Top 5 stories of the week in NW Philly

Here’s a look at what you may have missed this week:

1. Parx Casino trades dice for rolling bikes in Philadelphia

Two weeks ago, the prospect of the city hosting a professional bike race in 2013 seemed slim. During a Thursday afternoon press conference, however, it became very real thanks to a major sponsorship announcement. Check out Tom MacDonald’s story to learn more about the Parx Casino Philly Cycling Classic.

2. Newly formed Northwest Commercial Corridors group aims to improve neighborhoods by connecting community groups

Community development corporations from across Northwest Philadelphia have decided to band together to make the area’s neighborhoods as strong as they can be. The coalition of sorts will include folks from East Falls, Manayunk, Roxborough, West Mt. Airy and West Oak Lane. Check out Matthew Grady’s story to learn more about the nascent initiative.

3. Phila U.’s Kristen Blye reaches 1,000-point scoring milestone

Kristen Blye works hard in the classroom and on the basketball court. On Saturday, the senior’s efforts in the gym paid off in a big way when she hit the memorable milestone. Now she’s eyeing a conference championship for the East Falls-based team. Check out Ben Golberg-Morse’s story for more details.

4. Effort launched to rename VA Hospital to honor Medal of Honor recipient from West Oak Lane

To date, Michael J. Crescenz is the only Philadelphian to receive the Medal of Honor. To honor Crescenz, who was killed during the Vietnam War, U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah introduced legislation this week to rename the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Department after the fallen hero. Check out Matthew Grady’s story for more details.

5. Four Imhotep Charter football players commit to college program on national signing day

The Panthers of Imhotep Charter High School had quite a season this year, falling just one game short of playing for a state title. There was more cause for celebration on Wednesday as several seniors signed letters of intent to play football at the collegiate level, including one of the most highly-recruited running backs in the country. Check out Brian Hickey’s story to learn more.