The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Welcome to Sunday, Philly.
As the city broiled under record heat this summer, armed thieves staged a string of daylight armored car heists, from petty scores to a $700,000 haul. Did their luck finally run out?
And local coffee shop owners say they have no choice but to raise prices as volatile weather and tariffs put pressure on the market. Caffeine lovers are feeling it.
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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In the dead of a humid, trash-filled summer, a crew of thieves executed a string of daring armored truck heists across Northeast Philadelphia and beyond.
Their targets had just collected cash from a Crescentville Raymour & Flanigan, a Holmesburg Dollar General, an Olney H Mart. Each time, at least one of the assailants held an AR-style rifle.
Another incident in Rhawnhurst led to a shootout, though no one was injured. Similar robberies in years past have ended with deaths and a lifelong prison sentence.
“If you’re successful, you’re the big dog,” a former FBI agent said of such armed crews. “In those circles, you’re a movie star — until you get caught. That’s the part that everyone leaves out.”
Reporter David Gambacorta lays out the case of the brazen robbers.
In other crime news: A home invasion in Northeast Philly early Saturday led to an officer opening fire on armed suspects, police said.
Coffee lovers: How much are you willing to pay to fuel your caffeine habit?
☕ At local coffee shops, the price of a hot cup of joe has risen by 10% in the past year to an average of $3.84. Cold brew can easily set you back $5 or more.
☕ Blame the rising prices on volatile climate conditions in countries where beans are grown, as well as tariffs — 20% on Vietnam and 50% on Brazil, for instance.
☕ Small-business owners say it’s tough to strike a balance between making a profit and not scaring away customers with the cost increases.
☕ Meanwhile, some customers are trying to save by skipping their speciality drinks, swapping Starbucks for McDonald’s, or making coffee at home.
Consumer reporter Erin McCarthy has more.
What you should know today
Two local elected officials are urging the University of Pennsylvania to reject signing on to a compact that would give the Trump administration influence over the university’s core operations.
The Department of Energy is canceling hundreds of clean energy projects in Democratic-led states, including in New Jersey and Delaware.
Gov. Josh Shapiro made a $250,000 donation to the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, just as the party named a longtime ally its new executive director.
Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel on Thursday said his staff is drafting a five-year strategic plan shaped by input from community members, dubbed a first for the department.
After a confusing COVID-19 vaccine rollout earlier this fall, shots are now available in Philadelphia for older adults and people who risk severe complications from the virus.
Prospect Medical Holdings Inc. said in an emergency bankruptcy motion Friday that it wants to “abandon” Delaware County’s Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Springfield Hospital unless local authorities agree to its property tax demands.
The under-construction City Hall bike lane faces an unclear future after City Councilmember Jeffery Young pumps the brakes on support.
Registration is still open for a chance to buy tickets to Phillies home playoff games, including potential World Series matchups.
Want an Eagles game day without gridlock? We laid out the best ways to get to the stadium by public transportation.
❓Pop quiz
For the first time since 2009, the annual Greater Philadelphia MLK Day of Service — one of the region’s largest volunteering and charitable events — will be hosted where next year?
A) Girard College
B) Temple University
C) City Hall
D) Lincoln Financial Field
Think you know? Check your answer.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: The former _ University Hospital
MEN HANNAH
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Bryan Crenshaw, who correctly guessed Saturday’s answer: Swann Memorial Fountain. The center jet in the beloved art deco fountain has been out of commission since 2023, following vandalism of a pump.
Photo of the day
Alexa Colas’ immersive art installation, Clubfriends Radio & Records: I Turned My Living Room Into a Record Store, is featured at the DesignPhiladelphia Festival this month.
🎶 I can’t help but think of this mid-aughts radio hit: “Girl, put your records on / Tell me your favorite song / You go ahead, let your hair down.”
Enjoy the rest of your weekend. I’ll be back with you tomorrow morning to kick off a fresh week of news.
Correction: This newsletter originally misspelled Alexa Colas’ name. It has been updated here.
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