PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL OF OUR SECTIONS
ACE announce arts .biz .cal church GC sports contribs COVID-19 elections diversions diversity food .gov health HS sports home kids history obits PA photos podcasts police forum schools science tourism tributes
Home » Archives for Spotlight PA

Spotlight PA

Spotlight PA is dedicated to producing non­partisan investigative journalism about Pennsylvania government and urgent statewide issues. We are an independent watchdog unafraid to dig deep, fight for the truth and take on the powerful to expose wrongdoing and spur meaningful reform. We connect Pennsylvanians to their state, and to each other, through public service journalism that matters to their lives and is creatively told in the many modern, digital ways they consume their news.

Legislature votes to immediately end Pa.’s coronavirus disaster declaration while keeping waivers in place

by

By Sarah Anne Hughes of Spotlight PA Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania legislature has voted to immediately end Gov. Tom Wolf’s coronavirus disaster declaration using a new …

Read moreLegislature votes to immediately end Pa.’s coronavirus disaster declaration while keeping waivers in place

Share
Tweet
Share

Five takeaways from a year-long investigation on lawmaker spending

by

HARRISBURG — In 2019, The Caucus and Spotlight PA began filing requests for every legislative expense lawmakers covered with taxpayer money, salaries and benefits not included. The purpose? To find out how one of the largest and most expensive full-time legislatures in the country spends tax money on itself. Here are five takeaways from a …

Read moreFive takeaways from a year-long investigation on lawmaker spending

Share
Tweet
Share

Anxiety runs high as Pa. begins massive overhaul of 60-year-old unemployment computer system

by

Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — “I feel like I am a sinking ship right now.” “Next month will be a year that they have been putting me through this.” …

Read moreAnxiety runs high as Pa. begins massive overhaul of 60-year-old unemployment computer system

Share
Tweet
Share

America’s richest school serves low-income kids. But much of its Hershey-funded fortune isn’t being spent.

by

This Spotlight PA article was produced in partnership with ProPublica and The Philadelphia Inquirer, which is a member of the ProPublica Local Reporting Network. Sign up for Spotlight PA’s free newsletters. Long ago, and to great fanfare, business tycoon Milton Hershey revealed that he had given away his world-famous chocolate company, a gift to the …

Read moreAmerica’s richest school serves low-income kids. But much of its Hershey-funded fortune isn’t being spent.

Share
Tweet
Share

‘Internal systemic failures’ led to Wolf administration blunder that derailed child sex abuse amendment

by

Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — “Internal systemic failures” were behind the Wolf administration’s bungling of a statewide referendum that would provide legal recourse to …

Read more‘Internal systemic failures’ led to Wolf administration blunder that derailed child sex abuse amendment

Share
Tweet
Share

After citing privacy law, PA backtracks and discloses wasted vaccine details

by

Jamie Martines of Spotlight PA Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. After refusing to release details about wasted coronavirus vaccine, citing a decades-old disease prevention law, the Wolf administration has reversed course …

Read moreAfter citing privacy law, PA backtracks and discloses wasted vaccine details

Share
Tweet
Share

Experts say Pa.’s 2021 primary was typical, but GOP lawmakers are seizing on issues

by

(Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA) This article is made possible through Votebeat, a nonpartisan reporting project covering local election integrity and voting access. This article is available for reprint under the terms of Votebeat’s republishing policy. HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s primary this week hardly resembled the election of six months ago, when local officials were furiously …

Read moreExperts say Pa.’s 2021 primary was typical, but GOP lawmakers are seizing on issues

Share
Tweet
Share

A new wave of election directors step in to fill Pa.’s many vacancies — with little training and varying experience

by

This article is made possible through Votebeat, a nonpartisan reporting project covering local election integrity and voting access. This article is available for reprint under the terms of Votebeat’s republishing policy. HARRISBURG — Among the most stressed-out folks in local government this week will be the former manager of the USA Field Hockey team, a …

Read moreA new wave of election directors step in to fill Pa.’s many vacancies — with little training and varying experience

Share
Tweet
Share

Workers in Pa. prisons, COVID-19 hotspots, aren’t getting vaccinated. Here’s why that’s dangerous.

by

Joseph Darius Jaafari of Spotlight PA Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — A delayed upgrade to the state Department of Corrections’ dashboard on COVID-19 rates in prisons has revealed that …

Read moreWorkers in Pa. prisons, COVID-19 hotspots, aren’t getting vaccinated. Here’s why that’s dangerous.

Share
Tweet
Share

You’re invited! A free reader Q&A on how to fight back against misinformation in Pa.

by

Spotlight PA Staff Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. With the continued decline in local news across Pennsylvania, partisan groups are taking advantage by launching efforts that mimic traditional news operations but …

Read moreYou’re invited! A free reader Q&A on how to fight back against misinformation in Pa.

