My latest investigation for @spotlightpa.org uncovers harrowing situations inside Penn State Health's operating rooms and sterilization unit at Hershey Medical Center. In one case, an emergency brain operation was done with “contaminated” surgical tools, internal records show.

The word is out! Last year's investigation into Penn State's cancer center and its director is a finalist for the Livingston Award.

I asked the archivist if I could see the Treasure Room. He responded, “Ha, no.”

What needs to be said is parts of the Midwest are already prohibitively expensive for people living there or looking to move closer to their families. Case in point, home and land prices in the county I grew up in (pop. 23k) are wildly beyond reach because it's close to a health care tech company.

Merry Marquette Poll day to all who celebrate.

By the apparent standards of this newsroom, this column should've been written by AI. This would free up the editor to "sit across from someone, make eye contact and build trust" and maybe, just maybe understand why prospective employees are leery about having AI replace a core part of their job.

'This mutiny is really more about the primary dance. The dance of all creation. To be clear it is a protest against oppression and suppression, and the only tried & tested true antidote to that is pure, unfiltered, unapologetic, relentless disco-hedonism' stereogum.com/2489064/stur...

It is finished.

I left The Washington Post last year, but wrote my love letter in the middle of my time there, in 2015. Everything changed, over my 1st decade there. Then everything changed again, in the decade after this was written. But there were 2 constants: the work & the people. www.mrdanzak.com/blog/10years

I think the local sheriff's office wants my address and payment for a records request. Just a guess.

From the Epstein documents: The FBI having to Google where Wisconsin is???

The Madison suburb of DeForest announced it will not move forward with a proposed $12 billion data center, saying the project is “not feasible.” Read the full story here: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/01/defo... By Tom Kertscher Wisconsin Watch #Wisconsin #LocalGovernment #DataCenters #Transparency

is there an equivalent winter phrase to the 'dog days of summer' because damn

Oh, are you a national writer with a take on a Brewers transaction? That’s cute.

Today is my final day with Spotlight PA, wrapping up 3.5 years reporting on Penn State University. We (un)covered major stories — from canceling the Center for Racial Justice to campus closures to problems in the health system. I'm incredibly thankful to have worked with such a fantastic team.

I spoke with WPSU this week about our investigation of the Penn State Cancer Institute and the importance of journalism in Pennsylvania. You can listen here: radio.wpsu.org/2025-12-18/s...

headline's an all-timer

Happy to share that @columjournreview.bsky.social mentioned our Penn State Cancer Institute project in its 'Laurels and Darts' newsletter today.

Did a TV interview talking about our recent stories on the Penn State Cancer Institute. You can watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SF6...

Remember those internal Penn State board documents that we've been waiting more than two years to get? Well, the wait continues. Penn State has appealed to the Pa. Supreme Court.

BREAKING: The director of the Penn State Cancer Institute resigned Friday following a Spotlight PA investigation into his care of patients and leadership of the center.

Penn State’s internal reviews found a top doctor’s alarming errors and disruptive leadership. He remains in charge of the cancer center. https://www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege/2025/11/penn-state-health-cancer-institute-raymond-hohl-penn-state/

Today we have a follow-up story on endemic problems within the cancer research unit of the Penn State Cancer Institute. Please give it a read. www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege...

A Spotlight PA investigation found the head of the Penn State Cancer Institute was repeatedly under internal review in recent years for extra chemo doses, unexplained delays in changing treatments, and creating a 'toxic' workplace.

Take my job! Spotlight PA is hiring the next Penn State investigative reporter to take my place when I depart later this year. Come work at one of the best outlets in the country, covering one of the most influential organizations in Pennsylvania. Message me if you have questions!

A Pennsylvania court ordered the state's Department of Education to release internal Penn State trustee records to @spotlightpa.org and @news4mass.bsky.social, siding with arguments made by attorneys from @rcfp.org and the Cornell Law School 1A Clinic.

