The Cella family, now that expanded casino-style machine gambling is just around the corner at their Hot Springs race track, has kicked in the promised $1 million to a foundation to support Hot Springs students and seniors. It’s said to be the largest single contribution to charity in Hot Springs.

Note that congratulations were bestowed by Gov. Mike Huckabee, an avowed gambling opponent, who didn’t even wait the statutory five days to announce that he would not veto the narrowly passed 2005 legislation that cleared the decks for video poker and blackjack and slot machine-type wagering at Oaklawn and Southland. (Incidentally, this legislation guarantees wide gambling options for any Indian tribes able to clear federal regulatory hurdles to open a casino in Arkansas, our nominal constitutional prohibition on gambling notwithstanding.)

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The Cellas took care of Huckabee before Hot Springs. Their investment company made a $10,000 contribution to his presidential exploratory PAC several months ago. Er, excuse us. We meant his PAC to encourage healthier living in America (through keeping The Huckster on the public teat).

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