The Pittsburgh Pirates sent catcher Endy Rodríguez to the Minor Leagues, and a few of the team’s pitchers got a last chance to solidify their order in the starting rotation before Opening Day.
Pirates broadcaster Joe Block assessed the Buccos’ recent performances in his Friday interview on the Beaver County Radio Morning Show.
Here is what Block had to say:
(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – The Nittany Lion logo taken before an NCAA college football game between Penn State and Delaware, Sept. 9, 2023, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger, File)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(State College, PA) The Penn State women’s hockey team will compete in the Frozen Four on their home ice for the first time in their team’s history. The Frozen Four is the final four of both the men’s college hockey and women’s college hockey tournaments. Penn State will host Wisconsin tonight at Pegula Ice Arena, and a win will put them in the National Championship on Sunday.
(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Barker Nestor, Caption for Photo: A rendering of the plaza and SugarBird)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Pittsburgh, PA) A new restaurant and plaza on the North Shore will be open and ready to go by the time the Pirates return home for their home opener at PNC Park. The Plaza at North Shore and the new fast-casual restaurant SugarBird will open on April 2nd, and it is located at the corner of Mazeroski Way and General Robinson Boulevard. SugarBird will offer what is being described as a “playful” menu of fried chicken, donuts, and ice cream, along with a full bar. The outdoor plaza that is 30,000 square feet will also include Highball Social Club, which is a 15,200 square-foot experiential restaurant and bar that is expected to open in the fall. There will also be two performance stages and a 40-inch LED screen that will televise games, movies, and other must-see events.
(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Car)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Hampton Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Gibsonia reported via release today that thirty-four-year-old Kory Smithhammer of Monaca was charged after a single-vehicle crash occurred in Allegheny County on Monday. Smithhammer was driving on the snow covered road of I-76 West in Hampton Township at 9:06 p.m. and the back of his vehicle started to rotate counterclockwise before it hit a concrete barrier and a guide rail. There were no injuries.
Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Posted on March 19th, 2026)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Pittsburgh, PA) The Pittsburgh Pirates named 2025 NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes as their starting pitcher when they begin their 2026 season playing against the New York Mets at Citi Field in Queens, New York on Thursday. Skenes was the National League’s starter for the 2024 and 2025 MLB All-Star Games and became the first pitcher to start consecutive MLB All-Star Games since Max Scherzer when he played for the Washington Nationals and Chris Sale when he played for the Boston Red Sox in 2017 and 2018. Skenes was also the Opening Day starter for the Pirates last year against the Miami Marlins when the teams played at loanDepot Park in Miami on March 27th, 2025. The Pirates lost 5-4 even though Skenes pitched 5 1/3 innings while only giving up two runs and earning seven strikeouts.
(File Photo of Water)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Pittsburgh, PA) An environmental group recently filed an intention to sue U.S. Steel over oil sheens in the Monongahela River. Three Rivers Waterkeeper says a sheen forms on the water when a substantial amount of pollution gets into it, which is what’s causing the environmental group so much alarm. The organization filed an intent to sue in February because of water coming from U.S. Steel’s Mon Valley Works Irvin Plant into the Monongahela River. U.S. Steel has 60 days after it received the notice to address the concerns or possibly go to court.
(File Photo of a Gavel)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Pittsburgh, PA) United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced yesterday that a former resident of the Bronx, New York, has been sentenced in federal court to 46 months in prison on his conviction of possessing with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Thirty-five-year-old Jose Baez Cabrera was given that sentence, as well as three years of supervised release following his term in prison in the event he is not removed from the United States based on his immigration status. According to information presented to the Court, on August 16th, 2023, Baez Cabrera was caught transporting eight kilograms of cocaine across Pennsylvania with the intent to deliver them to drug dealers in Erie. At that time, he was on probation following a 2021 felony conviction in New York for possessing a kilogram of fentanyl.
(File Photo of the Rochester Municipal Building)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Rochester, PA) Rochester Township held its supervisors meeting yesterday evening, and it was packed with people who were raising concerns about chemical odors lingering in their neighborhood. The community believes it’s from the local Sherwin-Williams manufacturing plant. Residents describe the smell as a harsh chemical paint smell, similar to the smell in a nail salon. They say the smell has been there for years and is only getting worse. Rochester Township says they don’t have the authority to do anything directly but agree something needs to be done. Sherwin-Williams has told KDKA previously that they are working with the DEP to investigate. Neighbors stated that the DEP was in the neighborhood on Wednesday to look at the sewer line, though residents say they’re not happy with the lack of solutions.
(File Photo of a Gavel)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Pittsburgh, PA) United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced yesterday that a resident of New Castle has been sentenced in federal court to 80 months in prison, to be followed by six years of supervised release, on his conviction of drug trafficking and firearm crimes as part of a Homeland Security Task Force prosecution. Forty-four-year-old Jauan Searcy was sentenced, and he pleaded guilty in July of 2025 to conspiring to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine between August of 2023 and August of 2024, and to possessing a firearm following a felony conviction. According to information presented to the Court, Searcy, who had previously been convicted of a felony, was part of a drug trafficking conspiracy that was based in Detroit and in New Castle. He participated in the conspiracy by retailing controlled substances to his customers in the New Castle area. When law enforcement arrested Searcy at his New Castle residence on August 1st, 2024, following his federal indictment, agents found a shotgun next to his bed. Federal law prohibits possession of either ammunition or a firearm by a convicted felon.
(Credit for Headline Photo and Photo Below: Photo Courtesy of the New Brighton Area Police Department, Posted on Facebook on March 19th, 2026)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(New Brighton, PA) The borough of New Brighton will be conducting street sweeping operations from March 30th to December 1st. Starting next week, officers from the New Brighton Area Police Department will be placing the No Parking warning cards out on the street sweeping routes up until April 1st as a reminder. If you have any questions or concerns, please call 724-846-2277. The street sweeping routes can be found below: