Cash

Mega Millions' cash jackpot could give Powerball's new record a run for the money. Tuesday, the lump sum - before taxes - in Mega Millions will be an estimated $170 million. If a single person wins, it would be the fifth biggest payout in U.S. lottery history. Last month, Powerball soared to an unprecedented payout of $210 million for the cash, as the annuity reached $336.4 million, sixth place all-time. (See list of biggest cash jackpots: http://bit.ly/z4Lgmc .)

NEW YORK - Hardly a day goes by without some politician or pundit pointing out that companies are hoarding cash - roughly $3 trillion of it. If only they would spend it, the thinking goes, the economy might get better. But the story is not as simple as that. Although it seems to have escaped nearly everyone's notice, companies have piled up even more debt lately than they have cash. Financial experts say it makes companies more vulnerable than they look. "The record cash story is bull-market baloney," says David Stockman, a former U.S. budget director.

Upwards of a dozen shoppers at a time swarmed into Dovetail Artisans in Glenside on Saturday, giving the small handcrafted gift store sales receipts reminiscent of a December rush. Such "cash mobs" have been springing up nationwide to send a jolt to the economy through small, local businesses. And this was one of the first in the Philadelphia region. Cash Mob Philly has been organized by Shahrzad Kojouri, who said, with concern: "I'm hoping people don't hear 'flash mob' when they hear 'cash mob.' " The mobs are set up by Kojouri, who encourages friends, acquaintances and Facebook followers to head to the designated shop and spend at least $20. Kojouri and Dovetail Artisans owner Elayne Aion met at a previous cash mob event.

BOSTON - Massachusetts State Police say they have arrested a man returning from a vacation in Iceland after he allegedly stole $300 from a flight attendant's purse while the plane was in flight over Greenland. Police met Iceland Air Flight 631 as it arrived at Logan International Airport about 5 p.m. yesterday, and arrested Torry Johnson of Gloucester, Mass. He is accused of taking the money and some foreign currency from the attendant's purse. Police say that when the flight crew confronted Johnson, he returned the foreign currency but then locked himself in the plane's bathroom, where police believe he flushed the cash down the commode.

President Obama burned through twice as much money in June as did his Republican challenger Mitt Romney, who ended the month with more cash on hand and has staked out a dominant position in the presidential money race. Pushing to define Romney and respond to attacks from conservative groups, Obama spent nearly $58 million in June, far more than any previous candidate has spent at this point in the campaign. Romney's team, by comparison, spent $27.4 million. The numbers, in disclosures filed Friday with the Federal Election Commission, underscore how rapidly the fund-raising contest has been transformed since Romney was all but assured the Republican nomination in April with little money remaining from a brutal primary fight.

A Cash 5 ticket sold in Montgomery County became worth $325,000 when it hit all the numbers drawn Saturday. The slip, with number 5, 9, 13, 33 and 35, was purchased at Wawa at 1500 High St. in Pottstown, according to the Pennsylvania Lottery. Officials advise players to sign winning tickets, call the lottery at 717-702-8146, and file a claim at the Middletown headquarters or one of the area offices. For more info, go to www.palottery.com . Earlier, luck landed in South Jersey.

The lottery gods smiled on the Philadelphia area in Wednesday night's Cash 5 drawing. Four tickets will split a jackpot of more than $1.5 million, and two were bought in Philadelphia, with another from Montgomery County. The fourth was purchased another stone's throw north - in Bethlehem, Northampton County. Each ticket matched all five numbers - 3, 15, 19, 27 and 41 - to earn an equal share of $1,519,744, or $379,936 apiece. Before taxes, of course. The lucky locations: - Philly Donut, 6508 Woodland Ave., Southwest Philadelphia.

Mega Millions has one of the biggest cash jackpots ever, as its lump-sum payout reached $170 million for Tuesday's drawing. If a single person wins it - and isn't that every player's dream? - it would be the fourth biggest payout ever. The record for a win by a single ticket was set just last month when Powerball's cash payout hit $210 million. Louisa White, 81, of Newport, R.I., recently stepped forward to claim it. The advertised annuity - $336.4 million - was staggering, but not a record-setter.

Police are looking for a man who stole a brief case reportedly containing $30,000 in cash in Northern Liberties. Police said the thief took the victim's brief case and wallet before 11:30 a.m. at Third and Green Streets before fleeing on foot. The victim told police the brief case contained $30,000 in cash. Other details are not yet available.