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U.S. NEWS Saturday 13 april 2019
Growing number of states move to shield lottery winners

By BOB CHRISTIE Grisham decided to priori-
Associated Press tize transparency. “To be
PHOENIX (AP) — A growing sure, the governor is clear
number of states are mov- about the concerns raised
ing to allow the winners of by proponents, i.e., that
big lottery jackpots to stay certain bad actors could
anonymous as privacy take advantage of lot-
concerns are increasingly tery winners if their names
trumping lottery groups’ are made public,” spokes-
wishes to publicize winners man Tripp Stelnicki said in a
to boost sales and show statement. But “New Mexi-
that the games are fair. cans should have every
Arizona could be the next confidence in the games
state to join at least nine run by the lottery.” The Ari-
others with laws that let zona Lottery took no official
winners keep their names position, but spokesman
secret under a proposal John Gilliland said “it is im-
headed to Republican portant that we have that
Gov. Doug Ducey. Four transparency, because the
years ago, just five states al- lottery is nothing without in-
lowed anonymous winners, tegrity.” “And the only way
and a handful of others al- the public has an absolute In this Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2013 file photo, Keith Ganatra, right, owner of the Del Monte Market, takes
lowed trusts to claim prizes. guarantee of integrity as the numbers form picked by a customer, as he sells Mega Millions lottery tickets at a brisk pace
At least eight state legis- far as real people winning in Laveen, Ariz.
latures considered mea- these prizes is to be able to Associated Press
sures shielding winners’ know who wins these priz- loans, investment advisers Powerball jackpot to stay a $1.5 billion ticket bought
names this year. Virginia’s es,” he said this week. trying to make them a cli- anonymous. The woman at a South Carolina con-
governor signed legisla- Republican state Rep. Nan- ent and the potential to be signed the ticket before venience store last year
tion allowing winners of $10 cy Barto introduced the victimized by a burglar or, if she realized that state law remains unknown under
million or more to remain measure, saying she want- it’s a massive amount, hav- would let her create a trust that policy. Lottery fraud is
anonymous. Proposals in ed to protect winners from ing their kid kidnapped,” to shield her identity. The a concern. In 2017, a pro-
Arkansas and Connecti- harassment. State Rep. the Republican said. judge noted that she could grammer for the Multi-State
cut failed, while efforts in John Kavanagh pushed Balancing those concerns be harassed or solicited for Lottery Association got up
Massachusetts, Minnesota for current law that shields against the Lottery’s inter- money. to 25 years in prison for rig-
and Oregon are still being winners’ names for 90 days ests in transparency isn’t a Trusts are allowed in at ging a computer program
considered. New Mexico’s but said this week that it close call, he said. least two other states be- to enable him to pick win-
governor last week axed doesn’t go far enough. That’s in line with a New sides New Hampshire, while ning numbers in games in
a similar proposal, with a “After 90 days, the person is Hampshire judge’s decision a policy from South Caro- Colorado, Wisconsin, Kan-
spokesman saying Demo- then subjected to all sorts of last year to allow the win- lina’s lottery board allows sas, Iowa and Oklahoma
cratic Gov. Michelle Lujan people hitting them up for ner of a nearly $560 million anonymity. The winner of between 2005 and 2011..q

Mount Washington avalanche danger increases after death

MOUNT WASHINGTON, N.H. afternoon in an area called meters) of snow, said Evan Burks said the skier’s death man, though in 1996, an
(AP) — Authorities warned Raymond Cataract near Burks, a spokesman for the highlighted the importance unmanned instrument sta-
of increasing avalanche Tuckerman Ravine. The White Mountain National of traveling in groups, be- tion in Barrow Island, Aus-
danger Friday a day after avalanche was reported at Forest. Rescuers performed ing prepared for changing tralia, recorded a gust of
a skier died on the North- 1:30 p.m., and the man was CPR, but the man was pro- conditions and paying at- 253 mph.
east’s highest mountain. dug out about an hour lat- nounced dead several tention to the forecasts. In February, a Massachu-
Thursday’s was one of at er, buried under 5 feet (1.5 hours later. Longtime climbing guide setts man died in what the
least four human-triggered Rick Wilcox agreed. avalanche center called a
avalanches on the moun- “So many people use “long sliding fall,” the most
tain that day, and more Mount Washington, and so common cause of death in
were possible as slabs many people don’t have New Hampshire’s Presiden-
of snow formed by wind much information about tial Range. Jeremy Ullman,
warmed up and weak- the snow conditions,” said a 37-year-old neuroscientist
ened, according to the Wilcox, past president of at Boston Children’s Hospi-
Mount Washington Ava- the volunteer Mountain tal, died after slipping and
lanche Center’s daily fore- Rescue Service. falling more than 300 feet
cast. At 6,288 feet (1,916 meters) (91 meters) into a boulder-
“Moderate avalanche tall, Mount Washington strewn area.
danger exists today with a is the highest peak in the Last month, Forest Ser-
warm and wetting snow- Northeast and is notorious vice snow rangers helped
pack,” the center wrote. “If for its bad weather. Friday search for a missing
you find yourself sinking into marked the 85th anniversa- 21-year-old Massachusetts
mushy, wet snow, it is time ry of a record wind speed man who may have been
to get off the slope.” there in 1934. The 231-mph seen on Mount Washing-
The victim, whose name In this April 10, 2016, file photo, a skier drops below the ice- gust remains on the record ton on March 8. His vehicle
covered headwall of Tuckerman Ravine on New Hampshire’s
has not been released, was Mount Washington. books as the highest wind was located at a trailhead
skiing by himself Thursday Associated Press speed ever observed by parking lot March 16.q