Friday, January 29, 2010

Almanacs “Bulletin: State troopers arrive at Country Crossing, other venues for ... - Everything Alabama Blog” plus 3 more

Almanacs “Bulletin: State troopers arrive at Country Crossing, other venues for ... - Everything Alabama Blog” plus 3 more

Bulletin: State troopers arrive at Country Crossing, other venues for ... - Everything Alabama Blog

Posted: 29 Jan 2010 06:33 AM PST

By The Associated Press

January 29, 2010, 6:39AM
crossingraid.jpgView full size(AP Photo/Max Oden, Dothan Eagle)Houston County Commission chairman Mark Culver speaks to members of the media during an impromptu press conference on the Country Crossing property outside of Dothan, Ala., in this file photo taken early Wednesday morning, Jan. 6, 2010. The raid was delayed by legal action. The Dothan Eagle is reporting that state troopers have again shown up at the bingo establishment in the early hours of Friday, Jan. 29, and were awaiting instructions from higher-ups.

johntyson.jpgView full size(Press-Register/Mary Hattler)John Tyson Jr.: District attorney for Mobile County, Ala., and head of Gov. Bob Riley's anti-gambling task force says troopers headed to various bingo establishments in the state early Friday, Jan. 29, 2010.SHORTER, Ala. -- Hundreds of state police tried to raid two multimillion-dollar bingo operations in Alabama early today as lawyers scrambled for court orders to block the seizure of thousands of electronic bingo machines.

The head of the governor's antigambling task force, Mobile District Attorney John Tyson Jr., told The Associated Press officers arrived at the VictoryLand complex in Macon County early today but were met by a lawyer for the gaming center.

A judge in Alexander City blocked the raid during a predawn hearing and dozens of officers left VictoryLand without seizing any machines, but Tyson said he was appealing.

"We are now on our way to the Alabama Supreme Court," he said.

Meanwhile, state troopers arrived at the new Country Crossing development in Dothan before dawn. The Dothan Eagle reported that more than 100 government and trooper vehicles were parked outside, with troopers standing at the doors awaiting instructions.

The governor contends electronic bingo machines at both gaming halls are illegal slot machines, but casino owners say they meet Alabama's law allowing bingo.

VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor cut the ribbon Dec. 9 on a 300-room luxury hotel at the complex in Shorter, about 20 miles east of Montgomery on Interstate 85. The hotel and entertainment additions are a $100 million investment in a gambling complex that started with a dog track 25 years ago.

VictoryLand now holds 6,400 electronic bingo machines, more than any single casino in Nevada, New Jersey or Mississippi has slot machines, according to Casino City's North American Gaming Almanac. It employs about 2,000 people in a historically poor county.

Macon County Sheriff David Warren said the task force lacked search warrants and tried to stage the 4 a.m. raid by arguing an undercover officer inside the complex witnessed illegal gambling. Warren disagreed, however.

"As far as I'm concerned they are legal machines," he said.

Country Crossing in the southeast corner of the state opened its $87 million first phase on Dec. 1, with more new attractions in the new year pushing the total investment over $200 million. It has some 1,700 electronic bingo machines.

Gov. Bob Riley's task force attempted to raid Country Crossing in pre-dawn hours Jan. 6 but a judge issued an order blocking it. The Alabama Supreme Court later shelved that order, and another judge took the case this week.

The task force previously had been unable to get a search warrant to raid VictoryLand in Macon County.

Last year it conducted a raid at the White Hall casino in Lowndes County, seizing about 100 of the 900 machines and more than $500,000 in cash. The case is in court, and the casino has been operating with new equipment.

Representatives for Country Crossing and VictoryLand did not immediately return phone messages early today.



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The Almanac - Jan. 29 - Post Chronicle

Posted: 29 Jan 2010 04:53 AM PST

Today is Friday, Jan. 29, the 29th day of 2010 with 336 to follow.

The moon is waxing. The morning stars are Mars and Mercury. The evening stars are Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, Uranus and Neptune.

Those born on this date are under the sign of Aquarius. They include Swedish scientist and philosopher Emanuel Swedenborg in 1688; American colonial political philosopher Thomas Paine in 1737; William McKinley, 25th president of the United States, in 1843; Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov in 1860; businessman John D. Rockefeller Jr. in 1874; comic actor W.C. Fields in 1880; dramatist Paddy Chayefsky in 1923; actors Victor Mature in 1913, John Forsythe in 1918 (age 92); Katharine Ross in 1940 (age 70), Tom Selleck in 1945 (age 65) and Ann Jillian in 1950 (age 60); talk show host Oprah Winfrey in 1954 (age 56); Olympic gold medal diver Greg Louganis in 1960 (age 50); and actors Nick Turturro in 1962 (age 48), Heather Graham in 1970 (age 40) and Sara Gilbert in 1975 (age 35).

On this date in history:

In 1820, 10 years after mental illness forced him to retire from public life, King George III, the British king who lost the American colonies, died at the age of 82.

In 1845, Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" is published.

In 1861, Kansas became the 34th state of the Union as a free or non-slavery state at a time when Southern states were seceding from the Union.

In 1886, German Karl Benz awarded patent for the gasoline-driven automobile.

In 1900, eight baseball teams were organized as the American League. They were in Buffalo, N.Y.; Chicago; Cleveland; Detroit; Indianapolis; Kansas City, Mo.; Milwaukee; and Minneapolis.

In 1979, Deng Xiaoping, deputy premier of China, and U.S. President Jimmy Carter signed historic accords that reversed decades of U.S. opposition to the People's Republic of China.

