Tracy Hartwick, the brother of North Little Rock Mayor Terry Hartwick, has been identified as the winner of a $1.8 billion Powerball jackpot. The winning ticket was purchased on Christmas Eve at a Murphy USA gas station in Cabot, Arkansas. This prize ranks as the second-largest in Powerball history.
Hartwick opted for the lump-sum payment, receiving $834.9 million before taxes. Lottery records indicate he decided to split the winnings with another brother, Timothy Hartwick, and a third anonymous individual. Tracy Hartwick received $565 million in January, with approximately $219 million forfeited in taxes. His brother Timothy received $6.9 million.
This significant lottery win brings renewed attention to Mayor Terry Hartwick, who has been involved in local controversies. Earlier this year, he was investigated for alleged inappropriate behavior at a high school choir concert, though no charges were filed due to insufficient evidence. Special Prosecutor Robbie Jones determined that the alleged actions, while potentially unwanted by the students, did not meet the legal threshold for harassment.
Additionally, Tracy Hartwick's company, Hartwick Heat and Air, received over $81,000 in city contracts for work at the Parks and Recreation Department. Mayor Hartwick, who previously led that department, stated that his brother was an approved vendor and that the business dealings were legal.
This is not the first time a Hartwick family member has received city contracts under Mayor Hartwick's administration. During his previous term in the 1990s, a contract was awarded to Timothy Hartwick's pressure washer business.
Arkansas law permits lottery winners to remain anonymous for three years, but elected officials and their immediate family members must disclose their identities within six months. The Hartwick family has not publicly commented on the lottery winnings, and a spokesperson for the mayor declined to release a statement.