Good morning, Philadelphia.

PHS Garden Challenge finalists are turning Philadelphia backyards into urban oases through local creativity.

Judges will tour the entries through Aug. 15 (winners will be celebrated in early September), highlighting personal transformations and a love for home gardening.

A new pedestrian and bicycle route, the Washington Avenue Connector, will soon join Jefferson Square Park to the Delaware River Trail and ease access to the riverfront.

The project, with safer crossings + seasonal plantings along its four-block stretch, is expected to complete this month in South Philly.

Community members gathered Sunday in West Philadelphia for the second annual Freedom Now Fest to honor Martin Luther King Jr. and his historic 1965 rally speech at the corner of 40th Street (Lancaster Avenue), with live music, local shops, art and free collard greens celebrating his legacy.

Yards Bridge Run will take place Tuesday, Aug.

18 when runners and walkers cross the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and then return to Yards Taproom at 6 p.m. for food, drinks, a raffle to support Students Run Philly Style + Brooks Running to offer shoe demos.

Philadelphia’s Neighborhood Jawnts tour series offers free bus tours across 20 neighborhoods until Oct.

25. Offering rides on Fridays and weekends, the tour celebrates the city’s 250th birthday and invites locals to experience neighborhood history and culture — guests must register online for seating.

Fifty years after his death, Harold Rosenthal’s legacy endures through the Harold Wallace Rosenthal Fellowship that has aided over 300 students in entering government roles — a tribute to his humble West Oak Lane roots and bold spirit.

North10 launched its voucher program last fall—offering free $120 vouchers to contractors and households for legal waste disposal at the Richard S.

Burns Company recycling center on Rising Sun Avenue in North Philadelphia. The initiative has diverted over 250,000 pounds of debris, and officials plan to seek more funding soon.

Beginning Monday, Aug.

17, a section of Pine Road (between Stanwood Street and Solly Avenue) will be closed to drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists as crews replace a bridge. Construction will continue through summer 2027 with detours on Rhawn Street, Verree Road and Bloomfield Avenue.

Repairs are complete on Philadelphia’s 10-foot bronze statue of former mayor Frank Rizzo, and the Monument Committee is now looking for a private location where it will not be visible from the public right of way (after an $80,000 city payment for repair expenses).

Residents in Philadelphia and nearby counties hit by the July 11 storm can apply for low-interest SBA loans to cover repairs not handled by insurance — one Disaster Loan Outreach Center is open today at Dixon House in South Philadelphia.

In North Philly, pediatricians at Memphis Street Pediatrics and Temple University encourage healthy eating and exercise to address obesity challenges; nearly one in three adults and one in five children face obesity.

They use sensitive, early conversations during visits to build trust and guide families toward lasting healthy habits.

The Phillies are set to face the Nationals in a four-game series at Citizens Bank Park after a series win pushed them above .500.

The team added Luis Arraez plus two relievers to boost its roster ahead of the games.

On Monday, Eagles practice was held indoors at Jefferson Health Training Complex as heavy rains forced a change — the offense shined with key passes from Jalen Hurts and standout plays, helping the team prepare for the upcoming season.

On Monday night, the Phillies overcame an early deficit at Citizens Bank Park as Aaron Nola and Andrew Alvarez struggled until Derek Hill drove a grand slam and made a crucial late catch — a performance that helped secure a 6-3 win over the Nationals in a four-game series opener.