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Black Cannabis Week; Taste the Silk Way; Food workers strike

ADMIN 09/23/2024

Six years ago, Philadelphia’s first Black Cannabis Week was held to discuss Pa.’s new medical cannabis laws and opportunities in the growing market for entrepreneurs and patients alike. Nearly 600 people showed up for the event.

Medical cannabis in Pennsylvania has been legal since 2016. Now, the discussion is more focused on the potential adult-use recreational cannabis opportunities as there’s a slew of legalization proposals under consideration in the Pennsylvania legislature. Continue reading…

Black Cannabis Week has been an annual event since the medical cannabis industry began to blossom in Pennsylvania in 2018. (James Robinson courtesy of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus)

Traverse the gustatory path laid out at Silk Way, recently opened at 507 S. 6th street by Olzhas Karymsakov as his American dream. “Kazakhstan is a mixed place with a lot of ethnicities and cultures and nationalities, and our kitchen represents that,” Karymsakov told BP’s Ali Mohsen.

The restaurant’s name refers to the network of Eurasian routes used by traders until the mid-15th century, on which Almaty served as a center of commerce and agriculture. The menu is a celebration of Central Asian cuisines. Continue reading…

Olzhas Karymsakov (r) with younger brother Niko at their family-run restaurant Silk Way, recently opened at 507 S. 6th Street. (Ali Mohsen/Billy Penn)

RECAP: What else happened?

$ = paywalled

• Incumbent Republican Stacy Garrity and Democratic challenger Erin McClelland are the major party candidates on the ballot for Treasurer. [WHYY]

• Pa.’s highest court will take the “naked ballots” case that could determine the fate of thousands of votes that may otherwise be canceled in the Nov. 5 election. [AP]

• Aramark food and retail workers at South Philadelphia’s three sports stadiums are set to strike Monday. [CBS3]

• Whooping cough cases are rising to new high levels in Pa. [WHYY]

• A parade of principals testified to the Board of Education, moments before it took action to ramp up a comprehensive facilities study that is likely to result in at least several school closures across the city. [Chalkbeat]

• A federal judge temporarily suspended the deadline to move the SS United States out of a South Philly dock this week as mediated discussions over its fate continue. [PhillyVoice]

• ‘This is what we fight with’: Chinatown celebrates Mid-Autumn Festival amid battle against Sixers’ arena proposal.[WHYY]

MAYOR WATCH

Mayor Parker has no public appearances scheduled for today.

ON THE CALENDAR

👩🏽‍🌾 Tuesday, Sept. 24: Cafe Vine pop-up
Cafe Vine pops up at 1600 Vine Street with exclusive pastries and coffee, chocolate and other farmer’s market treats. (4 to 7 p.m.)

🎀 Tuesday, Sept. 24: Workshop: The Beauty of Korean Traditional Dance
Acclaimed dancer Kate Kim comes to East Falls to share the basic cultural and historical background of Korean traditional dance and teach basic moves. Free with registration. (5:30 to 7 p.m.)

🛍️ Wednesday, Sept. 25: Brewerytown Sidewalk Social
Join neighbors to celebrate community businesses, artists, food trucks, and performers. At 29th and Girard. (5:30-7:30 p.m.)

🎙️ Wednesday-Thursday, Sept. 25-26: Philly Story Fest
Listen to local journalists, writers, producers, and storytellers go behind the scenes of their reporting. The theme of this year’s Story Fest is “Singing From the Shadows.” Tickets from $21-$100. (8 p.m.)