Ashad Hajela of Spotlight PA State College
Rural Affairs ReporterAshad Hajela follows the impact of issues like broadband, education and healthcare on the fast-evolving rural central and northern Pennsylvania.
As a former Stabile Fellow at Columbia Journalism School, he investigated the parole system in New York and problematic hospitals and nursing homes in North Carolina and New Hampshire. He previously worked at The News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina where he covered crime and criminal justice.
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Rural school districts in north-central Pennsylvania have been forced to close elementary schools because of aging infrastructure, budget shortfalls, and declining student populations. -
To get a broader picture of executive pay at nonprofit hospitals in north-central PA, Spotlight PA compiled a list of salaries and bonuses from facilities in the region. -
A Pa. hospital’s revoked property tax exemption is a ‘warning shot’ to other nonprofits, expert saysA Commonwealth Court judge recently revoked a Southeastern Pennsylvania hospital’s property tax exemption and denied appeals regarding three others, decisions that one expert said should serve as a “warning shot” for nonprofit facilities statewide. -
Two school districts in Pennsylvania now allow their police officers to store and use guns like AR-15s. Officials argue the weapons will keep students safe in a mass shooting. -
Pennsylvania municipalities that lack home rule charters are unable to increase a variety of taxes beyond limits set by a state law from the 1960s, according to a new report. -
Light pollution is slowing encroaching on the Pennsylvania Wilds. Environmental groups and residents are suggesting regulations that protect night sky views and the commerce they bring. -
The lack of local maintenance codes can contribute to poor housing quality and less investment in areas, according to a study from the Center for Rural Pennsylvania. -
Rusty equipment, huge workloads, and inconsistent training are among the concerns raised in a new report about the state’s patchwork coroner system. -
Costly regulations and smaller populations relative to urban areas have prevented any providers from opening since one in State College closed after a series of scandals.
