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Lottery director's ties to St. Paul vendor probedNews Story
Auditors probing the business dealings of Minnesota State Lottery director George Andersen have been pursuing a claim that he steered thousands of dollars of lottery money to a vendor he controlled.Andersen was found unconscious Tuesday outside his home in Hugo. He had a self-inflicted wound to his wrist, and a knife was found nearby, authorities said. A preliminary autopsy report released Wednesday called his death a suicide and said he died from hypothermia due to exposure.Andersen died a day
Jan 30, 2004, 6:42 am - Lottery News

Friends Say Audit Troubled Minnesota Lottery ChiefNews Story
George Andersen built the Minnesota Lottery from the ground up, and some who knew him say he looked upon it less like a bureaucrat and more like a proud and protective father.Andersen committed suicide Tuesday, a day after meeting with a government auditor examining the lottery's operations. He was found outside his home, and an autopsy determined he died of hypothermia in single-digit termperatures after cutting his wrists, said sheriff's Cmdr. Scott Malinosky said.Andersen's death has focused
Jan 29, 2004, 6:08 am - Lottery News

Minnesota Lottery Director Dies in Apparent SuicideNews Story
The longtime director of the Minnesota State Lottery apparently committed suicide Tuesday, a day after meeting with legislative auditors examining the lottery's operations, officials said.George R. Andersen, 53, had a wound that appeared to be from a knife, said Cmdr. Scott Malinosky of the Washington County sheriff's office. He said a note was recovered, but declined to describe it.Malinosky said authorities were called by Andersen's family about 7 a.m. after they found him outside their home n
Jan 27, 2004, 11:52 pm - Lottery News

Women's big Powerball win thrusts spotlight on small townNews Story
The last time so many TV trucks were in Holdingford was when Minnesota author Garrison Keillor visited the small town a few years ago, townspeople say.Until Monday, Holdingford probably was best known as a neighbor to Keillor's fictional Lake Wobegon or as the Moonshine Capital of the Nation because a golden brew named Minnesota 13 was created there.But now, it'll be known as home to the luckiest lunch ladies.As a city of only about 700 people, everybody knows everybody else, residents say. Perh
Oct 28, 2003, 4:10 am - Lottery News

New Minnesota Lottery Game: Northstar CashNews Story
At 6 a.m. this morning, the Minnesota State Lottery launched the Lottery's newest Minnesota only, daily all-cash lotto game called Northstar Cash. For $1 players select five numbers from 1 to 31 for a chance to win Northstar Cash's jackpot that will start at $25,000 and grow until it is won. Players can purchase up to 14 draws at one time. Northstar Cash fits well within our Online Game lineup, Lottery Director George Andersen said of the game. We think it will be popular with Lottery players
Oct 7, 2003, 5:33 am - Lottery News

Minn. Lottery cuts staff, advertising, promotions despite record salesNews Story
The Minnesota Lottery will lay off 34 employees, nearly one-fifth of its workforce of 191, next month to meet state-imposed budget cuts. But the state-run gambling operation still projects a near-record year for sales because of changes in its popular multimillion-dollar Powerball game.Most of the job cuts will come from the lottery's marketing staff, including 16 positions in field offices in Eagan, Brainerd, Detroit Lakes, Marshall, Owatonna and Virginia, assistant director Geno Fragnito said
Sep 12, 2003, 9:46 pm - Lottery News