Friday, January 28, 2005

Will Tennessee's new games cloud Kentucky lottery's future?

Posted: Yesterday, 10:57 am


Kentucky has Daniel Boone, Abe Lincoln, Adolph Rupp, Loretta Lynn, and Ashley Judd.
Tenessee has Davy Crockett, Andy Jackson, Bob Neyland, Dolly Parton, and Dixie Carter.
For a couple of centuries, there has been a border rivalry between Kentucky and Tennessee as the states have dueled over history and heroes and have had spats over sports and politics. Now the rivalry has become more serious than ever. The Big and the Big Orange are fighting over the Big Green - as in money.
Kentucky has the lottery.
Now Tennessee has the lottery.
Since its inception in April 1989, Kentucky has been operating a state lottery that has generated nearly $8 billion in ticket sales, and perhaps as much as $800 million of that has come from tickets bought by Tennessee residents at Kentucky lottery retailers in 16 counties along the border. But last year Tennessee implemented its own lottery and now offers its own residents several games.
Related Stories
Kentucky lottery sales fall, but still exceed forecast Jan 25, 2005
Tenn. lottery fans make fewer runs for the Kentucky border Aug 2, 2004
Kentucky losing lottery sales to Tennessee May 17, 2004
Tennessee lottery puts dent in Southern Kentucky sales Apr 6, 2004
New Tennessee Lottery hasn't hurt Kentucky ticket sales yet Feb 17, 2004
Will Tennessee's new games cloud the future of the Kentucky lottery, an enterprise that has produced more than $2 billion for the state's coffers, including more than $500 million in scholarships, as well as $4 billion in prize money for winners and more than $800 million in commissions and bonuses to retailers?
"Are we losing sales because of the Tennessee lottery? Yes," acknowledged Chip Polston, vice president of communications and government and public relations for the Kentucky Lottery Corp. "But so far it is not as bad as we had originally predicted."
The corporation has predicted that the Tennessee lottery would result in Kentucky's lottery losing $70 million in total ticket sales a year during at least the first couple of years of the Tennessee lottery's operation. That would amount to a little less than 10 percent of the Kentucky lottery's total sales. In fiscal year 2004, the Kentucky lottery generated $725 million in sales.
As far as individual games are concerned, the Kentucky lottery projected that, in 16 Kentucky counties that border Tennessee, it would lose 90 percent of the dollars spent on tickets for its on-line games, including the popular Power Ball, and 80 percent of the dollars spent on tickets for its instant games, including the scratch-offs and pull-tabs. It is estimated that Tennessee residents used to buy 20 percent of all Kentucky lottery Power Ball tickets.
However, Polston noted that early figures indicate the picture for the Kentucky lottery, so far at least, is not as bleak as was first forecast.
"In the first 18 weeks of fiscal year 2004, we had projected that we would sell $18.1 million in tickets in 16 Kentucky counties that border Tennessee, but our actual sales totaled $27 million," he said.
The biggest impact by the Tennessee lottery on the Kentucky lottery is occurring in the sale of Powerball tickets but the damage has been much less in the sale of Pick 3 and Pick 4 tickets and instant scratch-off and pull-tab tickets, said Polston.
"In the Powerball tickets, we're off 63 percent in Powerball sales in those 16 border counties, but we're only down 13 percent in Pick 3 sales and 10 percent in Pick 4 sales," he said.
Planning and proactive game-development and ticket-pricing strategies have helped cut down on the big projected losses, Polston said.
"We saw this train heading in our direction, so to avoid the wreck, in the year before Tennessee implemented its lottery, we decided to offer more games and, where possible, higher prizes," he said.
For instance, the top prize for the Kentucky lottery's Pick 3 is $100 higher than that for the Tennessee lottery's Pick 3. And there is no competition so far for Pick 4 business. The Tennessee lottery doesn't offer the game.
"Offering games Tennessee doesn't have and offering prize money they aren't matching gives us a competitive edge. It's when the two lotteries go head to head that the impact of lost sales is being felt," he said.
But will the impact eventually be felt by Kentucky's general fund and the scholarships and grant programs lottery proceeds have funded, not to mention the prize money that has gone to winners and the commissions and bonuses that have gone to retailers?
"Any time you lose up to 10 percent of your business, you take a hit, and you have to be concerned about the impact the hit will have on those people and programs and state budget that our lottery has benefited," said Polston.
However, he is cautiously optimistic about the future of Kentucky's lottery and its ability to pay winners and retailers and contribute to the state treasury and scholarships.
"Our sales have been increasing steadily over the last few years - by a total of $225 million from fiscal year 1997 to fiscal year 2004 when we recorded that record $725 million - and that is putting air into that cushion we need to absorb the lost Tennessee sales," said Polston. "And we will continue to be creative with our games and aggressive with our prize money.
"There is a little cloud looming overhead but we're a long way from getting any rain."
View: Kentucky Lottery View: Tennessee Lottery

Florence County gamblers busted

Published Thursday, January 27, 2005 11:16:28 AM Central Time
By RALPH ANSAMI
Globe News Editor
FLORENCE, Wis. -- Two Florence County residents face felony counts in February court dates after gambling raids by state agents were conducted on their businesses last August.
Ronald Florian, who operates the White Tail tavern on Wisconsin 139 in the Town of Tipler, is charged with four counts of illegally setting up gambling machines. Seventeen 17 gaming machines were removed from his business, according to the state Department of Justice.
Armed with a search warrant, the DOJ conducted a raid on the business, cooperating in an investigation with the Department of Revenue.
A total of 13 video gaming machines were also seized from Sach's Rendezvous, also on Wisconsin 139 in Florence County. Illegal lotteries, 15 football pools and 319,000 illegal pull tabs were also seized, according to the DOJ.
The owner of Sach's, Richard Arnell, is charged with nine counts of commercial gambling.
Florian and Arnell both face preliminary hearings on the charges on Feb. 22 before Florence County Judge Robert Kennedy Jr.
Florian is free on $5,000 bond, while Arnell was released on $10,000 signature bond.
The DOJ noted the felony counts each carry a penalty of from six months to three years in prison and fines up to $10,000.
Florence County District Attorney Douglas Drexler issued the charges, which are similar to those filed in Iron County Court last week against Abba's Brite Spot and Bert's Laundromat, two Hurley businesses. The Hurley charges were issued following a lengthy investigation spearheaded by Cliff Korn of the Department of Revenue's Hayward office.
The operation of video gaming machines in the state is governed by both the DOJ and the Department of Revenue. If an establishment has five machines or fewer, the Department of Revenue is responsible for enforcement. The Department of Revenue has not been cracking down on taverns with fewer than six machines, however.
Six or more machines in an establishment constitutes felony charges, and the Justice Department handles the enforcement.

