Wednesday deluge I

I have 28 pages open in tabs. Help. Well, here goes nothing...

• Casinos
  
  
  
  • Folks lined up to get into the first slots parlor (at a racing track near Wilkes-Barre).
    
    
  • The next round of hearings on Philadelphia sites found Trump expressing alarm about the traffic effect of two riverfront casinos (his being conveniently located elsewhere). [Summaries are given here of the two proposals that were discussed yesterday.]
    
    
  • Meanwhile, a major investor wants out of one of the casino proposals, possibly prompted by fines levied for political donations by some members of the group. [Also here are other details of what tough questions developers faced.]
    
    
  • John Baer opines that with the host of prominent players, neighborhood lawsuits, and inevitable political fall-out for local pols, the whole licensing process is a crazy circus.

    At base are three layers of opposition: those who think the '04 slots law is bad and ought to be repealed, those who think the site-selection process is flawed and ought to be changed, and those who think one or more of the city sites is lousy and ought to be avoided.

    That sounds about right, and that's before the scheming is factored in...
  
  
• Politicians
  
  
  
  • Apparently neither pay-hike gaffes nor the wave of incumbent oustings have worried state lawmakers, as the House reelected all of their leaders yesterday. You break it, you fix it??
    
    
  • Two unsettled state House races unlikely to be decided until after Thanksgiving. Actually, the election folks want to wrap up certification of all the settled races before starting recounts and whatever else will follow.
    
    
  • Breathless with anticipation? Fattah to announce intentions. More here.
    
    
  • Rainmaker Bob Brady tries his hand at blogging. Dicker and Payton tell him the water's fine...
    
    
  • The Philadelphia Weekly notes Murtha's reelection victory in the face of a major slime campaign questioning his patriotism.
    
    
  • Albert continues his hate on Casey, agog that he's being allowed on Senate committees. Can't have a state Treasurer piping up on banking, by golly!
    
    
  • In a political ad kerfluffle with a twist, moderate Republicans from the area are requesting that their images be removed from ads aimed at the "extremist wing" of the GOP. (I.e., Specter and Ridge note that they supported Santorum. Seek the center elsewhere...)