Matt McKinney

Stories by Matt McKinney

Gov. Tom Wolf (left) signed an order that directed the Department of Corrections, led by Secretary John Wetzel (right), to create a reprieve program for medically vulnerable inmates convicted of nonviolent crimes.

Why Gov. Tom Wolf’s big effort to grant coronavirus reprieves to Pa. inmates came up small

by Matt McKinney of Spotlight PA and Joseph Darius Jaafari of PA Post

June 11, 2020

Allegheny County will go "green" on June 5.

Pittsburgh, Western Pennsylvania counties will soon be allowed to enter ‘green’ reopening phase

by Matt McKinney of Spotlight PA

May 29, 2020

SCI Phoenix, in hard-hit Montgomery County, was the first state prison to report a case. Since then, it has tallied 34 reported cases and three deaths among inmates, and 67 cases among employees.

With thousands of Pa. prisoners in near-solitary confinement, how long can coronavirus lockdown last?

by Matt McKinney of Spotlight PA

May 15, 2020

White House senior official Jared Kushner and his family reportedly struggled for years to fill vacancies at 666 Fifth Ave. in New York City.

Pa. teachers’ pensions are invested in a NYC skyscraper linked to Jared Kushner, but they probably don’t know it

by Matt McKinney of Spotlight PA

April 22, 2020

The move comes two weeks after the first coronavirus case was reported at SCI Phoenix in Montgomery County, where 11 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19.

Gov. Tom Wolf will temporarily release Pa. state inmates as legislative effort falls apart

by Matt McKinney of Spotlight PA

April 10, 2020

Wolf is "very concerned" about the threat of an outbreak in the state's prisons, his spokesperson said.

Less risk, less reward in Gov. Tom Wolf’s choice to wait for legislature to act on prisoner releases

by Matt McKinney of Spotlight PA

April 6, 2020

Secretary of Corrections John Wetzel placed the entire prison system under quarantine Sunday, following an inmate's positive test for COVID-19.

Hundreds could be released from Pa. state prisons under draft plans to help prevent a coronavirus outbreak

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA and Matt McKinney of Spotlight PA

March 31, 2020

The area where the inmate lived at SCI Phoenix has been placed under quarantine, officials said.

Inmate inside southeast Pa. prison tests positive for the coronavirus

by Matt McKinney of Spotlight PA

March 29, 2020

Beginning Saturday, officials plan to send new male inmates and parole violators to SCI Retreat in Luzerne County, while transferring most of the people currently held there to other prisons in the state.

Pennsylvania corrections officers, advocates worry a prison coronavirus outbreak is inevitable

by Matt McKinney of Spotlight PA

March 27, 2020

The State Police are preparing contingency plans should troopers contract the coronavirus. None has tested positive so far, a spokesperson said.

Pennsylvania police cut services, plan for shortages as coronavirus spreads

by Matt McKinney of Spotlight PA

March 19, 2020

How big-money state contracts can remain hidden from taxpayers

by Matt McKinney

Feb. 21, 2020

State Government

In response to the Spotlight PA article, Rep. Seth Grove (R., York) is calling on the General Assembly to help ensure state agencies follow the disclosure law.

Pa. House lawmaker wants to end ‘honor system’ that allows agencies to hide contracts

by Matt McKinney

Feb. 10, 2020

State Government

The Pennsylvania inspector general's office spent nearly $160,000 on pistols, ammunition and related equipment that its investigators are not legally allowed to carry, leaving taxpayers on the hook.

The Pa. agency that looks for wasteful spending wasted $160,000 on guns and ammo it can’t use

by Matt McKinney

Jan. 30, 2020