March 16, 2021Joe Hermitt / The Patriot-NewsSee how much your lawmaker banked in meal, lodging payments during the pandemic (FULL LIST)by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PADespite a statewide shutdown and remote voting, Pennsylvania state lawmakers — led by House Democrats — banked hundreds of thousands of dollars in flat-rate payments for meals and lodging.
March 15, 2021Commonwealth Media ServicesDuring height of coronavirus pandemic, Pa. lawmakers still cashed in big on meals, lodgingby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAThey collected $726,877 from taxpayers in per diem payments, in addition to being among the highest paid in the country. House Democrats received the most.
March 12, 2021Courtesy of Nemacolin Woodlands ResortAs pandemic continues, GOP lawmakers prepare for retreat at pricey ‘Bachelor’ resortby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAThe legislative retreats, the cost of which lawmakers can cover using campaign funds, come as Pennsylvania continues to operate under a bevy of coronavirus-related restrictions.
March 9, 2021Leise Hook / For Spotlight PAFrom tests to vaccines, Pa. health officials still missing crucial race data for COVID-19by Ese Olumhense of Spotlight PA and Jamie Martines of Spotlight PARace and ethnicity data is key to informing vaccine outreach efforts to communities disproportionately affected by the virus, local health officials told Spotlight PA.
March 5, 2021CHARLES FOX / Philadelphia InquirerA business owner’s guide to Pa.’s next wave of COVID-19 relief grantsby Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PAThe aid is targeted at businesses with fewer than 300 employees that have lost at least 25% of their sales as a result of the pandemic.
March 4, 2021JESSICA GRIFFIN / Philadelphia InquirerVaccination clinics for Pa. teachers could open as soon as next week. Here are the details.by Colin Deppen of Spotlight PALocal and regional education agencies, called Intermediate Units, will help administer the shots for teachers in partnership with medical professionals and the National Guard.
March 2, 2021Jelani Splawn / For Spotlight PAVictims of unemployment fraud in Pa. are blindsided by tax documentsby Rebecca Moss of Spotlight PAAs the state buckled under the weight of thousands of unemployment claims, fraudsters took advantage of relaxed rules meant to help people access help with ease.
March 1, 2021Fred Adams / For Spotlight PAMore people can gather indoors in Pa. as coronavirus cases decline, Wolf announcesby Colin Deppen of Spotlight PAIn addition, travelers to the state no longer have to quarantine for 14 days or provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test.
Feb. 25, 2021TIM TAI / Philadelphia InquirerLevine questioned on missing Pa. nursing home data in federal confirmation hearingby Jamie Martines of Spotlight PAFormer Health Secretary Rachel Levine’s explanation for the issues did not match previous reporting by Spotlight PA.
Feb. 25, 2021HEATHER KHALIFA / Philadelphia InquirerNew coronavirus grants for small Pa. businesses aim for inclusivity, but can’t track successby Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PAApplications open next month for $145 million in state grants for small hospitality businesses, with a significant change by lawmakers intended to make the money is more accessible to people of color.
Feb. 23, 2021Fred Adams / For Spotlight PAPreguntas frecuentes sobre el frustrante despliegue de vacunas en Pensilvaniaby Ese Olumhense of Spotlight PAMuchas personas han expresado su frustración por el proceso de encontrar y reservar una cita para vacunarse.
Feb. 12, 2021Fred Adams / For Spotlight PAThe most frequently asked questions about Pa.’s frustrating vaccine rolloutby Ese Olumhense of Spotlight PAHealth experts and advocates from across the state joined Spotlight PA on Thursday for a live reader Q&A event. Here are some of the most important takeaways.
Feb. 9, 2021Dan Nott / For Spotlight PALack of targeted outreach, translated materials leaves Latino community behind as Pa. struggles with vaccine rolloutby Ese Olumhense of Spotlight PAOlder Pennsylvanians, who are supposed to be among the first in line to get the vaccine, are also struggling with clunky and disjointed online signups.
Feb. 5, 2021Commonwealth Media ServicesPa. voters will get the last word in struggle between Wolf and lawmakers. Here’s what you need to know.by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PAThe legislature on Friday gave final approval to a proposed constitutional amendment that would give state lawmakers the power to unilaterally end a disaster declaration.
Feb. 5, 2021FRED ADAMS / For Spotlight PAIn race for COVID-19 vaccinations, older residents in rural Pa. face tough obstaclesby Jamie Martines of Spotlight PADespite being among the most at risk, some lack transportation, access to chain pharmacies, and internet connections to get vaccine appointments.
