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ID badge, lottery tickets returned to former Kansas Lottery employee
Thursday, December 20, 2001
A former Kansas Lottery employee who admitted stealing nearly $63,000 from the agency will get his lottery identification badge and other property back.

Convicted lottery worker wants ID back
Wednesday, December 19, 2001
A Topeka man who admitted stealing $62,932 from the Kansas Lottery while working as its computer manager wants some of his property back, including his lottery photo identification badge.
The issue arose during a hearing on Richard Lee Knowlton's case in Shawnee County District Court.

Lottery summarizes revenue distribution
Tuesday, April 10, 2001
Senate Bill 156 would have legalized slot machines at dog and horse racing tracks if approved by voters in the surrounding county. Senators voted 23-17 to kill the bill on March 22, but supporters are hoping to revive the proposal.

House sends lottery renewal to governor
Tuesday, March 13, 2001
The legislative debate about extending the Kansas Lottery's life ended Monday as the House sent a compromise bill to Gov. Bill Graves.
The measure, drafted by a committee of House-Senate negotiators, would keep the lottery in business for six years past the expiration date of July 1, 2002, which is set in Kansas law.

Retailers bank on renewal of state lottery
Saturday, March 10, 2001
For Charles Waymire, renewal of the Kansas Lottery would mean more people at his convenience store and, he hopes, more money in his pocket. That's because Waymire is one of Kansas' most successful lottery retailers. He's so successful, in fact, that he's planning to build a keno parlor onto his Total Stop-N-Save store to accommodate the scores of players who drop by to drink coffee and try their luck.

Lottery theft brings jail time
Tuesday, March 6, 2001
By Dave Ranney

Though he pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $63,000 from the Kansas Lottery, Richard Lee Knowlton won't be spending time in a state prison.
Instead, Shawnee County District Court Judge Marla Luckert on Monday ordered the 56-year-old Knowlton to spend 55 days in the county jail between now and March 2003. And for the next six months, he's to be under house arrest when he's not in jail.

Lottery bill set to fly, not airport plan
Saturday, March 3, 2001
Republican legislative leaders are predicting quick passage for the latest compromise on a bill to extend the Kansas Lottery's life. Rep. Doug Mays, R-Topeka, the House's lead negotiator on the bill, plans to present the compromise Monday to a conference committee of three senators and three House members. He and Republican leaders expect the committee to ratify it quickly.

Lottery contractor GTECH being sued
Friday, March 2, 2001
By Dave Ranney

A Lawrence woman who last year filed a sexual harassment complaint against the company that runs the Kansas Lottery's online games says her case is headed to federal court. Kelly Fisher, who said she quit her job after being pressured to dig up dirt on lottery officials, said efforts to settle her complaint broke down after company officials leaked terms of a settlement offer to key legislators.

Senate panel strips House's lottery plans
Wednesday, February 14, 2001
A Senate committee Tuesday endorsed a bill extending the Kansas Lottery's life for the second time in two days, again rejecting a House plan to use lottery revenue to reduce Kansas airfares.

Third employee alleges sexism
Tuesday, February 13, 2001
By Scott Rothschild

A third woman — this time a 31-year employee of the Kansas Department of Human Resources — said Monday that she was the target of retaliation and sexual discrimination from top agency officials.

Debate on Keno game slows lottery measure
Saturday, February 10, 2001
Republican leaders would like the Senate to pass a "clean" bill extending the Kansas Lottery's life, but they are working to find compromises on amendments added by the House.

Democrats want to use lottery money for scholarships for future teachers
Saturday, February 10, 2001
Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley plans to resurrect a proposal to divert money from the Kansas Lottery's advertising budget to a program for teacher scholarships.

Lottery debate expands to restrictions, airports
Friday, February 9, 2001
Senators will spend more time discussing lottery officials' objections to restrictions in the bill, and an amendment by Wichita representatives for an airport incentive program.

