Good morning, Reading.

A retaining wall at Candlewood Suites collapsed Thursday afternoon — falling onto the rear parking lot of 200 Penn Avenue and leaving the area unstable as police set up barricades and signage while Mayor Samantha Kaag issued an emergency declaration to bring in a structural engineer and warned residents to stay away.

AAA, Exeter Township Police, Tower Health/Reading Hospital and other agencies offer Halloween safety tips to help residents protect trick-or-treaters from the increased risk of traffic accidents.

They urge drivers to slow down in neighborhoods—especially where children are trick-or-treating—and advise parents to use reflective costumes and plan safe routes.

On Thursday afternoon, a retaining wall collapsed at the Candlewood Suites property’s rear parking lot at 200 Penn Avenue in West Reading, prompting police to secure the scene and Mayor Samantha Kaag to declare a limited emergency—officials plan an engineering assessment and urge the public to avoid the area.

Eagle Eyes will show about 100 old photos from Reading Eagle and Reading Times that span six decades of local history at the Berks History Center.

The program will have two sessions—one on Nov. 6 at 5:30 p.m. with light supper and drinks and one on Nov. 7 at 10:30 a.m. with coffee and donuts, and virtual options will be available.

Reading Area Community College withdrew its expansion plan for its student union building at 25 S.

Front St.—the project to add a second story with new student services was halted after officials found parts of the building fall below the base flood elevation in a Schuylkill River floodplain. The college said it will revisit the project with new design options in the future.

On Oct. 18, Pennsylvania 4-H named Berks County teen Maggie Haan as one of its new State Project Ambassadors at a conference hosted by Penn State Extension—she will use her voice to help shape state programs during her one-year term.

Alvernia University has named Angelo J.

Valletta, CEO of Ben Franklin Technology Partners, as Executive in Residence for the School of Business for 2025-26. He engaged students in a fireside chat on Wednesday and will visit classes to share nearly 40 years of leadership experience—strengthening ties with regional startup programs.

Berks County commissioners received a three-year update on the IMAGINE Berks economic development plan—an effort to boost the local economy—during their meeting on Thursday.

The plan has invested over $35 million and provided more than $1.6 million in grants and loans while officials said they will soon review 26 million square feet of development potential.

Between October 20 and October 28, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture inspected many food places in Berks County and found problems like dirty areas, missing sanitizer supplies, and mold on a milkshake machine at Royal Farms—many issues were fixed during the visits.

Local spots in Reading also had problems with cleaning and food storage—officials say they will keep checking to ensure food safety.

BCIAA coaches named Chase Yenser of Daniel Boone and Giulia Weisser of Exeter as golfers of the year on Thursday—Yenser won the District 3 Class 3A title and finished fourth at the PIAA Championships, while Weisser tied for second in her district and tied for 15th at the state tournament.

Conrad Weiser repeated as District 3 Class 3A champions after defeating Susquehannock 3-0 at Landis Field on October 30th, keeping a perfect record and winning back-to-back titles—this win sets the stage for their first state tournament match on November 4th as they aim for a state championship.

Abu Barrie of Conrad Weiser was named BCIAA boys soccer Player of the Year on Thursday by conference coaches after he led in scoring with 31 goals and 17 assists this season.

His team — with coach Derek Long named Coach of the Year and Barrie, Owen Hunt, and Jonathan Abboud selected for the All-State Team — will face Susquehannock today at 7 p.m. at Landis Field for the District 3 Class 3A championship.

Exeter swept the top honors at the BCIAA girls soccer awards as senior Mackenzie Mentzer was named Player of the Year & coach Milt Scholl earned Coach of the Year after the Eagles won the championship with a score of 2 to 1 over Wilson.

Gov. Mifflin received four All-Conference selections while top players also earned All-State recognition.

Today the District 3 football playoffs kick off in Berks as Exeter hosts Lower Dauphin in a Class 5A rematch while Muhlenberg faces Spring Grove and Schuylkill Valley meets Trinity at 7 p.m.—Exeter hopes to secure another deep playoff run as each team fights to advance.

Michael Jackson Tribute by Who's Bad

7:30-9 p.m. — Santander Performing Arts Center — Ticketed event — Experience a power-packed tribute to the King of Pop with the longest-running Michael Jackson tribute band.

Reading Royals vs. Trois-Rivières Lions

3:00 – 4:30 PM — Santander Arena — Group Tickets from $10 — Enjoy an exciting hockey matchup with affordable group outings available.

Dustin Lynch & Scotty McCreery Concert

6:30-8:30 p.m. — Santander Arena — Event rate parking available — Enjoy an evening of hit country music with top artists Dustin Lynch and Scotty McCreery.

Reading Symphony Orchestra - Mozart and More

7:30-9 p.m. — Santander Performing Arts Center — Enjoy a night of classical elegance featuring Mozart’s beloved compositions alongside Elgar and Brahms.

Reading Royals vs. Wheeling Nailers

3:00 – 4:30 PM — Santander Arena — Group tickets starting at $10 — Catch an exciting hockey showdown with affordable group options.

Twilight in Concert

7-8:30 p.m. — Santander Performing Arts Center — Last-minute tickets available — Experience the beloved score of Twilight brought to life in concert.

Alabama Concert

7:00-8:30 p.m. — Santander Arena — Tickets starting at $46 — Catch Alabama live in Reading, PA for an unforgettable night of music.

Hockey Showdown: Reading Royals vs. Wheeling Nailers

7-8:30 p.m. — Santander Arena — Enjoy an exciting night of East Coast Hockey League action as the Royals face off against the Nailers.

Reading Blues Fest Day Pass

1-5 p.m. — DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Reading — Check website for ticket details — Experience the soulful sounds of blues legends Kevin Burt and The Three Kings.

10th Annual Boyertown Turkey Trot

9 a.m.-1 p.m. — Boyertown Community Park — Cost not specified — Celebrate Thanksgiving with a fun 5k run in Boyertown's scenic community park.