South Broad Gets Greener & Sixers Get Younger
Hey Philly — here’s your Thursday catch-up. Read on for new green space on South Broad, road closures, Sixers draft buzz, and the Eagles’ power ranking reality check. Let’s go:
City Moves
- South Broad’s green future is officially underway: The Avenue of the Arts is getting fresh medians, more plantings, and new safety upgrades. Traffic headaches are likely, but expect a major aesthetic upgrade (and slightly less heat). Full breakdown here.
- Wawa Welcome America road closures: If you plan on being anywhere near Center City for fireworks or block parties, check the new closures. Don’t get boxed in.
- Speed camera alert: Fines start Friday on Route 13/Frankford Ave (details).
- Heads up: PECO workers are teasing details of a possible strike (watch this space).
Sports + City Pride
- Sixers draft night: They snagged Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. at No. 22 overall. Analysts call him a dynamic scorer—now, whether he "fits Philly" (see here) remains to be seen, but the youth movement is real. More draft takes: Grades roundup | Highlights.
- Eagles watch: Are we truly elite? National power rankings say we’re "very good," but not untouchable. Full roundup here. Also—Jason Kelce slung beers for charity down the shore (again).
- Still no Schwarber as the Phillies try to survive his absence.
- NHL trade chaos: Flyers just waiting it out. Stay tuned.
Neighborhood & Culture
- Colman Domingo—West Philly native and now Hollywood leading man—just might be the city’s next Oscar pride.
- New mural in the Gayborhood honors five trailblazing LGBTQ+ Philadelphians.
- Project HOME just opened a "respite bed" facility—bridging hospital stays and permanent housing for people in addiction. It's the first in the city (details).
- Free preventive health care is coming to West Philly on June 29, thanks to Penn Medicine: mammograms, eye screenings, and more (info).
Quick Hits
- The Joe Frazier statue is moving—South Philly to the Art Museum.
- Ticketing drama: more World Cup fans locked out of games (PHL17), but the FIFA Fan Fest is crushing attendance records (NBC10).
- Headline you didn’t expect: Gravestone scammer pleads guilty in $1.5M scheme targeting grieving Philly families.
That’s it for now. See you out there — preferably not running into one of those new medians.
