(Photo Courtesy of Gavin Thunberg)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Freedom, PA) Fern Freedom Volunteer Fire Department and their automatic mutual aid responded yesterday to a fire alarm at the George Werner Apartments on 8th Street in Freedom shortly before 2 p.m. The incident was upgraded to a structure fire enroute after smoke was reported inside. The issue was isolated to a heating element after an investigation was held and crews returned to service shortly after.
(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Car)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Frankfort Springs Borough, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver reported via release on Friday that they are leading the investigation into a retail theft occurred at the Dollar General on State Route 18 in Beaver County that afternoon. At 2:24 p.m., the suspect removed and concealed several items from the store located in Frankfort Springs Borough.
(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Penguins’ Benjamin Kindel celebrates after his goal against the Vancouver Canucks during second-period NHL hockey game action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Rookie Ben Kindel scored twice in the second period to lead the Penguins to a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday and a sweep of Pittsburgh’s four-game western Canada trip.
Kindel, from nearby Coquitlam, British Columbia, had a large contingent of supporters on hand for his second multi-goal game. The 18-year-old had gone 20 games without a goal after scoring eight in his first 28 and has 10 goals and 12 assists in 48 games.
Evgeni Malkin also scored for the Penguins (26-14-11), and Stuart Skinner stopped 19 shots and won for the seventh time in eight games.
Jake DeBrusk and Teddy Blueger scored in the third period for the Canucks (17-30-5), who failed to complete their comeback try and dropped their second straight. Kevin Lankinen stopped 21 shots.
Malkin and Kindel made it 2-0 with goals 3:17 apart in the second period. Malkin opened the scoring by taking a pass from Thomas Novak that went over a Canuck defender’s stick, then beat Lankinen. Kindel made it a two-goal lead by directing in a shot from defenseman Ryan Shea. Kindel gave Pittsburgh a 3-0 lead at 17:22 by beating Lankinen on a shot from the faceoff circle.
Pittsburgh opened its trip with a 6-3 win over Seattle on Monday, beat Calgary 4-1 on Wednesday, then defeated Edmonton 6-2 on Thursday.
Veteran Kris Letang returned to the Pittsburgh lineup after missing two games with an upper-body injury.
The Canucks have just one win in their last 14 games (1-11-2). Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko missed his eighth game with a lower-body injury.
Penguins: Host the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.
Canucks: Host the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday in the sixth game of an eight-game homestand.
(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy waves during halftime of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke, File)
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mike McCarthy is coming home.
The Pittsburgh Steelers announced Saturday the club has reached a verbal agreement with McCarthy to replace Mike Tomlin as head coach.
McCarthy grew up in the Greenfield neighborhood, just a couple of miles away from the team’s practice facility on the city’s South Side.
The 62-year-old McCarthy is 185–123–2 (playoffs included) across 18 seasons, 13 with Green Bay — which beat the Steelers in the Super Bowl following the 2010 season — and five with Dallas.
His potential hire is just the fourth by the Steelers since 1969 and a marked departure from his predecessors, Tomlin and Hall of Famers Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher.
All three were largely unknown assistants/coordinators. McCarthy is hardly that.
McCarthy would replace Tomlin, who stepped down earlier this month after his 19th season ended with a seventh straight playoff loss, this one at home to the Houston Texans. Tomlin’s surprise departure came as he was under contract for 2026 with a club option for 2027.
The Steelers took a methodical approach, interviewing nearly a dozen candidates that spanned a wide spectrum of experience, from Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores (who spent 2022 as a defensive assistant on Tomlin’s staff) to Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who was hired by the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday to replace John Harbaugh.
They ultimately landed on McCarthy, who takes over a team that has been stuck in a purgatory of sorts for going on a decade.
Tomlin’s nearly two-decade tenure included 193 regular-season victories — tied with Noll for the most in franchise history — and the team’s sixth Super Bowl. Perhaps most remarkably, Pittsburgh didn’t have a losing season with Tomlin on the sideline.
That startling consistency, however, did not always translate to postseason success. Pittsburgh has been one-and-done in each of its last six playoff appearances, all of them double-digit losses.
In some ways, the Steelers have been victims of their own success. They have frequently been drafting in the high teens and low-20s, not exactly a prime position to find a franchise quarterback. It didn’t help that they chose not to draft Ben Roethlisberger’s replacement in his final seasons, then whiffed badly on Kenny Pickett, who flamed out in less than two years after being taken in the first round of the 2022 draft.
It’s led to a revolving door at the most important position on the field. If Aaron Rodgers, who will be a free agent in March, doesn’t return for a 22nd season, the Steelers will have their sixth different Week 1 quarterback in six years. McCarthy’s arrival, however, would seemingly open the door for the 42-year-old Rodgers to come back.
