🚌 Business owners sick of temporary bus terminal

🚌 No Sign of New Intercity Bus Terminal As Frustrations Boil

As it warms up, a bus trip to New York or D.C. makes a fun day trip…but waiting for a Greyhound these days is not so fun. Since the Filbert Street terminal closed in 2023, the makeshift terminal has bounced around, frustrating riders, residents, and business owners. On today’s episode, Trenae chats with Northern Liberties business owners about their many issues with the intercity bus terminal (or lack thereof). [🎧 City Cast Philly]

🛣️ Safety Improvements Coming to Roosevelt Boulevard

Thanks to funding earned from speed camera violation fines, Philly’s getting $17.4 million from PennDot to implement new and improved safety measures along the boulevard. Funds will go toward projects like intersection improvements and construction of speed cushions. [NBC10]

💰 Trump Freezes Penn’s Funds Over Trans Athletes

The Trump administration is withholding $175 million in federal funds from the University of Pennsylvania, citing the university’s policies allowing transgender student athletes to compete in sports. [Daily Pennsylvanian]

🪿 Third Confirmed Case of Bird Flu in Philly

A live bird market was the source of the most recent case of bird flu in the city, following the first confirmed case in a goose in West Philly and the second in another live market. The markets have since closed. Although there are about 70 cases nationwide of people infected with bird flu, no confirmed cases of animal-to-human transmission have been reported in Pennsylvania. [CBS Philly]

Spring is a great time to start a garden, but starting one on your own can be intimidating. So let’s talk about how to prepare, what you’ll need, and what to plant.

What You’ll Need

First, you’ll need to assess the type of space you have. Planter boxes offer easy access, better soil control, and the ability to garden in tight spaces. If you’re planting directly on the ground, testing your soil before planting will help produce the best results.

Here are some essential tools you’ll need to get started:

• Gloves
• Pruning shears
• Spade
• Watering tools like a hose nozzle and watering wand for larger areas, or a watering can for smaller areas and indoor plants
• For large outdoor gardens, you’ll also need a rake, garden fork, and hoe

Don’t have yard space? Try getting involved at one of Philly’s many community gardens. You can also start an indoor garden with kits from Click & Grow, Rise Gardens, or Gardyn.

What To Plant

Bookmark the planting calendars from Almanac.com and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society — they will help you decide the best time to plant different types of veggies, fruits, and herbs. Here’s a quick guide:

• For the colder part of spring — asparagus, peas, beets, and spinach. (It’s a little too late now, but there’s always next year!)
• For the warmer part of spring — cucumbers, dry beans, and okra.
• Herbs like mint and parsley come back every year, making them an easy place to start. (But mint in particular likes to SPREAD. So be mindful about where and how you plant it.)

You can also try adding some low-maintenance native plants to your garden.

Where To Get Garden Supplies

The benefit of shopping local is that you’ll have access to experts who can give you gardening advice specific to Philly. Here are some of our favorites:

• Urban Jungle Nursery (South Philly)
• Bartram’s Garden Plant Nursery (Southwest Philly)
• Primex Garden Center (Glenside)

If you’d rather buy online, retailers like Seed Savers and Burpee have a wide selection of seeds for flowers, vegetables, and herbs, along with heirloom varieties. Just be sure to reference Almanac.com’s planting calendar for what seeds you should get.