PITTSBURGH (AP) — Orlando Arcia’s two-run double with two outs in the top of the ninth capped a three-run inning and rallied the MLB-best Atlanta Braves to an 8-6 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night after star right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. left the game.

Pirates closer David Bednar (3-2) came on to start the ninth with a 6-5 lead but took his third blown save in 26 opportunities this season. Arcia’s double came immediately after Kevin Pillar hit a tying single with the Braves down to their final out.

Arcia also homered and finished with three hits and three RBIs to help the Braves end their three-game losing streak.

“We had lost three in a row so we kind of felt we had to do whatever we had to do to win the game,” Arcia said through a translator. “I just wanted to lift the spirits of the team and luckily we were able to win it.”

Pillar’s clutch hit set the stage for Arcia’s game-winner. The 34-year-old outfielder has learned to channel his emotions with the game on the line after 11 seasons in the major leagues.

“Surprisingly, I feel pretty calm going up there,” Pillar said. “I feel like it’s a scenario where everyone in the ballpark might think that I’m going to make an out in that situation. I use that to my advantage. I’ve played in multiple playoffs, I’ve played in a lot of big games, bigger games than this. Even though it’s a big moment, you just try to recall those moments when you’ve been on the big stage. My dad gave me good advice when I first started this journey — regardless of what happens, never feel bad.”

The Pirates put two runners on in the bottom of the ninth inning, but Raisel Iglesias got Jack Suwinski to hit a game-ending comebacker for his 21st save in 23 chances.

Acuña was hit on the left elbow by a pitch from reliever Colin Holderman in the sixth inning and was removed for a pinch runner. X-rays were negative and Acuna is considered day to day.

“I’m sure it stung him pretty good, and he lost feeling in the arm,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “I’m just glad nothing showed up (on the X-rays). I’d rather not take any chances on it by leaving him in the game and just let him go get treatment and see how he feels tomorrow.”

Acuña has been one of the best players in the majors this season. He led off the game with his 26th homer — his 31st career leadoff homer and fifth this season — and went 1 for 3.

Acuña is batting .339 in 111 games and leads the majors with 53 stolen bases.

The Braves’ Matt Olson reached 100 RBIs, the first MLB player to reach that mark in 2023. Olson has driven in a run in 11 straight games.

Travis d’Arnaud had three hits for Atlanta and Michael Harris II had two.

Kirby Yates (6-0) pitched a scoreless eighth and kept his record perfect.

The Pirates used four home runs to build a 6-3 lead by the fifth inning. Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a three-run shot in the first inning, Alfonso Rivas led off the fourth with a longball and Josh Palacios and Bryan Reynolds went back-to-back to begin the fifth.

On the second pitch of the game, Acuña belted a 448-foot drive to center field off Mitch Keller.

Two of Bednar’s three blown saves this season have been in the last four days.

“David is a savage. He’s going to shake it off, for sure,” Palacios said. “This is baseball. It goes up, it goes down. Nobody has a zero ERA in the league — things happen. He’s an All-Star. He’s the best closer in the game in my opinion. He’s going to bounce back from this with ease.”

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio voters on Tuesday resoundingly rejected a Republican-backed measure that would have made it more difficult to change the state’s constitution, setting up a fall campaign that will become the nation’s latest referendum on abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned nationwide protections last year.

The defeat of Issue 1 keeps in place a simple majority threshold for passing future constitutional amendments, rather than the 60% supermajority that was proposed. Its supporters said the higher bar would protect the state’s foundational document from outside interest groups.

Voter opposition to the proposal was widespread, even spreading into traditionally Republican territory. In fact, in early returns, support for the measure fell far short of former President Donald Trump’s performance during the 2020 election in nearly every county.

Dennis Willard, a spokesperson for the opposition campaign One Person One Vote, called Issue 1 a “deceptive power grab” that was intended to diminish the influence of the state’s voters.

“Tonight is a major victory for democracy in Ohio,” Willard told a jubilant crowd at the opposition campaign’s watch party. “The majority still rules in Ohio.”