Rodgers said earlier this month he believes he would have at least a couple of options if he chose to run it back one more time, and his long partnership with McCarthy in Green Bay included a Super Bowl victory over Tomlin and the Steelers. Pittsburgh will have the 21st pick when a draft that appears to be thin in quality options at quarterback descends on the Steel City in late April.
There’s a very real chance the Steelers, who currently only have veteran backup Mason Rudolph and 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard under contract for next season, will kick the can down the road again and address a handful of other positions of need in the draft, namely wide receiver and cornerback.
Regardless, president Art Rooney II brushed off the idea of the Steelers rebuilding.
“I don’t like that word that much,” Rooney said the day after Tomlin resigned. “We’ll try to compete day one if we can.”
McCarthy’s potential arrival would indicate that’s still the plan.
His hire would also give McCarthy a chance to burnish a resume that stalled a bit after guiding the Packers from a wild-card berth to the franchise’s fifth Super Bowl in 2010.
McCarthy is just 6-9 in the playoffs since the confetti fell at AT&T Stadium. That includes a 1-2 mark with the Cowboys, where he posted three straight 12-win seasons from 2021-23 before being fired after Dallas tumbled to 7-10 in 2024 thanks in large part to an injury to quarterback Dak Prescott that limited him to just eight games.
The one thing McCarthy — who early in his career was a graduate assistant at the University of Pittsburgh (which now shares a building with the Steelers) — has consistently done is put together offenses that can move the ball.
McCarthy-coached teams have finished in the top 10 in yards in 12 of his 18 seasons, though his first years in both Green Bay in 2006 and Dallas in 2020 were sluggish.
The Steelers have been stuck in a transition period on offense for a solid half-decade. That transition may soon move to an expensive and aging defense that has potential Hall of Famers at every level (defensive tackle Cam Heyward, linebacker T.J. Watt and defensive back Jalen Ramsey), all in their 30s.
McCarthy would be the first Steelers hire with previous NFL head coaching experience since Mike Nixon in 1965. Nixon lasted just one season in Pittsburgh and was fired after going 2-12. Nixon was replaced by Bill Austin, who made it three years before Pittsburgh hired Noll, a decision that transformed the franchise from a laughingstock into one of the league’s most successful and stable teams.
Noll and his four Super Bowls set a standard of excellence that Cowher and Tomlin maintained in their own unique ways.
That standard, however, had slipped of late. McCarthy’s mandate will be returning some of the luster to a team that hasn’t won a playoff game since the final days of the Barack Obama administration.
It will also provide a test of sorts for the hometown boy who made good, who now gets to find out whether you can truly go home again.
Irene (Lenda) Rosenberger, 82, of Monaca, passed away peacefully on January 22nd, 2026, due to heart-related complications. She was a daughter of the late Leo and Bertha Lenda. In addition to her parents, Irene was preceded in death by her brother, Robert “Bobo” Lenda; her sister, Phyllis Chidester, and her husband, William and her brother-in-law, Carl Rosenberger. She shared a beautiful life with her beloved husband, Thomas Rosenberger, with whom she celebrated 60 years of marriage: a union defined by steadfast devotion, love, and partnership. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her children, Todd Rosenberger (Denise Trehar) and Lea Rosenberger, her cherished pet, Mia and her step- grandson, Andrew Coplin. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Norma Rosenberger, her brother-in-law, Jerry (Anna Marie) Rosenberger, her sister-in-law, Roberta Monos, seven nieces, five nephews, ten great-nieces, eight great-nephews, three great-great-nephews, one great great niece, six godchildren, many dear friends, and an extended family in Poland who mourn her loss across the miles.
Irene was of proud Polish heritage, a lineage she cherished deeply. She was a 1961 graduate of Ambridge High School and dedicated many years to her professional career as a meticulous and dependable Payroll Administrator. Her strong work ethic and attention to detail left a lasting impression at several organizations, including Wyckoff Steel, Temporaid Services/Action Personnel, Allegheny Plastics Inc., and KMA Manufacturing, LLC, from which she retired. She was also a woman of deep and unwavering faith who was a devoted member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Monaca. In keeping with her lifelong spirit of generosity and compassion, her final act of kindness was serving as an organ donor.
