Category: News

Driver charged after three-vehicle crash occurs in Robinson Township

(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Car)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Robinson Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Pittsburgh reported via release yesterday that an unidentified driver was charged after a three-vehicle crash occurred in Robinson Township on January 29th, 2026. That driver hit another vehicle at 11:11 a.m. while traveling on I-376 East. The vehicle that was hit braked for a third vehicle which was disabled with hazard lights blocking the lane of travel. There were no injuries.  

Pirates reassign heralded prospect Konnor Griffin to minor league camp

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Konnor Griffin drops his bat after hitting a two-run double off New York Yankees pitcher Jake Bird during the fifth inning of a spring training baseball game Monday, March 9, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates debut for highly touted 19-year-old prospect Konnor Griffin will have to wait.

Griffin was reassigned to minor league camp on Saturday after the shortstop spent the last few weeks showcasing the skills that have made him baseball’s No. 1 overall prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.

Manager Don Kelly called the decision to leave Griffin off the season-opening roster “extremely difficult.”

“The talent that you see, I think he handled himself really well professionally,” Kelly told reporters. “We talk about the maturity level as a 19-year-old in big league camp. Really excited about him being a Pirate and what that means for the future of Konnor Griffin and the Pirates.”

Griffin homered four times and had nine RBIs in 16 Grapefruit League games, but he batted just .171 and struck out 13 times in 41 at-bats. After Griffin garnered so much attention this spring because of his status as one of the game’s top prospects, Kelly believed a return to the minors could allow the infielder to reassert himself.

“I think you see a young kid that was maybe pressing just a little bit and trying really hard,” Kelly said. “Konnor Griffin the person is elite. Allowing him to go and get back to basics and being Konnor Griffin out there (could help). We know there’s an elite talent level that comes with him. Just looking forward to him being in Pittsburgh whenever that time comes.”

Incident of reckless endangerment with shots fired at a passing vehicle in Aliquippa under investigation

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

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Aliquippa, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver reported via release on Saturday that they are holding an ongoing investigation into an incident of reckless endangerment that occurred in Aliquippa on Friday. The Aliquippa Police Department went to the area of Grand Avenue and Tyler Street for a report of shots fired at 8:25 p.m. An initial investigation found that an unknown party fired three rounds of shots at a passing vehicle. There were no reported injuries or damage. If you have any information about this incident, call 724-773-7400.  

New Brighton School District student performs at PMEA Region 1 Band festival and successfully auditions into the PMEA All-State Concert Band

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of New Brighton School District)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pocono Manor, PA) Katelyn Nicholson, a student from the New Brighton School District, performed this weekend at the PMEA Region 1 Band festival and successfully auditioned into the PMEA All-State Concert Band. She will play in a festival with students from all across the state from April 22nd-24th at the Kalahari Resort in Pocono Manor, Pennsylvania. Nicholson will also have the opportunity to audition for the All-Eastern festival, which will be held in Providence, Rhode Island in April of 2027. 

Texas man charged with abandoning a Labrador puppy dog at the Pittsburgh International Airport

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of the Allegheny County Police Department, Posted on Facebook on March 20th, 2026)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) A Texas man has been charged after an abandoned dog was found at the Pittsburgh International Airport. According to Allegheny County Police, around 5 p.m. on Friday, county officers were alerted to the dog, which was running loose near the curb at departures. They were able to locate and secure the dog with the help of some bystanders. The dog was a Labrador puppy and it is now in foster care. As officers began investigating, they spoke with forty-two-year-old Omar Perez of Texas and he told them he saw an Uber driver abandon the dog. However, they later learned that Perez had abandoned the dog when he learned he would not be able to fly with it. Perez is now being charged with animal cruelty and animal abandonment. 

Sewickley Academy wins the 2026 Class 2A PIAA boys high school basketball state championship

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Dan Rainville, USA TODAY Network, Caption for Photo: Sewickley Academy team members celebrate after winning the PIAA Class 2A Boys Basketball Championship against Old Forge at the Giant Center in Hershey on March 20, 2026. The Panthers defeated the Blue Devils 52-36.)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Hershey, PA) Sewickley Academy’s boys high school basketball team won the 2026 Class 2A PIAA state championship game by defeating Old Forge 52-36 at Giant Center in Hershey on Friday. This state championship game for Sewickley Academy was a year since they lost to Linville Hill Christian Academy by one point. The Panthers got their revenge on a different team this year to win their fourth state title in program history. Sophomore forward Mamadou Kane, who missed the final shot of last year’s title game, redeemed himself to lead all Sewickley Academy scorers with fifteen points. The Panthers only lost one game this season and that loss was to Roselle Catholic, a team from New Jersey. The Roselle Catholic Lions defeated the Panthers 54-53 in overtime in Sewickley on February 9th, 2026.

