Ave of the Arts greenery; July 4 week street closures; Fan fest bracelet lines

#BILLYPENNGRAM OF THE DAY

People-watching
(Photo by @neptunosvws)

Avenue of the Arts introduces South Broad Street’s green future

A new traffic median in front of the Kimmel Center on South Broad Street has been rebuilt as a 230-foot-long green ribbon elevated a couple of feet above the asphalt, planted with canopy trees and blooming flowers.

The new green space is a taste of what’s in store for the mile-long stretch of Broad Street from City Hall to Washington Avenue. Continue reading…

The block of South Broad Street between Spruce and Pine streets is the first of 10 blocks between City Hall and Washington Avenue to get a raised median filled with plantings. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

Road closures for America 250 events may affect your commute

Philadelphia will see traffic impacts, road closures and parking restrictions as it prepares for the Wawa Welcome America festival — a weeks-long headliner of the city’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

So, what traffic impacts and road closures can you expect over the next few weeks? And what events even are there? We’ve got all the details. Continue reading…

Attendees walk along Benjamin Franklin Parkway at the Wawa July 4th Concert and Fireworks. (Erin Blewett for Billy Penn)

RECAP: What else happened?

$ = paywalled

• Records show a state watchdog’s elder abuse probe was kept secret as Shapiro’s office claims confidentiality. [Spotlight PA]

• Lawsuit claims Philadelphia ICE Field Office has ‘unlawfully’ re-detained people at immigration check-ins. [WHYY]

• A long-time Philadelphia educator argues that classroom experience should guide emerging technology decisions that affect students. [Technical.ly]

• A $425M revamp: Bartram Village in Southwest Philly will be replaced with 500+ affordable rentals. [WHYY’s PlanPhilly]

• A new mural honoring Sun Ra and the Arkestra debuts on southern wall of October Gallery. [Germantown Info Hub]

• America’s 250th birthday yields tons of collectibles, but their future value may be hard to gauge. [PhillyVoice]

MAYOR WATCH

Mayor Parker plans to attend tonight’s celebration of Black Music Month at the Dell Music Center, honoring the contributions of Black women to music, with special guest performances by Eve and Mya. (7 p.m.)

⚽ World Cup Daily Recap ⚽

Start Here:
World Cup events guide
Billy Penn’s FIFA World Cup Guide

The Latest:

FIFA fan fest organizers reveal steps to cut down lines for free DIY World Cup charm bracelets that have become a viral hit.
‘ICE Out’ protest art in Philly ramps up amid World Cup spotlight

On the Ground:

Over 3,100 parking tickets were issued during the first five days of Philly’s FIFA Fan Fest. Less than 6% were in error, PPA says. [WHYY]
Nearly 50,000 volunteers help make the World Cup happen. Here’s how Philly’s crew will help out.
Fairmount neighbors say Philadelphia’s FIFA Fan Festival road closures threatens public safety.
World Cup fans can take a hike — literally. Soccer enthusiasts in Philly can access Lemon Hill fan fest and other sites via trails.
A heat wave may be the most obvious health threat. But infectious diseases can spread in a crowd, and experts are set to scrutinize wastewater, hospital visits, even social media for any signs that an outbreak might be brewing.

ON THE CALENDAR

June 22 to 28 is here!
The Kensington Queer Circus Fest (Saturday)
+ a Bridgerton-themed masquerade ball in Germantown (Saturday)
+ the Manayunk Art Festival (Saturday)
+ a talk about ketamine’s popularity (Sunday)
and more!

See the **FULL LIST** of this week’s events calendar at BillyPenn.com!