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Diocese of Pittsburgh announces addition of armed police officers to Catholic schools

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Diocese of Pittsburgh announces addition of armed police officers to Catholic schools


PITTSBURGH — The Diocese of Pittsburgh announced Thursday that armed police officers will now be in Catholic schools, adding safety is the top priority.

Last year, Oakland Catholic was among the many schools hit with a scary swatting situation.

“None of us can know what’s coming in the future we just do our best to prepare for every eventuality,” Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh School Superintendent Michelle Peduto said.

Four safety supervisors have been hired and job offers are being made to six police officers who will report to them, and carry guns in the schools.

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“The hot button issue right now is violence but these officers also will be trained in first aid, emergency medicine and be provided with equipment so that if a medical emergency occurs or some type of other emergency occurs they will be able to respond,” former Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich said.

The diocese brought Hissrich on, creating its own director of safety and security position in August.

He says the supervisors and officers are also coming with a lot of law enforcement experience.

“There was strict criteria in hiring them, they all have a vast amount of experience and the experience we were looking for in hiring these officers was that they are able to deal with people and deal with parents deal with students and de-escalate situations,” Hissrich said. “I want these officers to be role models “

The plan is to have one supervisor and two officers per each of the three school regions.

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They’ll serve as liaisons to local agencies, should an incident occur.

Parents we spoke with are in favor of adding the officers but do want to feel assured that they’ll safely handle weapons

Leaders say, eventually, they hope to add more to the force.

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Ranking Pittsburgh Steelers Undrafted Free Agents Odds of Making Roster

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Ranking Pittsburgh Steelers Undrafted Free Agents Odds of Making Roster


The announcement of Mr. Irrelevant is not where the NFL Draft process really ends. After the last pick, many players are signed by teams after going undrafted. Though most of these players are training camp bodies who ultimately don’t make the team, some gems pop up every year out of the group of undrafted players. Following their stellar draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed five undrafted free agents. In order, here is how likely each of these five players are to make the Steelers roster.

How Likely Pittsburgh Steelers Undrafted Free Agents Are to Make Roster

1. Beanie Bishop – DB, West Virginia

Of all five Steelers undrafted free agents, Bishop is head and shoulders the most likely to make the team. While Pittsburgh had a great draft, they didn’t do anything to address their need at slot cornerback. They will probably sign a slot-capable veteran, but Bishop could fill that role perfectly for them. Bishop was a second-team All-American and first-team All-Big 12 selection last season. He is the embodiment of a playmaker, totaling four interceptions and 67 tackles last year. Bishop is very solid in run support, too, which the Steelers always expect of their nickel cornerbacks. Pittsburgh will sign another cornerback, but Bishop will compete in training camp with a real shot of making the roster.

2. Julius Welschof – EDGE, Charlotte

After Bishop, there is a fall-off in probability of any undrafted free agents making the Steelers’ final roster. Julius Welschof, the German-born defensive end, has a shot, though. T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith are of course the Steelers starting edge rushers, and Nick Herbig is third in the rotation. After Herbig, though, the fourth spot is up for grabs. The team did not re-sign Markus Golden this offseason, who was a productive depth piece for them last year. Welschof is a good athlete who has a chance to compete for a depth spot on the team.

3. John Rhys Plumlee – QB, UCF

Plumlee is an intriguing prospect due to his position versatility. He is a quarterback who also played wide receiver (and baseball at UCF, interestingly). A move back to receiver seemed in the cards for Plumlee if he had a shot of making the NFL, but the Steelers announced his signing as a quarterback. At that position, he’s fighting an uphill battle to pass Kyle Allen for the QB3 roster spot. However, due to his strong athleticism and versatility, Pittsburgh could give him a look as a Taysom Hill-type of player. It’s unlikely, but once he gets to training camp, the Steelers might like Plumlee as a gadget and special teams guy. That, not quarterback, is his best chance of making the roster.

