April 9, 2020JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia InquirerPa. Senate defends ‘legislative privilege’ claim, rejects appeal for redacted expense detailsby Sam Janesch of The CaucusThe chamber has so far blocked the release of details in official expense reports about who legislators and their staff met with and why.
April 9, 2020VICKI VELLIOS BRINER / PennLive (custom credit)Times of extraordinary government power require more transparency, not lessby Christopher Baxter of Spotlight PANow more than ever, Spotlight PA needs your support to continue to provide accountability journalism from the state capital that gets results.
April 9, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesGov. Tom Wolf orders Pennsylvania schools closed through rest of academic yearby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PAThe order applies to all K-12 schools, both public and private.
April 8, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesGov. Tom Wolf authorizes Pa. to ‘commandeer’ needed medical supplies for coronavirus careby Sarah Anne Hughes of Spotlight PA and Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAWolf said Wednesday the order will allow the state to move “key equipment” to high population areas that have been greatly impacted, as well as to areas with lower populations that “don’t have existing resources.”
April 8, 2020Kalim A. Bhatti / Philadelphia InquirerPennsylvania facing up to $4 billion shortfall as coronavirus shutdown upends state budgetby Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PAApproximately one-fifth of all workers in the state have been laid off, according to a new report by the state's Independent Fiscal Office.
April 8, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesWith Pa. mired in coronavirus crisis, state lawmakers bicker about business shutdown but find no agreementby Gillian McGoldrick of LNP | LancasterOnlineA top Republican accused Democrats of not working with the majority party to come up with a compromise to get the economy back on track.
April 8, 2020TYGER WILLIAMS / Philadelphia InquirerThe feds promised fast cash for shuttered small businesses. Many Pa. owners say they haven’t seen a dime.by Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PAFrustrated applicants complain about long hold times, confusing — sometimes contradictory — information from agency representatives, and pervasive uncertainty about whether the program will deliver.
April 7, 2020DAVID MAIALETTI / Philadelphia InquirerPennsylvania plans to release racial data on coronavirus cases, but faces collection challengesby Anna Orso of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PAOther cities and states — such as Chicago, Louisiana, and Maryland — have seen more people of color impacted by COVID-19, even after those numbers are adjusted to the states’ particular demographics.
April 7, 2020DAVID MAIALETTI / Philadelphia Inquirer‘Life-sustaining’ casino? Construction continued in South Philly despite Wolf’s coronavirus shutdown. At least one worker tested positive.by William Bender of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAState officials say Gilbane Construction obtained an exemption but it "does not allow for casino construction." Workers are now leaving.
April 7, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesLimited tech forces thousands of state workers to still report for work, despite their offices being closedby Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PAAt least four caseworkers have tested positive for the coronavirus and one is hospitalized, said Steve Catanese, president of the union representing the workers.
April 6, 2020Commonwealth Media Services: Natalie KolbLess risk, less reward in Gov. Tom Wolf’s choice to wait for legislature to act on prisoner releasesby Matt McKinney of Spotlight PABy forgoing unilateral action, the governor insulates himself should something go wrong, but he will probably have to accept a more limited plan than some of his supporters want to see.
April 6, 2020Darren McGee / Office of Governor Andrew M. CuomoThe darling, the technocrat, and the Ph.D.: N.Y., N.J., and Pa. governors tackle COVID-19by Pranshu Verma of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PAArmed with expansive emergency powers, the region's governors have become must-see-TV in the battle of a lifetime.
April 4, 2020TIM TAI / Philadelphia InquirerCoronavirus will accelerate EMS crisis in Pa.’s small towns and rural areas, experts sayby Wallace McKelvey of PennLive | The Patriot-NewsNearly a quarter of Pennsylvania’s EMS agencies shut down between 2012 and 2018 due to budget and staffing shortfalls. Now, the coronavirus represents the ultimate test of a fragile system.
April 3, 2020TYGER WILLIAMS / Philadelphia InquirerPa. banks inundated with requests for federal small business loans intended to prevent layoffsby Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PAThe new program offers a lifeline, allowing small businesses to continue to make payroll despite a partial or total loss of revenue.
April 3, 2020Kalim A. Bhatti / Philadelphia InquirerPa. to stop paying 9,000 state employees amid coronavirus falloutby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAThe affected employees have jobs that cannot be completed through teleworking, according to the administration, which began shuttering state offices in mid-March to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.
