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Top News CORONAVIRUS

Spotlight PA reporter Sara Simon breaks down some of the most pressing questions about the coronavirus in Pennsylvania. — DAN NOTT / For Spotlight PA

WATCH: Answers to the most frequently asked questions about COVID-19 in Pennsylvania

by Sara Simon, Yaasmeen Piper and Kent Wilhelm of Spotlight PA

Is the data legit? Will wearing a mask really help? Are we going back to a shutdown? Reporter Sara Simon answers your most pressing questions.

Many rehab patients in Pennsylvania are forced to choose between going to treatment and risking getting the virus, or staying at home and struggling with substance use alone. — DAN NOTT / For Spotlight PA

Inside some Pennsylvania rehabs, ‘it’s like COVID doesn’t exist’

by Aneri Pattani of Spotlight PA

PLCB

Competition for liquor licenses in Pennsylvania has driven up prices to astronomical levels in some counties, making it nearly impossible for small businesses to compete. — TOM GRALISH / Philadelphia Inquirer

Public record or trade secret? Battle over liquor licenses could go to Pa. high court

by Julia Shanahan for Spotlight PA

EDITOR’S NOTES

Courtesy Triblive

Spotlight PA partners with Triblive/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, expands coverage of Western Pa.

by Christopher Baxter

Most Popular Stories

Editor’s Pick

While there is no evidence of intentional manipulation, the state’s coronavirus data blunders have created openings for confusion and baseless conspiracy theories. — Dan Nott / For Spotlight PA

Health officials failed to safeguard trust in Pa.’s coronavirus data, sowing confusion

by Sara Simon of Spotlight PA

More top stories

Penn State officials said Thursday they never intended a student agreement regarding the coronavirus to be a waiver of the university's potential liability. — TIM TAI / Philadelphia Inquirer

Penn State reverses course, plans to provide modified COVID-19 agreement for students

by Sara Simon of Spotlight PA

SPOTLIGHT PA

Spotlight PA is building a diverse source database to elevate experts of color into news and journalism across Pennsylvania. — Kalim A. Bhatti

Help Spotlight PA build a diverse source database to improve representation in Pa. journalism

by Spotlight PA Staff

Penn State, which plans to hold in-person classes for the fall semester, is requiring all students to sign a waiver freeing the university of any responsibility should they contract COVID-19 while on campus. — TIM TAI / Philadelphia Inquirer

Students at Penn State forced to sign COVID-19 liability waiver to participate in fall semester

by Sara Simon of Spotlight PA

One major pain point in Congress’ current negotiations is whether the feds will provide any additional money to states. — Carolyn Kaster / AP

How arguments in Washington are holding up coronavirus relief in Pennsylvania

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

Ada Bailor, a student at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, said the "campus doesn’t allow Black students to feel safe." — Sean Simmers / PennLive for Spotlight PA

Pa.’s public universities recruit students of color but fail them on campus

by Aneri Pattani of Spotlight PA

Bloomsburg University officials said they’re working on a number of initiatives to improve the campus climate, including additional bias training for staff and students, — JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia Inquirer

Students of color offer solutions to make Pa. public universities more equitable

by Aneri Pattani of Spotlight PA

Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera (seen here at the Community College of Philadelphia in November 2019) — MICHAEL BRYANT / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. education secretary will step down in October to lead Lancaster technical college

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

Through a patchwork system of state health nurses, county health departments, and nonprofits, there are about 650 people currently doing contact tracing in Pennsylvania. — DAN NOTT / For Spotlight PA

Pa. cancels on volunteer coronavirus contact tracers, moves to hire 1,000 paid staff

by Sara Simon of Spotlight PA and Sarah Gantz of The Philadelphia Inquirer

Pent-up demand from shoppers (like those seen here at the King of Prussia Mall) buoyed sales taxes. — ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Philadelphia Inquirer

Tax collections in Pa. rebound on pent-up shopper demand, but state still faces huge budget deficit

by Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA

The money will fund a pilot program in the Capitol Complex with “superior results in comparison with standard cleaning and disinfection methods.” — Kalim A. Bhatti / The Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. pursuing huge cleaning plan for Capitol Complex after custodial worker tests positive for the coronavirus

by Julia Shanahan for Spotlight PA

Karen Sawyer, seen here at The Party Palooza in York, is the kind of small business owner the state is trying to reach with a new grant program. Still, she hasn't applied. — Dan Gleiter / PennLive for Spotlight PA

Minority-owned small businesses were largely shut out of Pa.’s first coronavirus loan program

by Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA

Rep. Russ Diamond (seen here at a Capitol demonstration on May 15, 2020) has been one of the loudest opponents of a Wolf administration order requiring most people to wear a mask while in public. — YONG KIM / Philadelphia Inquirer

Lawmaker mimics top health official’s call for transgender acceptance to defend not wearing a mask

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA and Julia Shanahan for Spotlight PA

Secretary of Health Rachel Levine said transphobic remarks and actions hurt all LGBTQ Pennsylvanians. — Commonwealth Media Services

Pa. health secretary denounces transphobic attacks: ‘Our children are watching’

by Sara Simon of Spotlight PA

Original illustration for data confusion story. — Dan Nott / For Spotlight PA

Death reports are still lagging. Pa. hasn’t made it easy to find out just how badly.

by Sara Simon of Spotlight PA

Gov. Tom Wolf said he supports transparency, but argued the bill was flawed. — Commonwealth Media Services

Gov. Tom Wolf will allow transparency bill to become law despite veto threat

by Julia Shanahan for Spotlight PA

Contact tracing has been a challenge for Pennsylvania throughout the pandemic. — DAN NOTT / For Spotlight PA

Citing ‘overwhelming’ spread, Pa. moves to add staff, app to trace the coronavirus

by Aneri Pattani of Spotlight PA and Sara Simon of Spotlight PA

In recent weeks, Gov. Tom Wolf (seen here in Harrisburg on July 9) has repeatedly justified the decision, saying he provided ample warning to counties. — Commonwealth Media Services

Gov. Tom Wolf cited his emergency powers to withhold millions from a Pa. county. Now it's suing.

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

Sen. Tom Killion (R., Delaware), seen here in the Capitol in December 2019, plans to introduce a bill that would provide additional financial assistance to individuals and small businesses. — Commonwealth Media Services

More help may be on the way for Pennsylvanians struggling to pay utility bills

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

The debate surrounding how the state should handle the coronavirus pandemic has descended into an all-out interbranch war. — Commonwealth Media Services

Pa. lawmakers want voters to weaken governor’s emergency powers, boost their own

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

Gov. Tom Wolf is expected to announce new coronavirus restrictions at a 3:30 p.m. news conference. — Commonwealth Media Services

Gov. Tom Wolf imposes new restrictions on bars, restaurants, businesses as the coronavirus surges

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Justine McDaniel of The Philadelphia Inquirer

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