We're back from our Summer hiatus with a recap on everything that happened over the 4th of July weekend in Berks County. From the 4014 Big Boy train to the Fifa Fan Zones, there were events for people of all ages, interests and abilities. We talk about WHY these events matter and how they shape the communities we call home.

On our 3rd episode, we explore how tourism impacts Berks County. Tourism is a key economic driver for many communities, but it often looks different from county to county. We explore the details of tourism's impact on Berks County from Experience Reading & Berks County's annual meeting report. We finish up by talking about the Fifa Fan Zone in Reading, one of 3 communities throughout Pennsylvania selected to host free fan activities during the World Cup celebrations.

On this episode, Alex Roche and Derek Harris are joined by Mark Mohn, the Government Affairs Director for the Reading-Berks Association of Realtors. The 3 of us have been working on various housing problems for several years, but this is the first time we sit down and share some of the information we've learned about how we got here and what it will take to move the needle on housing. Just like housing is not one size fits all, neither are the solutions for increasing affordability and supply.

Fresh off the State of the County, hosted by the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, Alex Roche, Derek Harris, and Rae-Ann Miller join Toni Reece to recap the event and provide context on how the Berks County economy is doing.