A New Jersey lawmaker wants to allow betting on college playoff or championship games, and hopes to ask voters to amend the state Constitution next year to permit it.

If voters approve a referendum that could be on the November 2021 ballot, it would remove a significant part of New Jersey’s current ban on college sports betting.

Sen. Paul Sarlo, a Democrat who represents the area including MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, where the NFL’s Jets and Giants play, has introduced a bill calling for the question to be placed on next year’s general election ballot.

It would allow betting on college playoff or championship games held in New Jersey, along with such games played in other states in which New Jersey teams are involved.

“These are games that are nationally televised, with a lot of interest all around the country, and a lot of people coming into the state from all over the country to witness these games,” said Sarlo. “Many of them would want to make a wager on these games, but they can’t do it in New Jersey. Why should we lose out on that money?”

State Senate President Steve Sweeney, a fellow Democrat, said he will cosponsor the bill, but wants to make sure it would not jeopardize the likelihood of New Jersey being awarded future college tournaments.

“I fully support what Sen. Sarlo is doing,” Sweeney said. “I just want to make sure we’re not costing ourselves anything.”

New Jersey won a U.S. Supreme Court case in 2018 clearing the way for all 50 states to offer legal sports betting should they so choose.

The state Constitution bans betting on college sports held in New Jersey, or out-of-state games involving New Jersey teams.

But even with the college ban in place, there was widespread sentiment that the state would wait a few years to demonstrate that it can effectively regulate betting on pro games while maintaining the integrity of the contests, and then revisit the question of betting on college games.

That’s what is happening now.

“We have proven to date that we can so this safely and responsibly,” Sarlo said.

The change would only apply to postseason games; it would maintain the ban on betting on regular season games.

It is aimed primarily at events like the NCAA basketball championship tournament, which was last held in New Jersey at Newark’s Prudential Center in 2011. The arena will host one of the tournament’s regional competitions in 20205.

Officials also hope MetLife Stadium will be chosen to host college football bowl games.

A gun violence counselor and employee with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office shot and killed an armed sex worker who tried to rob him at gunpoint, officials confirmed with NBC10. 

On Tuesday, shortly before 10 a.m., an armed 31-year-old man tried to rob another man on the 2600 block of North Napa Street in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood, Philadelphia police said. The second man fired his own weapon, shooting the 31-year-old once in the chest. 

The 31-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. The man who shot him was not injured during the incident and has not been charged. 

Wednesday night, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office confirmed with NBC10 that the 31-year-old gunman was a sex worker while the man who shot him in self-defense is an employee with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office who also works as a gun violence counselor for the District Attorney’s Immediate Response Team. 

NBC10 reached out to the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office for comment. 

“This is an active investigation that has been appropriately referred to another agency,” a spokesperson for the District Attorney’s Office told NBC10. “We have no further comment at this time.” 

The New Jersey Supreme Court has cleaned the slate for some juveniles who were facing warrants and fines from more than five years ago under a plan “to ensure equal justice in the courts.”

The court on Wednesday ordered the dismissal of up to 1,400 failure-to-appear warrants that are more than five years old for nonviolent minor offenses that were issued against juveniles.

County prosecutors can then determine whether to proceed with underlying complaints, the court said.

The court also vacated more than $140,000 in discretionary juveniles fines that were imposed before July 1 on 592 juveniles.

According to the court, the fines being dismissed “are discretionary and non-mandatory county and state assessments.” They do not include money owed to victims for restitution.

“The young people who owe those fines – including disproportionate numbers of youth of color – overwhelmingly lack the capacity to make necessary payments, and the fines serve only to prolong involvement with the juvenile and criminal justice systems,” the court wrote in an order signed by Chief Justice Stuart Rabner.

The actions follow a plan that the court issued in July outlining a series of reforms that support juvenile rehabilitation.

The justices have instructed courts to periodically review and dismiss similar warrants.

In a change from his normal coronavirus news briefings, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is turning to Facebook Live for his Thursday update.

You can watch Murphy’s comments live on this page starting at 1 p.m.

