Author: Beaver County Radio

Brandon Lowe’s 10th-inning hit rallies the Pirates over the Diamondbacks 3-2

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Jake Mangum celebrates after scoring on a single by Brandon Lowe off Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Monday, July 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Brandon Lowe singled home Billy Cook in the bottom of the 10th inning to rally the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 3-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night.

Lowe finished a three-hit night by lacing a line drive off Diamondbacks reliever Taylor Clarke (2-2) that smacked off the glove of Arizona first baseman Ildemaro Vargas and rolled away, allowing Cook to race home as the Pirates pulled even with the Diamondbacks for the National League’s third wild-card spot.

Mason Montgomery (4-3) worked around an error by third baseman Nick Gonzales and escaped a bases-loaded jam in the top of the 10th to earn the victory. The Pirates’ bullpen, which has been a sore spot much of the season, tossed 4 2/3 scoreless innings.

Bryan Reynolds delivered a game-tying RBI double in the eighth for Pittsburgh, which lost promising rookie outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez to a left-hand injury in the fourth inning after getting hit with a fastball by Arizona starter Merrill Kelly.

Kelly allowed one unearned run in 5 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out six while lowering his ERA to 4.86, the lowest it has been since early April.

Pittsburgh’s Mitch Keller had his second straight solid start coming out of the All-Star break, giving up two runs in 5 1/3 innings, his only real mistake coming in the sixth when three singles loaded the bases, and Max Kepler followed with a rope to the corner in right that gave the Diamondbacks the lead.

Kepler finished with three hits for the Diamondbacks, who lost for just the fifth time in 15 games. Arizona catcher Gabriel Moreno went hitless in four at-bats, but extended his on-base streak to 24 games with a first-inning walk.

Up next

The series continues on Tuesday when Arizona’s Brandon Pfaadt (5-1, 4.43 ERA) gets the start against Pittsburgh’s Bubba Chandler (3-8, 4.47).

22 year old charged with 100 counts of child porn in New Brighton

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio News. Published July 27, 2026 6:47 P.M.

(New Brighton, Pa) A Beaver County man is facing 100 felony charges of child pornography.   

22 year old Luke Poteete of Beaver Falls is currently in the Beaver County Jail on a $150,000 bond. 

According to the criminal complaint filed Monday, a search warrant was executed by the New Brighton Police Department after Poteete was previously arrested earlier this year after being accused of raping and assaulting a child in New Brighton. 

Investigators searched the suspects phone and cloud account to recover files during a limited time frame for when Poteete allegedly communicated with the victim of the previous case. 

During that search, they discovered over 2,500 images and videos of child pornography,  involving children thought to be between the ages of 2 and 10.

According to the complaint, the videos contained a variety of footage involving male and female children being forced to engage in sexual acts with adults and animals. 

According to Poteete’s LinkedIn profile, “working with children” is listed as one of his top skills and he is listed as previously working at the Beaver County YMCA, coaching and leading activities for children until 2021.  

Poteete attended and was an athlete at Geneva College in Beaver Falls, where his father, who is an internationally recognized cybersecurity expert, is the Associate Professor of Computer Science.   

Poteete is scheduled for a preliminary hearing regarding this case for 100 counts of Child Sexual Abuse Material in August. He is slated to go to trial for the former case on charges of Rape of Child and Sexual Assault, among others, in September.   

Commissioners hope to speed up Wildwood Road repair

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published July 27, 2026 1:44 P.M.

(Beaver, Pa) The Beaver County Commissioners are speaking out regarding the recent plan PennDot has announced for Wildwood Road.

The road has been closed since 2025 and PennDot says the bid to repair and reopen it may not go out until 2028. The road has been a longtime shortcut between Route 51 and Dutch Ridge Road in Brighton Township. 

One of the main reasons PennDot has stated for the lengthy delay is the “result of a necessary right–of–way being located on “protected park land (which will require) a lengthy acquisition process.“

The protected park land is the nearby Brady’s Run Park, which is a county owned. The Commissioners say they have never been contacted by PennDot in regards to any of these planning needs.       

The County Commissioners issued a release Monday in response to PennDot’s claims saying “Wildwood Road remains an important access route priority for Beaver County. We receive calls and inquiries on a continual basis from the public, first responders, and the healthcare community. We relay those concerns to PennDOT at public input meetings and other governmental and department channels. We are committed to working with PennDOT to gain it’s reopening without “lengthy delays due to right of way” issues”. 

The Commissioners went on to say that they are appreciative of PennDot’s efforts to recognize the importance of getting the road open and understand the number of other projects they have at any given time. 

However, the Commissioners want to make it clear that that they “commit to immediately providing any required right–of–way as quickly as legally permissible”.

 They note that they “eagerly await collaborating with PennDOT on its reopening”.

