Wednesday, July 18, 2001 - Cinderella payoff: Lotto Millions
North Canton - Cyrus and Betty Yaghooti's romance began 11 years ago when they bought Ohio Lottery tickets at Spee-D-Foods in North Canton. "You want to be a millionaire?" Cyrus asked. "Who doesn't?" Betty replied. They didn't win the lottery, but were married six months later.
From the Plain Dealer

Wednesday, May 9, 2001 - Legislators Push State Ballot On Video Slots
Annoyed with opponents of expanded gambling in Ohio, state Sen. Louis Blessing started the ball rolling yesterday toward a November referendum on slot machines at racetracks.
Blessing introduced Senate Joint Resolution 1, requiring the Ohio Lottery Commission to oversee the "video lottery terminals'' at the state's seven racetracks.
From the Columbus Dispatch

Tuesday, March 20, 2001 - Taft kills slots for school funding
Slots die; new school plan to emerge
COLUMBUS - A plan to help fund Ohio’s schools with slot machines at horse racing tracks died yesterday, raising new questions about how to pay for any substantial increase in state spending on public education.
From The Plain Dealer

March 19, 2001 - Republican Leadership Heading in Right Direction by Rejecting Gambling Expansion
Cleveland-  At a news conference today Governor Taft, Senate President Finan and Speaker Householder concurred that they would not support gambling expansion in the form of video slot machines in Ohio racetracks. In response to their decision, Ohio Roundtable President David Zanotti issued the following statement: “We appreciate Governor Taft’s leadership on this matter and. . .
Ohio Roundtable's Press Release

Monday, March 12, 2001 - Plan offers hope for school funding
COLUMBUS - The first signs appeared yesterday that Ohio’s 11-year-old school funding lawsuit could be coming to an end. And leadership from Ohio’s House speaker, on the job for just 10 weeks, is the reason why. Speaker Larry Householder, a product of the poor, rural schools that first launched the court case, is backing a plan to increase state money for public schools by $3.2 billion over the next two years - far more than plans put forth by Gov. Bob Taft and the Ohio Senate.
From the Plain Dealer

Thursday, March 1, 2001- Ohio Roundtable Enters Fray Over Gambling Expansion
Columbus, Ohio  The President of the Ohio Roundtable today called for a “massive intervention” to help break the spell legalized gambling holds over the Ohio General Assembly and the state budget process. David Zanotti, President of the Ohio Roundtable announced plans to resist two gambling measures in the Ohio General Assembly. The first calls for an expansion of the Ohio Lottery to include Ohio in the multi-state powerball game. The second proposal would permit video slot machines in Ohio’s seven racetracks.
From the Ohio Roundtable's Press Release

Friday, March 2, 2001 - Anti-Gambling Groups Attack State Plans For Lottery, Video Slots
One aspect of Governor Taft’s plan to fund education is drawing fire from some state groups. Taft has proposed Ohio join a multi-state lottery and have those revenues help boost the state’s school system.
From ONN News.com

Friday, March 2, 2001 - Multistate lottery, video slots
GROUPS TO FIGHT GAMBLING PLANS
A coalition that says it blocked efforts to allow casino gambling in Ohio in 1990 and 1996 is ready to go to the mat this year against an effort to expand the state lottery, its chief spokesman said yesterday.
From the Columbus Dispatch

Friday, March 2, 2001 - Organized groups protest Taft's proposed budget
Spending cuts, lottery expansion draws criticism
COLUMBUS | Mary Vermillion, 69, of Englewood, and Mel Trout, 79, of Beavercreek were among those who rallied Thursday at the Statehouse to blast Gov. Bob Taft's plan to cut spending at state-run residential facilities for the mentally handicapped.
From the Dayton Daily News

Friday, March 02, 2001 - Gambling foes fight to block video lottery
Racing owners quietly lobby move to legalize machines
COLUMBUS - Powerful gambling interests, including the nation’s top slot-machine manufacturer and the owners of Ohio’s seven horse tracks, for months have been underwriting a quiet effort to legalize video lottery terminals in Ohio. Since last summer, racing interests have poured tens of thousands of dollars into political campaigns and lobbying contracts, hoping to persuade legislators to allow the slot machinelike terminals only at state-regulated race tracks.
From the Plain Dealer

Friday, February 23, 2001 - Six-city gambling sweep
Feds strike in Cleveland, Akron, Beachwood, Lakewood, Warrensville Hts., Seven Hills
Minutes after an Ohio Lottery official picked three plastic balls numbered 5-8-3 last night, a carload of federal agents pulled up in front of a small shop on E. 105th St. at its busiest time of day. The agents rushed in to Tune Palace, looking for evidence of what they believe is a sophisticated, $10 million-a-year betting ring based on the official televised state drawing.
From the Plain Dealer

