What’s next for weed legalization in Pa. | Morning Newsletter
💰 Big money in college sports
The Morning Newsletter
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We’re in for a mostly sunny Sunday with a high near 61. It’s a perfect day to cozy up with a warm fall drink.
Two out of every three registered voters in Pennsylvania support the legalization of adult-use cannabis, according to a 2022 poll, and state leaders are eyeing 2024 for it to pass in the state. Our lead story looks at where these efforts stand.
— Paola Pérez (@pdesiperez, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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It’s all very hazy.
Another push for legalization is underway in the state legislature. It’s the same push that’s been ongoing since before the pandemic.
However, there still isn’t enough bipartisan support to get recreational marijuana on shelves.
Because Pa. is one of 24 states that do not have initiative and referendum processes that would allow citizens to vote on measures such as marijuana legalization, any change would have to go through the state legislature.
Currently, there’s one bipartisan recreational marijuana legalization bill on the table. The adult-use cannabis bill (SB846) is being studied within the Senate’s Law and Justice Committee (chaired by Republican State Sen. Mike Regan, one of the few Senate Republicans openly supporting legalization), bringing it closer to a possible vote.
While these developments may seem promising for legalization of weed, there are still hurdles to overcome.
Keep reading to see what’s in the Senate bill and what’s next for marijuana in the Keystone State.
What you should know today
More people are back in the office, but commuters say SEPTA service hasn’t fully restored service schedules to their pre-pandemic state.
Philadelphia police have issued an arrest warrant for a 19-year-old man who they believe killed Josh Kruger, the local journalist fatally shot in his home earlier this week.
On Friday, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation reversed plans to close the ball courts at Kingsessing Recreation Center. If the courts closed, residents said, it would leave Southwest Philly youth with nowhere to go.
Philadelphia police embarked on a multi-day, citywide operation to crack down on illegal ATVs and dirt bikes. This comes after a viral Center City assault last weekend in which a motorcyclist destroyed the back window of a 23-year-old woman’s car with her family inside.
Friends and family members of 18-year-old Anthony Allegrini Jr. rallied Saturday to demand a “thorough investigation” into Allegrini’s death. In June, a Pennsylvania state trooper shot and killed the teen while attempting to disperse a car meet near Penn’s Landing.
The union that represents 2,000 workers who clean and maintain most of Philadelphia’s commercial buildings ratified a new contract improving pay and benefits, despite significant economic challenges faced by the building owners who employ them.
Three years after it closed during the pandemic, High Street is back — in a larger, more ambitious Center City location with a bar.
🎤 Now I’m passing the mic to our senior sports editor Kerith Gabriel:
Chances are, you probably know that college athletes can now be compensated for their talents. And the ones with elite talent — they can essentially name their price.
What this has caused is a bidding war for top athletes in high revenue generating programs throughout the NCAA, specifically in Division I sports. It’s also created an immense amount of parity as schools with big time collectives with cash to support these programs reap the rewards while others get left out in the cold.
So where does this put Philadelphia’s six Division I universities?
In a four-part Inquirer series called Collective Effort, writer Mike Jensen takes a look at each school, and the deficiencies that lie within.
From Villanova’s growing war chest, to the lack thereof for schools like La Salle, St. Joseph’s, and Drexel; the dire straits of Temple athletics to the laissez-faire attitude of a program like Penn; keep reading our series to know where Philly schools stack up. — Kerith Gabriel
❓Pop quiz❓
This week in history, 13 Quaker and Mennonite families from Germany arrived in Philly searching for religious freedom. The city would never be the same.
What year did they arrive?
A) 1776
B) 1683
C) 1534
D) 1895
Think you know? Check your answer here.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram 🧩
Hint: Loves hoagies and home runs
BREWERS CHALKY
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Caren Hertz who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Jim Gardner.
Photo of the day
🎶 Today’s Sunday track goes like this: “This is my year, man, if you couldn’t tell.” 🎶 We’re listening to the Phillies’ walk-up music playlist all through Red October.
👋🏽 Thanks for starting your day with The Inquirer. Take care.