California
Store owner who sold winning $1.76 billion Powerball ticket plans to use $1M payout for his kids’ college funds
A winning ticket for the second-largest Powerball jackpot in history has stirred up the tiny California town where it was purchased by a yet-to-be-revealed customer.
Residents of Frazier Park, a quaint mountain community of 3,100 people about 75 miles north of LA, are dying to know if the lucky winner of the $1.76 billion prize is one of their own.
Nidal “Andy” Khalil, who since 1994 has co-owned the Midway Market & Liquor store where the winning ticket was purchased, said he hopes it was one of his regulars.
“I found out about 9:30 pm last night, actually through social media,” Khali told The Post with a smile.
“I didn’t even believe it at first. I think this could be the biggest thing that’s ever happened at Frazier Park. I hope it is one of my regular customers because we have a few who buy tickets every day.”
The beloved shopkeeper and Syrian immigrant said he plans to save a chunk of the store’s $1 million payout from the winnings for his children’s college education fund.
His nephew Chris Khalil, who works at the family store, said he was pleasantly shocked by the news. He is getting married in the next few months and the extra funds will come in handy, he said.
News of the Powerball winnings spread like wildfire through Frazier Park, which is mostly made up of retirees, veterans and “lifers.”
In a local Facebook group, many residents questioned and theorized who the mysterious winner could be. Some put out a plea for the winner to use some of the money to pay for public park restoration and town building upgrades.
At the local watering hole Sue’s Tavern, customers shook their heads in amazement and disappointment that they didn’t buy the golden ticket.
Many, however, said they were glad that Khalil will get some cash out of the deal. About five people nursing their beers and other drinks said they were pleased to see the Syrian immigrant and long-time store owner awarded the seven-figure payout as they described his charitable and kind nature.
Locals who stopped into Midway Market & Liquor Store Thursday walked in and shook Khalil’s hand, congratulating him on the win.
“We were here last week and I told Andy, ‘We are due! We are going to get that big hit,’” resident Dale Chester said.
Sue’s Tavern patron Nick Miller, meanwhile, said if he had the winning ticket, he wouldn’t tell anybody.
“My mom, my sister, and my wife — if I had one — wouldn’t even know and I would get divorce papers drawn up quickly,” Miller, 42, joked. “If it was me, I wouldn’t tell anyone because that’s Kim Kardashian-like money. That’s no joke.”
The winning numbers were 22, 24, 40, 52, 64, and the red Powerball 10.
Squirrels are omnivores, eating nuts, fruit, small insects — and according to a study published in the Journal of Ethology — voles.
Sonja Wild, UC Davis
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Sonja Wild, UC Davis
Squirrels are omnivores, eating nuts, fruit, small insects — and according to a study published in the Journal of Ethology — voles.
Sonja Wild, UC Davis
Squirrels are on the hunt in the California Bay Area.
Their target: local voles.
In a study published in the Journal of Ethology, a group of California ground squirrels were found hunting, killing and eating a vole. Lead researcher and behavioral ecologist Jennifer Smith from the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire says her team witnessed this behavior in the twelfth year of a long term study.
The local vole population boomed this year. It was five to six times bigger than normal, Smith says the squirrels took advantage of that.
But this behavior is not new. “There’s been accumulating evidence of one or two events within a species of a red squirrel taking a sparrow,” she says, also noting, “They tend to go, try to take chickens.”
But these accounts have been thought to be one-offs, generally.
With this study, the squirrels’ entire process was captured via video — and shown to be a regular part of these squirrels’ behavior.
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This episode was produced by Rachel Carlson and Jordan-Marie Smith and edited by Rebecca Ramirez, Christopher Intagliata and Ashley Brown. Tyler Jones checked the facts.
The week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is always revealing for the best boys basketball teams in California and final days of the 2024 calendar year should be no different.
The Damien Classic and Torrey Pines Holiday Classic always present a window of what is in store for the rest of the season and separates the contenders and pretenders. Next weekend at the HoopHall Classic West in Gilbert (Ariz.), Jan. 2-4, will also give the elite teams time to strut their stuff.