January 28, 2001 - Gov. Taft betting on bigger lottery
COLUMBUS - Gov. Bob Taft's new budget plan calls for Ohio to join a multistate lottery to revive sagging revenues and bolster funding for schools. The document also proposes funding cuts for some agencies and a shift of state resources from nursing homes to programs that help senior citizens remain independent. He is scheduled to unveil his two-year, $44.8 billion spending plan at a news conference tomorrow morning. The Plain Dealer obtained excerpts of it yesterday.
from the Plain Dealer - SANDY THEIS

January 30, 2001 - Taft pushes his plan on schools, lottery
COLUMBUS - An unusually feisty Gov. Bob Taft pressed lawmakers yesterday to approve his plans for funding schools and joining a multistate lottery, though both ideas face resistance inside and outside the General Assembly. Taft’s proposal to increase spending on education relies, in part, on Ohio joining Powerball or another multistate game.
from the Plain Dealer - JULIE CARR SMYTH and STEPHEN OHLEMACHER

January 23, 2001 - Fund for education falls by $13 million
Strazzo's commission from the lottery sales - 5 cents on the dollar - used to pay the rent at his shop at Lorain Ave. and W. 140th St. Not anymore. "My sales have dropped by half," said Strazzo, 44. His plight exemplifies the Ohio Lottery's declining fortunes. Sales are off 13 percent, or $143 million, halfway through the lottery's fiscal year. More important, lottery profits transferred to education are down $13 million for the period.
from the Plain Dealer

September 20, 2000 - Lottery Pays off for IRS, victums
Diane Blunt’s luck changed about two years too late. Her gambling led her to steal $40,000 in 1998, but earlier this month she hit the lottery for $15,000. Now most of her windfall will go to her victims and the tax man. Blunt, 50, appeared in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court yesterday in hopes of keeping a sliver of her winnings.
- from the Plain Dealer, - James Ewinger

February 11, 2000 - Spreading the Joy of Losing the Lotto
As I sail into my sunset years, maybe I should give a small, arthritic bow to State Rep. Donald Mottley.  He wants to use cyberspace to bring the Ohio numbers racket to shut-ins.
--from The Cleveland Plain Dealer, - BY DICK FEAGLER

January 28, 2000 - Policeman Kills Himself After Losing Big in Casino
DETROIT - After losing thousands of dollars in a day of gambling at Detroit's brand-new casinos, off-duty police Sgt. Solomon Bell tried one last high-stakes hand of blackjack.
--from the Cleveland Plain Dealer, / Associated Press

October 29, 1999 - Many believe lottery is the ticket to wealth
One-quarter of Americans believe their best chance to build wealth for retirement is by playing the lottery, not by patiently saving and investing, a survey says.
-from the News Herald / Associated Press 

October 18, 1999 - Lottery Poison
Ohio Lottery officials hit the jackpot when they came up with a second daily drawing for the Pick 3 and Pick 4 numbers to boost sagging sales.
- from The Cleveland Plain Dealer

October 10, 1999 - Ohio Lottery:  Too much success
In poor neighborhoods, more 'numbers' action.   Hoping to boost sagging sales, the Ohio Lottery has doubled the daily drawings of ghames played.
- from  The Cleveland Plain Dealer

September 28, 1999 - Suit says Pokemon promotes gambling
Parents be warned.  Those Pokemon game cards kids have been buying and trading so fervently the past year may have a darker side.
-from the The News Herald

July 19, 1999 - Lottery Junkie
After all the years that we’ve opposed the legalization of casino gambling in this state, we’re beginning to wonder whether we made a mistake.
- from Crain's Cleveland Business

June 25, 1999 - Judge partially grants motion in slot fraud case
A federal judge has ordered every major casino operator and slot manufacturer to present materials that will show how slots and video poker machines have been represented to players for the last decade.
- from the Las Vegas Sun

June 5, 1999 - Spitzer tries to resurrect casino bid
With a new governor in the Statehouse, developer Alan Spitzer is ready to roll the political dice again to see if he can bring riverboat gambling to Lorain.
- from the Cleveland Plain Dealer

March 19, 1999 - Survey: People Have Trouble Controlling Gambling Urges
A U.S. gambing survey found five million people have trouble controlling their urge to bet, and 15 million are at risk.
- from the Wall Street Journal

March 18, 1999 - Casino Gambling Class Racks Up Criticism
Courses in casino gambling are being offered by the local recreation department, but some residents aren’t in a betting mood.
- from The Sun Messenger

October 20, 1998 - DeBartolo admits role in alleged payoff plot
Ohio businessman Eddie DeBartolo Jr. pleaded guilty yesterday and agreed to pay $1 million in penalties for not reporting an alleged scheme by former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards to extract payoffs for a riverboat casino license.
- from the Cleveland Plain Dealer

September 1, 1998 - Capsized By Powerball's Wake
Powerballmania has come and gone once again, and in the aftermath, a dozen plant workers of modest means will share millions of dollars in prize money.
- from the Cleveland Plain Dealer