President Joe Biden hailed Tuesday’s result, releasing a statement saying: “This measure was a blatant attempt to weaken voters’ voices and further erode the freedom of women to make their own health care decisions. Ohioans spoke loud and clear, and tonight democracy won.”

A major national group that opposes abortion rights, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, called the result “a sad day for Ohio” while criticizing the outside money that helped the opposition — even though both sides relied on national groups and individuals in their campaigns.

Republican lawmakers who had pushed the measure — and put it before voters during the height of summer vacation season — explained away the defeat as a result of too little time to adequately explain its virtues to voters. A main backer, Republican Senate President Matt Huffman, predicted lawmakers would try again, though probably not as soon as next year.

“Obviously, there are a lot of folks that did not want this to happen — not just because of the November issues, but for all of the other ones that are coming,” he said, expressing disappointment that Republicans didn’t stick together. In a statement, Republican House Speaker Jason Stephens advised supporters to move past Tuesday’s results to focus on trying to defeat the abortion rights measure: “The people of Ohio have spoken.”

While abortion was not directly on the special election ballot, the result marks the latest setback for Republicans in a conservative-leaning state who favor imposing tough restrictions on the procedure. Ohio Republicans placed the question on the summer ballot in hopes of undercutting the citizen initiative that voters will decide in November that seeks to enshrine abortion rights in the state.

Other states where voters have considered abortion rights since last year’s Supreme Court ruling have protected them, including in red states such as Kansas and Kentucky.

Dr. Marcela Azevedo, one of the leaders of a coalition advancing the fall abortion question, said Tuesday that Issue 1’s defeat should allow the measure to pass in November.

Interest in Tuesday’s special election was intense, even after Republicans ignored their own law that took effect earlier this year to place the question before voters in August. Voters cast nearly 700,000 early in-person and mail ballots ahead of Tuesday’s final day of voting, more than double the number of advance votes in a typical primary election. Early turnout was especially heavy in the Democratic-leaning counties surrounding Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati.

One Person One Vote represented a broad, bipartisan coalition of voting rights, labor, faith and community groups. The group also had as allies four living ex-governors of the state and five former state attorneys general of both parties, who called the proposed change bad public policy.

In place since 1912, the simple majority standard is a much more surmountable hurdle for Ohioans for Reproductive Rights, the group advancing November’s abortion rights amendment. It would establish “a fundamental right to reproductive freedom” with “reasonable limits.”

Voters in several states have approved ballot questions protecting access to abortion since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, but typically have done so with less than 60% of the vote. AP VoteCast polling last year found that 59% of Ohio voters say abortion should generally be legal.

Eric Chon, a Columbus resident who voted against the measure, said there was a clear anti-abortion agenda to the election. Noting that the GOP voted just last year to get rid of August elections entirely due to low turnout for hyperlocal issues, Chon said, “Every time something doesn’t go their way, they change the rules.”

The election result came in the very type of August special election that Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a candidate for U.S. Senate, had previously testified against as undemocratic because of historically low turnout. Republican lawmakers just last year had voted to mostly eliminate such elections, a law they ignored for this year’s election.

Al Daum, of Hilliard, just west of Columbus, said he didn’t feel the rules were being changed to undermine the power of his vote and said he was in favor of the special election measure. Along with increasing the threshold to 60%, it would mandate that any signatures for a constitutional amendment be gathered from all of Ohio’s 88 counties, not just 44.

It’s a change that Daum said would give more Ohio residents a chance to make their voices heard.

Voters’ rejection of the proposal marked a rare rebuke for Ohio Republicans, who have held power across every branch of state government for 12 years. GOP lawmakers had cited possible future amendments related to gun control, minimum wage increases and more as reasons a higher threshold should be required.

Protect Ohio Women, the campaign working to defeat the fall abortion rights amendment, vowed to continue fighting into the fall.

“Our pro-life, pro-parent coalition is more motivated than ever,” the group said in a statement.

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio News Director. Published August 8, 2023 10:35 pm. The photo above shows Tyrone Zeigler among other community members outside of the Beaver Falls City Building following the meeting.    

