Category: News

Driver charged after two-vehicle crash in Hopewell Township

(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Car)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Hopewell Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver reported on Saturday that charges were filed against an unidentified driver after a two-vehicle crash occurred in Hopewell Township on July 12th.

This crash happened on Laurel Road at its intersection with Jordan Street at 5:28 p.m.

According to police, the driver who was charged failed to come to a complete stop and proceeded into that intersection without making sure it was safe to do so and hit the vehicle of another driver.

There were no reported injuries.  

Pittsburgh man charged after crashing vehicle in Center Township

(File Photo of Police Siren Lights)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Center Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver reported on Saturday that charges were filed against twenty-eight-year-old Espoire Assan of Pittsburgh after he crashed his vehicle in Center Township on July 29th.

Assan was driving on I-76 West at the Monaca exit at approximately 73 miles per hour at 5:16 p.m. and noticed that traffic was stopped.

Assan jammed on the brakes of his vehicle and swerved to the right before hitting a guide rail with his vehicle.

There were no reported injuries. 

Kennywood: Thunderbolt to close next month for routine maintenance

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Kennywood, Posted on Facebook on August 14th, 2026)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(West Mifflin, PA) Kennywood Park has announced that the Thunderbolt will remain open until September even though it was scheduled to close today for maintenance purposes. 

According to Kennywood general manager Ricky Spicuzza, the park decided to time the closure more with the end of the summer season after Labor Day. 

Spicuzza noted that September 12th was the date that was planned for the Thunderbolt to close.  

The reason that the iconic roller coaster is closing is because of routine maintenance activities. 

Kennywood crews will work on each of its sections so they can be in good condition. 

Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to federal stalking charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Luigi Mangione attends a pre-trial hearing at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (David Dee Delgado/Pool Photo via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty on Friday to federal stalking charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, admitting matter-of-factly that he trailed the executive to an investor conference and gunned him down on a New York City street in 2024.

Mangione, 28, said he made a gun with the aid of a 3D printer, traveled to New York and used a ruse — posing as an investor at a multibillion-dollar firm — to contact the company for details on the event.

“On the morning of Dec. 4, 2024, I shot Mr. Thompson in Manhattan, and he died,” Mangione told the Manhattan federal court, which he entered shackled at the feet but not handcuffed in his beige jail uniform.

Listening in the audience, Thompson’s wife, Paulette, took several deep breaths and repeatedly wiped tears from her eyes.

Prosecutors plan to seek a life prison term at Mangione’s sentencing, set for Dec. 18. When U.S. District Judge Margaret M. Garnett asked whether he understood that he could spend the rest of his life behind bars, Mangione answered neutrally: “Yes.”

In a statement, Thompson’s family called the plea “an important step toward justice” and noted that Mangione still faces other cases, including a New York state murder prosecution. It carries the potential for a separate long sentence.

Interstate 79 Wexford Interchange Project Restrictions Continue This Week in Allegheny County

(File Photo of Road Work Ahead Sign)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Allegheny County, PA) PennDOT District 11 announced that restrictions on Interstate 79 in Marshall Township and Franklin Park Borough in Allegheny County will continue this week, August 17th-21st, weather permitting.

Between 7:00 PM and 6:00 AM each night, northbound I-79 will be reduced to a single-lane of traffic between the off and on-ramps at the Route 910/Wexford (Exit 73) interchange as overhead bridge work will occur. 

PA DEP and Rochester Sherwin Williams plant reach agreement after odor complaints at plant

Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Pat Wellenbach/Associated Press)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Rochester Township, PA) An agreement has now been reached between the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Sherwin Williams Manufacturing Company’s Rochester Township plant regarding an odor from the plant that has been bothering residents in Beaver County for years.

The Pennsylvania DEP announced this consent order on August 10th. 

The plant on Cleveland Street is a facility for manufacturing where coatings are formulated and delivered to blending facilities, customers and distributors. 

However, neighbors of the plant have been complaining about a sickly sweet odor similar to a nail polish scent in the area, which is sometimes so intense that according to residents, they could not stand to be outside.

According to the DEP, Sherwin-Williams will pay a total of $124,700 civil penalty within 30 days of receiving the fully executed consent order. 

Teenager in custody after reported assault in Aliquippa

(File Photo of a City of Aliquippa Police Department Car)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Aliquippa, PA) Aliquippa Police responded to the 300 block of Superior Avenue at approximately 1:22 p.m. on Saturday for a report of an unresponsive man who had reportedly been assaulted.

Officers arrived and found a man who suffered from significant injuries to his face and head.

He went into cardiac arrest during the investigation and he was transported by helicopter to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital for further treatment.

Eighteen-year-old Chaunez Robinson was identified as the suspect of this incident and witnesses on scene reported that the victim had been physically assaulted, slammed to the ground, and stomped in the head.

Robinson was found in a Valley Terrace building along Superior Avenue, was taken into custody without incident and is in the Beaver County Jail.

He faces charges of aggravated assault, attempted homicide, recklessly endangering another person and simple assault. 

