SERVING PRINCETON, MONTGOMERY AND SURROUNDING AREAS
TIMEOFF
SPORTS
A day at the park
A step at a time
Trenton City Museum tells the story of Cadwalader Park. Plus: ‘Spider’s Web’ at Princeton Summer Theater is reviewed.
An All-Star appearance is the latest step in the comback of Ben Gross. Page 8A
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District looks to add more space at PHS By Philip Sean Curran Staff Writer
Superintendent of Schools Stephen C. Cochrane is “looking” to include the addition of more classroom and other space to Princeton High School as part of a bond referendum that would go before voters in March. Cochrane, speaking after Tuesday’s school board meeting, declined to put a dollar amount on how much construction might cost. He was firm, however, that a PHS expansion would be included in the ballot question. “We’re looking to put together an entire proposal for the referendum, which would include the high school addition,” he said. “We want to expand our cafeteria, we want to expand the number of science rooms, we want to expand the number of just general classrooms that we have to accommodate our continued growth.” A demographic and capacity study for the district concluded the high school needed nine more classrooms and one to two “small group instruction rooms.” Cochrane said architects for the district have “some ideas” where an addition could go within the current footprint of PHS. One possible location would eat up parking spots, which already are at a premium. The upcoming referendum comes with enrollment at the high school and elsewhere in the district growing and projected to grow in the years ahead. As recently as 2011, the school system had 3,339 students, but that statistic has trended upward, such that there were 3,671 students in 2016—and more on the way. A demographic study, released in March, forecast Princeton hav-
ing around 3,800 students, with some fluctuation, through 2021. Looking further ahead, the school population is projected to top 3,920 beginning in 2023, the report showed. At the high school, enrollment is due to reach 1,656 students in 2018, and exceed 1,770 in 2025, based on the same report. “There’s going to be a big enrollment increase, we’re planning for it,” said school board member Dafna Kendal. An unknown at this point is how a Mercer County judge rules on what the town’s affordable housing requirement will be for 1999 to 2025; more residential development would add children into the schools. A decision by Judge Mary C. Jacobson is expected in August. To add space, Princeton is considering acquiring more real estate. The district has submitted a proposal to Rider University for the campus of its Westminster Choir College, which is up for sale. Cochrane said Westminster “potentially” could be part of the referendum too. “So until we get everything figured out with Rider, we’re not going to have a complete package to put out to the community,” he said. The district, he continued, is hoping to hear back from Rider by September, the same month it would need to submit a referendum plan to the state Department of Education six months in advance of a vote by the public. “The idea is to have a referendum in March of 2018,” Cochrane said. “So we’re going to start talking about our proposal in the fall.” That timetable would mean the See SPACE, Page 7
Photo courtesy of Stuart Country Day School
Students Jenna Lu, left, and Faith Szarvas design a roller coaster at the recent weeklong STEM camp at Stuart Country Day School.
Telling a story through science Stuart makes STEM camp special for students By Philip Sean Curran Staff Writer
At a point in the morning one day last week when she could have been anywhere, Rosheeta Shah was one hour into a full day of learning at Stuart Country Day School. Being there from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. did not feel like attending school, said a self-described lover of science during a break from trying to design a roller coaster with tape, ice pop sticks, tooth picks and insulation foam. She and seven other girls of middle school age spent the past week at a science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, camp taught by Julia Britt, a science teacher at Stuart. Those fields of study are stressed at this private Catholic girls school that has an entire wing of the school building devoted to them. Inside a lab classroom were perhaps the next engineers or scientists, still a ways from high school or college, but expressing their love of fields that have been
male-dominated. Former Princeton University President Shirley M. Tilghman has talked of her decision to put “blinkers” on to press ahead with becoming a scientist and “ignore the signals” telling her not to “pursue science as a career.” To get more women into STEM, a group like the American Association of University Women has said young women should be encouraged to take higher level math and science courses as high schoolers. “Girls who take calculus in high school are three times more likely than girls who do not to major in a scientific or engineering field in college, “ the organization said in a report seven years ago. Topics at the Stuart camp varied by day. One time it was learning about DNA and molecular biology; another it was designing prosthetic legs after learning about the skeleton. “One of the things that I think makes our Stuart STEM camp so special, I like to tell a story through science,” Britt said. “So
