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Top News Eviction

Stacey Horrocks (seen here at her home in Boyertown) applied for rent relief in March, but her application stalled in April when Berks County’s program began trying to contact her landlord, Rose Gross. — JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia Inquirer

Thousands of Pa. households still waiting for rental relief as eviction ban nears its end

by Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA

As local governments and nonprofits race to distribute $870 million in federal funding for rent and utility relief, just 17% of that money has reached desperate tenants.

After a slow start, Pennsylvania used the emergency procurement process to hire a consulting firm to help with the state's vaccine rollout. — Fred Adams / For Spotlight PA

Tracking Pa.’s pandemic spending, by the numbers

by Jamie Martines of Spotlight PA

Criminal Justice

The office of DA Larry Krasner (pictured here) is set to try ex-officer Ryan Pownall for fatally shooting David Jones, a 30-year-old unarmed man, as Jones ran from a traffic stop. — JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia Inquirer

A police killing in Philadelphia could change Pa. use-of-force cases forever

by Colin Deppen of Spotlight PA

Rep. Margo Davidson — ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. state lawmaker from Delaware County charged with theft after years-long investigation

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Vinny Vella of The Philadelphia Inquirer

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Editor’s Pick

Tyler Cordeiro died of an overdose in October 2020 after being told he couldn't access treatment while uninsured and using medical marijuana. — YONG KIM / Philadelphia Inquirer

Failure by Pa. officials to clarify rules around medical marijuana, addiction treatment had serious consequences

by Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA

More top stories

The federal eviction moratorium lifts July 31. — Dan Nott / For Spotlight PA

You’re invited! A free panel on what we know about evictions and rental assistance in Pennsylvania.

by Spotlight PA Staff

Republican strategist Charlie Gerow. — Courtesy Charlie Gerow

Pa. GOP strategist running for governor being investigated for fatal crash on Turnpike

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

State lawmakers are calling into question whether the Department of Health should be jumping into emergency, pandemic-related contracts after a severe data breach from contact tracing. — Elizabeth Robertson

Health officials request $124 million in pandemic-related emergency contracts as GOP calls for oversight

by Jamie Martines of Spotlight PA

Gov. Tom Wolf criticizing a Republican election overhaul bill in Delaware County last month. Now that he says he's open to voter ID changes, Republicans plan to introduce an updated version of the legislation. — JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. Republicans are bringing their election bill back after Gov. Tom Wolf said he’s open to voter ID changes

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Jonathan Lai of The Philadelphia Inquirer

“I can tell you that we are taking an aggressive approach to ensure that nursing home residents get the care they need and deserve,” Acting Health Secretary Alison Beam said during an afternoon news conference. — Commonwealth Media Services

Nursing homes would provide more direct care to residents under proposed Pa. rule

by Jaime Martines of Spotlight PA and Sarah Anne Hughes of Spotlight PA

About $20 million went into lawmakers’ pockets over four years in the form of reimbursements for meals, mileage subsidies, per diems, and other expenses. — Leise Hook / For Spotlight PA

You’re invited! A free reader Q&A on how lawmakers spend millions of taxpayer dollars on perks.

by Spotlight PA Staff

Lawmakers will question top health department officials this week about why they are rushing another contact tracing program agreement after the state fired the last company for a data breach. — Dan Nott / For Spotlight PA

Pa. requested $340 million in emergency contracts in 2020 with little oversight

by Jamie Martines of Spotlight PA

Department head Jennifer Berrier wrote in an email to the chairs of the state legislative committees that oversee labor issues that “there is no cover-up.” — Commonwealth Media Services

Wolf admin sat on 2017 probe of unemployment error but denies ‘cover-up’

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

The race is on in Pennsylvania for U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey's open seat, with a large field of interested candidates and lots of money in the mix. — JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pennsylvania’s 2022 U.S. Senate race: What we know so far

by Colin Deppen of Spotlight PA

The Department of Labor & Industry admitted it owes millions of dollars to formerly unemployed Pennsylvanians. — Jelani Splawn / For Spotlight PA

‘Human error,’ lack of oversight led to multimillion-dollar unemployment mistake, Wolf admin discloses

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

The state's next congressional map will begin its journey through the legislature in the House and Senate State Government Committees, chaired by Rep. Seth Grove (pictured) and Sen. David Argall. — ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. House GOP commits to public meetings, vows ‘most transparent’ congressional redistricting process ever

by Sarah Anne Hughes of Spotlight PA

For unemployed Pennsylvanians, the requirement could create more hurdles to navigate a system riddled with inefficiencies that has left some without benefits for weeks and months. — Jelani Splawn / For Spotlight PA

Jobless Pennsylvanians, attorneys fear more problems as work-search requirement returns

by Lindsay Weber for Spotlight PA

The Department of Labor and Industry addressed the problem publicly after being contacted by Spotlight PA. — Jelani Splawn / For Spotlight PA

