Pennsylvania
In swing-state Pennsylvania, Latino-majority city embraces chance to sway 2024 election
Religion and politics frequently overlap in Reading, an old industrial city in one of the most pivotal swing states of this year’s presidential election.
In Pennsylvania, there is early precedent for this kind of thing. The state began as a haven for Quakers and other European religious minorities fleeing persecution. That includes the parents of Daniel Boone, the national folk hero born just miles from Reading, a town where the Latino population is now the majority.
Today, the Catholic mayor is also a migrant — and the first Latino to hold the office in Reading’s 276-year history. Mayor Eddie Moran is keenly aware of the pivotal role Pennsylvania could play in the high-stakes race, when a few thousand votes in communities like his could decide the future of the United States.
“Right now, with the growing Latino population and the influx of Latinos moving into cities such as Reading, it’s definitely an opportunity for the Latino vote to change the outcome of an election,” Moran says. “It’s not a secret anymore.”
A community of spirituality — and Latinos
In Reading, the sky is dotted with crosses atop church steeples, one after the other. Catholic church pews fill up on Sundays and many stand for the services. Elsewhere, often in nondescript buildings, evangelical and Pentecostal congregations gather to sing, pray and sometimes speak in tongues.
Outside, salsa, merengue and reggaeton music (often sung in Spanglish) blast from cars and houses along city streets first mapped out by William Penn’s sons — and that now serve a thriving downtown packed with restaurants proudly owned by Latinos.
This is a place where, when the mayor is told that his town is 65% Latino, he takes pride in saying: “It’s more like 70%.”
They believe in their political sway. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2022 found that eight in 10 Latino registered voters say their vote can affect the country’s direction at least “some.”
On a recent Sunday, Luis Hernandez, 65, born in Puerto Rico, knelt to pray near the altar at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church. Later, walking out after Mass, Hernandez said he’ll vote for Trump — even on the very day of the former president’s criminal convictions related to hush money for a porn star.
“Biden is old,” Hernandez says, and then reflects on how Trump is only a few years younger. “Yes, but you look at Trump and you see the difference. … Biden’s a good man. He’s decent. But he’s too old.”
In the weeks after he spoke, many more Americans would join in calls for Biden to withdraw from the race after his debate debacle, which crystallized growing concerns that, at 81, he’s too old.
Immigration is a key topic
It’s not just about Biden’s age or debate performance. It’s also, Hernandez says, about the border crisis. He says too many immigrants are arriving in the United States, including some he considers criminals. And, he adds, so much has changed since his Dominican-born father arrived in the 1960s — when, he says, it was easier to enter and stay in America.
For some, there are other issues as well.
“It’s the economy, immigration and abortion,” says German Vega, 41, a Dominican American who became a U.S. citizen in 2015. Vega, who describes himself as “pro-life,” voted for Trump in 2020 and plans to do so again in November.
“Biden doesn’t know what he’s saying. He doesn’t know what he’s doing, and we have a country divided,” Vega says. Trump is “a person of character. … He looks confident. He never gives up; he’s always fighting for what he believes.”
Of course, there are some here who just don’t favor taking sides — except if it’s for Jesus. Listen to Pastor Alex Lopez, a Puerto Rican who cuts hair in a barber shop on the first floor of his home on Saturdays, and preaches on the second floor on Sundays.
“We’re neutral,” he says. “We just believe in God.”
A city with deep industrial roots resurges
Reading was once synonymous with iron and steel. Those industries cemented the creation of the Reading Railroad (an early stop on the Monopoly gameboard) that helped fuel the Industrial Revolution and became, in the late 19th century, one of the country’s major corporations.
Today, the city of about 95,000 people, 65 miles northwest of Philadelphia, has a fast-increasing population. However, it is one of the state’s poorest cities, with a median household income of about $44,000, compared to about $72,000 in Pennsylvania.
Reading is 67% Latino, according to U.S. Census figures, and home to high concentrations of people of Dominican and Puerto Rican heritage — as well as Colombians and Mexicans, who own restaurants and other businesses around town.
