Latest news with #Pennsylvania-based
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
One question dogs Pennsylvania's cannabis debate: Should big businesses have a leg up?
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — It wasn't simply opposition to recreational marijuana that led a GOP-led state Senate panel to roundly reject a Democratic pitch to legalize the drug earlier this month. Lawmakers balked at selling cannabis at state-run stores similar to Pennsylvania's liquor shops and shutting out existing medical dispensaries. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Since that vote, there hasn't been any public movement on legalization, and it's unlikely any deal will be reached by the June 30 budget deadline. That's because of the complexity of the issue and lawmakers' significant remaining areas of disagreement, including just how much of a leg up existing cannabis companies should get in a potentially multibillion-dollar market. As the legislature mulls that question, major companies that sell medical marijuana in Pennsylvania and recreational cannabis in other states are spending millions of dollars to influence them. At least two of the legalization proposals circulating in Harrisburg would allow medical sellers to convert to recreational sales, according to the bills' sponsors. Entering the recreational market first offers a major advantage, often letting sellers begin operating before stricter regulations are fully enacted and capturing a significant share of customers before competitors are off the ground. That happened in Maryland when recreational cannabis was legalized in 2023: medical dispensaries were allowed to immediately begin selling to recreational customers, while social equity applicants had to wait nearly a year for licensing approval before beginning the process of setting up stores. As they waited, medical and adult-use sales exceeded $1.1 billion. Cannabis companies are willing to spend heavily to secure that kind of head start, said Chris Goldstein, a Pennsylvania-based advocate with the pro-legalization National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. In 2024 alone, cannabis companies spent at least $1.6 million lobbying lawmakers in Pennsylvania. Big cannabis companies also have the resources to sue when they oppose regulations. A lawsuit brought by a multistate operator, for instance, led federal courts to strike down Maine's requirement that license holders be state residents. Goldstein said lobbying and lawsuits can make it difficult for states to enact consumer protection regulations that succeed at making a market competitive for smaller businesses. 'States are trying to compete against international multibillion-dollar corporations who have lobbyists, lots of money, and … are quite litigious to boot,' Goldstein said. Goldstein favors excluding existing medical cannabis dispensaries from recreational sales, a proposition that appears unlikely to succeed with Pennsylvania lawmakers. But other consumer advocates say there are ways for the state legislature to prioritize small businesses, especially those impacted by the war on drugs, while still allowing medical sellers to participate in the industry. Kristal Bush is a cannabis advocate who formerly worked for Trulieve, one of the largest cannabis companies in the U.S. If Pennsylvania legalizes recreational cannabis, she believes it should delay commercial sales to give small businesses time to set up dispensaries. Moving too quickly without giving them this setup time, she said, is what enables legacy businesses to dominate the industry. 'If we're just pushing for legalization this year … that's not enough time to get people that [are not] on the legacy market the resources to be able to compete,' Bush told Spotlight PA. 'We're really setting our people up for failure.' Bush said the state should work with small businesses to provide 'pre-industry support' over the next few years. That includes the state proactively looking for social equity applicants, providing training and technical assistance for those applicants, and creating workforce development programs for the cannabis industry, all before legalization occurs. She supports allowing medical dispensaries to convert their existing licenses to permit recreational sales. However, Bush thinks all new licenses should be reserved for small business owners, particularly those from communities disproportionately impacted by the criminalization of cannabis. All of the proposals on the table in Pennsylvania include social equity measures. Ideas include directing tax revenue to grant and loan programs for communities impacted by the war on drugs and expunging the records of individuals convicted of nonviolent marijuana-related crimes. Damian Fagon — director of the Bronx Cannabis Hub, which helps residents navigate New York's cannabis laws, and former chief equity officer of the state's Office of Cannabis Management — said the legislature can also implement policies to make the industry more equitable once it's up and running. For example, he suggested lawmakers could require dispensaries to stock a certain percentage of their inventory from cannabis growers based in Pennsylvania or from those who qualify as social equity licensees. Fagon emphasized that achieving equity depends on allowing medical sellers and small businesses to access the recreational market at the same time, though he acknowledged that synchronizing this rollout would be challenging. New York did not initially allow its small network of medical cannabis sellers to join the recreational market, instead prioritizing the establishment of dispensaries run by those harmed by marijuana prohibition. The lack of licensed dispensaries resulted in a large illicit market. 