North Carolina
NC man wins lottery, fights to is get his money after it was kept to pay debt he didn’t owe
TIMBERLAKE, N.C. (WTVD) — A Timberlake man won the lottery but couldn’t immediately collect his winnings. Carl McCain tried his luck in the November 4 Mega Millions drawing and matched four numbers. He says, “It was a four times winner, so it was $800 that I won.”
Because of the size of the prize, McCain had to travel from his Timberlake home to the North Carolina Education Lottery’s regional office in Raleigh to claim his winnings. “I filled the form out and give them my ticket, and I sit down and wait,” McCain said.
Instead of receiving a check, McCain says he was handed paperwork explaining that under the North Carolina State Lottery Act, if a winner owes a debt to state or local agencies, lottery winnings, minus taxes, are applied to that debt. McCain says a lottery employee told him, “These two counties you owe money are Lenoir County and Wayne County. I said, well, I never been there before. I don’t know anybody there.”
McCain says he contacted both counties and provided his name and birthdate, but was told there was no debt. However, when he gave his Social Security number, he says he was told, “Another man’s number name is hitting off your social security number.”
McCain says that was the first time he had ever heard of the issue. He wanted more information, but says he was told it couldn’t be released. He says the counties told him they would look into it. After waiting more than a month with no answers, McCain says he called several more times and was told officials were still investigating.
That’s when he decided to contact ABC11 Troubleshooter Diane Wilson. McCain says to Wilson, “I told my wife, I said, you know, we need to call Diane Wilson. I said, because I seen her get refrigerators and washing machines so why can’t she get $800 for me?”
ABC11 Troubleshooter reached out to the North Carolina Education Lottery, which confirmed McCain’s winnings were processed properly and sent to Lenoir County. When Wilson contacted representatives in Lenoir County, they said they had been looking into the issue for more than a month and were still working on it. Shortly after Wilson’s inquiry, McCain received good news. He says, “They erased my social security number out of their databank.”
Within days, McCain received a check for his lottery winnings, minus the required taxes. He later told Wilson, “I was glad that you intervened and came to my rescue.”
Lenoir County says the debt tied to McCain’s Social Security number dates back more than ten years and may have been a case of mistaken identity. It’s still unclear how the error occurred. The bottom line: McCain finally got his lottery winnings and says he’s still trying his luck.
SEE ALSO | NC customer’s Wi-Fi hotspot swap leads to $1,700 bill, ABC11 Troubleshooter gets customer his refund
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The North Carolina Tar Heels will be a young program across the board next season, with well over two dozen freshmen and numerous additions from the transfer portal this offseason. Expectations for the 2026 season are lowered dramatically after a disastrous first season for head coach Bill Belichick, though those expectations could help the Tar Heels fly under the radar.
As the Tar Heels approach the end of spring ball, it is time to look at the veterans of the team—the ones who have the experience to lead, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Let’s look at three underrated seniors for the 2026 football season.
Ade Willie, Cornerback
Willie joins the Tar Heels program after four years with Michigan State, as the former 4-star player in the 2022 recruiting class gets an opportunity to not only provide depth to the secondary, but potentially start Week 0 against TCU.
Willie played in over 30 games with the Spartans and brings experience in the secondary at cornerback and safety, along with quality length and closing speed to the football. For a defense that needs players to step up, the redshirt senior from IMG Academy will be asked to do so.
Isaiah Johnson, Defensive Lineman
The defensive line is beginning to look like one of the Tar Heels’ strengths for the 2026 season. Johnson, a former transfer from Arizona, enters his redshirt senior year looking to add another year of production after 40 tackles and two sacks this past season.
North Carolina has an impressive group of starters with Malkart Abou-Jaoude, Leroy Jackson, and incoming transfer Jaylen Harvey. Johnson adds value to the group as a run defender with the ability to penetrate the pocket. While not discussed as a key player, Johnson’s name will be used plenty during the regular season as a potential standout for the program’s defensive front.
Coleman Bryson, Safety
Bryson was a reserve player for the Tar Heels’ secondary last season as a big nickel defender in the rotation. Heading into his redshirt senior year, the former Minnesota Gopher is looking to become a full-time starter in the secondary.
It wasn’t long ago when Bryson was making plays as the 2022 Pinstripe Bowl Defensive MVP. His special teams abilities were valuable for North Carolina last season, and he flashed at times in coverage against tight ends, including a pass breakup in the season-opener against TCU. The Waynesville, North Carolina, native could be a key defender on the back-seven in 2026.
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Friends and family members gathered in Washington state on Saturday, remembering former Miss North Carolina Carrie Everett, who died on Easter Sunday. Another memorial service is planned in North Carolina next month.
Web Editor : Sydney Ross
Posted
Virginia 3, North Carolina 0 | First Quarter
Virginia 3, North Carolina 0 | Q1 8:19
After a faceoff win by Henry Metz, Brendan Millon finds Truitt Sunderland to give the Hoos a 3-0 lead. Timeout North Carolina.
Virginia 2, North Carolina 0 | Q1 9:00
Brendan Millon gets the scoring started for the Cavaliers with a question mark style goal. On the defensive end, Jake Marek opens the game with three early saves with his third save setting up a transition goal by Tommy Snyder.
Virginia vs North Carolina pregame notes
UVA owns a 59-33 advantage since the series began in 1938.
The 59 wins are UVA’s most against any opponent in program history (followed by 51 against Duke).
In Chapel Hill last year, the Tar Heels defeated the Cavaliers 18-9, snapping UVA’s six-game series win streak.
UVA has won nine of the last 11 meetings, dating back to 2018.
The Hoos have won the last two meetings with Carolina at Klöckner Stadium, 11-4 in 2022 and 14-6 in 2024.
The Tar Heels’ four goals in 2022 marked the fewest goals in a game under Joe Breschi, who was named UNC’s head coach in 2006.
The last time the Tar Heels knocked off the Cavaliers at Klöckner was a 16-13 decision during the first of three games between the two teams in 2021.
Later that year, UVA claimed back-to-back meetings against the Heels, including in the NCAA semifinals on the way to capturing the 2021 national title over Maryland.
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