Air Force veteran wins $1M on lottery scratch off

An Air Force veteran won $1M off a lottery ticket purchased at Publix. (Florida Lottery)

Santa Rosa County, Fla.

A U.S. Air Force veteran hit a million-dollar prize while recently playing a lottery scratch-off game in Florida.

According to the Florida Lottery, 67-year-old Kerim Akel, a retired electrical engineer for the Air Force, won a $1 million prize in the lottery’s 500X The Cash scratch-off game.

Akel claimed his prize money at lottery headquarters in Tallahassee and chose to receive the winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $820,000.

The 67-year-old shared with lottery officials that he purchased his winning ticket at a Publix supermarket located on Navarre Parkway in the Navarre area.

Officials said the store will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning scratch-off ticket.

Tickets for the 500X The Cash scratch-off game are available for $50 and offer a top prize of $25 million. The game’s overall odds of winning are 4.5-1, according to the lottery.

Ricky Bobby’s ‘Talladega Nights’ mansion hits market for nearly $10M

The Lake Norman mansion featured in "Talladega Nights" has hit the market for nearly $10 million. (Re/Max)

Cornelius, N.C.

You could buy Ricky Bobby’s house from “Talladega Nights” fame.

Re/Max has the Lake Norman mansion that was owned by the movie character Ricky Bobby in the 2006 film listed for $9.9 million.

The home features six bedrooms and nine total baths with more than 12,000 square feet of space on 1.3 acres.

The property is located in Cornelius and hosted several iconic scenes from the movie, including what the listing calls a Ricky Bobby room which has a fireplace surrounded by windows featuring water views.

The 12,000-square-foot home has three floors and an elevator.

According to the listing, the property’s owners recently completed renovations at the home that sits near Lake Norman with its own docks, a private garden, an infinity pool and a hot tub.

Cornelius is about 25 minutes north of Charlotte as many scenes from “Talladega Nights: The Ballard of Ricky Bobby” starring Will Ferrell were filmed in North Carolina.

Dogs found abandoned in hot crate on side of the road, authorities say

Texas authorities say two dogs were recently found abandoned on the side of the road. (Atascosa County Animal Control)

San Antonio, Texas

Authorities in Texas say they are looking for the person responsible for leaving two dogs on the side of the road.

According to the Atascosa County Animal Control, it received a call over the weekend regarding two dogs that were found abandoned in a hot crate.

Sgt. Paul Schneider, with the Atascosa County Sheriff’s Office, responded to check on the welfare of the dogs and said he found the dogs infested with fleas.

Rescuers said there was a bowl of water on the outside of the crate but it did not do any good since the dogs couldn’t access it.

Atascosa County Animal Control Chief Henry Dominguez took possession of the dogs.

Animal control officials noted that one of the dogs rescued also had some sort of deformity on its right leg.

Authorities said they are hoping someone recognizes the dogs or the crate so they can identify the person responsible for leaving them.

“If you know who did this, we beg you to please call us and help us put them behind bars where they belong. We can assure you that we will post their booking pics once they are found and make sure that they never own a pet again,” animal control officials shared.

Those with more information were urged to contact animal control at 830-769-2341 and speak with a criminal investigator.

Police K-9 dies after recent cancer diagnosis

A police department in Texas says a K-9 named Lt. Dan has died after a recent cancer diagnosis. (Sansom Park Police Department)

Fort Worth, Texas

A police department in Texas reports one of its beloved K-9s has died.

According to the Sansom Park Police Department, officers said their final goodbyes to a K-9 named Lt. Dan earlier this week.

The department said that Lt. Dan died after a recent cancer diagnosis. He was partners with Officer Hagin for 11 years.

Officers said Lt. Dan completed an open-air sniff on three separate cars in a narcotics investigation that led to an $8,000 drug bust even on his final night of duty.

Officer Hagin said he took his partner on one last ride on Monday in their police vehicle. He rewarded Lt. Dan with some heartfelt love and one of his favorite toys after their last successful exercise.

“We will miss you now, but we will love you forever,” the department shared on social media.

Middle school worker accused of sexually assaulting student, sending explicit images

A Connecticut middle school employee, Andie Rosafort, is accused of sexually assaulting a student. (Connecticut State Police)

New Fairfield, Conn.

Connecticut authorities say a middle school worker has been charged with sexually assaulting a student.

According to the Connecticut State Police, Andie Rosafort was arrested in February and charged with second-degree sexual assault, enticing a minor with a computer and risk of injury to a minor after a month-long investigation.

Officials said Rosafort had worked in the cafeteria at New Fairfield Middle School where she began communicating with the student.

Rosafort reportedly began exchanging messages on social media with the juvenile. The student told police they received unsolicited sexually explicit images and videos from Rosafort for several months.

The juvenile alleged that Rosafort would send messages requesting images of them as well.

In January, police said a parent of the juvenile’s friend contacted them regarding the situation.

According to the department, the parent said their child had told them that the juvenile victim was behaving oddly while at a gathering where the victim had left to meet someone.

Authorities said that parent’s child later learned that the juvenile had left the party to meet with an adult female and believed the encounter was sexual in nature.

The parent said they tentatively identified the adult woman involved as Rosafort and promptly notified school officials.

When interviewed, police said the juvenile told them that Rosafort had picked them up from the gathering that evening in her SUV. The two then drove a short distance and had contact of a sexual nature inside the vehicle.

According to the victim, they felt uncomfortable, exited the SUV and returned to the gathering. Police said a friend then helped block Rosafort on social media after observing explicit messages between the two.

Detectives said they discovered several videos on a social media platform containing explicit content involving Rosafort that were sent to the juvenile’s phone.

Following an extensive investigation, detectives said they applied for a warrant for Rosafort’s arrest on Feb. 17 and she turned herself in a few days later.

WFSB reports that Rosafort was no longer a school employee as of Jan. 18, according to school officials.