'There are entrenched interests in Pennsylvania that you know will have a lot of influence over this legislative process, and not in the way that advantages small business,' Fagon said. Lobbyists for large medical cannabis companies have pushed back against proposals aimed at excluding existing sellers, arguing that these approaches would just harm consumers. Meredith Buettner, executive director of the Pennsylvania Cannabis Coalition — a trade group representing medical cannabis sellers and associated businesses — said medical companies have already invested millions to build a robust network that could easily transition into the recreational market. She also warned that barring medical dispensaries from the recreational market could lead to a surge in unlicensed sellers, similar to what happened in New York. 'Instead of reinventing the wheel, Pennsylvanians would be best served by allowing the medical industry to continue in the market they already invested millions in,' Buettner told Spotlight PA. Several consumer protection advocates who focus on the country's burgeoning recreational cannabis industry told Spotlight PA that they would have reservations about bills that allow well-established sellers to enter Pennsylvania's new market without strict guidelines, such as limits on how many licenses medical sellers can obtain or mandating the dispensaries to stock products from local growers. Lawmakers are floating legalization proposals in Harrisburg, but none have formally introduced bill language yet. However, a previous version of a bill backed by state Sen. Dan Laughlin (R., Erie) — who heads a key committee and has the best shot at pushing a measure through the chamber — included restrictions on the number of licenses and required medical sellers seeking a recreational license to 'sponsor' a social equity candidate. Laughlin has declined to comment on when he plans to reintroduce his bill, saying recently it's 'not ready yet. ' While many lawmakers' goal was to include a legal cannabis deal in this year's budget — bringing with it badly needed revenue — it's looking less likely, according to at least one key member. Asked whether a cannabis agreement looked possible by the end of next month, state Rep. Rick Krajewski (D., Philadelphia), a sponsor of his chamber's now-dead state store bill, told Spotlight PA, 'I don't think so, unless [the state Senate's] tune changes.' 'The Senate has to get serious, and they have to either bring up the bill for reconsideration or send us something else,' he said. State House Majority Leader Matt Bradford (D., Montgomery) said his chamber, having already advanced its pitch, is taking a backseat. He's now waiting to see if the state Senate will pass its own legalization bill. A spokesperson for the upper chamber did not return a request for comment. If you learned something from this article, pay it forward and contribute to Spotlight PA at Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Bronx high school student Dylan detained by ICE asks judge to order his release
Dylan, the 20-year-old Bronx public school student arrested by federal immigration authorities sued the Trump administration late Thursday night over his ongoing detention in Pennsylvania. The 'habeas corpus' petition asked a western Pennsylvania federal judge to find Dylan's arrest was unconstitutional and violated his due process rights — and order his immediate release. 'As long as he remains detained, his health is at continued, serious risk; his ability to [seek a green card] is jeopardized; and he will fall behind on his schoolwork,' read the suit. The complaint, which was first reported by Chalkbeat, names Todd Lyons, the acting director of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and Pennsylvania-based immigration authorities as defendants. The Daily News has withheld Dylan's last name at the request of his family. Dylan, who fled persecution in Venezuela, is currently being held at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Clearfield County, Penn. He has no criminal history and entered the country legally with humanitarian parole under President Biden. He and his mother appeared on May 21 without a lawyer for a routine court hearing, where the federal government asked a Manhattan immigration judge to dismiss his case. Late last week, his newly retained lawyers at the New York Legal Assistance Group filed a motion to reconsider the dismissal. On their way out of the courthouse, two plainclothes ICE officers followed them into an elevator, handcuffed Dylan and threatened to take in his mother if she tried to record his arrest on her cellphone, according to court documents. His lawyers allege the dismissal was part of a new 'coordinated practice' to transfer Dylan and others out of standard proceedings into a process known as 'expedited removal,' which offers fewer protections. They say the student was selected at 'random.' Removal proceedings are overseen by immigration judges, who are part of the U.S. Department of Justice. Through the process, people can gather evidence and present witnesses, and appeal deportation orders up to the Board of Immigration Appeals and the Circuit Courts of Appeals. By contrast, the expedited removal process — which has been greatly expanded during the Trump administration — is overseen by DHS. That means Dylan and other immigrants in his position have no opportunity to bring their case before a judge or appeal their decision, the lawyers said. DHS earlier this week condemned a Biden-era asylum process that allowed immigrants like Dylan to enter the country with a notice to appear before a judge. The agency claimed President Trump has reverted back to following the law and that the student and others in his position should have faced expedited removal from the beginning. 