Jul. 15—At long last, firefighters who work out of the 19th-century firehouse at Ninth and Marion street were given a "marker" that the modern fire station with all the amenities is close to becoming a reality.

A group of firefighters were invited to sign their names on a piece of steel beam that will be part of the structure taking shape in northeast Reading across Marion Street from the existing station.

It was part of the "top out" ceremony, a tradition that can be traced to the ancient Scandinavian religious rite of placing a tree atop a new building, for the project that broke ground in the fall and is due to be completed around mid-December.

The rank-and-file firefighters took their turn with the Sharpies after Mayor Eddie Moran, former Reading Councilman Stratton Marmarou and Fire Chief James Stoudt added their signatures.

Councilwoman Donna Reed even added her signature for posterity. She recalled doing the same thing during construction of the venue at Eighth and Penn streets that is today known as the Santander Arena.

Marmarou fought for nearly 16 years to have a new fire station built after seeing for himself the shabby conditions of the Ninth and Marion station shortly after being elected to his first term.

"I've been waiting 16 years for this," he said.

Moran thanked Marmarou for his efforts and said he was proud that the project came to fruition in his administration.

"It just shows that when you collaborate and you create synergy, as I often talk about with creating a better Reading, anything is possible," the mayor said.

Stoudt, who was appointed chief earlier this year, said the project will be a morale-booster for the department and the neighborhood. The department will be able to house additional apparatus and a spare medic unit there.

"We're glad to see it coming together," he said. "I know the guys who work at the station here are looking forward to it, as everybody is. It's going to be a great thing for the department and I hope it's a step in the right direction for the future and perhaps look into other options for other older buildings, too."

Firefighter Michael Biancone, who has been with the department for 28 years, said he's looking forward to having better sleeping quarters, better living quarters and a dedicated exercise room, as well as the arrival of a new engine in the spring.

"It's going to be a great way to ride out my career," he said.

The father of a North Carolina pilot, who died after exiting a plane during a mid-flight emergency, said his family is still trying to reckon with what led to

Makes a lot of sense, actually.View Entire Post ›

Angelina Jolie just gave fans a rare update on one of her children, and we know she’s the proudest mama right now. On July 31, Jolie gave fans a welcomed update on one of her children, specifically Zahara Jolie-Pitt, and her future! The proud mama posted a picture of Zahara with her “Spelman sisters” to […]

A whole lot of yikes.View Entire Post ›

Ne-Yo's wife, Crystal Smith, has accused the singer of being unfaithful for eight years, wishing him "nothing but the best" in a social media post Saturday.

On July 27, Momoa and Gonzáez were spotted riding through Malibu, California, together after having split up about a month ago over scheduling issues.

While Ben Affleck’s ex Gwyneth Paltrow adores that he and Jennifer Lopez finally tied the knot, Lopez’s ex isn’t so supportive. Her first husband Ojani Noa has remained low-key over the years, especially after their infamous split in 1998. But after Bennifer 2.0 eloped a few weeks ago, he has some highly controversial things to […]

Hero of Ukraine and the owner of the Nibulon company, the country's largest grain trader, Oleksiy Vadaturskyi, was killed during the mass Russian shelling of the Black Sea city of Mykolaiv on the night of July 31, European Business Association has reported.

Unfortunately, 2022 hasn't been a good year for many kids.View Entire Post ›

A New York City woman who sued members of the Colombo Mafia crime family for $10 million in 2017 over the murder of her 21-year-old son in the 90s died in a Brooklyn car crash Friday.

Country singer Shania Twain is married to her husband Frédéric Thiébaud. The Netflix star and businessman met through their previous partners, Mutt Lange and Marie-Anne Thiébaud. Read about their unique love story.

Crystal Renay said in an Instagram post on Saturday evening that what NE-YO does is "no longer my concern"

Lily Swindell found both her reception and ceremony wedding dress from thrift stores. A seamstress modernized the vintage gowns.

Before getting married to Luis "Louie" Ruelas later this summer, RHONJ's Teresa Giudice celebrated with a fun-filled bridal shower, which was attended by a few other Bravolebrities.

From spending beyond your financial means to drinking too much at the ceremony, here are some things to avoid as a member of the bridal party.

Jennifer Lopez will be performing at the LuisaViaRoma for UNICEF charity gala on Saturday in Capri, Italy

One of the Russian pilots' fathers revealed that he believed his son's death was caused by HIMARS, a long-range weapons system from the US.

Ne-Yo's wife Chrystal Renay Smith penned a scathing post about her husband, alleging that he has been unfaithful to her. Read her post and find out how he responded.

Florida will allow veterans to become teachers without earning college degrees. Sadly, that's not the only bad idea that's come to life in our state.