Author | Lightnews

Wyatt Massey @news4mass.bsky.social · 14h

"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

In Medill’s latest State of Local News report, a “festering, 20-year-old problem” looms larger than ever

“Digital news sites don’t come close to replacing the number of newspapers and journalism jobs being lost. And the digital news providers are almost entirely concentrated in metro areas, leaving vast ...

www.niemanlab.org

Wyatt Massey @news4mass.bsky.social · 1d

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.

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Wyatt Massey @news4mass.bsky.social · 1d

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.

Penn State ordered to release trustee documents

Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court this week ordered Penn State to release internal trustee documents, upholding a decision by the Office of Open Records.

www.spotlightpa.org

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Wyatt Massey @news4mass.bsky.social · 1d

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.

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Wyatt Massey @news4mass.bsky.social · Sep 19

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...

Penn State trustees complete transparency training

The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records led a training on the Sunshine Act for the university’s governing board as part of a settlement with Spotlight PA.

www.spotlightpa.org

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Wyatt Massey @news4mass.bsky.social · Sep 2

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

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Wyatt Massey @news4mass.bsky.social · Aug 13

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...

Penn State outspends peers on lobbying with little disclosure

Data show that Penn State outspent Penn, Pitt, and Temple in recent years to lobby in Harrisburg.

www.spotlightpa.org

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Reposted by Wyatt Massey

Danielle Ohl @dtohl.bsky.social · Jul 28

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.

The tragic consequences of PA's failed mental health system

One family's story reveals the human cost of hospital closures, funding cuts, and the resulting failures in Pennsylvania's mental health care system.

www.spotlightpa.org

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Wyatt Massey @news4mass.bsky.social · Jul 24

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...

What Penn State officials tell trustees in private

A recent legal settlement with Spotlight PA mandates that Penn State disclose what trustees are doing during their private conference sessions.

www.spotlightpa.org

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Wyatt Massey @news4mass.bsky.social · Jun 9

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...

Penn State, Spotlight PA settle lawsuit in ‘important win for transparency’

Penn State trustees will complete training on open meetings law and disclose more about closed-door meetings after settling a lawsuit with Spotlight PA.

www.spotlightpa.org

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Wyatt Massey @news4mass.bsky.social · May 30

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

Journalist Roundtable: What’s Behind the Closure of 7 Penn State Campuses? | WITF

Aired; May 30th, 2025.Listen to the podcast to hear the conversation. This week on The Spark’s Journalist Roundtable, we tackle a major shakeup […]

www.witf.org

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Wyatt Massey @news4mass.bsky.social · May 22

Closure www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege...

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Wyatt Massey @news4mass.bsky.social · May 22

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...

Penn State board approves closing 7 campuses

Trustees voted to close the DuBois, Fayette, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Shenango, Wilkes-Barre, and York locations.

www.spotlightpa.org

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Wyatt Massey @news4mass.bsky.social · May 22

Some background
www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege...

Internal records explain why Penn State president wants to close 7 campuses

President Neeli Bendapudi has asked the Penn State trustees to approve closing seven commonwealth campuses, which will affect more than 500 employees and thousands of students.

www.spotlightpa.org

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Wyatt Massey @news4mass.bsky.social · May 22

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...

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Wyatt Massey @news4mass.bsky.social · May 21

Some background

www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege...

How Penn State’s trustees plan to vote on campus closures

Penn State trustees plan to meet virtually in May to decide the fate of 12 commonwealth campuses. Lawyers say the plan could run afoul of PA’s transparency law.

www.spotlightpa.org

Wyatt Massey @news4mass.bsky.social · May 21

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.

Op-Ed: May No Act of Ours Bring Shame

I once served as a member of Penn State’s Board of Trustees. For 12 years. From 1988 to 2000. That seems like a long time ago. But it has been a long

www.statecollege.com

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Wyatt Massey @news4mass.bsky.social · May 14

“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...

Should Penn State trustees discuss potential campus closures in public?

Penn State trustees’ private talks on potential campus closures are the “exact type” of discussions that should happen at a public meeting, expert says.

www.spotlightpa.org

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Wyatt Massey @news4mass.bsky.social · May 14

Following the publication of our story, Penn State released the full text of the closure recommendation report.

www.psu.edu/news/adminis...

Wyatt Massey @news4mass.bsky.social · May 13

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...

Internal records explain why Penn State president wants to close 7 campuses

President Neeli Bendapudi has asked the Penn State trustees to approve closing seven commonwealth campuses, which will affect more than 500 employees and thousands of students.

www.spotlightpa.org

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