Spotlight PA: Pennsylvania news and investigations

Top News Editor’s Notes

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Missing rapes, a broken system, and chemo errors: Spotlight PA’s best investigations of 2025

by Sarah Anne Hughes of Spotlight PA

In 2025, Spotlight PA reporters uncovered a broken mental health system, missing rapes in a college town, and the death of a vulnerable older adult.

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The Capitol

The interior of the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg.

Pa. could end the year with the lowest number of new laws in at least a decade

by Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PA

Pennsylvania legislators have passed just 65 bills in 2025, which is poised to be an all-time low for the past decade, leaving key priorities unfinished.

Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Secretary Val Arkoosh speaks at an event about Medicaid funding.

Pennsylvania restricts weight-loss drugs for Medicaid patients amid budget woes

by Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PA

Investigations

An illustration of two police officers standing in front of filing cabinets with hands coming out of the files.

Hundreds of rapes in the State College area weren’t reported in public police data over nearly a decade

by Min Xian of Spotlight PA State College and Mark Fazlollah for Spotlight PA

The missing data masked the true extent of the crime surrounding Penn State. The central Pa. department never publicly disclosed the error until contacted by Spotlight PA.

A photo illustration of Raymond Hohl encircled by images of the Penn State Cancer Institute, a medical device, and a nurse’s binder of thank you notes.

Alarming internal probes found chemo errors, delays, and ‘toxic’ leadership by Penn State’s cancer chief

by Wyatt Massey of Spotlight PA State College and Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA

Good News from Pennsylvania

An outline of Pennsylvania with 3 question marks in the center

Quiz: Which of these iconic products was made or designed in Pa.?

by Asha Prihar of Spotlight PA

From a popular fast food item to an iconic children’s toy, numerous innovations have happened in Pennsylvania. Can you identify eight of them?

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State College Bureau

Penn State trustees attend the board’s public meeting on Sept. 12, 2025, in the 1855 Room the Bryce Jordan Center on Penn State’s University Park campus.

Penn State board deliberated its business in public more often this year, Spotlight PA analysis shows

by Wyatt Massey of Spotlight PA State College

The university’s governing body spent 22% of its public meeting time in 2025 discussing Penn State business — a new high in recent years.

Old Main on Penn State's University Park campus

Penn State trustees lost access to board’s file-sharing service after Spotlight PA records request

by Wyatt Massey of Spotlight PA State College

Berks County Bureau

Ashley Price leads the childcare program at the Reading YMCA.

Meet a Reading woman who advocates for quality childcare

by Lisa Scheid of Spotlight PA

Ashley Shannon Price helps children grow and learn as the director of Reading YMCA’s childcare program.

Kraig and Janet Biehl in their Perry Township home.

How a Berks County family attacked by a rabid cat fell through gaps in Pa.’s animal control system

by Gabriela Martínez of Spotlight PA

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