» Pennsylvania House Democrats will lose their majority for at least a few weeks. Here’s why.
Meet Spotlight PA's new government editor/reporter Katie MeyerI’m Katie Meyer, Spotlight PA’s new government editor and reporter. I joined this fall, ahead of the midterms, and can already say this is one of the best teams reporting on state government in Pennsylvania. I’m thrilled to be part of it.
I will mostly cover the new Shapiro administration in this job, and will also plan coverage and edit stories for our government reporters. Though I’m based in South Philly, I’ll often be in Harrisburg for reporting (which means if any Capitol people want to share spicy tips, I am once again available to meet for coffee at the local establishment of your choosing).
 I’m originally from Troy, New York, but I’ve been covering Pennsylvania politics for over six years — primarily in public radio. In 2016, I moved to Harrisburg out of college to report on the state Capitol for WITF, then relocated to Philadelphia in 2020 to cover state, city, and national politics and policy for WHYY. Along with day-to-day coverage, I hosted a weekly politics podcast while at WITF and guest-hosted both stations' morning shows.
I loved working in public radio because the medium lends itself extremely well to human stories and gives reporters space to make complicated policy issues accessible. I feel the same way about Spotlight PA. It’s a privilege to work for a place with such a careful, attentive approach to the reporting it puts out and the impact those stories have. I’m also stoked to still be working for a newsroom with a great union.
In my coverage, I try to center the impact that politicians' and state officials’ actions and inaction have on regular people — for instance, the way stagnant funding has affected county mental health services, or how anti-immigrant political rhetoric informs policy. I’m also interested in the political maneuvering that shapes state spending and the many ways that money determines political fortunes in Pennsylvania.
With a new governor starting his term in January and a divided legislature for the first time in more than a decade, there is a ton on the government team’s to-do list in the next year. Thanks so much for reading and supporting our work, and always feel free to send tips to kmeyer@spotlightpa.org. They are much appreciated!—Katie Meyer, Spotlight PA | 
SHUT DOWN: WITF reports that Berks County's immigration detention center will close early next year. Federal authorities informed local officials that a contract won't be renewed. The 96-bed facility has been used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to confine migrant families. 
PASSED DOWN: Western Pennsylvania health care titans UPMC and Allegheny Health Network are spending huge sums on state-of-the-art facilities they say 
INTERNAL REPORT: Dauphin County won't release a report on the findings of 