WHAT’ S NEWS IN MARS AREA
SPORTS MYSTERY CONSPIRACY NOVEL PUBLISHED BY LOCAL WRITERS
Three local writers have collaborated to publish“ Game Changers,” a sports mystery conspiracy story that takes place at the intersection of government, big business, sports and gambling.
Co-authored by Tim Wesley and Tom Bickert and edited by Jim Pane,“ Game Changers” is an intriguing glimpse into a fictional sports conspiracy started by a low-level government employee. The tale includes a corrupt businessman, a mobster, and a reporter digging for the facts.“ Our story is captivating and the characters are classics,” Wesley said.“ There’ s Sherman Shipton, the underachiever who birthed a gamechanging scam; Theodore Winston III, a con artist who stole Shipton’ s idea and scored big; and Little Tony, a mobster who tips the scale at a cannoli shy of 350 pounds and has a hunger for the truth.
“ Cal Matthews, a hard-nosed reporter with a soft spot for his lovely wife, might give his last full measure to uncover the story. And then there’ s Hassan and Viktor, a dastardly greed-driven father-son duo taking advantage of America’ s twin infatuations with sports and gambling.”
Bickert said the story— some of which is true— begins in the 1920s.
“ Under cover of the notoriously corrupt Harding administration, Winston began betting government cash on sporting events— while also using the Fed’ s money and muscle to fix the outcomes,” he explained.
“ Winston‘ skim-scammed’ for 30 years before the government canned him and kicked the habit. Or did it? Let’ s just say that in the current climate of government shenanigans, conspiracy theories and sports-betting scandals, our characters and their actions meet the moment.”
The three collaborators aren’ t gamblers; they are former sportswriters and longtime avid sports fans who believe that money and greed form a powerful and corruptive lineup. They have a combined 125 years of award-winning writing in journalism and corporate communications, informed by a natural curiosity for the truth, a healthy dose of skepticism, and the love of a good story.
Wesley— originally from Harrisburg and now living in Cranberry Township— won awards in journalism and corporate communications, and self-published a memoir,“ My Boxes,” in 2016. His hobbies include playing ice hockey.
Bickert is a Pittsburgh native living in Ellwood City, who won awards for writing and editing in his newspaper career. He is active in community theater, where he has participated in more than 120 shows.
Also a Pittsburgh guy and living in Cranberry Township, Pane had an awardwinning journalism career and has edited more than a dozen published books. His activities now include putzing around the house.
The book is available through Amazon.
’ TIL DIRT DO US PART
The Professional Bull Riders( PBR) will return to PPG Paints Arena Feb. 13 – 14, with the PBR Lovestruck Buck-Off, which follows a sold-out event debut in 2025.
The Valentine’ s Day weekend event will feature the world’ s top bull riders and animal athletes, along with a uniquely Pittsburgh celebration of love.
A highlight of Saturday, Feb. 14, will be Pittsburgh Steelers legend and twotime Super Bowl champion Brett Keisel officiating the weddings of eight couples( a nod to the sport’ s iconic 8-second ride) on the dirt of the arena.
Couples were invited to apply through a video submission, with selected pairs receiving a complimentary ceremony, VIP access, Ariat boots for each bride, a wedding photo with Keisel, and other special experiences.
Keisel— who has deep ties to both Pittsburgh and ranch life— called the event a one-of-a-kind way to help couples start their next chapter.
Tickets for both nights are on sale through Ticketmaster and pbr. com. PBR is preparing to transform PPG Paints Arena into a bull riding arena complete with hundreds of tons of specially blended dirt, more than 50 bucking bulls, and a full-scale production of high-energy competition and celebration.
412 FOOD RESCUE RECEIVES GRANT
412 Food Rescue received a $ 15,000 grant from the Bayer Fund to support its Good Food Project and its Grocery Bagging Program, which work to reduce food waste while addressing food insecurity across the Pittsburgh region.
The grant marked the fourth year the Bayer Fund has supported the Good Food Project, which transforms surplus high-quality food into nutritious frozen meals distributed to nonprofit partners for community members in need. The organization produces about 1,300 meals each month through this zero-waste kitchen initiative.
The funding also supports the Grocery Bagging Program, in which volunteers pack and deliver bags of fresh produce and pantry staples to local housing authority sites, distributing roughly 1,500 pounds of groceries each week— with expanded capacity during the holiday season.
Leaders from both organizations emphasized the partnership’ s role in creating sustainable, equitable food systems by turning food that might otherwise go to waste into vital nourishment for families facing hunger. n
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