Reading Magazine: Recent Episodes
Reading Magazine
Reading Magazine is your source for digital news in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Featuring the latest community news, entertainment, local events, and more. Thanks for supporting an independent, locally owned publication!
Robin Horman, owner of LiliBea’s, gives a preview of the West Reading Fashion Show, which bring together designers, models and local boutiques for a night focused on creativity, style and music. This year's runway will feature bridal to sportswear, lingerie to date night chic, coming from prominent area boutiques: Bella Jules, Betsey’s Boutique, Be Mine Boutique, DeLune Boutique, Dressed in Love Bridal Suite, Fleet Feet West Reading, Holistic Skateshop, LiliBea's, and Snazzy Beauty Boutique.
Branden Moyer is a Berks County resident and entrepreneur who took up the unique hobby of beekeeping during the pandemic. After a successful first year with his hive of honeybees, Branden decided he would take his hobby to the next level by creating Uncle B’s Bees, a business that not only sells local honey, but educates the community on the importance of beekeeping.
Jobany Bedoya joins us in studio to discuss his experience as an entrepreneur, DJ and founder of Wednesday Diversity Mixers.
Lieutenant Lance Lillis, Community Resource Coordinator for the Reading Police Department talks about community outreach.
Tanya Melendez has a deep love of the natural beauty contained within the city of Reading. Whether she is enjoying bike rides on local trails, walks to local parks, or watching her daughter climb trees, she has a true appreciation for the joy that nature brings to communities.
Dylan Shively’s journey to becoming an entrepreneur was an unconventional one. An East Stroudsburg native, he shared that he was a troubled and highly unmotivated teen. Instead of continuing to be a self-proclaimed “disappointment” to his parents and to himself, Shively decided to take a sharp 180 on the road of life. He built a moral and ethical network around himself, primarily on social media, and this eventually led him to start working for Verizon. “I was taught that you wanted long-term, not short-terms gain,” he said.
Gavin Milligan is a typical highschool student in many aspects–he enjoys goofing off with his peers, and maintains a full schedule of classes, including dual enrollment classes at RACC and Berks Career and Technology Center. However, that is where his resemblance to many of his peers abruptly changes.
When it comes to innovative website design, FXV Digital Design owner Freddy Vasquez has a consistent message for his clients: “Let’s make something awesome today!”
Interest in weather since the age of six when an F3 Tornado struck near his home in Lyons, PA, Justin Selig has always been fascinated by weather. Selig is now an Advanced Severe Weather Spotter/Storm Chaser for the National Weather Service and a National Severe Weather Media Stringer for Live Storms Media and has had his work featured on The Weather Channel, 69 News WFMZ, and The Morning Call.
Do your remember Reading’s Charlie Brown Christmas Tree? It made national headlines in 2014, drawing lots of criticism locally and online. Going back and forth, it was eventually re-decorated and given a second chance to be Reading’s Christmas Tree.
Local actor Josh Spudeno may not be Hollywoods hottest actor (yet), but he certainly aspires to be. Moving his way up the ladder, Spudeno talks to Reading Magazine about how he got into acting and his recent experience on the set of Creed II.
Local photographer Mateo Toro has accomplished a lot in the three years since he graduated from Penn State Berks. Toro now holds the title of entrepreneur, teacher, and international travel photographer thanks to his recent trips to Colombia and Cuba.
Justin Schenck, entrepreneur, public speaker, and host of The Growth Now Movement podcast talks with Reading Magazine about his new event: The Growth Now Movement LIVE. Recently named a top podcaster to follow by INC.com, each week Schenck sits down with a new guest to discuss personal growth strategies.
We sat down with local actor and small business owner Bill Pugh to learn about his role in M. Night Shyamalan’s latest film Glass. A semi-sequel to Unbreakable (2000) and Split (2016), Glass stars James McAvoy, Bruce Willis, and Samuel L. Jackson.
On December 31, 2021, Berks County resident Cory Heckman, age 31, was admitted to Pottstown Hospital for treatment of COVID-19. The severity of the disease led to an extended hospital stay where he was cared for in the Intensive Care Unit with severe Covid pneumonia and neuropathy that required a tracheostomy to help him breathe. One hundred and forty-nine days later, Cory went home under his own power.
Full article: https://berksweekly.com/covid19/local-31-year-old-discharged-from-hospital-after-149-day-covid-fight/
The Borough of West Reading has named Wayne Holben, Sergeant and 21-year veteran with the department, as Chief of Police. Holben was sworn in Monday afternoon during a ceremony held at Borough Hall.
Full article: https://berksweekly.com/news/borough-of-west-reading-names-wayne-holben-as-new-chief-of-police/
Department of Community and Economic Development Acting Secretary Neil Weaver celebrated the Wolf Administration’s continued investments in Pennsylvania communities Friday during a tour of the Medical Arts Building in Reading and saw firsthand the rehabilitation that will be occurring with funding from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program.
Full Article: https://berksweekly.com/business/dced-acting-secretary-neil-weaver-tours-medical-arts-building-in-reading/
This summer, Pennsylvanians can beat the heat and get a sweet treat by visiting any of the 30 creameries that make up the 2022 Scooped: An Ice Cream Trail.
