The Animal Rescue League of Berks County has issued a Code Red for the City of Reading due to a sustained heat index above 95 degrees from July 1 – July 5, 2026.Under Bill #22, an amendment added to the City Code, Chapter 141, Part 2 Animals, Section 205 Caring for Animals in 2015, any person who ow
With one of the busiest travel weekends of the year approaching, law enforcement and public safety officials gathered Tuesday at Blue Marsh Lake to remind residents that impaired driving and boating are entirely preventable and that enforcement efforts will be stepped up throughout the Independence
Berks County seniors are being encouraged to seek relief from the ongoing heat wave by visiting local senior centers that are serving as cooling sites during normal business hours.According to the Berks County Area Agency on Aging, the county’s senior centers offer air-conditioned spaces where older
A 56-year-old Pottstown man died following a single-vehicle crash Saturday morning in Amity Township, according to the Berks County Coroner’s Office.The crash occurred at approximately 6:08 a.m. June 27 in front of 1832 Old Swede Road, authorities said. A preliminary investigation determined the man
A 49-year-old Exeter Township man died following a motorcycle crash involving a minivan early Saturday morning, according to the Berks County Coroner’s Office.Emergency crews were dispatched at 12:11 a.m. Saturday, June 27, to the intersection of St. Lawrence Avenue and Shelbourne Road in Exeter Tow
The National Weather Service has issued an Extreme Heat Watch for Berks County and surrounding areas, warning that dangerously hot conditions are possible from Wednesday afternoon through Saturday evening, with the most intense heat expected Thursday and Friday.Forecasters say daytime heat index val
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Alfredo Cardona Padilla, age 48, Ceferino Charles Hernandez, age 49, both of Reading, Pennsylvania, and Paul Gerald Simmons, age 51, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were charged by indictment with robbery and f
A 78-year-old Mohnton man has died after his bicycle was struck by an SUV Friday afternoon in Spring Township, according to the Berks County Coroner’s Office.Berks County Coroner Matthew J. Stitzel said the Coroner’s Office was notified of the death at 3:06 p.m. Friday, June 26, by the Emergency Dep
The Shapiro Administration has announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) approved Gov. Josh Shapiro’s recent request to make financial assistance available to individuals and families affected by the June 11, 2026, fire at the Oak Forest Apartment Complex located at 2251 and 2271 H
A 70-year-old Muhlenberg Township man died after a motorcycle crash Thursday afternoon in Perry Township, according to the Berks County Coroner’s Office.Berks County 911 received a report of the crash at approximately 12:39 p.m. on June 25. The crash occurred on Route 61 (South Pottsville Pike), jus
Berks County swimmer Kylah Schlott is returning home from the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games as a two-time medalist after winning a gold medal and a bronze medal while representing Team Pennsylvania in Minnesota.Schlott captured gold in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 3:29.85, beating her pre
For one week each summer, dozens of young people from Berks, Lebanon and Schuylkill counties trade in their cell phones, sleep in cabins, wake before dawn and experience a taste of the discipline expected in law enforcement and the military.The Pennsylvania State Police Troop L Camp Cadet program re
Rail fans in Berks County will have a rare opportunity to see one of the world’s largest operating steam locomotives when Union Pacific’s legendary Big Boy No. 4014 arrives in Reading on Thursday, July 2, as part of the Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad’s Semiquincentennial Steam Celebration
The South Heidelberg Township Police Department is asking for the public’s help after equipment used for the township’s summer playground program was stolen from Hummel/South Mountain Park.According to police, the theft occurred sometime during the overnight hours between June 24 and June 25 at the
UGI Energy Services employees in Wyomissing spent part of Thursday assembling brand-new bicycles and providing helmets for children served by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Berks County, part of a nationwide volunteer initiative tied to the return of the Philadelphia Cycling Classic later this summer.T
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 TOWNSHIP — A week after news broke that the Trump administration plans
A Reading-based community organization is among 21 recipients across Pennsylvania selected to receive funding through the 2026 Healing the Planet grant program, an initiative supported by The GIANT Company and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.The 18th Wonder Improvement Association, based in Reading, was
On Saturday, June 13th, 2026, on an idyllic summer afternoon, Berks Sinfonietta presented its sixth consecutive year of performances, returning to one of Pennsylvania’s most iconic natural settings at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary’s outdoor amphitheater. The amphitheater and the wooded grounds surrounding
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has adopted a resolution introduced by state Rep. Manuel Guzman, D-Berks, designating July 2026 as Culinary Arts Month in Pennsylvania.House Resolution 345, adopted June 10, recognizes the role of culinary education, professional training programs and the st
The South Heidelberg Township Police Department conducted more than 27 focused traffic enforcement details during May as part of ongoing efforts to improve roadway safety across its coverage area.According to a traffic enforcement summary released by the department, officers targeted locations in So
The Berks Bards Board of Directors have announced that its new Poet Laureate Committee has agreed unanimously to name Aries Franklin Ortiz (a.k.a. The Poet Smiley) as the Berks County Poet Laureate.Susan Peña, President of Berks Bards and a member of the committee, said, “We came to the decision to
Two longtime leaders of Berks County philanthropic organizations will retire in 2027, as The Wyomissing Foundation and United Way of Berks County prepare for a planned leadership transition.The organizations announced that Pat Giles, president of The Wyomissing Foundation, will retire effective May
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Secretary Val Arkoosh visited Boyertown on Tuesday to highlight the Shapiro Administration’s efforts to recruit and retain child care workers while expanding access to affordable child care for working families.The visit took place at Boyertown Children’s Ce
A 19-year-old Reading man has been charged following an investigation by the Berks County Detectives into the possession of child sexual abuse material, according to the Berks County District Attorney’s Office.Authorities identified the defendant as Jhosua Melenciano Vasquez, of the 100 block of Wes
