(Pittsburgh, PA) Pittsburgh City Councilmember Barb Warwick recently introduced a 30% tax increase. It is projected that the current budget is short by $30 million and city council members say this is needed to keep Pittsburgh running. Warwick introduced the tax increase proposal, declaring thatthis was the onlyoption left after months of budget hearings. December 22nd,2025 is when the public will have its chance to weigh in on the budget of Pittsburgh, which is due at the end of the month.
(Pittsburgh, PA) A man was killed in a shooting in the East Hills neighborhood of Pittsburgh which happened a little before 2 a.m. yesterday on the 2300 block of East Hills Drive. According to Pittsburgh Public Safety, a man was found behind a building with a gunshot wound to the head. He died after being taken to the hospital and he was later identified as 56-year-old Mark Easley of the Garfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh. No arrests have been announced as of early yesterday afternoon.
(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – New York Mets pitcher Gregory Soto throws during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sept. 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, File)
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates and two-time All-Star reliever Gregory Soto have agreed to a $7.75 million, one-year contract, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Tuesday night.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical.
Soto gives the Pirates an experienced left-handed option in a bullpen that will get a makeover in 2026 after relievers Colin Holderman and Dauri Moreta were designated for assignment last month.
The 30-year-old Soto is 15-34 with a 4.26 ERA and 56 saves over seven seasons with five teams. He was an All-Star in 2021 and 2022 for Detroit. He spent 2025 with Baltimore and the New York Mets, who acquired him in late July just before the trade deadline.
Soto struggled in New York, going 1-3 with a 4.50 ERA in 25 appearances. His departure is the second significant subtraction from the Mets bullpen in free agency after closer Edwin Díaz agreed to a three-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier Tuesday.
Pittsburgh appears to be settled at the back end of the bullpen, where Dennis Santana performed well after two-time All-Star David Bednar was traded to the New York Yankees last season. Soto gives the Pirates a pitcher who has filled a variety of roles, including closer.
(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Car)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Greene Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver reported via release today that thirty-five-year-old Ashley Plum of Chester, West Virginia caused a single-vehicle crash in Greene Township on the morning of December 2nd, 2025.Plum was driving east on State Route 30 in Beaver County and lost control on that road because it was covered with ice at 8:35 a.m. Plum left the right side of that road and then hit a tree with the passenger side tire of hervehicle and she was not injured after this crash occurred. The passenger side tire of the vehicle of Plum sustained disabling damage from the crash.
(File Photo: Caption for Photo: PennDOT, PSP, PTC, Construction Industry Highlight National Work Zone Awareness Week)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Allegheny County, PA) PennDOT District 11 announced that an overnight lane restriction on northbound Route 65 (Ohio River Boulevard) in Emsworth Borough of Allegheny County will continue tonightandtomorrow night, weather permitting. From 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. on each of those nights, a single-lane and shoulder restriction will occur on northbound Route 65 between Walliston Avenue and Terrace Drive as crews from Insituform will conduct sanitary sewer work there
(Photo Courtesy of WPXI and the Rochester Borough Police Department)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Rochester, PA) Police have now identified the man who was caught on camera burglarizing some items from Grace Lutheran Church in Rochester on Sunday afternoon. The man accused of this crime is fifty-five-year-old Arthur Jack of Rochester andhe is accused of taking money from offerings at Grace Lutheran Church and rummaging through holiday donations intended to be given to The Salvation Army and Glade Run. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Jack and anybody who sees him should call the Rochester Borough Police Department at 724-775-0880. His picture can be found below.
(File Photo: Source for Photo: Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) breaks up a pass intended for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf (4) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A brief hospital visit won’t keep Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf from playing next week against Miami.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Metcalf was hit in the abdomen at some point during Pittsburgh’s 27-22 victory in Baltimore on Sunday and remained behind when the issue persisted after Metcalf was treated with over-the-counter remedies during the game.
“It got probably progressively worse after the game and and so I’m appreciative of our medical experts,” Tomlin said. “We just exercised an abundance of precaution. We didn’t want to get him in the air without having a complete understanding about what he was dealing with and they did a good job of that.”
Metcalf finished with season highs in receptions (seven) and yards (148) as Pittsburgh regained control of the AFC North. The two-time Pro Bowler also filled in as a gunner on punt coverage late in the game after special teams ace Ben Skowronek exited with an injury, something Metcalf hadn’t done since high school.
