In this issue of Reading Local Scoop

 📆. Lot’s of Events This Week!

 🚂 Berks County Commissioners Update Rail Authority Bylaws, Secure Victim Services Grant, and Confirm New Appointments

👮🏼‍♂️ Spring Township Police Respond to Vehicle Incident, Charge Owner with Document Fraud

👮🏼‍♂️ Spring Township Police Charge Man with Retail Theft at Famous Footwear

 🏈 Berks County Football Teams Gear Up for District 3 Playoffs

⚽️ Kutztown Boys Soccer Team Clinches District Title with Dramatic Turnaround

 🏀 76ers Triumph Over Raptors 114-99 Post-Harden Trade, Embiid Shines

 This Week’s Events in Reading PA

Friday - November 3rd

Jim Breuer LIVE at Soul Joel's inside SunnyBrook - 7:00 PM

Romeo Santos - Formula Vol. 3 Tour - 8 PM

Saturday - November 4th

2nd Annual ThanksGIVEmas Festival
@ Motta's Country Gardens and Landscaping - 11 AM - 4 PM

Fat Pineapple Beer Dinner - Oakbrook Brewing Company - 7 PM

Berks County Commissioners Update Rail Authority Bylaws, Secure Victim Services Grant, and Confirm
New Appointments

The Berks County Commissioners have approved minor updates to the Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority's bylaws, which involve slight adjustments to its purpose and member term definitions, as noted by Commissioner Christian Y. Leinbach. These changes are the result of a two-month bylaw review and do not alter the authority's core mission to reinstate passenger rail service from Reading to Philadelphia.

Additionally, the commissioners have agreed to a resolution to accept a $138,802 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, aimed at improving services for victims in Berks County through the district attorney’s office.

In the same meeting, new appointments were made to local authorities, including Rebecca Iannelli and Norman Wilikofsky for one-year terms to the Berks County Municipal Authority, Larry Gelsinger for a four-year term to the Berks County Conservation District, and Commissioner Leinbach himself for a one-year term to the same conservation district.

Spring Township Police Respond to Vehicle Incident, Charge Owner
with Document Fraud

On October 14, 2023, in Spring Township, Valeris Bonilla was charged with document fraud after police found her vehicle in a ditch and discovered discrepancies with the vehicle's registration and VIN, as well as fraudulent inspection and emission stickers.

Bonilla admitted to using a registration plate from another vehicle she owned and was in the process of transferring the title for the vehicle in question.

Spring Township Police Charge Man with Retail Theft at Famous Footwear

On August 14, 2023, Spring Township Police were alerted by a Famous Footwear employee about two individuals suspected of a previous theft on August 10, where the store incurred a loss of $576.89.

The suspects had returned to the store and were confronted, leading them to leave the premises. Following an investigation, Jonathan Lozano Salcedo was arrested on November 2nd and charged with the retail theft.

Berks County Football Teams Gear Up for District 3 Playoffs

Berks County is poised for high school football action as two local teams enter the District 3 playoffs on Friday at 7 p.m. Exeter, with an 8-2 record, is the ninth seed in Class 5A and will challenge the eighth-seeded Hershey team, which has a 7-3 record, at Hersheypark Stadium. In Class 3A, Schuylkill Valley, also holding an 8-2 record, is the fourth seed and will welcome the fifth-seeded Littlestown for a quarterfinal clash.

Schuylkill Valley is participating in the playoffs for the second year in a row, seeking their first district playoff win in a decade. The team, which recently earned its first-ever section title, is looking to bolster its running game after a loss in the regular-season finale.

Littlestown, on a five-game winning streak, enters the game with a strong season performance, having scored the most points and allowed the fewest in their section. Schuylkill Valley's coach is focusing on offensive control and defensive strategy to secure a win.

Exeter, aiming for redemption after two consecutive losses, is making its third consecutive playoff appearance, having won the Class 5A championship in 2021. The team has faced defensive challenges in recent games, a contrast to their strong start to the season.

Hershey, with a recent victory and a mixed record in the latter part of the season, will be looking to leverage their early-season form against Exeter in what promises to be a competitive playoff opener.

Kutztown Boys Soccer Team Clinches District Title with Dramatic Turnaround

The Kutztown boys soccer team, after a winless season in 2020, has achieved a remarkable turnaround, culminating in a district championship victory. The transformation began when a group of freshmen, including Connor Loeb, encouraged their former youth coach, Jared Diehl, to take over the struggling high school program. Diehl, who was appointed as the varsity head coach in 2021, instilled confidence and belief in the team.

Fast forward to the present, and the team's efforts under Diehl's leadership have paid off. In a nail-biting District 3 Class 1A final, the outcome hinged on a penalty shootout where senior Connor Loeb scored the decisive goal, securing a 2-1 victory over top-seeded Tulpehocken. This win not only gave Kutztown its second district title but also marked their first victory over Tulpehocken since their last district final win in 2014.

The final was a close contest, with Tulpehocken initially leading with a goal in the first half. Kutztown responded with an equalizer in the second half, leading to a tense overtime where both teams had opportunities to score. The goalkeepers from both sides made crucial saves, sending the game into a penalty shootout. After a series of successful penalties from both teams, it was Loeb's shot that ultimately clinched the championship for Kutztown, ending the game with a sense of triumph for the once-struggling team.

76ers Triumph Over Raptors 114-99 Post-Harden Trade, Embiid Shines

The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Toronto Raptors 114-99, with Joel Embiid leading the team with 28 points. This was the 76ers' first game after trading away James Harden.

Despite a thinner bench, the team performed well, with Kelly Oubre Jr. and Tobias Harris scoring 23 points each. The 76ers showed no signs of struggle without Harden, maintaining a solid offensive performance throughout the game. The Raptors' Scottie Barnes scored 24 points in the loss. T

he 76ers are set to play Phoenix next, while the Raptors will go up against San Antonio.