Johnston County Man Wins $1 Million North Carolina Scratch-Off Lottery

September is starting off well for a Johnston County man, as he has won $1 million in a North Carolina Education Lottery scratch-off jackpot.

Guerrero Anchondo Carmona of Kenly bought his $25 Spectacular Riches ticket at the Safeway Mini Mart on N.C. 210 in Four Oaks.

Carmona chose to take the $600,000 lump sum prize from the ticket, instead of the $50,000 annuity. After state and federal tax withholdings, he got $426,067. Not bad for a $25 investment.

The Spectacular Riches tickets were released in October of 2021 with eight $1 million prizes available. So far, three of those have been won. There were also 20 $100,000 prizes available, and 10 of those have been won.

Ticket sales from scratch-off games make it possible for the lottery to raise an average of $2.5 million a day for education. For details on how $14.4 million raised by the lottery made a difference in Johnston County in 2021, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.

The college school year is beginning, and Methodist University in Fayetteville is starting it with some good news, after being named the Most Diverse College in North Carolina.

Methodist announced the recognition in a press release Tuesday, taking the top spot in Niche.com's annual Most Diverse rankings.

"Methodist University is proud of its diverse student body, which is a reflection of the growing diversity of our state and our society," said Methodist University President Stanley T. Wearden. "Diversity on our campus creates a stronger educational experience for all; it prepares all students for the widely diverse workforce they will enter upon graduation; and it engenders the development of creative new ideas and approaches. Diversity brings varied cultural perspectives and points of view that enrich the university experience for everyone."

Niche is a market leader in college rankings in a variety of categories, using statistics and student reviews to help guide those decisions. Methodist University said it earned high marks in every factor Niche considers for the rankings:

"The University prides itself on not just saying diversity is a high priority, but making sure it is integrated into the fabric of everyday life on campus," the Methodist release said. "Key in this integration – and remaining dedicated to the University’s ethical principles of truth, virtue, justice, and love – is MU’s Multicultural Affairs team and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Office. Leading the DEI efforts is Dr. Quincy Malloy, who is the full-time Chief Diversity Officer and a member of the University’s Presidential Cabinet."

"It is with great gratitude that the early work Methodist University has engaged and invested in with making our institution not only more diverse, but providing an inclusive experience, is being highlighted," Malloy said. "I would like to thank Niche for acknowledging our efforts and we will continue to strive for diversity and inclusive excellence at MU."

Methodist beat out all of the other major schools on the list. Here's a look at how Methodist University stacked up against the other top schools in North Carolina for Most Diverse College.