“I just think that’s what time of year it is, that’s what type of game it was,” Tomlin said.
Tomlin added that Metcalf is “moving in the right direction” and he doesn’t anticipate the issue jeopardizing Metcalf’s availability when the Steelers try to win their 23rd straight home Monday night game.
The news isn’t as promising at left tackle. Starter Broderick Jones was placed on injured reserve two weeks ago. Andrus Peat, who filled in for Jones, is in the concussion protocol and backup Calvin Anderson is out after getting injured in practice.
Dylan Cook took over for Peat against Baltimore and would get the nod if Peat doesn’t exit the protocol in time.
“He certainly has worked hard and has been professional,” Tomlin said of Cook. “I loved his his mindset when when he went in. Happy for him. Oftentimes one man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity and he may get another opportunity this week. We’ll see where the week leads us.”
Rookie defensive lineman Derrick Harmon could return after missing two games with a knee injury unrelated to the knee injury that forced him to sit out Weeks 1 and 2.
Linebacker Malik Harrison and tight end Darnell Washington are also in the concussion protocol. Cornerback James Pierre is dealing with a calf injury.
(West Aliquippa, PA) Paving crews will be performing work in the West Aliquippa area until the early part of January of 2026 from Monday – Friday at 7 a.m. until completion, and road closures for proper completion of the jobs are mandatory. Traffic cones will be placed on the blocks that the work will be on and both residents and visitors of West Aliquippa can not park in the areas of the traffic cones and/or the posted no parking zones, or their vehicle will be towed.
PITTSBURGH — New Brighton pro wrestling legend Shane Douglas joins forces with his longtime manager, “The Queen of Extreme” Francine and their “Little Brother,” Ned Rolsma, a 7-foot tall former sitcom guest-star, to get Western Pennsylvania in the holiday spirit the “Hardcore” way .
Douglas, a five-time Extreme Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion and ECW founding member and Rolsma (“Marcus Eriksen” on CBS’ “How I Met Your Mother” will make a two-day convention appearance, Dec. 20-21, at AnimeVerse/ WrestleVerse at the David Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, then co-host a “Hardcore Holiday Happy-Hour” Christmas Party at Helltown Brewing Co. in the Strip District that Saturday.
The convention unites fans of anime, gaming and wrestling. Visitors can meet favorite legends from the golden era of professional wrestling, dive into entertaining
celebrity Q&A panels, show off their cosplay skills in contests, and explore a vast selection of merchandise, including rare figurines and collectibles.
After their day-long Dec. 20 convention appearance, the trio will “haul out the
holly” and throw back some beverages at their trademark “Hardcore Holiday Happy-Hour” from 6-8 p.m. at Helltown Brewing,1700 Penn Ave.
The trio will sign autographs, take pictures, conduct a Q&A and host festive holiday
party games with fun prizes, as they combine wassailing and wrestling for a packed house full of Christmas-crazed wrestling fans! R&B and rock group Yukon John and The Sulfur Creek Band will headline until 11 p.m.
“I’m super-excited to be back in Pittsburgh, especially at Christmas time,” Francine said. “I’m looking forward to seeing all the wrestling fans and sampling some of Helltown’s latest concoctions as we reminisce on all the good times and great memories we had in ECW and all over the world. Come get festive with me and Ned and ‘The Franchise’, and I’ll let Santa know if you’ve been naughty or nice.”
Rolsma, a former pro basketball player and featured actor in many TV commercials, added “There is nothing like the Holidays in Pittsburgh. The charm and the magic of Christmas come alive in Downtown, and I can think of no better way to get festive than by roasting our proverbial chestnuts on some of The ‘Burgh’s best brews while playing some fun party games and wassailing with my two favorite wrestlers and their hometown fans.”
Ned Rolsma, a Beaver County native, played a recurring character on the hit sitcom “How I Met Your Mother.”
If you go:
AnimeVerse/WrestleVerse Fest – Dec. 20-21, David Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh. Tickets and details at animeversefest.com.
“Hardcore Holiday Happy-Hour” starring “The Franchise” Shane Douglas and “The Queen of Extreme” Francine, hosted by Ned Rolsma, 6-8 p.m., Helltown Brewing Co.,
1700 Penn Ave. Pittsburgh. Info: helltownbrewing.com
