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University Daily Kansan
Nation/World
Tuesday, Jan. 21, 1986
Man wins $86,000 instantly in debut of Missouri lottery
From Kansan wires
Thousands of Missourians bought lottery tickets, hoping to be the first big winner in the state's first lottery.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A railroad worker became the state's first $86,000 winner less than an hour after yesterday's debut of the Missouri lottery.
The winner, Gary Hopson, a 39-year-old brakeman and conductor, of Mobery purchased some of the more than 1 million lottery tickets sold the first afternoon of the contest. He was the only big winner to be validated.
Acting on the advice of his wife, Hopson bought three tickets at a convenience store in Moberly and won $2 from two of them. He then cashed those tickets in for another set, cashed in yet another winner and then received the $68,000 ticket.
The check won't reach Hopson for several weeks, and it will be less $17,200, the share the federal government automatically deducts for taxes.
The Hopons and their daughter, Tara, don't plan on any significant purchases with their $86,000 windfall, although Hopson said he definitely would buy a new pickup truck.
At one minute after noon yesterday, the state's lottery took off with brightly colored balloons, band music and ticket-giveaway ceremonies in nine Missouri cities.
In Jefferson City, the author of the constitutional amendment creating
the lottery, Sen. Edwin Dirck, D-St. Ann, was presented the first official ticket, traced from Hart's Twin Island Mart in Blue Eye, Mo.
Bill Spurlock, area supervisor for 7-Eleven stores in Springfield, said, "We're expecting the first week's sales will be the highest. People have a curiosity to find out what it's about."
But nothing could happen until noon.
About two hours later, 154 people in Missouri had won $86, according to lottery officials. And within an hour, Hopson had called the lottery office to report on his apparent luck — $86,000 worth of luck.
In St. Louis, hundreds turned out at Kiener Plaza in the bright sunshine to watch Gov. John Ashcroft and lottery director Jim Holmes draw colored pingpong balls to determine winners whose balloons matched their colors.
"It's just one of those things where you look at it and it takes awhile for it to sink in," said Hopson, as he prepared to go to Jefferson City to have the ticket validated.
A St. Louis cabdriver, Cecil Pickett, 52, said, "This appeals to the basic instinct of a human to gamble. It's a chance for the guy on the bottom to get on top. We're all looking for that one big winner to get out of the trap."
In Springfield, about 600 people showed up for launch-day activities, and about 100 people turned out for a
Blacks had been critical of lottery leaders for starting the lottery on the left, as they did in previous years.
memorial service for the late Rev. Martin Luther King.
The Rev. Melvin Grimes, a Springfield Baptist minister, said the observance of King's birthday was marred.
"We do him a disserce today," Grimes said. "It concerns me that more emphasis will be placed on the lottery. I feel like they could have waited at least one day."
Missouri, once considered a Bible Belt state that frowned upon legalized gambling, became the 22nd state to sponsor a lottery.
Illinois and Iowa both have lotteries, and Kansas lawmakers presently are debating the establishment of one.
Washington, D.C., also operates a lottery, bringing the country's total to 23.
The law enacting the lottery was passed overwhelmingly in November 1984, with legislators saying it was needed because Missourians were flocking to adjacent states with lotteries to spend their money.
The lottery started with a $1 instant game that brought prizes of $2, $5, $86, $860 or $8,000. The prizes will mushroom in three weeks to televisedrawings for a jackpot of at least $1 million.
The odds of winning the $1 million in later contests are 35 million-to-1.
Gov. John Ashcroft signed the lottery bill into law.
Wichita man to seek gubernatorial office
United Press International
WICHITA — Wichita lawyer Richard Peckham, a political newcomer who aligns himself with the beliefs of President Reagan, yesterday said that he would seek the Republican nomination for governor.
Peckham scheduled a news conference for 10 a.m. tomorrow to declare his candidacy. He will become the third person to announce a bid for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, following House Speaker Mike Hayden of Atwood and business executive Larry Jones of Wichita.
Peckham said he would run a campaign of family-oriented issues.
"My views center around strengthening the family," he said. "Doing that pumps up the whole economy because the family is the basic economic unit."
Peekham said he had been practicing private law in Wichita for the past two years. Before that, he worked six years as a staff attorney for the Social Security administration in Wichita.
Although he never has run for office, Peckham said he was qualified to be governor because of his work with Social Security and his keen interest in economic and social issues.
Peckham said he had lived in the Wichita area since 1970, except for the years when he attended law school. He now lives in Andover, a suburb of Wichita.
clading the National Federation for Decency and Family Life Services.
Peckham, who is married and has six children, said he opposed abortion and, if elected governor, would use his influence to try to make the practice illegal.
He said he had served for several public service groups, in-
"I believe that life begins in the womb and I am ready to work hard on the state and federal level to protect the unborn infant," he said. "I will not think the other candidates will take a firm position on this issue. And I think most Kansans feel the way I do."
Peckham said he began considering the race for the GOP gubernatorial nomination when Attorney General Robert Stephan withdrew his name as a possible candidate last fall.
Hayden is well known in political circles, Peckham said, but does not have widespread name recognition among voters. He said Jones also was a political unknown.
Peckham said he agreed with Reagan's position on many issues, including weaning farmers from government subsidies.
"The race is wide open to unknowns," he said.
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