THE STATUS OF IOWA’S “MOST ELIGIBLE BACHELOR” IS IN DOUBT. IOWA LOTTERY OFFICIALS ARE ASKING A JUDGE TO DETERMINE WHETHER TIM SHULTZ OF DES MOINES OWNS A NEARLY 16-MILLION DOLLAR JACKPOT. A 20-YEAR-OLD CO-WORKER, SARAH ELDER, SAYS SHE LOANED SHULTZ 50-CENTS FOR THE WINNING TICKET AND HALF THE PRIZE SHOULD BE HERS. LOTTERY COMMISSIONER ED STANEK SAYS IT IS ILLEGAL FORANYONE UNDER AGE 21 TO PURCHASE A TICKET — AND SHULTZ MAY BE DEPRIVED OF HIS WINNINGS DEPENDING ON THE OUTCOME OF THE CASE. AT THE TOP OF THE WINNINGTICKET, SOMEONE WROTE “SARAH AND TIM’S” BUT STANEK SAYS TIM SIGNED AND CLAIMED THE PRIZE AS HIS OWN ON THE BACK OF THE TICKET. THE BACK OF THE TICKEY IS THE LEGAL PORTION. THE 15-POINT-NINE MILLION DOLLAR PRIZE HAS BEEN FORWARDED TO IOWA’S REASURER WHO WILL INVEST THE MONEY IN AN INTEREST-EARNING ACCOUNT UNTIL THE MATTER IS RESOLVED. EIGHT OTHER PEOPLE SAID THE JACKPOT WAS THEIRS AS WELL, BUT OFFICIALS HAVE RULED OUT THOSE CLAIMS. A JUDGE HAS SET A HEARING ON THE ISSUE FOR MARCH 5TH.
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