Think those new Kentucky Lottery commercials were stretching the truth?
You know the ones. Where the Kentucky Lottery Corp. saves money by putting its administrative staff in a small trailer. The idea they’re getting across to players is that they’re sacrificing perks to boost the amount given away in prizes. In reality, they may soon start […]

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Finally, Gov. Steve Beshear admitted yesterday that his campaign promise to force a vote on gaming in Kentucky is dead. Done. Over.
Everyone else in Frankfort has been saying for weeks, even months, that Beshear didn’t have the political clout to get a gaming bill passed in the legislature, and it took until the last week […]

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Leaner, Thinner C-J: It’s a subtle change, but you should notice the C-J’s margins have thinned, preparing you, or those of you who still read the print version of the paper, for a move to a smaller-size newspaper.
Gamble on Gambling: No, there’s no reason to think gaming in Kentucky is going to move forward in […]

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Waiting until the legislative session is two-thirds gone to admit the political reality that a cigarette tax is necessary and prudent is the latest in a long line of disappointing acts from Steve Beshear.
Who’s he listening to?
Don’t get us wrong. The cigarette tax is the right thing to do. But Beshear’s reluctance to embrace the […]

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It seems the more that citizens want to have a say in the state’s gaming issue, the more the politicians do to keep them from having that choice. Today in Frankfort the Elections, Constitutional Amendments and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee rejected two versions of the amendment.
It was Rep. Greg Stumbo (isn’t it great to have him […]

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After a lengthy national search, Churchill Downs Inc. has hired Darren Rogers as senior director of communications and media services. That title’s a mouthful, and Rogers has a challenging task ahead as the racetrack company moves forward.
Since 1999, Rogers has been at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, which hosted the 2004 Breeders Cup. […]

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If you watched Friday’s episode of Comment on Kentucky, you learned that Gov. Beshear’s casino bill is fraught with problems and will have to be totally re-written. You learned that Sen. David Williams challenged members of the Senate to stand if they favored casinos, and only three rose. You heard the Herald-Leader’s Janet Patton say […]

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Let’s make this much clear — we’re in favor of casino gambling in Kentucky. We also want the Oakland Raiders to start winning again, but that doesn’t mean that it’s going to happen.
I can’t think of a better way, other than raising the cigarette tax, to bring in much-needed revenue for the state. But the […]

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Apron-Clad Celebs: The V.V. will be in attendance tonight at the 40th Annual Celebrity Dinner Party, hosted by Denny Crum, at the Olmsted. Money goes to Cystic Fibrosis. Coach Crum took the hosting duties over a few years back from the late, great Pee Wee Reese. Usually there’s a few local TV stars in aprons […]

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We don’t want to harp too much on the state’ s budget problems, but as Jake points out at Page One, things are getting serious in a way that could be really painful.
Gov. Beshear, meanwhile, seems to have all but abandoned his goal of solving the state’s budget crisis with casino money. Jill Johnson Keeney, […]

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If there’s one issue that propelled Steve Beshear into the governor’s mansion, it was the promise of casino gaming. He’s been touting the issue since he announced his candidacy early last year, and said repeatedly that when he was elected, his first priority would be to provide the leadership necessary to get the issue on […]

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Let’s just imagine, for a moment, that somehow the state legislature allows a gaming bill to get on the ballot. Then it will be up to voters to pass it before casino interests can start setting up shop.
Down in Miami, they’re voting on slots next week, and many of the arguments are similar to those […]

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Let’s go back to the gubernatorial primary for a moment. Among Democrats, there wasn’t a whole lot separating the candidates on issues, or in the polls, at least until the last few weeks. I was working on Bruce Lunsford’s campaign at the time, and as a staff we were taken a little bit by surprise […]

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Which would you prefer first, the good news or the bad news?
Mayor Jerry Abramson’s 19th State of the City speech offers the good news about downtown projects, Parks initiatives, employment, Every1 Reads, neighborhood projects that add to the city’s quality of life. Geez, if he’d stopped right there, you’d get the idea that we’re in […]

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Let’s see, that’s $ 1.5 billion, right? WDRB’s Bill Lamb has an easy solution for the problems in state government — just sell five casino licenses in Kentucky for $300 million each. It’s that simple. Gov. Beshear, are you listening?
Bet Against Quality. Tomorrow’s game between the crappy Kentucky basketball team and the uninspiring […]

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In the starting gate: Local politicians wasting no time signing up for the 2008 elections include:
* Tim Shaugnessy (D), 19th Senate District, served since 1989.
* Denise Harper Angel (D), 35th Senate District, served since 2006.
* Tom Burch (D), 30th House District, served since 1971.
* Ron Crimm (R), 33rd House District, served since 1996.
* […]

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Seen in the Crowd: At Freedom Hall Saturday, Metro Council’s Glen Stuckel and Tom Owen, and PVA head Tony Lindauer. It’s going to be fun watching Terrence Williams for U of L this year, and not just because he’s a threat to go triple-double any game. During warm-ups Saturday, he spent several minutes staring down […]

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Tricky Timing: The Courier-Journal chose now, six days before the election, to publish stories about the effect of gaming in Illinois and Indiana, sending reporter Chris Kenning to Aurora, Ill. (the site of Ernie Fletcher’s initial anti-gaming ad). To no one’s surprise, Kenning found few problems, a lot of tax revenue for the city and […]

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