Tuesday, May 21, 2013

National News

Florida Town Awaits Powerball Winner

William Thomas Cain/Getty Images(ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla.) -- Residents of the small town of Zephyrhills, Fla., are buzzing with excitement that the lucky holder of a Powerball ticket worth $590.5 million could be a neighbor, after the announcement that the winning ticket was sold at a grocery store there.

"I think that's awesome.  I can't wait to see who it is.  I hope it's somebody I know.  I think it would be great," resident Martha Bennett said.

The central Florida town, with a population of 13,337, was best known as a skydiving destination before lottery officials revealed on Sunday that a Publix supermarket in Zephyrhills had sold the winning ticket for the record Powerball jackpot.

The winning numbers in Saturday's drawing were 10, 13, 14, 22, 52 and a Powerball of 11.

The lucky person or group holding the ticket has not yet come forward, according to lottery officials.  However, under Florida law, the winner's name, age and hometown will be made public.

Chuck Strutt, executive director of the Multi-State Lottery Association, urged the person holding the ticket to sign it immediately.

"If it were me, I'd put that in an envelope and duct tape it to my chest.  I'd be known as the Powerball millionaire with a nasty rash," he said.

While the residents of Zephyrhills wait to find out if the winner is one of their own, whoever is holding the ticket will have a big decision to make after coming forward.

The winner will have to decide whether to take the annuity or a lump sum, which comes out to $370,896,780.54.

Earlier estimates had put the jackpot at $600 million, however the Powerball website reflected an adjusted total of $590.5 million -- still the largest jackpot in the game's history.

The previous record for a Powerball jackpot was $587.5 million on Nov. 28, 2012, and was split between two winning tickets.

The odds of winning the top jackpot was 1 in 175.2 million.

While there was only one grand prize winner, 31 tickets matched all five numbers, earning those lucky ticket holders a prize of $1 million each.  Two tickets sold in New York and South Carolina were Power Play winners worth $2 million each, according to Powerball officials.

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Deadly Tornadoes Rip Through Midwest, More Expected

iStockphoto/Thinkstock(SHAWNEE, Okla.) -- At least one person is dead after a series of tornadoes ripped across the Midwest on Sunday, injuring dozens while leaving a path of devastation in a region that is expected to see more severe weather later on Monday.

More than 50 tornadoes struck six central states -- Kansas, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma -- over the weekend.  The hardest hit were Kansas, with 32 tornadoes, and Oklahoma, with seven.

The National Weather Service says that one of the tornadoes near Wichita, Kan., registered EF-1 winds up to 110 mph.  It was on the ground for an estimated 4.5 miles.

In Shawnee, Okla., where the death was reported, it's believed that at least four twisters touched down.  Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin declared a state of emergency in 16 counties on Sunday, triggering a request for federal assistance.

On Monday, Shawnee and other areas hit by tornadoes over the weekend could see more severe weather.  Areas just north of Dallas, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Okla., and Springfield, Mo., are at a moderate risk for tornadoes.

Large cities like St. Louis, Chicago, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Detroit, Green Bay, Wis., and Milwaukee could also see damaging hail and a chance for isolated tornadoes.

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Police Officer’s Bullet Killed Hofstra University Student

iStockphoto/Thinkstock(HEMPSTEAD, N.Y.) -- The Hofstra University junior killed during and armed home invasion of her off-campus house on Friday was accidently fatally shot by the responding officer, forensic investigators have concluded.

Police say Dalton Smith, a wanted man with a lengthy criminal history, was masked when he entered 21-year-old Andrea Rebello's home Friday, demanding money and valuables from Rebello and her three roommates. When police arrived, Smith used Rebello as a human shield in an attempt to escape.

“He's still got the gun to our victim's head,” Nassau County Homicide Squad Police Lieutenant John Azzata explained. “Eventually menaces our police officer, points his gun at the police officer and at that point, the police officer fires several rounds.”

The officer, a 12 year decorated veteran of this department who served more than 7 years with the NYPD, fired eight shots. Seven of them hit Smith, but the eighth bullet hit Rebello in the head. Both were killed.

The officer is currently on sick leave.

Nassau County Police Commissioner Thomas Dale drove to the Tarrytown, New York, home of the students' parents to tell them how she died.

"I felt obligated as a police commissioner and as a parent to inform them as soon as all the forensic results were completed," said Dale.

Now, instead of celebrating Sunday’s graduation festivities at Hofstra University, friends and classmates held a memorial for Rebello.

“It's really sad. She's a very sweet girl, she doesn't deserve this,” one student told ABC's Linzie Janis. “I really have no words for this. It is so unbelievable. I didn't think it was real.”

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New York City Man Killed in Anti-Gay Hate Crime

Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- New York City police say a deadly shooting that took place in Greenwich Village Saturday was an anti-gay hate crime.

32-year-old Harlem resident Marc Carson and his companion were just blocks from the famous Stonewall Inn when a group approached them, making anti-gay slurs.

Police say that one member of the group, Elliot Morales, asked the two men if they were “gay wrestlers," and later asked “do you want to die here?"

Morales then pulled out a gun and shot Carson in the face, according to NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly. He died in the hospital soon afterwards.

An officer arrested Morales a few blocks away from where the shooting took place.

This is the latest in a series of bias attacks on gay men in the area, and police are investigating to see if there is any connection between this incident and earlier ones.

“It's a really sad affair,” said Sean Williams, a friend of Carson.

“I mean, come on. This is 2013. Who's killing people for being gay nowadays?”

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