Two Beaver County schools awarded grants for career education programs

(File Photo of the Big Beaver Falls Area

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) The Pennsylvania Department of Education awarded grants last week to two Beaver County schools so they can help students chase career goals in both vocational training programs and special education.

The Big Beaver Falls Area and Riverside School District received grants of up to $20,000 each through the Developing Future Special Educators program from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

According to Jennifer Ceriani, Big Beaver Falls Area School District’s secondary program director, her district is planning to start its own chapter of the Best Buddies program, which brings students with and without disabilities together to form personal friendships, work together and promote leadership development.

According to Emily Smith, Riverside School District’s director of pupil services, the grant that it received will continue to support its Riverside Rising Educator Club.

Students in the Rising Educator Club have worked with students with disabilities and the special education staff at Riverside School District for the last four years by designing STEAM days and summer camps for elementary students, by designing a sensory playground area and teaching lessons at alternative education programs.

New Brighton Legion Monthly Spaghetti Dinners Through December

The New Brighton American Legion Post 19 is hosting a monthly spaghetti dinner through December. The dinners will be held on the first Wednesday of every month, serving from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Each dinner is priced at $10.00. The meal includes spaghetti and meatballs, a fresh salad, and a roll. The event is located at 415 Thirteenth Street, New Brighton, PA 15066.

Cracker Barrel CEO steps down a year after company’s logo debacle

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – This aerial photo taken with a drone shows a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Binghamton, N.Y., Aug. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)

(Lebanon, TN- AP) Cracker Barrel’s CEO is stepping down nearly a year after an attempted rebrand of the chain led to a fierce customer backlash.

Cracker Barrel said Monday that CEO Julie Masino will step down next month but remain with the company until Oct. 9 in an advisory capacity.

David Deno will succeed Masino on Aug. 10 as CEO. Deno served as the CEO of Bloomin’ Brands, which owns Outback Steakhouse and other chains, from 2019 until he retired in 2024. He has also held executive roles as Best Buy and Yum Brands, which is the parent company of KFC and Taco Bell.

Lebanon, Tennessee-based Cracker Barrel hired Masino, a longtime Taco Bell and Starbucks executive, in July 2023. She was chosen for her record as an innovator with the hope that she would attract new customers to Cracker Barrel, which operates nearly 660 restaurants in 43 states.

Masino introduced updated menu items, like Hashbrown Casserole Shepherd’s Pie, to increase Cracker Barrel’s dinnertime traffic. She also started remodeling the company’s dark, antique-filled restaurants, lightening the walls and installing more comfortable seating.

Then, last August, Cracker Barrel announced plans to ditch its longtime logo, which features an older, overall-clad man leaning on a barrel as well as the words “Old Country Store.” The company said it would continue to honor Uncle Herschel — the man in its logo, who represents the uncle of Cracker Barrel’s founder — on its menu and on items sold in its stores. But the new logo would be simpler and easier to read on road signs and in phone apps.

The backlash was immediate. Fans didn’t like the new logo and also rebelled against the store redesigns. Even President Donald Trump weighed in, saying in a Truth Social post that Cracker Barrel “should go back to the old logo, admit a mistake based on customer response (the ultimate Poll), and manage the company better than ever before.”

Masino reversed course within a few days, but the damage was done. Cracker Barrel’s same-store restaurant sales plunged 5% last fall and 7% in the quarter ending Jan. 30, 2026. Same-store sales at the retail stores connected to its restaurants dropped even further.

Still, the company’s shareholders voted in November to keep Masino in place as CEO, and sales trends had begun to improve in recent months. In the quarter ending May 1, same-store restaurant sales were down 2.6% and the company raised its full-year revenue and profit forecast.

Masino also helped sharpen the company’s focus on the Cracker Barrel brand with the sale of the company’s Maple Street Biscuit Co. stores. Cracker Barrel acquired Maple Street in 2019 and operated 50 locations around the country.

Citi analyst Jon Tower said in a research note Monday that the news of Masino’s departure was surprising given those recent improvements.

Cracker Barrel shares fell 2.7% in early afternoon trading.

Beaver County Firefighters Association Entry Level Academy Class 26-01 completes Pennsylvania State Fire Academy Entry Level Program

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of the Beaver County Firefighters Association)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) The Beaver County Firefighters Association Entry Level Academy Class 26-01 completed their live structure burn and officially finished the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy Entry Level Program over the weekend.
Those students worked for over 350 hours of hands-on training and classroom instruction to reach this achievement over the last several months.
They will now prepare for the Pro Board Firefighter I certification and more firefighter survival training so they can continue building the skills that they will need throughout their careers.

5K and fun run on the taxiways of Pittsburgh International Airport returns in September

(File Photo of the Pittsburgh International Airport Airside Terminal)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The FlyBy 5K and 2-Mile Fun Run/Walk will offer those who participate rare access to the airfield of Pittsburgh International Airport on September 19th.