Ticket fraud case ends in guilty plea
Tuesday, February 6, 2001
By Dave Ranney

Richard Lee Knowlton, the computer technician accused of stealing nearly $63,000 from the Kansas Lottery, pleaded guilty Monday.
As part of the plea agreement, Knowlton, 56, acknowledged he was lying when he claimed he had rigged only 12 "scratch tickets" and that the thefts were part of a personal campaign to expose lax security at the lottery.v

Lottery wins House vote, but with restrictions
Tuesday, February 6, 2001
A bill to extend the Kansas Lottery's life advanced Monday in the House, but members added amendments that agency officials said could hurt sales and cost the state money.

Senate panel OKs security audits
Friday, February 2, 2001
A Senate committee wasted no time in endorsing a bill requiring security audits of the Kansas Lottery at least every three years.

Senate confirms Van Petten
Thursday, February 1, 2001
Some may still have questions about the Kansas Lottery, but senators have decided to let the agency's top official keep his job. The Senate voted 37-1 on Wednesday to confirm Ed Van Petten's appointment as lottery executive director.

House keeps lottery bill alive
Tuesday, January 30, 2001
Efforts to keep the Kansas Lottery alive cleared a major hurdle when a House committee recommended passage of a bill to renew the games of chance for six years.
The 11-8 vote Monday by the House Federal and State Affairs Committee came after it cut the proposed renewal to July 1, 2008, rather than July 1, 2012, as proposed in the original bill.

Lottery ad, Web site enrage senators
Wednesday, January 24, 2001
By Dave Ranney

Democrats in the Kansas Senate on Tuesday called for the firing of lottery workers who produced an off-color "Girls of the Lottery" inner-office Web site and, more recently, approved a radio commercial heavy on sexual innuendo and racial stereotypes.

Legislators want more details on punishment of lottery workers
Tuesday, January 23, 2001
Some legislators are frustrated that the Kansas Lottery's top administrator won't give them details about employees disciplined for putting pornography and other inappropriate material on agency computers.

Whistle-blower seeks state protection
Saturday, January 20, 2001
By Dave Ranney

A Kansas Lottery worker who says he was unjustly reprimanded for refusing to keep quiet about obscene and off-color material found on some of the office computers met Friday with Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka.

Lottery director apologizes
Friday, January 19, 2001
By Dave Ranney

The director of the Kansas Lottery apologized Thursday for downplaying the significance of a photograph of female lottery employees wearing bras on their heads.

Director: Bras 'simply a joke'
Thursday, January 18, 2001
By Dave Ranney

Four women who worked at the Kansas Lottery were, in fact, wearing bras on their heads when they had their picture taken with the lottery's former director in 1999, the current director told a pair of legislative committees Wednesday.

Gag quiets lottery hearings
Wednesday, January 17, 2001
By Dave Ranney

Members of a legislative committee looking into alleged shenanigans at the Kansas Lottery received an unpleasant surprise Tuesday. They found out their staff had been ordered by the governor's office to keep quiet about a computer technician accused of stealing nearly $63,000 from the lottery.

Kansas Lottery ready to take its chances for renewal with Legislature
Monday, January 15, 2001
Since 1987, Kansans have spent millions on lottery tickets in their quest for instant wealth. But that could end unless lawmakers agree to allow the games of chance to continue.

Lawmaker wants lottery renewal linked to slots at tracks
Thursday, January 11, 2001
A lawmaker whose city is home to The Woodlands racetrack wants to link renewal of the Kansas Lottery with allowing slot machines in the state. But legislative leaders hope to keep the issues separate and to pass a bill early in the session to renew the lottery, which is set to expire June 30, 2002.

Senator calls for lottery scrutiny
Sunday, January 7, 2001
Many legislative leaders want to move quickly this year on deciding whether to keep the Kansas Lottery alive. Not so fast, says Senate President-elect Dave Kerr. "The lottery has suffered a lot of bad press and some of that is justified," said Kerr, R-Hutchinson. "There are a lot of questions to be asked before any renewal decision is made."

Allegations dog lottery
Sunday, January 7, 2001
By Dave Ranney

A Kansas Lottery employee says that he was unjustly reprimanded for refusing to keep quiet about pornography that he found on some of the office's computers. Todd Kinney, a computer technician, filed a complaint last week with the Kansas Human Rights Commission, accusing lottery officials of subjecting him to harassment and discrimination after he contacted Gov. Bill Graves' office.