by the time we got to the design and engineering of the prosthetic leg, we had learned a story of the skeletal system to the bioengineering to the design process.” Britt divided the time lecturing and also giving students the space to learn hands on. The classes were meant to challenge the girls, she said, but done in a way that they will learn and grab onto the material. “Even though it’s like going to school, it doesn’t feel like school,” said Rosheeta, a rising seventhgrader from Plainsboro. “We do a lot (of) experiments and that’s, to me, the best part of science.” “Well, it’s not like normal school days where you just learn all the time,” said rising sixthgrader Abby Zhou, “you can also have fun while learning.” Students like Abby talked about their love of science, “one of the subjects where I want to know more about it,” in her words. Another camper said she is looking to enter a STEM career as See SCIENCE, Page 7
Vote-by-mail applications will be sent to county residents By Philip Sean Curran Staff Writer
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Mercer County voters have the option of casting their ballots at the mail box or Post Office, something the county plans to let them know about if they don’t already. County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello on Wednesday announced
applications to vote by mail would be sent to all registered voters starting the week of Aug. 1. There are some 227,000 voters in Mercer. At a press conference from the Board of Elections conference room in Trenton, she said the idea is a way to increase voter participation. She pointed to recent examples of low turnout in Mercer of 14 percent for the June primary and of 55 percent for the presidential race in November. “That’s a very low turnout for a presidential election,” she said. New Jersey enacted a law, during the Corzine administration, that allows voting by mail for any reason, she said. “You can simply vote by mail because you want to do so,” she said. “But many people are not aware that this is an option. They still believe that you have to be absent or traveling to vote by mail.” Voters will have until Oct. 31
to submit the application to her office, but they will not have to pay the postage for sending back the form or their paper ballot. She made clear that voting by mail is optional, not mandatory. “If you decide you don’t want to fill out this application and mail it back in, you can still exercise your right to go to the polls and vote at your polling location,” Sollami Covello said. She noted other counties send vote-by-mail applications to their registered voters, including Camden, Bergen and Middlesex, representing a swath of southern, northern and central parts of the state. “And they have seen an increase in voter participation as a result,” she said. Asked about how to guard Photo by Philip Sean Curran against potential voter fraud, Bonnie Epps, county supervisor of Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello on Wednesday anelections, said officials would ver- nounced applications to vote by mail would be sent to all registered See APPLICATIONS, Page 7 voters starting the week of Aug. 1.
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2A The Princeton Packet
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Friday, July 21, 2017
Three cars stolen, five burglarized in 48 hours By Lea Kahn Staff Writer
In the wake of a string of stolen cars and car burglaries, the Princeton Police Department is advising residents to lock their cars and take the keys or fobs inside the house with them. Three cars were reported stolen from their owners’ driveways on Finley Road and Allison Road between midnight and 7 a.m. July 10, police said. The cars had been left unlocked, with the
keys inside them. The three stolen cars - a 2017 Toyota Highlander, a 2015 Mercedes-Benz ML2, and a 2009 Audi A6 - have been recovered in Essex County. Princeton Police Department detectives are going over the recovered cars for evidence, and will return them to their owners. In addition to the three stolen cars, five cars were burglarized - but not stolen overnight between July 9 and July 10, police said. All of the cars had been left un-
locked in their owners’ driveway. An assortment of items valued at $455 were taken from a vehicle on Hunter Road, while a total of $40 was taken from two cars parked on Coniston Court. A Mount Lucas Road resident reported that two cars parked in the driveway were burglarized, and that a bag containing clothing and miscellaneous items was taken. The bag was later recovered. All of the incidents are
under investigation, and the Princeton Police Department has increased patrols. The Montgomery Township Police Department is investigating a rash of stolen cars and car burglaries, and Princeton police said it is possible that the incidents may be related. Princeton Police Department detectives are working together with the Montgomery Township Police Department and other agencies to solve the crimes, police said. A common practice for
thieves is to drive through neighborhoods and walk up to parked cars and check to see if they are unlocked by pulling on the door handle, police said. If the car is locked, they will move on until they find one that is unlocked. Thieves do not want to break a car window because it makes noise and they are likely to get caught, police said. That’s why they look for cars that have been left unlocked. Police can and will act
on suspicious activity if they see it or if it is reported to them. But if someone drives up and approaches a car, the owner’s last line of defense is a properly secured - locked - car, police said. Meanwhile, the Princeton Police Department is asking anyone who may have heard or observed something around the time of the three car thefts and five car burglaries to call the Police Department at 609-921-2100.
