Min Xian of Spotlight PA State College
Local Accountability ReporterCentral and northern Pennsylvania is home to vast natural beauty, historic towns with changing economies, and a diverse mix of social-political values. Xian reports on how local governments are run and how public dollars are spent, with a focus on how public and private forces shape ordinary life in this region.
Before joining Spotlight PA, Xian covered local government and rural issues for the region’s NPR affiliate, WPSU. Originally from southern China, she has called State College home since 2013.
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Federal cybersecurity funding included in Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget proposal isn’t enough to help local governments keep up with rising costs, officials say. -
Local governments in Pennsylvania are given certain powers to serve the public, but the services they provide vary widely by municipality. -
Spotlight PA hosted a virtual discussion on Jan. 25 about the corruption case in DuBois, Pennsylvania, and what it revealed about ethical conduct and fiscal responsibility in local government. -
DuBois initially denied an open records request related to how much it spent on legal bills related to the criminal probes of Herm Suplizio. Spotlight PA won an appeal to access the information. -
Spotlight PA and the Centre Daily Times reviewed 3 years of meeting minutes from Centre County municipalities to determine how involved the public was in filling vacancies on governing boards. -
How much 1 mil in taxes brings a municipality differs widely all over the state. That has serious implications for municipalities’ budgets. -
Herm Suplizio, the suspended city manager of DuBois, has been charged by federal authorities with conspiracy and federal program fraud. -
A 7-month investigation by Spotlight PA found that Herm Suplizio, the suspended DuBois city manager, helped make the city a success story while allegedly stealing from it. -
In Herm Suplizio’s quest to make DuBois, Pa., a destination, state prosecutors allege that he lined his own pockets with hundreds of thousands of public and nonprofit dollars. -
Advocates say allowing Pennsylvania municipalities to outsource management could improve public services while saving taxpayers money.
