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 — The Trump administration is using a secretive, fast-tracked process fue
Attorney General Dave Sunday continued his series of teenTALK events by meeting with Berks County students this week to discuss the impacts of social media on mental health.Students from numerous Berks County school districts participated in the open discussion with Attorney General Sunday. Many of
YMCA of Reading & Berks County announced the appointment of Ken Borkey, Jr. as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), promoting the longtime YMCA leader who has served the organization for nearly 15 years. Borkey will succeed Phillip Borup, who has served the Y for more than three years leadin
The Help a Girl Out (HAGO) initiative is celebrating five years of community efforts to address period poverty while announcing that its 2026 collection drive has reached a milestone of 138,367 donated products.The initiative, which began as a grassroots effort by a group of local women, has grown i
The Borough of Wyomissing is excited to welcome families back to one of the community’s most cherished traditions — the Annual Egg Hunt — taking place on Saturday, March 28th, 2026, at Wyomissing Hills Memorial Park at 11:00 am.Children ages 1 through 12 are invited to participate in this long-stand
The City of Reading has announced the start of its 2026 yard waste collection program, which will begin Monday, March 30, and continue throughout the spring, summer, and fall seasons.Residents are encouraged to schedule yard waste pickups in advance to ensure timely collection.Collections will take
Pennsylvania State Police are investigating a reported mail theft and check washing incident that occurred in Union Township, Berks County.According to a public information release from the Reading Patrol Unit, troopers responded March 11 to a residence on Hay Creek Road in Birdsboro for a report of
Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) and Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) have reintroduced legislation to place reasonable limits on rental application fees in Pennsylvania.Rental application fees can range from $25 to $75, often higher than the administrative costs associated with processing an application. The
State Rep. Manuel Guzman Jr., D-Berks, announced Friday that Safe Berks has received $100,000 in grant funding through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to support safety and infrastructure improvements.The funding will be used for the Safe Berks Sidewalk and Safety P
PennDOT District 5 has announced several upcoming road work projects across Berks County scheduled for the week of March 16. Motorists should expect lane restrictions, shoulder closures, and occasional traffic stops in several areas.In Centre Township, crews will perform brush cutting along Tilden R
Several nonprofit and faith-based organizations in Berks County are receiving state funding to improve security measures as part of a nearly $11 million statewide investment aimed at preventing hate crimes and protecting community institutions.The funding, announced by the Pennsylvania Commission on
A Reading man was taken into custody Friday morning following a narcotics and firearms investigation conducted by the Berks County District Attorney’s Drug Task Force.According to the Berks County District Attorney’s Office, detectives arrested Angel Benitez, 52, of the 100 block of West Elm Street
As part of the Shapiro Administration’s ongoing commitment to protect Pennsylvanians from predatory artificial intelligence (AI) practices, the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) today rolled out a presentation to educate families about emerging technology, the risks of online gaming, and the critical
The Reading School District has become the first school district in Berks County, Pennsylvania to approve the transition to electric school buses, marking a major step toward cleaner, more sustainable transportation for students.During its February meeting, the district’s Board of Directors approved
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 Friends of Reading Hospital, in partnership with the Reading Hospital Foundation, raised more than $150,000 at this year’s Farm to Table(aux) celebration. Held on March 6 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Reading, the event was themed to the bold spirit of Frida Kahlo and brought together com
Berks Book Bonanza began accepting donations this week as part of their spring collection period. Now through June 13, volunteers will be on hand to accept donations of gently-used books, DVDs, puzzles, games, and more during select days and times.The spring collection will take place during the fol
The Greater Berks Development Fund (GBDF), an affiliate of the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (GRCA), is pleased to announce the sale of 24 acres of land to C&B Development LLC, (C&B), Wyomissing.The parcel of land, which GBDF purchased in 2018 with the purpose of providing industrially zoned land
Berks County officially launched its Berks 275 celebration Wednesday night, March 11, at the Miller Center at Reading Area Community College, marking the start of a yearlong commemoration leading up to the county’s 275th anniversary in 2027.The public kickoff event featured historical presentations,
Governor Josh Shapiro visited a manufactured housing community in Douglass Township on Wednesday to highlight proposed housing reforms aimed at protecting residents from steep increases in lot rent.Speaking at a home in Douglass Village near Douglassville, Shapiro met with residents and advocates wh
Fleetwood Bank recently announced the appointment of Betsy Knott as Vice President of Retail Banking. Mrs. Knott brings 15 years of banking and sales experience and many certificates from the American Bankers Association. Additionally, Knott recently completed the PA Bankers Association’s Advanced S
The Helping Harvest Community Kitchen, located in downtown Reading, recently surpassed 100,000 meals distributed since its opening in April 2025.The kitchen provides a variety of meals for Berks and Schuylkill County neighbors experiencing food insecurity, primarily focused on specific populations s
Berks Community Health Center has announced that James Toth has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer.James A. Toth, MBA, BSN, RN, FACHE, is a seasoned healthcare executive with extensive experience leading clinical and operational excellence across various healthcare organizations. As Chief Oper
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has announced new funding for electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the state, including a project in Berks County aimed at expanding access for drivers traveling along major corridors.The Shapiro Administration on Tuesday announced that 12 pro