Princeton Council approves hiring of five new police officers By Philip Sean Curran Staff Writer
The Princeton Council will hire five police officers to fill the ranks of a department operating at less than full strength, a town official said Friday. Princeton Council-
woman Heather H. Howard said the force has 49 officers, below the 51 or 52 it should have. Also, the department is expected to lose three officers, before the end of the year, to retirement, she said. Hiring the new officers could happen as soon as the
next council meeting, July 24. Officials want to act in time to make sure those who need to go to the police academy can start with the next class, she said. “We hope to make those hires within the next month,” Howard said by phone, “because several of
them need to go to the academy, which starts at the end of the summer.” The current shortage is not affecting patrol coverage of the town, she said. Police Chief Nicholas K. Sutter “does his best to manage it with his assignments,” Howard said.
In terms of a financial impact, Howard said the town finds that as senior officers retire, the municipality realizes a “budget-savings” when it brings on entry-level officers. Howard said she was “excited that we’re moving
forward and I think we’ll have a strong class of new recruits.” More long term, the department faces the prospect of losing 11 more officers within the next three years when they become retirement eligible, she said.
Manpower shortage, maintenance issue knocks out Dinky service By Philip Sean Curran Staff Writer
Dinky service was knocked out for parts of two days, first for a manpower shortage and then later for overnight maintenance by Amtrak, NJ Transit said Tuesday. Bus service was substituted for the train line be-
tween the Princeton University campus and Princeton Junction in West Windsor. Shortly before 3 p.m. Tuesday, the Dinky was “back up and running,” NJ Transit said. On Monday, NJ Transit went on Twitter to say Dinky service was suspended due to a “manpower shortage.” Some rail engineers are taking advantage
of a clause in their contract that allows them to be out for 48 hours before choosing their next assignment, NJ Transit said. “We don’t have a shortage in staff, it’s a just matter of a few of our locomotive employees who are exercising their contractual option that allows them to stay out for two days, in regards to picking assignments when
rail schedules change,” said NJ Transit spokeswoman Nancy Snyder on Tuesday. “There are individual employees who should put customers first and come to work and not exercise that two-day option.” A union representative could not be reached for comment. For her part, Mayor Liz Lempert on Tuesday expressed
concern about a recent spate of disrupted service to the Dinky, “a critical link between Princeton and the Northeast corridor,” in her words. “We have many residents and commuters who rely on the service,” Mayor Lempert said. “It‘s important, as a state, that we’re investing in our transit and that we’re investing in New Jersey Transit so that
they’re able to provide the service that so many of us rely on.” The service suspension came in a week when the Dinky was to be out of service weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. for rail work, NJ Transit has said. The disruption will continue into next week, also Monday to Friday, during those same times, NJ Transit said.
School district sees hike in substance abuse incidents By Philip Sean Curran Staff Writer
The Princeton school district saw an uptick in students getting in trouble for substance abuse during a six -month span ending in June, compared to the same time
pas
s and
frame last year. Superintendent of Schools Stephen C. Cocrhane, outlining the violence and vandalism report during the Board of Education meeting Tuesday, said there were nine incidents, compared to one in 2016. Of
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the nine students involved, eight attended Princeton High School and one attended John Witherspoon Middle School, he said. PHS has an enrollment of 1,600 students and Witherspoon has nearly 800. A counselor who advises
students on substance abuse issues, primarily at the high school, will begin spending part of her week at the middle school, Cochrane said. The idea, he said, is to be able to catch “some of these issues early and provide more education early.”
“At this point, what we’re seeing is alcohol and marijuana,” Cochrane said when asked about the substances. “We have had kids who have brought in pills, prescription cold medicine and that kind of thing that we also have to take a look at.”
