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.
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“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%.”
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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.
Francisco Fernandez, 95, poses for a portrait outside St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Reading, Pa., on June 9, 2024.
Immigration is a key topic
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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.
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“We’re neutral,” he says. “We just believe in God.”
A man smokes a cigarette in front of the “Latino Americans for Trump” office in Reading, Pa., on June 16, 2024.
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.
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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.
A sign is displayed at the “Latino Americans for Trump” office in Reading, Pa., June 16. 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.
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.”
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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.”
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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.”
NEW CASTLE, Pa. (MyValleyTributes) – Charles “Yami” Frederick Jamison, age 83, of New Castle, Pennsylvania, formerly of Warren, Ohio, passed away, surrounded by his family, on Saturday, May 9, 2026, in Haven Convalescent Home.
Mr. Jamison was born December 2, 1942, in New Castle, a son of the late Charles N. and Anna (Callihan) Jamison and was a 1960 graduate of New Castle High School.
Charles worked as an order checker clerk for Packard Electric Company, Warren, Ohio, for 31 years, until his retirement in 1999.
A proud veteran, he served his country in the United States Navy.
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He was a member of St. Mary’s Church, Warren, Ohio and also attended Mass at Holy Spirit Parish – St. Mary’s Church.
Charles spent his free time hunting and playing Euchre.
He is survived by his four sisters, Margaret I. Klann, Mary E. DeMarco and Catherine “Kay” A. Houk (Robert), all of New Castle and Susan J. Olson (Donald), Winfield, Illinois; his brother, Richard Jamison (Linda) of New Castle; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the City Rescue Mission, 319 S. Croton Ave., New Castle, PA, 16101, and the Salvation Army, 240 W. Grant St., New Castle, PA, 16101.
The family would like to extend their gratitude and appreciation to the Haven Convalescent Home for the care and support that Charles received over the years.
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Calling Hours will be from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 111 W. Falls St., New Castle.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on 10:30 a.m., Wednesday May 13, 2026, in Holy Spirit Parish – St. Mary’s Church, 124 N. Beaver St., New Castle, with Rev. Aaron Kriss, as celebrant.
Interment: Castleview Memorial Gardens, Neshannock Twp.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Charles F. Jamison, please visit our flower store.
Is Using Your Phone at a Red Light Legal in Delaware?
Whether or not you can legally use a cellphone at a red light in Delaware is complicated.
According to the Delaware State Code, “No person shall drive a motor vehicle on any highway while using an electronic communication device while such motor vehicle is in motion.”
Traveling from the First State to the Keystone State soon?
If so, you might want to put your cellphone down while you’re in the car unless you don’t mind coughing up a few extra bucks.
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Beginning June 6, drivers caught using an electrical device while driving will be fined $50.
See how the new law works and what devices are legal to use while driving in neighboring Pennsylvania and here in Delaware.
Is it legal to use a cellphone while driving in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania law has barred drivers from reading, writing or sending text messages while driving since 2012, but other handheld cellphone uses were permitted.
The new law that takes effect next month expands the ban to all handheld device use while driving.
New law expands cellphone driving ban in PA
The new regulation, dubbed Paul Miller’s Law, defines an interactive mobile device as basically any electronic handheld device that can be used for things such as voice communication, texting, surfing the internet, playing games, taking photos or sharing social media that can be operated using at least one hand or “supporting body part” or requires pressing more than a single button.
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Can I text at a red light in Delaware?: Why the answer is more vague than you think
Can I text when stopped at a red light in Pennsylvania?
No, the Pennsylvania law defines driving as operating a motor vehicle on a highway, including anytime the vehicle is temporarily stationary because of traffic, a traffic control device or other momentary delay such as a traffic backup.
What are the penalties for using a cellphone while driving in PA?
Prior to the law going into effect, the penalty is a written warning.
Starting June 6, the penalty is a summary offense with a $50 fine, plus court costs and other fees.
The law does not authorize the seizure of an interactive wireless device.
The violation carries no points against your license and it is not recorded on the driver’s record for noncommercial drivers. It will be recorded on a commercial driver’s record as a non-sanction violation.
If a driver is convicted of homicide by vehicle and driving while distracted, they may be sentenced up to an additional five years in prison.
When can you use a mobile device in the car in Pennsylvania?
A driver may use an interactive mobile device if the driver moves the vehicle to the side of or off a highway and halts in a location where the vehicle can safely remain stationary
The hands-free law allows for an emergency use exception if it is necessary to communicate with a law enforcement official or other emergency service to prevent injury to persons or property.
