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3 Things: Gay Marriage in Jersey, Casinos, Eagles in the Playoffs

By Joel Mathis

Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Jan. 8, 2010

Three things to know in Philly today:

JERSEY SENATE VOTES NO ON GAY MARRIAGE: TRENTON — The State Senate on Thursday rejected a proposal that would have made New Jersey the sixth state in the nation to allow marriages involving same-sex couples. The vote was the latest in a succession of setbacks for advocates of gay marriage across the country. After months of intense lobbying and hours of emotional debate, lawmakers voted 20 to 14 against the bill, bringing tears from some advocates who packed the Senate chambers and rousing applause from opponents of the measure, who also came out in force. The vote ends the effort to win legislative approval of the measure, and sets the stage for a new battle before the New Jersey Supreme Court. (New York Times)

CASINOS GET READY FOR TABLE GAMES: KYW's Paul Kurtz reports from Chester (Delaware County), Pa., that for Philadelphia-area casinos, it's full steam ahead on their plans to replace electronic table games (above) with the real thing.Governor Ed Rendell has signed into a law that bill that will allow "table" games such as roulette, poker, and blackjack to take their place alongside slot machines in Pennsylvania casinos, most likely sometime this summer. At Harrah's in Chester, senior vice president and general manager Vince Donlevie says he is about to go on a hiring binge: "Somewhere in the neighborhood of 300 jobs we expect here at Harrah's Chester. And they're well paying jobs." (KYW 1060)

EAGLES OPEN THE PLAYOFFS AT THE COWBOYS: Six Eagles were voted to the Pro Bowl, honoring them as the best, or at least close to the best, at their position. Those six players all need to have a Pro Bowl type of performance tomorrow night when the Eagles travel back to Dallas to face the Cowboys in the opening-round of the NFC playoffs. "It's time for guys to step up,'' quarterback Donovan McNabb, who is not one of the Pro Bowl players, said. "We need everyone at their best.'' (AP)