In Around West Virginia: a WVU grad is part of a Pulitzer-winning team, a football player receives a settlement from a video game lawsuit, and more.
n Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central West Virginia has opened an office in Beckley, reports the Register-Herald. The group seeks to pair adult mentors with youth who need to see the world from a different perspective.
"It's a program for youth facing adversity," said executive director Sara McDowell. "We match at-risk youth with caring adult mentors."
Case manager Katie Ferrari says her office is ready to make matches now.
n Robbie Barrat, a Jefferson High School junior, will head to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, Arizona, next month after winning the grand prize at the West Virginia State Science and Engineering Fair. The Journal reports that, using patterns found in the distribution of prime numbers, Robbie wrote a computer program that generates a very efficient prime sieve (prime numbers are an important part of encryption, he explained).
n Tyler Orlosky, the starting center on West Virginia University's football team, was one of the players involved in the 2009 Sam Keller and Ed O'Bannon lawsuits against the NCAA, Electronic Arts and Collegiate Licensing Company over the likenesses and characteristics of college athletes that were used by EA in football and men's basketball video games without their permission or any payment. The case was settled in June 2014 for $60 million, but checks are just starting to reach players who made successful claims. Orlosky received a check of almost $900. (The average recovery for a player is $1,237).
"I haven't spent any of it yet," Orlosky told the Exponent-Telegram. "(I'll) probably use it to pay some bills."
n The Times-West Virginian points out that a West Virginia University graduate was part of the Associated Press team that won a Pulitzer Prize on Monday for the series "Seafood from Slaves." Margie Mason, a Monongalia County native and WVU alumna, Robin McDowell, Martha Mendoza and Esther Htusan documented the harsh treatment of fishermen held captive on a remote island and traced their catch to U.S. supermarkets and restaurants. The series won the Pulitzer for public service.