Indiana Legislator Wants Unity on Racino

IssueDate Posted: 1/27/2005 7:36:21 AMLast Updated: 1/28/2005 11:52:42 AMby James PlatzTwo proposals calling for pull-tab machines at Hoosier Park and Indiana Downs received their first hearing Jan. 26, but after three hours of debate in the Indiana House Public Policy and Veterans Affairs Committee, one thing was clear: Legislation to authorize the machines could meet an early fate.
Rep. Robert Alderman, chairman of the committee, may not further entertain the competing bills because of a lack of consensus and the potential for representatives' votes on pull-tab legislation becoming an issue in 2006 elections. Alderman said legislation wouldn't advance until there is one proposal.
"Clearly all the various parties in the bill do not agree," he said. "I want a single specific proposal placed before me."
Alderman fears legislation utilizing pull-tabs--video lottery terminals--as the primary funding mechanism for a new Indianapolis Colts stadium would force lawmakers to take positions that could hurt them in the next election. He's willing to take the legislation off the table, and said if that transpires, it wouldn't be revived during the current session.
"This is not my issue," he said. "I certainly don't live or die on this issue. I will drop the issue in the trash can before I let it become political."
Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson was among those that testified Jan. 26. Peterson is supporting pull-tab legislation as a means to meet the $46 million in annual revenue needed to finance the new $500-million retractable-roof stadium for the NFL franchise.
Peterson had lobbied for pull-tabs at a downtown Indianapolis location, but House Speaker Brian Bosma and Gov. Mitch Daniels rejected that idea. Rep. Vanessa Summers has proposed an amendment that would place 2,500 machines in Marion County, but not at a downtown location.
Both proposals call for 2,500 machines at both Hoosier Park and Indiana Downs. In each of the last two years, similar proposals passed the Indiana House but stalled in the Senate. Currently, both tracks share in a $27-million subsidy that comes from riverboat casino admission tax revenue. Both track operators and many in the racing industry are looking to pull-tabs as a means for firm financial footing.
http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=26431
Copyright © 2005 The Blood-Horse, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Thursday, January 27, 2005

Get Some

Get Some

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (Unrated Extended Edition) (2004) DVD review

Can’t get enough of those sliders!

The reviews are in! Who cares what all of the so called reviewers think! They all tend to think too much. (I‘ll raise my hand.) Toke up and watch this unrated DVD again. Then write your review over.

What did you get? Did it change your mind? Okay, now rewrite!

Well now that I’m clear of mind. Harold and Kumar gave me some laughs. In this day an age it seems Hollywood cannot come up with a comedy classic mega hit. Sure there are some good comedic hits to come out recently like Old School and Van Wilder, but nothing that can compare to the vintage Cheech & Chong, Animal House and Fast Times at Ridgemont High classics.
Harold & Kumar features male bonding, road trips, fatuitous jokes and of course nudity. Harold (John Cho) is an investment banker. Kumar (Kal Penn) is Harold’s roommate. Friday night is smoke night, but the usual fast food delivery just won’t work on this night. White Castle’s commercial is the only choice (Optimal timing) to satisfy their hunger. (Hence the road trip.) I say who hasn’t had a road trip to a late night fast food joint?

(This road trip is totally believable because of mouth watering White Castle’s burger. Have you had pleasure of tasting White Castle’s sliders? If not, you are definitely missing out. I suggest your own road trip.)

The race of the main characters does add some racial jokes, but does not deter the viewer into an ulterior, underlying motive. The Director (Danny Leiner) goes for the laughs first.
This unrated DVD is one to put in the view under the influence category. Doogie Howser (Neil Patrick Harris) makes a special appearance to tell the world he is still available for work. Buddy Lee and Anthony Anderson also make cameos.

Wednesday, January 26, 2005

Caesars 24/7

Tuesdays episode must have been for the losers.

A four month dream; Put money on horse #7. He waits four months for The Breeder's Cup, goes to Caesars sportsbook, puts $77 on horse #7 on the seven race.

The result 7th place. Oops. That was in your dream. "Don't let me listen to my dream again!", he said.

Marriage proposal that doesn't work out. Ouch!

This kind of put a hurt into me because I got married in Las Vegas. The did show some of the behind the scenes of the Caesars wedding Chapel.

Note: Make sure you have your Marriage License!

http://www.aetv.com/caesars247/

No money down

I'm sure glad I didn't put money down on my football predictions.

Patriots vs. Eagles

Can't go against the Patriots.

Sunday, January 23, 2005

Snow, Snow and more Snow!

Here in Milwaukee, the big snow of 2005 dropped around 12" inches of snow on Saturday. What do you do in a snow storm? Watch movies amongst other things on cold wintery night.

Shovel three or four times during the snow storm to prevent over exhaustion. Drive your four wheeler around the city to shop with no lines. Go sledding. Enjoy a warm hot chocolate with a shot of choice.

Now get ready for some Championship NFL football. Predictions?

Falcons and Steelers.

DVD review King Arthur (2004) Unrated Director's cut

Version updated
Historians and scholars will debate the King Arthur mystery for many more centuries. Are they accurate? Will there ever be a consensus? Probably not!
Meanwhile, Hollywood will produce each depiction for the public to dissect. The “King Arthur” (2004) DVD follows Artorius (Clive Owen) as half Briton half Roman. His knights are made up Sarmatain fighters. The Romans conquered the Sarmatain Empire, so as a condition of survival all of their male offspring must serve the Roman Empire for fifteen years. Lancelot (Ioan Gruffudd) is the most recognized name in King Arthur’s court. But in this movie he is just part of the knight round table. Ray Winstone’s character Bors steals the show from all the other knights.
The knight’s last mission before their tour of duty in over is to rescue a Roman family that is about to be invaded by the Saxons. Merlin’s Briton fighters do not fight for the Roman Empire, but fight for native Britons. Merlin knows Artorius is half Briton, so he decides his fight is not with him but the Saxons. Guinevere (Keira Knightley) is saved by Artorius but fights for Merlin. The battle ending is not for the faint of heart.
I like this DVD for its action scenes and overall feel for time depiction. Ireland’s location was perfect for filming the countryside shots. David Franzoni wrote the script. (See his comments on historical accuracy in the Spotlight review) It is nice to see some comments from the actual scriptwriter.
The unrated Director’s cut is for intense battle scenes. There are many graphic head and limb departures utilizing the almighty sword.

