(Caption for Photo: Daniel Barrett, Eric Saindon, Richard Baneham, and Joe Letteri, winners of the Best Visual Effects award for Avatar: Fire and Ash pose with Sigourney Weaver in the press room during the 98th Oscars. Credit for Picture: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Los Angeles, CA) A Beaver County man won an Oscar® Award at the 2026 Oscars® last night. Joe Letteri won the Oscar® for Best Visual Effects for his work on the movie, Avatar: Fire and Ash. Letteri shared the award with Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett when they won it at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, California last night. This is the sixth Oscar® that Letteri has won. 

(File Photo of a Police Siren Light)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) New details have emerged regarding a deadly hit-and-run crash that occurred in the Brighton Heights neighborhood of Pittsburgh on Wednesday. According to police on Saturday, the vehicle involved in the incident had been identified. Investigators also recently interviewed a person of interest. Emergency crews were called to the area of Davis Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue in the city’s Brighton Heights neighborhood on Wednesday after receiving reports of someone lying in the roadway who was injured. Police stated that fifty-eight-year-old Lawrence Soeder of West View was hit by a vehicle at the intersection of those two streets at 10:45 p.m. on Wednesday. He was taken to a hospital, which is where he later died. The driver reportedly fled the scene. No charges have been filed at this time. Police state that they are still considering the investigation into this incident active and ongoing.  

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of KDKA-TV)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(West Mifflin, PA) Several people were arrested yesterday in West Mifflin after a protest that day that honored a thirteen-year-old boy who was killed in a crash along Kennywood Boulevard on December 27th, 2025. This ended in a confrontation with police. According to West Mifflin Police, four people were arrested, including the boy’s father, after demonstrators blocked traffic along Route 837. Court records later showed that six people were charged. Police noted that pepper spray was used to disperse the crowd and one officer was injured.  

(File Photo of the Beaver Valley Choral Society Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) The Beaver Valley Choral Society will present its 2026 Lenten Concert Series called, “O God Beyond All Praising”. The concert program will feature the debut of local composer Trey Tillitson’s “Pie Jesu,” and it will close with the title composition, which is a treasured hymn arranged by Dan Forrest featuring the Principal Choir, Treble Youth Chorale and the BVCS Orchestra. 

The Beaver Valley Choral Society 2026 Lenten Concert Series will be presented at the following locations: 

• Saturday, March 21, 4 p.m. – Mt. Pleasant Church, 846 PA Rt. 18, Aliquippa (Racoon Township), PA, 15001 

• Sunday, March 22, 4 p.m. – Saints Peter & Paul Parish Church (Our Lady of the Valley Parish), 200 Third Street, Beaver, PA, 15009 

• Saturday, March 28, 4 p.m. – The Trophimus Center, 823 Maplewood Avenue, Ambridge, PA, 15003 

The admission for this event is free, but donations are accepted. 

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Photo Courtesy of WPXI-TV Pittsburgh, Posted on Facebook on March 15th, 2026)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The reverend in charge of the largest cathedral in the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh has resigned after being arrested and accused of stealing over $1,000 worth of baseball trading cards. Rev. Aidan Smith, the head priest and administrator of the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Downtown Pittsburgh, had been on administrative leave but resigned from his position over the weekend. Smith was arrested at the Walmart in Economy Borough on February 27th, 2026. According to police, his arrest followed a multi-day spree of stealing trading cards at the store. Smith faces charges of retail theft and receiving stolen property. He is free on a bail of $50,000 and he is due to face a preliminary hearing later this month. 

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Punk’s Ice Cream Shoppe, Posted on Facebook on March 16th, 2026)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Baden, PA) Punk’s Ice Cream Shoppe in Baden made an announcement on Facebook yesterday that they will be opening this season to sell their sweet treats. The ice cream shop located on Route 65 decided not to open in the spring of 2025 because its owners felt they could not operate their business after the loss of their mother. The Facebook announcement from Punk’s Ice Cream Shoppe also stated that more details on the opening are coming soon. 

(File Photo of Police Siren Lights)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Authorities stated on Saturday evening that Port Authority police in Pittsburgh are investigating a shooting that took place aboard a P1 bus from Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) near Homewood Station along the East Busway. According to police, the victim was taken to a hospital in critical condition. Two juvenile suspects exited the bus and escaped the scene after the shooting, which PRT officials confirm took place just before 5 p.m. Authorities are searching for both individuals and there was no other reported injuries. The East Busway remains temporarily closed. No additional information was available immediately as the investigation remains active. 

(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Badge)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Pittsburgh reported via release on Friday that they investigated the death of an SCI inmate that occurred at Allegheny General Hospital on Friday morning. This occurred at 8:33 a.m. along East North Avenue and the inmate who passed away was a fifty-three-year-old man from Allentown. It was determined that the death of that man was determined to be natural.