Author: Beaver County Radio

Chase Burns notches 1st major league win in Reds’ 2-0 victory over Pirates

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Monday, March 30, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)

CINCINNATI (AP) — Chase Burns allowed one hit in five innings for his first major league win, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 2-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night.

Burns (1-0) walked three and struck out seven, including Jared Triolo with two on and two outs in the fourth. Jose Franco retired five batters before leaving with two on. Graham Ashcraft struck out Henry Davis to end the seventh and fanned two more in a scoreless eighth. Conner Phillips walked Marcell Ozuna and Ryan O’Hearn before retiring three straight for his first career save.

Elly De La Cruz singled leading off the fourth against Braxton Ashcraft (0-1) for the Reds but was thrown out trying to steal second. Sal Stewart walked, took third on a single by Eugenio Suárez and scored on a sacrifice fly by Spencer Steer. Suárez scored on a triple by Will Benson to cap the scoring in a third straight win for Cincinnati.

Braxton Ashcraft (0-1) gave up two runs on four hits and four walks over six innings in his ninth career start. Isaac Mattson pitched the seventh and Justin Lawrence struck out the side in the eighth.

Stewart, the reigning NL player of the week, went 1 for 2 and walked twice. He is 8 for 12 at the plate through the first four games.

Burns went 0-3 with a 4.57 ERA in eight starts over 13 appearances for the Reds last season.

Up next

Pirates RHP Bubba Chandler will square off with Reds LHP Brandon Williamson on Tuesday in their first starts of the season.

Anthony Mantha and the Penguins blitz the Islanders 8-3 to win a big game in the East playoff race

 

(File Photo: Source for Photo: New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (30), watches as Pittsburgh Penguins’ Anthony Mantha (39) skates past him with teammates after Mantha scored a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 30, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

NEW YORK (AP) — Anthony Mantha had two goals and an assist, Rickard Rakell scored twice and the Pittsburgh Penguins rallied to defeat the New York Islanders 8-3 on Monday night in a crucial game in the competitive Eastern Conference playoff race.

The Penguins trailed 3-1 midway through the second period before scoring four times in less than 6 1/2 minutes to take over. Their seventh goal on their 28th shot eight minutes into the third chased Ilya Sorokin, who was done in by porous defense in front of him and relieved by backup David Rittich.

Pittsburgh with the regulation victory leapfrogged New York into second place in the Metropolitan Division, 90 points to 89. The Penguins have eight games left in the regular season compared to seven for the Islanders, who could find themselves outside a spot as early as Tuesday night depending on results of their next game and others in contention in the East.

Returning from a one-game injury absence, Sidney Crosby was one of 15 skaters on his team to register a point in a significant bounce back from losing at home to Dallas without him on Saturday. Longtime running mate Evgeni Malkin missed a fourth consecutive game and is considered day to day.

The Islanders are relatively healthy, but their details were sorely lacking in blowing a multigoal lead and doing so in stunning fashion. They had allowed seven goals in their previous four games combined, with Hall of Fame goaltender coach Patrick Roy preaching a 0-0 mindset and relying on Sorokin to make up for any mistakes.

Even Sorokin could not compensate against the Penguins, who got solid goaltending from Arturs Silovs.

Up next

Penguins: Stuart Skinner is expected to start Tuesday night at home against the Detroit Red Wings.

Islanders: Visit the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night, with Sorokin potentially in line to get the nod again.

 

AAA: Gas Prices Stable in PA; National Average Still Rising

(Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of AAA East Central)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Gas prices are steady in Western Pennsylvania this week at about $3.96 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. The national average for a gallon of gas $3.99, which is up four cents over the past week and over one dollar since last month. Crude oil prices are still high as the Iran conflict hits the four-week mark. AAA confirms that the national average has reached $4/gallon in the for the first time since August of 2022 at about $4.02. Gasoline demand is also on the rise as spring break season continues, which is another factor in surging pump prices. The report states that the average price for a gallon of gas in Western Pennsylvania at this time a year ago was around $3.46 and the average price that you can expect for a gallon of regular unleaded gas here in Beaver County is about $3.98. According to a release from AAA East Central and AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report, here are the average prices of unleaded self-serve gasoline this week in various Pennsylvania areas:

$3.986      Altoona
$3.975      Beaver
$3.994      Bradford
$3.734      Brookville
$3.987      Butler
$3.951      Clarion
$3.854      DuBois
$3.971      Erie
$3.956      Greensburg
$3.992      Indiana
$3.992      Jeannette
$3.996      Kittanning
$3.958      Latrobe
$3.978      Meadville
$3.996      Mercer
$3.948      New Castle
$3.970      New Kensington
$3.994      Oil City
$3.974      Pittsburgh
$3.877      Sharon
$3.956      Uniontown
$3.999      Warren
$3.985      Washington

Toronto, Ohio man crashes vehicle in North Sewickley Township; no charges filed

(File Photo of Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Cars)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(North Sewickley Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Gibsonia reported via release today that sixty-one-year-old Mark Preste of Toronto, Ohio crashed his vehicle in North Sewickley Township on Friday. Preste was driving on I-76 West when he moved too far to the right and hit the end of a guide rail at 6:25 a.m. He was not charged and there were no reported injuries.