Wednesday, January 19, 2005

Caesars 24/7

Do you want to become a casino host in the high stakes game of pleasing High Rollers? This episode follows a pit boss supervisor who wants to become a host. He is granted a trial period. His first trial is a well known high roller that can be quite a handfuls.

He demands and demands more. The host does everything to keep up with his sometimes outrageous demands. Thirty six hours in three days worked.

This episode shows the demands on casino hosts. So far this show is interesting and shows some real scenarios. I haven't noticed any stage events for the cameras yet.

"The Casino" did stage a lot of their so called real life events.
http://www.aetv.com/caesars247/

Men tell of life-threatening habit

Featured Advertiser

Two residents describe their old compulsions, aiming to encourage people to find help

ROB HEDELT• Rob Hedelt's archiveE-mail Rob Hedelt
Date published: 1/18/2005
FRANKLIN, a Fredericksburg-area resident, was a professional whose business took him all over the country, sometimes to Reno.
The first few outings to a casino there were fun, a lark. But on a later trip, Franklin couldn't ignore the casino's call, spending every free hour and all his money on the slots and gambling tables.
Leaving the casino city solved the problem, or so Franklin thought, until, in the privacy of his own home, he discovered online casinos.
Before long, he was dropping hundreds of dollars a night, eventually losing more than $10,000 at Internet casinos.
He was lying to his wife, betting away the family budget, borrowing money from friends to pay the growing gambling debts.
Things didn't reach a head until he was caught stealing something from a store, an act he still doesn't fully understand because he had the money to pay for the item.
"The only thing I can point to is the risk involved," he said. "I think it was a gamble that I wouldn't get caught."
George, also a Fredericksburg-area resident, had a longer history of compulsive gambling, and of alcoholism.
For years, he simply saw the two as recreation.
If it wasn't weekend trips to Atlantic City, where he could drop $15,000 in just three days at the tables, it was visits to an off-track betting parlor, where he'd go through pitchers of beer and hundred-dollar bills in no time.
At other times, he satisfied the habit with pull tabs or other gambling at a neighborhood lodge or with scratch lottery tickets from a corner store.
In the course of several years, George lost several jobs and houses, as well as his marriage and family, and was forced to declare bankruptcy.
He'd stolen at work, lied to his family and friends and done anything it took to come up with money to plunk down on a bet.
One night, when at the lowest ebb of his life, "at the bottom of a pit I couldn't get out of on my own," George searched to find a phone number that, for some deep-seated reason, he'd held onto.
He, like Franklin, now credits that call to Gamblers Anonymous as the thing that turned his life around.
I met the two area men--Franklin and George are not their real names--recently through Ray Hoskins, who once tackled the same compulsive gambling and helped start a local chapter of Gamblers Anonymous.
Hoskins is now vigilant in helping others with that problem, and is a regular at the GA meeting held Sundays at 7 p.m. at Snowden of Fredericksburg.
Both Franklin and George say that GA's 12-step program--modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous--is what keeps them from slipping back into the abyss.
"Once you realize you're a compulsive gambler, you realize you can never be around gambling or that lifestyle anymore," said George, who also attends AA meetings to combat alcoholism.
The local resident, grateful at getting his life back, along with a connection to his family, said the path to recovery for him included a higher power.
"I needed help getting out of that pit," he said, giving credit also to the sponsor who shared the GA process, which involves admitting a problem, making amends to those harmed and seeking to help other compulsive gamblers.
These days, George is a sponsor to two other compulsive gamblers, and feels compelled to spread the word about the local effort to help.
He says that although he's stayed away from gambling, every day is a struggle, and that he would simply turn down any business trip that would take him near a gambling town like Atlantic City or Las Vegas.
Franklin credits GA, his sponsors and his wife with helping him stay away from the gambling that nearly cost him the life he'd worked hard for.
He noted that although local people think that there isn't much organized gambling locally, the habit is no farther away than a convenience store selling scratch tickets or a home computer connected to an Internet casino.
"At our meetings, we see folks from all walks of life: law enforcement, investment companies, you name it," he said. "No one is immune."
For more information on Gamblers Anonymous, call 540/371-8385 locally. For a help line in Richmond, call 804/422-6246. Help is available on the Internet at gamblersanonymous.org.
To reach ROB HEDELT: 540/374-5415 rhedelt@freelancestar.com
Date published: 1/18/2005

Charities get 4% of gambling dollarsState audit finds business costs high

BY PATRICK CONDONAssociated Press
State auditors have found that charitable causes supported by legal gambling in Minnesota are being shortchanged as more than 40 percent of the groups sponsoring gambling spend too much of their revenue on business expenses.
The Office of the Legislative Auditor reported Tuesday that 43 percent of the more than 1,400 licensed nonprofits that run charitable gambling are spending more than 55 percent of their profits — gross receipts minus prizes — on business expenses.
Minnesotans spent $1.4 billion on charitable games in 2004, on games like bingo, pull-tabs, raffles and others. About 82 percent was returned in prizes, but of the $257 million in gross profits, $131 million went to charities.
In other words, for every dollar gambled, 4 cents went to charities.
Spending more than 55 percent of profits on business expenses — such as rent or employee salaries — is against state law. But it's gone undetected because of a quirk in the way compliance is checked, the audit said.
Auditors said gambling venues are able to skirt the law by tallying business expenses over a period of years, instead of year by year. The director of the trade group that represents charitable gambling purveyors said that's necessary because one-time expenses such as expansion costs can push the amount spent above 55 percent, and it takes a few years to bring the average back in line.
"That's a somewhat misleading claim," said King Wilson, director of Allied Charities.
Wilson said he didn't think most gamblers would be surprised that only 4 cents on the dollar is actually going to charities. "I don't buy into looking at the cents on the dollar, because prizes are so much of what we do," he said.
The audit rapped other areas of state gambling regulation.
The Racing Commission, which regulates Canterbury Park, was lauded for its "thorough and multilayered oversight" of horse racing, but was criticized for not sufficiently supervising Canterbury's card club.
The Alcohol and Gambling Division was cited for not effectively using its authority to inspect Indian casinos, though the audit said tribal and federal government regulation mostly makes up for the limitations of state inspection.

