Berks County news

Muhlenberg School District's board votes Oct. 14 on a $103,584 asbestos change order at the high school, plus $67,225 in new middle-school supplies.

Fleetwood council meets Tuesday to fill a vacant seat, elect a president, weigh a water-sewer rate increase and pay $135,680.75 for paving.

Union Fire Co. No. 1 wants first response to every Windsor Township fire call. Supervisors also take up Edenburg Park rate hikes and 2027 budget steps.

Longswamp supervisors put $200,000 toward Topton fire radios Sept. 22, draft minutes show, and vote tonight on first steps toward a building loan.

Maxatawny supervisors meet Oct. 12 on Ordinance 2026-03, adopting the 2021 property maintenance code, and on the final plan for an ALDI store.

Longswamp Township enacted its data center and solar zoning amendment Aug. 25, new minutes show, along with loan talks and a $283,940 radio request.

Richmond Township votes Oct. 12 on the 2026 Fleetwood-Maidencreek-Richmond joint comprehensive plan, after its two partners scheduled September hearings, and reviews a data center draft.

Shillington Borough Council approved a police contract running 2027 through 2031 on Sept. 10 and restarted its police hiring list after the last one drew too few applicants.

Berks County moved the Hamburg Borough Precinct 2 polling place to the Hamburg Field House, 125 S. Primrose St., starting with the Nov. 3 election.

Reading City Council gets an ordinance Oct. 12 raising the 2027 trash, recycling and clean-city fee from $395.91 to $413.87 a year per unit.

Bern supervisors voted 3-2 on Sept. 1 to reject a developer offer for a 45-foot W. Leesport Rd. warehouse with 32 conditions, with a court appeal pending.

The Hamburg Area school board voted 7-0 on Sept. 14 to keep Superintendent Christopher Beissel through June 2032. The posted records give no salary.

Boyertown council awarded a $49,750.80 West Philadelphia Avenue and Ironstone Drive job and sought a $121,700 plow-truck grant on Sept. 8.

St. Lawrence plans its own municipal authority, with stated purposes from sewer and stormwater to water and roads. A hearing on Ordinance 464 is Nov. 12.

The Berks County Election Board is scheduled to vote Oct. 8 on moving polling places in Reading's Ward 12-3 and Shoemakersville for the general election.

Reading's $129.3M draft 2027 budget keeps the city tax rate at 19.217 mills and plans a $12.4 million reserve draw as benefit and pension costs rise.

Amity Township declared its zoning cannot handle data centers and froze any data center application for up to 180 days while it writes new rules.

A PA fishing license costs $27.97 a year, and you need one at age 16. How to buy one, and where to fish in Berks County.

Where Gring's Mill and the Union Canal Trail are, how to get there, parking, hours, events, and the rule that pets are not allowed on the trail.

Reserve a Berks County park pavilion or the Gring's Mill barn: 2026 fees, how to book on RecDesk, the free small-group option, and wedding rules.