'If individuals have a valid credible-fear claim, they will continue in immigration proceedings,' officials said in a statement, 'but if no valid claim is found, aliens will be subject to a swift deportation.' Dylan's interview with DHS over his fear claim was Thursday morning. If decided in his favor, his case would revert back to the regular deportation process, according to the suit — but he would remain in detention 'far from loved ones and counsel.' His claim remained pending as of the petition's filing. His lawyers claim he did not meet the requirements for an expedited removal due to the length of time he's been in the United States and that he was legally paroled into the country when he entered. 'The government has not justified why it specifically targeted, arrested, and detained Dylan, a high school student without a criminal record and abiding by all immigration laws and procedures,' read the complaint. And the harms of continuing to detain Dylan may be irreparable, the habeas petition argued. Dylan has a chronic illness related to his stomach, according to his lawyers, which his doctors are still trying to diagnose and treat. The process has required various medical tests to determine whether his symptoms are indicators of cancer or Crohn's disease, and on Tuesday, he got results back that require an in-person appointment as soon as possible. Before he was arrested, Dylan was also in the middle of a process to obtain what's known as Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJS) status based on the death of his father, which would give him a pathway to a green card. He had a hearing scheduled in that process for Friday, which his lawyers expected to miss. Dylan turns 21 later this year and would no longer be eligible for that process. While the case plays out, Dylan's lawyers requested that he remain in Pennsylvania. Since he was taken into custody, Dylan has been moved between facilities in Pennsylvania, Texas, Louisiana and New Jersey. His lawyers accused the federal government of misrepresenting Dylan's whereabouts and said they were unable to speak with Dylan until Wednesday morning — a week after his arrest. In the year and change he was in New York, Dylan enrolled in ELLIS Prep, a program for English learners overaged for traditional high school. Dylan was granted work authorization and took care of his two younger siblings. While his mom worked long hours, he picked the kids up from school. And with the help of his supplemental income as a part-time delivery driver, they were able to move their family out of a homeless shelter — and into their own apartment. New York politicians and immigration advocates have condemned Dylan's detention, including a protest on the steps of the public school system's headquarters on Thursday, which drew hundreds of supporters and even the city schools chancellor. After distancing himself earlier this week from Dylan's arrest, Mayor Adams under pressure from local lawmakers on Friday released a statement that he was 'sad to learn of this incident,' especially since Dylan was following a legal process. 'Keeping New Yorkers safe has always been Mayor Adams' top priority,' said his spokesman Zachary Nosanchuk, 'and he has been clear that our city is less safe when people are afraid to use public resources — like sending their children to school … or partaking in legal proceedings at court.'
Business Journals
a day ago
- Business
- Business Journals
WaWa opens first Louisville-area store in Clarksville
The Pennsylvania-based chain known for its fresh food offerings has made its debut in the Louisville market.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Philly bands SNACKTIME, Mo Lowda & the Humble open Sunday Boston Calling main stage (Photos)
Two Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based bands opened the biggest stage of Boston Calling for the third and final day of the Memorial Day weekend musical festival. SNACKTIME, a soul and funk alternative band that got its start playing free shows in their hometown five years ago, warmed up the Green Stage with a riveting performance featuring a variety of instrumentation during their half-hour set at 1:30 p.m. Read More: Dave Matthews Band closes out Boston Calling 2025 with Sunday headliner (Photos) The Philadelphia-based indie rock band Mo Lowda & the Humble performs on the Green Stage of Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. The Philadelphia-based indie rock band Mo Lowda & the Humble performs on the Green Stage of Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. The Philadelphia-based indie rock band Mo Lowda & the Humble performs on the Green Stage of Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. The Philadelphia-based indie rock band Mo Lowda & the Humble performs on the Green Stage of Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. The Philadelphia-based indie rock band Mo Lowda & the Humble performs on the Green Stage of Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. The Philadelphia-based indie rock band Mo Lowda & the Humble performs on the Green Stage of Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. The Philadelphia-based indie rock band Mo Lowda & the Humble performs on the Green Stage of Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. The Philadelphia-based indie rock band Mo Lowda & the Humble performs on the Green Stage of Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. The Philadelphia-based indie rock band Mo Lowda & the Humble performs on the Green Stage of Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. The Philadelphia-based indie rock band Mo Lowda & the Humble performs on the Green Stage of Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. The Philadelphia-based indie rock band Mo Lowda & the Humble performs on the Green Stage of Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. The Philadelphia-based indie rock band Mo Lowda & the Humble performs on the Green Stage of Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Fellow Philadelphians Mo Lowda & the Humble, an indie rock band known for songs such as 'Beachtown,' have been together for more than a decade and took over the Green Stage at 2:10 p.m. for a half-hour set of their own. The band has an upcoming album titled 'Tailing the Ghost' set