The Princeton Packet 3A
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Friday, July 21, 2017
Princeton grad student accused of spying is sentenced to prison in Iran By Philip Sean Curran Staff Writer
A Princeton University graduate student doing research in Iran was sentenced in that country to 10 years in prison for what the Iranian government claimed was spying for the United States. Xiyue Wang had been arrested last August, with a spokesman for the Iranian state judiciary announcing on Sunday that the sentence had been handed down. The spokesman claimed Xiuye was “directly guided by the U.S.,” according to Iranian news. The university, in a statement, said that Xiyue, 37, a naturalized US citizen, had been in Iran “doing scholarly research on the administrative and cultural history of the late Qajar dynasty in connection with his
Courtesy photo
Xiyue Wang, a graduate student at Princeton University doing research in Iran, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for “spying” for the United States. Ph.D. dissertation.” He is a fourth-year graduate student in the history department, the university said. In a statement, his wife, Hua Qu, said this week that her husband is being held in prison “unjustly.” “My husband, Xiyue Wang, is one of the kindest,
most thoughtful, and most loving men I have ever known. He has been a devoted husband to me and a father to our four-year-old son,” she said. “Our son has missed his father for more than a year of his young life, as my husband has been unjustly impris-
oned for espionage that I know he did not and never would commit. My husband has long been deeply interested in 19th and early 20th century Eurasian history, and he was in Iran last summer solely for purposes of learning Farsi and doing scholarly research for his
Amount of land needed for Route 1 expansion still uncertain By Philip Sean Curran Staff Writer
The state said this week that it was too soon to say how much right-of-way it would need to acquire for a planned expansion of Route 1 near Princeton. Princeton University owns land that is expected to be critical for the improvement project, targeted for roughly one mile of the highway between Alexander and Mapleton roads, starting sometime in 2021.
West Windsor Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh said last week that most of the land for the proposed expansion — calling for one more travel lane in either direction among other things — would come mostly from universityowned property on the western side of the highway. “Princeton University does own land on either side of Route 1 in the project limits and the department has begun discussions with the university about the project and will continue to
work with them, and the other stakeholders, as the project advances,” said DOT spokesman Steve Schapiro by email Monday. For its part, the university has said there have been no meetings about how the land might be conveyed to the state, and said this week it would be happy to respond once there is a proposal to consider. In a phone interview, Mayor Hsueh said Monday that he would leave it to the state and the university to
determine how the property “can be contributed to be part of the improvements.” “My feeling is Princeton University probably would like to see the survey done so they know how much property they need,” the mayor said. “Whether donated or sold, any and all lands that would allow NJ DOT to improve Route 1 traffic are worthy of serious consideration,” said state Assemblyman Jack M. Ciattarelli (R-16) by email Monday.
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Ph.D. dissertation as a graduate student in history at Princeton University. We fervently hope that the Iranian authorities will release him soon so that he can return home to his young family.” His sentence can be appealed. Nassau Hall said it had been trying to secure his release. “We were very distressed by the charges brought against him in connection with his scholarly activities, and by his subsequent conviction and sentence,” the statement said. “His family and the university are distressed at his continued imprisonment and are hopeful that he will be released after his case is heard by the appellate authorities in Tehran. In the interim, the university will continue to do everything it
can to be supportive of Mr. Wang and his family.” For its part, the Trump administration declined to elaborate on any specifics of his case. “We are aware of reports regarding Xiyue Wang, a U.S. citizen detained in Iran. ... For privacy reasons, we are not going to detail efforts in specific consular cases,” a State Department spokesman said in a statement. “The safety and security of U.S. citizens remains a top priority,” the spokesman said. “We continue to use all the means at our disposal to advocate for U.S. citizens who need our assistance overseas especially for the release of any unjustly detained U.S. citizens held overseas. We call for the immediate release of all U.S. citizens unjustly detained in Iran so they can return to their families.”
