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Early voting begins in North Carolina: 5 things to know Wednesday, October 17

Early voting begins in North Carolina Wednesday. The Mega Millions jackpot grew again after no one claimed Tuesday's gigantic prize and doctors are puzzled by a polio-like illness that's paralyzing children across America.

1. Early voting is underway in North Carolina for the midterm elections

Don't want to wait in long lines to cast your vote on election day? Then early voting may be your best bet and it starts Wednesday. There are 19 polling places in Mecklenburg County for early voters and they're open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each weekday from Wednesday through Saturday, November 3.

If you live outside Mecklenburg County, you can find a list of one-stop voting sites here. And you can also apply to submit an absentee ballot.

For South Carolinians, Wednesday is the deadline to register to vote. You have until midnight Wednesday night to register for the midterms on November 6. Absentee voting is already underway but there are certain qualifications you must meet. All mailed ballots should be sent by October 30 in order to reach your county's voter registration office before 7 p.m. on November 6.

And in case you're wondering, you do NOT need a photo ID to vote in North Carolina, but you WILL need a photo ID to cast your vote in the Palmetto State.

2. No one won the Mega Millions jackpot, so don't feel too bad about your losing ticket

Still upset you didn't win the Mega Millions jackpot? Don't worry, no one else did either. So if you quit your job (please don't, especially with these ridiculous odds), you'll have another chance Friday with a record jackpot of $868 million.

Your approximate odds of winning are one in 302.5 million. And if you're feeling extra lucky, your odds of winning Wednesday's Power ball AND the Mega Millions Friday? A paltry 1 in 88 quadrillion. Yes, that's real. And it's a lot of zeroes.

3. A Charlotte newspaper deliveryman was held at gunpoint this week

Benjamin Farmer said he was in east Charlotte delivering the paper when a man pulled out a shotgun and pointed it at him.

"Do something stupid, get out of my neighborhood," Farmer said the man told him.

Farmer said he tried to explain that he was just delivering papers when he heard a woman's voice egging the man on. Fortunately, he was able to escape without being hurt. When he called police, Farmer said the suspect told officers he thought he was stealing mail and "wanted to send him a message."

Farmer said he never expected in his years of delivering the news that he would make the news one day. But, he adds, he won't let him stop him from earning a living.

4. A mysterious polio-like illness is paralyzing children. And doctors don't know what's causing it

Have you heard of acute flaccid myelitis, or AFM? It affects mostly children and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it's investigating 127 possible cases nationwide. So far, the illness has been confirmed in 22 states but it's suspected in at least four more.

AFM is caused by a viral infection. Symptoms range from muscle weakness to paralysis. What's most concerning is that doctors have no idea what's causing it. The medical mystery is sending healthy kids to hospitals and pushing parents over the edge.

A 7-year-old Charlotte girl is among those affected. Five years ago, Kylie Daw's mother was worried her daughter would never walk again.

"It was probably one of the scariest things I've ever gone through," Nicole Daw said. "Just trying to keep a brave face and underneath my head is going a million miles an hour trying to figure this out, what is this happening to her."

5. Those flushable wipes you can buy at the store aren't so "flushable" after all, officials say

You've seen them in stores and almost every brand that sells toilet paper sells them. Those "flushable" wipes that are sort of like baby wipes but are advertised as septic tank safe. While that may be true, water department officials in Charleston, South Carolina have learned they aren't so great for the city's pumps.

On Tuesday, divers went into the city's sewer system and found a major clog in one of their treatment plants. The culprit? Wipes.

Charlotte Water officials confirm it’s also an issue here at home. People flushing wipes are quickly becoming the city’s largest cause of blockages, causing 40 clogs so far this year.

City water officials say they really want people to stop using these products altogether, but if you insist: toss them in the trash, not the toilet.

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