Department of Labor admits it overcharged unemployed Pennsylvanians millions of dollars

by Rebecca Moss of Spotlight PA

Reporting interns covering the state Capitol reflect on the work after a very busy June. — TIM TAI / Philadelphia Inquirer

Q&A: Meet this summer’s Capitol reporting interns

by Colin Deppen of Spotlight PA

Advocates — including Levi Fetterman, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman's family dog — have called on the legislature to increase the licensing fee paid by dog owners. — Natalie Kolb / Commonwealth Media Services

Why a funding boost for the office that exposes Pa. puppy mills stalled again

by Lindsay Weber for Spotlight PA

Jennifer Storm resigned from her $123,000 position earlier this year, several months after the Republican-controlled state Senate blocked her from serving another six years as Pennsylvania’s victim advocate. — Dan Gleiter / PennLive

Ethics panel closes investigation into former Pa. Victim Advocate Jennifer Storm

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

Democrats want to spend relief dollars this fall, while the GOP hopes to focus on election reform and extending pandemic regulatory waivers. — TIM TAI / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. lawmakers are on summer break. Here are 5 issues they’ll face this fall.

by Lindsay Weber for Spotlight PA

New Journeys in Recovery and its owner, Lawrence Gallegher, are now charged with Medicaid fraud. — JESSICA GRIFFIN / Philadelphia Inquirer

Lawmakers renew call for stronger addiction treatment oversight as two Pa. providers charged

by Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA

State lawmakers are calling into question whether the Department of Health should be jumping into another, more expensive contact tracing contract after a severe data breach with the last company. — Elizabeth Robertson

After contact tracing data breach, Pa. sidesteps scrutiny on proposed $34M contract

by Jamie Martines of Spotlight PA

Reform groups including Fair Districts PA wanted an independent commission void of elected officials who could unfairly influence the process of drawing the state’s political maps. — TIM TAI / Philadelphia Inquirer

Redistricting reform in Pa. is dead for now, advocates say. So what’s next?

by Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA

“This bill is ultimately not about improving access to voting or election security, but about restricting the freedom to vote,” the governor said in a statement. — JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pennsylvania governor vetoes GOP-led election overhaul citing voter ID restrictions

by Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA

Philadelphia’s citywide plastic bag ban will go into effect next month, but it will not be fully enforced and implemented until April 2022. — HEATHER KHALIFA / Philadelphia Inquirer

Philadelphia and Pittsburgh move ahead with plastic bag bans as Pennsylvania’s preemption nears its end

by Lindsay Weber for Spotlight PA

Tyler Cordeiro died of an overdose in October 2020 after being told he couldn't access treatment while uninsured and using medical marijuana. — YONG KIM / Philadelphia Inquirer

Failure by Pa. officials to clarify rules around medical marijuana, addiction treatment had serious consequences

by Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA

Unlike in years past, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and the Republican-controlled legislature headed into this June’s budget season with a financial windfall. — CHARLES FOX / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa.’s $40 billion budget includes more money for poorest school districts, saves bulk of federal relief funding

by Sarah Anne Hughes of Spotlight PA and Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

With $17.4 billion in assets, the Milton Hershey School is the wealthiest K-12 school in the U.S., endowed with the profits of the Fortune 500-ranked Hershey candy company. Its mission: to educate low-income and at-risk children, at no cost, at a residential school in central Pennsylvania. — CHARLES FOX / Philadelphia Inquirer

How the state’s richest charity spends its money: The Milton Hershey School, by the numbers

by Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA

Democrats call any new ID restrictions “voter suppression,” while Republicans say it makes elections more secure. The reality is more complicated. — TYGER WILLIAMS / Philadelphia Inquirer

As Pa. House advances doomed election overhaul, Senate GOP charts different course to voter ID, other changes

by Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA

The move diminished anti-gerrymandering advocates’ hopes of preventing Pennsylvania’s most powerful lawmakers from drawing maps that unfairly benefit one political party. — Madhuri Shukla / For Spotlight PA

Panel agrees to put guardrails on how Pa. lawmakers draw congressional maps, but not their own

by Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA

“I can’t believe that,” Rep. Chris Sainato said in a recent interview when told of his expenses. “I don’t know where you are getting $1.8 million.” — Tom Cherry / Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

How one Pennsylvania lawmaker billed taxpayers $1.8 million in expenses

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted, Sam Janesch, and Mike Wereschagin of The Caucus

Despite two audits and assurances from every level of government that the election was free of widespread fraud, Sen. David Argall (R., Schuylkill) told Spotlight PA he does not see the “damage in doing it one more time to try to answer the concerns that people have.” — Courtesy Sen. David Argall's office

Key Pennsylvania state senator backs Arizona-style election audit

by Sarah Anne Hughes of Spotlight PA and Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA

Some members of the board unsuccessfuly tried to oust Glen Grell, the former Republican state legislator who leads the PSERS fund, and investment chief James H. Grossman Jr. (pictured here), a fund veteran who is the highest-paid employee in state government. — TYGER WILLIAMS / Philadelphia Inquirer

Money, power, scandal: The PSERS saga, explained

by Colin Deppen of Spotlight PA

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