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TOWN FORUM 4A The Princeton Packet
STATE WE’RE IN
Ban offshore drilling, seismic testing off the New Jersey coast By Michele S. Byers
Summer is in full swing at the Jersey shore. Over the next couple of months and into the fall, millions of visitors will head “down the shore” for the beaches, fishing, boating and ecotourism activities like whale and dolphin watching. It’s hard to imagine New Jersey without its thriving shore tourism economy - dependent on a healthy ocean and a clean coastline stretching from Sandy Hook to Cape May. The same goes for its commercial fishing industry, which supplies fresh seafood to countless restaurants and markets. But tourism and commercial fishing in New Jersey are once again threatened by a bad idea that comes back again and again: ocean drilling for oil and gas along the coast of this state we’re in. In April, President Trump signed an executive order reopening the possibility of drilling in the waters off the East Coast, including New Jersey. Then, on June 5, the Trump administration proposed to issue five permits for offshore seismic testing … a first step to oil exploration. Trump’s executive order would undo an executive order signed by President Barack Obama last December, reinstating a moratorium on offshore drilling from Massachusetts to Virginia. New Jersey’s congressional delegation has objected strenuously to both the offshore drilling and seismic testing proposals. In a letter to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, Congressman Frank Pallone, Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker, and seven other Congressional representatives said drilling off the Atlantic coast would have “severe economic and environmental impacts” on New Jersey. “Tourism along the Jersey shore generates almost $40 billion each year and supports half a million jobs - including the fishing, boating and recreational industries,” according to the letter. “Allowing offshore drilling would unnecessarily threaten the economies of the communities that rely on a thriving coastline. Fragile marine ecosystems and species would also be placed in danger of a potential future environmental disaster resulting from a blowout or other failure offshore.” In a separate letter to the National Marine Fisheries Service, New Jersey’s entire congressional delegation - Democrats and Republicans alike - expressed concern about the proposal to issue permits for seismic testing. Seismic testing is not benign. Large air guns are towed behind ships, repeatedly firing loud blasts at the ocean floor. The sound waves produced by these blasts bounce back to the surface, and help measure the presence of oil or gas. These blasts are harmful. “Seismic testing can disrupt migratory patterns, cause marine wildlife to abandon important habitats and disrupt mating and feeding,” the legislators said. “The sound wave tests can also destroy fish eggs and larvae. These tests can also cause deafness in whales and dolphins, both of which rely on hearing to reproduce, locate food and communicate.” To stop offshore drilling, two pieces of See BAN, Page 6
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Friday, July 21, 2017
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Sen. Sweeney a champion to those with special needs To the editor: As New Jersey has shown, time and time again, politics can make the state budget process contentious. Arc Mercer, like many non-profits, relies on a stable source of funding to sustain programs for people with special needs. This year, some initiatives were championed by state legislators, and signed into law by the governor, that will have a significant on people with developmental disabilities. In particular, credit should go to Senate President Steve Sweeney. He has long been a champion of people with special needs In the course of this year’s budget fight, Sen. Sweeney took the lead on the issue of insufficient funds to pay a decent wage for our front-line employees who care for people with special needs every day. These individuals are the backbone of the services Arc Mercer provides to more than 1,200 people with special needs in the Greater Mercer area. The service they provide, from assisting with hygiene and cleanliness to dispensing more than 200,000 doses of prescription medicine a year in our agency alone, they are the unsung heroes of the care network for people with special needs.
SOLUTIONS
Many earn just $10 to $12 an hour. Senate President Sweeney was instrumental in securing $20 million in FY 2018 for a pay increase that has been 10 years in coming for these professionals. Without this increase, some of these key staff may have had to leave the field, potentially jeopardizing the programs in which they work. Additionally, Sen. Sweeney fought to maintain a $5 million appropriation, slated to be cut in the budget, to continue the operations for people with developmental disabilities seeking vocational supports in the community. This will help further the work of Arc Mercer’s Occupational Training Center (OTC). The center, like many in the state that will benefit from this appropriation, gives the foundation on which people in Mercer County with significant special needs can build a career. We greatly appreciate the commitment of Sen. Sweeney and the other legislators who showed they understand the value of investing in people with special needs. Mercer County will be able to better serve people with special needs because of this leadership.
