Coldest Night of the Year walk raises money for families in need in Reading
The event at the Penn State Berks campus shines a light on those who are hurt, hungry and homeless in the community while raising critical funds for the Reading nonprofit's food programs, officials said.
Christie Botterbusch, executive director, speaks to the walkers in the Coldest Night of the Year 5K Walk on Saturday at the Penn State Berks Campus. Nearly 300 walkers participated to benefit New Journey Community Outreach. Over $49,700 has been raised so far to benefit the homeless outreach. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
New Journey Community Outreach Inc. was established in 2014 in response to the closing of New Journey United Methodist Church, which merged with West Lawn United Methodist Church.
The nonprofit has assumed responsibility for continuing the essential food and clothing services through a food pantry, lunch program and clothing center provided for low-income people by 'the yellow church' at 138 S. Sixth St., which served as a leader for social outreach programs in southwest Reading for the past five decades, officials said.
Walkers step off in the Coldest Night of the Year 5K Walk on Saturday at the Penn State Berks Campus. Nearly 300 walkers participated to benefit New Journey Community Outreach. Over $49,700 has been raised so far to benefit the homeless outreach. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)The Nittany Lion high-fives walkers in the Coldest Night of the Year 5K Walk on Saturday at the Penn State Berks Campus. Nearly 300 walkers participated to benefit New Journey Community Outreach. Over $49,700 has been raised so far to benefit the homeless outreach. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
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Boston Globe
a day ago
- Boston Globe
‘It's definitely Rat City for a reason.' A ‘rat safari' in Allston sheds flashlight on rodent problem
'When nighttime falls, we have to close up shop and not be in the backyard anymore, because the rats kind of take over,' Sudarska, who lives in Brighton, said. The free Rat Walk was organized by the Advertisement Reports of rats have surged in recent years, affecting Allston-Brighton and other neighborhoods. Last year, the city established the Boston Rodent Action Plan, which outlines strategies to reduce rodent infestation, and now, the city is advancing an ordinance to create a 'rat czar' after one was appointed in New York City, a metropolitan area that also struggles with the critters. Advertisement The walk shines a literal flashlight on the rodent problem — in a way that fits the area's 'punk, anti-establishment, against-the-grain' reputation, according to Ricky Meinke, the organizer of the walk and festival. 'There's always this phrase: Keep Allston weird,' he said. Rat rangers leaned into their roles, waving giant nets and wearing safari-inspired outfits. Qualifications for the job? 'You need to be courageous, knowledgeable, brave,' said rat ranger Alex Hartgrove. As the crowd gathered at the designated meeting point, a parking lot behind a liquor store, at 8 p.m., one passerby exclaimed, 'There's a city rat walk? Are you serious?' Yes, they were serious. During the walk, someone called out, 'It's in the bush!' A hush promptly fell over the group as flashlights lit up a shrub in hopes of catching a glimpse of a rat. A blue graffitied dumpster behind apartment buildings proved more promising. Rats scurried aplenty. Roger Duarte, 8 of Brighton, checks out a known rats' nest during the Allston Rat Walk. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Mariya Sudarska and Brian Lambert, both of Brighton, wear their 'Ratatouille' inspired headbands for the Allston Rat Walk. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff There, Isa Contessi, 25, from Brighton, said one rat almost attacked the group. 'It came out of nowhere and then disappeared into nowhere,' Contessi said. Contessi said the neighborhood of Brighton is 'punk' and 'grungy,' just like a rat. 'The punkness of the rats is the punkness of the people.' Rob Glynn, 36, from Quincy, showed up to the Rat Walk with his skateboard. He frequents Allston for its skate spots and sees rats 'everywhere.' He wore a bright yellow T-shirt with a cartoon rat that read 'Rats off to ya!' The shirt had been waiting in his closet for a day like this, he said. 'It's definitely Rat City for a reason,' he said, with a relaxed smile. 'It's a way of life out here.' Advertisement Between sightings, rat rangers and Boston Inspectional Services Department representatives spoke about rat mitigation. They encouraged taking out trash in a timely manner, and limiting the amount of time trash bags sit on the sidewalk. 'The most effective way is sanitation,' said John Ulrich, assistant commissioner of environmental services. 'It's all trash. If there's no food, there'll be no rats.' He said pet owners should pick up after their dogs, as rats can live off their waste. 'It's like their cake,' one representative added. A rat is seen running through bushes during the Allston Rat Walk, hosted by the Rat City Arts Festival. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Becca Allen of Brighton holds her bingo card during the Allston Rat Walk. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff The The city's rat problem poses health risks to impacted communities. according to a study published in April. In humans, symptoms include an upset stomach, and in some rare cases, multiorgan failure and death. Residents in Allston-Brighton have long been frustrated by the rat problem. Absentee landlords and a lack of management lead to rats coming in, which needs to change, said Meinke, the festival organizer. When Meinke moved to Allston in 2016, he had unwanted roommates who weren't paying rent: rats living in his walls. He struggled to get his landlord to arrange for an exterminator. 'Our neighborhood has seen such an increase in absentee landlords,' Meinke said. 'Tenants can't do everything to solve the rat problem.' Advertisement On a positive note, the nickname Rat City builds 'camaraderie' among the Allston-Brighton community, as neighbors exchange 'war stories' about rats, Meinke said. The nickname was coined off ' 'We live with the rats. We just deal with it, because we're working two jobs. We're getting to the gig,' Meinke said. The Rat City Arts Festival hosts many events spotlighting the neighborhood's arts scene. The week culminated in a 'Despite all the challenges that we, as neighbors, face, we're going to overcome them. We're still going to be our authentic selves, find joy in our neighborhood,' Meinke said. Rat ranger Jesse Sannicandro of Brighton carries a toy rat in a net to start the Allston Rat Walk. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Jessica Ma can be reached at
CBS News
04-08-2025
- CBS News
Nearly 9,000 teachers in Pennsylvania left the profession in 2024. Experts reveal possible reasons why.