New report criticizes regulation of gambling

Pat Doyle and Mark Brunswick, Star Tribune
January 19, 2005 GAMBLE0119
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The state agency that inspects tribal casinos in Minnesota fails to fully exercise its authority to ensure that they comply with rules intended to keep the games honest, the legislative auditor said Tuesday.
The failure was among findings in a report that was critical of the state's regulation of legalized gambling, including the card room at Canterbury Park and tavern games such as pull tabs.
The evaluation by the Office of the Legislative Auditor concluded that the Department of Public Safety, which has limited authority to inspect casinos, should spend more time scrutinizing casino audits and other financial data and less time inspecting slot machines.
The department's gambling division "has access to an array of information, including relevant casino information systems, casino financial and internal control audits, compliance data from tribal regulatory authorities" and other data, the auditor said. Because the division hasn't fully used those tools, its judgments on casino compliance are based on limited information.
The auditor also found:
• The agency that oversees pull tabs and other games played in taverns doesn't adequately detect and deter violations by the organizations running the games. While the purpose of so-called charitable gambling is to provide money for clubs and nonprofit organizations, the auditor found that "some organizations have excessive expenses and make small contributions to charities."
• The Minnesota Racing Commission's oversight of gambling at Canterbury Park racetrack is inadequate. While the commission exercises "effective oversight of horse racing, the commission relies too heavily on Canterbury Park for oversight of card club activities. The Racing Commission employs stewards, veterinarians and barn technicians to oversee racing. Each of these personnel has a specific role in ensuring the integrity of horse racing. In contrast, the Racing Commission does not have personnel with sufficient expertise to oversee card club activities, and the commission relies too much on self-regulation by Canterbury Park."
• The lottery does an adequate job protecting its scratch-off and online games, minimizing the risk of cheating, and makes sure its proceeds are distributed properly. However, its dual role as regulator and promoter could compromise integrity.
"All of Minnesota's gambling regulatory agencies, except the lottery, should make better use of technology to fulfill their oversight and regulatory responsibilities," the report said.
The writers are at pdoyle@startribune.com andmbrunswick@startribune.com

Monday, January 17, 2005

Texas reaps benefit from bingo charity prize offering

By staff
The state of Texas has announced over $6 million in awards to cities and counties as a result of charitable bingo monies collected from big prize winners late last year.
Over 150 local authorities stand to benefit from the scheme, which is showing a near ten percent rise in collections from last year’s figures. Example awards include $120,455 to Harris County, one of the top five areas to receive funds.
'Thanks to the leaders in these local jurisdictions that see the social and charitable value of bingo, long-time fans, as well as new charitable bingo players can enjoy themselves playing bingo all they want,' said Billy Atkins, charitable bingo director of the Texas Lottery Commission. A 2.5 percent share of all bingo winnings goes to the state, distributed by the General Revenue Fund.
There are 1,329 conductors of charitable bingo in Texas. Players won a total of $104,429,138 in prizes in the third quarter of 2004, with $74.9 million of that from regular prizes and $29.5 million from instant pull tabs.

Martin Luther King

A national holiday set aside to reflect our past. Check out the news to see how the media covers this holiday. Scan through the different channels. Observe the differences. Report what you see!


Friday, January 14, 2005

Youths gamble with addiction

By JENNIFER STOCKINGER
Staff Writer
A 19-year-old student in the Brainerd lakes area enjoyed playing poker with his friends in high school and thought gambling was fun.The student went off to college and his gambling got in the way of his studies. The student missed his classes for a year and the $10,000 he spent on college was wasted.Gambling turned from entertainment to a problem. This student ended up getting help for his gambling addiction.
Facts about youths and gamblingPrevalence rates of youths who are pathological gamblers are two to four times that of adults.Between 76 to 91 percent of all teens will have gambled by the time they are a senior in high school.Youths with gambling problems are at a heightened risk for suicide thoughts and attempts.Few youths are informed today about addictive risks of gambling.Children can start gambling as early as grade school and usually sustain their level of gambling for several years.Youths who have an addiction to gambling are more likely to have parents with gambling problems, engage in illegal activities and have suicidal thoughts.Source: North American Training Institute.Marcie Carper, a certified compulsive gambling counselor for Northern Pines in the Little Falls office, counseled this individual, as well as other youths who are compulsive gamblers.Carper said youths who become addicted to gambling could be a problem in the Brainerd lakes area, as well as everywhere in the nation. However, the number of youths Carper has seen in the past few years is low.Many youth think they can handle it and won't admit they have a problem, said Carper. "They don't think it will happen to them."Carper said the fear of youths getting hooked on gambling now is even greater because of the rise in the popularity of the poker game, Texas Hold 'em."This game is all over the place," Carper said. "It's on TV and everyone is doing it. I see kids carry around the game in a case."Youths are playing the poker game at home. A student group at Brainerd High School had planned a Texas Hold 'em poker tournament earlier this week for students and staff for a fund-raiser. The tournament was canceled after questions were raised about the legality of the event.Frank Ball, the director of alcohol and gambling enforcement for the state Department of Public Safety, advised people or groups interested in hosting poker tournaments to contact local law enforcement or the state office to determine whether such a game is lawful or unlawful.Carper said kids get into gambling first by playing poker, and 3-4 percent of them will get hooked and have a problem. She said youths not only play poker, they also get hooked on illegal sports betting. Then once they are old enough they begin buying pull-tabs and go to the casinos.Once a younger person is hooked on gambling, several dangers can arise, said Carper. She said they may lose their family contacts and have legal problems, such as stealing their parents' credit cards for gambling."It's a hidden disease," said Carper. "It is just like being addicted to drugs or alcohol."Carper said compulsive gamblers often get depressed, have mood swings and are anxious. Youths also will usually drop out of sports and other activities, miss classes and their grades will suffer.A recent study showed that more compulsive gamblers commit suicide than alcoholics, said Carper.Carper spoke at a recent Bridges of Hope meeting in Brainerd about compulsive gamblers and said parents were concerned about their children. Carper said what is more dangerous about the kids than the adults with gambling problems was the youths are more likely to resort to illegal ways to support their habit. Adults will use credit cards or the mortgage on their house to gamble.Carper said not everyone who gambles will become addicted, but if they do there is help. The state Human Services Department has a treatment program for gambling addicts. She said if the person does not have insurance the state will pay for the treatment.

If you think you know someone with a gambling problem call the Minnesota Problem Gambling helpline at 1-800-437-3641. Or call Northern Pines at 1-800-951-6648 or (320) 632-5255.

JENNIFER STOCKINGER can be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851.