The move to a virtual event came a day after Murphy abruptly announced during a news conference that he had contact with a senior staff member who had tested positive for COVID-19. He said he would immediately begin self-quarantining. A second staff member has since also tested positive for the coronavirus.

Murphy said he was last tested on Monday, his most recent COVID-19 briefing, and was negative. He said he had no symptoms. He and his wife were both tested Wednesday as a precaution and that test came back negative, a spokesperson said. 

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“We know this virus can take some time to show itself, so we have voluntarily taken ourselves off the field and will get tested again in a few days,” Murphy said. “No one is immune from this virus. We must all remain vigilant – not just some of the time, but all of the time.”

More than 224,000 COVID-19 cases had been reported in New Jersey since the start of the outbreak. Thursday marked the latest day with more than 1,000 new cases as Murphy reported 1,182 new cases on Thursday.

Hospitalizations have been on a rise as cases have increased over the past several weeks. As of Thursday, more than 850 people were hospitalized with coronavirus.

At least 14,474 people are confirmed to have died from coronavirus-related complications, with 18 new deaths reported Friday.

This story is developing and will be updated.

A new lawsuit filed Thursday is challenging Pennsylvania’s court-ordered deadline to count mail-in ballots that are received up to three days after the Nov. 3 election in the presidential battleground state.

Plaintiffs — including four registered voters from Somerset County and a Republican congressional candidate — are asking a federal judge in Pittsburgh to block the deadline extension from going into effect.

It names Gov. Tom Wolf’s top election official, Kathy Boockvar, a Democrat who has argued in the state’s courts that a deadline extension was necessary to prevent late-arriving mail-in votes from being thrown out because of postal delays.

The lawsuit comes 12 days before the election and three days after the U.S. Supreme Court, divided 4-4, rejected a Republican plea making a slightly different argument than Thursday’s lawsuit.

Both sought to block a state Supreme Court ruling that required county election officials to receive and count mailed-in ballots that arrive up until Nov. 6, even if they don’t have a clear postmark, as long as there is no proof it was mailed after the polls closed.

Thursday’s lawsuit said that the court’s deadline extension and the lack of a postmark requirement “will allow for late and otherwise unlawful ballots to be counted.”

That is unconstitutionally unfair to in-person voters and exceeded the court’s authority by exercising a power that is constitutionally vested in Congress and the Legislature, the lawsuit said.

With about 2.9 million mail-in ballots requested so far, registered Democrats have requested about 1.1 million more mail-in ballots than Republicans, or 1.8 million to 700,000, according to state data.

The Democratic majority on the state’s high court had cited surging demand for mail-in ballots during the coronavirus pandemic and warnings that postal service delays could invalidate huge numbers of ballots to invoke the power, used previously by the state’s courts, to extend election deadlines during a disaster emergency.

The Philadelphia-based National Museum of American Jewish History will honor two men who entertained the world with their magic.

The museum announced on Thursday it will induct illusionists Harry Houdini and David Copperfield into its hall of fame on Dec. 12. The museum says the award recognizes the achievements and contributions of American Jews “who share and exemplify the ideals of the stories explored in the museum.”

Houdini was born Erik Weisz in Hungary in 1874 and came to America when he was 4 years old. The son of a rabbi, he toured the U.S. and the world as a magician until his death in 1926 at age 52.

Copperfield, 64, was born David Kotkin in New Jersey. He has earned 21 Emmy Awards, and will accept the honor from his International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts in Las Vegas.

“From immigrant Harry Houdini to first-generation American David Copperfield, this event clearly demonstrates what’s possible when individuals are simply given the chance to be great,” said museum trustee Sharon Tobin Kestenbaum.

Previous recipients of the museum’s award include the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and director Steven Spielberg.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf plans to waive liquor license fees to help provide financial relief for restaurants and bars impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. 

Wolf announced Thursday that he’s working with the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to waive standard licensing fees through 2021 starting on January 1, 2021. Under the plan, more than 16,000 Pennsylvania restaurants and bars, clubs, catering clubs and hotels would see $20 million in relief. 

