🏪 City Council targets smoke shops

🗳️ What’s at Stake With PA’s Supreme Court

Philly isn’t just deciding who will be our district attorney in two weeks; we’ll be deciding the future of our state’s Supreme Court. The choice to retain three justices could impact future rulings on election law, the make-up of our congressional delegation, and access to abortion, so major dollars are pouring into the race. [🎧 City Cast Philly]

• Related: Oct. 28 is the last day to request a mail-in or absentee ballot before the Nov. 4 election.

🛍️ Should Philly Charge for Paper Bags?

A bill to require stores to charge 10 cents per paper bag may not get support from Mayor Parker, whose administration worries the fee could be a burden on residents. Implementing a fee was first considered and then rejected when the city first banned plastic bags in 2019. [WHYY]

🏪 High Time for a Smoke Shop Crackdown

Proposed legislation would not only classify the sale of unlicensed cannabis and tobacco as civil matters instead of criminal in order to shut stores down more quickly, but it would also make it illegal for violators to continue operations under new names. [🔒 The Inquirer]

• Related: Councilmember Cindy Bass has made cracking down on nuisance businesses one of her top priorities. [🎧 City Cast Philly]

⚖️ Is Mayor’s New Wellness Court for Drug Offenders Working?

Only eight out of 87 people who were arrested during the first four months of the new Kensington Neighborhood Wellness Court completed the program, with one participant later dying from an overdose. Advocates worry most people brought to court are too intoxicated or sick to make decisions about whether to go to treatment or trial. [Kensington Voice]

• Related: The Wellness Court is one of several initiatives aimed at bringing overdose rates down. [🎧 City Cast Philly]

We’re back with another “Where Is It?” challenge, our game where you guess the locations of street art and landmarks around the city. Be sure to check the newsletter from last week for the answer to our last challenge!

If you’ve been inside this building, you may have seen “The Dream Garden” in its atrium.