City a winner with charitable bingo revenue

By SYDNEY IGLEHEART, Citizen Reporter
01/14/2005


The city of Pasadena will be allocated $15,471.53 from charitable bingo for the third quarter of 2004. These allocations were given to more than 150 local jurisdictions in the state of Texas. They totaled $5,598,544.35, which is 8.77 percent higher than the same period one year ago.

"Thanks to the leaders in these local jurisdictions that see the social and charitable value of bingo, long-time fans, as well as new charitable bingo players can enjoy themselves playing bingo all they want," said Billy Atkins, charitable bingo director of the Texas Lottery Commission.
Harris County, which received $120,455, was among the top five counties to receive the highest allocation.
The allocations are a result of prize fees collected by charitable bingo organizations from players winning bingo prizes in July, August and September of 2004. Cities and counties that imposed the gross receipt tax on local-option basis on or before Jan. 1, 1993, receive quarterly payments of up to 2.5 percent of the prizes won by Bingo players in their jurisdictions.
A 2.5 percent share of the prize fees also goes to the state, which is directed to a non-dedicated account in the General Revenue Fund.
There are 1,329 conductors of charitable bingo in Texas. Players won a total of $104,429,138 in prizes in the third quarter of 2004, with $74.9 million of that from regular prizes and $29.5 million from instant pull tabs.
For more information about charitable bingo in Texas, go the official Charitable Bingo Web site at www.txbingo.org.
©Houston Community Newspapers Online 2005

Thursday, January 13, 2005

Corporate meetings

I guess I have the inside track to working in a Native casino. Managment at that.
What goes on behing the scenes? Do you want the truth?

I've watched the television series on casinos: Fox's "The Casino" (Golden Nugget), American Casino (Green Valley Ranch) and now Casesars 24/7.

All of those shows do have some truth. The Casino was mostly scripted by the producers I found out. Compare that environment to mine. Well, some things are compareable meetings, hire practicing, promotions and stress.

Yesterday, I was in a meeting with the Controller. I am in sales department. I need warehouse space to operate. Do I compromise? Do I have to?

To keep my job! Yes!


Tuesday, January 11, 2005

More women gamblers in states with machinesBy Brent A. Stachler

Once again, gambling expansion has become a topic of discussion in Indiana. Most interesting to me is the idea of gambling revenue paying for the Indianapolis Colts’ new stadium.
As in the past, the General Assembly has been faced with a bill that would expand gaming in Indiana through the addition of electronic gaming devices to Indiana’s horse-racing industry, which includes Trackside, Fort Wayne’s off-track betting parlor.
Regardless of the outcome during the upcoming session, I would like to share some information that is a result of the first National Women’s Think Tank on Healing and Problem Gambling. The rationale for this think tank is that there is little research and information regarding female gambling. A group of researchers has since “found no significant difference in the percentage of men versus women who gambled in the ‘charity/bingo’ category (raffles, office pools, charity, pull-tabs, bingo) or the ‘lottery/keno’ category (lottery, video-keno).”
One point of interest found by Dr. Rachel Volberg was that “in states with large numbers of gambling machines, the proportion of female problem gamblers is significantly higher than in states with much lower numbers of machines.” It was noted that women have a deeper sense of shame, leading to continued hiding of the gambling and limiting any desire to seek treatment.
With regard to age of first gambling, the think tank results noted that “men began wagering at a younger age, and women had a faster evolution of their gambling problems and help-seeking. For men, an average of 11 years elapsed between their first bet and the onset of pathological gambling; for women, the time span was only four years.”
But even more astounding is that the time span from the first betting to “crashing” for machine gamblers is six to 24 months. For those not aware, electronic gaming devices have been referred to as the “crack cocaine” of gambling, and this is the form of gambling being considered as a source of revenue for the state of Indiana as well as funding the Colts’ new stadium.
Brent A. Stachler is gambling addiction treatment coordinator for Park Center. He wrote this for The Journal Gazette.



High court won't hear casino lawsuit appeal Brought by Red Cliff, LCO, Mole Lake tribesThe Daily PressLast

Updated: Tuesday, January 11th, 2005 10:02:51 AMBy JR ROSS Associated Press Writer MADISON — The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal Monday from three American Indian tribes seeking to challenge the governor’s ability to block them from acquiring a western Wisconsin dog track and turning it into an off-reservation casino. The decision lets stand an appeals court ruling that nixed the deal and upheld the power of governors to approve off-reservation casinos under the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The Red Cliff, Lac Courte Oreilles and Mole Lake Chippewa bands filed suit to challenge that authority after then-Gov. Scott McCallum refused to sign off on a project in 2001 to turn the financially troubled St. Croix Meadows greyhound racing track into a casino with about 1,500 slot machines. Under federal law, the U.S. interior secretary can approve off-reservation gambling if it is in the tribe’s best interest, but state governors also must agree. McCallum refused, saying he opposed any expansion of gaming in Wisconsin beyond existing casinos. The U.S. Supreme Court did not say why it declined to hear the case. Attorney Robert Friebert, who represented the tribes, was out of the office Monday and did not return calls from The Associated Press. The three tribes either did not return calls or declined comment. Melanie Fonder, a spokeswoman for Gov. Jim Doyle, said the governor was pleased the Supreme Court upheld his authority to have a say over off-reservation casinos. She said the governor would review any efforts by the tribes to resurrect the deal if it reached his desk — a process that could take years. Hudson Mayor Jack Breault called the decision good news for the area about 20 miles east of the Twin Cities, one of the fastest growing in the state. The City Council voted nine years ago to oppose the project, and Breault said the city of 10,240 couldn’t handle the expected 1.6 million visitors a year the casino was expected to attract. ‘‘We just can’t handle that from a traffic standpoint,’’ Breault said. The three tribes have spent more than a decade trying to turn the dog track into a casino, an effort marked by a series of court challenges and controversy. The tribes announced a deal in 1994 with the city of Hudson and St. Croix County to pay them for various services if the project came to fruition. But the City Council later voted to voice its opposition, part of the reason why the U.S. Interior Department initially turned down the application. The three tribes then claimed they were turned down because of pressure from the Clinton administration after rival tribes that opposed the project promised campaign contributions to the Democratic Party. An independent counsel later found there was insufficient evidence to seek criminal indictments against former Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt or anyone else involved in the decision. Still, the Interior Department agreed to reconsider. In the mean time, the tribe filed a $175 million lawsuit against the city for opposing the project. The two sides settled that dispute after the city agreed to take no position as the Interior Department reconsidered the project, which it approved. The tribes then went to court after McCallum refused to go along with the project. The tribes contend the provision of the federal Indian gaming law that requires the governor to approve the acquisition of off-reservation land for gaming purposes gives the governor too much power and is contrary to the federal government’s trust responsibilities to the tribes. But the 7th District Court of Appeals in Chicago ruled last year the provision does not transfer control of the execution of federal law to state governors, as the tribes argued. ‘‘The tribes’ concern is not so much the unconstrained discretion that Congress permitted the governors of the 50 states to exercise under (federal Indian gaming law), but that Congress had delegated any power to the governors at all,’’ the appeals court said. ——— On the Net: U.S. Supreme Court: http://www.supremecourtus.gov/

Monday, January 10, 2005

Supreme Court won't hear casino appeal

By STEVE SCHULTZE
Posted: Jan. 10, 2005
A long quest to establish an Indian casino at the site of a defunct dog track in Hudson was dealt another blow Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the matter.