Steven P. Cook Executive Director Arc Mercer
Huck Fairman
Pop-in-Space to host a variety of artistic, educational projects Just this week, an innovative idea, drawing on both community and business support, opened its doors at Hulfish Street and Palmer Square Northeast. This is the Arts Council of Princeton’s Pop-inSpace intended to host a variety of artistic and educational projects and opportunities. But while the Arts Council’s Artistic Director, Maria Evans, is overseeing the project, a number of local sponsors are supporting it. First, Palmer Square’s Lori Rabone suggested using the available store, adjacent to Jazams. She is donating that space through Aug. 31, and possibly longer, depending on popularity and availability. In addition, a number of local sponsors, along with the Arts Council, are contributing in a variety of ways. These include: JaZams, the Princeton Public Library, the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed, and Princeton University’s Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment. These sponsors, or partners, will be providing staff to run the various programs, as well as ideas and information. While the Pop-In-Space continues to receive suggestions as to how it could be used, a number of organizations already have ideas, classes, and demonstrations set to go. Sustainable Princeton will be providing the teaching and hands-
on experience necessary to repair some of the devices and mechanisms we depend on in our daily lives - rather than sending those items to the landfills. Affirmative Art will provide an opportunity to express oneself through art, and is open to all ages. One focus of this program will be to encourage people to “map out their dreams.” The Watershed will be introducing younger residents to water, water usage, and to turtles, which are no longer as plentiful in backyards as they once were. Another group, of teens, wants to show black and white Hollywood and European movies from the first half of the 20th century. The public library would like to install a ping pong table, and in the fall offer a children’s authors series. The space, in the middle of town, offers endless possibilities, and is a healthy combining of the many aspect of our complex lives. The generosity of the sponsors, and Palmer Square in particular, is also a healthy rebalancing of the values that enrich us. Huck Fairman, a Princeton resident, provides commentary on the environment and other issues for the Princeton Packet.
MERCER COUNTY NOTES 4-H officials encourage entries for 99th annual fair
office at (609) 737-3299 or visit www.howellfarm.org or www.mercercountyparks.org.
Have you perfected a new skill or hobby this year? Maybe you started a project a while back and have finally finished it. Well, bring it over to the 99th annual Mercer County 4-H Fair and the coveted Blue Ribbon could be yours. This year the fair will be celebrated July 29-30 at the Howell Living History Farm in Hopewell Township. There are many “Open Division” categories at the fair - you do not need to be a 4-H member to exhibit. Your special family recipe, homegrown vegetable or creative project could earn a ribbon, and the general public is encouraged to submit entries. The fair will celebrate 4-H’s long association with Mercer County and Howell Farm by featuring family friendly activities, such as arts and crafts, animal shows and farm tours. This year’s theme is “99 Ways to Shine in 4-H.” Visit http://mercer.njaes.rutgers.edu/4h/fair, where you will find the fair exhibit book and a complete schedule. Any class listed — including arts and crafts, photography, foods, gardening, clothing, woodworking and more — may be entered under the Open Division. Projects will be received from the general public for entry in the fair on Friday, July 28, from 3 to 8 p.m. at Howell Living History Farm. The fair will run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 29, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 30. Admission and parking are free. Children’s activities, hay rides, music and exhibits will take place throughout the fair. Plenty of food and drink, including homemade ice cream, will also be available. The opening ceremony will take place at 1 p.m. on July 29. For more information about 4-H or entering projects in the fair, please contact Altaira Bejgrowicz at the Mercer County 4-H Office at (609) 989-6830 or email bejgrowicz@njaes.rutgers.edu.
Jewish Family & Children’s Service accepting program participants
Howell Farm to offer evening hayrides The Mercer County Park Commission will offer Saturday evening hayrides at Howell Farm on July 22 from 5 to 8 p.m. The horse-drawn rides last 20 minutes, passing through the fields, fords and meadows of the 130-acre historical farm. Visitors also can enjoy self-guided tours, picnicking and a marshmallow roast. Parking and admission are free. On the dates when evening hayrides are offered, the farm will be closed during the day. The evening hayrides are free and offered on a first-come, firstserved basis to the first 150 visitors. Departures from the barnyard begin at 5:15 p.m. Rides are for individual and family participation, with a one-ride-per-person limit. Groups cannot be accommodated. A wheelchair-accessible wagon also is available. Individuals who would like to ride on this wagon should call (609) 737-3299 in advance, and ask for Kathy. For more information, call the farm
Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Greater Mercer County is currently accepting 11th and 12th grade teens (as of the 20172018 school year) to participate in Gesher LeKesher, a Jewish peer leadership program. As Gesher “Madrichim” (Peer Leaders), teens lead a group of 7th - 9th grade “Talmidim” (Learners) in outreaches addressing trending topics from a Jewish perspective including friendships, the impact of social media, peer pressure, healthy dating relationships and addressing anti-Semitism on campus. This is a great opportunity to develop leadership skills which can be used in college and beyond while meeting and working with other Jewish 11th and 12th graders in the Greater Princeton Mercer Bucks area. Last year’s Peer Leaders represented 10 area high schools. Gesher LeKesher meets six hours each month - two Monday night trainings from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and an additional outreach time either Monday/Wednesday night or Sunday morning. For more information, please visit www.jfcsonline.org/gesherlekesher/ or contact Celeste Albert at 609-987-8100 x210 or celestea@jfcsonline.org.
