Fed up with ticket scams | Morning Newsletter
And a child care crisis
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 the autumn equinox. It’s a chilly, windy, and soggy day, thanks in part to the remnants of Tropical Storm Ophelia. The system continues to approach the Philadelphia region but its power is steadily declining. Stay tuned to our updating list of events throughout the region that have been canceled or postponed.
Fed up with ticket scams? So are some Pennsylvania lawmakers who want to get tougher on resellers. Today’s lead story explores a new bill that would crack down on these ripoffs.
— Paola Pérez (@pdesiperez, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.
Whether it’s Taylor Swift’s Eras tour in Philly or Eagles playoff tickets, demand for big events can get intense. Desperate fans can become prime targets for swindlers.
But even smaller events and fans are affected. More than half of online comments on posts advertising a Labor Day weekend event in Allentown were potential scammers, according to Curt Mosel, chief operating officer of the nonprofit Lehigh Valley event coordinator ArtsQuest.
This threat lurks prevalently on social media. Take Frances Dwyer, for example, who sent $150 to someone on Facebook who claimed to be reselling two tickets to the Luke Combs concert in July.
The tickets never came. Instead, Dwyer, a 21-year-old Temple University student, was blocked by the Facebook user. Then she had to figure out how to get her money back.
In other cases, the tickets do come, but they are fake. Fans don’t realize they were scammed until they go to scan the bar code at the venue.
A bill introduced earlier this month calls for harsher consequences for ticket scams. Legislators are hoping that fewer consumers experience the disappointment, and often shame, that comes with getting scammed by resellers of tickets to concerts, sports games, and other events.
Keep reading for a closer look at the penalties that would be instated under this new law.
What you should know today
The possibility of a government shutdown is becoming more likely, as Congress and the Biden administration continue to sit at an impasse. Here’s how this could impact Philadelphia.
Peco began clearing a homeless encampment on its Norristown property Friday, the culmination of a two-month process that homelessness advocates praise as humane.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and other top state Democrats are calling on U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez to resign after he was indicted on federal bribery charges for a second time in less than a decade. U.S. Rep Andy Kim has announced he is running against him.
Temple University students can take free Uber rides to avoid unsafe situations this semester and get home safely.
Were we too mean to the spotted lanternfly? Maybe. A new study reveals that the invasive insect may not be that destructive after all. However, one crop is still in danger, and it is still recommended to kill them when you see them.
There is a new boss at the top of NBC Sports. We look into what this could mean for NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Will the Eagles improve to 3-0 on Monday night? Our Eagles beat writers make their predictions for the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In 2021, the federal government pushed to keep the nation’s fragile child care system afloat during the pandemic.
Now, $40 billion worth of funding from the American Rescue Plan Act is set to run out at the end of the month.
According to research and estimates from The Century Foundation, once that money is gone:
Nearly 3,000 Pennsylvania child-care programs are expected to close
Over 11,000 childcare jobs will be lost
Over 150,000 children will lose their child care
Diane Barber, executive director of the Pennsylvania Child Care Association, said the stimulus money kept the child care system afloat for a while, but it didn’t fix the problems.
In her own words: “It’s like playing Jenga. We moved things around and took pieces from the bottom but we all know how the game is going to end. Eventually you know it’s going to collapse.”
Keep reading to hear from day care owners on the fallout of the loss of government support in the child care sector.
❓Pop quiz❓
Interest in the Belgian Malinois shepherd breed is rising after K-9 Yoda helped capture Danilo Cavalcante in Chester County this month.
Why are canine experts telling people to think twice before adopting a Malinois?
A) They are expensive
B) They have lots of energy and require a high level of care
C) They don’t get along with children
D) They require strict training
Think you know? Check your answer here.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram 🧩
Hint: Defying physics in vivid color
DOCILE LIQUEURS
We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Email us if you know the answer. Cheers to Mary Wascavage who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Shady Brook Farm.
Photo of the day
🎶 Today’s Sunday track goes like this: “Yesterday’s still leaking through the roof / That’s nothing new.” 🎶
👋🏽 Thanks for starting your day with me and The Inquirer. Stay dry and take care.