Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania cannabis coalition says there’s still a path for adult-use legalization
Despite earlier reports that recreational cannabis legalization in Pennsylvania may have to wait until next year after being left out of the state budget, the spokeswoman of a pro-marijuana coalition said there’s still a window this coming fall for a bill to get through to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk.
“The pieces are aligned and teed up right now in a way that makes a fall session passage of adult use very likely,” said Brit Crampsie, spokeswoman for Responsible PA.
Crampsie said that although it was a bit of a setback with adult-use cannabis legalization being left out of the budget, there are still two active bills in both the Republican-controlled Senate and the Democratic-controlled House – and there will be at least three weeks in September when lawmakers reconvene from the summer break in which they could pass either of the measures.
“The conversations that are being had now in the debates are not what we saw about medical marijuana, about even considering the idea. We’re debating the technical aspects: the type of stores, not should we do this at all,” Crampsie said. “It’s become very much a when and how. We’re so far past the ‘if’ conversation.”
That technical debate is possibly the biggest stumbling block, with one stalled proposal from Democratic Rep. Dan Frankel that the industry should be composed of only state-run dispensaries, the same as the Pennsylvania liquor industry.
That was a nonstarter politically with the Black Legislative Caucus, Crampsie said.
But, she noted, there are two other measures – Senate Bill 846, by Republican Sen. Dan Laughlin and a House proposal by Democratic Rep. Emily Kinkead and Republican Rep. Aaron Kaufer – that are still active as well.
“Pennsylvania is uniquely divided right now, but as of June, and for the first time ever, there are bipartisan and bicameral (marijuana legalization) bills in both chambers,” Crampsie said. “We have legislation sponsored by House Republican and House Dem, and Senate legislation by both parties, and a governor who is outspokenly supportive.”
She also believes there’s enough consensus that one of the two bills will go to Shapiro before the end of the year.
“I would say within a year the adult use market will be up and running in Pennsylvania. I feel very strongly about that. Every caucus is supportive. The governor is supportive,” Crampsie said. “We need recurring revenue. There’s always opposition to raising taxes, and there are major funding needs that are certainly not going away. This is one of the only ways that we can raise revenue.”
Pennsylvania
Man cited after abandoning car in frozen pond at Pennsylvania country club: Police
A man has been cited after police said he drove a vehicle into a frozen pond at a country club in Pennsylvania, left the scene, then spent the night in a hotel.
According to the East Lampeter Township Police Department, on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, around 10:38 a.m., officers were called to the Lancaster Country Club after receiving reports about a vehicle in a pond.
Police said that, through an investigation, it was learned that Sung Chun, a 50-year-old man from Hoboken, New Jersey, had driven onto the property the day before around 8:30 p.m., crossed portions of the golf course, and ultimately ended up in a pond.
Chun then exited the vehicle and walked away without reporting the incident and spent the night at a nearby hotel, according to police.
Credit: East Lampeter Township Police Department
Credit: East Lampeter Township Police Department

Credit: East Lampeter Township Police Department
Police said Chun returned to the location while police were on scene investigating the incident and was ultimately cited with “Trespass by Motor Vehicle.”
Pennsylvania
State College, Pennsylvania: 2026 USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards
Pennsylvania
What the war with Iran could mean for gas prices in western Pennsylvania
The war with Iran could start impacting your wallet as soon as today.
Jim Garrity from AAA East Central says oil prices are up.
“They’re hovering around $72. They were pretty consistently around $65, $66 for a while,” he said.
Nationally, AAA said the average for a gallon of regular sits at about $3, up approximately six cents from last week.
In Pennsylvania, it’s around $3.12 a gallon, and in the Pittsburgh region, it’s around $3.24 a gallon. That’s actually down about four cents from last week.
Garrity added that gas prices this time of year would already be increasing, usually because of higher demand for the warmer months and the production of the summer blend of gas used for those months.
The impacts of what’s happening in Iran may not be immediate, which could be part of why our region and the state overall have not seen a spike yet, he said.
“It could be a couple of days later. It could be up to a week later,” Garrity said.
A lot of people are watching what happens with the Strait of Hormuz. Iran borders it to the north, and 20% of the world’s oil goes through it.
Iran is one of the world’s biggest oil producers, and China gets a lot of that oil.
“If there is an impact there, you could see oil start to come in from other parts of the world, which has a downstream effect on [the United States],” Garrity said.
One way you can save on gas if prices increase in our area is by slowing down.
“When you drive faster every five miles, over 50 miles an hour, your fuel efficiency is going down,” Garrity said. “You’re making the car work harder, making the gasoline consumption less effective.”
Garrity added that in 2022, when our area and many others saw some of the highest gas prices ever recorded, people changed their driving habits.
“We saw people make seemingly permanent changes to their driving behaviors, driving less in general, consolidating trips,” he said.
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