The texting ban does not include the use of a GPS device or a system or device that is physically or electronically integrated into the vehicle, or a communications device that is affixed to a mass transit vehicle, bus or school bus.
Who is the new law in PA named for?
Paul Miller Jr., 21, was killed in a head-on motor vehicle accident with a tractor-trailer in 2010 in Monroe County as the result of a distracted driver who reached for their phone while driving. He was a junior at East Stroudsburg University where he was majoring in sociology.
After his death, his mother, Eileen Miller, has become a national advocate for stronger laws to curb distracted driving. In 2024, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed the law prohibiting the use of hand-held devices while driving, making Pennsylvania the 29th state to ban distracted driving.
Delaware driving laws: Can you use a cellphone while driving in Delaware?
Can you use a cellphone while driving in Delaware?
No, it is illegal for drivers to use any hand-held devices while driving in Delaware — and has been for over a decade.
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This ban not only includes cellphones and smartphones, but also laptops, portable computers and tablets.
Drivers are also barred from reading, writing or sending text messages or emails; using the internet; or talking without a hands-free device at the ready while operating a vehicle.
Is there a fine for using a cellphone while driving in Delaware?
Any motorist caught using any hand-held device while driving will be fined $100 for their first offense. Any subsequent offense will result in a fine between $200 and $300.
“This bill does not legalize adult-use cannabis, but eventually we probably will. If we have this board set up ahead of time, they can do it in a professional manner.”
By Ian Karbal, Pennsylvania Capital-Star
A state Senate committee has advanced a bill to create a Cannabis Control Board that would allow more oversight of the existing medical marijuana program. It would also regulate hemp-derived products, which contain intoxicating cannabinoids and are currently sold in head shops and gas stations around the commonwealth.
The bill’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-Erie), who has advocated for the legalization of recreational marijuana, says it would not legalize adult-use cannabis in Pennsylvania, but he hopes it can serve as a step towards that goal.
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“I think we need the board whether we ever legalize adult-use cannabis,” Laughlin said. “But if and when we do legalize adult-use cannabis, this is kind of laying the foundation for that.”
The bill has the support of cannabis industry groups, and has garnered several co-sponsors who have been hesitant on previous efforts to legalize recreational marijuana. It’s also earned opponents who are in favor of a broader legalization effort.
How would the board work?
Senate Bill 49 would take regulatory authority of the existing medical marijuana program from the state Department of Health and transfer it to a new Cannabis Control Board—sort of like how the Gaming Control Board oversees gambling in the commonwealth.
‘While the Department of Health has worked hard within its authority, it was never designed to manage a rapidly growing industry, resulting in a program bogged down by slow responses, inconsistent oversight and a lack of clarity—frustrating patients and legitimate businesses,” Laughlin said in a statement.
The new board, he said, would be able to move more quickly and to make decisions affecting the program without always requiring the approval of the legislature.
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“The goal is obviously, if we create this board ahead of time, we can run all things cannabis in Pennsylvania in a professional manner,” Laughlin said. “And if you have a board that is set up, and they are allowed to promulgate regulations, we won’t have to pass a separate bill every time something pops up.”
The panel would also take on the regulation of hemp-derived products like delta-8 THC and other intoxicating cannabinoids.
These products, which are available for sale at stores around Pennsylvania, proliferated after the 2018 federal Farm Bill redefined hemp in an attempt to allow farmers to more easily grow the crop, even when it contains trace amounts of delta-9 THC, the intoxicating substance in marijuana.
But the legal change also opened a loophole, allowing people to process those hemp plants into products with other intoxicating compounds derived from it, like delta-8 THC.
The items are now commonly found in stores across the state, face virtually no regulatory oversight, and are generally not evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
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The FDA has warned that the proliferation of the products has led to an uptick in calls to poison control centers and reports of so-called adverse events. The agency says the products can be mislabeled or contain potentially harmful chemicals.
And Laughlin says, in some cases, they’re sold to young Pennsylvanians without ID requirements.
The effort to create a cannabis control board in Pennsylvania has earned praise from the pro-cannabis lobbying group, Responsible PA, which represents many cannabis businesses like dispensaries operating under Pennsylvania’s medical program. Their clients’ products face significantly more regulation than over-the-counter hemp-derived products.
“I would say this is a step forward,” said Monica McCafferty, a Responsible PA spokesperson. “We know that about 70 percent of Pennsylvanians do want adult-use legalization, so we as an advocate group are focused on that, but Senate Bill 49 is a step forward.”
