in central Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Detroit, Atlanta, south Florida and parts of Wisconsin, comes after national delivery delays leading up to the election and concerns the agency wouldn’t be able to deliver ballots on time.

The Postal Service’s ability to handle the surge of mail-in ballots became a concern after its new leader, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a major GOP donor, implemented a series of policy changes that delayed mail nationwide this summer. Delivery times have since rebounded but have consistently remained below the agency’s internal goals of having more than 95% of first-class mail delivered within five days, with service in some battleground areas severely lagging, according to postal data.

Long lines, enthusiasm but no major problems as US votes
By CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY and ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE Associated Press
Voters in the U.S. are marking the end of a fraught U.S. election season at the polls. They’re casting the last of what will likely be a record-setting number of ballots. At least 101.9 million people voted early, meaning turnout is expected to reach record levels despite a global pandemic that has upended long-established election procedures and triggered hundreds of lawsuits. Problems occur every election, and this one is no different. There were long lines early in the day and sporadic reports of polling places opening late and equipment issues in counties in Georgia and Ohio. This was all expected given past experience and the issues created by the pandemic.