“As we enter the anticipated fall resurgence of COVID-19 cases, the very contagious nature of this virus makes gathering indoors publicly at full capacity dangerous. Still, we know that restaurant and bar owners in Pennsylvania are committed to keeping their employees and customers safe and the vast majority of these businesses have followed safety precautions and invested in new procedures and supplies, but COVID continues to hurt this industry,” Gov. Wolf said. 

“My administration continues to look for innovative ways that we can support the bar and restaurant industry. Eliminating liquor license fees is an important step toward helping bars and restaurants retain the capital they need to weather the storm of COVID-19.” 

Wolf is also calling on the General Assembly to provide an additional $225 million in federal CARES Act funding through forgivable loans and grants for small businesses through the COVID-19 Relief Statewide Small Business Assistance Program. Wolf also proposed $100 million in forgivable loans and grants for the hospitality, leisure and service industries, including restaurants and bars, salons and barbershops. 

Chuck Moran, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association, responded to Wolf’s announcement, stating he would have liked to have seen a “more thorough package” promoted by the governor that included industry-specific grants rather than loans as well as the elimination of all licensing fees for taverns and restaurants for two years including 2020 in addition to 2021 

“Earlier this year, the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association stated that a comprehensive package would be needed to bail out the industry and save jobs – including ALL licensing fees,” Moran wrote. “We certainly hope that the Governor means ALL fees liquor license holders pay in his definition of “standard” including but not limited to off-premise catering, Sunday permits, and small games of chance. While licensing fee help is part of the solution, much more needs to be done, particularly considering the size of the industry and its role in the Pennsylvania economy.”

A man is recovering after he was shot inside a venue in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. 

The shooting occurred inside the Palombaro-Haverford Main Line on the 2600 block of East County Line Road Thursday afternoon. Police said a man was shot in the groin after an altercation. The victim is expected to survive though police have not yet revealed his condition. 

Police told NBC10 they believe the victim knows the gunman and the shooting may have occurred during a family function in the venue’s banquet hall. 

No arrests have been made. Police continue to investigate.

This story is developing. Check back for updates. 

Here’s who the injury-riddled Eagles have available tonight originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

They’ll get DeSean Jackson back, they’ll get Avonte Maddox back, they’ll get Lane Johnson back and they’ll get Duke Riley back.

So when the Eagles take the field to face the Giants Thursday evening, they’ll be missing “only” 15 players from their regular rotation.

That includes five offensive linemen, one defensive lineman, a linebacker, two defensive backs, three tight ends, one running back and two wide receivers.

Who exactly do the Eagles have available tonight?

Including practice squad game-day call-ups Jamon Brown and T.Y. McGill and offensive lineman Matt Pryor, activated Thursday off the COVID list, and Jason Croom, signed Wednesday off the practice squad, they have 50 players available. From that they’ll have 48 in uniform.

Some 18 Eagles have already made their NFL debut this year, and with 10 weeks to go that’s already just one shy of the modern-era full-season record of 19.

We listed projected starters with an asterisk, and with Sua Opeta, that’s really just a guess. Could be Pryor, could even be Brown. Same with the secondary, where it depends what formation they open with.

If Opeta does start, he’ll become the 12th Eagle to make his first career start this year.

One thing is certain: At some point during the game, you’ll look over to the person next to you and say … “Who is that???”

Quarterbacks (3)

*Carson Wentz

Jalen Hurts

Nate Sudfeld

Running back (3)

*Boston Scott

Corey Clement

Jason Huntley

Wide receiver (6)

*Travis Fulgham

*DeSean Jackson

*Greg Ward

J.J. Arcega-Whiteside

Quez Watkins

John Hightower

Tight end (3)

*Richard Rodgers

Hakeem Butler

Jasom Croom

Offensive line (9)

*Jason Kelce

*Lane Johnson

*Nate Herbig

*Jordan Mailata

*Sua Opeta

Brett Toth

Luke Juriga

Matt Pryor

Jamon Brown

Defensive tackle (4)

*Fletcher Cox

*Javon Hargrave 

Hassan Ridgeway

T.Y. McGill

Defensive end (5)