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4. Daijun Edwards – RB, Georgia

The leading running back for one of the nation’s best teams, Daijun Edwards didn’t hear his name called during the draft. He probably won’t make the Steelers roster, either. They have their top three running backs. Edwards is a prime candidate for the practice squad, though. With running backs at an increased risk of injury, he would be a good extra piece to have if needed. He won’t break tackles like Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren do. But he’s respectable in the passing game, both as a receiver and blocker, which are two positive traits to have.

5. Jacoby Windmon – LB, Michigan State

Jacoby Windmon is by far the least likely of the Steelers’ undrafted free agents to ultimately make the roster. His biggest roadblock is the Steelers having five linebackers on the team already. They made a huge move in free agency by signing 2023 second-team All-Pro selection Patrick Queen. Elandon Roberts and Cole Holecomb return from last year. Payton Wilson was just drafted in the third round by the Steelers and will be a key contributor. And Mark Robinson sits behind them all as a special teams player and run-stuffing depth piece. It’s just very tough to see Windmon finding himself a spot in the rotation.

Main Image:  Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

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They liked it, they loved it, Tim McGraw fans got some more of it in Pittsburgh

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They liked it, they loved it, Tim McGraw fans got some more of it in Pittsburgh



BC Taylor, son of Aliquippa rocker B.E. Taylor, drummed for his girlfriend, award-winning country singer Carly Pearce.

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PITTSBURGH ― To describe a Tim McGraw concert, you invariably must use the word “solid.”

That’s precisely how McGraw sounded, looked and entertained Saturday at PPG Paints Arena.

Nothing out of the ordinary happened, and that was utterly fine.

From the rugged show launcher “Truck Yeah” to the crowd-swaying-along encore finisher “Live Like You Were Dying,” McGraw dependably delivered a straightforward, engaging 90-minute set as tight as his blue jeans.

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His band rocked out without getting showy, forging a six-man, front-stage line of guitarists and a bass guitarist for “Southern Voice,” as the three-side jumbo video screen showed Southern icons like Bear Bryant, Rosa Parks and Jerry Lee Lewis.

That video screen gave ample closeups of the oft-smiling McGraw, who regularly worked a catwalk that jutted 13 rows into the crowd. That’s where he did a few slow spins with arms outstretched like airplane wings, before slapping high-fives and shaking hands with fans during “All I Want is a Life.”

McGraw’s voice sounded strong, reaching the requisite high notes on his cover of Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer.”

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Sweet, soulful fiddle emerged for “Just to See You Smile,” which McGraw prefaced with the reminder he doesn’t chatter much during shows, joking he’s accustomed to his family − wife/country superstar Faith Hill and their three daughters − not giving him much space to talk.

Video clip footage of McGraw and Hill appeared on the video screen for the love song “One Bad Habit.” That looked like Hill again, in a more abstract visual, for the next song, the somewhat Yacht Rock-ish “Watch The Wind Blow By.”

The mixed-age crowd − enthusiastic and from what I saw well-behaved − wiggled and grooved for “Something Like That” and sang alone for the final chorus of “Where The Green Grass Grows,” which McGraw finished with a baseball hitters’ stance then an imaginary swing for the fences.

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McGraw gave a hometown shoutout to band member Billy Noble, a Carnegie Mellon University grad, for his fine keyboard work on 2023’s”Standing Room Only,” from which this tour draws its name.

Red lights illuminated and intensified the setting for the lyrically dark “Red Ragtop,” which built to a moment where fans waved their uplifted arms in unison. The start of that song, when the lighting was still dark, was a lone moment where McGraw removed his cowboy hat, for just a second, maybe to wipe some sweat.

Taylor Swift showed up for the pulsating “Highway Don’t Care,” beamed on the video screen in music video fashion and earning a post-song cheer when McGraw mentioned her.

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It was party time, with soothing fiddle, screaming guitar and pounding, crashing drums as McGraw and his band tore into “I Like It, I Love It.” He subtly changed the Atlanta Braves reference to Pittsburgh Steelers, an acceptable audible in a country show refreshingly low on pandering.

“Felt Good on My Lips” flat-out rocked.

Then five guitar- and bass-wielding bandmates, including McGraw, again formed a loose line to grind out the sturdy “Real Good Man.”

