Search

Arkansas Lottery to begin director searchNews Story
The Arkansas Lottery Commission voted Monday to begin its search for a new director in December, but the panel left unanswered how quickly it hoped to fill the vacancy left by former director Ernie Passailaigue. The commission voted to begin advertising for the director job on Dec. 1 and to begin reviewing applications at its Jan. 9 meeting. The panel set a priority deadline of Jan. 4, but it said it would continue to accept applications after that date. The commission hired Passailaigue,
Nov 23, 2011, 10:04 am - Lottery News

Indiana Gov. names interim Hoosier Lottery directorNews Story
Megan Ornellas will serve as interim director of the Hoosier Lottery until a replacement can be found for Kathryn Densborn, who resigned following a flap over her lavish spending on a new headquarters. (See Indiana Lottery chief resigns after lavish office revealed, Lottery Post, Oct. 14, 2011.) Gov. Mitch Daniels' administration announced Ornellas' appointment Monday. Ornellas is the chief of staff for the Family and Social Services Administration, the state's largest agency. Ornellas wil
Oct 17, 2011, 8:54 pm - Lottery News

Arkansas Lottery not in a rush to fill director positionNews Story
Arkansas Lottery commissioners said Monday they're in no rush to find a replacement for director Ernie Passailaigue weeks after he resigned the job and following the departure of two of his deputies. The nine-member commission did not vote on a job description for the post after members said they wanted more time to review criteria. Passailaigue, who oversaw the state of Arkansas' lottery, resigned Sept. 19 following criticism over his management of the games. Commission Chairwoman Dianne
Oct 17, 2011, 8:35 pm - Lottery News

Indiana Lottery chief resigns after lavish office revealedNews Story
Hoosier Lottery Director Kathryn Densborn stepped down Friday after coming under fire for moving the lottery to a posh new headquarters in Indianapolis. Gov. Mitch Daniels said in a statement he accepted her resignation, which was effective Friday. Densborn came under fire last week following reports of lavish spending on the move from Pan Am Plaza to a 35,000-square-foot office on Meridian Street. (See Hoosier Lottery admits new office too lavish, Lottery Post, Oct. 6, 2011.) Lotter
Oct 14, 2011, 6:12 pm - Lottery News

Arkansas Lottery fires second VPNews Story
The Arkansas Lottery has fired the last of three top officials brought in to launch the games two years ago, and the lottery commission's chairwoman called the move an opportunity for change. Ernestine Middleton, the lottery vice president for administration, was fired Wednesday two days after the resignations of embattled director Ernie Passailaigue and another vice president, David Barden. Passailaigue announced last month he would be leaving, but Barden and Middleton had said they wanted t
Oct 7, 2011, 6:56 am - Lottery News

New travel questions crop up in Ark. Lottery director's final days in officeNews Story
Outgoing Arkansas Lottery Director Ernie Passailaigue gave his last scheduled report to state lawmakers today, as the lottery's internal auditor said new questions have arisen about Passailaigue's travel reimbursements. Michael Hyde told the legislative committee that oversees the lottery today that he has referred to the Division of Legislative Audit a few things that came up. It was of a nature that I felt like it needed to be investigated, he said. Hyde mentioned the matter in answ
Oct 3, 2011, 1:24 am - Lottery News

S.C. lottery and electronic sweepstakes on collision courseNews Story
South Carolina retailers who offer electronic sweepstakes to customers are feeling jittery. That's according to one member of the S.C. Education Lottery Oversight Committee , a panel made up of state legislators and members of the public. The question is, are electronic sweepstakes legal in South Carolina? said Alexander Shadwick, after Tuesday's meeting. They don't know if the games are legal or illegal, so the courts have to decide, he said. But it scares all the retailers.
Sep 29, 2011, 9:03 am - Lottery News

Panel eyes less pay for next Ark. lottery chiefNews Story
The Arkansas Lottery Commission hasn't begun its search for a replacement for outgoing Director Ernie Passailaigue, but the commission's chairman and a key legislative leader said Tuesday that whoever gets the job shouldn't expect the same paycheck. A day after Passailaigue resigned, the lottery commission's chairwoman and the co-chairman of the lottery's oversight committee said they didn't expect the next director to enjoy the same high salary. Passailaigue's $324,000 annual pay, along with
Sep 20, 2011, 8:40 pm - Lottery News

Arkansas Lottery director resignsNews Story
Includes video report The Arkansas Lottery Commission Monday accepted the resignation of embattled state Lottery Director Ernie Passailaigue, who ends his controversial tenure on his own after surviving two past attempts by commission members to fire him. Passailaigue submitted a letter of resignation to the commission's chairman, Dianne Lamberth of Batesville, on Friday. His resignation will be effective Oct. 7. Passailaigue was not hired on a contract and will receive no buyout. Th
Sep 19, 2011, 10:01 pm - Lottery News

Arkansas Lottery director's benefits in conflict with law?News Story
Arkansas law expressly prohibits the use of a multiplier in determining the state lottery director's salary for retirement purposes, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel said in an opinion Monday. Lottery Director Ernie Passailaigue's base salary is $141,603 a year, but the Lottery Commission has been paying him $324,000 a year thanks to an optional multiplier included in the state's lottery law. His retirement benefits have been based on the $324,000 figure, not his base salary. Sen. Bobby Gl
Feb 8, 2011, 8:54 am - Lottery News