Introduction: The Institute’s Economic Competitiveness Report

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Sticky situation: Honey splatters, bees scatter after I-81 truck crash

WILKES-BARRE TWP. &mdash; The newest medical marijuana dispensary to come to Northeastern Pennsylvania is gearing up for its grand opening on Wednesday, and officials held an open house on Friday to let potential new customers know they&rsquo;re ready for them.
				Ethos Cannabis is preparing to open its fourth medical marijuana dispensary in the state, with this newest location coming to Bear Creek Commons, near the Buffalo Wild Wings in Wilkes-Barre Township.
				Alex Chadwick, chief of staff and vice president of strategic development for Ethos, said on Friday that the decision to open a dispensary in the Wilkes-Barre area was an attempt to branch out into a market that had openings.
				&ldquo;We felt it was a market that was under-served in a lot of ways,&rdquo; Chadwick said. &ldquo;For us, when we locate a store, it&rsquo;s about the hyper-local. We look at things like access, parkability, and if the market is under-served.&rdquo;
				Chadwick said that being in the area around the Wyoming Valley Mall will be incredibly advantageous from a business perspective, and that the location will set it apart from other dispensaries, many of which locally are located in areas with limited parking.
				According to Chadwick, one of the biggest things that sets Ethos apart from other medical marijuana dispensary companies is its focus on education. Chadwick said that the company does its best to partner with knowledgeable staff to help patients get access to the product that would help best for their specific needs.
				Chadwick also said that Ethos has a strong research focus, with its Philadelphia locations partnering with Thomas Jefferson University to perform studies on marijuana&rsquo;s effects on patients. While Chadwick said the Wilkes-Barre Township store does not currently have a research partnership, it could in the future, and the research that comes from the Philadelphia locations informs brand decisions.
				As part of Friday&rsquo;s open house, several medical marijuana vendors were on hand to talk to customers about the product that their companies would be providing to Ethos. One such vendor was the White Haven-based Standard Farms. Jerry Feissner, director of community outreach for the company, was set up at Ethos on Friday.
				According to Feissner, Standard Farms is excited to work with the new business, saying they have a delivery scheduled for the coming week.
				&ldquo;We offer our product to every dispensary that wants to carry us,&rdquo; Feissner said. &ldquo;We do education with the staff on what we offer, so they can educate the patients.&rdquo;

Medical marijuana facility to open in WB Township