Drought was top issue at state level
Monday, January 1, 2001
J-W Staff Reports

Weeks of hot, dry weather that shriveled crops and delayed planting of the 2001 wheat crop was voted the top state story by Journal-World readers and 6News viewers.

Lottery receptions spur ethics questions
Wednesday, December 20, 2000
By Dave Ranney

Medieval theologians argued about how many angels could dance on the head of a pin.

April trial scheduled in lottery case
Tuesday, December 19, 2000
By Dave Ranney

A former Kansas Lottery employee accused of using rigged scratch tickets to steal more than $62,000 pleaded innocent Monday. Richard Lee Knowlton, 55, also waived his right to a preliminary hearing. His jury trial is scheduled to begin April 30 in Shawnee County District Judge Marla Luckert's courtroom.

Criminal case against ex-lottery worker to begin
Friday, December 15, 2000
By Scott Rothschild

Ten people, including former Kansas Lottery chief Greg Ziemak, of Lawrence, have been ordered by state prosecutors to appear at the preliminary hearing for a former lottery employee that starts Monday, according to court documents.

Resident alleges company abuses
Friday, November 24, 2000
By Dave Ranney

A Lawrence woman has filed a complaint with the Kansas Human Rights Commission accusing a major Kansas Lottery contractor of coercing her to dig up dirt on top lottery executives.

Legislator predicts lottery's renewal
Wednesday, November 22, 2000
The Kansas Lottery will be renewed by lawmakers next year, but not without some wrangling, House Majority Leader Kent Glasscock said.

Push is on for lottery's renewal
Thursday, October 26, 2000
Two business groups announced Wednesday that they had formed a coalition to lobby legislators to reauthorize the Kansas Lottery, which provides millions of dollars in economic development funds each year.

Sex pranks at work? No, state says
Wednesday, October 25, 2000
By Dave Ranney

If they're smart, Kansas employers will learn a lesson from the recent shenanigans at the Kansas Lottery. "When there's sex involved, there really isn't any 'innocent fun' in the workplace. Not anymore," said Barbara Girard, an attorney with the Kansas Humans Rights Commission. Girard met Tuesday with about 100 representatives of Lawrence-area businesses and government agencies.

Sherrer: Lottery essential for development
Friday, October 20, 2000
If Kansas is serious about economic development, it will not give up the lottery, Lt. Gov. Gary Sherrer told the Haysville Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.

Witness list now includes reporters
Tuesday, October 17, 2000
By Dave Ranney

State prosecutors Monday added two newspaper reporters to the list of potential witnesses in their case against a former Kansas Lottery employee accused of stealing more than $62,000.

Judge imposes gag order
Wednesday, October 11, 2000
A judge imposed a gag order Tuesday in the case of the former employee accused of stealing nearly $63,000 from the Kansas Lottery. The former employee, Richard Lee Knowlton, faces 268 theft, computer crime and official misconduct charges in Shawnee County District Court.

Lottery suspect wants to pare bail limits
Saturday, October 7, 2000
A former employee accused of stealing $63,000 from the Kansas Lottery wants to have some of the restrictions on his activities dropped. The former employee, Richard Lee Knowlton of Topeka has been out of jail on $70,000 bond, but he can't leave his home without notifying a court services officer and must wear an electronic monitoring bracelet.

State releases lottery details
Thursday, October 5, 2000
Some details of the state's case against a former employee accused of stealing nearly $63,000 from the Kansas Lottery have been made public by the attorney general's office.
Those details include an allegation that Richard Lee Knowlton obtained lottery computer tapes after he resigned from the agency in March. Assistant Atty. Gen. Stephen Maxwell also said Knowlton gave inconsistent versions of events to different people.

Chairman: Casinos not connected to lottery
Wednesday, October 4, 2000
A failure by the Legislature to renew the Kansas Lottery won't shut down the casinos operated by four American Indian tribes, the House Federal and State Committee chairman says.

Graves replies to lottery issues
Sunday, October 1, 2000
Gov. Bill Graves' administration has issued its first detailed response to questions about the Kansas Lottery. A top lottery official called those questions "small potatoes and dead issues."