Political candidates are taking notice of Reading’s political and economic power. The 2020 presidential election in Pennsylvania was decided by about 82,000 votes, and — according to the Pew Research Center — there are more than 600,000 eligible Latino voters in the state.
It’s true that Reading still leans mostly Democratic — Biden crushed Trump in the city by a margin of about 46 percentage points in 2020. However in that election, voting-age turnout in the city (about 35%) was significantly lower than the rest of the state (about 67%).
But the Trump campaign doesn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to turn it around. It recently teamed up with the Republican National Committee and Pennsylvania GOP to open a “Latino Americans for Trump” office in a red-brick building near the Democratic mayor’s downtown office.
Moran has made a plea to Biden and other Democrats to take notice and visit Reading before the election. It’s crucial, he says.
“I think that it’s still predominantly Democratic,” he says. “But the candidates need to come out and really explain that to the community.”
One development, Moran says, is that religious leaders are now less hesitant to get involved in politics.
“Things change, even for churches,” he says. Clergy “realize the importance that they hold as faith-based leaders and religious leaders and they’re making a call of action through their congregations.”
The message: Get out and vote
A few blocks from St. Peter’s, a crowd gathers inside First Baptist Church, which dates to the late 19th century.
In a sign of Reading’s changing demographics, the aging and shrinking congregation of white Protestants donated the building to Iglesia Jesucristo es el Rey (Church Jesus Christ is the King), a thriving Latino congregation of some 100 worshippers who have shared the building with First Baptist for nearly a decade.
Pastors Carol Pagan and her husband Jose, both from Puerto Rico, recently led prayer. At the end of the service, microphone in hand, the pastors encourage parishioners to vote in the election — irrespective of who they choose as the president.
“The right to vote is,” Carol Pagan says before her husband chimes in: “a civic responsibility.”
After the service, the congregation descends to the basement, where they share a traditional meal of chicken with rice and beans.
“I believe the principle of human rights have to do with both parties — or any party running,” Carol Pagan says. “I always think of the elderly, of the health system, of health insurance, and how it shouldn’t be so much about capitalism but more rights for all of us to be well.”
Both of the Pagans make clear that they won’t vote for Trump. They’re waiting, like others, for circumstances that might lead Biden to withdraw, so they can support another Democratic candidate.
“It’s our duty to shield that person with prayer — it doesn’t matter if that person is a Democrat or a Republican,” Carol Pagan says. “We owe them that.”
Pennsylvania
Delaware County, Pennsylvania sports field damaged by ATVs, causing thousands of dollars in damages
A sports field at Ridley Municipal Park in Delaware County has been shut down after police say off-road vehicles tore up the grass following a mid-December snowstorm, causing thousands of dollars in damage and threatening spring sports for hundreds of local children.
Ridley Township police say the field is now unsafe and unplayable after individuals illegally drove all-terrain vehicles and a dune buggy across the grass, leaving deep ruts and torn-up turf.
“The issue that we’re having is the field is unplayable now,” Sgt. Mark McKinney, of the Ridley Township Police Department, said.
Police believe the damage happened when the suspects were “joy riding” on the field after snowfall, performing donuts that dug deep grooves into the ground.
“We believe they were joy riding. They did some donuts in the grass, and it dug up some big ruts into the grass, which causes a problem for when the kids have to go back out on the field in the spring,” McKinney said.
Investigators are asking for the public’s help identifying three individuals seen on surveillance video riding ATVs and a dune buggy through Ridley Township streets. Detectives believe they are responsible for an estimated $5,000 to $10,000 in damage to the park field.
Repairing the field will not be quick or simple, police said.
“It’s not just something that you can just go out there and patch right away,” McKinney said. “It’s something that’s going to take time.”
The repair process involves laying new soil, rolling the field and growing new grass — a timeline that could disrupt the upcoming sports season.
