(File Photo of the Aliquippa School District Sign)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Aliquippa, PA) The Aliquippa School Board has approved a policy requiring drug and alcohol testing for students participating in sports and extracurricular activities. 

The board voted on the policy yesterday. 

Dr. Phillip K. Woods, the superintendent of Aliquippa School District, said the policy is not intended to punish students but to deter substance use and promote accountability. 

Under the policy, students who test positive for drugs, alcohol or other prohibited substances would first meet with parents and school administrators before receiving in-school support and undergoing follow-up drug testing. 

A second positive test would result in a two-week suspension from extracurricular activities while the student completes an educational program. 

After completion, students would be reinstated without further restrictions. 

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) throws during NFL football practice in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, May 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said yesterday that the 2026 season will be the final year of his Hall of Fame-worthy career. 

“Yes. This is it,” Rodgers said when asked if this would be his final NFL season. 

The four-time NFL MVP and 42-year-old quarterback signed a one-year contract worth up to $25 million with the Steelers this week, reuniting with coach Mike McCarthy, who coached Rodgers for 13 seasons with the Green Bay Packers. 

Rodgers added that he believed his chances of playing in Pittsburgh were over after former Steelers coach Mike Tomlin resigned following the team’s wild-card playoff loss to the Houston Texans on January 12.

(Credit for Photo: Photo Posted on Facebook on May 20th, 2026)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(File Photo: Source for Photo: St. Louis Cardinals’ Ivan Herrera celebrates after hitting a three-run walk-off home run to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 10th inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Iván Herrera hit a three-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning — one of four homers by St. Louis — as the Cardinals rallied to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.

Herrera’s 410-foot shot off of Mason Montgomery (1-1) was his first career walk-off RBI. It is the fifth walk-off win of the season for St. Louis, which improved to 7-1 in extra-inning games.

JJ Wetherholt, Nolan Gorman and Alec Burleson also homered as the Cardinals improved to 5-0 this season against their Central Division rivals.

Gorman hit a pitch from Pirates reliever Evan Sisk 436 feet over the right-centerfield wall in the sixth inning to give the Cardinals a 5-4 lead. Burleson led off the eighth with a solo shot to add to the St. Louis lead.

Spencer Horwitz’s pinch-hit single off Riley O’Brien in the ninth capped a two-run rally by the Pirates, tying the game at 6.

George Soriano (2-0) pitched a perfect 10th inning for the win.

Cardinals starter Matthew Liberatore struck out a career-high nine, but allowed four runs in the fifth before being pulled after 4 2/3 innings. He gave up seven hits and walked two.

Wetherholt’s two-run homer off Pirates starter Mitch Keller broke a scoreless tie in the third. Three of Wetherholt’s nine career home runs have come against the Pirates.

Burleson singled to lead off the fourth and eventually scored on a Gorman double play, giving the Cardinals a 3-0 lead.

Brandon Lowe singled and scored on a wild pitch to spark a four-run Pirates rally in the fifth. Bryan Reynolds’ two-run double tied the game and Oneil Cruz’s RBI single gave Pittsburgh a 4-3 lead.

Keller allowed four runs in 5 2/3 innings for the Pirates. He gave up four hits, struck out three and walked one.

Up next

Pirates RHP Carmen Mlodzinski (3-3, 4.40 ERA) will face Cardinals RHP Michael McGreevy (3-2, 2.10) on Wednesday.

(Credit and Caption for Photo: Pirates center fielder Jhostynxon Garcia signs autographs before a spring training game against the Red Sox, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Fla. (Matt Freed/Post Gazette)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(St. Louis, MO) The Pittsburgh Pirates promoted outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia today ahead of their series on the road against the St. Louis Cardinals. 

The 23-year-old was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis. Garcia is nicknamed “The Password” because of the unique spelling of his first name. 

The move comes after outfielder/first baseman Ryan O’Hearn was placed on the injured list Sunday. Garcia takes the roster spot of infielder/outfielder Nick Yorke, who was optioned to Indianapolis. 

Garcia has been on a hot streak offensively, highlighted by a three-home run game last week. He is ranked as Pittsburgh’s fourth-best prospect by Baseball America. 

Garcia was acquired in December as part of the trade that sent pitcher Johan Oviedo to the Boston Red Sox.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) leaves the field after an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Houston Texans, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar,File)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Aaron Rodgers didn’t waste time getting his 22nd NFL season started.

The four-time NFL MVP was on the field for voluntary organized team activities in Pittsburgh on Monday just minutes after signing a one-year deal with the Steelers.

The signing reunites Rodgers with first-year Pittsburgh coach Mike McCarthy. The two worked closely together during a long partnership in Green Bay earlier in their respective careers, including a Super Bowl victory over Pittsburgh after the 2010 season.

The 42-year-old Rodgers guided Pittsburgh to an AFC North title last season, throwing for 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He seemed to embrace playing for a team whose football roots run deep, much as he did in Green Bay, and now he’ll be back to try and help the Steelers end a playoff victory drought that is nearly a decade old.

(Credit and Caption for Photo: Pirates third baseman Nick Yorke rounds the bases past third base coach Tony Beasley after hitting a home run during the eighth inning against the Rays on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at PNC Park. (Christopher Horner | TribLive)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The Pittsburgh Pirates optioned infielder/outfielder Nick Yorke to Triple-A Indianapolis following Sunday’s 6-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.