Full Article: https://berksweekly.com/food-drink/5th-annual-pennsylvania-ice-cream-trail-features-berks-county-creamery/
Governor Tom Wolf Thursday announced an additional $8.25 million investment in ByHeart, the nation’s newest FDA-registered baby formula manufacturer, located in Exeter Township. The investment will support increased capacity and hiring that will ultimately feed up to 500,000 more babies.
Full Article: https://berksweekly.com/agriculture/gov-wolf-announces-additional-8-25m-investment-in-byheart-to-directly-support-increased-infant-formula-production/
Reading Hospital has announced it will provide up to 10 full tuition scholarships for the incoming class of Surgical Technology students at Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences.
Full Article: https://berksweekly.com/education/reading-hospital-accepting-scholarship-applications-for-incoming-surgical-technology-students/
The Highmark Foundation awarded a $25,000 grant to Western Berks Free Medical Clinic Tuesday to advance the Robesonia-based Clinic’s plans to open a satellite in the city of Reading. The funding will support plans to double the number of uninsured individuals receiving services by opening and maintaining a second Clinic location in the city of Reading.
Full Article: https://berksweekly.com/health/highmark-foundation-awards-grant-to-western-berks-free-medical-clinic/
A new Amtrak Thruway Bus Service will launched Monday with two daily round trips connecting Reading and Pottstown to Amtrak’s network via Philadelphia, including services to New York, Boston, Washington, Pittsburgh, New England, Virginia, Florida, and destinations throughout Amtrak’s national network.
Full Article: https://berksweekly.com/traffic-transit/new-amtrak-bus-service-connects-reading-to-amtraks-network-via-philadelphia/
Interactive StoryMap of Schuylkill River documents its ecological status & local perceptions.
Article: https://berksweekly.com/climate-environment/interactive-storymap-of-schuylkill-river-documents-its-ecological-status-local-perceptions/
The Berks County Public Library System finalized the last of two significant purchases to its countywide digital collection, spending the remaining $50,000 of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to increase the number of electronic materials available to Berks County residents.
Article: https://berksweekly.com/news/berks-libraries-purchase-50k-of-digital-books-with-remaining-arpa-funds/
At an end-of-year celebration held Thursday afternoon, Reading Hospital recognized six local seniors from Reading and Wilson High Schools who have completed the Reading Hospital High School Internship Program.
Article: https://berksweekly.com/education/reading-hospital-celebrates-graduating-interns-from-reading-and-wilson-high-schools/
The Camel Project has announced that it is partnering with the Youth Volunteer Corps of Reading to address violence in the Berks County area through the new Human & Kind youth initiative.
There’s a new kind of buzz around GoggleWorks Center for the Arts. The renowned art center announced today a host of grants to support a new beekeeping program, the latest initiative with its neighbor and partner Lauer’s Park Elementary.
Marc Goldstein joins us in studio to talk about his nonprofit Blankets of Hope on today’s LIVE podcast.
Lieutenant Lance Lillis, Community Response Coordinator for the Reading Police Department talks about community outreach in the City of Reading.
This week we talk with Tanya Melendez about the Cultivating Community Garden project in the Oakbrook section of Reading.
Join us LIVE as we talk with Branden Moyer about working for Disney, haunted houses, and how he built a local commercial cleaning empire.
Dylan Shively talks about his journey becoming an entrepreneur and how he's inspiring students to become community leaders.
Gavin Milligan talks about growing up in a family business and starting a non-profit called Young Business in Berks.
Interest in weather since the age of six when an F3 Tornado struck near his home in Lyons, PA, Justin Selig has always been fascinated by weather. Selig is now an Advanced Severe Weather Spotter/Storm Chaser for the National Weather Service and a National Severe Weather Media Stringer for Live Storms Media and has had his work featured on The Weather Channel, 69 News WFMZ, and The Morning Call.
What was it like behind the scenes of M. Night Shyamalan's latest film Glass? We got the scoop from local actor Bill Pugh. Article: https://rdgmag.com/gla3s
Recently completing her annual "Who To Watch" list, local Blogger and host of The Wonder Of Ivy Podcast, Lisa De La Cruz highlgihts 16 of Reading's most interesting people.
Inspired by Reading's Charlie Brown Christmas Tree, local author Denise Schleicher shows children how empathy and compassion can have an impact on others in her new book: The Ugly Christmas Tree: Mr. Douglas Fir. https://rdgmag.com/ugl9m
What was is like to meet Rocky? Local actor Josh Spudeno shares how he got into acting and his recent experience on the set of Creed II.
Go behind the lens with local photographer Mateo Toro and learn about his two recent trips to Colombia and Cuba.
Recently named a top podcaster to follow by INC.com with his show: Growth Now Movement Podcast, Justin Schenck talks about his new live event coming to Reading focused on personal development. Article: https://rdgmag.com/luy2f
Comedian Jesse Blanco gives us an update on the Reading Comedy Outlet and talks about how he balances his life performing at regional comedy shows. https://rdgmag.com/jbr2o