Top 5 stories to watch in NW Philly this week

Here’s a look at what’s to come on NewsWorks this week:

1. City and elected officials, including Mayor Michael Nutter, will join Roxborough residents Thursday morning to celebrate the reopening of the Shawmont Trail. The one-mile stretch, which connects the city to Montgomery County, received $1.4 million worth of improvements. Check back this week for more details.

2. March Madness wasn’t the only basketball tournament in town on Saturday. The inaugural Hoops Madness was held in Chestnut Hill at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. The event featured 3-on-3 gameplay and three-point and foul shot competitions. Look for a recap this week.

3. A historic collection of paintings will soon be on display at the Woodmere Art Museum in Chestnut Hill. Philadelphia artist Violet Oakley was commissioned to paint portraits of delegates attending the United Nations’ first meetings in 1946. The Promise of Peace: Violet Oakley’s United Nations Portraits will be available March 30. Check back next week for a preview of the exhibit.

4. Vernon Park in Germantown has recently become more of an eyesore than a community asset. A group of residents wants to change that. As part of that effort, they’re organizing a 330th birthday party for the fall. “Countdown to Germantown Day,” to be held April 6, will serve as a preview of that event. We’ll have a preview of the event next week.

5. Dr. Audrey Evans has led quite a life. She was the first director and chief of the Division of Oncology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and co-founded the first Ronald McDonald House. In North Philadelphia, not far from East Falls, she helped create the St. James School, a small, but unique institution. Check back next week for a story on Evans’ life and work with the school.