Week in review: Pirates' new manager, Steelers' new quarterback, John Shumway off radio
This past week saw big changes with Pittsburgh’s sports teams — a new manager for the Pirates and a new starting quarterback for the Steelers. Also: John Shumway stepped down at KDKA Radio and a Mt. Pleasant Area Senior High School, who married his high school sweetheart, lost his battle with a rare childhood cancer. Here’s a look back at some of the top stories of the week.
Steelers, Pirates changes
Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin sparked his team to get a victory of the winless Cincinnati Bengals Sunday when he decided to switch quarterbacks, replacing Mason Rudolph with Devlin Hodges. Tomlin said Hodges will start for the Steelers when the team takes on the Cleveland Browns Sunday at Heinz Field.
Meanwhile in baseball, the Pirates hired Derek Shelton as the team’s new manager, replacing Clint Hurdle, who was fired in September after nine years.
Recent Mt. Pleasant grad loses cancer battle
Brady Hunker, 18, who graduated from Mt. Pleasant Area Senior High School in June and married Mollie Landman, his high school sweetheart, this summer, died from a rare childhood cancer at his Mt. Pleasant home Monday. Hunker had battled Ewing’s sarcoma, which attacks the bones and surrounding soft tissue, for more than three years.
Shumway steps down at KDKA Radio
John Shumway stepped down as morning news co-host at KDKA Radio, with his last day being on Wednesday. He’s remaining as a general assignment reporter with KDKA-TV.
Penn Hills theater barred from showing Mr. Rogers movie
Penn Hills Cinema wasn’t allowed to show “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” the locally-filmed movie starring Tom Hanks as Fred Rogers, during its opening weekend. Owner Paul Looker said the message from Sony Pictures through his booking agency was that Sony assumed the small theater wouldn’t make enough money. Looker plans to start showing the movie on Dec. 6.
Sex-abuse allegations against 4 Pittsburgh-area priests
Sexual abuse allegations against four Pittsburgh area priests are credible enough to be forwarded to the Vatican, according to the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Three of the priests — the Rev. John Bauer, retired Rev. Bernard Costello and the Rev. Joseph Reschick — are living; the fourth, the Rev. Richard Lelonis, died Oct. 20.
Brian C. Rittmeyer is a TribLive reporter covering news in New Kensington, Arnold and Plum. A Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University's Schreyer Honors College, Brian has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at brittmeyer@triblive.com.
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