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Articles by Ben Hasty
Pennsylvania played a vital role in the growth and spread of public libraries in America.
The nation’s first successful circulating library was established almost 300 years ago by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia.
Chocolate Factory Explosion
FILE - Emergency personnel work at the site of a deadly explosion at a chocolate factory, March 25, 2023, in West Reading, Pa. Pennsylvania utility regulators must turn over inspection records to the National Transportation Safety Board as part of the federal agency’s probe into a fatal explosion at a chocolate factory last year, a federal judge ruled Tuesday, April 16, 2024.
Chocolate Factory Explosion
FILE - Emergency personnel work at the site of a deadly explosion at a chocolate factory in West Reading, Pa., March 25, 2023. Natural gas leaked from a defective fitting
FILE - Emergency personnel work at the site of a deadly explosion at a chocolate factory in West Reading, Pa., March 25, 2023. Natural gas leaked from a defective fitting at the Pennsylvania chocolate factory where a powerful explosion leveled one building, heavily damaged another and killed seven people, federal safety investigators said on Tuesday, July 18, as they sought to pinpoint a cause.
Chocolate Factory Explosion
FILE - Emergency personnel work at the site of a deadly explosion at a chocolate factory in West Reading, Pa., March 25, 2023. Natural gas leaked from a defective fitting at the Pennsylvania chocolate factory where a powerful explosion leveled one building, heavily damaged another and killed seven people, federal safety investigators said on Tuesday, July 18, as they sought to pinpoint a cause.
Chocolate Factory Explosion
FILE - Emergency personnel work at the site of a deadly explosion at a chocolate factory in West Reading, Pa., March 25, 2023. Natural gas leaked from a defective fitting at the Pennsylvania chocolate factory where a powerful explosion leveled one building, heavily damaged another and killed seven people, federal safety investigators said on Tuesday, July 18, as they sought to pinpoint a cause.
Chocolate Factory Explosion
Ben Hasty – member image share, Reading Eagle FILE – Emergency personnel work at the site of a deadly explosion at a chocolate factory in West Reading, Pa., March 25, 2023. According to a lawsuit filed Tuesday, April 11, a Pennsylvania candy-maker ignored warnings of a gas leak at its chocolate factory and bears responsibility for a subsequent explosion that killed seven workers.
Jumbled wreckage complicates chocolate factory blast probe
Death toll has risen to 7 from explosion Investigators looking for the cause of a deadly explosion that leveled part of a Pennsylvania chocolate factory faced an even more difficult task Monday as they combed through wreckage that was extensively picked apart and moved around during the intensive weekend search for victims and survivors.
Chocolate Factory Explosion
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Reading Eagle photographer’s favorite images he captured in 2021
I make a lot of photos. That may seem obvious, considering my job as the photojournalist here at the Reading Eagle, but I still think it’s worth mentioning. In 2021, I turned in 7,500 photos. So picking my favorites from that, well, it’s tough. The process of making some of those 7,500 photos was edge-of-my-seat exciting. Like watching the Reading High boys basketball team win the state championship game. My experience making some of the others was a little more subdued.
Berks Catholic High School students make Kindness Bags for shelters
It’s a school-day morning and the stage in the Berks Catholic High School auditorium is filled with the boisterous activity of seniors in a different kind of lesson, beyond the standard reading, writing and arithmetic. The students are members of the school’s Saint Ambassadors club, and the lesson Wednesday is about helping people in their community by assembling Kindness Bags, made of items donated by the student body to be given to area shelters for people in need.
Reading art teacher leads sidewalk mural effort
On a sunny Tuesday afternoon Doug Hatch used a thick piece of sidewalk chalk to draw freehand flowers and a long meandering snake on the sidewalk in front of 10th and Penn Elementary School in downtown Reading. For the next hour, a group of volunteers, some planned, some recruited passersby, used paint to add bold colors to Hatch’s chalk outlines. Sometimes a spill, or an overzealous young painter, goes outside the lines, leading to further improvisation.
