State College Region Penn State

Pennsylvania State Police on horseback try to control a crowd on Penn State's campus. — Abby Drey / Centre Daily Times

Penn State University has not reimbursed Pa. State Police for security at Proud Boys event

by Wyatt Massey of Spotlight PA State College

While four local police departments were reimbursed for services that night, the university has not cut a check for the 70 State Police employees on hand — and it won’t say why.

Tioga elected officials’ decision to hire Timothy Loehmann as the borough’s sole police officer followed a long line of troubling actions taken by its leaders. — Min Xian / Spotlight PA

WATCH: A free virtual panel on Pa.’s patchwork system of local governments

by Spotlight PA Staff

An aerial photo of downtown Bradford in McKean County, located in northern Pennsylvania. — Photo By Tom Huntoon

Tax caps leave many Pa. municipalities with few ways to raise revenue

by Ashad Hajela of Spotlight PA State College

An orange glow in the sky indicates light pollution. — Photo By Brian Reid / Eventide Light Photography

How communities in north-central Pa. are attempting to preserve a scarce resource: darkness

by Ashad Hajela of Spotlight PA State College

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Talk of the Town

Pa. school district arms cops with semi-automatics

Plus: Join us tonight for a discussion on why Pennsylvania has so many darn municipalities.

Talk of the Town

Michael Pipe served as a Centre County commissioner for 11 years. — Abby Drey / Centre Daily Times

The challenges ahead for growing Centre County

Plus: A new governor, an AR-15 policy in Altoona schools, and a Centre County casino update

Transparency Tracker

University police responded to 2020 protests for greater racial justice by pledging to be more transparent with arrest and use of force data. But where is it? — Dan Nott / For Spotlight PA

What happened to the arrest, use of force data Penn State police promised to release?

by Wyatt Massey of Spotlight PA State College

Talk of the Town

Old Main at the Penn State University campus in State College, Pa. — TIM TAI / Staff Photographer

Where is Penn State's promised campus police data?

Plus, flag-burning political activist sues State College.

Local Government

People gather on the front lawn outside of the Tioga borough building. — Min Xian / Spotlight PA

How Spotlight PA uncovered the chaos in a tiny Pa. borough after the hiring of Tamir Rice’s killer

by Min Xian of Spotlight PA State College

Talk of the Town

To combat the loss of local news, Spotlight PA launched its first pilot regional bureau based in State College in 2022. — Abby Drey / Centre Daily Times

Our favorite stories of 2022

Plus: Events to ring in the new year across north-central PA

Talk of the Town

Infighting was rife among elected officials in Tioga, PA, when they hired the police officer who killed Tamir Rice. — Min Xian / Spotlight PA

Hire of Tamir Rice’s killer exposed feuds in Tioga

Plus: Penn State distances itself from past diversity proposals, UMPC and its nurses reach a tentative deal, and a cold Christmas Eve

Local Government

People stand in front of the Tioga borough office sign. — Min Xian / Spotlight PA

3 key takeaways from Spotlight PA’s investigation of how a local government nearly collapsed after hiring Tamir Rice’s killer

by Min Xian of Spotlight PA State College

Local Government

Tioga borough, in northern Pennsylvania, seen in the fall from a bird's-eye view. — Min Xian / Spotlight PA

Grudges, tribalism, and infighting rife in Pennsylvania borough that hired the cop who killed Tamir Rice

by Min Xian of Spotlight PA State College

Pattee Library and surrounding buildings on Penn State's University Park campus in State College, Pennsylvania. — Georgianna Sutherland / For Spotlight PA

Penn State distances itself from past diversity proposals while launching similar efforts

by Wyatt Massey of Spotlight PA State College

Talk of the Town

Controversies plague Halfmoon Township government

Plus: Penn State student arrested at Proud Boys protest likely won't be suspended

Old Main on Penn State's University Park campus in State College, Pennsylvania. — Georgianna Sutherland / For Spotlight PA

Penn State trustees heard university’s diversity plan in secret 2021 gathering

by Wyatt Massey of Spotlight PA State College

Talk of the Town

PSU trustees might have violated open meetings law

Plus: Altoona school district officers might carry AR15s soon, and Wolf spends thousands on private lawyers but won't say why.

