Nearly six months after a motorcycle crash left him with more than 20 broken bones and dozens of traumatic injuries, Darren Barto returned to Reading Hospital on Friday, this time walking on his own.Barto and his wife, Karen, visited the hospital’s Healing Garden in West Reading to reunite with memb
A fire that destroyed a home in North Heidelberg Township early Friday morning caused more than $400,000 in damage, according to Pennsylvania State Police.Berks County 911 dispatched the Bernville Fire Company and neighboring mutual aid departments around 12:58 a.m. Sept. 25 to a reported house fire
Reading Police conducted a child passenger safety enforcement detail Sunday, Sept. 21, resulting in 34 citations and seven warnings.Members of the Reading Police Department Traffic Unit, working with the Highway Safety Network, conducted the three-hour detail in the area of North Sixth and Elm stree
The South Heidelberg Township Police Department conducted a series of high-visibility traffic enforcement details throughout July and August, targeting speeding, aggressive driving and pedestrian safety across several western Berks County communities.Officers conducted targeted patrols at intersecti
Berks County law enforcement agencies will conduct increased DUI enforcement through the end of September, including roving patrols and sobriety checkpoints on area roadways.The North Central Regional DUI Enforcement Program announced the enforcement effort Wednesday, Sept. 24, saying officers will
The upper parking lot at Caramel’s Dog Park in Reading’s Schlegel Park temporarily closed Wednesday as city crews began work to replace fencing in the area.The City of Reading said the parking lot closure took effect Sept. 24 and is expected to remain in place for at least two weeks, depending on th
Four people have been arrested in connection with a burglary investigation that began after gaming machines were stolen from a Wyomissing convenience store in August, according to the Wyomissing Police Department.Police identified those arrested as Daniel Valez, 43, of Reading; Tytoya Rowles, 46, of
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 William Penn Memorial Fire Tower atop Mount Penn will celebrate its 87th anniversary in October with a public event featuring tower climbs, historical presentations and an exploration of the surrounding grounds.The anniversary celebration is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 17, from 11:30 a.m. to 1
Berks County native and television personality Wanda Colón Hart will bring LoveNotes back to Reading for a second year, with this year’s production featuring a new scholarship and an opportunity for one couple to become engaged on stage.LoveNotes Berks 2026 is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 17, at 8 p
Penn State Extension will offer several food safety manager certification options, including an in-person ServSafe Food Safety Manager course at Penn State Berks in October.The in-person course will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 8 and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 15 in Room 105 of the Franco Buil
The South Central Transit Authority is proposing a series of route and schedule changes for Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority service beginning Jan. 4, 2027, including the elimination of one route and expanded service to several employment and school locations.SCTA said the proposed chang
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.EXETER TOWNSHIP — Nearly a decade ago, residents of Pathfinder Meadows started pl
A 50-year-old Reading man was killed Saturday night in a motorcycle crash on North 11th Street, according to the Berks County Coroner’s Office.The crash occurred at approximately 9:23 p.m. Sept. 19 in the 1800 block of North 11th Street in Reading.The Coroner’s Office identified the motorcyclist as
The Miller Center for the Arts at Reading Area Community College has announced its 2026-27 season, featuring a lineup of music, comedy, dance, holiday performances and family programming in downtown Reading.The season includes tribute performances celebrating the music of Crosby, Stills & Nash, the
The Berks County Intermediate Unit (BCIU) is proud to announce Mr. Scott L. Gruber as the recipient of the 2026 BCIU Outstanding Community Partner Award. Presented annually, the award recognizes an external partner whose leadership, advocacy, and collaboration have helped advance the BCIU’s mission
PennDOT has announced several road work projects scheduled for Berks County during the week of Sept. 21, including nighttime brush cutting on US 422, shoulder work on Route 501 and surveying along US 222/US 422. Motorists should expect lane or shoulder restrictions in affected areas.Reading and Cumr
Dorney Park has kicked off its 2026 Halloween season, bringing haunted mazes, scare zones, live entertainment and after-dark rides back to the Allentown amusement park.Halloween Haunt opened Friday, Sept. 18, and will continue on select nights through Oct. 31. This year’s event features six haunted
Residents in Berks County may notice some of Pennsylvania’s familiar blue-and-gold historical markers missing from their posts as the state conducts routine restoration work ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations.The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission announced that Berks Coun
Dr. Joleen Greenwood, professor, Society, History, and Culture, and Dr. Catherine McGeehan, professor, Elementary, Middle Level, Library and Technologies Education, have been awarded Kutztown University’s 2026 Chambliss Faculty Research Awards for their extraordinary research and scholarship endeavo
Reading Public Library and Reading Pride Celebration have announced Anu Morgan as the winner of a library card art contest held in recognition of the 20th anniversary of Berks Pride Fest and Library Card Sign-Up Month.Morgan’s design, titled “Living Pride,” is featured on a new limited-edition Pride
The Berks County Coroner’s Office has identified a 77-year-old man who was found dead in a private pond in Brecknock Township earlier this week.George E. Dunda, 77, of Brecknock Township, was identified as the man found in a pond in the 1600 block of Wyomissing Road, according to an update released
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
Governor Mifflin High School students, faculty, and administration gathered in the Governor Mifflin High School Auditorium on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 for an impromptu meeting to announce an important milestone.On Tuesday, September 14, 2026 was officially designated by Special Olympics North Ame
