🍏 Pick me | Morning Newsletter

Welcome back, Philly. Expect high temps near 80 on this sunny Wednesday.

That forecast is a reminder that it’s still summer for another 18 days. Yet the turning of the calendar and start of the school year may have your mind on cooler weather and shades of orange. Today’s top story offers plenty of options for engaging in the region’s quintessential fall activity: apple picking.

And as Philly lawmakers return to City Hall, we examine the issues expected to drive the political conversation this session — including that Sixers arena proposal, which suddenly has competition at the Fashion District.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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If you’re hoping to keep the doctor away, extend “brat summer” into the fall, or just enjoy a quaint day outside, you’re in luck: Greater Philadelphia offers a slew of orchards where you can handpick your own apples.

🍏 Take a bite: Find dozens of varieties, from the juicy Honeycrisp to the sweet-tart Pink Lady, at 10 local farms.

🍎 Hitch a ride: Take a hayride at Duffield’s Farm in Sewell, N.J., or Grim’s Orchard & Family Farms in the Lehigh Valley.

🥧 Go hungry: Delco’s Linvilla Orchards, Chester County’s Highland Orchards, and others sell fresh apple cider donuts and cider, too.

Reporters Hira Qureshi and Nick Vadala have the guide apple picking near Philly.

Plus, when does fall officially begin? What is the autumnal equinox? When do clocks “fall back” in 2024? We have the answers to your season-changing questions.

Thursday marks the beginning of Philadelphia City Council’s fall session, and it’s set to be an active one.

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker could issue her first veto on a bill to overhaul how the city contracts with nonprofits, for instance. Council could also consider changes to the city’s tax structure after the mayor’s inaugural budget plan in the spring left rates flat.

But the most contentious challenge to be discussed is whether to build a Sixers arena at 10th and Market Streets. That proposal has new competition: The team’s Wells Fargo Center landlord, Comcast Spectacor, last week presented a plan that would instead turn the struggling Fashion District mall into a biomedical research facility.

Meanwhile, New Jersey is offering up to $400 million in tax credits and $500 million in loans to support an arena in Camden, rather than Philadelphia.

Reporter Anna Orso has the story on Council’s return.

The stewards of the SS United States, facing its eviction from a South Philadelphia pier, struck a tentative agreement last week with a Florida group. Though the deal now appears to be in limbo, what does it propose?

A) Sinking the vessel to create an artificial reef

B) Repurposing it as a floating hotel

C) Scrapping it for parts

D) Rehabbing it for use as a cruise ship

Think you know? Check your answer.

💸 Testing: Our financial literacy with this (surprisingly tough!) quiz.

🦅 Watching: The Eagles season opener at one of these 21 bars, restaurants, and venues.

📕 Reading: Mike Africa Jr.’s new book, On a MOVE.

The Supreme Court justice with a new memoir titled Lovely One.

JOANN JAW BIRKENSTOCK

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Juanita Cortes Otalora, who solved Sunday’s anagram: Peter Pan. The budget bus company is taking over Megabus’ Philly routes.

🎶 One last seasonal thing: The kid above exemplifies how excited I feel about the return of the Philly Specials.

Thanks for starting your day with The Inquirer. Back at it tomorrow.

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