High school students from across the region took part in the 2026 Rotary District 7430 Four Way Test Speech Contest, an annual program designed to promote public speaking, ethical reasoning, and leadership development among youth.The contest begins at the local level, with Rotary Clubs partnering wi
The Second Annual Berks County Luminary Awards brought together community leaders, financial institutions, and workforce advocates on April 9 to highlight the connection between workforce development and homeownership in Berks County.Hosted by Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Berks in partne
This article originally appeared in Good Day, Berks — Spotlight PA’s free daily newsletter for Berks County and your daily dose of Berks County essentials. Sign up here.This week’s Community Spotlight honoree is Gina Fiore, 23, who is employed as a paralegal at Legal Aid of Southeastern PA. She also
A man was killed Friday morning in a hit-and-run crash along Interstate 78 in Berks County, according to the Pennsylvania State Police.The incident occurred around 11:15 a.m. on April 10 in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 78 near mile marker 13.3 in Bethel Township, police said.Troopers from the P
A new 930,000-square-foot distribution center for East Penn Manufacturing was officially unveiled Friday during a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Maidencreek Township, marking a major expansion for the Berks County-based company.Developed by the Wolfson Group, the facility at 8697 Allentown Pike is expec
PennDOT has scheduled multiple road work projects across Berks County from April 10 through April 20, with a mix of long-term construction, lane closures, and maintenance operations expected to impact several major roadways.In Tilden Township, sweeping operations will take place on PA 61 between the
RIZE Youth Arts Organization and Berks4Peace are proud to host the annual PA4Peace Youth Advocacy Day, a youth-led civic engagement initiative bringing young leaders from across Pennsylvania to the Pennsylvania State Capitol on Monday, May 4, 2026, for a day of advocacy, legislative engagement, and
On Saturday, April 25, 2025, the YMCA of Reading & Berks County and Berks County Parks & Recreation are co-hosting Healthy Kids Day & Color Fun Run at Berks County Heritage Center, 1102 Red Bridge Road, Reading, PA 19605 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.“We’re excited to get people outdoors and finally out of
Dr. Carl Sheperis ’89, vice provost and dean of Graduate Studies at Kutztown University, has been named the 2026 winner of the Arthur A. Hitchcock Distinguished Professional Service Award from the American Counseling Association (ACA). The award was presented at the association’s annual conference i
A Berks County farm is among 31 across Pennsylvania that will be permanently preserved through a new state investment aimed at protecting agricultural land from development.The Shapiro Administration announced more than $10.2 million in funding to purchase development rights for farms totaling 2,645
Genesius Theatre will host the world premiere production of a new adaptation of Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up from April 10 through April 18, bringing a reimagined version of the classic story to its playhouse at 153 N. 10th Street.Longtime Genesius Theatre actor and director and curre
All politics is local, as someone once said. As Susan Sneeringer demonstrates in her newest play, all politics is personal, too. Sneeringer’s play “Fourteen Votes” is the latest in the Reading Theater Project’s Play Reading Series. The reading, featuring script-in-hand performances by local actors,
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 Berks County Intermediate Unit (BCIU) honored 21 outstanding nominees for the 2026 Annie Sullivan Award on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, and announced Mr. Peter Suppa as this year’s award recipient.For the first time, the reception and award ceremony were held at the Reading Hospital School of Healt
A nonprofit lender focused on expanding access to financial services has opened its first credit union branch in Reading.Finanta announced the opening of its new financial center at 240 Penn Street on April 8. The location will offer both consumer and business services, along with financial educatio
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.READING — Jesús Centeno arrived in Reading from Puerto Rico in 1952 with little m
The City of Reading has announced that Caramel’s Dog Park at Schlegel Park will be temporarily closed beginning Wednesday, April 8, to allow for improvements and maintenance.According to the city, the park will remain closed through Monday, April 13, and is expected to reopen on Tuesday, April 14.Th
A New York man is facing multiple felony charges after authorities say he struck and killed two volunteer firefighters while driving under the influence during an emergency response over the weekend.Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams announced Tuesday that Alexander Sepulveda Rivera has be
A Freeze Warning is in effect for Berks County and surrounding areas from midnight Tuesday through 9 a.m. Wednesday, with a second round of freezing temperatures possible later this week, according to the National Weather Service.Forecasters say overnight lows are expected to fall between 25 and 30
Reading police are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred Monday evening in the city.According to the Reading Police Department, officers were dispatched at approximately 6:57 p.m. on April 6 to the 1000 block of Muhlenberg Street for a reported shooting.Upon arrival, officers located an adult
A two-vehicle crash in Boyertown Borough on Sunday afternoon resulted in the death of a local man, according to the Berks County Coroner’s Office.The crash occurred on April 5, 2026, at approximately 4:52 p.m. in the 300 block of South Reading Avenue. Authorities said the victim’s vehicle was travel
Reading police are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred early Sunday morning at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Reading.According to the Reading Police Department, officers were dispatched to the hotel at 701 Penn Street around 12:52 a.m. on April 5, 2026, for a reported shooting.When officer
Two members of the Walnuttown Fire Company were killed Saturday in a crash while assisting in a search for a missing person in Richmond Township, according to the Berks County Coroner’s Office.Berks County Coroner Matthew J. Stitzel said the incident occurred around 6 p.m. on April 4, when the Berks
A Berks County school was among those recognized in a statewide program highlighting students’ efforts to raise awareness about litter and environmental stewardship.The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful (KPB) announced the winners of the 2026 L