Songbird banding program planned at preserve
On select Sunday mornings this summer, visitors to the Fiddler’s Creek Preserve in Titusville will experience a “behind-thenets” look at an active field research project. Bird in the Hand: Songbird Banding Program will take place on Sunday, July 30, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Visitors will learn about the research taking place and see wild birds up close as they are banded, measured and released. A member of the Mercer County Park Commission’s Naturalist staff will act as a host to the guests by interpreting the banding process, as well as answering questions about the purpose, goals and importance of conservation projects of this nature. As part of the research taking place, wild birds will be gently and safely captured in delicate nets by a licensed bird bander and ornithologist. While the birds are in hand, the Naturalist staff will share information about each species’ identification, behavior and ecology, and guests will get to see these beautiful creatures up close before they are released. This program emphasizes the importance of science to conservation and land stewardship. The Fiddler’s Creek Preserve is the Park Commission’s youngest reforestation area. Volunteers and staff planted trees and shrubs in fall 2012. As the reforestation area grows into forest, regular monitoring of the plant and bird community is important. Birds are considered an indicator species. Their presence, or lack thereof, See NOTES, Page 7
Friday, July 21, 2017
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6 A The Princeton Packet
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Friday, July 21, 2017
Power outage disrupts hearing on Palmer Square Post Office proposal By Philip Sean Curran Staff Writer
A power outage Thursday night interrupted a Princeton Planning Board hearing on a proposal to turn the old Palmer Square Post Office into a brewpub, with the case carried to next month. The lights inside the main meeting room of Witherspoon Hall stayed on, but the audio system and the air conditioning
went out sometime around 9:50 p.m. The disruption led board members to try and pick a new date for the hearing to continue, finally settling on Aug. 3 at 7:30 p.m. Only one expert witness was able to testify on behalf of a project by real estate businessman David Eichler, who won the bid for the Post Office building. He has proposed renovating the building, built in 1932, making improvements including replacing
the loading docks in the back with a glass box entrance and bringing Triumph Brewing Co., now on Nassau Street, to the location. Triumph will be open seven days a week, and have 297 seats, municipal planning director Lee O. Solow told the board in his remarks. The old lobby will be turned into a dining room, and the historic mural, “Columbia under the Palm,” seen as controversial by
some for its depiction of Indians, would be preserved. “I think the board understands that this is a fully conforming, beautiful adaptive reuse of a very, very important building,” said Eichler’s lawyer, Richard Goldman, after the abbreviated hearing. “What I was excited about, it’s going to be used by a really wellknown, long-standing local business.” The project is a variance-free application, but a
resident of Palmer Square and former candidate for Congress, Scott Sipprelle, is challenging it. Sipprelle, who was at Thursday’s hearing, hired a lawyer to cross-examine the developer‘s experts. In a statement Friday, Sipprelle said: “No one is a bigger booster of Princeton or proponent of investing in our town. But the mega-bar proposed for the historic Post Office is massively oversized and will wreak
havoc on the current parking shortage while endangering the public safety in our town square. “The development is attempting to exploit a perceived loophole in our parking codes to argue that a new 300 seat brewpub will create less parking demand than a small Post Office that closed its doors before dinner hours,” he said. “That claim is obviously absurd and the Planning Board must recognize
Princeton Councilman hospitalized after accident in charity bike ride By Philip Sean Curran Staff Writer
Princeton Councilman Tim Quinn was recovering Thursday in a Pennsylvania hospital after breaking four
ribs and suffering other injuries in an accident Wednesday during a charity bike ride. Quinn said he was about 10 miles from Lewisburg, coming from State College,
when he “got stuck in a groove after a big bump transitioning from a paved surface to a milled surface” sometime between 11 a.m. and noon. He was wearing a helmet.