2021 Schuylkill County Fair
At the Schuylkill County Fair in Schuylkill Haven, PA Monday evening August 2, 2021. 1 of 24 2021 Schuylkill County Fair photo gallery Adalynn Deal, 9, checks out a goat at the Schuylkill County Fair in Schuylkill Haven, PA Monday evening August 2, 2021. 2021 Schuylkill County Fair photo gallery Tractors drive through the fairgrounds during the Schuylkill County Agricultural Museum daily antique tractor parade.
Drexel University College of Medicine at Tower Health
During the opening of the Drexel University College of Medicine at Tower Health in Wyomissing, PA Tuesday morning July 27, 2021. 1 of 9 Drexel Medical School Gallery An exterior photo of the Medical School. During the opening of the Drexel University College of Medicine at Tower Health in Wyomissing, PA Tuesday morning July 27, 2021. Drexel Medical School Gallery From left are, Drexel University President John Fry, P.
Baseball: Oley vs Lake Lehman Class 3A
High School baseball, the Lake-Lehman vs the Oley Valley Lynx for a PIAA Class 3A playoff game at DeSales University's Weiland Park in Allentown Monday afternoon June 14, 2021. Oley won 2-1. Oley vs Lake Lehman Class 3A win Updated Jun 15, 2021 The Oley Valley baseball team celebrates their win. High School baseball, the Lake-Lehman vs the Oley Valley Lynx for a PIAA Class 3A playoff game at DeSales University's Weiland Park in Allentown Monday afternoon June 14, 2021. Oley won 2-1.
Stormwater runoff at Highbrooke Townhouses in Mohnton
Stormwater from a brief rainstorm flows through a drainage pipe in Mohnton Friday afternoon June 4, 2021 where the residents of the Highbrooke Townhouses have had problems with stormwater from a storm drain on East Madison Street being routed through their property by the borough, resulting in sinkholes and damage. The home owners association asserts that the measures taken were not sufficient to handle the volume of water, and resulted in sinkholes on their land.
Memorial for COVID-19 victims in Berks County
At the Reading Hospital in West Reading, PA Thursday evening April 8, 2021 where the Hospital held a Memorial ceremony for the 938 Berks County Residents who have died from COVID-19. Reading Hospital COVID-19 Memorial Dr. Mark Woodland reads a poem he wrote "100s of Lights for the 100s of Deaths, 100s of Survivors, and 100s of Heroes of COVID!". BEN HASTY — READING EAGLE Reading Hospital COVID-19 Memorial William M. Jennings, the President and CEO of Reading Hospital, speaks during the ceremony.
Reading Eagle Focus: Trying to choose THE photo
Reading Eagle Focus is a newsletter that takes a behind the scenes look at the making of a Reading Eagle photo. You can sign up to have it delivered to your inbox here. On Saturday I got to cover Reading High’s win in the state championship boys basketball game. It was 58-57 over Archbishop Wood, a nationally ranked team with four Division I recruits. It was a big deal, and a great game. The Reading High Boys basketball team before the start of the game.
Reading High State Championship Boys Basketball Game
High School boys basketball, the Reading High Red Knights vs the Archbishop Wood Vikings for the PIAA Class 6A championship game at the Giant Center in Hershey Saturday evening March 27, 2021. Reading High won 58-57. REG-L-RHS State Championship 2021 The Reading High School Boys Basketball team warms up before the start of the game.
Reading Eagle Focus: Photos from a year of COVID
Reading Eagle Focus is a newsletter that takes a behind the scenes look at the making of a Reading Eagle photo. You can sign up to have it delivered to your inbox here. Most of the stories I cover for the Reading Eagle don’t go on for more than a few weeks, or they only affect a relatively small portion of the people in the county. COVID-19 is different. You already know that though. Over the past year we’ve all lived through it together, while staying 6 feet apart.
