Your Daily Guide

New Guardrails on Kratom in PA

The state House unanimously passed a bill that would ban synthetic kratom compounds, restrict natural leaf sales to people 21 and older, and require sellers to register with the state and follow new packaging rules. The bill now heads to the state Senate. [Penn Capital-Star]

• Retailers could also face $5,000 fines for selling e-cigarettes or flavored tobacco products to minors, if a separate House bill makes it through the Senate. [WTAJ]
• A new vape registry could shrink what some shops are allowed to sell. One Ross store owner says 95% of her current vape inventory won’t be legal to sell starting Oct. 19, unless more products get approved. Shops that sell unlisted products could face a $1,500 fine for each confiscated item. [KDKA]
• Kratom can have opioid-like effects and become addictive, but products sold in PA currently aren’t regulated for potency or purity. [TribLive]

We talked about kratom use and the deaths linked to it on a recent City Cast Pittsburgh podcast:

Who Gets the Meta Money?

Pennsylvania is set to get between $516 million and $729 million from Meta over the next 10 years, but there could be a fight over who gets to control it. Lawmakers from both parties say they expect to be involved in making spending decisions, but no guidelines have been set. The first payment is set for Jan. 15. [Spotlight PA]

Data Center Debate in Elizabeth

Emails between a developer and municipal officials revealed plans for a one-gigawatt data center campus and natural gas plant. The project would take over a former U.S. Steel landfill and could eventually include millions of square feet across the 549-acre site. The developer hasn’t submitted official plans yet, but residents are already raising concerns. The township is holding a town hall Oct. 13 to discuss the proposal. [Public Source]

• This isn’t the only local data center drawing scrutiny. A recent meeting over a proposed data center in Forward Township had to be canceled because so many people showed up. About 400 attended the rescheduled meeting, and officials ultimately tabled the proposal. [🔒Post-Gazette]

The Kids Are Alright

Good news: Bullying is down and student mental health is up, according to new data from the Pennsylvania Youth Survey. Students report that trusted adults are intervening more regularly, and 83.2% say they feel safe at school. [PA Gov]

Palm Palm Gets a Yelp Nod

The new-ish East Liberty spot landed at No. 24 on Yelp’s list of the 25 Best New Restaurants in America for its Palm Springs vibe and menu items like grilled cheese and tomato soup dumpling, shrimp and grits, and brûléed oranges. [Yelp]

• Palm Palm’s sister restaurant Ritual House is also one of Pittsburgh’s most-booked spots, alongside places like Eddie V’s and The Capital Grille. [OpenTable]