đź«— Last call on THC drinks? | Morning Newsletter
And SEPTA misses another deadline
The Morning Newsletter
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Wake up, Philly, we made it to Friday.
THC-infused beverages, sold at smoke shops across the Philadelphia region, will soon be illegal. Companies are now mobilizing to save the billion-dollar industry, while officials say reforms could avert a public health crisis.
And SEPTA is set to miss another deadline, this time due to a lack of parts to install heat-detection systems in Regional Rail cars.
Read along for these stories and more.
— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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THC drinks, found for sale on shelves in Philadelphia and beyond, could soon be illegal after Congress banned intoxicating hemp products.
Catch up quick: Hemp-derived THC seltzers, teas, and sodas are widely available at gas stations and liquor stores. This unregulated market, made possible through a legal loophole that will close as soon as 2027, has exploded into a billion-dollar business.
The industry responds: As companies brace for impact, leaders are fighting for changes and extended grace periods for the legislation, warning the ban could hurt distribution lines and sales. Meanwhile, consumers say demand will remain even if the beverages are prohibited.
Concerns remain: Philly-area prosecutors stress the public health is at risk and are pushing for sweeping reforms and regulations, similar to those on alcohol and tobacco. And while some industry stakeholders also support more oversight, some small-business owners worry about the effects of “overcorrection.”
Reporter Henry Savage has the story.
SEPTA had until Friday to finish equipping all 223 Silverliner IV Regional Rail cars with a new safety feature, but the transit agency didn’t make the deadline.
It blames a shortage of thermal wire, necessary for the heat-detection system required by the Federal Railroad Administration.
To outfit the entire fleet, SEPTA needed about 39,000 feet of wire. It’s short by about 7,000.
Transportation reporter Tom Fitzgerald explains what this means for the system and commuters.
What you should know today
The Philadelphia School Board reelected its president and vice president and approved a new contract for principals that, for the first time, includes paid parental leave.
A second woman has accused a Philadelphia doctor of sexual abuse that allegedly occurred when she worked for him as a medical assistant.
President Donald Trump will visit Northeast Pennsylvania on Tuesday to promote his economic agenda, including efforts to lower inflation, the White House confirmed to The Inquirer on Thursday.
Immigration activists rallied at Philadelphia’s Criminal Justice Center Thursday to demand Sheriff Rochelle Bilal bar ICE from the courthouse, while Bilal supporters said she’s been unfairly blamed. Meanwhile in Montgomery County, advocates urged local towns and municipalities to enact policies that would limit police and local government cooperation with ICE.
The family of a man accused of killing his wife is suing Montgomery County and two medical companies, saying they denied him crucial healthcare while in the county jail, leading to his untimely death.
Paul Staico, owner of the South Philly bar dedicated to the Kansas City Chiefs, has died at 59. Many of the people who packed Big Charlie’s Saloon every Sunday said they were mostly “there for Paul.”
Burlington County prosecutors charged two men in connection with a double fatal shooting outside a Bordentown convenience store in November.
Waymo has begun testing driverless cars in Philadelphia. It expects to offer its robotaxis to customers at some point afterward.
Uri Monson, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s longtime confidant and Pennsylvania’s budget secretary, is the new executive director of the $80 billion-asset Pennsylvania school pension and investment system.
A $78.6 million hybrid ferry slated to join the fleet of vessels connecting Cape May and Lewes, Del., is expected to begin construction in 2026.
Welcome back to Curious Philly Friday. We’ll feature both new and timeless stories from our forum for readers to ask about the city’s quirks.
This week, we have an explainer from reporter Michelle Myers on the dynamics of the live poultry business in the Philadelphia region.
Every week, about 500,000 birds are sent to live poultry stores across Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. These markets are more common in areas like Philadelphia with significant and growing immigrant populations. Here’s the full story.
Have your own burning question about Philadelphia, its local oddities, or how the region works? Submit it here and you might find the answer featured in this space.
🧠Trivia time
This musician with Pennsylvania roots slammed the Trump administration this week for using their song without permission in a video promoting ICE.
A) Diplo
B) Pink
C) Taylor Swift
D) Sabrina Carpenter
Think you got it? Test your local news know-how and check your answer in our weekly quiz.
What we’re...
🧆 Excited to try: Some of the finest falafel in the Philly region.
🚧 Checking: How much of the I-95 cap project is now complete.
đź’° Breaking down: Why South Jersey superintendents get tens of thousands of dollars in bonuses.
âšľ Remembering: When the Phillies gave up on converting New York baseball fans.
đź“ť Considering: A study on how preserving historic districts actually impacts development and housing.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: A classic South Philadelphia restaurant
HENCE FIFTH AGO
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Morgan Flores, who solved Thursday’s anagram: RuPaul’s Drag Race. Philly drag queen Mandy Mango will compete in the show’s 18th season, premiering in January.
Photo of the day
Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful weekend.
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