Feb. 3, 2021JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia InquirerPa. enacted 140 laws last year. Only 27 of them addressed the coronavirus.by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PAThe nation’s largest full-time legislature — with some of the highest-paid lawmakers — emerged from 2020 having failed to address some of the public’s most pressing needs.
Feb. 1, 2021JESSICA GRIFFIN / Philadelphia InquirerStress, delays, and confusion still plague jobless in Pennsylvania, and January brought little reliefby Rebecca Moss of Spotlight PAPandemic unemployment benefits are a lifeline for more than 400,000 Pennsylvanians who don’t qualify for traditional unemployment. But payments stalled this year and people are struggling.
Jan. 29, 2021JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia InquirerConfronted with significant flaws in coronavirus data, Pa. corrections officials concede ‘it’s unacceptable’by Joseph Darius Jaafari of Spotlight PAA five-month analysis by Spotlight PA found large fluctuations in the number of tests administered and unexplained changes to the death count.
Jan. 28, 2021ELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Philadelphia InquirerCould a centralized vaccine signup ease Pa.’s rollout pains? Here’s the answer.by Jamie Martines of Spotlight PAThe state is relying on a patchwork of individual health-care providers to create and manage their own scheduling, causing frustration among some residents.
Jan. 26, 2021Tim Tai / Philadelphia InquirerHundreds of Pa. senior-living facilities haven’t received vaccine as widened eligibility, low supply slow rolloutby Ese Olumhense of Spotlight PAA Spotlight PA analysis shows that more than 300 senior care homes did not have a scheduled vaccine clinic as of Jan. 17, while hundreds more weren’t covered by a federal partnership.
Jan. 22, 2021Where to get the COVID-19 vaccine in Pennsylvania and who can get it (DISCONTINUED)by Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PAFind the COVID-19 vaccine in Pennsylvania with our updated list of providers, locations.
Jan. 19, 2021DAVID SWANSON / File PhotographPa. prisons don’t always tell families when inmates are sick. Officials are defending that policy.by Joseph Darius Jaafari of Spotlight PAThe department says it can only release medical details to emergency contacts, but critics contend it’s not doing enough to notify inmates of the need to update those authorizations.
Jan. 13, 2021ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Philadelphia InquirerPa. GOP lawmakers want voters to give them the power to end governor’s emergency ordersby Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PAThe proposed constitutional amendment is the result of long-festering resentment against Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf over his actions to control the coronavirus pandemic.
Jan. 6, 2021JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia InquirerPa. lags nation in people tested per day, is nowhere near level needed to suppress the virusby Yaasmeen Piper of Spotlight PASuppression testing would require the state to increase daily testing nearly four times over, but that’s the only way to use it as a tool to actually slow down the virus.
Dec. 30, 2020TOM GRALISH / Philadelphia InquirerPa.’s ban on indoor dining, school sports won’t extend beyond Jan. 4by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Jamie Martines of Spotlight PAGov. Tom Wolf stopped short of saying he wouldn’t impose temporary restrictions again in the future should there be a post-holiday surge in the virus’ spread.
Dec. 19, 2020TOM GRALISH / Philadelphia InquirerPa. misses deadline to spend $108M in rent, mortgage relief from CARES Actby Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PAPennsylvania tenants and homeowners missed out on roughly $108 million of $175 million in federal coronavirus relief because state programs distributing the funding made it too hard to access.
Dec. 16, 2020Dan Speicher / TribLIVEState-run psychiatric hospital can’t recruit enough workers as Pa. risks violating federal requirementsby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PAStaff is “running out of gas” at Torrance State Hospital, where federal inspectors said short-staffing created safety risks in 2018 and 2019.
Dec. 15, 2020KALIM BHATTI / The Philadelphia InquirerAs coronavirus hits home, Pa. GOP shifts messaging but still rejects mandatesby Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PAStill, at least two Republican lawmakers said Gov. Tom Wolf’s COVID-19 diagnosis was proof masks and other mitigation efforts don’t work.
Dec. 14, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesPa. corrections dept. tells officer with COVID-19 symptoms to return to work earlyby Joseph Darius Jaafari of Spotlight PAA corrections officer was told to come back to work while still showing symptoms. Was it the right thing to do?
Dec. 11, 2020Dan Nott / For Spotlight PAThousands of Pa. families face potential eviction come the new yearby Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PAHundreds of thousands of families across Pennsylvania could lose their homes in January, after emergency unemployment benefits and federal eviction protections expire and as the state grapples with re