Three northern Wisconsin tribes were appealing a lower-court ruling that rejected the tribes challenge of a governor's veto power over off-reservation casino deals. The U.S. Appeals Court in Chicago ruled last year that former Gov. Scott McCallum was acting within his legal power in 2001 when he vetoed a plan to convert the track to a casino.
The tribes had claimed that McCallum had unconstitutionally exceeded his authority by rejecting a plan that had already gotten federal approval. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case, without commenting on its reasons.
The tribes - Red Cliff, Lac Courtes Oreilles and Mole Lake Chippewa - had created a partnership to buy the former St. Croix Meadows greyhound track to covert it to casino. All three tribes operate small casinos on their reservations, but had hoped to expand to Hudson because of its proximity to the huge Twin Cities market some 20 miles away.
Red Cliff tribal Chairman Ray DePerry said, "That just ruined my day," when told of the Supreme Court's refusal to hear the case. He said tribal leaders and Fred Havenick, the owner of the Hudson track, would need to confer to decide whether to make a new application for an off-reservation casino.
"I would still like to pursue some off-reservation gaming," DePerry said, noting his tribe's casino at the northwest tip of Wisconsin provided only a small revenue stream. "Our on-reservation casino just isn't doing it," he said.
The 1988 federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act gave governors authority to pass judgment on tribes' application to have off-reservation land held in federal trust for casinos. In Wisconsin and many other states, casino gambling is illegal except on Indian land.
Havenick, who has bankrolled the court case, closed the dog track in 2001 after sustaining some $32 million in losses.
BACK TO TOP

Caesars 24/7: New Real-Life Series. Premieres January 10th at 10pm/9C

CAESARS 24/7 takes an insiders' look into the famous Las Vegas resort, Caesars Palace. Viewers will meet a regular cast of Palace employees, including a savvy sports book oddsmaker who is also a family man, a concierge who has served as butler to kings and queens, an indomitable pit boss about to embark on his third marriage, and a young woman working her way through college as a poolside "Grape Goddess."
There will also be a revolving cast of tourists and regulars, naive first-time gamblers, imperious high-rollers, reckless newlyweds, and many more of the 60,000 winners and losers who pass through Caesars Palace each day. Viewers will watch their lives unfold against the glamorous backdrop of this 80-acre, 2,400-room resort in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip.
But living and working in the Entertainment Capital of the World isn't nearly as fun as visiting. Between VIP guests, struggles for promotions, and chances at fame, there is more at stake for the cast of CAESARS 24/7 than a casino jackpot. Some are out to climb the ladder, some to get out and get a better life, and some just to make it through the day, but one thing at Caesars is always clear-there are winners and there are losers, and little room for anything in between.

http://www.aetv.com/caesars247/

Poker tourney at BHS called illegal

Principal Razidlo will cancel event if state official is correct
By JODIE TWEED
Staff Writer
A Texas Hold 'em poker tournament planned Sunday at Brainerd High School by a student group for students and staff would be considered an unlawful form of gambling, a state gambling official said Thursday.

Principal Steve Razidlo said he would be checking into the legality of the event Friday and would cancel Sunday's tournament if it was found to be illegal.

The BHS Key Club posted fliers around campus for the poker tournament, charging participants a $5 entrance fee that would be donated to the United Way.

Razidlo said he learned about the tournament a couple of days ago and believed it to be a charitable activity planned by students. He said it had been in the planning stages, as far as he knew, for the past week or shortly before the holiday break. He said participants would be charged the $5 entrance fee and then no other money would be exchanged during the games.

But Frank Ball, director of alcohol and gambling enforcement for the state Department of Public Safety, said the tournament would be an unlawful gambling event and participants could face criminal charges from the Brainerd Police Department if someone complained and the department opted to charge the poker players with unlawful gambling.

"It's totally illegal," said Ball, when told about the high school poker tournament. "If it costs to gamble, it's illegal. It's a wonderful cause, but if they want to have a lawful raffle they have to go to the gambling control board and have a raffle. But they can't play poker and charge a fee for it because it's a third-party making money off of it."

"I will be checking into it," Razidlo said Thursday. "We don't try to not abide by the law. If it's deemed unlawful then I don't think we'll have a choice and we'll have to cancel. We looked at this as a charitable event and if it's deemed not to be a charitable event we will make the appropriate changes."

Ball, former Brainerd police chief and former Crow Wing County sheriff, said poker is based on chance, not skill. If the same group wanted to host a dart or pingpong tournament and charge an entrance fee, whether the money was donated to charity or not, it would be considered legal, he said. It also would be legal if the tournament didn't charge an entrance fee, real money wasn't involved and there weren't any prizes. There are only three forms of lawful gambling in Minnesota -- pull-tabs, lottery and horse racing, said Ball.

Ball said the key to knowing if gambling is legal or not is if a third party is making money.

"I'm in favor of the kids raising money for the United Way," said Razidlo. "We have not been in favor of gambling."

Razidlo said the high school has banned card-playing for the past couple of years after they discovered students were playing cards for money in the hallways during the school day. He said the school wanted to give students an opportunity to participate in a poker tournament as an exception to its ban on card-playing because poker is now a widely popular activity for teens and adults.

JODIE TWEED can be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.