*Brandon Graham

*Derek Barnett

Genard Avery

Vinny Curry

Josh Sweat

Linebacker (5)

*Nate Gerry

*Duke RIley

Alex Singleton

Davion Taylor

Shaun Bradley

Defensive back (9)

*Jalen Mills

*Rodney McLeod

*Darius Slay

*Will Parks

*Avonte Maddox

Marcus Epps

Nickell Robey-Coleman

Cre’Von LeBlanc

Craig James

Special teams (3)

Jake Elliott

Cameron Johnston

Rick Lovato

Not available (16)

Jack Driscoll (out)

Malik Jackson (out)

Alshon Jeffery (out)

Miles Sanders (out)

K’Von Wallace (out)

Andre Dillard (IR)

Zach Ertz (IR)

T.J. Edwards (IR)

Rudy Ford (IR)

Dallas Goedert (IR)

Josh Perkins (IR)

Jason Peters (IR)

Jalen Reagor (IR)

Isaac Seumalo (IR)

Brandon Brooks (PUP)

Daeshon Hall (PUP)

Southwest Airlines hopes their planes will be a little more full starting December 1.

That’s when the Dallas-based carrier will resume filling the middle seat.

Southwest doesn’t assign seats but had been underselling the cabin in order to free up the middle seat to make travelers feel safer during the pandemic.

The airline defended its decision in a statement, citing several studies it said shows the risk of getting coronavirus on an airplane is extremely rare when everyone wears a mask. The International Air Transport Association found 44 cases of COVID-19 transmission associated with plane travel, with most recorded before airlines adopted enhanced cleaning procedures and mask requirements, according to a news release.

“That’s 44 people out of the nearly 1.2 billion passengers who have traveled in 2020, or one case for every 27 million travelers this year. As IATA suggests, this is approximately the same risk category as being struck by lightning,” Southwest said in a statement.

The decision to unblock middle seats came the same day Southwest reported a record loss of $1.2 billion dollars for the third quarter after the pandemic hurt the summer travel season.

Revenue was down 68% year to year. Southwest said operating revenue would need to recover to 60% to 70% of 2019 levels, double the third quarter’s sales, to break even, CNBC reports.

“This practice of effectively keeping middle seats open bridged us from the early days of the pandemic, when we had little knowledge about the behavior of the virus, to now,” Southwest said. “Today, aligned with science-based findings from trusted medical and aviation organizations, we will resume selling all available seats for travel beginning December 1, 2020.”

A SEPTA police officer is accused of attacking two protesters near the former site of the Frank Rizzo statue during civil unrest and riots in Philadelphia and then submitting a false report about the incident. 

SEPTA Police Sgt. Matthew Sinkiewicz, 36, was arrested Thursday and charged with aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, unsworn falsification to authorities and official oppression. 

“Justice has to be rooted in equal accountability,” Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said. “I want to thank the SEPTA Transit Police for their work on this investigation into one of their own officers. In order to earn the trust of the public, law enforcement must take an even-handed approach in applying justice, always.” 

Sinkiewicz was among the officers who were stationed in front of the Municipal Services Building in Center City during the George Floyd protests and riots back on May 30. They were also standing near the statue of controversial Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo which was later removed by the city. 

Sinkiewicz allegedly struck two protesters with his baton several times on the head and body without provocation. Both protesters suffered injuries, including lacerations and were treated at the hospital. 

Sinkiewicz later submitted paperwork that didn’t accurately reflect what happened, according to the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. 

“The civil disorder that occurred in Philadelphia on May 30 did not take away the responsibility of our member to follow the Transit Police rules and expectations for professional conduct,” SEPTA Police Chief Thomas J. Nestel III said. “Our response to resistance must be appropriate, and when it is not, the member will be held responsible.” 

Philadelphia food service company Aramark is laying off thousands of workers at stadiums and event venues across Pennsylvania as many sit largely dormant during the COVID-19 pandemic, reports the Philadelphia Business Journal.

