Milton announces population contest winner

Ferrall Sumrell called it "pure luck," but the longtime Milton resident submitted the winning entry to guess the city's official population. With more than 150 entries and guesses ranging from 929 to 219,000 people, Sumrell's guess of 32,247 came closest to the actual count, 32,661, without going over.

For his effort, Sumrell received a gift package for free and reduced-cost merchandise offered by more than half a dozen local businesses.