Photos from a year of COVID-19
Photos from the Reading Eagle of one year of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Berks County. A Year of COVID-19 in Berks The photos in this gallery span a year in Berks County during the COVID-19 pandemic. From March 16, 2020 - March 15, 2021. Wernersville, PA - May 2: A yellow smiley face with a cloth face mask over the mouth area, next to the road by Koch's Auto Service in Wernersville Saturday morning May 2, 2020. During the Coronavirus / COVID-19 outbreak.
Football: Father Judge vs. Reading High
I am a photojournalist for the Reading Eagle, creating photos and videos to tell the stories of Berks County. I write the Focus newsletter, where I talk about the backstory of my photos. You can signup here: https://www.readingeagle.com/email_signup/
Reading High Wins District 3 Basketball Championship
High School boys basketball, the Wilson Bulldogs vs the Reading High Red Knights for a District 3 Class 6A championship game at the Berks Catholic High School Wolf Gymnasium Friday night March 12, 2021. Reading High won 66-58. District 3 Championship Gallery Reading High's Ruben Rodriguez Jr (2) goes up to the basket against Wilson's Stevie Mitchell (3).
Reading Eagle Focus: Catching a Train
Reading Eagle Focus is a newsletter that takes a behind the scenes look at the making of a Reading Eagle photo. You can sign up to have it delivered to your inbox here. “An insightful quote about trains should go here, to make me seem more learned and wise.” Ben Hasty “Wait! “ you’re probably thinking. “Is this whole story about hanging out by the railroad tracks to photograph a freight train?” Yes. It is. But don’t worry, it’s also about train hopping hobos! Actually, that’s not true.
Reading Eagle Focus: Snow!
Reading Eagle Focus is a newsletter that takes a behind the scenes look at the making of a Reading Eagle photo. You can sign up to have it delivered to your inbox here . Ahhh, snow. My young daughters become giddy and excited for sledding, snowmen, and hot chocolate when they hear that a storm is coming. I mumble incoherent profanities under my breath. It’s a joyful time for all. I know that a lot of adults share my lack of appreciation for the white stuff, and the logistical difficulties it causes.
Reading Eagle Focus: POTUS
Reading Eagle Focus is a newsletter that takes a behind the scenes look at the making of a Reading Eagle photo. You can sign up to have it delivered to your inbox here . Some photojournalists like covering big-ticket events, photographing famous people. Famous people don’t do much for me. It means long days, big crowds, and standing next to other photographers who are likely getting the same photos as you.
Focus: Snow Photos
Focus Snow Photos Gallery West Reading, PA - February 11: Canada Geese walk along the bank of the Wyomissing Creek. At the Reading Public Museum Arboretum in West Reading Thursday morning after snow fell the night before. BEN HASTY — READING EAGLE Focus Snow Photos Gallery West Reading, PA - February 11: Canada Geese swim on the Wyomissing Creek. At the Reading Public Museum Arboretum in West Reading Thursday morning after snow fell the night before.
Reading Eagle Focus: Wait for the light
Reading Eagle Focus is a newsletter that takes a behind the scenes look at the making of a Reading Eagle photo. You can sign up to have it delivered to your inbox here . A lot of what I photograph ends up being things moving quickly, or happening fast. Like a football player making a catch, or a soccer player heading a ball. Even if it’s not moving quite so fast, getting the photo means getting the timing just right. The Penn Street bridge wasn’t moving when I made this photo.
Reading Eagle Focus: Non Interference
Reading Eagle Focus is a newsletter that takes a behind the scenes look at the making of a Reading Eagle photo. You can sign up to have it delivered to your inbox here . I was confident that it was going to flood that day. Berks was getting hit by tropical storm Isaias, promising a lot of rain. But I wasn’t sure where it would be, so I just started driving around to some spots where it seemed likely. I headed to Muhlenberg, and stumbled on this spot on Kutztown road.