Graves admits firing
Saturday, September 30, 2000
By Dave Ranney

Gov. Bill Graves confirmed Friday that he fired Kansas Lottery director Greg Ziemak seven months ago, but agreed to let him stay in office until his term as president of the National Association of State and Provincial Lotteries expired this Sunday.

Administrator put on leave
Saturday, September 30, 2000
A high-ranking Kansas Lottery official remains on paid leave while a personnel matter is under review, the agency's deputy director confirmed. The deputy director, Ed Van Petten, would not discuss what the matter involves.

Top aides critical of lottery coverage
Friday, September 29, 2000
By Dave Ranney

Ranking Graves administration officials have lashed out at the Journal-World, saying the newspaper was irresponsible and sensationalistic for publishing a photograph of Kansas Lottery director Greg Ziemak with four female worker wearing bras on their heads. (This story contains a copy of a highly confidential report obtained by the Journal-World.)

Lottery chief gives up new job
Thursday, September 28, 2000
Gregory Ziemak, the embattled head of the Kansas Lottery, on Wednesday rescinded his acceptance of the job of president and chief executive officer of the Connecticut Lottery Corp.

Opinions mixed on Ziemak's withdrawal
Thursday, September 28, 2000
The man who will replace Greg Ziemak at the Kansas Lottery was surprised to learn that Ziemak gave up the top job at the Connecticut lottery. A key legislator wasn't. Ziemak announced Wednesday that he was withdrawing his decision to accept the position of president and chief executive officer of the Connecticut Lottery Corp.

Ex-lottery worker defends actions
Sunday, September 24, 2000
By Dave Ranney

Richard Lee Knowlton says he's not a criminal. If he was, he could have stolen untold thousands of dollars from the Kansas Lottery without leaving a trace. "There are ways to do it and I could have done it," he said. "But that's not what happened and that's not what this is about."

Timeline lays out key dates in lottery scandal
Sunday, September 24, 2000
The Kansas Lottery and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation start a criminal investigation of the lottery.

Ex-lottery director's new job in limbo
Saturday, September 23, 2000
By Mike Belt

The former Kansas Lottery director's new job as president of the Connecticut lottery still is tentative and may be in jeopardy, according to a Connecticut state official. Connecticut investigative agencies have not completed a background probe of Greg Ziemak, who recently resigned as director of the Kansas Lottery.

Chairman defends commission's former director
Friday, September 22, 2000
The chairman of the Kansas Lottery Commission says he met with Gov. Bill Graves after the start of a criminal investigation of the lottery to reassure the governor about its executive director.

Graves opens up on lottery
Friday, September 22, 2000
Gov. Bill Graves is talking about the impending departure of the Kansas Lottery's director, but his chief attorney has suggested to him that his administration should keep quiet about lottery issues. Graves acknowledged Thursday to reporters that he had concerns about the management style of Greg Ziemak, the lottery's executive director since 1993. Ziemak has accepted a similar job in his home state of Connecticut.

Sexual harassment, other problems within lottery detailed in 1999 Graves administration report
Friday, September 22, 2000
By Dave Ranney and Mike Shields

It is no longer in doubt there's been some strange goings on at the Kansas Lottery, from overuse of alcohol by employees to inappropriate touching of employees.

Ex-lottery director accepts post in Connecticut
Thursday, September 21, 2000
Greg Ziemak, who led a Kansas Lottery that increased its sales but now faces questions about its operations, has accepted a similar job in his home state of Connecticut. Ziemak did not publicly disclose his specific plans when he announced his resignation last week as executive director of the Kansas Lottery.

KBI combs house of lottery suspect
Wednesday, September 20, 2000
By Dave Ranney

KBI agents Tuesday searched the home of a computer technician accused of stealing more than $62,000 from the Kansas Lottery. "They've been here since about two hours ago," said Sharon Knowlton, whose husband, Richard Lee Knowlton, is charged with 268 counts of computer crime, theft and official misconduct.

Lottery scandal apparently claims another victim as administration director is sent home
Wednesday, September 20, 2000
By Dave Ranney and Tom Meagher

Another top Kansas Lottery official has been fired or suspended, the latest casualty in a blossoming scandal. Lottery and other sources confirmed Tuesday that the agency's administration director, Kevin Scott, was sent home late Monday.