Like a math problem on a final exam, the question of why teachers are leaving the profession is complex. But unlike an exam, there isn't one right answer to the problem. "In our world, we have a ton of problems, and there's hardly ever one band-aid solution that'll work," Yazmin Dalsimer, a former teacher in Pittsburgh, said. Stagnant teacher salaries, poor working conditions, opportunities in higher-paying careers and a lack of support for new teachers are factors in the subtraction. "Why would I subject myself to this?" Professor Edward Fuller said. "I can go work somewhere else and make about the same money and not have to deal with that?" Fuller teaches future educators at Penn State's Center for Education Evaluation and Policy Analysis. He also studies why people do not become teachers. "College has become increasingly expensive," Fuller said. "When tuition goes up, now it's like, well, I'm going to go into a profession that doesn't pay great." Last year, nearly 9,000 teachers left the profession in Pennsylvania, about 7% of teachers working in the commonwealth. That's an improvement because the year before, 9,500 left. And the number of newly-certified teachers is nowhere near what it'll take to replace them, as just 5,600 certifications were issued last year. "There are so many obstacles, not just in Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh, all over the country," Dalsimer said. "Why would anybody want to be a teacher?" Dalsimer taught for more than 10 years in New York City before moving to Pittsburgh in 2017. She eventually got a job teaching at an elementary school in Larimer, where she worked until 2022. "There's just not enough compensation for the amount that teachers have to do," she said. "I had kids who had learning disabilities, health issues like diabetes, and parents needed support." One stopgap measure school districts are increasingly turning to is emergency certifications that do not require a teacher to have gone through a program or spent time as a student teacher. "We can flood schools with teachers," Fuller said. "They won't teach very well, but we'll have more than enough teachers, and that's what we have now in Pennsylvania. We have over 8,000 people on emergency permits. But they're not certified to teach." Fuller said in southwestern Pennsylvania, the teacher shortage is "not as bad" as it could be. "Part of it is because nobody's moving to the western part, right? So, it's easier," Fuller said. "You don't have to find additional teachers on top of the ones you already have." In Allegheny County, where there are more than 10,700 teachers, the Pennsylvania Department of Education estimates there's a shortage of 397, with 3% of teachers on emergency permits. Compare that to Philadelphia, where there's a shortage of nearly 3,600 teachers, with nearly 25% on emergency permits. Dalsimer said beyond the baseline of better salaries, young teachers need mentors and support. "How are we compensating and thinking about compensating teachers that want to coach younger teachers?" Dalsimer said. "How are we compensating younger teachers who are great leaders, grow quickly and want to be a part of admin?" One approach is certifying more teachers and paying them while they're learning. Last year, lawmakers increased funding to $20 million to support more than 2,100 student teachers with $10,000 stipends. However, the state says more than 4,000 student teachers applied. Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposed budget for 2025-26 would double the program's funding to $40 million, but the budget is still in front of the legislature, past its deadline by more than a month. "That's what I mean by we're not prioritizing education in this country," Dalsimer said. "If we would, we would see more for teachers to be able to get through the certification requirements, these things that cost money. We would see their salaries going up higher." Fuller says the impact of having more qualified teachers in classrooms is enormous on kids' education outcomes. He says research continually shows that, aside from parents, teachers are the most important factor in influencing student learning.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Yahoo
PSU study reports 19 farm deaths across Pennsylvania in 2024
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