Friends and family will be received on Wednesday, January 28th from 2-4 P.M. and 6-8 P.M. at Simpson Funeral & Cremation Services, 1119 Washington Avenue, Monaca, who was in charge of her arrangements, and where a prayer service will be held on Thursday, January 29th, at 9:30 A.M., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 A.M. at St. John the Baptist Church, 1409 Pennsylvania Ave, Monaca. Burial will follow. The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to the compassionate and dedicated staff of the Critical Care Unit at Heritage Valley Hospital for the care and kindness shown to Irene. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that memorial donations be made in Irene’s honor to St. Vincent de Paul of Monaca, Pennsylvania, continuing her legacy of faith, generosity, and helping those in need.
Wade A. Wright, 46, of Economy, passed away on January 15th, 2026. He was born on August 13th, 1980, the beloved son of Galen and Barbara Wright. In addition to his parents, he is survived by his wife, Cheryl Wright, his daughter, Angelina Darcy, his aunts, Susie (Tom) Scornavacca, Sandy (“Tuss”) Shoop, and Patti Fleck, his uncles, Monte (Barbara) Wright and Larry Irvin, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. He was preceded in death by his brother, Todd Wright, his uncle, Randy Wright and his aunt, Linda Irvin.
Wade graduated from Huntingdon High School. He spent many years working in construction and most recently devoted himself to his love of animals while working at Champion Canine Kennel in Ambridge. He cherished time spent with his wife, enjoyed listening to music of all kinds—especially the music of Chris Cornell—and had a deep appreciation for nature and the outdoors.
A Celebration of Life will be held from 4-6 P.M. on Wednesday, January 28th, at Alvarez-Hahn Funeral Services and Cremation, LLC, 547 8th Street, Ambridge, who was in charge of his arrangements.
Jeffrey Craig Hughes, 47, of Harmony Township, passed away on January 24th, 2026. He was born on June 22nd, 1978, a son of Rick and Gerry Hughes. In addition to his parents, he is survived by his brother, Kevin (Katie) Hughes, his nieces, Blake and Tess Hughes, his aunts and uncles, Raymond and Sheila Karolak and Wayne “George” and Joanne Gelston, along with numerous other aunts, uncles, cousins, and his second family at McGuire Memorial. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Stanley and Betty Karolak, his paternal grandparents, Howard and Hazel Hughes; his cousin, Ben Gelston; and his special friend, Rich.
Jeffrey was an avid Pittsburgh sports fan who enjoyed all kinds of junk food, especially Police Station Pizza. He was known for his sharp sense of style and he loved dressing well. He often completed his look with a tie. He loved to socialize and truly never met a stranger. His warm personality and friendly spirit will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.
A visitation will be held on Thursday, January 29th from 2–4 P.M. and 5–7 P.M. at Alvarez-Hahn Funeral Services and Cremation, LLC, 547 8th Street, Ambridge, who was in charge of his arrangements, and where departing prayers will take place at 9:30 A.M. on Friday, January 30th followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 A.M. at Good Samaritan Catholic Church, 725 Glenwood Avenue, Ambridge. Burial will follow at Good Samaritan Cemetery, 808 Big Sewickley Creek Road, Bell Acres.
His family would like to extend their sincere gratitude to the ICU staff at UPMC McCandless for their dedication and compassionate care of Jeffrey.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to McGuire Memorial, 2119 Mercer Road, New Brighton, PA 15066 in Jeffrey’s memory.
Elizabeth Fedorko, 100, a lifelong resident of Ambridge, passed away peacefully on January 23rd, 2026. She was born on May 29th, 1925, a daughter of the late Elizabeth Slivka and Paul Ondovcsik, Sr. In 1949, she married Frank Fedorko, who worked as a plaster man in the local area. They were married for 53 years until his death in 2002. Together, they raised six children. In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by her siblings, Paul Ondovcsik, Ann Groshardt, and Mary Kristof and son-in-law, John Edmondson. She is survived by her six children: Nancy Edmondson of Wexford, Raymond of Ambridge, Mary Margaret of Cazenovia, New York, Thomas (Tiffany) of Center Township, David (Mary Nishimoto) of Goleta, California and retired U.S. Army Lt. Colonel James Fedorko (Motrja) of Rutherford, New Jersey; as well as thirteen grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and many dear friends.
Elizabeth was an active parishioner of Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church in Ambridge. She was especially involved in making pierogi, not only at her own parish but at other churches in Ambridge as well. She was a woman of deep faith who advocated the spiritual benefits of Holy Water and had a strong devotion to St. Jude and St. Padre Pio, to whom she credited miracles in her life both large and small. She faithfully participated in the annual pilgrimage to Mt. Saint Macrina in Uniontown starting in childhood and throughout her long life. She will be missed for her easy laughter and sense of humor, and for the warmth and outsized generosity that she offered to everyone she met. She was a graduate of Ambridge High School’s class of 1944 and continued her studies at the Pittsburgh School of Cosmetology. For many decades, she worked as a devoted caregiver to both the young and elderly for several area families, eventually earning status as honorary family member by many.
