A native Philadelphian, Matt Alba returns to his roots to report in the city he knows best!
Matt prepared for his career in journalism by earning a degree from Temple University’s Klein College of Media and Communication.
Prior to joining PHL17 News, Matt worked for WCBD, NBC News 2 in Charleston, South Carolina, where he covered several award-winning stories. Matt was one of the first reporters on the scene the night of the Mother Emanuel massacre, which left nine African-American parishioners dead inside the basement of their church. Matt extensively covered the controversial shooting death of Walter Scott by a North Charleston Police Officer. During his time in the south, Matt was nominated for a Southeast Emmy for his breaking news coverage during the historic South Carolina floods of 2015.
Matt also enjoyed working at two northern NBC affiliates. As a general assignment reporter for two years at WMGM, NBC40 in Atlantic City, NJ, he covered Hurricane Sandy and other breaking stories, periodically as anchor. While part of the news team at NBC10 in Philadelphia, Matt was a Production Assistant and Assignment Manager.
A lifelong sports enthusiast and athlete, Matt is thrilled to be back in the City of Brotherly Love covering his hometown teams. Let’s go birds!
Matt invites story ideas, and volunteer opportunities to his social media pages.
Don’t hesitate to say “Hi” if you see Matt around town as he makes Fairmount his new home.
PHILADELPHIA, PA – Craft beer lovers rejoice! The Big Philly Beerfest will bring hundreds of beers and over 125 national and local brewers to the Pennsylvania Convention Center this weekend. Breweries and beer enthusiasts from across the region will gather on two January evenings for an unlimited sampling of fresh craft beers of all styles, and tastes and a whole lotta fun! All while raising funds for Animal Rescue Partners, a 501-c-3 organization dedicated to supporting numerous animal rescues, pet adoption groups, and community […]
NORTH PHILADELPHIA, PA – Around 1:30 a.m. Monday morning, an accordion style SEPTA bus lost control and slid on a snow and ice covered street in North Philly. The bus subsequently slammed into the side of the China House restaurant at 21st and Diamond Street. The owner of the store, Yongsheng Iu, told PHL17’s Matt Alba that he and his family were asleep in the apartment above the restaurant at the time of the crash. By the time he went […]
SOUTH PHILADELPHIA, PA – On Friday morning, the Phillie Phanatic helped pack two 28-foot trailers full of gear, as the Philadelphia Phillies prepare to head to Clearwater for spring training. The undertaking began early in the morning when a custom-designed Old Dominion Phillies Spring Training Truck maneuvered its way down the Phillies truck ramp toward the team’s Clubhouse, where dozens of employees packed and loaded up the trailer with thousands of much-needed items for Spring Training. Items from the Phillies […]
KENSINGTON, PA – On Wednesday, officials with the Philadelphia Police Department announced the results of a three-day joint enforcement initiative that focused on combatting violence and crime in the city’s East Division. Authorities say they made 180 arrests, seized more than $262,000 worth of illegal narcotics, and confiscated 20 guns. Authorities also confiscated cash in the amount of $68,567. Police also arrested 23-year-old Jose Vasquez of the 3300 block of B Street for a double homicide that occurred at Ella […]
FOLSOM, PA – After nearly 40 years in business, the owner of Comic Universe on Macdade Boulevard says he plans to close shop in May. Frank Link, who has run the shop since 1979, says he and his wife are facing health issues and he cannot run it like he used to! Link says the shop’s closing will be bittersweet as they host a 40th anniversary celebration and three-day sale beginning Feb 20th. The sale will be capped by an […]
NORTH PHILADELPHIA, PA – Over the past year, two teams of Temple University engineering students helped renovate an urban farm in North Philadelphia as their senior design project. Brett Riley says he was in his senior year at Temple and living off Poplar Street when he noticed the dilapidated greenhouse/high tunnel inside the Poplar Garden farm at 8th and Poplar. After seeking out the farm’s owners, he and classmate Kamila Florczak had the idea to repair the high tunnel for their […]
PHILADELPHIA, PA – On Thursday, Beyond / Hello opened its doors on 12th and Sansom to medical marijuana patients, in turn, becoming Center City Philadelphia’s first ever, legal marijuana dispensary. The dispensary offers a full menu of lab certified and state-approved products, including dry leaf (flower), concentrates, oil cartridges, capsules, hard concentrates, tinctures, topicals, batteries, chargers and more. The outside of Center City’s 1st medical marijuana dispensary on 12th and Sansom has projectors inside that display patient testimonials outside. Staff […]
WILMINGTON, DEL. – The Delaware Blue Coats just played their first game in their new home, the 76ers Fieldhouse! The Sixers’ NBA G-League affiliate has been building the new facility over the last five months. The fieldhouse is a 161,000-square-foot multi-sport facility in Wilmington, DE near the riverfront featuring 2,030 bowl seats, 158 court-side seats, and 158 second-row court-side seats. Management touts the new facility as a, “beacon for youth sports in the area,” considering youth athletic leagues will play tournaments on […]
PHILADELPHIA, PA – They say sometimes you need to, “Stop and smell the roses.” Well, Philly Instagrammer, Mike Baber of @Philly_Jawnings, might disagree…and he might tell you to, “Stop and appreciate the awnings!” Baber has been documenting interesting, colorful, unique, and often overlooked awnings around Philadelphia since last May. Baber says he believes awnings in certain neighborhoods will often reflect the vibe in that specific part of town. As you may know, a “jawn” is Philly slang for a person, […]
PHILADELPHIA, PA – On Thursday, Philadelphia Wings players, dancers, and mascot Wingston hosted a learn-to-play lacrosse clinic in West Philadelphia. The goal was to teach over 80 youth players from the Kingsessing Roadrunners Lacrosse Club the fundamentals of lacrosse and help develop their skills. The event was held at Independence Charter School West. In conjunction with Lacrosse Week in Philadelphia and to continue their mission of growing the sport of lacrosse in the area, the Wings and Under Armour donated a […]