In 1988, amid broad efforts toward peace in Central America, Pope John Paul II gave Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega a wary Vatican reception.

In 1991, the United States and the Soviet Union announced they would agree to a cease-fire in the Gulf War if Iraq made an "unequivocal commitment to withdraw from Kuwait."

Also in 1991, in South Africa, the Africa National Congress and the Inkatha Freedom Party agreed to end their rivalry.

In 1993, U.S. President Bill Clinton directed the military to stop asking recruits about their sexual orientation as a compromise first step in his plan to lift the ban on homosexuals in the armed services.

In 1995, the San Francisco 49ers became the first team to win five Super Bowls when they routed the San Diego Chargers, 49-26.

In 1996, France announced that it would stop open-air nuclear testing.

In 2000, delegates from more than 130 nations meeting in Montreal adopted the first global treaty regulating trade in genetically modified food products.

In 2002, U.S. President George W. Bush warned in his State of the Union address that the war on terrorism was just beginning with thousands of potential terrorists "spread throughout the world like ticking time bombs." It was in this speech he referred to Iran, Iraq and North Korea as part of an "Axis of Evil."

In 2003, the U.S. Congressional Budget Office said the year's federal deficit would soar to $199 billion.

In 2004, a Palestinian suicide bomber killed 11 people on a Jerusalem bus and injured 50 others. The blast disrupted the latest round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

In 2005, Israel and the United States began efforts to talk EU officials into joining them in efforts to halt Iran's nuclear weapons program.

In 2006, Kuwait's new ruler, Sheik Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, was sworn in to replace ailing Emir Sheik Saad Abdullah al-Sabah.

In 2007, Iran officials indicated Tehran would expand economic and military ties with Iraq, including establishment of an Iranian national bank branch in Baghdad.

In 2008, two federal reports alleged substandard care at a veterans' hospital in Marion, Ill., had contributed to 19 deaths over the past two years.

Also in 2008, Brazil said it was talking with France about obtaining the technology it needs to build the first nuclear-powered submarine in Latin America.

In 2009, impeached Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was convicted of abuse of power by an almost unanimous vote by members of the state House and Senate and removed from office.

Also in 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama signed his first bill into law, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, expanding workers' rights to sue in pay disputes.

A thought for the day: there's a Chinese proverb that says, "Teachers open the door but you must enter by yourself." (c) UPI

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Last Day to Set January Barometer: Today's Outrage - Street.Com

Posted: 29 Jan 2010 06:26 AM PST

Updates S&P performance starting in third graph.

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Today is the last trading day in January and as market records show, January's S&P trend sets the trend for the year.

So this is the last day to set the January Barometer, as phenomenon recognized by Yale Hirsch in 1972. According to Hirsch's Stock Traders Almanac this indicator has seen only five major errors since 1950 for a 91.4% accuracy ratio.

The market opened higher, but the S&P 500 still needs to gain 23 points to end in positive territory for January. ...

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Ala. troopers attempt raids on gambling operations - Houma Courier

Posted: 29 Jan 2010 05:14 AM PST

By PHILLIP RAWLS Associated Press Writer

SHORTER, Ala. - Hundreds of state police tried to raid two multimillion-dollar bingo operations in Alabama early Friday as lawyers scrambled for court orders to block the seizure of thousands of electronic bingo machines.

The head of the governor's antigambling task force, Mobile District Attorney John Tyson Jr., told The Associated Press officers arrived at the VictoryLand complex in Macon County early Friday but were met by a lawyer for the gaming center.

A judge in Alexander City blocked the raid during a predawn hearing and dozens of officers left VictoryLand without seizing any machines, but Tyson said he was appealing.

"We are now on our way to the Alabama Supreme Court," he said.

Meanwhile, state troopers arrived at the new Country Crossing development in Dothan before dawn. The Dothan Eagle reported that more than 100 government and trooper vehicles were parked outside, with troopers standing at the doors awaiting instructions.

The governor contends electronic bingo machines at both gaming halls are illegal slot machines, but casino owners say they meet Alabama's law allowing bingo.

VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor cut the ribbon Dec. 9 on a 300-room luxury hotel at the complex in Shorter, about 20 miles east of Montgomery on Interstate 85. The hotel and entertainment additions are a $100 million investment in a gambling complex that started with a dog track 25 years ago.

VictoryLand now holds 6,400 electronic bingo machines, more than any single casino in Nevada, New Jersey or Mississippi has slot machines, according to Casino City's North American Gaming Almanac. It employs about 2,000 people in a historically poor county.

Macon County Sheriff David Warren said the task force lacked search warrants and tried to stage the 4 a.m. raid by arguing an undercover officer inside the complex witnessed illegal gambling. Warren disagreed, however.

"As far as I'm concerned they are legal machines," he said.

Country Crossing in the southeast corner of the state opened its $87 million first phase on Dec. 1, with more new attractions in the new year pushing the total investment over $200 million. It has some 1,700 electronic bingo machines.

Gov. Bob Riley's task force attempted to raid Country Crossing in pre-dawn hours Jan. 6 but a judge issued an order blocking it. The Alabama Supreme Court later shelved that order, and another judge took the case this week.

The task force previously had been unable to get a search warrant to raid VictoryLand in Macon County.

Last year it conducted a raid at the White Hall casino in Lowndes County, seizing about 100 of the 900 machines and more than $500,000 in cash. The case is in court, and the casino has been operating with new equipment.

Representatives for Country Crossing and VictoryLand did not immediately return phone messages early Friday.

---

Associated Press Writer Jay Reeves contributed to this report from Birmingham.


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