(Beaver Falls, PA) A line that extended down the stairs and out of the door at the Beaver Falls City Building was the sight just before the City Council meeting took place at 7pm Tuesday evening. Council were assisted by the fire department to keep the occupancy in the meeting under control, allowing only a set number if people in the room, leaving others to stand in the hall and downstairs. The large attendance was due to supporters of the Tigerland Inc. wave pool revival project led by Tyrone Zeigler.

After the regular meeting agenda items were taken care of, Council opened the floor for public comment. The first to take the floor was Brian Farrington, an attorney for Zeigler and Tigerland Inc., who gave a three minute update on the status of Tigerland’s efforts. Farrington said that an official business plan has been produced and Tigerland is hoping to pursue a renegotiation of the wave pool property.

Farrington was cut off by Beaver Falls Mayor Kenya Johns after 3 minutes due to being over the amount of time allowed for public comment. Council was questioned as to why a request by Tigerland Inc. and Zeigler to be included on the agenda had been approved prior to the meeting but was absent from the agenda. Council member Peggy Evans stated, “We are aware, no comment”. Mayor Johns and Solicitor Shannon Steele reiterated that Council had expected Tigerland to be present at the previous meeting, but nobody showed up.

Community members proceeded to take the floor and voice their questions and frustrations with the Council regarding the wave pool. One woman of the community stated “Our children need a place to go to learn how to swim”, “We need to set the egos in the trash can”. Solicitor Steele noted that the previous wave pool negotiations fell through because terms of the deal on both sides were not being met. These terms could not be discussed publicly for legal reasons, according to Council.

One woman asked Council who has had the key to the pool. Mayor Johns replied after a brief pause that the city has the key and would not elaborate further as to if Zeigler was ever given a key.

A pool repair contractor who allegedly worked on the pool installing a new water line and checking pipe integrity for Zeigler questioned a remark made by Mayor Johns that nothing has been done to the pool. Johns replied that she stated “nothing significant has been done”. When asked whether the City would be willing to renegotiate with Tigerland, Mayor Johns said she could not make a comment due to it being a legal matter.

Beaver County Radio spoke one on one with Zeigler following the meeting.

Zeigler says Council asked his former attorney to have him sign a non-disparagement clause to not allow himself or anyone from Tigerland Inc. to say anything negative about the city.

Zeigler said “it was supposed to be a mutual agreement, but the city came back and said no”, adding “I’m not here to say anything bad about the city, I’m here to hold people accountable for holding me up”.

When Zeigler was asked about Council saying no significant work was done to the pool he replied, “that’s not true, just like a bunch of other things they said was untrue, the whole world seen me out there working on the pool, from fixing the service line, to gutting out the bathrooms, the office, the concessions stand.”

Zeigler says he has had a key to the pool and still does. Beaver County Radio asked Zeigler about concerns over whether money raised for the pool was safe and what he would say to those who are questioning him about it. He responded “those people need to read more, there’s no way for me to even touch this money, it’s always been under a nonprofit, it was under Beaver Falls CDC at first, now it is under Tigerland Inc., for me to even get any money, the board would have to vote first, it’s not possible for me to take any money, people need to stand behind me and stop chasing ghosts.”

When Ziegler was asked what the best possible scenario is for him looking forward, he said “I’m willing to get back to the table and work this out, it’s not fair to the community or the kids cause at the end of the day, that’s who it’s hurting.”

Zeigler has been pursuing the wave pool revival project for seven years. Beaver Falls City Council recently announced that they have cut ties with Tigerland Inc. and Zeigler.

CARNEGIE, PA — On August 10, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act into law. This law honors America’s commitments to our veterans by expanding VA health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances. Today, Navy and Iraq War veteran Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) released a video urging his fellow toxic-exposed veterans to start the process of filing for PACT Act benefits and coverage before the law’s upcoming retroactivity deadline of August 9, 2023—a few days from today.

While veterans are still able to file claims under this new law after this August 9 deadline, those who file by the deadline are eligible for benefits backdated to the date of the bill signing. Thus, veterans who begin the process of filing PACT Act claims, even just by completing a document showing an intent to file, could receive benefits backdated one year to August 10, 2022. Those who begin the claim process after August 9 will not be able to receive these backdated benefits.

