Top 5 stories to watch in NW Philly

Here’s a look at what’s coming up this week:

1. The Friends of Mifflin School Committee kick-started its partnership with the East Falls elementary school in June. Yesterday, it officially introduced itself, and the group’s goal of improving the public school, to the community during the first annual Mifflin Community Festival. The afternoon event included games, raffles, storytelling and tours of the school’s Conrad Street building, among other things. Check NewsWorks this week for the story. 

2. Two years ago, a four-bay warming shed alongside Valley Green Inn in Roxborough caught fire after a live electrical wire allegedly came down during a strong rainstorm. Now, after a tireless fundraising effort, the historic structure in the Wissahickon woods has been rebuilt. The shed will be celebrated during a ceremony on Sunday.

3. A new mural in Chestnut Hill will be unveiled this weekend. The three-story piece of outdoor artwork, which will grace the side of a local bakery, depicts the Creishem and Wissahickon creeks in fall. Saturday’s ceremony is the result of a multi-year petition and fundraising push, along with several months of planning and execution.

4. Cassie Darby was arrested in late May for allegedly assaulting a NewsWorks freelance photographer on a SEPTA bus in Germantown. The ensuing court case has been slow to proceed and recently came to a halt after Darby was deemed incompetent to stand trial. On Friday, Darby’s current mental state will be addressed. A new trial may be scheduled.

5. More than a year after being arrested for allegedly driving drunk in Germantown, state Rep. Cherelle Parker (D-Philadelphia) will return to Philadelphia Municipal Court on Tuesday. Evidence in the case was initially thrown out, but was reinstated on appeal. Her attorney subsequently made two appeals of his own. Both were unsuccessful.