Family and friends will gather on Thursday, January 29th from 3-7 P.M. in the John Syka Funeral Home Inc., 833 Kennedy Drive, Ambridge, who was in charge of her arrangements, and where prayers will be offered on Friday, January 30th at 11:30 A.M. followed by a church service at 12 Noon, in Saints Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church, 404 Sixth Street, Ambridge. Interment will follow in the Saints Peter & Paul Cemetery, 404 Sixth Street, Ambridge.
Contributions in Elizabeth’s memory can be made to the Tisch Multiple Sclerosis Research Center of New York. Donations can be made securely through their website at tischms.org/donate. If preferred, checks can be made payable to Tisch MSRCNY (include her name in the memo line) and sent to: Development Department, Tisch MS Research Center of New York, 521 W. 57th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10019.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Elizabeth Fedorko, please visit our floral store.
Jerome F. “Hank” Doyle, 94, of Industry, passed away on January 23rd, 2026, at Good Samaritan Hospice House in Wexford. During his final week, he was surrounded by his loving wife, children, grandchildren, and many other family members and friends.
He was born in Industry on August 21st, 1931, a son of the late Charles J. and Catherine Grace (Webster) Doyle. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his daughter, Christine Marie, his son, Sean Gerard, his brothers, Charles (Jimmy), John (Jack), and Donald, his sisters, Elizabeth (Betty Ann) and Mary Pat and his son‑in‑law, Kevin Mike Croud. He is survived by his beloved and cherished wife, Dianne E. (Howitt) Doyle, his son, Michael (Lynn) Doyle, his daughters, Colleen Doyle‑Croud and Donna (John) Newell, his grandchildren: Chad (Arnell) Doyle, Nathan Croud, Morgan Newell, Michael Doyle Jr., and Logan Newell; as well as his great‑grandchildren, Paisley and Caleb Doyle.
Jerome was a proud veteran of the U.S. Army, serving as a tank driver where he drove a tank up the Audubon from Austria to Germany during the Korean War. After returning home, he worked for many years at Crucible Steel Mill until his retirement, later continuing part-time work at St. Christine’s Church, where he managed maintenance and groundskeeping. He was deeply involved in his community. He was a member of the American Legion, an usher and council member at St. Christine’s Parish, a volunteer fireman with the Industry Fire Department, and a current member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish, Saints Peter and Paul Church. He had many passions that brought color and joy to his life. He loved listening to or watching his Pittsburgh Pirates, Steelers, and Penguins. He was a wonderful cook and he had a legendary love for cookies and milkshakes. He was also a gifted handyman who helped all of his children with remodeling projects through the years, always happy to lend a hand or teach a skill. He was also the most devoted Papa, treasuring every moment spent with his grandchildren and great‑grandchildren. For the past 30 years, he and his wife shared a deep love of travel, exploring countless destinations together and creating cherished memories along the way. His warmth, generosity, steady presence, and sense of humor will be deeply missed by all who were blessed to know him.
Friends will be received on Tuesday, January 27th, from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. in the Noll Funeral Home Inc., 333 Third Street, Beaver, who was in charge of his arrangements. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Wednesday, January 28th at 10:30 a.m. at Saints Peter and Paul Church, 200 Third Street, Beaver. Online condolences may be shared at www.nollfuneral.com.
Memorial contributions may be made in Jerome’s name to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224 or Our Lady of the Valley Parish, Saints Peter and Paul Church, 200 Third Street, Beaver PA 15009.
Lee R. Zeh, 90, formerly of Enon Valley, passed away on January 22nd, 2026, at Heritage Valley Beaver. He was born in Enon Valley on August 8th, 1935, a son of the late Fred and Margaret Zeh. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Susan Zeh, his son, Jeffrey Zeh and his brothers, William, Richard and Delmar Zeh. He is survived by his children, Sharon Zeh and Amy (Shawn) Mineard, his daughter-in-law, Brenda Zeh, his grandchildren: Rachel Zeh, Jason (Stephanie) Zeh, Megan (Matt Rupert) DeSellem, Aaron and Andrew Mineard; as well as his great grandchildren: Aubrey Brophy, Larry Rupert, and Alexander, Lena, Cole Zeh. A visitation will be held on Thursday, January 29th, from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at Corless-Kunselman Funeral Services LLC, 3801 4th Avenue, Beaver Falls, who was in charge of his arrangements, and where a blessing service will be held on Friday, January 30th, at 11 a.m. Lee’s family would like to extend a special thanks to Dr. Carl Sestito and the staff of Pinnacle hospice for their care and compassion.