According to recent filings from the company with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, the layoffs affect 2,000 Aramark staff members in Philadelphia: 1,080 workers at Citizens Bank Park, 721 at Wells Fargo Center, and 199 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

On the other side of the state, an additional 1,225 Aramark workers will be laid off at Pittsburgh-area venues: 599 people at PNC Park and 626 employees at the multi-purpose indoor PPG Paints Arena.

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In the filings, Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) indicates the affected venues informed the company they do “not anticipate business improving in full for an undefined period of time and will only need our services in a limited capacity, if at all, during this time-period.” The layoffs are a direct result, and Aramark anticipates “an improvement in business conditions as soon as reasonably feasible depending on the evolving COVID-19 pandemic and based upon our client’s business needs but do not yet know when that will occur.”

PBJ.com has a look at how the uncertainty around when sports will return to normal are playing a role in how long the layoffs could persist.

Stay in the know on all things business with the Philadelphia Business Journal. 

Carson Wentz threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Boston Scott with 40 seconds remaining and the Philadelphia Eagles overcame an 11-point deficit in the final seven minutes to beat the New York Giants 22-21 on Thursday night.

Daniel Jones shook off a stumble that prevented him from an 88-yard touchdown run and had the Giants leading 21-10 following a 2-yard pass to Sterling Shepard with 6:21 left.

But Wentz led a depleted offense missing eight starters back. His 3-yard pass to Greg Ward cut it to 21-16. After the 2-point conversion failed, the Eagles got the ball at their 29 with 2:02 to go.

Wentz completed passes of 11 and 30 yards to Richard Rodgers. On third down from the 5, a defensive holding penalty gave the Eagles a first down at the 3. But three-time All-Pro center Jason Kelce was called for a facemask penalty that pushed it back to the 18.

No big deal.

Wentz threw a perfect strike to Scott and the backup running back made an excellent catch to give Philadelphia the lead. The 2-point conversion failed, but Jones was sacked and fumbled on the ensuing possession.

The Eagles (2-4-1) and Giants (1-6) are right in the mix in the NFC East, led by Dallas (2-4).

Wentz threw for 359 yards and two TDs and ran for a score.

Jones had only the end zone ahead of him away when he took off running from the Giants 12 in the third quarter. He was well ahead of everyone chasing him until he stumbled and got tackled before he could get up at 8.

A pass interference penalty against Nickell Robey-Coleman on third down gave the Giants another try, and Wayne Gallman ran in from the 1 to give them a 14-10 lead.

Jones’ 80 yard run was the longest by a Giants quarterback and tied for the fourth-longest in team history. Patrick Mahomes, the 2018 NFL MVP, couldn’t resist poking some fun at Jones. He tweeted: “I mean i can’t even say anything cause i would never be able to run that far either.”

Jones threw a 39-yard TD pass to Golden Tate in the first quarter.

Questionable play-calling cost the Eagles early in the fourth quarter. Wentz completed a 40-yard pass to Travis Fulgham and the Eagles reached the 7 when Jalen Hurts came in to run an option and gained no yards. After Wentz ran to the 3, Eagles coach Doug Pederson went for it on fourth down. The call was a fade to No. 5 tight end Hakeem Butler, who has no career catches. Logan Ryan broke it up.

The Giants then drove 97 yards to take a 21-10 lead.

Philadelphia’s depleted offense picked up where it left off against Baltimore when it scored 22 fourth-quarter points in a 30-28 loss. Using a no-huddle often on the opening drive, Wentz led the Eagles 75 yards and ran in from the 1 for his fifth TD rushing to make it 7-0. Wentz scrambled 3 yards on fourth-and-1 to keep the drive going and connected with Richard Rodgers for 18 yards to the 1 to set up the score.

But the Eagles reverted to their mistake-prone ways until the final 6 1/2 minutes.

REVOLVING DOOR

Left guard Sua Opeta became the 10th offensive lineman to start for the Eagles this season and fourth to make his first NFL start.

INJURIES

Giants: RB Devonta Freeman (ankle) left in the second half.

Eagles: WR DeSean Jackson, RT Lane Johnson, DT Hassan Ridgeway (biceps) and DB Craig James (hamstring) left in the second half.

UP NEXT

Giants: Host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2) on Monday Night Football on Nov. 2.