"Across the board, the urban-rural divide so central to the state of the country remains a defining division among local news haves and have-nots." - @niemanlab.org

Also! The court said Penn State must unredact this document. Penn State has argued releasing the information would “create distrust and confusion” or “damage employee morale and retention.” The court ruled that “such vague jargon and conclusory statements fall woefully short” of proving harm.

BREAKING: A state court ordered Penn State University to release internal Board of Trustees documents — records about a private trustees retreat and a nonpublic board committee meeting. The university has 30 days to turn over the records.

The pending acquisition of WPSU by @whyy.org could mean some notable changes to the workforce of State College's public media outlet. I spoke with WHYY's CEO about them for this week's Talk of the Town newsletter.

New: Penn State’s board underwent training on the Sunshine Act as part of the board's legal settlement with Spotlight PA over alleged violations of the transparency law. But when we asked for the names of participants (something they agreed to release), well ... www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege...

Today's Spotlight PA newsletter update: All the things happening with Penn State's board in the next few weeks.

Penn State is now outspending Penn, Pitt, and Temple to lobby lawmakers in Harrisburg. I wish I could tell you what exactly PSU is influencing (like what bills, policies) but I can’t, thanks to PA’s lax disclosure laws and Penn State’s open records exemption. www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege...

This is Sue’s story. But it could be the story of any of the roughly half a dozen families I spoke to for this investigation. And it’s the story of what failure over three decades means for real people, a mother and son.

After years of closed-door meetings between top Penn State administrators and trustees, the university is now required to publicly reveal the nature of those gatherings and who was involved. www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege...

Penn State University’s Board of Trustees will complete a training on the state’s open meetings law and disclose more information about its closed-door gatherings as part of a settlement with Spotlight PA. The agreement ends 18 months of litigation. www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege...

Anne Danahy of WPSU and I spoke with WITF's Asia Tabb about Penn State's recent campus closure decision.

Closure www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege...

BREAKING: By a vote of 25 to 8, Penn State's board approved the closure of the DuBois, Fayette, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Shenango, Wilkes-Barre, and York campuses after May 2027. Story here. www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege...

Today, at 5 p.m. ET, the Penn State Board of Trustees will vote on closing seven campuses — DuBois, Fayette, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Shenango, Wilkes-Barre, and York. You can tune into the meeting here: trustees.psu.edu/thursday-may...

In a new op-ed, a former Penn State trustee says someone local should sue the university board over its recent private meeting to discuss campus closures. The board is scheduled to vote on closing 7 campuses on Thursday afternoon.

“It sounds to me like they’re discussing the issue behind closed doors because it is uncomfortable and controversial,” one lawyer said. “But those aren’t reasons for executive sessions.” www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege...

Following the publication of our story, Penn State released the full text of the closure recommendation report. www.psu.edu/news/adminis...

Breaking: Spotlight PA obtained nearly 250 pages of internal Penn State records detailing President Neeli Bendapudi's proposal to close seven commonwealth campuses. Here's what they say: www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege...

Penn State trustees discussed campus closures at this morning's executive session. That's all we really know (transcript of the board chair's comments at the public meeting below). Penn State hasn't yet announced the date of the meeting, nor released any other details. But the decision is coming.

NEW: We've learned that Penn State's board will not consider campus closures on a case-by-case basis, but will instead take a simple majority vote on one proposal this month. But the board's plan to hold a virtual-only meeting for the vote could run afoul of a Pennsylvania transparency law.

Penn State's chapter of American Association of University Professors is officially asking the university to reverse its plan to close campuses. "By neglecting to include faculty in decision making, the Penn State administration is also violating basic principles of shared governance."

Coincidently, I was staying nearby to a group nuns during spring break 2013. Seeing their total joy and jubilation over the selection of Pope Francis remains a core memory.

Current and former trustees have come out in opposition to Penn State's plan to close up to 12 of its commonwealth campuses. "We aren’t running a business. We are an educational institution charged with fulfilling a mission and promise made in the mid-19th century."

Another Penn State departure (though a few days old): Carlos Rodriguez, associate vice president for finance and business services for the Commonwealth Campuses, is headed to Michigan Tech to be their chief financial officer.