There are nine teams among California’s Top 25 still unbeaten at Christmas, a pretty high number, including top-ranked St. John Bosco, No. 6 Riordan and No. 8 De La Salle and No. 9 Montgomery.
Note: Only teams that play for a CIF State California title were considered for this rankings, thus eliminating Prolific Prep of Napa Christian, which can and will play for a mythical national title. Notes and rankings below from Southern Section teams supplied by SBLive’s Tarek Fattal.
The Braves win their Trinity League opener over Orange Lutheran without Brandon McCoy and Elzie Harrington. Christian Collins and Max Ellis led the way. Next up: Platinum Division in Classic at Damien.
Roosevelt wins the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas, beating Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks in the final. Brayden Burries scored 26 points and Issac Williamson had 19.
Nik Khamenia notches 26 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in a convincing win over JSerra, a team expected to earn an Open Division berth.
Notre Dame suffers its first loss in the Tarkanian Classic final to Roosevelt despite Tyran Stokes scoring 20 points. Lino Mark played just four minutes in an attempt to play while injured. (TYRAN STOKES DEBUT)
Four more wins started with 90-65 blowout of defending state D2 champion Oakland Tech behind 33 points and 10 points from Tounde Yessoufou, and a combined 45 from Julius and Malcolm Price along with Gunner Morinini. Yessoufou is averaging 29.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.
Won the Gridley Classic with wins over Branson (68-27), Clovis North (54-52) and previous No. 6 Salesian (52-51) thanks in part to tournament MVP Andrew Hilman (19 points). Texas Tech-bound Jasir Rencher and Irvine signee Nex Emeneke was also All-Tourney.
Pride lost their first regular-season game since 2022, 52-51 to Riordan, in finals of the Gridley Classic. Salesian missed two free throws with 1.2 seconds to play.
Win over Santa Margarita (61-57) to win the Vountour Classic was team’s most impressive. David Balogun, a rapidly improving 6-6 post, scored 29 to lead the way. Since then breathers over Mountain House (67-35), La Salle (76-26) and Sacred Heart Cathedral (79-39).
The Aztecs from San Diego won five games last week, including four at the Tarkanian Classic to take the Nike Division championship behind division’s Most Outstanding Player J.J. Sanchez, who had 22 points in the finals.
Eagles’ only loss comes this week to unbeaten NorCal power De La Salle, but bounces back with a win over Murrieta Valley.
Trailblazers beat Millikan 87-33 this past week.
The Lions get a taste of Open Division-level hoops in a 65-50 loss to Harvard-Westlake.
Redondo Union is picking up Open Division playoff buzz.
La Mirada has been idle since Dec. 14.
Coach Paul Tait is enthused by the play of sophomore point guard Dominic Loehle.
After lopsided win over St. Augustine (77-54), recorded tough wins over Sage Creek (75-66), Mission Hills (67-59) and La Jolla Country Day (80-68).
Monarchs have won five of their last six.
Pius went 2-2 at the Tarkanian Classic.
Jasone Crowe Jr. is averaging 37 points per game.
Had won four straight before losing 63-54 to Brophy College Prep of Phoenix Ariz. (63-54).
Quality win over Pacifica Christian of Orange County without Jeremiah Hampton was impressive. JJ Harris and Louis Bond impressed.
Canyon has won five straight. Brandon Benjamin averaging 30+ points a game.
Damien without big man Nate Garcia (injured).
Twelve straight wins isn’t a bad way to start the season. Defense a big key, holding opponents under 50 seven times, including three straight games limiting opponents to 49 in wins over Riverside poly (61-49), Salesian Los Angeles (93-49) and Wiseburn-Da Vinci (61-49).
Cougars last win came against Long Beach Poly on Dec. 14.
No. 1 San Francisco costs 18.2% more than typical US metro. No. 2 LA-OC is 15.5% more expensive.
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