Eagles: Host the Dallas Cowboys (2-4) on Sunday Night Football on Nov. 1.

A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit by President Donald Trump’s campaign that had sought to stop New Jersey’s mail-in ballot program.

U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp’s opinion was foreshadowed when he rejected the GOP’s request for an injunction to stop the program on Oct. 6 and wrote the plaintiffs “fail to establish they are likely to succeed on the merits of their claims.”

A message was left Thursday seeking comment from a spokesperson for the Trump campaign.

In a court filing last month, the campaign alleged the state’s ballot procedures violated the Constitution and opened the door to widespread voter fraud, including that ballots mailed after Election Day would still be counted. Shipp wrote Thursday that the fraud claims rest on “highly speculative fear.”

Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation in August that allowed election officials to begin counting mail-in ballots 10 days before Election Day and accept unpostmarked ballots up to two days afterward. All registered New Jersey voters were mailed ballots in what Murphy has said are concerns over potential coronavirus transmission from in-person voting.

The GOP sued New Jersey in August, calling the state’s plan “a brazen power grab” by Murphy that created the possibility of widespread voter fraud. The suit named a recent incident in Paterson in which a campaign worker allegedly admitting stealing ballots out of mail boxes in a local election.

“It is difficult — and ultimately speculative — to predict future injury from evidence of past injury,” Shipp wrote Thursday.

The two major political parties are embroiled in dozens of lawsuits across the country over issues including mail-in ballots, ballot drop boxes, witness requirements and time extensions for voting and for counting ballots.

St. Joseph’s Preparatory School’s nationally-ranked football team won’t be playing this weekend after a cluster of cases of the coronavirus forced the Philadelphia Jesuit high school for boys and young men to transition to virtual learning through at least the end of October.

St. Joe’s Prep announced the transition to all virtual learning in a letter to families on Thursday. Nearly a third of the Prep’s 904 students and numerous staff are in quarantine after at least five students tested positive for COVID-19 over the past week, spokesman Bill Avington said.

“After consultation with the Philadelphia Department of Health, St. Joseph’s Prep has chosen to suspend in-person instruction until Monday, Nov. 2,” the letter, which was posted to the school’s website, said. “This decision has been made after learning of multiple students testing positive for COVID-19, which has led to approximately 30% of students and colleagues quarantining.”

The school, which is located along Girard Avenue in North Philadelphia, draws students from around the region with 172 different zip codes represented by students in ninth to 12^th grades. They have been learning using a hybrid model that divides students in Crimson and Gary cohorts.

“We consider the health of our school community to be of extreme importance and will be working to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” the letter said. “It is our intention to have in-person learning as often as possible but we must continue to adapt to the challenges created by this pandemic.”

Along with moving temporarily away from any in-person instruction, the Prep is putting its football program, other sports and activities on hold until at least next Friday, Oct. 30.

The undefeated Hawks’ football team is the top-ranked high school team in Pennsylvania and in the Top 5 of MaxPreps’ national ranking. The sons of former NFL stars Marvin Harrison and Jeremiah Trotter are on the team.

The Hawks were set to play Bishop Sycamore from Columbus, Ohio, at Cardinal O’Hara this Saturday. They could still be cleared to play next Saturday (Halloween) against Archbishop Wood at the Bucks County school.

The Prep urged parents of all students to observe their sons’ health for symptoms of coronavirus and to get tested if needed.

The Trump campaign has been videotaping people as they deposit ballots in drop boxes in Philadelphia in what it says is an attempt to catch violations, surveillance that the battleground state’s Democratic attorney general suggested could amount to illegal intimidation.

The campaign acknowledged the taping in a letter from a lawyer that complained it had caught voters on video illegally depositing multiple ballots. City elections officials responded they could not confirm the activity was inappropriate under Pennsylvania law.

Linda Kerns, the lawyer for the Trump campaign — which has already sued to ban the use of drop boxes — wrote to city election officials last week to request that they end the use of “unmanned drop boxes.” The New York Times first reported the development Thursday.

Philadelphia and many other heavily populated counties in Pennsylvania are using drop boxes to help collect an avalanche of mail ballots under a year-old law greatly expanding such voting.