An estimated five million American veterans could benefit from the PACT Act. Nationwide, over 4.1 million veterans have already received their toxic exposure screenings and more than 400,000 veterans have already had their claims resolved under this new law. As of July 21, 2023, more than 20,500 veterans filed PACT Act related claims in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and nearly 12,000 Pennsylvania veterans have enrolled at the VA since the passage of the PACT Act last year. More eligibility details and information are available at VA.gov/PACT.

Congressman Deluzio’s video is available for viewing and download here, and follows a previous video he released with House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano about the importance of the PACT Act for his fellow veterans.

FILE – (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is reinstating a regulation aimed at reining in the proliferation of firearms without serial numbers, called ghost guns. The court Tuesday voted 5-4 to put on hold a ruling from a federal judge in Texas that invalidated the Biden administration’s regulation of ghost gun kits. The regulation will be in effect while the administration appeals the ruling to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans — and potentially the Supreme Court. The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence supports regulation of ghost guns and praises the Supreme Court’s action. A gun rights group called the Firearms Policy Coalition Action Foundation says it’s confident it can again defeat the rule.

Jars of Rao’s sauce are displayed at a food store in New York on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023. Campbell Soup is set to buy Sovos Brands, the maker of Rao’s pasta sauces. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan)

NEW YORK (AP) — Campbell Soup is set to buy Sovos Brands, the maker of Rao’s pasta sauces. In a Monday announcement, the two companies said they had entered an agreement for Campbell’s to acquire Sovos for $23 per share in cash — reflecting a total value of about $2.7 billion. The transaction will help diversify and strengthen Campbell’s Meals & Beverages division, Campbell’s President and CEO Mark Clouse said in a statement. Campbell intends to finance the Sovos acquisition with the issuance of new debt. The transaction’s closing is expected for December, subject to Sovos stockholder and regulatory approval, as well as other closing conditions.

FILE – The Stellantis sign is seen outside the Chrysler Technology Center in Auburn Hills, Mich, Jan. 19, 2021. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares on Wednesday, July 26, 2023 dangled the possibility of relaunching a shuttered Illinois factory if it can be made more competitive as the United Auto Workers Union threatens a strike. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

DETROIT (AP) — U.S. auto safety investigators have opened a probe into reports that some older Ram 1500 pickup trucks can lose their power-steering assistance with little or no warning. The investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration covers over 1.1 million pickups from the 2013 through 2016 model years. The agency says it has 380 complaints about the problem that include three crashes but no injuries. Stellantis, formerly Fiat Chrysler, recalled 440 pickups in 2016 to fix a power steering problem. But the agency says it has complaints indicating a similar failure in trucks that weren’t recalled. The agency says the recall query will determine if enough vehicles were recalled or if another safety defect might be causing problems.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published August 8, 2023 2:41 P.M.

(Aliquippa, PA) The memorial is being rededicated at its location on Reed Street, it faces Main Street.  The event begins at 10 a.m. Sunday, September 10, 2023. The memorial park has a fresh new look thanks to volunteers that have helped with funding or worked to support the project. The dedication is to honor all veterans that served in the gulf war, and all those that served in the war against terrorism. The event is also being held to complete the designation of Aliquippa as a Purple Heart City.

Canonsburg, PA – Aug. 11 is almost here, and Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania hopes that the 8/11 date on the calendar will serve as a natural reminder for homeowners and contractors to call 811 or visit PAOneCall.org at least three business days before any digging project to have underground utility lines marked.

Contacting 811 is free for homeowners, and it’s the law. Striking a single line can cause costly repairs, inconvenient outages, steep fines and even injuries.

When contacting 811, homeowners and contractors are connected to Pennsylvania One Call, which notifies the appropriate utility companies to mark the approximate location of underground utilities lines with either flags or a special spray paint.

