Fayetteville Woman Wins $100,000 From Lottery Scratch-Off

Congratulations are in order for Francene Ray of Fayetteville, who recently won $100,000 from a $50 scratch-off lottery ticket!

Ray purchased her winning $10 Million Spectacular ticket from Walmart on Legion Road in Hope Mills. The $10 Million Spectacular is a new game that debuted earlier this month with five top prizes of $10 million, 20 prizes of $1 million and 20 prizes of $100,000.

And Ray was the lucky winner of one of those $100,000 jackpots. While winning the ten mill is obviously the best outcome, Ray still walked away with $71,264 after required state and federal tax withholdings.

As of the time of this post, five $10 million prizes, 19 $1 million prizes and 19 $100,000 prizes still remain to be claimed.

In other lottery news, as of right now no one has claimed the Powerball jackpot drawing from Wednesday, December 27. The pot now sits at $760 million, which the winner can claim as an annuity. That's the sixth largest Powerball jackpot in history. They could also choose to claim $344.7 million in cash.

The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292 million.

Ticket sales from draw games make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $2.8 million a day on average for education. For details on how lottery funds have made a difference in all of North Carolina’s 100 counties, click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.

'Tis the season when many of us craft our New Year's resolutions, including aspirations such as adopting healthier habits, reducing social media consumption, abstaining from alcohol, and embracing more home-cooked meals. While these goals are admirable, the recurring nature of such resolutions and the common struggle to stick to them is a familiar tale. Whether one opts for one resolution or a collection of them, why not inject a dose of originality by steering clear of clichés?

The advent of the New Year presents a blank canvas. It's an opportunity to rectify past missteps. New Year's resolutions embody the optimism that the upcoming year will be brighter, symbolizing a departure from the past. Dennis Buttimer, M.Ed., CEAP, RYT, a facilitator at Thomas F. Chapman Family Cancer Wellness at Piedmont, shared his take on the motivation behind making these resolutions. He stated, "I think most people desire a second chance to enhance the quality of their lives," as shared on Piedmont.org. He mentioned that we are employing a concept known as "self-efficacy." This concept entails that, by setting a goal and actively pursuing it, we gain a sense of control over the events unfolding in our lives.

While the tradition of formulating New Year's resolutions has been around for quite some time, it has evolved. According to the History Channel, the ancient Babylonians, credited with pioneering this practice some 4,000 years ago, observed a different commencement of the year in mid-March, coinciding with the planting of crops. Their 12-day religious festival, Akitu, involved the coronation of a new king or the reaffirmation of loyalty to the reigning one. Interestingly, the Babylonians made pledges to the gods, promising to settle debts and return borrowed items. Fulfilling these commitments was believed to garner favor from the pagan deities for the ensuing year.

Back to the present day: if you want to embrace the tradition of New Year's Resolutions but want to steer clear of the usual ones that people typically lean towards, check out our compilation of non-cliché New Year's resolutions below.

Spice up your palate by trying a new food each month. Whether it's exotic fruits, international cuisines, or local foods. This resolution will take your taste buds on an adventure.

Sending handwritten letters to say thank you is a great way to add a personal touch to your New Year. It's a chance to swap out emails and texts and give someone something tangible. A tangible note carries a special warmth that words on a screen can't replicate.

Unplug and unwind by turning off your phone for one night every week. Enjoy some screen-free time and soak in the real world. It's a resolution you can treat like a mini digital vacation.

Travel somewhere special and savor the experience without the pressure to post. Take a trip without turning it into a social media spectacle. Keep it on the down-low, soak in the adventure, and let your experiences be yours alone. No hashtags needed.

Instead of fixating on future goals, try crafting a reverse bucket list. Jot down and cheer for all the quirky and unexpected things you've already accomplished. It's like a highlight reel of your incredible moments.