Tuesday, on the third anniversary of the deadly explosion at the R.M. Palmer Company chocolate factory in West Reading, Pennsylvania, Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) led nine bipartisan Pennsylvania colleagues in introducing the Preventing Future Vintage Plastic Pipeline Tragedies Act. The Pr
Reading officials on Tuesday morning formally introduced Robert Leonard II as the city’s new fire chief during a press conference at City Hall, following his approval by Reading City Council the night before.Mayor Eddie Morán called the appointment “a really important moment for the City of Reading
The Conrad Weiser Theatre Company will bring a well-known musical to the local stage this spring as it presents Les Misérables: School Edition at Conrad Weiser High School.The production will run from April 17 through April 19, 2026, inside the school’s newly renovated auditorium, which organizers s
GoggleWorks Center for the Arts announced today the upcoming opening of Thorn Alley Kitchen, a new restaurant located at its downtown campus, blending culinary creativity with the spirit of art, community, and craveable food. The restaurant will officially open on Friday April 10, 2026 and offer a v
Sens. Tracy Pennycuick (R-24), Wayne Langerholc (R-35) and Scott Martin (R-13) introduced bipartisan legislation creating the Task Force on Child Protection in the Digital Age, a new statewide effort to ensure Pennsylvania’s laws keep pace with rapidly evolving technology and the risks it poses to c
Residents, local officials, and community advocates gathered Sunday at the Shartlesville Fire Company for a town hall meeting focused on a proposed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Upper Bern Township.Organized by the group Ice Out of Upper Bern (IOUB), the event
A woman was hospitalized after being stabbed inside a Dollar Tree store in Reading on Saturday morning, according to initial reports and the Reading Police Department.Emergency responders were dispatched around 10:24 a.m. to the Dollar Tree located in the 1100 block of Rockland Street for a reported
The Daniel Boone Homestead will welcome families for an afternoon of hands-on history during its upcoming “Revolutionary Children’s Day,” scheduled for Sunday, May 3, from 12 to 4 p.m.The event is designed to give children an interactive look at colonial life in the Oley Valley, with activities insp
PennDOT crews are scheduled to carry out a series of roadwork projects across Berks County in the coming days, with brush cutting, bridge repairs, and ongoing construction expected to impact several major roadways. Drivers may encounter lane restrictions, shoulder closures, and overnight work zones
A traveling exhibit organized by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) made a stop in downtown Reading on Friday afternoon, parking outside Mofongo Restaurant at 124 S. 5th St.The exhibit, known as the “Hell on Wheels” pig truck, is designed to resemble a livestock transport vehicle and
The Ultimate Athletic Complex (UAC), a premier 48-acre sports destination located at 1592 Wyomissing Road in Mohnton, PA, today unveiled its evolution into The Yards Athletics – a name that reflects its growing strength, expanding influence, and bold vision for the future of sport.The facility will
The Reading School District officially unveiled its new Reading High School Innovation Academy on Thursday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 817 N. 9th St., marking a major investment in the future of the city’s students.District leaders, elected officials, staff, students and community members gath
A 46-year-old man from Carlisle died early Thursday morning following a crash on Interstate 78 in Berks County, according to Pennsylvania State Police and the Berks County Coroner’s Office.The crash occurred around 4:45 a.m. on March 19, 2026, on I-78 eastbound near mile marker 34.2 in Windsor Towns
Dog wardens will canvass homes in Berks County several times during the spring to summer months to ensure all dog owners have current licenses and rabies vaccinations for their dogs.It’s the Law – A dog license is a legal responsibility of owning a dog in Pennsylvania and the best way to ensure that
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has posted an updated list of recent Retail Food Inspection Reports for restaurants and food handlers in Berks County. Inspections are a “snapshot” of the day and time of the inspection. Violations are recorded but are often corrected on the spot prior to t
The Foundation for the Reading Public Museum announced the voluntary return of a 10th- or 11th-century Cambodian Khmer stone sculpture to the Kingdom of Cambodia. This repatriation was conducted in close cooperation with the Cambodian government and the nation’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, fa
Kutztown University has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education to help address the statewide shortage of special education teachers.The grant is part of a nearly $1 million investment awarded to 11 colleges and universities across Pennsylvania to create faster, m
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s (PUC’s) independent Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement (I&E) has filed a formal complaint against UGI Utilities, Inc. – Gas Division (UGI) following a detailed investigation into the March 2023 natural gas explosion at the R.M. Palmer Company chocola
Cumru Township police are investigating the deaths of two individuals found inside a home Tuesday following a welfare check request from family members.According to the Cumru Township Police Department, officers were dispatched March 17 to a private residence in the 500 block of Church Road. Upon ar
This story was produced by the Berks County bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom. Sign up for Good Day, Berks, a daily dose of essential local stories at spotlightpa.org/newsletters/gooddayberks.UPPER BERN — Local officials say they are working to ensure Berks County taxpayer
More than $1 million in state grant funding has been awarded to projects across Berks County, with multiple state lawmakers announcing investments aimed at improving public safety, infrastructure and community resources.The funding comes through Pennsylvania’s Local Share Account (LSA) programs, whi
A Berks County man was killed in a head-on crash involving a trash hauler along Philadelphia Avenue (Route 724) in Cumru Township, according to authorities.Emergency responders were dispatched to the area of Valley Stream Road for a reported crash with possible entrapment and fire. Upon arrival, off
Berks County colleges are set to receive more than $70,000 in state funding as part of a broader $1.7 million investment aimed at combating sexual violence on college campuses across Pennsylvania.The funding, announced by the Shapiro Administration through the third round of the “It’s On Us PA” init
The County of Berks Board of Assessment Appeals has voted to resume in-person property assessment appeal hearings beginning in April 2026, ending the practice of conducting hearings by telephone that was implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.Prior to 2020, appeal hearings were routinely held in p