She praised the effort to regulate hemp-derived products and also called it a move in the right direction, “in terms of keeping the conversation going and ultimately getting to a place where we have comprehensive cannabis regulation.”
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Some sellers of medical cannabis have also embraced the effort.
“While licensed marijuana operators adhere to some of the nation’s strictest safety and testing protocols, 87 percent of Pennsylvanians are unaware that hemp-derived products are not currently held to those same requirements,” said Marcus Peter, the vice president of external affairs for Terrapin, a company that was among the earliest recipients of a marijuana grower/processor licenses through Pennsylvania’s medical program. “By establishing a Cannabis Control Board, we can ensure that every operator—regardless of the product’s origin—meets the same high bar for consumer safety and lab-tested quality.”
Notably, the federal definition of hemp is set to change again in November in an attempt to close what’s known as the “hemp loophole.” The change in law will severely restrict the amount of THC that hemp-derived products sold in stores can contain, and ban synthetic cannabinoids altogether.
Will it lead to legalization?
While Laughlin has stressed that his bill would not legalize recreational cannabis in Pennsylvania, he told reporters that he hopes it will be “a step that’s needed to make that happen.”
“This bill does not legalize adult-use cannabis, but eventually we probably will,” he added. “If we have this board set up ahead of time, they can do it in a professional manner.”
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Laughlin has long been a supporter of legalizing cannabis since a time, he said, the stance was “cutting edge” for a Republican.
As it stands, the Republican-controlled Senate remains the largest obstacle to legalizing recreational cannabis.
Gov. Josh Shapiro (D), for his part, has included legalizing cannabis in each of his annual budget proposals since taking office. House Democrats have also expressed support for legalization, and passed a bill to that end last year, which died in the Senate.
But Laughlin is hopeful that times are changing. More Republicans, he said, have expressed openness to legalizing cannabis for recreational use in recent months and years. That’s been especially true since the Trump administration took steps to reclassify cannabis from a Schedule I to Schedule III substance, which acknowledges potential medical benefits and clears the way for more research on its effects.
“Some of our more conservative members are watching the president kind of wade into this, if you will. And times are changing pretty rapidly,” he said.
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It’s unclear what practical effects, if any, rescheduling could have in marijuana-related criminal cases, the existing medical market, or how the substance is treated in the commonwealth.
Sen. President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) is one of the bill’s co-sponsors. As Senate president, she plays a key role in deciding which committees bills are sent to, and whether they receive a floor vote in the chamber. In the past, she’s expressed hesitance about efforts to legalize recreational marijuana for adults in Pennsylvania.
A spokesperson for Ward did not respond to questions from the Capital-Star about her support of the bill or where she stands on recreational legalization.
On the other hand, Laughlin’s bill was opposed by all Democrats on the Senate Law & Justice Committee, where it received a 6-5 vote Monday. Sen. Dawn Keefer (R-York) joined every Democrat on the panel in opposing it.
A spokesperson for Senate Democrats said the caucus is in favor of full legalization, but opposes what they see as a stop-gap measure, especially as key figures in the Republican party continue to oppose recreational cannabis.
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Their statement cited a recent comment from Republican gubernatorial candidate Stacey Garrity, who told a Philadelphia NBC station, “I don’t support legalizing recreational marijuana… [The legislature is] never going to pass it, not as long as Senate Republicans are in control of the Senate.”
“Senate Democrats have long championed legalizing recreational marijuana as the right and smart move for the Commonwealth,” the spokesperson said. “SB 49 does not move us closer to this goal. Senate Democrats are committed to ensuring that cannabis products are safe and regulated, but SB 49 does not meet our standards.
“Perhaps most importantly, the Republican candidate for Governor made it clear that Senate Republicans are not interested in legalizing adult-use recreational cannabis,” they said. “Pennsylvania is leaving money on the table by entertaining distractions about a regulatory board in the absence of a conversation about legalizing adult-use marijuana.”
A spokesperson for Shapiro did not respond to questions about whether the governor supports the effort.
All of Pennsylvania’s neighboring states, save West Virginia, have legalized recreational marijuana. The Independent Fiscal Office has estimated that regulated recreational marijuana could bring in $140 million in the 2026-2027 fiscal year, which would grow to over $430 million annually by 2031.
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Laughlin said he thinks the Cannabis Control Board bill has a “very good chance” of receiving a full Senate vote in June.
This story was first published by Pennsylvania Capital-Star.
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