April 30, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesRepublicans subpoena Wolf administration for documents related to controversial business waiver processby Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PAThe state’s auditor general said he has begun an audit into the controversial process, but won’t release the names of businesses that received a coveted waiver.
April 29, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesPa. to set coronavirus testing, contact tracing benchmarks just days before gradual reopening is set to beginby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PAThe state could need to conduct about 19,000 tests per day and employ as many as 2,000 contact tracers, numbers that far exceed current levels.
April 28, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesGov. Tom Wolf says he won’t abandon ambitious spending plan as massive budget deficit loomsby Gillian McGoldrick of LNP | LancasterOnlineEven before the coronavirus, Republicans expressed skepticism about the spending.
April 27, 2020Courtesy office of Sen. Tom KillionPa. senators threaten subpoena if Wolf administration refuses to turn over list of coronavirus business waiversby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted of The CaucusThe administration has so far refused to release the information despite numerous requests from media organizations.
April 27, 2020Patrick Siebert for Gov. Larry Hogan / FlickrStates need coronavirus data to make timely decisions. What they share with the public varies widely.by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA, Anna Orso of the Philadelphia Inquirer, and Christine Vestal of StatelineAs part of a collaborative effort, Stateline and Spotlight PA surveyed six states across the U.S. to determine what information they have made accessible to the public via their websites.
April 24, 2020DAN NOTT / For Spotlight PAPa. slashed the ranks of its contact tracing nurses. Now, they are pivotal to reopening, but only a fraction remain.by Aneri Pattani of Spotlight PAFor decades, they endured budget cuts, political battles, and a major state Supreme Court case. Now, when we need them most, only a skeleton crew remains.
April 23, 2020DAN NOTT / For Spotlight PAAARP calls on Pennsylvania to release list of nursing homes with coronavirus casesby Rebecca Moss of Spotlight PAThe number of long-term care residents and staff impacted by the coronavirus has nearly doubled in the past week, with 5,679 positive cases among residents and 849 deaths.
April 23, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesPa. removes more than 200 deaths from official coronavirus count as questions mount about reporting process, data accuracyby Sara Simon of Spotlight PAThe past five days have been a roller coaster of confusion involving the state health department, marred by retracted statements, reporting lags, and angry coroners.
April 23, 2020HEATHER KHALIFA / Philadelphia InquirerThere’s no timeline to release list of Pa. businesses that received coveted coronavirus waivers, top official saysby Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PADuring a hearing Thursday, members of the Republican-controlled state Senate lambasted the now-closed waiver process and scrutinized key decisions made by the Wolf administration in response to the COVID-19 threat.
April 23, 2020DAVID MAIALETTI / Philadelphia InquirerSome GOP lawmakers are prepping a nuclear option to revoke Wolf’s emergency powers. But it probably won’t work.by Gillian McGoldrick of LNP | LancasterOnlineIn an unusual plot twist, the normally powerful GOP-led state legislature has been largely sidelined during the coronavirus outbreak, while the governor has imposed unprecedented restrictions.
April 22, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesPa. regions with few coronavirus cases could begin reopening May 8 under new tiered system, Gov. Tom Wolf saysby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAIn the first phase of reopening, businesses would be allowed to call employees back to work, as long as they take proper precautions. Schools would remain closed and large gatherings would still be prohibited.
April 22, 2020Gage Skidmore / FlickrPa. teachers’ pensions are invested in a NYC skyscraper linked to Jared Kushner, but they probably don’t know itby Matt McKinney of Spotlight PAThe investment faced challenges before COVID-19. Now, it’s even more fraught.
April 21, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesTight housing, lack of health care put migrant workers on Pa. farms at high risk for the coronavirusby Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PAAdvocates say requirements with enforcement and penalties, not recommendations without teeth, are needed to keep these workers safe.
April 20, 2020DAVID MAIALETTI / Philadelphia InquirerGov. Tom Wolf vetoes bill that would have allowed more Pa. businesses to reopen over public health objectionsby Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PAThe measure was approved in the General Assembly along party lines, with Democrats saying the bill was premature and unsafe
April 20, 2020HEATHER KHALIFA / Philadelphia InquirerGov. Tom Wolf extends stay-at-home order to May 8, will allow curbside liquor pick-up and online car salesby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAThe Democratic governor said construction sites would also be allowed to resume operations May 8 as long as health and safety guidelines are followed.
