ABOUT US
The Pennsylvania Capital-Star is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news site dedicated to honest and aggressive coverage of state government, politics and policy.
The nearly 13 million people who call the commonwealth home depend on their interests being safeguarded by one of the nation’s largest, most expensive, and often inefficient and corrupt full-time state legislatures. The actions of the legislative, executive and judicial branches touch on almost every aspect of Pennsylvanians’ daily lives.
Since our launch in February 2019, the Capital-Star has emerged as a go-to source for in-depth original reporting, explainers on complex topics, features that ground policy debates, as well as progressive commentary on a range of issues.
What you won’t find? Ads, pop-ups, or a paywall.
Thanks to our partnerships with news organizations across the state, and correspondents in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Northeastern Pennsylvania, we can deliver breaking news from the furthest corners of the Commonwealth directly to your desktop or mobile device. Our 3-person Washington D.C. Bureau provides a critical Pennsylvania lens on national issues.
And our daily newsletter is the agenda-setter for Pennsylvania’s political conversation.
The Pennsylvania Capital-Star welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation on how politics and public policy affects the lives of people across the commonwealth. Read our submission guidelines here.
The Capital-Star’s staff includes veterans of PennLive/ThePatriot-News, Harrisburg/Lehigh Valley Magazine, The Morning Call, of Allentown, and The Centre Daily Times.
The Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers.
Kim Lyons
Editor
Veteran journalist Kim Lyons has covered western Pennsylvania for numerous local and national publications. She's passionate about finding ways to learn from and mentor early-career journalists, especially those from underrepresented communities, and providing coverage that serves to inform and educate the public about their government.
Cassie Miller
Associate Editor
A native Pennsylvanian, Cassie Miller worked for various publications across the Midstate before joining the team at the Pennsylvania Capital-Star. In her previous roles, she has covered everything from local sports to the financial services industry.
Peter Hall
Senior Reporter
Peter Hall has been a journalist in Pennsylvania and New Jersey for more than 20 years, most recently covering criminal justice and legal affairs for The Morning Call in Allentown. His career at local newspapers and legal business publications has taken him from school board meetings to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and many points of interest between. He earned a degree in journalism from Susquehanna University.
John Cole
Reporter
John Cole is a journalist based in Philadelphia. He's worked for various outlets such as The Northeast Times, PoliticsPA, and PCN. In these previous roles, he covered a wide range of topics from local civic association meetings to races across the commonwealth. He earned a degree in journalism from Temple University.