Spotlight PA Welcomes New Accountability Reporter to Berks County
Spotlight PA is thrilled to announce the addition of Hanna Holthaus as its new accountability reporter, covering Reading and Berks County governments. Originally hailing from a small town in Southern Illinois, Holthaus joins the Berks bureau from Houston, where she focused on municipal affairs at Houston Landing. Prior to that, she served as a watchdog reporter for The Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville, Florida, scrutinizing the city-county consolidated government.
Holthaus has a deep passion for local government reporting, recognizing its significant, often overlooked impact on communities. Her investigative work in Houston uncovered city employees using taxpayer money without proper documentation for purchases, and she highlighted how low-income residents could be disproportionately affected by city fees, particularly in relation to trash collection services.
In Jacksonville, her efforts led to the revelation that a decision to locate the county’s new medical examiner’s office in a historically Black neighborhood was made without proper public notification, raising ethical concerns about transparency.
Now in Berks, Holthaus aims to bring her commitment to accountability journalism to the forefront. She emphasizes the importance of addressing both the actions and inactions of government officials, poised to investigate how local policies affect residents’ lives.
Expressing her enthusiasm for the community, Holthaus invites residents to share their concerns and insights regarding local issues that warrant more attention. "The people I’ve met here are warm and genuinely care about their community," she noted.
Residents can contact Holthaus at hanna@spotlightpa.org with story tips or community recommendations, as she sets out to illuminate the important local narratives that shape Berks County.
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