Pittsburg, PA
Pittsburgh Pirates Win Big to Break Out of Historic Season-Opening Slump
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ bats blew up in a big way Monday night, possibly exorcising some demons that had been plaguing their lineup.
Eight of the Pirates’ nine starters recorded at least one hit in the series opener against the Washington Nationals. They went a combined 14-for-31 at the plate with five walks, ultimately running away with a 10-3 victory.
Prior to Monday, though, Pittsburgh had hardly come anywhere near that level of production. Their batting average ranked dead-last in MLB all the way down at .184.
According to Codify Baseball, that was the lowest batting average by any National League team through the first 16 games of a season since the 1907 Brooklyn Superbas.
The 2025 Pittsburgh Pirates are batting .184 and that’s the lowest AVG for a National League team in their first 16 games of a season since the 1907 Brooklyn Superbas.
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) April 14, 2025
Monday’s showing bumped their season batting average up to .199, which is still the lowest mark in the big leagues.
Andrew McCutchen, who went 1-for-2 with a walk and two runs on Monday, is batting .270 with a .747 OPS on the season. Catcher Joey Bart leads the team in both categories with a .275 batting average and .795 OPS.
No other qualified batters on Pittsburgh’s roster boasts an OPS over .682, while 10 are at .505 or below.
The Pirates will try to keep the ball rolling Tuesday when they continue their series against the Nationals. First pitch from PNC Park is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET.
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Pittsburg, PA
Trash pickup schedules adjusted in Pittsburgh-area communities due to impending heat wave
Several communities in the Pittsburgh area have adjusted their trash pickup times as the region is bracing for a heat wave with temperatures and heat indexes expected to be near 100 degrees this week.
The hottest temperatures of 2026 are expected this week and by Tuesday afternoon, temperatures are anticipated to reach into the 90s. This, coupled with extremely high humidity levels, means the heat index — also known as the “feels like” temperature — will flirt with triple digits.
In Mt. Lebanon, trash and recycling pickup routes will begin earlier than normal to help keep workers safe amid the extreme heat.
“All trash and recycling should be placed at the curb the night before your scheduled collection day, as collection times may occur earlier than usual,” a notice posted on municipality’s Facebook page said.
Shaler Township said that it received an update from County Hauling that collection crews will begin their routes earlier than normal this week as well.
“Please place all trash and recycling at the curb the night before your scheduled collection day,” the township said.
In Robinson Township, trash collection will begin at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, one hour earlier than normal.
People are being asked to have their trash and recycling at the curb at least one hour prior to their normal pickup time.
Pleasant Hills Borough said it had adjusted its trash pickup schedule for earlier in the day on Friday to “help reduce employee exposure to hazardous temperatures.”
“This temporary adjustment is being made in the interest of employee health and safety,” the borough said. “We kindly ask that you help notify your residents that all trash and/or recycling should be placed at the curb the night before their scheduled collection day, as collection times may occur earlier than usual.”
In Brentwood Borough, Noble Environmental will begin earlier collection on pickup routes as well.
People are being asked to place their trash and recycling at the curb the night before their scheduled collection day.
The borough added that collection days are not changing, only the start time of the pickup routes.
“Thank you for your cooperation as crews work safely during this week’s heat wave,” the borough said.
The Library Volunteer Fire Company said that trash pickup in South Park Township is being moved earlier on Thursday.
“We kindly ask Township residents to place trash and recycling at the curb the night before Thursday, July 2nd pickup, as collection times may occur earlier than usual,” the notice said.
Pittsburg, PA
Tech community to Shapiro and Pennsylvania legislators: Wait on data center rules
Pittsburg, PA
Pittsburgh horror film history honored with new award
Pittsburgh voted best Fourth of July celebration in America
In 2026, Pittsburgh gets the bragging rights for the nation’s Best Fourth of July Celebration, as determined by voters in USA Today 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards.
Pittsburgh has long been known for its connections to horror films starting with George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead in 1968.
Now, in honor of that designation and the legacy of Romero, who died in 2016, the Pittsburgh Film Festival has announced it is introducing a new award this year.
The inaugural Romero Awardfor Best Horror Feature will be presented at the 45th annual Three Rivers Film Festival, scheduled to run from Nov. 4-15, according to the group’s website. Presented with support from the George A. Romero Foundation, the award will be selected by a panel of industry judges.
Named in honor of Romero, the award celebrates bold, visionary work in the horror genre. As the birthplace of Night of the Living Dead, Pittsburgh remains a vital home for horror storytelling, making the Romero Award a natural addition to the festival’s juried honors, the group said.
“The GARF is devoted to preserving Romero’s legacy and continues to support creatives and independent filmmaking in genres and horror spaces,” Suzanne Romero, George’s widow and founder and president of the George A. Romero Foundation, said recently. She died June 24 at her home in Toronto after a long illness.
Film Pittsburgh’s executive director, Shanna Carrick, added, “We are proud to partner with the GARF to introduce an international competition for best independent horror film. Pittsburgh has a deep love of horror films and we believe that our audiences will be thrilled to experience new voices in the genre.”
The festival is currently accepting submissions, with the full lineup to be announced in October.
The festival will also continue to celebrate its horror offerings with its beloved Chiller Theater, named in honor of the late Pittsburgh horror show host Chilly Billy Cardille. The spooky showcase features the best new independent horror shorts from around the globe and Allegheny County.
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