Allegheny Health Network Announces Plans to Support Community Health and Safety during the 2026 NFL Draft

(Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of Allegheny Health Network)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Allegheny Health Network announced its comprehensive plans today to provide medical care and support for the hundreds of thousands of visitors expected to attend the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. That health system will deploy various care resources directly within the event footprint, while maintaining hospital readiness across its entire network. AHN Downtown Express Care will be open each day from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. beginning on Wednesday, April 22nd through Saturday, April 25th. The walk-in clinic which is located at Highmark’s Penn Avenue Place will serve as a crucial first-response point for non-emergent medical needs, including common illnesses and injuries. During this time, patients with previously scheduled primary care appointments at the facility will have the option to instead utilize video visits. 24/7 Virtual Urgent Care, which you can find more about by clicking here, is also available to both new and existing patients. The AHN Mobile Clinic will also be stationed in Market Square to offer first aid and address minor health concerns. Patients that require a higher level of care may be directed to the nearby AHN Downtown Express Care or a nearby emergency department. Physicians and nurses from AHN Prehospital Care and AHN Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) will staff a medical fort near Acrisure Stadium to provide immediate medical support to draft visitors closer to the heart of the draft activities. Caregivers will maintain continuous communication with EMS units positioned inside the stadium and across the footprint of the draft for seamless care coordination. AHN officials will also operate a command center at Nova Place on the North Side of Pittsburgh to manage patient flow across care sites and help mitigate potential strain on the emergency department at nearby AGH. AGH is concurrently prepared to treat an influx of patients throughout the event as a Level I trauma center. AGH is also working with City of Pittsburgh and NFL officials to ensure that non-emergency patients have unencumbered access to the hospital for their scheduled medical appointments because large crowds and traffic restrictions are expected for the city’s North Side during draft week.

2026 Easter Bunny Hop and Shop hopping to Downtown New Brighton

(File Photo of a Sign in New Brighton)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(New Brighton, PA) Downtown New Brighton will host its free 2026 Easter Bunny Hop and Shop from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 4th. Kids and their families will be able to take photos with the Easter Bunny in the Central Business District and the event will also have treats and Easter activities. Shops will also be open to sell their items with spring discounts available. Restaurants will also be open to serve meals for your family.

Six Pittsburgh-Area Defendants Charged with Hate Crime and Obstruction of Justice for Late-Night Antisemitic Attack on Jewish Male

(File Photo of a Gavel)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today that a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh has charged six residents of the greater Pittsburgh area with violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act,
obstructing justice, and conspiring to obstruct justice in relation to a September of 2024 attack on a Jewish male in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, The seven-count Indictment named these six individuals as defendants: twenty-seven-year-old Muhammed Koc of Pittsburgh, twenty-eight-year-old Omar Alshmari of Monroeville, twenty-two-year-old Abraham Choudhry of Monroeville, twenty-four-year-old Emirhan Arslan of McKees Rocks, nineteen-year-old Ali Alkaheel of Pittsburgh and twenty-two-year-old Adeel Piracha of Murrysville. According to the Indictment, on or about September 27th, 2024, at 2:01 a.m., the defendants except for Piracha were all part of a group that made virulent antisemitic statements to a passerby in Oakland upon seeing the individual’s necklace bearing a Star of David pendant. After a verbal
confrontation, during which additional antisemitic comments were made, Alshmari and Koc physically attacked the victim, which caused bodily injury that included physical pain, a split lip, and headaches. The Indictment charges Koc and Alshmari, aiding and abetting one another, with willfully causing bodily injury to the victim because of the individual’s actual and perceived race and religion.
Later that day, and throughout the following months, Piracha and the other defendants discussed the incident via social media messaging and group chats, during which Alshmari identified himself and Koc as two of the individuals listed in a University of Pittsburgh crime alert about the attack. In subsequent conversations by text messaging, both Alshmari and Koc admitted to being involved in the attack on the victim. The Indictment further alleges that the defendants conspired with one another to obstruct and did obstruct the due administration of justice regarding this crime by, for example, agreeing to falsely align their testimony about the attack and providing false and misleading information before the federal grand jury. Several defendants testified falsely as to whether they or others struck the victim, whether the attack was related to the victim’s Jewish identity and Star of David necklace, and whether
they had discussed with any others what to say to the grand jury, among other false statements. The defendants could face a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both, provided by the law, for the hate crime and obstruction of justice counts. The defendants could face a maximum total sentence of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both, provided by the law, for the conspiracy to obstruct justice count.

Charges withdrawn from Aliquippa woman after she crashes her vehicle in Big Beaver Borough

(File Photo of a Police Siren Light)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Big Beaver Borough, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Gibsonia reported via release today that charges were withdrawn from twenty-year-old Tessa Shaw of Aliquippa after she crashed her vehicle in Big Beaver Borough on March 16th, 2026. Shaw was driving on I-376 East and her vehicle began to slide on the snow-covered roads before she hit a grass embankment median off of the left side of the road at 8 p.m. She was transported from the scene because of a suspected minor injury. 