Center Township police seeking public help in identifying woman connected to ongoing fraud investigation

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of the Center Township Police Department, Posted on Facebook on March 20th, 2026)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Center Township, PA) Police in Center Township are asking for help from the public in identifying a woman connected to an ongoing fraud investigation. Authorities have released an image of this woman, and her picture can be found below. Anyone who recognizes her should contact the Center Township Police Department at 724-775-0880 or send an email to either abranchetti@centerpolice.com or rlutton@centerpolice.com. You can also submit a tip to the police department in Center Township and they can be anonymous.

Pitt senior and women’s college volleyball star Olivia Babcock named top finalist for 2026 AAU Sullivan Award

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Pitt Volleyball, Posted on Facebook on February 24th, 2026)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Pitt senior and women’s college volleyball star Olivia Babcock was named a top finalist for the 2026 AAU Sullivan Award yesterday morning. The Amateur Athletic Association announced that she is in contention for the honor, which recognizes the most outstanding collegiate or Olympic athlete in the United States of America. Babcock is also twenty years old, which makes her one of the two youngest finalists in this year’s class. Her resume includes earning AVCA National Player of the Year and AVCA East Coast Region Player of the Year honors in both 2024 and 2025. She also received the CWSA Honda Award during her tenure at Pitt. Babcock will travel to New York City for the award festivities and ceremony scheduled for April 6th and 7th.

Woman who was driving under the influence charged for two-vehicle crash in McKeesport that killed a woman in the car she hit let out of jail on bond

(File Photo: Caption for Photo: police car lights at night in city with selective focus and bokeh background blur, Credit for Photo: Courtesy of Getty Images/iStockphoto/z1b)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(McKeesport, PA) Thirty-three-year-old Brittany McPherson was let out of jail yesterday on bond by a judge after that judge gave her bail with conditions. McPherson was taken to jail for driving under the influence in McKeesport on February 14th, 2026 and crashing into a car, which ended up killing its passenger, sixty-nine-year-old Donna DeFrances. The conditions that McPherson has to follow state that she must have electric home monitoring, she can not drive a car, and she can not drink alcohol or do drugs. DeFrances died at the hospital after the crash occurred at the intersection of 28th and Rockwood streets. Investigators expressed that toxicology reports showed that McPherson had a blood-alcohol content and THC that was over the legal limit. However, the family of DeFrances is not pleased with the decision of the judge to release McPherson from prison. Rob Longo showed up to court in a wheelchair, with a neck brace, and a boot on his foot. These were all of the injuries he received after police say McPherson crashed into his car. DeFrances was Longo’s mother-in-law, and he was driving her home on the night of Valentine’s Day, after she babysat his stepdaughter for the evening. Longo told WPXI: “They told me they were going to let her out, and I just kind of lost it a little bit. I said I don’t think she should ever be walking the streets again, but I don’t make the rules. That was up to the judge. And I believe the system failed us. I think if you kill somebody, that should be grounds to stay where you’re at. Especially if you kill somebody in the way she did with the kids in the van. Putting everyone in danger around here and they let her back on the streets. You can just go kill someone today and then you’ll be out in a couple weeks, no sweat. Endanger your kids and the lives of everyone around you. It doesn’t matter.” McPherson had no criminal history, which, according to legal expert Phil DiLucente, could be a reason why the judge let her out of jail on bond.

SWAT situation occurs for a couple of hours in McCandless; one person hospitalized

(File Photo of a Police Siren Light)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Allegheny County, PA) A SWAT situation in McCandless ended with one person being taken to a hospital. Allegheny County dispatchers told WTAE the situation on Olive Street first started around 11 p.m. yesterday. That scene was eventually cleared around 2 a.m. Officials have not said whether or not there have been any arrests at this time.