‘Big Marijuana’ sets sights on Pennsylvania; Philly food program saves school lunches | Morning Newsletter
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The Morning Newsletter
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Pennsylvania officials wanted to prevent big companies from dominating the state’s medical marijuana business when the program was set up in 2018. But loopholes have allowed companies to do so anyway and now experts are worried it could wind up costing patients. Children could have paid the price after the company that handled the storage and distribution of school lunches throughout much of the Philly-area closed this year. Luckily, a local nonprofit saved the day. And some Philly commercial property owners are looking to rescue tax dollars they claim the city took from them illegally.
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— Ray Boyd (@RayBoydDigital, morningnewsletter@philly.com)
You’re invited: Thousands of young people will graduate from Philadelphia schools this spring. Come hear from some of the best and the brightest tonight. Inquirer education reporter Kristen Graham will speak with students from a variety of schools, including Mastery Charter-Shoemaker and Strawberry Mansion about their hopes, dreams, and experiences in city schools. Register for free at philly.com/inquiringminds.
Pennsylvania medical marijuana advocates are calling it a nightmare scenario. One of the state’s goals when setting up the medical marijuana program was to prevent big companies from dominating the business in the state. But it looks like it’s happening anyway.
Several companies are using loopholes in the state’s laws to snap up as many cannabis properties as they can. In fact, one of the nation’s largest cannabis companies, told investors this year that it controls seven permits in the state — two more than Pennsylvania allows.
Experts say these dynamics will make it hard for smaller businesses to survive and could have a major impact on patients’ wallets.
Share Food Program, a Hunting Park nonprofit, was able to step in to save Pennsylvania from a food disaster that nearly was.
In April, the company that stored and distributed food for Philadelphia-area school lunches announced that it was going out of business. The announcement caused panic as many wondered who would handle all of the product.
After some maneuvering from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and some changes by Share, the group was able to agree to take over storage and distribution of the food. “We were bordering on a crisis," Share’s executive director said. "it’s about schoolkids getting the food they need.”
One of the largest assessment appeal cases in Philadelphia’s history began Monday. And about $63 million in tax revenue is at stake.
The owners of 700 commercial properties are attempting to prove that they were illegally targeted by the city in a 2018 revaluation that caused their tax bills to skyrocket. The case involves some well-known Philly properties including One Liberty Place, Centre Square, and the Bellevue Hotel.
The city maintains that its work was legal. But the property owners believe it focused only on commercial parcels and therefore violated state law.
What you need to know today
MCS in Easton is the nation’s largest maker of many household products. But they don’t actually make any in the U.S. due to healthcare costs for workers. That’s why its CEO is joining a small group of business executives with a unique argument for supporting “Medicare for All."
The profile of undocumented immigrants in the United States has changed notably in the last decade. The research arrives while immigration remains a central focus of the 2020 presidential election.
Facebook posts or comments attributed to 15 high-ranking members of the Philadelphia Police Department — a police inspector, six captains, and eight lieutenants — were among those included in a database published Saturday by a group researching what it considers police bias. Seven Philadelphia officers’ postings have been under investigation by the department’s Internal Affairs unit for potential social-media policy violations.
When St. Joseph’s basketball coach Phil Martelli was fired in March after more than two decades on the sideline, he vowed to coach again. Now, he’s landed a new gig, but it’s a slightly different role than what he’s used to.
Major League Baseball has decided to make Phillies outfielder Odubel Herrera wait a little longer to find out about his future in the sport. He was arrested and charged following an alleged altercation involving his girlfriend.
New Jersey’s primary election is today. Here’s what you need to know.
Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly
This picture is an absolute home run. Thanks for sending it our way, @jwalter211.
Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and we’ll pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out!
That’s Interesting
Khaliah D. Pitts and Shivon Pearl Love are fighting against the “age of cultural disconnect.” The Philly natives want to reclaim black womanhood by teaching black girls about their culture through writing, reading, literature and cooking.
Daiyon Kpou started MOVES because she wanted to feel what it would be like to be “authentically queer,” in Philly. Now, the non-profit is doing the same for others — providing safe spaces for expression to queer and trans people of color.
Philly’s Graffiti Pier has becoming a dreamscape for those in search of the perfect Instagram pic. Now, the abandoned property is slated to become a public park, drawing into question the future of the iconic graffiti.
Listen up ... podcasting royalty is coming to Philly. Freakonomics Radio, which focuses on the science of human behavior on the economic decisions we make, is coming to the Merriam Theater this week to record a live episode — and you can attend.
Opinions
“No child should be left hungry simply because school is out of session. It’s time to strengthen our community-clinical connections to improve food-insecure children’s access to food, because hunger doesn’t take a holiday.” — Danielle Cullen, MD, MPH, MSHP, on addressing food insecure children’s’ challenges.
The debate over raising the minimum wage often focuses on how it would impact the economy. But based on a recent study, it appears that increasing the minimum wage might also save lives, the Inquirer Editorial Board writes.
Extremely premature infants could lose their lives and NICU costs could soar as a result of the Keystone Mothers’ Milk Bank Act under consideration in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, writes neonatologist Mitchell Goldstein.
What we’re reading
Alex Auder is not your typical yoga instructor. As the New York Times reports, Auder is taking aim at what she calls “the commodification of yoga," — sometimes mocking the wellness industry from her Philly studio.
If you’re looking for some wellness activities that make you feel a little nostalgic, Philadelphia Magazine has compiled a list of adult summer camps near Philly that will make you feel like a kid again (except some have wine).
Speaking of wine, there’s no place in the country more synonymous with grapevines than Napa Valley. But some entrepreneurs want to see a new crop take root. There’s a merlot vs. marijuana battle brewing in wine country, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
A Daily Dose of | Jeopardy!
All good things come to an end — including James Holzhauer’s historic run on Jeopardy! We caught up with Paoli native Emma Boettcher to discuss what it was like going up against Holzhauer and the moment in the game when she knew she was poised for victory.