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THE CARE BEAR

 Last week the Geneva Shore Report ran its lead article and headline on the subject of gambling in and around Lake Geneva.  That article was admittedly founded on rumors and allegations made by people who didn’t want to expose themselves to personal attacks, threats, or violence.  The GSR respected those people, while finding their stories completely believable, particularly after checking out a few facts they brought forth.  It’s too soon to say with sufficient proof that Fat Cats, the bar on Broadway in downtown Lake Geneva, is offering gambling as an additional benefit to its booze and snacks.  It is also too soon to report on Thumbs Up, Hogs and Kisses, Champs, The Next Door Pub or any of the rest of the collective of ‘let’s stay open until three a.m. in the morning to party on’ establishments.

What has come out of the running of last week’s story has been surprising and more revealing.  The GSR has had phone calls indicating that the paper will be sued if individual names appear on the lists of gamblers and their payments, payouts, and debts.  Those calls shocked the newspaper, because until they came in, and are still coming in, the paper wasn’t quite one hundred percent sure the gambling story was true.  There have been threatening electronic messages, as well, not indicating direct violence toward GSR staff but indicating that such actions could be forthcoming in the future if the paper continues on its current course.

There is a character named “Care Bear,” and she does, indeed, drive a black Jeep, and she has made frequent stops at all of Lake Geneva’s nightclubs (to use a nicer word than they deserve).  She probably will be changing vehicles soon.  The GSR reporters have noted the woman’s presence and her car parked outside the nightclubs on weekend mornings. There are three businesses located just across the border in Illinois allegedly involved in this ‘racket’ (as the federal offense of engaging to commit gambling interstate across state borders is legally termed racketeering).  Hoops may be one of those businesses, as is the Triangle Bar down in Twin Lakes.

Supposedly, the Care Bear owns the Triangle and the pizza joint (with tons of gambling machines) located just east of Crandall’s, the notorious fried chicken joint).  For the record, the Geneva Shore Report is not part of any law enforcement agency, nor do any of its owners or employees act as confidential informants.  The GSR is not about to publish any lists with citizen’s names on it, nor any of the information noted on those lists (like membership, bets made, payouts given, or money owed).  That is not what the GSR is all about.  The GSR doesn’t even have, nor will ever have, a police blotter or section about any illegal activities.  The last time the Geneva Shore Report received so much attention was way back when all the cars fell through the ice adjacent to the Riviera Pier Complex, secondly when the GSR followed a giant piece of far equipment moving dangerously and illegally through Lake Geneva downtown streets.

If there is nothing to this story, then why is all the attention pouring in?  The GSR is not responding to comments or emails about this subject, not in a public way.  It’s not the GSR’s intent to police the public, it’s the GSR’s intent to educate and make the public aware that it has choices to make before things are planned, built, or get out of hand.  If nothing else, this series of articles about interstate gambling being quietly ignored, or even endorsed, in Lake Geneva, as so many establishments should give readers a place to go if they want to gamble (and put up with the possible interest of the federal authorities).  Of course, the easiest solution for gamblers is simply to cross the border and visit the Care Bear at either the Triangle Bar in Twin Lakes or the supposed pizza joint located on the east side of Crandall’s just outside of Hebron.  The Care Bear will no doubt be there to greet you and take your money…and she’ll probably be driving a different vehicle while waiting on you.