My Take: A fine scam, Spotlight legislative live blog and the ‘did you ask for condiments?’ bill

 Our records show that as of today, you still have an outstanding traffic ticket. In accordance with New Delaware Administrative Code 15C-16.003, if you do not complete payment,  we will take the following actions:

1. Report to the DMV violation database

2. Suspend your vehicle registration

3. Suspend driving privileges for 30 days

4. Transfer to a toll booth and charge a 35% service fee

5. You may be prosecuted, and your credit score will be affected. (Wonder which is worse). 

Please pay immediately before enforcement to avoid license suspension and further legal disputes. (With whom?)

The text scam is more sophisticated than previous EZ-Pass messages that asked the recipient to pay $6.95 or some odd number. However, it came with a big red flag since the scammer's phone number was from overseas.

The message almost has the correct name for the DMV. It also mentions an official-sounding  Delaware Administrative Code. It turns out the code is a widely used fake number, according to a Google search. 

The bottom line, according to the real Delaware DMV, is that the agency doesn’t send out text messages. When it comes to E-ZPass, customers receive an Email or snail mail message. 

Another dead giveaway is the mention of a toll booth. No toll booth handles fines.

The message may find some victims from a state without a toll road or bridge system. Under the cashless toll system in Maryland and along Route 301 in Delaware,  motorists receive a bill in the mail but never a text message.

By the way, Delaware has an excellent E-ZPass processing program, which was implemented following glitches at an operation in another state. 

A legislative live blog

Years ago, I recall waking up one morning to discover that the state had purchased a couple of golf courses to prevent desirable sites near Dover and Newark from being developed into McMansions subdivisions.

It was the right move, but it served as a lesson in the surprises that can occur at the end of the legislative session.

With the downsizing of media staff, coverage at Legislative Hall has dwindled over the years,  although I have seen encouraging signs during the past couple of sessions.

We're in the waning days of the session and our partner Spotlight Delaware has stepped in to provide a much-needed live blog that goes beyond the Twitter efforts we see during the final hours in Dover.

I'll check in to see if a couple of bills make their way to the House or Senate floor. One bill requires customers to request condiments for carryout food orders.

The measure is designed to cut food waste, although it's impact would be minimal on landfills that are not exactly overflowing with ketchup and mustard.

Also, restaurants operate with tight margins and should be asking customers in the first place. Enforcement would be lacking as the state, contrary to the above cartoon, would not hire "ketchup police."

Click here to check out Spotlight’s live blog. - Doug Rainey, chief content officer.