“You can’t have the kids on there while the grass is growing or the grass won’t grow,” McKinney said. “So it’s set up quite a bit of a dilemma for us.”
The damage is especially personal for McKinney, who also serves as a coach for Ridley Youth Lacrosse. Fellow coach Matt Flynn said the damaged field is their primary game field, with the season scheduled to begin in less than two months.
“Right now, the field would be unplayable because any kid would turn their ankle in the ruts,” Flynn said.
Flynn added that the situation is frustrating after months of work maintaining the field.
“It’s more disappointment because we work so hard to get that field into good shape, and now we just have to start again and do more work, and then find other fields to play on during the season,” he said.
Township officials are currently gathering repair estimates, but the field will remain closed until it is safe for play.
Police say the suspects could face charges including trespassing and criminal mischief. Anyone who recognizes the individuals seen in the surveillance footage is urged to contact Ridley Township police detectives.
Pennsylvania
Man charged after over 100 human skeletal remains found in Pennsylvania home – National | Globalnews.ca
A Pennsylvania man has been arrested and is facing more than 500 charges after he was accused of stealing human skulls and “numerous” skeletal remains from an abandoned cemetery on Philadelphia’s outskirts, according to police.
Bones and skulls visible in the back seat of a car near the cemetery led police to the home and storage unit of Jonathan Gerlach, 34, after police had been looking into a string of burglaries.
Investigators checked Gerlach’s licence plates and found that he had been near the cemetery repeatedly during the period when the burglaries occurred.
Officers say the Jan. 6 arrest culminated a months-long investigation into break-ins at Mount Moriah Cemetery, where at least 26 mausoleums and vaults had been forced open since early November.
After searching Gerlach’s home and storage unit, investigators reported finding more than 100 human skulls, long bones, mummified hands and feet, two decomposing torsos and other skeletal items.
“They were in various states. Some of them were hanging, as it were. Some of them were pieced together, some were just skulls on a shelf,” Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse said.
Most of the findings were in Gerlach’s basement, authorities said. They also recovered jewelry believed to be linked to the graves, and a pacemaker that was still attached.
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“Detectives walked into a horror movie come to life in that home. It is truly, in the most literal sense of the word, horrific. I grieve for those who are upset by this, who are going through this, who are trying to figure out if it is, in fact, one of their loved ones,” Rouse added.
Police say Gerlach targeted mausoleums and underground vaults at the cemetery, which was established in 1855. Gerlach was arrested as he walked back toward his car with a crowbar, police said.
He also had a burlap bag in which officers found the mummified remains of two small children, three skulls and other bones.
Gerlach then told investigators that he took around 30 sets of human remains and showed them the graves he stole from, police said.
Police believe the remains were also taken from other cemeteries in the region. They are investigating the Human Bones and Skull Selling Group on Facebook, where Gerlach was reportedly tagged and pictured holding a skull.
He was charged with 100 counts each of abuse of a corpse and receiving stolen property, along with multiple counts of desecrating a public monument, desecrating a venerated object, desecrating a historic burial place, burglary, trespassing and theft.
Mount Moriah Cemetery released a statement on its Instagram Stories following Gerlach’s arrest, thanking Delaware County District Attorney’s Office, the Yeadon Police Department and the Philadelphia Police Department for “their hard work and dedication to this case.”
“Our team has been working alongside all parties involved and will continue to do so throughout the remainder of the investigation. Please direct any specific questions regarding this case to the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office,” it said.
“Mount Moriah is the largest abandoned cemetery in the United States. Its historic grounds are cared for by a dedicated group of approximately 12 volunteers who show up week in and week out to preserve this space.”
Gerlach is being held on $1-million bail, and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 20.
— With files from The Associated Press
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Follow reporter eating his way through the 2026 PA Farm Show show food
Reporter Jack Gleckler eats his way through the 2026 PA Farm Show show food court preview to find his favorites in burgers, perogies, mushrooms and more.
As we were sequestered around the Expo Hall and Main Hall at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center, guided by Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding and a Benjamin Franklin re-enactor Bill Robling, my mind began to wander to food.