Map of municipal property maintenance codes in Pennsylvania produced by Center for Rural Pennsylvania researchers. — Used with permission from the Center for Rural Pennsylvania

Almost 90% of rural Pennsylvania municipalities lack property upkeep rules

by Ashad Hajela of Spotlight PA State College

Dan Nott / For Spotlight PA

How often are Penn State’s private planes flying during a budget crunch?

by Wyatt Massey of Spotlight PA State College

Talk of the Town

Penn State Transparency Tracker — Dan Nott / For Spotlight PA

Tracking Penn State's jet during a budget crisis

Plus: PSU's president suggests 'reuniting' the university's two law schools.

Talk of the Town

Rules for property upkeep lacking in rural towns

Plus: Judges in Pa. can now dismiss charges for 'incompetent' defendants

Local Government

A police car of the State College, Pennsylvania, police department. — Abby Drey / Centre Daily Times

4 things to know about State College’s new police complaint process

by Sarah Rafacz of Spotlight PA State College

Talk of the Town

State College's new civilian complaint process, scheduled to go live in January, was prompted by outrage following the March 2019 police killing of Osaze Osagie. — Abby Drey / Centre Daily Times

State College unveils new police complaint process

Plus: More fallout from Penn State's cancellation of promised racial justice center

Local Government

A view of fall foliage and Mount Nittany as seen from Shingletown Gap. — Abby Drey / Centre Daily Times

Government and elected officials deal with service funding questions as Centre Region grows

by Sarah Rafacz of Spotlight PA State College

Old Main on Penn State's University Park campus in State College, Pennsylvania. — Georgianna Sutherland / For Spotlight PA

Hundreds of Penn State faculty are publicly and privately questioning university leadership

by Wyatt Massey of Spotlight PA State College

Talk of the Town

Proposed budget kicks off regional funding debate

Plus: Shapiro wins Pa. governor race and Penn State Proud Boys protest fallout

Talk of the Town

Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi has often referenced the “glass cliff” that she and other leaders faced. The risk of failure is high. The edges of the cliff are transparent and could be anywhere. — Daniel Fishel / For Spotlight PA

How we reported our Neeli Bendapudi profile

Plus: A historic fundraising challenge, and all the election coverage you need to vote on Tuesday.

Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi has often referenced the “glass cliff” that she and other leaders faced. The risk of failure is high. The edges of the cliff are transparent and could be anywhere. — Daniel Fishel / For Spotlight PA

Penn State’s new president led a Kentucky university through crises. This is the story of her high-wire act.

by Wyatt Massey of Spotlight PA State College

“I have determined that enhancing support for current efforts by people who know Penn State best will be more impactful than investing in a new venture, and so we will not pursue efforts to launch a Center for Racial Justice,” Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi said Wednesday. — STEVEN M. FALK / Philadelphia Inquirer

Penn State cancels its Center for Racial Justice after faculty push for funding decision

by Wyatt Massey of Spotlight PA State College

Talk of the Town

How a local jail's handling a mental health crisis

Plus: Penn State students, community question police response to protest of Proud Boys founder

Local Government

Pennsylvania counties, cities, and local governments have received $6.15 billion in stimulus money as part of the American Rescue Plan Act. Here’s how to find out what your community will do with the money. — Matt Smith / For Spotlight PA

Track how your Pa. municipality is using federal stimulus funding

by Min Xian of Spotlight PA State College

Talk of the Town

How your Pa. municipality is using federal stimulus funding

Plus: Where you die determines the quality of how your death gets investigated.

A new report by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania determined that the state's county coroners and medical examiners — the people who investigate suspicious deaths and suss out foul play — lack adequate funding, transparency, and training. — Abby Drey / Centre Daily Times

How well a death in Pennsylvania will be investigated depends largely on where someone dies

by Ashad Hajela of Spotlight PA State College

Talk of the Town

Penn State wavers on funding for Center for Racial Justice

Plus: 'Death at Penn State' Hulu series in development, and a win for public access to court records.