GAMING PETITION DRIVE WILL START THIS MORNING

The YES Group for riverboat gambling will start collecting signatures at 10 a.m. today on a petition to put the riverboat issue on the Nov. 2 ballot Thursday.

"Obtaining approval for the petition process was a long process, but we walked through the necessary steps Thursday," said David Knight, a downtown businessman who is helping launch the new campaign. "The petitions are now available at 31 B. N. Main."

Knight added that the new group was in the process of structuring the organization and committees.

"This will be a city-wide, grassroots campaign," said Knight. "Tom Mogelnicki is treasurer of the group. We have more than 150 people who have already expressed an interest in working with the campaign, and these were unsolicited."

The riverboat issue failed to pass during the Tuesday election, but a 5,506-4,940 margin.

The group will need 2,254 registered voters on the petition, but are hopeful of obtaining over 4,000 names.