Pittsburg, PA
Colts Send Message to Steelers’ T.J. Watt
The Indianapolis Colts know what they’re getting themselves into when they line up across from T.J. Watt and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 4.
Colts head coach Shane Steichen told reporters that his team has had to prepare effusively for Watt leading up to Sunday’s contest given his game-wrecking ability and motor.
“The guy is a phenomenal football player,” Steichen said. “He is always around the ball. He has a relentless motor. He plays 100 miles an hour on every snap. So, we’ve got to have a plan for him…”
On the year, Watt has recorded three sacks and eight total pressures while being chipped at the highest rate of any pass rusher in the league by a wide margin, according to Pro Football Focus.
Indianapolis’ offensive line is among the best in the league largely in part due to their tackle duo of Bernhard Raimann and Braden Smith, who have been nails so far this season.
Watt and the rest of the Steelers’ defense represent a whole different challenge, however, and Indianapolis offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter acknowledged that fact this week.
“… In this league there are these just phenomenal players on some of these defenses, and T.J. Watt is certainly one of those,” Cooter said. “We’ve got to know where he’s going to line up and how he’s likely to align within their scheme – sort of what his role is likely to be defensively each play, and how we can go best attack the defense…”
The Colts’ game plan will likely center around neutralizing Watt, and for good reason. The 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and four-time First-team All-Pro can single-handedly stop an offense in its tracks, and he’s likely to attract even more attention then he initially would have now that Alex Highsmith will be out with a groin injury for Pittsburgh.
Indianapolis quarterback Anthony Richardson provided his own opinions on Watt’s prowess, mentioning that the team has plans in place that are aimed at keeping him out of the backfield.
“Man, I mean everybody knows he’s a potential Hall of Famer,” Richardson said. “He’s a great guy – high motor, a lot of effort. He’s pretty strong, physical. So, we definitely have a few things for him so he doesn’t get to the quarterback.”
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A man from Fayette County has been arrested and is facing over 1,000 charges related to alleged animal cruelty and neglect.
Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele said that John Saxberg, 57, is facing charges in connection with what he called “a suspected illegal kennel operation” in Washington Township.
According to DA Aubele, Saxberg is accused of subjecting numerous animals to “deplorable conditions” and “circumstances constituting torture,” adding that approximately ten animals suffered serious bodily injuries.
Court records show that Saxberg is facing 1,029 criminal charges in total with offenses including aggravated cruelty to animals, cruelty to animals, neglect of animals, penalties related to dog licensing, and violations of vaccine requirements.
52 of the charges that Saxberg is facing are felonies, according to court records.
Online court paperwork shows that Saxberg was arraigned on Tuesday afternoon and is being held in the Fayette County Prison after bail was posted at $85,000.
A preliminary hearing for Saxberg is scheduled for late next week.
An Allegheny County park with 200-year-old trees has been added to a growing network of protected and publicly accessible old-growth forests.
Local leaders announced on Tuesday that Hartwood Acres is now part of the Old-Growth Forest Network, which consists of over 340 forests, though this is Allegheny County’s first.
The 692-acre property features a Tudor mansion built in 1929, and while about a quarter of the park is maintained, the other 75% is forested. Some of the oldest trees include a black oak that’s over 200 years old, and a sugar maple and red oak that are nearing 200 years old.
“Hartwood Acres is one of Allegheny County’s greatest natural treasures, and this designation recognizes both the ecological value of these forests and the generations of stewardship that have protected them,” Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato said in a press release. “As we work to build an Allegheny County where everyone can thrive, that includes ensuring residents have access to clean air, green spaces, and the opportunity to connect with nature close to home.”
The Old-Growth Forest Network, founded in 2012, aims to create a national network of protected, mature and native forests that are accessible to the public. The goal is to preserve at least one forest in every U.S. county that can sustain a forest.
“The importance of the preservation of these rare forests cannot be overemphasized,” said Brian Kane, the Mid-Atlantic regional manager with the Old-Growth Forest Network. “As seen at Hartwood Acres, forests perform critical environmental services that benefit communities, such as storing carbon, providing wildlife habitat, and retaining stormwater. OGFN is grateful that Allegheny County values its old-growth forests and will enable its residents and visitors to marvel at these old hardwoods far into the future as they grow even more mature and majestic.”
An overturned truck spilled hazardous materials onto the 62nd Street Bridge late Monday night and crews spent several hours working to contain the spill.
The Cherry City Volunteer Fire Company said it was assistant on a “large scale hazmat incident” along with crews from Allegheny County Emergency Services and the city of Pittsburgh’s Bureau of Fire.
A truck turned onto its side on the Sharpsburg side of the Senator Robert D. Fleming Bridge, also known as the 62nd Street Bridge, late Monday night and the fire company said crews were working to contain the leak.
An aerial view from the KDKA Drone Team around 3 a.m. Tuesday showed the large response from crews working at the scene of the crash.
A first responder told KDKA’s news crew at the scene that the chemical that was spilled was peroxide and the fire company said crews were working to keep the material from entering drainage systems.
Around 4 a.m. Tuesday, the fire company provided an update and said that all “hazardous materials have been mitigated,” but that the bridge is expected to remain closed for an extended period of time.
Drivers are being urged to use alternate routes for the morning commute.
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