THURSDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2010 • READING, PENNSYLVANIA • 50 CENTS

DISCUSSING YOUR
HEAVY WORKLOAD
Tactfully asking the boss for a break | Money, D1

SWEET PAIRING: BERKS WINE & CHOCOLATE weekend

READING EAGLE readingeagle.com

STAGGERING SNOWSTORM Today

6 a.m.
22°
Noon
26°
6 p.m.
28°

BERKS & BEYOND ❯❯

SON JOINS FATHER

ON HAMBURG BOARD
Curtis Adams, 19, Berks County’s youngest
school director, has quite a mentor: 23-year
member Brooke K. Adams . B1
HEALTH/SCIENCE ❯❯

CAN A TEDIOUS LIFE KILL YOU?

Well, not exactly, but a new study suggests
a higher risk for heart and other problems
among the chronically bored. A8

STUTTERING GENES
Scientists find a potential genetic cause of
stuttering and they hope for a possible en-
READING EAGLE: LAUREN A. LITTLE
zyme treatment in the future. A8
A pedestrian, whether by choice or necessity is uncertain, walks down Ninth Street during Wednesday’s snowstorm. WASHINGTON ❯❯

A GOOD SHOW BUT …

18 to 23 inches fall Bipartisan measures in Congress aimed at
boosting employment might show a break
in gridlock but it would create few jobs. A9
across county; schools, SPORTS ❯❯

roads, businesses shut ALBRIGHT’S MIRACLE

BASKETBALL GUARD
By Mike Urban Nineteen months after losing
Reading Eagle 50 percent of his blood and
nearly his life, Jeff Sparrow is back on the
A powerful Nor’easter dumped more than court, inspiring all around. C1
a foot of snow throughout Berks County on MONEY ❯❯
Wednesday, closing all schools and bringing
most businesses to a standstill. DIGITAL UPGRADE AT COMCAST
Major highways, including Interstates 78 Some of the company’s Reading-area cable
and 176, were closed by midafternoon as an customers will be getting free equipment as
intense, driving snow blanketed the region. its channels go digital-only. D1
The county commissioners declared a
disaster emergency as most major and sec- LIFE ❯❯
ondary roads became impassable.
There were no immediate reports of in-
MODELS SHARE SHOPPING TIPS
juries from the storm, although officials From choosing an adjustable-tie bottom to
at Reading Hospital were anticipating an trying on suits at home and returning those
upswing in patients in the emergency room that don’t fit, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit vet-
today as residents start to dig out. erans offer advice. E3
About 300 staff members stayed overnight
at the hospital because they were unable to
get home, said Patrick Gavin, an executive
vice president at the hospital. READING EAGLE: BEN HASTY
Officials at St. Joseph Medical Center Felipe Barrera of Reading shovels a path
could not be reached. Wednesday between the sidewalk and the
Berks schools will be closed today in the street on Penn Street.
wake of the storm, which dumped nearly 2
feet of snow in some parts of the county. A BARTA bus, its message wishing all well
Snowfall totals ranged from 23 inches in travels up the 1000 block of Penn Street.
Index
Boyer’s Junction and Vinemont to 18 inches
Advice E9 Comics E6–E8 Opinion B6
in Bernville, according to the Berks Area Bridge E10 Horoscope E10 Puzzles E8
Rainfall Network. Hit again: The storm sets records and knocks Classified D5 Obituaries B3–B4 TV tonight E5
By midafternoon, at least 14 inches had out power in the region. A10
fallen in Mohnton, said Ray Unger, a net- ©2010 Reading Eagle Company
work member.
“It’s way over a foot,” Unger said.
Unger said there [ See Keyword >>> A3 ] READING EAGLE: BILL UHRICH
e Post your photos from the storm and
view photos from other area resi-
dents at readingeagle.com.