Local News for State College and Central Pennsylvania

Twisted Tales is a new business in Duncansville made up of a cat lounge and a used bookstore.

A purr-fect mix: New Duncansville business combines cat lounge and used bookstore

Sydney Roach

There’s a new one stop shop in Duncansville for lovers of both books and cats. Twisted Tales, which is in a brick house on 3rd Avenue, celebrated its grand opening on Saturday.

QR Codes on the bees are scanned by cameras in the tunnels every time they leave and reenter the hive.

Tiny QR codes on bees are helping Penn State researchers study foraging behavior

Abigail Chachoute

Penn State researchers are using tiny QR codes on the backs of bees to study their foraging behavior.

Customers wait in line for plant-based meals, tea and coffee Webster's Bookstore and Cafe.

Webster's Bookstore Cafe in State College goes fully vegan after 25 years

Rivka Wolin

Webster’s Bookstore Cafe in State College is now serving an all vegan menu, including only offering plant-based milk for their coffees and teas.

A photo of seven residents of the Best Buddies Living facility in State College, Pa.

Residents find friendship, community in new inclusive living space in State College

Olivia Dunne

Best Buddies Living allows those with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities to live independently in an apartment together.

Graduate Student workers hold signs calling for the university to allow a union vote.

Penn State graduate students rally for union vote

Rivka Wolin

About 500 people rallied in front of Penn State’s Old Main administrative building Tuesday, asking the university to allow research assistants and trainees to join a graduate employees union vote.

A woman sits while an infant rests on her chest. (Commonwealth Media Service)

Nursing parents would gain right to pump in public under proposal to expand breastfeeding law

Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PA

A caucus in the Pennsylvania House focused on maternal health has introduced bills that would protect the right to public pumping and mandate a state agency study access to care.

Auditor General Tim DeFoor releases the findings from an audit of five Pennsylvania cyber charter schools. (Commonwealth Media Services)

Calls for cyber charter reform intensify after audit found ballooning revenue, surpluses

Katie Meyer of Spotlight PA

The review was led by Republican Auditor General Tim DeFoor, who identified “uncommon” spending on gift cards and real estate.

The Pennsylvania Rural Population Revitalization Commission met Friday in the Railroaders Memorial Museum in Altoona. The commission is considering legislation recommendations, regulation changes, and best practices to implement in rural municipalities.

Series of public hearings on rural population loss kicks off in Altoona

Sydney Roach

State lawmakers, county commissioners, and local municipality leaders met Friday in Altoona for a public hearing on rural population decline. The Pennsylvania Rural Population Revitalization Commission formed in June through a state law, following a report showing the project decline and aging population in rural counties.

Poetry Moment: 'Plinkies', by Peter Krok

Marjorie Maddox

The 2024-25 season of WPSU's Poetry Moment, features Peter Krok and his poem, "Plinkies."

From left: Lt. Gov. Austin Davis (Commonwealth Media Services); Gail Stallworth (courtesy of Cornelius Harp); then-Attorney General Josh Shapiro at a Board of Pardons meeting (via YouTube). (Emily Scherer / For Spotlight PA)

Rare 2nd chance at freedom for Pa. woman serving life sentence reversed in unprecedented revote

Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA

The Board of Pardons reopened the case after opposition from the victim’s family arrived two months after its first vote.