John “Jack” R. Porter Jr. (1956-2026)

John “Jack” R. Porter Jr., 70, of Independence Township, passed away on March 28th, 2026, at UPMC Mercy Hospital, with his loving family by his side. He was born in Pittsburgh on February 16th, 1956, the son of the late John R. Porter Sr. and Joan Ekas. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his loving wife, Karen Porter, and his daughter, Rochelle Porter. He is survived by his loving son, John “J.J.” Porter (Gabriella Muoio), his aunt and uncle, Ed and Marie Kohar of Baden, his stepbrother, Brian (Kathy) Hans of Georgetown and his dear friends, Tony Blum, Carolyn Dunne, Valerie Tilson, and Michelle Pietrzak.He was also loved and remembered by the Sisters of Saint Joseph, along with numerous cousins and friends. Jack also had a special love for his pets: Troy, Crosby, Batman, Junior, and Betty Joe, who were truly part of his family.

John was a 1974 graduate of Moon High School, a 1976 graduate of Robert Morris University, and a 1977 graduate of the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. He faithfully served his community as a licensed funeral director for over 50 years, including 23 years at Derrick’s Funeral Home and 29 years at the John Syka Funeral Home Inc in Ambridge.

Friends will be received on Wednesday, April 1st from 2–4 P.M. and 6–8 P.M. in the John Syka Funeral Home Inc., 833 Kennedy Drive, Ambridge, who was in charge of his arrangements. Family and friends will also meet on Thursday, April 2nd in the Good Samaritan Catholic Church, 725 Glenwood Avenue, Ambridge, for a Funeral Service at 1:30 P.M. with Father Joe Carr officiating.  Interment will follow at Mt. Olivet Catholic Cemetery, 2186 Brodhead Road, Aliquippa.

The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to the doctors and nurses at UPMC Mercy Hospital and his devoted traveling nurse Lea of Concordia Visiting Nurses. Finally, to all who provided care, comfort, and support during Jacks final journey.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John “Jack” R. Porter, please visit the floral store of the John Syka Funeral Home, Inc. by clicking here.

Timothy Lee Sinclair (Passed on March 24th, 2026)

Timothy Lee Sinclair, 76, of Monaca, passed away on March 24th, 2026, at Park Center Rehab Center in Boardman, Ohio. He was the beloved son of the late Thomas and Virginia (Unrue) Sinclair. He was also preceded in death by his brother-in-law, Robert “Whitey” Whitehouse, and his nephew, Ronald T. Nichol. He is survived by his devoted girlfriend of 20 years, Pamela Bukta Dereta, and by Pamela’s daughters, Stephanie and Natalie, along with her grandchildren, Ava, Gianna, Cali, and Chase. He is also survived by his sisters, JoAnn (Ron) Nichol and Sue (Ed) Phillips, who shared in a lifetime of family memories, love, and support. He was a cherished uncle to Richard (Liz) Nichol of California, Michael K. Nichol of Florida, Jodi (Brent) Haller of Monaca, and their children Brooke and Payton, Carri (Rob) Gamache of Bedford, New Hampshire and their children: Alexa, Kasey, and Zachary, and Gini (Bob) Baustart; as well as their children Sydney and grandson Madison, and Leighton. He also leaves behind many cousins from the McCoy and Solomon families, along with countless friends and neighbors who will remember him fondly. Tim took great pride in being a loving uncle, and he was known for never forgetting a birthday. His thoughtful tradition of giving lottery tickets to those he loved became one of the many small but meaningful ways he showed he cared.

Timothy graduated from Monaca High School with their Class of 1967 and was proud of his school years and especially enjoyed playing football, and along the way, gained the nickname of “Harry Sinclair.” Following high school, he was drafted into the United States Army during the Vietnam War, where he served honorably and earned a Bronze Star Medal among other awards and recognitions. After returning home from the war, he began working for St. Joe Lead as a pipefitter and plumber, a career he pursued with dedication and skill until his retirement at the age of 65. He was a well-respected member of the Monaca community, and his presence was one that many came to trust and appreciate. He was a lifelong member of the Monaca Turners and enjoyed participating in their golf and bowling leagues. He was also a member of the Rochester Elks and the VFW. He was something of a daredevil on a motorcycle, and he loved stereo equipment, animals, birds, the simple satisfaction of growing tomatoes and playing the daily number just as his dad, Thomas did.

The family will receive friends on Wednesday, April 1st from 3 p.m. until the time of a service at 6 p.m. at SIMPSON FUNERAL & CREMATION SERVICES, 1119 Washington Avenue, Monaca, who was in charge of his arrangements. Interment will take place later with military honors at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, 1158 Morgan Road, Bridgeville.

The family has suggested those wishing to make a memorial contribution in Tim’s memory to please consider the Beaver County Humane Society, 3394 Brodhead Road, Aliquippa, PA 15001.