Every digging project, no matter how big or small, requires contacting 811 at least three business days in advance to allow underground utilities time to mark their utility lines before digging begins. Examples of projects to contact 811 include everything from installing a fence, deck or mailbox to planting a tree, bushes or new garden.

Utility lines need to be properly marked because even when digging only a few inches or digging in a previously marked location, the risk of striking an underground utility line still exists. The depth of utility lines can also vary for several reasons, such as erosion, previous digging projects and uneven surfaces.

Along with recognizing National Safe Digging Day, Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania is celebrating 8/11 Day with their very own Digger Dog’s birthday! Digger Dog, is a smart, fun safety mascot, who can be found regularly at community events and classrooms across their service territory educating everyone on contacting 811, safe digging, and other natural gas safety messages. When you see Digger, you know safety is the topic – no bones about it.

“Digger Dog is a fantastic safety ambassador,” said Columbia Gas Vice President Gas Operations Brian McCaul. “On August 11 and throughout the year, we want to spread the word that contacting 811 before digging allows us to mark our gas lines and prevent a potentially dangerous situation. Digger Dog allows us the opportunity to spread safety messaging in an educational and fun way.”

To mark and celebrate Digger Dog’s birthday, Columbia Gas is partnering with the Washington Area Humane Society to highlight adoptable dogs looking for homes and reminding new pet parents they need to contact 811 before installing any fence, even electric.

Columbia Gas and the NiSource Charitable Foundation are proud supporters of the humane society and have a provided a $1,000 grant to support shelter programs.

“Through the foundation, Columbia Gas proudly supports the Washington Area Humane Society and their work caring for animals. Through adoptions and low-cost vet programs, their work strengthens the communities we serve,” said Government & Public Affairs Manager Scott Waitlevertch.

The Kraft Heinz Company (Photo: Business Wire)

PITTSBURGH & CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Aug. 8, 2023– Continuing its 150-plus-year legacy in Pittsburgh, The Kraft Heinz Company is bringing “Heinz Field” back to the Pittsburgh area in a new way. After witnessing the undying love from Pittsburghers for the legendary football stadium, the Company will unveil a new Heinz Field at Aliquippa High School in Aliquippa, Penn. – and make a $1.3 million charitable donation to the Aliquippa School District. The donation will bring new resources to the community by helping to construct an academic and athletic center attached to the new Heinz Field, the district’s newly renovated football stadium also known as “The Pit.”

“Kraft Heinz is proud to call Pittsburgh home as our co-headquarters, and we’re excited to bring Heinz Field back to the community in a new and meaningful way,” said Carlos Abrams-Rivera, Executive Vice President and President, North America at Kraft Heinz. “We look forward to seeing Heinz Field live on as part of the Aliquippa community.”

The academic and athletic center will feature offices, lockers, weight rooms, training and therapy rooms, and a large collaborative creative space for hands-on learning. Community groups and local citizens will also have access to the flexible space and weight rooms for programs and classes.

“Our beloved stadium has recently undergone a complete transformation, and we’re thrilled to continue this momentum with a new academic and athletic center for our students and community members in partnership with Kraft Heinz,” said Dr. Phillip K. Woods, Aliquippa School District Superintendent. “We’re incredibly proud of our athletics program, which has the most Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League football titles in league history and three alumni in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Kraft Heinz’s donation will help us further our legacies together and will impact Aliquippa, a deserving community, for generations to come.”

Finding a way to bring Heinz Field back to the Pittsburgh community has been a dream at Kraft Heinz over the past year.

“We know how important the original Heinz Field was to the people of Pittsburgh,” said Peter Hall, President, U.S. Away From Home and Kraft Heinz Ingredients at Kraft Heinz. “By working with Aliquippa – a community that has truly inspired us – we’re making our dream of a Heinz Field reboot a reality. Driven by our Company purpose Let’s Make Life Delicious, we look forward to giving Aliquippa’s hard-working students and community members new opportunities to learn, grow and thrive, while also continuing the legacy of Heinz Field.”

Aliquippa fans and community members will be able to experience the new Heinz Field at the start of the 2023-2024 football season. Construction of the new academic and athletic center is expected to be completed in 2025.