A corresponding roster move will be announced before Tuesday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Yorke, 24, is batting .197/.279/.276 with three doubles, one home run and six RBIs in 27 games this season. He was 0-for-8 in four games since being recalled from Indianapolis on May 8.

This marks the second time Yorke has been optioned this season. After making the Opening Day roster, he was sent to Indianapolis on May 2. In three games there, he went 0-for-10 with two strikeouts, one walk and one stolen base.

(FIle Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Konnor Griffin (6) and Ryan O’Hearn celebrate after scoring on a single by Endy Rodriguez off Colorado Rockies pitcher Chase Dollander during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, May 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates placed outfielder/first baseman Ryan O’Hearn on the 10-day injured list on Sunday with a strained right quad and activated outfielder Jake Mangum from the IL.

O’Hearn was injured while playing first base in a loss to Philadelphia on Saturday. He collided with batter Bryson Stott while catching a pop-up in the third inning.

Signed as a free agent in the offseason, O’Hearn is hitting .291 with seven home runs in 43 games.

Mangum had been sidelined since May 6 with a strained left hamstring. He has a .260 batting average and five stolen bases in 30 games after being acquired from Tampa Bay in an offseason trade.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Philadelphia Phillies’ Bryce Harper celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes during he sixth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Zack Wheeler pitched seven sparkling innings, Bryce Harper hit a home run off ace Paul Skenes and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-0 Sunday for a three-game sweep that moved them over .500 for the first time since early April.

Philadelphia (24-23) has won seven of eight and improved to 15-4 since Don Mattingly replaced Rob Thomson as manager on April 28. The Phillies had not been over .500 since they were 6-5 before an April 8 loss.

Wheeler (3-0) gave up four hits while striking out eight and walking one. His ERA is 1.99 in six starts since beginning the season on the injured list while recovering from surgery to remove a blood clot from his upper right arm.

Jonathan Bowlan and Tanner Banks pitched one inning each to finish the five-hitter.

Harper led off the sixth inning with his 12th home run to push the’ lead to 3-0. Later in the inning, Bryson Stott added a two-run double off Isaac Mattson. The runs were charged to Skenes (6-3), who was lifted after Alec Bohm singled and Brandon Marsh doubled.

Skenes tied a career-high by giving up five runs in five-plus innings. The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner allowed six hits, struck out seven, and walked one as his ERA rose from 1.98 to 2.62.

Skenes’ career-best scoreless innings streak ended at 20 in a two-run fifth. Justin Crawford drove in the first run on a groundout, and Trea Turner followed with an RBI single.

The Pirates have lost four of five.

Up next

Phillies: Rookie RHP Andrew Painter (1-4, 6.21 ERA) will start on Monday night against visiting Cincinnati and LHP Nick Lodolo (0-1, 8.68 ERA) to start a three-game series.

Pirates: After having Monday off, open a three-game series on Tuesday night in St. Louis with RHP Mitch Keller (4-2, 3.59) facing LHP Matthew Liberatore (2-2, 4.20).

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez delivers during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Cristopher Sánchez struck out a career-high 13 while picking up the second shutout of his big league career as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-0 on Saturday to reach .500 for the first time since mid-April.

Sánchez (5-2), the National League Cy Young Award runner-up a year ago, allowed five hits and didn’t issue a walk while extending his scoreless streak to 29 2/3 innings. He dropped his ERA to 1.82 with the fifth complete game and third shutout in the major leagues this season.

Philadelphia (23-23) improved to 14-4 since Don Mattingly replaced Rob Thomson as manager and made bench coach Dusty Wathan a winner during his managerial debut. Wathan filled in while Mattingly attended a son’s college graduation.

Bryce Harper hit a 457-foot three-run homer off the batter’s eye in the first inning off Bubba Chandler (1-5). Trea Turner and Alec Bohm had two hits apiece. Kyle Schwarber, baseball’s leading home run hitter, added an RBI single as the Phillies gave Sanchez an early five-run lead and cruised.

One night after the Phillies rallied from six down to stun Pittsburgh in extra innings, Sanchez made sure no comeback was needed. He retired the first 11 batters he faced and never really ran into trouble until the ninth inning, when the Pirates put runners on first and third with one out.

With a reliever warming up in the bullpen, Sanchez struck out Marcell Ozuna to reach 13 strikeouts for the first time and then retired Nick Yorke on a groundball to end it.

While Sanchez was crisp, Chandler was not. The hard-throwing 23-year-old, considered an important part of Pittsburgh’s future, continued to struggle with his command. Chandler issued four walks in his three innings of work, pushing his total on the season to a major league-leading 31.

And when Chandler did find the strike zone, Schwarber and Harper made him pay.

It took Philadelphia all of three batters to take control. Turner led off with a single. Schwarber walked, and Harper followed with his 11th homer of the season, a monster shot that made the significant chunk of the PNC Park crowd who made the five-hour drive across the state roar with approval.

Up next

The series wraps up on Sunday when reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes (6-2, 1.98 ERA) starts for Pittsburgh against Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler (2-0, 2.55).