Tribe could get boost from e-bingo ban

By Brodie FarquharStar-Tribune Correspondent


RIVERTON -- The closure of electronic bingo parlors around Wyoming could make the Northern Arapaho tribe's 789 Bingo hall an even busier place.While other bingo parlors around the state were dark and silent, the tribal operation just south of Riverton along Wyoming Highway 789 was busy Friday afternoon, from a full parking lot outside to thebuzzing, blinking and beeping machines inside.State District Judge E. James Burke in Cheyenne ruled Wednesday that electronic bingo games are prohibited in Wyoming because they fall under the definition of "gambling devices" in state law. Lawyers for the tribe have reviewed Burke's ruling and say it does not apply to the tribe's gaming operations, which fall under the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, said Mark Howell, a spokesman and government relations consultant for the tribe.
We're the only game in town -- in the state, I should say, said Howell, reached Friday in his Washington, D.C., office.I don't see any effect, said Andrew Baldwin, a Lander-based attorney for the Northern Arapaho. He explained that under the federal law, tribes are entitled to Class II gaming, of which bingo and pull-tabsare the most popular in the industry.Under the act, the tribes are entitled to electronic aids for their Class II games, he added. That's why789 Bingo has electronic machines where customers can play those versions of bingo and pull-tab games.The only effect on the tribal operation could be an influx of e-bingo players who no longer have places to play around Wyoming. Howell said Friday 789 Bingo -- which already draws people from throughout the region -- hadn't yet noticed an increase, but the tribe anticipates seeing more players.In fact, 789 Bingo recently added a couple of dozen new machines.It is a growing business, Baldwin said.Howell said the new roomful of games may look like Class III slot machines, but they function legally as Class II pull-tab games in an electronic format. Class III gaming essentially means Las-Vegas stylegaming. The Northern Arapaho plans to open a Class III casino next fall, just down the road on a bluff overlooking the Big Wind and Little Wind rivers.Howell said he'll be involved in conference calls with Department of Interior officials next week to work out further details about the proposed casino. Hopes and plans for the casino were invigorated by a 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision in November saying the tribe could offer any sort of gaming it wants, potentially doubling anticipated revenues.The state of Wyoming has appealed that decision and asked for a review of the three-judge ruling by all the judges in the 10th Circuit. Howell and Baldwin said to date, there's no word from the 10th Circuitas to whether there will be a rehearing before all the judges.

Depressed!

What a sad showing for a professional football team! The Green Bay Packers did not show up to play Sunday. And it was a playoff game! At Home! Lambeau Field. Are you kidding me.

Not prepared to play the hated rivals Minnesota Vikings? Many things need to change over the summer. Coaches and players. No one is safe.

President Bob Harlan its in your court.

Thursday, January 06, 2005

Trump, Pulltabs Hot Issues in Session

1/5/2005 1:32:33 PM
to State Rep. Jerry Denbo (D-French Lick), who has worked 14 years to make the casino a reality, talks about his concerns for the future of the Trump project.
The Indiana Gaming Commission’s choice of Trump Hotel and Casino Resorts to develop an Orange County casino could be in jeopardy as Indiana lawmakers plan to review the decision in a House committee tomorrow.
Committee Chairman Bob Alderman (R-Fort Wayne) has been a key supporter of the casino project in the past, but has expressed concerns about Trump’s ability to complete the project since the company has declared bankruptcy. Another issue up for discussion in the legislature is the legalization of electronic pulltabs that have been proposed as a funding source for the expansion of the Indiana Convention Center and a new stadium for the Indianapolis Colts.Source: Inside INdiana Business

Indianapolis pushes two big plansINDIANAPOLIS:

Stadium, government consolidation proposals could affect whole stateBY BRENDAN O'SHAUGHNESSYboshaughnessy@nwitimes.com317.637.9078
This story ran on nwitimes.com on Saturday, December 25, 2004 12:12 AM CST

INDIANAPOLIS In the upcoming legislative session, Mayor Bart Peterson will lobby for two significant and controversial proposals in the state capital that promise to reverberate across Indiana for years.The first is a blockbuster $1 billion plan announced Dec. 19 to build a new stadium for the Colts football team and expand the city's convention center.
The deal relies on a host of targeted tax increases and the introduction of slot-like pulltab machines at several off-track betting facilities.Several Northwest Indiana lawmakers said they would support the plan in return for central Indiana lawmakers backing their efforts to secure funds for rail and airport expansion in the region.Rep. Bob Kuzman, D-Crown Point, said it also gives direction for the region to use similar funding sources -- restaurant, hotel, auto rental and admissions taxes rather than property or income taxes -- for a Regional Transportation Authority."It's definitely a quid pro quo," Kuzman said. "If they're getting a new stadium and expanded convention center, it's time for some real state dollars up here."Colts fans and downtown businesses are behind the plan, saying the team has revitalized the downtown and bigger conventions would boost economic activity.Gaming opponents in the Legislature have promised to oppose the state's further reliance on gambling taxes that primarily soak the lower economic classes."Pulltabs will be a hard sell statewide," said Rep. Ralph Ayres, R-Chesterton."I'm not jumping for joy at the prospect of using gaming to fund football."Kuzman also said some casinos could oppose pulltabs that cut into their customer base, especially a facility in Ft. Wayne that could affect the Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City.The second Indianapolis proposal, called "Indy Works," is a culmination of the UniGov unification of city and county government. Mayor Peterson wants to consolidate the city's townships, fire departments and police forces to save an estimated $35 million per year that otherwise will add to property taxes.This kind of efficiency argument will add to the government consolidation movement statewide, said Richard Balkema, a Valparaiso University political science professor. Last year, township officials descended on the Statehouse to defeat a Kuzman plan to eliminate townships and transfer their duties to county and state agencies.With a bottom-line and business-oriented new governor, any plan promising to cut spending will have a better shot at passing in 2005, Balkema said.He said such proposals don't always produce the economies of scale they promise, so lawmakers and taxpayers should be skeptical of how the plan will affect services and who gains from the power shift.