April 20, 2020DAVID MAIALETTI / Philadelphia InquirerHundreds gather at Capitol in Harrisburg for anti-shutdown rally calling to ‘reopen’ Pennsylvaniaby Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PAPennsylvania residents are currently under a stay-at-home order, which public health experts consider essential to slow the spread of the coronavirus and keep infections at a manageable level by hospitals.
April 19, 2020Kalim A. Bhatti / Philadelphia InquirerThe backlash against the quarantine has begun in Pennsylvania, with anti-shutdown rally Monday in Harrisburgby Jason Nark of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA“I’m definitely not going to be out there shouting at people for not wearing masks,” said Chris Dorr, organizer of the Monday rally in Harrisburg. “This is a free country, right?”
April 17, 2020Commonwealth Media Services‘I’m asking you to stay the course’: Gov. Tom Wolf outlines broad plan for reopening Pennsylvaniaby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAThe governor did not provide a specific timeline for reopening the state, nor did he provide benchmarks on which he would base that decision.
April 17, 2020DAN NOTT / For Spotlight PAPa. nursing homes left to largely police themselves as coronavirus deaths mountby Rebecca Moss of Spotlight PAState and federal officials have suspended almost all inspections and refuse to identify which facilities have cases. In some instances, residents and families are in the dark.
April 17, 2020DAVID MAIALETTI / Philadelphia InquirerPa. released figures on the coronavirus and race, but not specific geographic data. Experts say that’s a problem.by Anna Orso of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PANew figures released Thursday show black Pennsylvanians make up a disproportionate amount of coronavirus cases across the commonwealth.
April 16, 2020HEATHER KHALIFA / Philadelphia InquirerDesperate for cash, self-employed Pennsylvanians face high-stakes choice between loans and unemployment benefitsby Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PASome fear making the wrong decision or running afoul of rules amid changing program guidelines and confusing instructions.
April 16, 2020Robert Inglis / The Daily ItemEmployees at Pa.’s ‘life-sustaining’ businesses question if their work is worth the riskby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAWith few legal protections, workers said they fear questioning their employers or demanding more pay at the risk of losing their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic.
April 15, 2020Dan Gleiter / The Patriot-NewsGov. Tom Wolf will veto bill to reopen more Pa. businesses, as top health official warns legislation puts ‘more lives at risk’by Gillian McGoldrick of LNP | LancasterOnline and Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PARepublicans say they can safely reopen parts of the economy, while Democrats say the effort is premature.
April 15, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesPa.’s state universities facing immediate hit of up to $100 million as lawmaker floats closures as worst-case scenarioby Gillian McGoldrick of LNP | LancasterOnlineThe losses are the result of a system-wide shutdown in response to the coronavirus outbreak and primarily account for refunded room and board payments.
April 14, 2020BLAINE SHAHAN | LNPPa. keeps hospitals’ coronavirus emergency plans secret as health systems seek huge sums in tax relief, other financial helpby Brett Sholtis of WITFThe state Department of Health is not making hospital preparedness plans available or overseeing whether hospitals are following those plans.
April 13, 2020YONG KIM / Philadelphia InquirerGaps in Pa.’s coronavirus testing procedures led to systemic failure to collect critical databy Wallace McKelvey of PennLive | The Patriot-NewsThe flawed system starts with patients, who may not provide full information, and continues through doctors, who may not pass patient information to laboratories.
April 11, 2020TIM TAI / Philadelphia InquirerScarcity of coronavirus testing, lack of demographic data could hamper Pa.’s efforts to reopen parts of the stateby Wallace McKelvey of PennLive | The Patriot-NewsIn order to understand how COVID-19 works and how far it has spread, health experts say more people need to be tested, including those not in high-risk groups.
April 10, 2020DAN GLEITER / PennLivePa. legislature making few cuts, no promises to tap hefty reserves as state faces massive budget shortfallby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted of The CaucusAs the state lays off thousands of employees and makes other cuts, Senate Republicans recently hired a politically connected budget consultant with a six-figure salary.
April 10, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesGov. Tom Wolf will temporarily release Pa. state inmates as legislative effort falls apartby Matt McKinney of Spotlight PAThe plan to prevent a coronavirus outbreak in state prisons could affect up to 1,800 incarcerated persons, though Wolf’s office said the number will likely be lower.
April 10, 2020DAVID MAIALETTI / Philadelphia InquirerPa. coroners, health department at odds over how to handle suspected coronavirus cases, potentially affecting death countby Sara Simon of Spotlight PAA lack of tests is just one problem the state's coroners are facing as they take on the coronavirus.