Kerns wrote that video taken by a campaign representative shows three people dropping off as many as three ballots in a limited time period Oct. 14.

Pennsylvania law, in most cases, requires voters to deliver their own mail-in ballots, Kerns wrote, although it makes an exception for voters with disabilities.

Kerns suggested the images amount to “blatant violations” of state election law and said the campaign would sue, unless the city’s election office “commits to remedy this problem immediately.”

She asked for copies of city surveillance video at City Hall, for a list of voters who dropped ballots in the Philadelphia City Hall drop box on Oct. 14, and that the ballots be set aside “until an investigation can determine whether the ballots were personally delivered” by the voter.

In a response, a city lawyer, Benjamin Field, wrote Monday to Kerns to reject her assumption that the law was violated. Third-party delivery is permitted in certain circumstances, he wrote.

Though the city had forwarded the campaign’s information to the district attorney’s office, Field said, the elections office does not track whose ballots are dropped into particular drop boxes.

In a statement, the office of District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Democrat, said it is committed to investigating “any and all” allegations of voter intimidation and harassment. The office of the state attorney general, Democrat Josh Shapiro, warned in a statement that videotaping voters at drop boxes could be construed as illegal voter intimidation.

In any case, Shapiro’s office said, Trump’s campaign had provided similar photos and videos in a lawsuit in federal court in its effort to ban drop boxes. A judge threw out the case.

In another development in President Donald Trump’s battle with Democratic former Vice President Joe Biden for Pennsylvania’s key 20 electoral votes, a lawsuit filed Thursday challenged a court-ordered extension of the deadline to receive mailed presidential ballots.

Plaintiffs — including four registered voters from Somerset County and a Republican congressional candidate — asked a federal judge in Pittsburgh to block the deadline extension in the presidential battleground state from going into effect.

The state Supreme Court last month ordered county election officials to receive and count mailed-in ballots that arrive up to three days after the Nov. 3 election, until Nov. 6, even if they don’t have a clear postmark, as long as there is no proof it was mailed after the polls closed.

Thursday’s lawsuit came 12 days before the election and three days after the U.S. Supreme Court, divided 4-4, rejected a Republican plea making a slightly different argument than Thursday’s lawsuit.

The new lawsuit said the court’s deadline extension and the lack of a postmark requirement “will allow for late and otherwise unlawful ballots to be counted.”

That is unconstitutionally unfair to in-person voters and exceeded the court’s authority by exercising a power that is constitutionally vested in Congress and the Legislature, it said.

With the plaintiffs seeking expedited consideration, the new argument could theoretically arrive at the U.S. Supreme Court after Trump’s nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, is sworn in, providing a tie-breaking vote before the election.

Most states make Election Day the deadline, but more than 20 states have a post-Election Day deadline.

Several lawsuits — including another filed against Philadelphia by Trump’s campaign — are currently being fought over how Pennsylvania’s election is being conducted. The wave of court cases has prompted concerns that the presidential vote count will be heavily litigated and dragged out for weeks.

With about 2.9 million mail-in ballots requested so far, registered Democrats have requested about 1.1 million more mail-in ballots than Republicans, or 1.8 million to 700,000, according to state data.

Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court ruled unanimously Friday on a key concern surrounding an avalanche of mail-in ballots in the presidential battleground state, prohibiting counties from rejecting ballots because the voter’s signature on it may not resemble their signature on their registration form.

Two Republican justices joined five Democratic justices in the decision.

The verdict was a victory for the state’s top election official, Kathy Boockvar, a Democrat who had asked the court to back her up in a legal dispute with President Donald Trump’s campaign and Republican lawmakers.

“County boards of elections are prohibited from rejecting absentee or mail-in ballots based on signature comparison conducted by county election officials or employees, or as the result of third-party challenges based on signature analysis and comparisons,” the justices wrote.

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Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are locked in a battle to win Pennsylvania’s 20 electoral votes.

In her court filing, Boockvar had said that any such rejections pose “a grave risk of disenfranchisement on an arbitrary and wholly subjective basis,” and without any opportunity for a voter to verify their signature before their ballot is disqualified.