Pulltab sentence irritates state gambling officialAssociated Press

ST. PAUL - For state gambling officials, the light sentence - with no fine - was worse than the theft of $44,000 in prizes by a Northrop woman who sold pulltabs on behalf of the Fairmont Youth Hockey Association.
"This hurts. It doesn't send a message out to other opportunists" against stealing from pulltab games, said Frank Ball, director of alcohol and gambling enforcement in the Department of Public Safety. "The likelihood of getting caught isn't all that frequent."
He was referring to the sentence Karleen Warnick received for one count of felony gambling fraud: four days in jail, 20 days of community service and three years of probation. Restitution was not ordered, but could be in the future.
Ball said the sentence illustrates what he considers a pattern prosecutorial indifference toward gambling crimes.
"It went right to the heart of the integrity of the game," he said, the fairness that players expect when they buy the little tickets that constitute Minnesota's $1.4 billion-a-year pulltab industry.
Prosecutors detailed their allegations of what happened in the criminal complaint that charged Warnick with three felony counts of gambling fraud.
Warnick, 60, owned the building occupied by Harold's Club in Northrop, a tiny town 35 miles southwest of Mankato, and she sold pulltabs on behalf of the hockey association.
In January, state gambling agent James Arlt looked into complaints of fraud in the games and found 435 forged receipts by Warnick for prizes totaling $44,690 from July 2000 through November 2003.
Warnick admitted taking some money from pulltab games to pay business expenses, then repaying it. The scheme broke down as the business slid. She said she opened pulltabs and, if she found a winner, signed someone else's name to the receipt and used the prize amounts to cover money she had taken from the games.
Martin County Attorney Terry Viesselman said he didn't recommend a sentence as part of a plea agreement, but Warnick was evaluated as unlikely to commit more crimes and was in poor health. The charge is similar to felony theft, which generally gets a light sentence, he said.
He said that, while Warnick "was unduly enriched," the judge's concern was that "no one's had a loss yet. She was playing the pulltabs. Her winners, if she hadn't played them, someone else would have got them. The state didn't lose, the hockey club didn't lose."
At Warnick's sentencing last month in Fairmont, District Judge Robert Walker reserved the right to order restitution later. Walker declined to comment because that part of the case is still open.
Troy Timmerman, Warnick's public defender, said Warnick didn't think the amount totaled $44,000, although state investigators "have stacks and stacks of receipts." The question, he said, is "who do you repay?"
Maybe it's the hockey association, which had gotten a complaint about forged pulltabs as early as April 2003, and that was not reported to the state then, said Darla Guritz, the association's gambling manager. The group lost the use of a gambling site. And it could have to repay the $44,000 into its gambling fund.
That's because the state Gambling Control Board doesn't recognize fraudulent prize receipts, the criminal complaint said. It considers them to represent a cash shortage and can make the pulltab-sponsoring group repay the money out of non-gambling funds.
To straighten out its books, the association will need a reimbursement, an accounting adjustment approved by the Gambling Control Board or a combination of both, said Gary Danger, board compliance officer. He said which one hasn't been decided yet.
The association could sue Warnick but, Timmerman said, "the likelihood of her ever being able to repay $44,000 to Fairmont Youth Hockey is nonexistent."
---
Information from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com

DVD Review Anchorman 2004 (Unrated)

Outlandish laughs.

Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) is a 1970’s chauvinist anchorman. The old boy newsroom antics are on full display. Crude jokes and sexual overtones are the norm.

When Ron Burgundy misses his anchor time slot Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) is thrust into action. She is the first female anchor to see the airway. Ratings go through the roof. Ron is let go. What will he do?

This uncut DVD is sometimes over the top excessive language. This movie is vintage Will Ferrell. The script could be more polished. The writing tries to squeeze to many jokes into conversations. The movie does not flow well. Will Ferrell can improvise with the best of them (SNL), but sometimes restraint works too. He is an enormous talent and will squeeze his way into the comedic hearts of America.

Old School and Elf are destined to be Will Ferrell classics.

Have you noticed! In Hollywood circles, if you are the lead, hot actor, bring in your actor friends for some cameos. If you follow Adam Sandler’s movies you know what I mean. Ride the pony!

Wednesday, January 05, 2005

Gambling items seized at home in Brookfield

Case began with officer's suspicion of man's driving

By DAVID DOEGE
Posted: Jan. 4, 2005

Waukesha - Authorities have seized gambling paraphernalia and $20,000 from a Brookfield home after an arrest on suspicion of drunken driving yielded a man with a large wad of money and an array of gaming materials, according to documents filed in court Monday.
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Charles R. Zillmer was charged in Waukesha County Circuit Court with a third drunken driving offense, but City of Pewaukee police say he remains under investigation for commercial gambling as a result of seizures from him, his car and his home.
An inventory filed in Circuit Court by police says that among other things, officers seized hundreds of pull tabs, three slot machines and materials for football pools.
An affidavit filed by police to obtain a search warrant for Zillmer's home says the seizures followed Zillmer's arrest Thursday night in the City of Pewaukee.
The affidavit provides the following information:
A police officer on routine patrol began following a Cadillac driven by Zillmer, 50, after seeing the car weave from lane to lane as it headed east on county Highway M shortly before 6 p.m. The officer tried stopping the vehicle, but it continued eastbound until it reached the parking lot of a tavern on Springdale Road.
As Zillmer got out of his car, he clutched "a large amount of cash rolled up in his hand." All told, Zillmer had $3,700 in his hand and pockets as well as a check for $299.
After he failed several field sobriety tests, he was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.
In Zillmer's car, police found "numerous 100-square football pools"; eight boxes of $1 pull tab lottery tickets, each containing 4,272 tickets; several 25-square Packers football pools costing $5 per square; playing cards; dice cups; dice; and "numerous 'Victory Lane Nascard' gambling boards," according to the affidavit.
Authorities said that a record check revealed Zillmer was arrested in 1991 for commercial gambling in Brookfield.
Police used the information from his drunken driving arrest to obtain a search warrant later Thursday from Waukesha County Circuit Judge Ralph Ramirez for Zillmer's home.
In addition to the gambling cards, slot machines and cash, police confiscated "gambling papers," a computer and computer components, a fax machine, a cell phone and "literature," according to the affidavit.
Pewaukee Sgt. Richard Ryman said he expected the district attorney's office to review the information on the seized items today.
Zillmer was released on a signature bond after appearing in Circuit Court on the drunken driving charge Tuesday afternoon.
Zillmer could not be located for comment Tuesday.

From the Jan. 5, 2005, editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Get the Journal Sentinel delivered to your home. Subscribe now.

Monday, January 03, 2005

Happy New Year 2005

Happy New Year to everyone!

I worked New Year's Eve until around 9:00 p.m. Just enough time to get to my brother's house to bring in the new year. Milo Basina, Zandra John (sis), Brian Metoxen, Angela Basina and David Larouqe and my wife Lisa Basina at the stroke of midnight. Sekisha Metoxen and Jim were there earlier to celebrate.

The party lasted until ? I left around 3:00 a.m.

Milo tried to call our out of state sisters Freda Jagelski and Thirza Defoe. But no luck, must have went to bed early.

I am back to work in 2005!

Hum, what are my plans for the New Year? I better start thinking of some resolutions.