Good morning, Reading.

Mayor Eddie Moran and state Rep. Manny Guzman will host the annual Back-to-School Giveaway at 644 Penn St’s courtyard on Aug.

19 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., offering free school supplies, haircuts, vision screenings plus snacks and resources, with parking available from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

ACECO's Hoist Up! Outreach Committee partnered with United Way of Berks County to distribute 250 backpacks filled with school supplies to students yesterday through four groups, including Superheroes of Autism and One Luv Outreach.

The effort supports education and community spirit as students gear up for school.

Animal shelters in Reading and Lancaster will offer no-fee adoptions on Aug.

29 for pets over six months old. The Freedom Center for Animal Life-Saving (1801 N. 11th St., Reading) and the Betsy & Ted Lewin Adoption Center (2195 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster) provide health care and pet food with each adoption.

Party at the Park will return to Pendora Park on Saturday, Aug.

22 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. with free activities including backpacks, bounce houses, dunk tank, food trucks, live entertainment, and a 76ers raffle while adding sessions on civics, homeownership, funeral planning, and tech help and honoring lives lost.

The 8th annual French Fry Fest takes place Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (600 and 700 blocks of Penn Avenue) with 70 vendors serving diverse fries and treats to a growing crowd.

Eight Berks County agricultural projects received over $816,000 in state grants through Pennsylvania’s Agricultural Innovation Grant Program, announced Thursday by Governor Shapiro’s administration.

The awards support new technology to boost farm efficiency and reduce waste, while attracting $4.8 million in private investment.

Thursday night at FirstEnergy Stadium, the Fifth Annual Recovery Awareness Night brought together 16 Berks County organizations and the Fightin Phils to share addiction prevention, treatment and recovery resources.

The event offered a safe space with information and peer support for those seeking help.

Officials in Reading distributed potassium iodide tablets today to help protect residents' thyroid glands from harmful radioactive iodine in case of a radiological emergency.

Local school officials in Berks County are pushing to raise measles immunization rates to 95% as 66 new cases were reported in PA this week, and the upcoming school year has led to extra efforts to reach vulnerable students (including those with language barriers).

The push aims to curb the spread before classes begin.

Dr. Rutul Dalal at Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center said routine childhood vaccines help prevent serious diseases (measles, mumps, rubella) based on decades of research.

He advised parents to ignore confusing vaccine debates and talk with their healthcare provider for clear guidance.

Cole Varnes, a 15-year-old Exeter Township racer with a family legacy, is at the Virginia International Raceway preparing for his debut in the Moto America Twins Cup—qualifiers start today and main races are set for Saturday and Sunday.

Oley Valley High School golf team won two matches at Golden Oaks on Thursday as Chloe Pride (76), Michael Henin (77) and Jake Fink (78) led the team to a 312 total, outpacing Gov. Mifflin and Schuylkill Valley.