Thursday marked my inaugural visit to the annual Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg, the 110th iteration the expo and one that coincided with the 250th anniversary of the Untied States’ founding. While I and York Daily Record photographer Paul Kuehnel joined a flock of other reporters for the Farm Show’s preview, we were treated to a taste of many of the foods, both new and returning, that would be offered to visitors in the sprawling food court inside the Expo Hall.
Considering I hadn’t had breakfast that morning, I was willing to oblige.
With such an anniversary on the horizon, the Pennsylvania Dairyman’s Association unveiled a flight of red, white and blue milkshake flavors. Newer additions to the menu including pickle pizza from the Pennsylvania FFA and Lion’s Mane coffee from the Pennsylvania Mushroom Farmers, among others.
Here are some of the items the preview provided, as well as what to try when the food court opens at noon on Jan. 9.
Lion’s Mane Mushroom Coffee
Mushrooms are a major cash crop for Pennsylvania, with nearly 60 percent of U.S. production of the crop running through the commonwealth. Lion’s Mane mushrooms, especially, have been linked to brain health benefits thanks to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds, according to a published paper by the journal Nutrients.
The coffee itself is a dark roast blended with ground Lion’s Mane mushrooms, and the flavor provides a slight, hearty twang to its benefit. Considering I hadn’t had my own coffee that morning, it provided me with an immediate jolt of energy.
Pierogi
Fun fact: pierogi is plural! A classic done right by the PA Cooperative Potato Growers, Inc., the pierogi are soft, chewy and contain a starchy potato filling that satisfies any craving but doesn’t weigh you down. The pierogi also come with grilled onions on top, which adds a savory boost to keep you wanting more.
Blended Mushroom Steakhouse Burger
Piled high with a mix of mushrooms grown right in Pennsylvania and a slathering of Alabama barbecue sauce, the Pennsylvania Mushroom Farmers offer a burger with a twist. The patty itself is 75 percent grass-fed beef, 25 percent mushroom, and it works. The burger retains the flavor of a traditional all-beef patty while keeping in style with the Pennsylvania Mushroom Farmers’ mission to introduce the state’s cash crop to a variety of dishes. And the Alabama barbecue sauce provides a twang to the ensemble.
Stuffed Baby Bella Mushrooms
Returning to the menu provided by the Pennsylvania Mushroom Farmers, you are provided with four bite-sized mushrooms that come in two flavors: artichoke and spinach and bacon and cheese.
The mushrooms are an excellent snack or starter for the Farm Fest, filled with flavor and firm enough to burst with juices after your first bite.
Potato Doughnut
The granddaddy of them all and a Farm Show staple, the potato doughnut makes its return in its three traditional flavors: plain, powdered and cinnamon sugar. It’s not as flaky as a traditional doughnut, and not as heavy either.
Red, White and Blue Milkshakes
With the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding, the The Pennsylvania Dairyman’s Association, a vendor with the Farm Show since 1955, saw fit to roll out a milkshake flight of red, white and bBlue milkshakes to ring in the sestercentennial. The white is a normal vanilla flavor, the red is strawberry and the blue is a raspberry flavor.
The Dairyman’s Association has also made an intentional move this year away from artificial dyes in their milkshakes, shifting to natural dyes to provide the color.
Dave Smith, executive director of the Pennsylvania Dairyman’s Association, said the move had been a goal of the Dairyman’s Association ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
“That was one of my priorities, to figure out how we could do something like that,” Smith said. “What we found is that (the colors) are not as distinct as what they would have been if they were artificial. It’s more subtle.”
This shift doesn’t affect the flavor one bit. All three options are sweet, thick and delicious, as to be expected.
Plan your trip to the Pennsylvania Farm Show
For more information about the Farm Show, check out the full schedule of events here. The food court opens to the public on Jan. 9 from noon until 9 p.m. with the bulk of the expo running from Jan. 10-17.
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