Robeson County Woman Wins $1 Million From North Carolina Lottery

Congratulations to Jo Jones of Robeson County, who recently won a million dollars with the North Carolina Education Lottery!

Jones won her huge cash prize from the new $10 Million Spectacular. The scratch-off game debuted in December of last year with 5 top prizes of $10 million, 20 prizes of $1 million, and 20 prizes of $100,000.

With Jo's lucky million dollar win, that leaves just 11 more $1 million prizes for this particular lottery game. Three $10 million and 10 $100,000 still remain to be claimed.

Last weekend Jo Jones purchased a ticket for the $10 Million Spectacular at the Kwik Stop on U.S. 74 in Rowland, North Carolina. She scratched her ticket there in the store, and to her shock found out that she won $1 million.

In a news release from the NC Lottery, Jones recalls her bombastic reaction to her big money win. "I started hollering and running through the store," says Jones, "I ran to the front and said, ‘Y’all I won $1 million."

Jones had the choice of either receiving her prize as an annuity of $50,000 over 20 years, or taking the lump sum of $600,000. She chose the lump sum, and walked away with over $429,000 after required federal and state tax withholdings.

When asked what she plans to do with her winnings, Jones revealed that most of the money will go to helping her family. "I always said if I ever win the lottery I’m going to help my children. I’ll help them in any way I can."

The state provided $50 million in grants, using money raised by the lottery, to help Robeson County build a new career and technology high school. For details on other ways Robeson County benefits from lottery funds, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.

Gambling problem? Call the NC Problem Gambling hotline at 877-718-5543. You can also visit www.morethanagame.nc.gov for more information.

U.S. News & World Report has released their new Best Places to Live rankings for 2024-2025, and the Tar Heel state got some major love! In a list of 150 major cities, two North Carolina cities were ranked among the top 10 best places to live in the US.

According to U.S. News & World Report, the ranking was compiled using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Labor, and some of the publication's own internal resources. The data was then sorted into four different categories by which each major city would be scored.

The categories were assigned different weights depending on how strongly Americans felt each factor mattered when choosing a place to live. The four categories in order of weight are as follows:

According to the official rankings, Charlotte and Raleigh are the two best places to live in North Carolina. The two cities made it to #5 and #6 respectively.

Charlotte scored extremely well overall, with the Queen City's quality of life and economic value placing it among the top places in the country to live. Charlotte was also commended for its sprawling metro area and bustling downtown scene, while still maintaining its southern charm.

Raleigh ranked almost neck-and-neck with Charlotte, with North Carolina's capital scoring highly in the Quality of Life category. The publication highlights Raleigh's bustling art and music scenes, as well as its beautiful green spaces and activity space. The city of Raleigh also received high marks for its strong sense of community among the residents.

The full rankings (seen here) reveals some interesting information about other major cities in the US, including other cities in North Carolina. Here are some of the key takeaways.

Ranked #1 overall, Naples, Florida was determined to be the best city to live in the US. The city scored highly for its overall quality of life, especially among retirees who desire a pristine beachfront view in their twilight years.

It's certainly a surprising #2, but Boise, Idaho has much to offer for outdoorsy types. Boise offers a plethora of different terrains for adventurers, including mountain ranges, canyons, deserts and lakes.

Colorado Springs, Colorado was ranked as the #3 best place to live for its blend of natural beauty and rustic modernism. Despite its endless array of events and activities, Colorado Springs maintains a small town charm that residents find intoxicating.

North Carolina's sister state did just a hair better in the ranking, with the South Carolina city of Greenville landing at #4 in the overall ranking. Greenville's downtown area is a central hub for local businesses, bars, restaurants and boutiques. The city is also quite lively during the summer season.

- Asheville (#17)

-Greensboro (#23) 

-Hickory (#26)

-Winston-Salem (#60)

-Fayetteville (#113)