April 3, 2020HEATHER KHALIFA / Philadelphia InquirerPa. to close waiver process for businesses affected by coronavirus shutdown as calls for transparency mountby Brad Bumsted of The Caucus and Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAThe application process closes at 5 p.m.
April 2, 2020JESSICA GRIFFIN / Philadelphia InquirerPa. needs another 1,000 to 1,400 ventilators, governor says. Here’s how the state is trying to find them.by Brett Sholtis of WITFAs of Thursday, 130 COVID-19 patients in Pennsylvania had required treatment with a ventilator, though that number is expected to rise as cases increase.
April 1, 2020TIM TAI / Philadelphia InquirerPa.'s high court extends eviction moratorium as coronavirus shutdowns lead to record unemploymentby Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA and Gillian McGoldrick of LNP | LancasterOnlineThe Supreme Court order issued Wednesday extends the statewide judicial emergency and court closures to April 30, prohibiting evictions until after that point.
April 1, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesGov. Tom Wolf extends coronavirus stay-at-home order to all of Pennsylvaniaby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA“Every day we wait, the coronavirus spreads further and becomes more difficult to suppress. We need to act now,” Wolf said in announcing his decision.
April 1, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesHere’s the first look at how the coronavirus is gutting Pa. state finances, and it’s not prettyby Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PAThe latest numbers are only the "tip of the iceberg,” state Revenue Secretary C. Daniel Hassell said.
April 1, 2020TIM TAI / Philadelphia InquirerCalls to Pa.'s child-abuse hotline fell sharply during first weeks of the coronavirus. Here’s why that’s bad.by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAIn the first three weeks of March, the state's child abuse hotline received just over 9,000 calls, compared to nearly 18,000 the previous month.
March 31, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesHundreds could be released from Pa. state prisons under draft plans to help prevent a coronavirus outbreakby Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA and Matt McKinney of Spotlight PAThe proposal under discussion would prioritize non-violent, low-level offenders who are deemed medically "vulnerable."
March 31, 2020TIM TAI / Philadelphia InquirerPa. unemployment system buckles under deluge of workers laid off during coronavirus pandemicby Rebecca Moss of Spotlight PASome of the dysfunction stems from a 2016 political spat that led to major layoffs in the division that handles unemployment claims, and staffing levels have never fully recovered.
March 30, 2020Ed Mahon / PA PostGov. Tom Wolf’s former business keeps operating during coronavirus shutdown despite losing state waiverby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Ed Mahon of PA PostThe question of which businesses must close and which can stay open during the statewide coronavirus shutdown has been an ongoing point of confusion and anger.
March 30, 2020Courtesy Aaron ArnoldSyringe exchanges deemed ‘life-sustaining’ during Pa. coronavirus shutdown, raising hopes for eventual legalizationby Aneri Pattani of Spotlight PAAlthough technically illegal in Pennsylvania, about 20 syringe exchange programs operate across the state.
March 29, 2020Commonwealth Media Services (custom credit) / Commonwealth Media ServicesInmate inside southeast Pa. prison tests positive for the coronavirusby Matt McKinney of Spotlight PAOfficials became aware of the case at SCI Phoenix on Saturday, the Department of Corrections said in a statement. The incarcerated person has been placed in isolation.
March 29, 2020TIM TAI / Philadelphia InquirerPa. eases rules for health care workers, others as coronavirus crisis reveals ‘inflexibility’ in professional licensingby Sara Simon of Spotlight PATwo state senators say that broader, more sweeping changes — like limiting which criminal convictions are considered disqualifying — are needed to tackle dual crises: the virus and the impending economic downturn.
March 29, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesWolf administration lays off about 2,500 state employees as financial fallout from the coronavirus deepensby Angela Couloumbis and Rebecca Moss of Spotlight PAThe move affects part-time and seasonal employees and interns, state officials said.
March 29, 2020Pa. Department of RevenueDelay of tax deadline due to the coronavirus will cause ‘significant disruption’ to Pa.’s budget processby Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PAThe state typically collects a large chunk of income tax revenue in March and April as people file right before the deadline. With the delay, actual and projected revenues will be “very difficult to know” by the June 30 deadline for passing the state budget.
March 28, 2020MICHAEL BRYANT / Staff PhotographerHow many people in Pa. will be infected with the coronavirus? Scientific modeling is trying to find the answer.by Brett Sholtis of WITFWhile state officials have consistently said the situation will deteriorate, they’ve been unable to say just how bad the outbreak might become.