This event, which includes a first look at the airport’s new terminal from the airfield, will return after a one-year hiatus due to construction.

Registration is now open for the event and it allows people of all ages to run or walk along the same taxiways used by aircraft.

The event features two course options: a timed 5K of 3.1 miles, and a 2-Mile Fun Run/Walk that is untimed, which is presented by CNX Resources.

Both of these routes are stroller-friendly, and children under 4 years old can register for free.

All those who participate will receive a technical finisher shirt and a medal, and awards and post-race festivities will finish the morning.

Proceeds from this event will support the Allegheny County Airport Authority Charitable Foundation.

The event is organized by P3R, which is the group responsible for the annual DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon.

You can click here to register for the event or to get more information.

Dorothy Morris Robinson (1928-2026)

​Dorothy Morris Robinson, 97, of Beaver Falls, passed away on July 16th, 2026, at AHN Beaver – Heritage Valley.

She was born in Conway on July 26th, 1928, a daughter of the late John and Ethel Morris.

Dorothy was a woman of exceptional wisdom, warmth, and depth. Known for her direct yet deeply loving guidance, she offered advice grounded in honesty, compassion, and a true desire to lift up everyone around her. She was also hilarious, fun-loving, and quick-witted, bringing joy and laughter to every room she entered. She was a woman of deep faith throughout her life and was baptized at the age of seventeen at Second Baptist Church in Rochester. She was Islamic by faith and was a member of the An-Nur Islamic Center in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania.

​She spent her life in service to others. Early in her career, she shared her culinary talents as a cook at the United Nations Coronation Club in New Brighton and spent five years cooking at Scrimshaw, where her wonderful meals brought joy to many. She went on to dedicate 35 years as a home health aide with Homemaker-Home Health Aide Service of Beaver County. Her extraordinary empathy and commitment to caregiving were formally recognized with multiple honors, including a 30-Year Outstanding Performance Award.

​Throughout her life, she embraced continuous learning and creativity—from earning her high school diploma to completing a certificate in furniture upholstery. Outside of work, she enjoyed bowling with friends, taking exercise classes for many years alongside her husband, Samuel, and gathering with family to watch classic Western movies. She also held a deep love for animals and nature; she was rarely without a devoted dog by her side and took immense pride in farm life, tending to her cows, chickens, and garden.

​In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Samuel “Sam” Robinson, as well as her six brothers—James, Frank, Landis, Robert Lee, Manuel, and William Morris—and her three sisters—Mabel, Elizabeth, and Nellie. As the last surviving member of her immediate family, she leaves behind an enduring legacy of faith, resilience, and compassion.

​She is survived by her devoted nieces and nephews, her dear friends: Pat Miller, Theresa Yhelka, Debbie Hubby, Katie Shablesky, Sharon Garuccio, Liz and Alfonso Tucker-Saahir, and Mike and Nancy Osman; as well as her former colleagues and the many lives she touched.

​A Visitation will be held on Saturday, August 1st from 10 A.M. until the time of a service at 11 A.M. in the Gabauer-Lutton Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., 117 Blackhawk Road, Beaver Falls, who was in charge of her arrangements.

Moises Santiago-Rodriguez, Jr. (1974-2026)

Moises Santiago-Rodriguez, Jr. 52, of Ambridge, passed away on July 16th, 2026. He was born in Puerto Rico on May 13th, 1974 and was the beloved son of Margarita Rodriguez and the late Moises Santiago-Rodriguez, Sr.

In addition to his mother, he is survived by his devoted wife, Jennifer Colon-Sierra; his children, Aixa N. Torres-Colon, Carolyn Torres-Colon, and Ediel E. Torres-Colon; his brothers, Leris (Juan) Santiago-Gordon, Guillermo Santiago-Rodriguez, and Theophille Thomas; his nieces, Lemaris and Carlos; as well as many cherished friends and extended family members who will miss him dearly.

Moises was known as a hardworking man who dedicated himself to a variety of occupations throughout his life. Gifted with a creative spirit, he had a passion for art and found joy in expressing himself through his talents. His faith in God was a guiding force in his life, and he remained steadfast in his beliefs through every challenge. A proud cancer survivor, Moises faced life’s obstacles with strength, courage, and determination.

In his free time, he enjoyed going to the movies, spending time with his beloved dog, Scooby, and lifting weights with his friend, Austin Warhola. Above all, he treasured the time he spent with those he loved.

Family and friends will be received on Thursday, July 30, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Alvarez-Hahn Funeral Services and Cremation, LLC, 547 8th Street, Ambridge, who was in charge of his arrangements, and where a funeral service will be held on Friday, July 31th at 11:00 a.m. followed by interment at Good Samaritan Cemetery in Fair Oaks.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial contributions be made in Moises’ memory, in care of the funeral home, Alvarez-Hahn Funeral Services and Cremation, LLC, 547 8th Street, Ambridge.