Reading Eagle Focus: Mistaken Monuments
Reading Eagle Focus is a newsletter that takes a behind the scenes look at the making of a Reading Eagle photo. You can sign up to have it delivered to your inbox here . It was a dumb idea to do a story about the statues in Reading City Park, because that meant I had the dumb photo assignment to try to make interesting photos of a bunch of statues. And, of course, I was the dummy who suggested this dumb story.
Reading Eagle Focus: Through the glass
Reading Eagle Focus is a newsletter that takes a behind the scenes look at the making of a Reading Eagle photo. You can sign up to have it delivered to your inbox here . High school basketball is an endurance sport. Or at least, photographing it is. There are a lot of games, and it’s easy for my photos to all start looking the same. I look for ways to make my photos different, not like the same image I made at the game before, and before that.
Roadside America
At Roadside America in Shartlesville Thursday morning January 7, 2021. The attraction with models, miniatures and trains is closing, the land and buildings have been sold, and the models are being auctioned. Most of the models were built by Laurence Gieringer, a Berks County artisan model builder Roadside America Photo Gallery Bill Howze, the auctioneer who will be running the sale, walks on the platform.
Reading Eagle Focus: Rainy Windshield
It was the downpour before the storm. No, that doesn’t make any sense and is a terrible way to start. Let me try again. It was August 4th, when Berks got heavy rain, and parts of the county saw serious flooding. I figured there would be creeks overflowing their banks that day, but at that point it was just raining, a lot. I had a morning assignment to photograph an exercise class at Berks Encore in Reading. I was about 10 minutes early, sitting in my car waiting. Did I mention it was raining? It was.
Reading Eagle Focus: Basketball Flight
I spent a good chunk of the 2019-2020 basketball season photographing then-Wilson junior Stevie Mitchell dominating the basketball court. So I’ve got a lot of pictures of Stevie in action. A dunking photo would have been appropriate. Stevie Mitchell dunks are fun to watch (though maybe not as a player on the opposing team). But this photo stands out as my favorite. He’s hanging there midair, and at the same time pushing his way past the defense.
Reading Eagle Focus
I am a photojournalist for the Reading Eagle, creating photos and videos to tell the stories of Berks County.
Reading Eagle Focus: Merry COVID Christmas
This year has been messed up. Let’s just start there, with that. So kids visiting Santa at Cabela’s through a plexiglass partition with Santa wearing a face shield? To me, that’s a symbol of what this year has been like. But the thing I like about it is that they made it work. Yeah, OK, no sitting on Santa’s lap. But he’ll still give you a fist bump through the glass. There are tech challenges with photographing plexiglass. One is that it reflects stuff and there’s glare.
Reading Eagle Focus: Fireworks
I should have been done with work, relaxing and enjoying the Fourth of July like a normal person. Earlier that day I went to Blue Marsh for the traditional Fourth of July capacity crowd. It went well, we had the photos we needed, and I could safely be done for the day. But it didn’t feel right. Fourth of July without fireworks photos seemed wrong. And there was going to be a display over Mount Penn starting at 10 p.m. I tried to make myself believe that I’d be happier staying home and having a beer.
Photo Gallery: Ben Hasty's Favorite Photos of 2020
These are some of my favorite photos that I made in 2020. Ben Hasty Favorite Photos of 2020 Reading more about this photo Tilden twp., PA - November 20: Cali Hammer, 5, of Ontelaunee township, fists bumps through the plexiglass partition with Santa Clause, while her brother Bryce Hammer, 7, watches.
Ben Hasty's Favorite Photos of 2020
These are some of my favorite photos that I made in 2020. Ben Hasty Favorite Photos of 2020 Reading more about this photo Tilden twp., PA - November 20: Cali Hammer, 5, of Ontelaunee township, fists bumps through the plexiglass partition with Santa Clause, while her brother Bryce Hammer, 7, watches.
Boys Basketball: Berks Catholic vs. Exeter
High School Boys Basketball, the Berks Catholic Saints vs. the Exeter Eagles at Exeter High School in Reiffton Friday night December 11, 2020. Exeter won 60-49. Photo Gallery BC vs. Exeter The Exeter High School boys basketball team members wear masks as they warm up before the start of their game. BEN HASTY — READING EAGLE Photo Gallery BC vs. Exeter The Exeter High School boys basketball team members wear masks as they warm up before the start of their game.
