The candidates for California lottery director have...

The candidates for California lottery director have been reduced to three main contenders, according to the Associated Press. They are Mark Michalko, legal counsel to the Ohio state lottery, Illinois assistant lottery director Jerry Havener, and an unidentified person, possibly Administration trouble-shooter Chon Gutierrez, the acting deputy lottery director. Asked for comment, Gov. George Deukmejian’s spokesman Kevin Brett said only that the governor is “moving closer and narrowing choices” for the overdue appointment. The $73,780 annual salary for the California job, considered low by some, has figured in decisions by lottery officials in at least two other states to drop out of the competition.