Douglas Witmer and Daniel Thut opened their first coffee shop in January 2003. (Photo courtesy Green Line Cafe).

The popular business The Green Line Cafe is celebrating its 10th year of “coffee, culture, and conversation from West Philly.” Congratulations to the owners, Douglas Witmer and Daniel Thut, staff and all the fans and lovers of Green Line’s brewed products and friendly atmosphere.

To mark the anniversary The Green Line is inviting neighbors and friends to a party this Friday, Feb. 15 from 4-8 p.m. at its flagship location at the corner of 43rd Street and Baltimore Avenue. There will be free coffee and birthday cake (while supplies last), door prizes, and a slide show of the history of the The Green Line. You can also help decorate a giant birthday card. For more information about this event, please contact Douglas Witmer: greenline@greenlinecafe.com

Throughout 2013, The Green Line is inviting their patrons to add photos and memories and interact with the web-based anniversary projects on Instagram and www.greenlinecafe.com.

The Green Line Cafe was established in 2003 when brothers-in-law Witmer and Thut opened their first shop at the corner of 43rd and Baltimore on a cold January morning. Since then the cafe has added a few other locations in the area and expanded to Center City last year.

Currently, the Green Line is “growing inward” – the guys are renovating their original basement to include a walk-in refrigerator so that they can supply the city with more of its famous cold-brewed iced coffee this summer.

We often get asked about the status of many of the criminal cases we have reported. The following post is an update of some notable crime stories that have appeared in West Philly Local. There are likely some we have overlooked. If there is one that you are particularly concerned about, leave a comment and we will follow up. All of the courtrooms mentioned are in the Criminal Justice Center, 13th and Filbert.

• Jerome Brooks

Brooks has been charged with murder and related offenses after he allegedly ran down 52-year-old Deanna Teal in early December on Chester Avenue near 49th Street. Teal was pronounced dead at the scene. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 22 in courtroom 306.

• Armen “Gooch” Terzian

Terzian, co-owner of Cafe Clave on the 4300 block of Locust Street, faces charges of ethnic intimidation, possession of an instrument of crime, terroristic threats and simple assault following an incident outside the cafe in November. The most serious charge, aggravated assault, has been withdrawn. His trial is scheduled to begin today, Jan. 4, at 10 a.m. in room 706.

• Torin Myer

Myer was arrested last May and charged with robbing Green Line Cafe locations on Locust Street and Lancaster Avenue (twice) and the Chipotle Restaurant on the 3900 block of Walnut Street. Myer, 23, pleaded guilty to several charges and on December 20 was sentenced to two-and-a-half to five years in prison and mandatory drug and alcohol treatment.

• Wesley Crawford and Raphael Zappala

Crawford and Zappala were arrested last January and accused of taking part in running a large LSD ring out of a home on the 4800 block of Florence St.

Crawford faced 15 charges related to the operation. In September he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to manufacture and deliver narcotics, a count of conspiracy to manufacture and a count of criminal use of a communication facility. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 29 in courtroom 705.

Zappala, who faced 12 charges, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to manufacture or deliver and was sentenced on Sept. 25 to one year probation.

• James Lippert and David Eisenstadt

Lippert and Eisenstadt, both 50, were arrested in late June in connection with an alleged marijuana growing operation run out of a home at 1123 S. 48th Street in June. Witnesses at the time said they saw police remove several garbage bags and planting pots from the home.

Lippert was charged with possession with intent to manufacture and deliver, possession of marijuana and two related charges. His next court appearance is a pre-trial conference scheduled for Jan. 17 in courtroom 705.

Eisenstadt faced a similar list of charges. The case against him was dismissed in November for lack of evidence.

• Amin Gibbs

Gibbs was arrested on Dec. 4 and charged with the Nov. 17 murder of 22-year-old student Zykia Sanders. Sanders was shot outside of the West Park Apartments near 45th and Market. Gibbs is scheduled to appear Feb. 19 in courtroom 306 at 9 a.m. for a preliminary hearing.

• Hakim Benson

Benson was arrested Oct. 5 and charged with a dozen gunpoint robberies in West and Southwest Philadelphia, including the Sept. 28 armed robbery of the CVS at 4849 Market St. Benson, 20, pleaded guilty on Dec. 19 to robbery and gun charges. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 22 at 8 a.m. in courtroom 705.

- Mike Lyons

It’s always great news to hear that a local business is doing well, especially when it’s expanding into other locations. One of the anchor businesses in the area, the Green Line Cafe, has posted an announcement that on October 1 it’s opening a shop in Center City, at 15th and Moravian – a couple blocks away from City Hall. Green Line will take over the Cafe Loftus currently operating in that location. This will be Green Line’s fourth shop, with other locations at 45th and Locust, 43rd and Baltimore and 37th and Lancaster. They also operate a kiosk inside the Veterinary Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania.

This news comes as Green Line, a family-owned business, begins celebrating their 10th anniversary. The first Green Line Cafe opened in January 2003 at 43rd and Baltimore.

If you want to learn the basics of riding your bike in the city, come to The Coffee Ride this Saturday, June 23. The event is hosted by Keswick Cycle and Green Line Cafe and will start at 10:15 a.m. at Keswick Cycle (4040 Locust) with a skills clinic. You will learn everything from hand signals to how to properly lock a bike and everything in between. After the skills clinic you will go on a short ride (about 6 miles) through the city to practice the skills you went over in the clinic. The ride will end at Green Line Cafe at 43rd and Baltimore with a relaxing cup of coffee and sweet treats.

Here’s the event’s flyer.

Torin Myer of the 3900 block of Baring Street was apprehended early yesterday near 34th and Hamilton, a few blocks from the Drexel University campus. Police said he is not a student.

Police say Myer was exiting a convenience store and getting on a bicycle near 34th and Hamilton when Drexel University police Captain Fred Carbonara apprehended him. Myer had a BB gun, a knife, gloves and ski mask in his possession. Carbonara recognized Myer from the surveillance video made public last week.

“We had the area saturated yesterday,” said Detective Joe Murray from the Southwest Detectives.  “There was no way he was going to be able to walk around without getting caught. Just wish we had him sooner.”

Murray said Myer confessed to all four robberies.

Myer lived about four blocks from the Green Line Cafe at 3649 Lancaster Ave., which police say he robbed on April 30 and again on May 4. He is charged with robbery, assault and weapons charges in connection to those two robberies, one on April 26 at the Green Line Cafe near 45th and Locust and the May 6 robbery at the Chipotle Mexican Grill at 3925 Walnut St.

Police say Myer suffered from a “drug problem,” which in part explained his motives in the robberies.

He is scheduled to be arraigned later today.

Police have confirmed that a “person of interest” has been detained in connection with the robbery spree over the last two weeks at two Green Line Cafe locations and the Chipotle Mexican Grill.

Rumors began circulating this afternoon that police had caught the so-called “Green Line robber.”

“There is a person of interest that we are speaking with,” said Lt. John Walker of the Southwest Detectives. Another police source said that warrants will soon be issued in the case. “It’s him,” the source said.

As of 1:30 p.m. no charges had been filed.

The Green Line Cafe on Lancaster Avenue in Powelton was robbed at gunpoint twice last week and the location at 45th and Locust was robbed on April 26. Police believe the suspect in that case also robbed the Chipotle Mexican Grill at 3925 Walnut St. on Sunday night.

We will pass along more details when we get them.