Good morning, Reading.

United Way of Berks County announced today that Sheila Tulli has been selected as its next president—she will take over when current president Tammy White retires in June.

Tulli brings 27 years of leadership to the role and will guide the organization through an extended transition period.

A new trail connector opened Tuesday in Montgomery County that links nearly 70 miles of the Schuylkill River Trail from Reading to Philadelphia.

The nine-tenths-mile path completes decades in the making and was built with care for the protected red-bellied turtle habitat.

Volunteers from Niagara Bottling, Feed the Children, and Helping Harvest distributed 400 kits of food, water, and essentials on Monday at Fairgrounds Farmers Market in Muhlenberg Township.

Local leaders (including township commissioners and state senator aides) supported the rally as nearly one‑third of Reading households face poverty.

Henry Cho will perform his clean Southern comedy routine at Santander Performing Arts Center on Saturday, May 1, 2027.

Tickets go on presale today at 10 a.m. with code HENRY and will be available to the public on Friday, Oct. 2.

The 13-year-old photographer Jovanny will offer his first wildflower print Saturday, Oct.

3 from 4–9 p.m. at his mother’s Breadth of Hope table during Story Lane: Book Fair and Market at Gring’s Mill as part of his new venture, Captured by J.

The Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen will host its 76th Annual Juried Holiday Fine Art & Craft Festival on Saturday, Oct.

10 at Hamburg Field House. The festival offers traditional and contemporary handmade work — live music, a Student Gallery and an on-site café — with proceeds supporting arts education.

Volunteers at the Hay Creek Apple Festival will host a family friendly event at Historic Joanna Furnace on Saturday, Oct.

10, and Sunday, Oct. 11. Visitors can enjoy apple pancake breakfasts (7-11 a.m.), a flea market and guided tours of the historic ironworks with free admission and donation parking.

Muhlenberg Township will host the Annual Temple Halloween Parade on Saturday, Oct.

3 at 6:00 p.m. (rain date Sunday, Oct. 4 at 4:00 p.m.), featuring high school bands, car groups, fire trucks, floats and youth groups along the route from Sharp Ave. to 7th Ave.

Reading School District officials unveiled plans for a $87-million, three-story Riverside Elementary at 1400 Centre Ave designed to ease traffic and boost safety for up to 850 prekindergarten-to-fourth-grade students; bidding begins in fall 2027 with construction lasting about two years before its 2029-30 opening.

At last night's City Council meeting, officials and the Berks Coalition to End Homelessness reviewed an 8% increase in homelessness across Berks County—mostly affecting first-timers and local students—and called for expanded housing and winter shelter funding.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed 903 measles cases across 39 counties, with Berks County reporting five cases and 13 new cases recorded since Sept.

25. The department said over 5,300 MMR vaccines were given at pop-up clinics since late April and advised getting vaccinated.

The American Red Cross held a blood drive Tuesday at Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center in Bern Township to collect blood with a short shelf life.

The organization urged eligible donors to visit local drives so they could help save lives.

Recent Pennsylvania high school football rankings showed local Berks teams holding steady after Wilson won over Reading High and Twin Valley recorded a 42-6 win over Garden Spot.

Wilson will host Cedar Crest Friday night in a Lancaster-Lebanon League game, while Twin Valley welcomes Fleetwood at home.