A masterfully crafted setlist brought the crowd-pleasing encore of “The Cowboy in Me” and “Humble and Kind,” with McGraw standing in wisps of dry ice smoke and letting the crowd repeat the final philosophical outro a cappella.

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The uplifting “Live Like You Were Dying,” in all its skydiving, Rocky Mountain climbing, Fu Manchu bull-riding glory, ended the show − you guessed it − solidly.

McGraw’s main support, award-winning country star Carly Pearce, did a good job warming the audience.

Commanding the stage in red stiletto boots, matching her above-the-knees red dress, Pearce demonstrated a skillful ability to emotionally “sell” a song.

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From the done-me-wrong-but-I’ll-triumph “What He Didn’t Do,” to the devil-may-care attitude of Faith Hill’s “Let’s Go to Vegas,” Pearce was convincing. She apologized for a slightly raspy speaking voice earned two nights earlier when she stood next to the real-life Hill singing along with McGraw songs at a Nashville concert. That rasp added moxie to new song “Truck on Fire,” with its “liar, liar truck’s on fire” vow to ignite the vehicle of a cheating beau.

In real life, Pearce looks to be quite happy with her boyfriend and band drummer BC Taylor, son of beloved Aliquippa rocker B.E. Taylor.

Befitting the night, BC Taylor supplied solid beats that added to Pearce’s enjoyable dozen-song set.

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Scott Tady is Times Entertainment Editor and easy to reach at stady@gannett.com.



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Steelers NFL Draft grades 2024: Full list of Pittsburgh’s draft picks, plus analysis for every selection

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Steelers NFL Draft grades 2024: Full list of Pittsburgh’s draft picks, plus analysis for every selection


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You’ve made it, Steelers fans. After months of speculation, reports and mock drafts, Pittsburgh’s fanbase is finally getting to see who its team is adding in the 2024 NFL Draft. This is a huge draft for the Steelers, who are hoping to make a deep playoff run in 2024. 

For a second straight year, Pittsburgh selected an offensive lineman with its first-round pick. This year, the Steelers took Washington offensive lineman Troy Fautanu, who made starts at both tackle and at guard during his time with the Huskies. Fautanu’s versatility was surely one of the reasons why the Steelers selected him. 

The Steelers’ patience was rewarded in the second round, as they stayed put and selected former West Virginia center Zach Frazier with the 41st pick. Frazier — a two-time All-American and three-time team captain at West Virginia — is now part of a rebuilt offensive line in Pittsburgh that also includes Fautanu and 2023 first-round pick Broderick Jones. 

With the 84th pick, the Steelers selected wideout Roman Wilson, who caught a dozen touchdown passes last season for the national champions. He caught big touchdowns last year in Michigan’s wins over Ohio State and Alabama. A willing blocker, Wilson is most effective when playing in the slot. 

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Pittsburgh took former North Carolina State linebacker Payton Wilson with its third and final pick on Day 3. Wilson had a whopping 138 tackles (18.5 tackles for loss), 6 sacks, 3 picks, 2 fumble recoveries an a forced fumble last season. 

On Day 3, the Steelers continued to add to the offensive line with the selection of guard Mason McCormick, who made a school record 57 consecutive starts at South Dakota State. Pittsburgh capped off its draft by selecting two defensive players: Iowa’s Logan Lee and Texas cornerback Ryan Watts. Lee made 40 starts at defensive tackle at Iowa, but is projected to line up at defensive end in Pittsburgh. Watts, a big defensive back at 6-foot-3 and 208 pounds, was a dependable tackler and pass defender for the Longhorns.  

 Here is every single selection the Steelers made in this year’s draft.

1

20

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Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington B

2

51

Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia  A-

3

84

Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan  B-

3

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98 (via Philadelphia)

Payton Wilson, LB, NC State A-

4

119

Mason McCormick, OG, South Dakota State A

6

178 (via Arizona through Carolina)

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Logan Lee, DE, Iowa  B-

6

195

Ryan Watts, CB, Texas B+





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