🎃 Where to go pumpkin picking | Inquirer South Jersey
And residents’ push back against license plate readers.
Good morning, South Jersey.
It’s that time of year: Our latest roundup of farms will point you toward pumpkin picking, hayrides, and other kinds of festive fall fun in the region.
And privacy advocates are pushing for businesses to be more transparent about their use of automated license plate readers.
Plus, Wayfair is set to open a brick-and-mortar store in Cherry Hill, and more news of the day.
— Taylor Allen (southjersey@inquirer.com)
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The leaves are changing, the weather is getting cooler, and it’s now time to go out and find your perfect pumpkin. These locations are worth the trek:
🎃 Johnson’s Corner Farm: Not only does this option provide the classic farm experience in Medford, but it turns into a harvest festival on the weekends complete with food vendors and live music.
🎃 Springdale Farm Market: Take a pumpkin-picking hayride in Cherry Hill. Don’t leave without its famous home-baked pies.
🎃 Terhune Orchards: If you don’t mind taking a ride further north, head up to Terhune Orchards in Princeton to pick pumpkins, flowers, and apples — and on a weekend, you can do it all while listening to live music. Hang out with barn animals and paint a gourd, while you’re at it.
For more options, peruse the entire guide full of seasonal fun.
While out shopping, New Jersey consumers are starting to notice more cameras.
Retailers are placing automated license plate readers at entrance and exit points, and they tend not to be especially open about how the technology is being used.
As an example, the country’s largest mall owner, the Simon Property Group — which owns Gloucester Premium Outlets in Blackwood — has a history of sharing its feeds with law enforcement in California. It’s unclear if they do or have done the same here, and the group and local police did not respond to interview requests with the Inquirer.
DeFlock South Jersey, a resident group concerned about privacy, emerged over the summer to raise awareness of the pervasiveness of the cameras. Its activism has taken the form of popping up at town council meetings, filing record requests, boycotts, and Flocky — a human-size anti-Flock mascot.
Reporter Ximena Conde has the story.
What to know today
A Peruvian immigrant who was detained and played a key role in the protest movement at the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark has been released, the New York Times reports.
Bruce Mabine, a retired OB-GYN physician who worked for 19 years at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Camden, died of cancer at his home at 76.
Wayfair, the online furniture retailer, plans to open a brick-and-mortar store in Cherry Hill in late 2028.
Cherry Hill Mall will celebrate its 65th birthday on Saturday with a DJ set and photo opportunities with celebrity look-alikes of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Cher, and Diana Ross. The mall will soon welcome additional stores such as Aritzia and True Religion.
After being closed for two years, the East Point Lighthouse on the Delaware Bay in Heislerville will reopen to the public this month.
The former Victorian-style home of journalist Gay Talese in Ocean City is on the market for nearly $8 million.
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🧠 Trivia time
What was Lucy the Elephant’s original name?
A) Lucy the Great
B) Ellen the Elephant
C) Elephant Bazaar
D) The Great Elephant
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re ...
🍴 Craving: Chicken lollipops from Karachi Kafe in Voorhees.
🚁 Mapping: LeBron James’ helicopter commutes between Philly and NYC.
🍷 Tasting: This affordable pinot noir.
📸 Photo of the week
🔮 One last festive thing: It’s the season where your neighbors transform their homes into elaborate haunted displays. It’s not too early to start tracking and mapping the best Halloween displays.
Enjoy your weekend. I’ll be back in your inbox on Monday. 📧
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