Election

By Rashid Khattak For Pakistanis in Philadelphia and abroad, Saturday's election is seen as a significant step for the future of democracy there. This is the first time in Pakistan's 66-year history that a democratically elected government is completing its five-year term and has scheduled elections. Mohammad Tariq, a 40-year-old Philly cabdriver from Pakistan, says the continuity that results from the democratic process is a must for honest politicians to emerge and for the country to develop.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Three candidates endorsed by an alumni group supportive of the late Joe Paterno overwhelmingly swept the election for three open seats on Pennsylvania State University's board of trustees, dumping the incumbents and sending a strong message that the university's alumni are dissatisfied with the leadership. But just how much power the three, supported by Penn Staters for Responsible Stewardship, will have on the 32-member board remains to be seen. For sure, it means those angry with the board for its handling of the child sex-abuse scandal involving former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky - and the subsequent firing of Paterno as head coach - will have a stronger voice in the university's governance.

KARACHI, Pakistan - Two blasts in Pakistan's southern city of Karachi killed three people near the office of a political party critical of the Taliban, a police officer said, heightening tensions ahead of the country's historic election next Saturday. Police officer Aamir Farooqi said the explosions late Saturday wounded 22 people. A spokesman for the Taliban, Ahsanullah Ahsan, claimed responsibility. Pakistan has been experiencing a wave of violence connected to the elections, mostly at the hands of Taliban extremists targeting various political parties and their candidates.

Fox-hunting steeplechase champion McDynamo , owned by Michael Moran of Applestone Farm in Unionville, Chester County, can add the Hall of Fame to his five Breeders' Cup championships and three Eclipse awards. On Friday, he was elected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, joining three-time Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Calvin Borel and horses Housebuster , Invasor , Lure and Tuscalee . GOLF: Temple senior Devin Bibeau carded a 2-under 70 to lead the Owls to third place after the first round of the Atlantic Ten Championship in Coral Springs, Fla. Lucas Glover birdied his final hole to take a 1-stroke lead over Boo Weekley after the second round of the Zurich Classic in Avondale, La. Caroline Masson bogeyed three of her last four holes for a par 71, leaving her with a 1-stroke lead after the second round of the North Texas LPGA Shootout in Irving.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Michael Moran's fox-hunting steeplechase champion McDynamo can now add the Hall of Fame to his five Breeders' Cup championships and three Eclipse awards.   On Friday, he was elected to the National Museum of Racing's highest honor, joining three-time Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Calvin Borel and horses Housebuster, Invasor, Lure and Tuscalee.   McDynamo, who has been retired at Moran's Applestone Farm in Unionville, Chester County, won 17 of 34 career starts and retired as the leading career earner among steeplechase horses with $1,310,104.

TOM KNOX , the successful Philadelphia businessman who finished second in the 2007 Democratic primary election for mayor, made it official yesterday: He's running again in 2015. That raises an interesting question: What happens between Knox and his friend, City Councilman Bill Green , long rumored as a 2015 candidate for mayor? The two have supported one another in campaigns before. Knox held a fundraiser for Green earlier this year. Both say it would be a waste for both to run for mayor.

TRENTON - Joanne Nyikita is all for early voting, just not the way it is set up in a bill sitting on the governor's desk. Nyikita is superintendent of elections in Burlington County, and in the weeks before a presidential election, she says, she and her staff work 15-hour days, seven days a week, registering voters and making sure things run smoothly. By in effect adding two weeks before the election during which voters can cast their ballots, she said, the state would vastly increase the work of already overstretched county election boards.

America's most interesting development since November is the Republican Party's becoming more interesting. Consider the congressman from Grand Rapids, Mich., who occupies the seat once held by Gerald Ford, embodiment of vanilla Republicanism. Justin Amash, 33, may seek the Senate seat being vacated by Democrat Carl Levin, who was elected in 1978, two years before Amash was born. Michigan supported Barack Obama over native son Mitt Romney by 9.5 points and has elected just one Republican senator since 1966.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Thursday moved to suspend the remaining elected judge on Philadelphia Traffic Court for three months without pay, citing her refusal to cooperate with an investigation. The high court gave Christine Solomon until April 29 to object, which her lawyer vowed to do. If the court rejects her defense and suspends her, that would mean Traffic Court would be entirely staffed by nonelected judges. Solomon was the only elected judge left serving after a federal grand jury in January indicted nine other current and former Traffic Court judges, charging them with engaging in rampant ticket-fixing.