The decision comes amid a surge in mail-in voting and rising concerns that tens of thousands of mail-in ballots will be discarded in the presidential election over a variety of technicalities.

Pennsylvania saw its single highest count of new daily coronavirus cases reported on Friday. With cases rising throughout the Philadelphia region, the city’s top health official is putting out a warning.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 2,219 additional people had tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the statewide total since the start of the pandemic to nearly 191,000. The total was from all test results received as of midnight.

Daily case increases are now comparable to what the Keystone State saw during the first peak of the pandemic, officials said. The previous single day total was in April.

The Department of Health has seen “significant increases” in the number of young people – especially 19- to 24-year-olds – testing positive for the virus. The southeastern part of the state that includes the Philadelphia suburbs continues to have the most daily cases.

Pennsylvania also reported 33 new coronavirus-related deaths Friday to bring the statewide total to at least 8,625 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

The one-day case record in Pennsylvania coincides with a nationwide record as NBC News reported the U.S. set a single-day record for new coronavirus cases on Thursday with 77,640 reported infections.

Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration is requiring mask-wearing in public and urging people to keep socially distant, wash their hands frequently and to clean surfaces as often as possible in an attempt to slow the virus’ spread.

Philadelphia counts coronavirus cases differently from the state; on Friday, health officials announced 397 new cases. The City attributed the increase in part to a large new of test results received Friday.

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Philadelphia also reported one new death Friday to bring its total number of deaths attributed to coronavirus-related complications to 1,853 people.

“Today’s numbers are a clear warning that the epidemic is growing rapidly in our region,” Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said. “Everyone in Philadelphia should be even more cautious — avoiding contact with others unnecessarily and wearing a mask whenever you must be around anyone other than your household members.”

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Police have tracked down two suspects who they believe fired into a home in Trenton, New Jersey, killing two brothers, after a dispute this week.

The shooting killed 8-year-old Johnny Perez and 16-year-old Gustavo Perez Tuesday night.

Dajuan Kelley and Destanie Ellis are each charged with two counts of first-degree murder along with gun and conspiracy charges, according to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.

The prosecutor’s office said 26-year-old Kelley, who hails from Ewing, and Ellis, 29, of Morrisville, were sitting in a Ford Expedition on a Trenton street Tuesday night. Then the Perez brothers walked past and tried to get in the SUV, leading to an argument. What led to this encounter was not explained Friday.

Some time after the argument, Kelley and Ellis were in separate vehicles following the Perez boys who were walking along a street.

Police say surveillance footage shows a large portion of Tuesday night’s events. Ellis was seen leaving a Chevrolet Malibu and calling others to her location while following the Perez brothers.

Other people also arrived at the Perez home, while Ellis pointed out the house where Gustavo and Johnny entered. Kelley then fired at them as they stood in front of the second-floor kitchen window in the home, the prosecutor’s office says.

The brothers were taken to a hospital and pronounced dead later.

Ellis was arrested Thursday in Trenton, the prosecutor’s office said. Kelley made it to Hampton, Georgia, where U.S. Marshals picked him up as a fugitive.

In a statement, Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora thanked law enforcement for their investigative work and acknowledged that “while loved ones can never be replaced, I hope today’s announcement will bring some measure of closure and peace to the family and friends whose lives were shattered by this outrageous act of violence.”

At least one person was killed and another wounded when a gunman opened fire at a Delaware shopping center early Saturday morning.

Police officers arrived shortly before 1 a.m. to find one person dead on the ground and another person hurt outside a bar at the Shoppes of Village Square near the intersection of Marrows Road and Christiana Parkway, the New Castle County Police Department said.

The severity of the second person’s injuries was not immediately known.

The gunman fled the scene, and police were working to determine what led to the shooting.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Michael McNasby at 302-395-8110 or Michael.McNasby@newcastlede.gov. People can also submit an anonymous tip at 800-TIP-3333.

Support and resources for victims or witnesses of crimes are available through the New Castle County Division of Police Victim Services Unit by dialing 302-395-8000.