Share
Tweet
Share

Pa. Cannabis Legalization Remains Unlikely As Neighboring States Go For It

by

Sarah Anne Hughes of Spotlight PA Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. A version of this story originally appeared in our free weekly newsletter. New Jersey. New York. Virginia. One by one, Pennsylvania’s neighbors are moving to legalize …

Read morePa. Cannabis Legalization Remains Unlikely As Neighboring States Go For It

Share
Tweet
Share

Ballot Questions Should be Clear, but Two Written by the Wolf Administration Don’t Pass the Test

by

Sarah Anne Hughes Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. A version of this story originally appeared in our free weekly newsletter. HARRISBURG — Amending the Pennsylvania Constitution is a lengthy process that ends at the ballot box, where …

Read moreBallot Questions Should be Clear, but Two Written by the Wolf Administration Don’t Pass the Test

Share
Tweet
Share

Partisan Pa. Websites Masquerading as Local News Threaten Trust in Journalism, News Report Finds

by

Colin Deppen of Spotlight PA Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — The majority of news outlets in Pennsylvania rank high on trustworthiness, but there is a growing crop of digital …

Read morePartisan Pa. Websites Masquerading as Local News Threaten Trust in Journalism, News Report Finds

Share
Tweet
Share

As Pandemic Continues, GOP Lawmakers Prepare for Retreat at Pricey ‘Bachelor’ Resort

by

Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. A version of this story originally appeared in our free weekly newsletter. HARRISBURG — When Republican lawmakers come together for their annual retreats this month and next …

Read moreAs Pandemic Continues, GOP Lawmakers Prepare for Retreat at Pricey ‘Bachelor’ Resort

Share
Tweet
Share

Vaccination Clinics for Pa. Teachers Could Open as Soon as Next Week. Here are the Details.

by

Colin Deppen of Spotlight PA Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — Vaccination sites for teachers and school support staff will begin operating as soon as next week, Pennsylvania officials said …

Read moreVaccination Clinics for Pa. Teachers Could Open as Soon as Next Week. Here are the Details.

Share
Tweet
Share

The $1 Billion Plan to Close the Gap Between Growing and Shrinking Pa. School Districts

by

Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — When Pennsylvania passed a new formula to distribute money for public schools in 2016, it was hailed as a …

Read moreThe $1 Billion Plan to Close the Gap Between Growing and Shrinking Pa. School Districts

Share
Tweet
Share

The Most Frequently Asked Questions About Pa.’s Frustrating Vaccine Rollout

by

Ese Olumhense of Spotlight PA Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. Pennsylvania is in the midst of a frustrating vaccine rollout, and that might put it lightly. This has primarily been driven …

Read moreThe Most Frequently Asked Questions About Pa.’s Frustrating Vaccine Rollout

Share
Tweet
Share

Lack of Targeted Outreach, Translated Materials Leaves Latino Community Behind as Pa. Struggles With Vaccine Rollout

by

Ese Olumhense of Spotlight PA Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — In the weeks since Pennsylvania began its coronavirus vaccine rollout, the Wolf administration has stood by its localized, do-it-yourself …

Read moreLack of Targeted Outreach, Translated Materials Leaves Latino Community Behind as Pa. Struggles With Vaccine Rollout

Share
Tweet
Share

In race for COVID-19 vaccinations, older residents in rural Pa. face tough obstacles

by

Jamie Martines of Spotlight PA Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. SULLIVAN COUNTY — Robert Keen figured his year of dodging the coronavirus was over. At 84, the retired ambulance driver — …

Read moreIn race for COVID-19 vaccinations, older residents in rural Pa. face tough obstacles

Share
Tweet
Share

A Pa. Dept. of State Error Means Some Sex-abuse Victims Will Again Have to Wait for Justice

by

Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG— Pennsylvania’s top election official will resign after her agency made a mistake that will delay a statewide vote on whether …

Read moreA Pa. Dept. of State Error Means Some Sex-abuse Victims Will Again Have to Wait for Justice

Share
Tweet
Share

Stress, delays, and confusion still plague jobless in Pennsylvania, and January brought little relief

by

Rebecca Moss of Spotlight PA Sandra Huffman was cleaning St. Luke’s hospital in Quakertown, gloved and maskless, when she got sick last March. It felt as though a film of spiderwebs had caked her throat, she said. At 54, she was sleeping upright in bed, breathing through a borrowed nebulizer, and drinking an old family …

Read moreStress, delays, and confusion still plague jobless in Pennsylvania, and January brought little relief

Share
Tweet
Share

Pa. could become a national outlier in how it elects appellate judges. Here’s why experts are worried.

by

By Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA This article is part of a yearlong reporting project focused on redistricting and gerrymandering in Pennsylvania. It’s made possible by the support of Spotlight PA members and Votebeat, a project focused on election integrity and voting access. HARRISBURG — A proposal moving through the GOP-led Pennsylvania legislature could soon …

Read morePa. could become a national outlier in how it elects appellate judges. Here’s why experts are worried.

Share
Tweet
Share

Top Pa. election official calls for end to ‘lies’ as GOP launches 2020 hearings

by

(By Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA) This article is made possible through Votebeat, a nonpartisan reporting project covering local election integrity and voting access. This article is available for reprint under the terms of Votebeat’s republishing policy. HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s top election official spent nearly three hours Thursday defending her handling of the 2020 presidential …

Read moreTop Pa. election official calls for end to ‘lies’ as GOP launches 2020 hearings

Share
Tweet
Share

Spotlight PA Template

by

(by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA) Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — Democrats in the Pennsylvania legislature are calling for the state Senate to investigate a Republican member who attended …

Read moreSpotlight PA Template

Share
Tweet
Share
<