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Minnesota Lottery to cut ties with bass eventNews Story
The Minnesota State Lottery will not sponsor any fishing tournaments this year, Gov. Tim Pawlenty's chief of staff said Thursday.Dan McElroy said interim lottery director Michael Vekich plans to drop the Minnesota Pro/Am Bass Tour promotion. The lottery spent at least $65,000 a year over the past four summers to sponsor the fishing tournaments and solicited money from other sponsors on its behalf, according to lottery records.Former lottery director George Andersen, who killed himself last month
Feb 13, 2004, 7:21 am - Lottery News

Strongly worded letter sent to lottery director before his deathNews Story
After being directed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty, the state's finance commissioner has worked with the Minnesota State Lottery since last spring to tighten operations, but enough lapses continued that a strongly worded letter was sent to lottery director George Andersen shortly before his death, the Pioneer Press reported.Andersen resisted one of the Finance Department's key recommendations and did not address another major shortcoming identified by the agency. That led, in part, to the letter by Finan
Feb 12, 2004, 6:35 am - Lottery News

Tenn. lottery board members get final approvalNews Story
The state House on Monday voted to confirm Gov. Phil Bredesen's appointees to the Tennessee Education Lottery Corp.'s board of directors, the final approval required by law.All seven board members received at least 80 votes from the 99-member House.But the approvals didn't come without objections from some lawmakers - mostly Republicans and members of the Legislature's Black Caucus - about the job the board has done to date. My vote today is not personal but is the only avenue I have to express
Feb 10, 2004, 6:39 am - Lottery News

Minn. lottery director helped steer business to friend's firmNews Story
The late director of the Minnesota State Lottery helped a friend's company keep a lucrative lottery contract, the Star Tribune reported on Saturday.George Andersen was found dead of an apparent suicide on Jan. 27, a day after meeting with auditors who were probing his relationship with the company, Media Rare. The public relations firm was founded by Andersen's friend Michael Priesnitz.Auditors have questioned several lucrative contracts that Andersen approved between the lottery and Media Rare.
Feb 9, 2004, 6:01 am - Lottery News

Nebraska's Top Lottery Official SuspendedNews Story
The head of the Nebraska lottery has been suspended pending an investigation of gifts involving a vendor, officials said.Jim Quinn, who has been director of the lottery since its creation in 1993, was suspended earlier this week, said Terri Teuber, spokeswoman for Gov. Mike Johanns. It has nothing to do with the operation of the lottery, she said. It has to do with accepting gifts. Quinn did not immediately return a message Wednesday.State law prohibits elected officials and employees of the e
Feb 4, 2004, 2:56 pm - Lottery News

Colorado Lottery contracts not renewedNews Story
The Colorado Department of Revenue will not extend two key Colorado Lottery contracts, choosing instead to seek new bids for advertising and public relations services.The move comes in the midst of a criminal probe into the timing of gifts given to top Lottery officials by vendors doing business with the agency and as Department of Revenue Executive Director M. Michael Cooke reviews all of the Lottery's contracts to make sure they were crafted fairly. It's a perfect time for us to look at these
Feb 4, 2004, 5:26 am - Lottery News

Interim Minnesota lottery chief namedNews Story
The Minnesota Lottery will be temporarily led by Michael Vekich, the former chairman of a state colleges board who was among Gov. Tim Pawlenty's challengers for the Republican nomination in 2002.Pawlenty announced Vekich's appointment Monday, six days after the suicide of longtime director George Andersen. A soon-to-be released government audit of lottery operations had taken an emotional toll on Andersen, according to family members and friends.Pawlenty referenced the audit in a news release ab
Feb 3, 2004, 5:38 am - Lottery News

GTECH Moves Jobs From Ohio To Rhode IslandNews Story
GTECH, one of the largest suppliers in the lottery industry, will eliminate 130 jobs in Ohio, moving those job functions to Rhode Island.Starting April 1, Interlott Technology Inc. will be moved by parent company GTECH Holdings Corp. to its headquarters in West Greenwich, R.I. The move should be completed by September, company officials said.Interlott makes instant ticket lottery machines, and was acquired by GTECH in September for $85 million.A company spokeswoman said relocation assistance wi
Feb 2, 2004, 5:11 am - Lottery News

Colorado lottery official retires amid controversyNews Story
Turner leaves post after questions about his conductA week after facing questions about whether he had offered immunity from prosecution to three gambling regulators who worked under him, a senior state Department of Revenue official abruptly retired.George Turner, one of the most powerful bureaucrats at the department, who for years oversaw the state's lottery and casino industry, had been on paid administrative leave since Jan. 6 while officials investigated.He gave his notice to retire from h
Jan 31, 2004, 6:37 pm - Lottery News

George Andersen, Former Minnesota Lottery DirectorNews Story
Minnesota State Lottery Director George Andersen died at the age of 53 on January 27, 2004, leaving his mark indelibly on his family, friends, and the Lottery that he ran successfully for more than 14 years.Andersen, the first and only Lottery director in Minnesota, was appointed by former Gov. Rudy Perpich in 1989. He was the second most senior lottery director in the nation and was widely regarded as brilliant and knowledgeable in his field. A Pennsylvania native, he first served as deputy e
Jan 30, 2004, 11:43 pm - Lottery News