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Coatesville man defrauds eBay of $320k; new way to track Philly street obstructions | Morning Newsletter

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A crane in the left hand lane on Chestnut Street between 41st and 42nd Street, photo taken from the 21 bus, in Philadelphia, Thursday, December 6, 2018. JESSICA GRIFFIN / Staff Photographer
A crane in the left hand lane on Chestnut Street between 41st and 42nd Street, photo taken from the 21 bus, in Philadelphia, Thursday, December 6, 2018. JESSICA GRIFFIN / Staff PhotographerRead moreJESSICA GRIFFIN / Staff Photographer

    The Morning Newsletter

    Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter

Look out the window — did you wake up to a dusting of snow? The forecast calls for some more of the white stuff today, with rain following tomorrow. Add Philly’s many, ever-changing street obstructions to the mix and you’ve got one heck of a commute. There is a new tool, however, that will help the city and residents track when streets and sidewalks are blocked off; my colleague Jason Laughlin has the details for you this morning. In other news, federal prosecutors say a Coatesville man took advantage of a gift card glitch to defraud eBay of $320,000. You’ll want to see the list of what he bought.

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— Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com)

A construction project blocks the sidewalk, spilling onto the street. The path for pedestrians, if there is one, is hard to navigate. If you’ve taken a walk through Philly’s bustling neighborhoods you’ve likely come across this familiar sight.

In an effort to establish some accountability for street obstructions, the Streets Department has developed a new interactive map so Philadelphians can see where closures are permitted. You can even read the permits.

If you learned that a glitch would allow you to over-redeem a gift card to the tune of $320,000, what would you do?

Chad Broudy, a 24-year-old from Coatesville, took advantage of a glitch on eBay that let him do just that. For 2 ½ months he went on an epic shopping spree, according to federal prosecutors, and it could put him behind bars.

His shopping list included everything from Macs and iPhones to small gold bars, a cotton candy maker, and a Star Trek sushi set.

California wants to be a model for gun control for the rest of the nation. The state already has stricter gun-control laws than most and is looking to implement more over the next few years.

Whether they have the ability to influence states like Pennsylvania, is another story.

Pennsylvania House members debated a wide range of gun-related bills last year after the Parkland, Fla., shooting. But movement has been slow and unlikely to change under Republican control.

What you need to know today

  1. Last year, City Councilman David Oh was investigated for child abuse after injuring his son while teaching him martial arts. Now he’s holding a hearing on guidelines for reporting abuse. 

  2. The teen who fatally shot Spring Garden neighborhood activist Gerard Grandzol during a September 2017 robbery pleaded guilty on Friday and was sentenced to 35 years to life in state prison.

  3. In the federal indictment of labor leader John Dougherty, City Coucilman Bobby Henon is said to have told Dougherty another Council member might need a “hug” to get on board with the soda tax. Sources say that member was Kenyatta Johnson.

  4. Pennsylvania has suspended the review of permit applications for the pipeline company that owns the Revolution and Mariner East pipelines, meaning new projects that require state approval are on hold.

  5. Jenkintown’s Bradley Cooper may not be in the running for a Best Director Oscar for A Star Is Born, but he did take home a Grammy last night for “Shallow.” 

  6. The new-look Sixers had quite a weekend, winning 117-110 over the Nuggets Friday and blowing out LeBron James’ Lakers Sunday 143-120.

Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly

Those are some seriously cool reflections, @mablist.

Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and we’ll pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out!

That’s Interesting

  1. It’s a tense week for the thousands of students vying for spots at Philly’s charter schools. The deadline for notifying students of acceptance is Feb. 19.

  2. Maternity clothes have traditionally overlooked working moms-to-be, but now retailers are trying to change that — and Philly-area moms know just where to shop.

  3. How does your retirement plan stack up? In a move of radical transparency, you can take a look at the Inquirer’s Vanguard plan and compare. 

  4. Muralist Willis ‘Nomo’ Humphrey, the artist known for his masterful portraits of black legends, died suddenly in November. Now the artistic community is hosting a benefit in his memory.

  5. In Philly, fleet-footed tourists can sign up for a running tour of the city’s historic sites. Columnist Mike Newall tried it out so you know what to expect.

  6. Winners Reach and Teach boxing gym in Chester is appropriately named. Its leader has produced 20 professional boxers and its students prepare for victory outside the ring, too.

Opinions

“The separation of black families in child-welfare proceedings echoes the ways black families were ripped apart by slavery. The impact of both will have a profound effect on society for generations.” — Suzanne Sellers, founder and executive director of Families Organizing for Child Welfare Justice, on how child welfare separates families, especially black ones.

  1. Since a report on clergy abuse in Pennsylvania shocked the world, worshipers are alone in their moral clarity and urgency to deal with the consequences, writes columnist Maria Panaritis.

  2. If Philadelphia is ever going to achieve Vision Zero — eliminating all traffic-related deaths and severe injuries — PennDot needs to step up and make its streets safer, writes Aaron Bauman, a volunteer with 5th Square and a Neighborhood Slow Zone organizer.

What we’re reading

  1. Love is in the air at McGillin’s Olde Ale House, and Philadelphia Weekly’s report on the love connections the landmark bar has made will make your heart melt.

  2. For your Monday morning inspiration: The Temple News chatted with black women entrepreneurs about their success, and you’ll want to hear their advice.

  3. Technical.ly Philly just celebrated its 10th anniversary and, to mark the occasion, they’ve taken a look back at 10 key trends that have influenced the last decade of Philly’s tech scene.

  4. Are sommeliers for mustard, honey, or hot sauce really necessary? The Washington Post’s look at people with extremely specific areas of expertise begs the question.

  5. Speaking of extremely specific, there is a type of monkey that has “superpower” eyes that may just help cure colorblindness, according to Wired’s latest.

A Daily Dose of | Wheels

Lace up your skates. There’s a roller rink revival happening in Philly and it’s bringing together fans from across ethnic, social, and economic backgrounds.