Reynolds, Lowe, and Yorke each drive in 2 runs, Pirates beat Red Sox 8-3 after 2 1/2-hour rain delay

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Bryan Reynolds (10) scores ahead of a throw to Boston Red Sox catcher Connor Wong, right, on a single by Brandon Lowe off Red Sox pitcher Patrick Sandoval during the first inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Bryan Reynolds, Brandon Lowe, and Nick Yorke each had two RBIs to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Boston Red Sox 8-3 after a 2 1/2-hour rain delay on Sunday.

The tarp came out after the sixth inning at 3:35 p.m. local time, and play resumed at 6:05.

The Pirates won their franchise-best eighth consecutive home series against an AL opponent, a streak extending back to a three-game sweep of Detroit from July 21-23, 2025.

Reynolds got Pittsburgh on the board first with an RBI double in the first, and scored when Lowe added a single.

Reynolds singled in a run to spark the Pirates’ five-run third. Lowe added his second RBI single and Yorke hit a two-run single before Henry Davis hit a sacrifice fly that made it 7-0.

Lake Bachar worked three innings as the opener, surrendering two hits and fanning four. Kirby Yates (1-5) picked up his first win after striking out two in a scoreless seventh.

Patrick Sandoval (1-2) had six strikeout in the loss. He allowed seven runs and nine hits across four innings.

The Red Sox started a rally in the fifth on Connor Wong’s three-run homer, but the delay halted any momentum towards a 29th comeback win.

Up next

The Red Sox’s projected starting pitcher for Monday in the opener of a three-game series against Arizona is LHP Alec Gamboa (0-0, 1.59 ERA). LHP Mitch Bratt (1-1, 3.74 ERA) is slated to pitch for the Diamondbacks.

The Pirates’ projected starting pitcher for Monday in the opener of a three-game series against the Tigers is RHP Carmen Mlodzinski (6-5, 3.79 ERA). LHP Framber Valdez (7-8, 4.26 ERA) starts for Detroit.

Sonny Gray wins his career-best 15th as the Red Sox beat the Pirates 4-0

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Boston Red Sox pitcher Sonny Gray delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Sonny Gray worked seven innings for his career-best 15th win of the season, Wilyer Abreu hit a home run, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-0 on Saturday night.

Gray (15-3) struck out seven and allowed six hits while walking one. He had won 14 games in three other seasons, most recently in 2025 with St. Louis.

He is just the third Red Sox starter since 2019 to win 15 or more games, joining Garrett Crochet (18 in 2025) and Eduardo Rodriguez (19 in 2019).

Abreu hit his 22nd homer in the second inning to put the Sox ahead 1-0, sending a fastball from Jared Jones (2-5) 420 feet over the right-field wall.

Red Sox DH Masataka Yoshida left the game in the third with left hamstring tightness, coming up limping as he came into second with a double. He was replaced by Anthony Seigler.

Andruw Monasterio drove in two more with his ninth-inning RBI double, and Jahmai Jones drove in Monasterio. Despite the win, the Red Sox went 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven.

Erik Miller worked a hitless eighth and Aroldis Chapman struck out two in the ninth to close out the victory.

The Pirates were led by Esmerlyn Valdez and Jake Mangum with two hits each. Jones struck out seven in five innings.

Up next

LHP Patrick Sandoval (1-1, 3.30 ERA) starts for the Red Sox and RHP Paul Skenes (9-11, 3.88) goes for the Pirates to conclude the series on Sunday.

Lowe, Flores homer to power the Pirates over the slumping Red Sox, 8-4

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Brandon Lowe watches his three-home run off Boston Red Sox pitcher Jovani Morán during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Brandon Lowe hit a three-run home run and rookie Rafael Flores Jr. homered for the third time in two days to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to an 8-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.

Lowe’s homer came in the fifth inning off Jovani Moran and landed in the right-field stands, extending the Pirates’ lead to 7-2 as they won back-to-back games for the first time since July 26-27. Flores hit a solo shot off Jake Bennett (7-6) in the second to open the scoring after connecting twice Thursday in a 13-1 victory at Miami.

Rookie Esmerlyn Valdez hit a two-run double in the third and scored on a single by Flores to make it 4-0. Lowe had three hits and Bryan Reynolds added two.

The Red Sox lost for the sixth time in seven games after winning 28 of 36. They had runners on first and second with two outs in the ninth, but Mason Montgomery escaped the jam for his third save.

Rookie Bubba Chandler (6-8) won his third straight start, allowing two runs and four hits in five innings with five strikeouts and two walks. Bennett gave up four runs over four innings while losing for the fourth time in four starts.

Nick Sogard drove in two runs for the Red Sox.

Pirates third baseman Nick Gonzales was struck on the helmet by a pitch from Moran in the fifth inning and left the game. Gonzales, who entered the day third in the NL in hitting, sustained a facial contusion and was replaced by pinch-runner Jacob Gonzalez.

The Pirates said Gonzales is day-to-day. The 27-year-old went 0 for 2, dropping his batting average to .307 in 118 games. He also has six home runs and a career-high 53 RBIs.

Up next

Red Sox RHP Sonny Gray (14-3, 2.79 ERA) was set to oppose RHP Jared Jones (2-4, 5.03) on Saturday night.