to be released in June. See some of MassLive's favorite photos from both SNACKTIME and Mo Lowda & the Humble's performances above, and some of the best of Sunday's overall lineup below. Dave Matthews Band headlines the Green Stage at Boston Calling, closing out the music festival on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Vampire Weekend leads vocalist Ezra Koenig performs on the Green Stage at Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Singer Remi Wolf and her band perform on the Green Stage at Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. The Philadelphia-based soul and funk band SNACKTIME performs on the Green Stage of Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Alternative rock band Spin Doctors performs on the Green Stage at Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Indie rock act Goth Babe, led by singer Griff Washburn, performs on the Green Stage at Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Dave Matthews Band headlines the Green Stage at Boston Calling, closing out the music festival on Sunday, May 25, 2025. The Philadelphia-based soul and funk band SNACKTIME performs on the Green Stage of Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Indie rock act Goth Babe performs on the Green Stage at Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Singer Remi Wolf and her band perform on the Green Stage at Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. The Philadelphia-based indie rock band Mo Lowda & the Humble performs on the Green Stage of Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Vampire Weekend lead vocalist Ezra Koenig performs on the Green Stage at Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Goth Babe's Griff Washburn passes out inflatable rafts to spectators for crowd surfing. A fan crowd surfs on an inflatable raft during Goth Babe's set at Boston Calling. Singer Remi Wolf and her band perform on the Green Stage at Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. The Philadelphia-based indie rock band Mo Lowda & the Humble performs on the Green Stage of Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Vampire Weekend lead vocalist Ezra Koenig performs on the Green Stage at Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Dave Matthews Band headlines the Green Stage at Boston Calling, closing out the music festival on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Singer Remi Wolf and her band perform on the Green Stage at Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. The Philadelphia-based soul and funk band SNACKTIME performs on the Green Stage of Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Indie rock band Vampire Weekend performs on the Green Stage at Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Dave Matthews Band headlines the Green Stage at Boston Calling, closing out the music festival on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Indie rock band Vampire Weekend performs on the Green Stage at Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Singer Remi Wolf and her band perform on the Green Stage at Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Indie rock act Goth Babe performs on the Green Stage at Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. The Philadelphia-based soul and funk band SNACKTIME performs on the Green Stage of Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. The Philadelphia-based indie rock band Mo Lowda & the Humble performs on the Green Stage of Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Dave Matthews Band headlines the Green Stage at Boston Calling, closing out the music festival on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Singer Remi Wolf and her band perform on the Green Stage at Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Indie rock act Goth Babe performs on the Green Stage at Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. The Philadelphia-based soul and funk band SNACKTIME performs on the Green Stage of Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Vampire Weekend bassist Chris Baio performs on the Green Stage at Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Singer Remi Wolf and her band perform on the Green Stage at Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Dave Matthews Band headlines the Green Stage at Boston Calling, closing out the music festival on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Alternative rock band Spin Doctors performs on the Green Stage at Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. The Philadelphia-based indie rock band Mo Lowda & the Humble performs on the Green Stage of Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Ska punk band Sublime prepares to take the Green Stage at Boston Calling on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Remi Wolf overcomes audio issues to give powerhouse Boston Calling set (Photos) Goth Babe animates audience at Boston Calling with crowd surfing, contest (Photos) Vampire Weekend gives penultimate performance on Sunday at Boston Calling (Photos) Dave Matthews Band closes out Boston Calling 2025 with Sunday headliner (Photos) Americana band hopes to 'slingshot forward' following Boston Calling debut Read the original article on MassLive.
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Hamilton Lane: Fiscal Q4 Earnings Snapshot
CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. (AP) — CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. (AP) — Hamilton Lane Inc. (HLNE) on Thursday reported fiscal fourth-quarter profit of $50.5 million. The Conshohocken, Pennsylvania-based company said it had profit of $1.23 per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time items, came to $1.21 per share. The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.20 per share. The private-market investment firm posted revenue of $198 million in the period, which also topped Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $173.6 million. _____