Wyomissing Area State Football Championship Game
High School Football, the Wyomissing Area Spartans vs the Central Valley Warriors for a PIAA Class 3A championship game at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey PA Friday afternoon November 27, 2020. Central Valley won 35 - 21. Photo Gallery Wyomissing Area State championship game The Wyomissing Area football team walks off the field after warmups at the start of the game.
Photo Gallery: Trump Campaign Rally At Reading Airport
At the Reading Regional Airport in Bern Township, PA Saturday afternoon October 31, 2020 where United States President Donald J. Trump spoke during a campaign rally for his bid for reelection. Trump Campaign Rally In Reading Photo Gallery Supporters of President Donald J. Trump wait in line to get into the rally. BEN HASTY — READING EAGLE Trump Campaign Rally In Reading Photo Gallery Supporters of President Donald J. Trump wait in line to get into the rally.
Vice President Mike Pence comes to Reading Airport
I am a photojournalist for the Reading Eagle, creating photos and videos to tell the stories of Berks County.
Make Sure Your Mail-In Ballot Counts!
Steps to make sure your mail in ballot is filled out correctly and counted in the upcoming election.
Make Sure Your Mail-In Ballot Counts!
Steps to make sure your mail in ballot is filled out correctly and counted in the upcoming election.
Photo Gallery: Reading City Hall
At the City Hall Building in Reading, PA Thursday afternoon September 3, 2020. The structure was built in 1904 as a high school for boys. In 1928 it was sold to the City of Reading and remodeled to be used as City Hall. 1 of 20 The Washington Street entrance to Reading City Hall. At the City Hall Building in Reading, PA Thursday afternoon September 3, 2020. The structure was built in 1904 as a high school for boys. In 1928 it was sold to the City of Reading and remodeled to be used as City Hall.
Photo Gallery Shiloh Hills Reopening Prep
At Shiloh Hills Elementary School, part of the Wilson School District in Spring Township, PA Friday afternoon August 21, 2020 where school teachers and administrators are preparing to open on August 26th for the school year after being closed since spring as a precaution against the COVID-19 / Coronavirus outbreak. Shiloh Hills Reopening Prep Photo Gallery A schedule in one of the 1st grade classrooms, with time added through the day for hand washing.
Photo Gallery: Kutztown University Protest over Reopening plan
On Main Street in Kutztown outside the Kutztown University President's house Thursday morning August 20, 2020 where a group of five faculty and staff stood holding signs and wearing masks protesting to express concerns with the university's reopening plan during the Coronavirus / COVID-19 outbreak. 1 of 16 A protester, wearing a plague doctor mask with a beak, a graduation gown, and mortarboard.
Photo Gallery: Wyomissing Pond Cleanup and Adding Native Plants
In Wyomissing, PA Tuesday afternoon August 18, 2020 where a group was cleaning up and planting native species of aquatic plants in the duck pond on Parkside Drive South at the intersection with Wyomissing Blvd. 1 of 16 Volunteers clean up around the edge of the pond before planting. In Wyomissing, PA Tuesday afternoon August 18, 2020 where a group was cleaning up and planting native species of aquatic plants in the duck pond on Parkside Drive South at the intersection with Wyomissing Blvd.
Photo Gallery, Murals Dedicated in Downtown Reading
Murals dedicated in Reading Photo Gallery The mural "Stay Humble, Don't Quit!" by Theron Cook. On Penn Street in Reading, PA Tuesday afternoon August 18, 2020 where 8 murals by local artists have been placed on the bus shelters, and were dedicated today. BEN HASTY — READING EAGLE Murals dedicated in Reading Photo Gallery David Kilmer, the Executive Director of the South Central Transit Authority, speaks during the dedication for the bus shelter murals.
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