North Carolina
North Carolina official says ‘completely severed’ crack in roller coaster was visible 6-10 days before closing
![North Carolina official says ‘completely severed’ crack in roller coaster was visible 6-10 days before closing North Carolina official says ‘completely severed’ crack in roller coaster was visible 6-10 days before closing](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/newspress-collage-svixnkco7-1688961434893.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&1688947062&w=1024)
A North Carolina official says the crack seen on a roller coaster at Carowinds amusement park was visible six to 10 days before the ride ultimately closed.
The crack on Carowinds’ Fury 325 giga roller coaster was discovered by Jeremy Wagner, a visitor to the amusement park on June 30. He notified park officials of the crack, which was seen while people were on the ride, and it was temporarily closed.
North Carolina Department of Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson said on Friday that the crack was visible for six to 10 days before the ride was closed by park officials.
“It looks like maybe six to 10 days prior, some pictures had been taken that shows the beginning of the crack, and then by obviously last Friday, the thing was completely severed,” Dobson said.
Dobson said that “until we’re 100% comfortable issuing that new certificate of operation, we will not do so.”
“We’re going to take as long as it takes,” Dobson said.
A spokesperson for Carowinds told Fox News Digital that a fracture developed on one of the steel support columns along a weld line. It has been working with the ride’s manufacturer, who’s fabricating a new support column which will be delivered next week.
“Following the installation of the new column, and as part of our normal protocol for rides such as Fury 325, we will conduct an extensive series of tests to ensure the safety and integrity of the coaster. These will include an accelerometer test that uses sensors to measure any variation in the ride experience. After that, we plan to operate the ride for 500 full cycles, performing tests and inspections of the entire ride throughout that period. Once this phase is completed, we will ask B&M and the third-party testing firm to perform a final inspection to ensure the ride exceeds all required specifications,” the statement reads.
Records obtained by Fox News Digital show that the most recent North Carolina Department of Labor inspection of the Fury 325 ride was conducted on Feb. 23, and only minor issues relating to signage were found.
![Carowinds amusement park in Charlotte, North Carolina, has closed its Fury 325 roller coaster until further notice after a video of a crack in the ride went viral.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/MEGA1003131_001.jpg?w=693)
The amusement park’s website states that Fury 325 is “the tallest, fastest, longest giga coaster in North America.”
The roller coaster reaches speeds of up to 95 mph and has a peak height of 325 feet, which is followed by a “dramatic 81-degree drop, the website states.
According to CBS 17, a 911 call was also received regarding the crack. No one was injured.
Ken Martin, an amusement park ride safety analyst and consultant, previously told Fox News Digital that the Fury 325 giga roller coaster was “no doubt in my mind” very close to a major incident.
“That’s the same thing that happened to the fireball incident at the Ohio State Fair a few years back,” Martin said. One person died in that incident, and seven others were injured when the Fireball ride at the Ohio State Fair broke apart on July 26, 2017.
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North Carolina
Tropical Depression Four forms on its way to the Gulf of Mexico
As of the 5 AM update Friday, Tropical Depression Four has formed. Areas along the East Coast including North Carolina need to continue monitoring this system. Winds are at 30 MPH and gusts are up to 40 MPH. The pressure dropped to 1009 mb and is moving to the west at 16 mph. TD 4 is expected to become Tropical Storm Debby over the weekend. Tuesday night and Wednesday are First Alert Weather Days due to the threat to ENC from this system but we may need to adjust the timing as we get closer.
It’ll move slowly before escaping to the north next week. As it moves up the East Coast, there’s a lot more uncertainty about the track and threats. We expect the track of this system to change through the weekend and even into next week. If ENC sees impacts from this system, they’d likely come mid-week. The longer this system stays over land, the weaker it’ll be. It’ll have the chance to strengthen if it moves back over open water, especially if it moves over the warm waters of the Gulf Stream.
The speed of this system is just as important as the strength. The quicker it moves through, the less rain piles up. If it slows down or stalls, higher rainfall amounts would be expected. Our river levels have dropped a bit since July’s wet weather, but levels are still higher than what you’d find in a typical August.
This is a reminder that we are heading into the heart of the hurricane season and to make sure your emergency supplies are ready.
Stay with WITN and WITN.com as we continue to track this system over the coming days and monitor the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season.
Copyright 2024 WITN. All rights reserved.
North Carolina
Alabama man on work trip stops to buy $3 quick pick Powerball ticket, wins 6-figure jackpot
![Alabama man on work trip stops to buy quick pick Powerball ticket, wins 6-figure jackpot Alabama man on work trip stops to buy quick pick Powerball ticket, wins 6-figure jackpot](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2024/08/02/USAT/74654762007-screenshot-15.png?auto=webp&crop=1164,656,x0,y114&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Christopher Baker of Leesburg, Alabama was on a work trip in Hickory, North Carolina, when he thought he’d try his luck on a lotto game. It turned out to be a lucrative Powerball win.
An Alabama man on a work trip in North Carolina bought a $3 Quick Pick Powerball ticket on a whim and walked away with a six-figure windfall.
Christopher Baker of Leesburg in northeastern Alabama bought his lucky ticket in July in Hickory, North Carolina, where had been traveling for work, according to Powerball.
When the numbers were drawn, Baker says he had to do a double-take when he realized he had a $100,000 winning ticket. He had matched four white balls and the red Powerball, which would have been $50,000, but a 2X multiplier doubled the win and the disbelief.
“I just kept looking at it to make sure I was reading it right,” he laughed, according to Powerball. “I told my family but they didn’t believe me. either.”
Baker, who called his win “a shocker.” said he plans to save his winnings to buy a house.
Baker will take home $71,501 after federal and state taxes are withheld.
How to play the Powerball
In order to purchase a $2 Powerball ticket, you’ll have to visit your local convenience store, gas station or grocery store − and in a handful of states, you can purchase tickets online.
To play, you will need to pick six numbers in total to mark on your ticket. Five numbers will be white balls ranging from numbers 1 to 69. The Powerball is red and one number which is between 1 and 26.
If you want to increase your chances of winning, you can add a “Power Play” for $1 which increases the winnings for all non-jackpot prizes. This addition can multiply winnings by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, or 10X.
Players can also ask a cashier for a “Quick Pick” where a cashier will give you a computer generated numbers on a printed Powerball ticket.
Drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights. If there’s no jackpot winner, the cash prize will increase by millions.
Where to purchase tickets
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050(MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit jackpocket.com/tos for full terms.
North Carolina
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