Lottery cover-up alleged
Tuesday, September 19, 2000
By Dave Ranney

The former Kansas Lottery technician accused of tampering with the agency's computer and stealing more than $62,000 admitted Monday from his jail cell that he turned 12 losing tickets into winners.

Problems not limited to fixed tickets
Tuesday, September 19, 2000
By Dave Ranney and Joel Mathis

Kansas Lottery officials say Richard Lee Knowlton is the only current or former lottery employee embroiled in the Kansas Bureau of Investigation probe that brought his arrest on 268 counts.

Statement of Richard Lee Knowlton
Tuesday, September 19, 2000
The following is a statement issued by Richard Lee Knowlton, who has been charged with 268 counts of manipulating the lottery's computer system to claim 126 prizes during an 18-month period.

Lottery's number may be up
Sunday, September 17, 2000
The first major scandal in its 13-year history may make keeping the Kansas Lottery in operation more difficult. As popular as state officials believe the lottery is, it historically has enjoyed less support in the Legislature, where opposition to gambling is significant. The result has been a series of laws forcing legislators to renew the lottery periodically.

Attorney: Suspect a 'scapegoat'
Sunday, September 17, 2000
By Tom Meagher

The lawyer for a Topeka man accused of stealing from the Kansas Lottery said Saturday that his client is being made the scapegoat for corruption and fraud within the agency. Richard Lee Knowlton, 55, was arrested Friday with 268 charges of manipulating the lottery's computer system to claim 126 prizes during an 18-month period.

Lottery worker charged
Saturday, September 16, 2000
By Dave Ranney

A nine-year employee of the Kansas Lottery was charged Friday with 268 counts of computer crime, theft, and official misconduct. Richard Lee Knowlton, 55, is accused of altering the lottery's computer system in ways that turned losing "scratch tickets" into winners.

Graves peeved at lottery questions
Saturday, September 16, 2000
Gov. Bill Graves bristled Friday regarding continued questions about the circumstances behind the planned departure of the Kansas Lottery's executive director. Graves told reporters that Greg Ziemak's resignation and a criminal investigation of the lottery are unrelated and that the director's departure had been discussed for two years. Ziemak plans to leave Oct. 1.

Confidence in game shaken
Saturday, September 16, 2000
By Mike Belt

Carol Thompson wasn't surprised when she heard about the scandal involving the Kansas Lottery. The 45-year-old Lawrence woman said she often plays the lottery, but next time she may think twice before trading another dollar bill for a lottery ticket. "I always thought it was crooked," Thompson said Friday as she made a quick stop at the Site Service Station and convenience store, 946 E. 23rd. "This might make me stop (buying)."

Former lottery employee faces 268 criminal charges
Friday, September 15, 2000
A former Kansas Lottery administrator faces 268 criminal charges filed by the attorney general's office, which alleges he used the agency's computer system to manipulate tickets.

Lottery chief forced out
Thursday, September 14, 2000
By Dave Ranney

Reports this week that Greg Ziemak of Lawrence resigned his $98,000-a-year job as lottery director simply to pursue other interests were lies. Sources have told the Journal-World that Ziemak was told to resign or be fired in March because of his ineffectual oversight of lottery operations, which are the subject of an ongoing Kansas Bureau of Investigation probe.

No. 2 official nominated as lottery's next director
Thursday, September 14, 2000
By Dave Ranney

A former prosecutor has been named executive director of the Kansas Lottery, Gov. Bill Graves' office announced Wednesday. Ed Van Petten will replace executive director Greg Ziemak, whose resignation takes effect Oct. 1.

Lottery boss resigns
Tuesday, September 12, 2000
By Mark Fagan

The Kansas Lottery's top executive is resigning. Lawrence resident Greg Ziemak, executive director for the Kansas Lottery, said Monday he would leave his $98,000-a-year job effective Oct. 1. He sent his resignation letter to Gov. Bill Graves on Friday, nearly seven years after being appointed to the post by Gov. Joan Finney.