🌿 Could Pennsylvania (finally) legalize weed?

City Council Could Withhold Funding Amid School Closure Debate

City Council members opposed to potential school closures in their districts are leveraging their veto power to sway school district officials. Ahead of a hearing on Feb. 17, City Council President Kenyatta Johnson expressed that he’d hold up the council’s contributions to the school district “if need be.” [🔒 The Inquirer]

• Related: Feedback sessions on the facilities master plan are ongoing through Feb. 21. [School District of Philadelphia]

Destroyed Mural Honoring the Philadelphia Stars to Be Recreated

The Negro League Baseball team, active between the 1920s and 1940s, played at 44th Street and Parkside Ballpark. A mural was unveiled in 2005 across the street, depicting several key players, until the building it was on was torn down last month. Now, Mural Arts plans to recreate the mural with the original artist, David Shane, on a freestanding wall at the same corner. [Philadelphia Tribune]

Lawmakers Still Divided on Legal Cannabis as Funds Begin to Dry Up

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget pitch included a renewed push for legal recreational cannabis and projected that, if passed, the state could earn more than $729 million in tax revenue in the first year. But some Republicans are still concerned about health implications and conflicts with federal law. The chamber will need to decide soon; the state’s savings could run out by the end of the 2027-2028 fiscal year if leaders don’t find new streams of revenue or make major cuts. [Spotlight PA]

Last Call at 4 A.M.?

The Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association is trying to capitalize on the influx of tourists during the World Cup by extending Philly bars’ operating hours. But contending with the state’s liquor laws isn’t without its challenges; the last attempt to loosen bars’ curfew was a decade ago and had lackluster participation. [Philly Voice]