Top 5 stories of the week in Northwest Philadelphia

Here’s a look at what you may have missed this week in Northwest Philadelphia. 

1. Councilwoman Bass commits $2.2 million to crumbling Germantown YWCA building

A crumbling, century-old property in Northwest Philadelphia may get new life thanks to roughly $4 million in city funding.

Eighth District City Councilwoman Cindy Bass announced Thursday she is committing $2.2 million to stabilize the Germantown YWCA, a vacant brick building she thinks can “change the face” of the neighborhood. Read more here.

2. Beloved Roxborough coach Bud Ryan dies suddenly

When the Northwest Philadelphia community learned that Bud had passed away suddenly earlier this month at the age of 74, they were truly at a loss. Under Bud’s coaching, his young athletes were guaranteed equal playing time, scores were unimportant and all players — girls included — were given a shot. Here’s the full story.

3. Philly families face high-stakes hunt for prized charter school lottery slots

Follow Chris and Jennifer Byiers as they decide where to send their four-year-old son, Jamie, to kindergarten come the fall. Check out part one in the three-part series here.

4. Artist transforms Philly gallery with wall-to-wall matzo

Walk into Germantown’s iMPeRFeCT Gallery and you’ll be met with 1,200 square feet of floor-to-ceiling matzo. It’s Rephael Epstein’s tribute to the upcoming Passover holiday. Click here for the full story.

5. Springside Chestnut Hill robotics team advances to regional competition

After falling short in the finals last year, the Springside Chestnut Hill Academy robotics team, Vulcan Robotics, will be moving ahead to this year’s Mid-Atlantic Robotics District Qualifier. Read more here.