State News-Tuesday, Dec. 19th

BENSALEM, Pa. (AP) - Philadelphia Park, the home track of Kentucky Derby winner Smarty Jones, opens the first slot-machine parlor in southeastern Pennsylvania today. It's expected to compete with the casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Late this morning , the racetrack is set to open a gambling hall with 22-hundred slot machines, a bar and buffet. Racetrack officials anticipate that the slots revenue will increase the size of the purses at the track. That would attract bigger bets and better horses. This is the second licensed slot machine parlor to open in Pennsylvania. The first was the Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs racetrack near Wilkes-Barre. It opened November 14th.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Would-be casino owners are getting one last chance to pitch their proposals to state gambling regulators today. Thirteen applicants are competing for five standalone slots licenses -- those not connected to resorts or racetracks. Each applicant has the option of speaking to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board for up to 15 minutes. The board is scheduled to announce who will get the licenses tomorrow. Two are for Philadelphia, one for Pittsburgh, and two for other parts of the state.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A rally against the proposed takeover of Delta Air Lines by U-S Airways is planned today at Harrisburg International Airport. The event is one of ten being held in cities across the country as part of a nationwide campaign called "Keep Delta My Delta!" Spokesman Dave LaTorre says a merger of the two airlines would likely mean fewer airline choices and higher fares for Pennsylvania customers. LaTorre says Delta employs more than 350 people in Pennsylvania and has a statewide economic impact of one-point-three (b) billion dollars.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A state judge says there will be a hand recount of 23-thousand ballots in a close legislative election. The judge rejected Democrats' call for a faster machine count for the election determining who controls the state House of Representatives. However, the Commonwealth Court judge did order the recount between Democrat Barbara McIlvaine Smith and Republican Shannon Royer to be completed by Tuesday of next week - the day after Christmas. Republicans have said they want a hand recount because they are concerned about evidence that some ballots may not have been properly scanned.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - All ten labor unions at Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News have ratified contracts with the papers' owners. The largest of them, The Newspaper Guild of Greater Philadelphia, held its ratification vote last night. Union president Henry Holcomb says 498 members voted to approve the three-year deal and 69 voted to reject it. Union leaders had urged members to approve the deal despite major concessions in it, saying it can be improved in the future. The company says it will need to lay off workers soon, but hasn't said exactly how many.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - An activist who won a split decision after suing last year to challenge the governmental pay-raise law has filed a new Commonwealth Court complaint. Gene Stilp is trying to stop judges from receiving cost-of-living increases. The Harrisburg man is seeking an injunction to prevent payment of what he claims are illegal raises. The defendants are Supreme Court Chief Justice Ralph Cappy, state Treasurer Bob Casey and state court system administrator Zygmont Pines. Stilp's lawsuit led the state Supreme Court to declare lawmakers' midterm pay raises unconstitutional. But he lost an effort to have the legislative procedures that were used to pass the law also ruled unconstitutional.