The Greenville News from Greenville, South Carolina • AA1

The Greenville News TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2018 1AA Metro She never watched the show, but SC woman wins game One South Carolina woman had no idea about the theme of the lottery game she played, but that stop her from winning a jackpot. The South Carolina Education Lot- ticket for was a cross promotion for pop- ular singing competition which began its 15th season last week. But the North Augusta woman, who won $125,000 playing lot- tery game, did not know about the hit show, according to the S.C. Education Lottery. The name was not released by lottery The S.C.

Lottery reported the win- ner was asked if she was a fan of the talent competition, only for her to re- spond I know it was a TV In fact, the North Augusta woman said she thought the iconic mi- crophone logo, which also appeared on her top-prize lottery ticket, was actually an ice cream cone, per the S.C. Lottery. The woman revealed the reason she made the decision to buy what turned out to be the jackpot-winning ticket at a North Augusta gas nience store. thought it was an interesting name for a she said, the S.C. Lottery reported.

Two top prizes of $125,000 remain in the $5 game, at odds of 1 in 720,000, according to the S.C. Lot- tery. The State Question: When will the observa- tion tower on Sassafras be opened? Answer: Sassafras Mountain is South highest point at more than 3,500 feet. The Sassafras summit has long been accessible primarily to foot from the Foothills Trail, but the obser- vation tower currently under con- struction will make the peak accessi- ble to visitors arriving by car and those with disabilities. The 360-degree observation tower will give visitors a brand-new view atop the mountain that sits along the North Carolina-South Carolina border.

Construction of the concrete and steel tower began earlier this year and was originally slated to be over the summer, but weather delayed some of the work. It is now expected to be complete later this fall, according to Tom Swayng- ham, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources wildlife director. Swayngham said tough to put a end date on the project because of the unpredictability of weather. His best estimate is a Thanksgiving open- ing. The observation tower is part of phase one of the Sassafras Mountain project.

The phase includes the tower, restrooms and a 500-foot access trail from the parking lot that meets Americans with Disabilities Act stan- dards. The next phase of the project in- volves construction of a pavilion with less primitive restrooms, a picnic area, additional trails and improvements. writer Abe Hardesty contribut- ed. Do you have a question you want an- swered? Send it to news.com, contact Elizabeth on her Facebook page at facebook.com/ ElizabethSLaFleur or send questions via mail to Elizabeth LaFleur, 32 E. Broad Greenville, SC 29601.

Answers will appear in the Tuesday and Friday print editions of The Greenville News. When will Sassafras Mountain tower open? A look at the progress on the Sassafras Mountain observation tower near the North Carolina-South Carolina border on Sept. 20. TOM Ask LaFleur Elizabeth LaFleur Greenville News USA TODAY NETWORK S.C. Simpsonville police said Monday that the driver of a Honda Civic has been charged with failure to yield in a collision late last week that left a 20- year-old motorcyclist dead.

James Wade Hampton, 20, of Foun- tain Inn and a friend, Benjamin Dard, were riding their motorcycles at about 3 p.m. Thursday on West Georgia Road in Simpsonville, according to a Simp- sonville police report that included statements from two witnesses. James Alexander Ferguson, 33, had been traveling in the opposite direc- tion in a white Honda Civic on West Georgia Road and stopped to make a left turn at Stenhouse Road, the report said. When a light at the intersec- tion turned yellow, Ferguson proceeded to turn left, according to the report, but Ferguson and Dard had already entered the intersection on their motorcycles. Dard said in the report that he was able to steer clear of the Civic, but 2006 black Honda motorcycle collided with its passenger side.

Hampton was thrown clear of the bike. Hampton, who was wearing a hel- met, initially survived and was airlifted to Greenville Memorial Hospital, ac- cording to the Greenville County Coro- He died there at 4:34 p.m. The at the scene issued Fergu- son a ticket for Right of and issued a court date of Tuesday. Reached by phone Friday, friend, Jessica Pratte, remembered him as a happy person who loved his motor- cycle and was careful when he rode it. is why this caught everybody Pratte said.

loved that motorcycle more than Hampton had many friends in the Clemson area, Pratte said, and his fam- ily reached out to her to let her know what happened. we found out, it made all our hearts go she said, describing her friend as athletic and outgoing. Hampton was a 2016 graduate of Woodmont High School, according to Beth Brotherton, director of communi- cations for Greenville County Schools. The cause of death is multiple blunt force injuries, and was ruled an acci- dent, according to the Driver charged in death Margaret Rabon Greenville News USA TODAY NETWORK SOUTH CAROLINA OFFICE OPENS UP The Greenville County Sheriff Office held a Community Day Saturday at the Runway Cafe. The event gave the public a chance to meet the K-9 unit and check out the mobile command center, S.W.A.T.

vehicles and helicopters. There also was a hotdog sale, with proceeds to benefit Runway Park. PHOTOS BY ASHLEY WYFF anchor Goldsmith gets married and will go by new name Viewers of WYFF-TV will have to get used to a new name. Anchor Carol Goldsmith got married Friday. Goldsmith announced the wedding on her Facebook page, sharing photos of herself with new husband Arlen Clarke, her wedding cake and a close-up of the lacy fabric of her wed- ding dress.

be seeing a new name on WYFF 4 from now on Carol Clarke! Meet my husband, Goldsmith, a Michigan native, has been at WYFF since 1985. According to her bio on the WYFF website, she has two adult children and a de- gree in health and nutrition education. Donna Isbell Walker WYFF News 4 anchor Carol Goldsmith, center in this 2006 photo, announced her wedding on her Facebook page Friday. FILE Charges expected after fatal moped wreck in Greenville A driver is expected to be charged with felony DUI following a wreck with a moped that killed a Greenville man Sunday night. Ionnis George Tsanktakis, 46, of Lowndes Hill Road in Greenville, died after the moped he was operating was hit by a vehicle turning onto E.

Wash- ington Street from Laurens Road, ac- cording to a release from the Green- ville County Both Tsanktakis and the driver of the other vehicle were taken to a local hospital following the wreck. The driv- er of that vehicle, a 60-year-old man, is expected to be charged with felony DUI with death and no state li- cense upon his release from the hospi- tal, according to Greenville police. The Greenville News is not naming the driver until he is formally charged. Tsanktakis was not wearing a hel- met when the wreck occurred, accord- ing to police. He died from blunt force injuries.

The wreck is still under investiga- tion by the Greenville Police Depart- ment and the Elizabeth LaFleur.