He said he lost consciousness for about two minutes, and was taken to the hospital. He said he suffered four broken ribs, a broken collarbone and a bruised lung.
Quinn was due to be released from Geisinger Medical Center, in Danville, on Friday. He said he would continue with the Anchor House Bike ride in a “support role” in one of the
tour’s rover vehicles. This was Quinn’s 25th year participating in the weeklong ride that ends Saturday, at Quakerbridge Mall, after a span of 500 miles.
Late changes to school funding will delay tax bills being sent out By Philip Sean Curran Staff Writer
due date pushed back to the middle of next month, Third quarter tax bills in Mayor Liz Lempert said Princeton will be mailed Tuesday. later than normal, with their She said the delay was
attributed to some “lastminute changes” to school funding by the state, which meant a final tax rate could not be struck until Tuesday.
She said the 10,000 bills would be mailed next week and be due 25 days from the date that they are sent. She did not know what day they
legislation have been introduced. One would prevent the Trump administration from renewing the 5-year oil and gas leasing process, while the other - known as the COAST Anti-Drilling Act - would permanently ban offshore drilling in the Atlantic Ocean. These bills must become law. The severe harm that would occur from drilling and testing on marine fisheries and populations of whales and dolphins is unacceptable. And a catastrophic oil spill
year. “So at this point,” she said, “we’re looking at some time in mid-August as the due date.”
Filing deadline nears for candidates
Ban
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will go out. Normally, tax bills for the quarter are due Aug. 1, but taxpayers will have a little longer to pay them this
By Lea Kahn Staff Writer
would cause long-term degradation of New Jersey’s beaches. Organizations like Clean Ocean Action and the American Littoral Society have worked hard to protect our oceans for decades. “Citizens of New Jersey spent a lot of years cleaning up the ocean - we didn’t do that to turn over our waters to big oil,” said Tim Dillingham, executive director of the American Littoral Society. “We know where we drill we spill, and that’s unacceptable to the shore economies that depend on a clean ocean.”
The economies of New Jersey and other coastal states depend heavily on tourism, which would fail without a healthy marine environment. In New Jersey alone tourism and fishing industries bring in $50 billion a year and employ over 500,000 people. Offshore drilling and seismic blasts must be permanently prohibited. You can help! Contact your Congressional representatives and let them know you fully support their efforts to permanently stop offshore drilling and seismic testing along the At-
lantic coast. Visit the American Littoral Society’s website at www.littoralsociety.org and Clean Ocean Action at www.cleanoceanaction.org for more information about protecting our coasts. And to learn more about preserving New Jersey’s land and natural resources, visit the New Jersey Conservation Foundation website at www.njconservation.org or contact me at info@njconservation.org. Michele S. Byers is executive director of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation in Morristown.
Montgomery Township representatives, and Witt is the Rocky Hill Borough repreMontgomery Township sentative. and Rocky Hill Borough residents have 10 days left to file seek one of three seats on the Montgomery Township Public School District Board of Education. The deadline to file is July 31. Nominating petitions, signed by 10 registered voters in Montgomery or Rocky Hill, must be turned in to the Somerset County Clerk’s Office in Somerville by 4 p.m. July 31. The school board GASTROPARESIS election is Nov. 7. Gastroparesis is a The three-year terms of condition in which the vagus stops functioning Dale Huff, Amy Miller and nerve and, as a result, the Christine Witt are expiring. correctly stomach is not able to empty Huff and Miller are the itself in the proper way. Much of
GAIN A CHILD, LOSE A TOOTH? Research has debunked any notion that calcium from the mother’s teeth may be leeched during pregnancy to meet the requirements of the growing baby; yet, there may be some truth behind the adage. According to a study of 2,635 women, those with no children had lost one to two teeth while women with children tended to lose more. Looking at women in the 35- to 49-year-old age range, researchers found that those with just one child had lost an average of three teeth. A review of causative factors shows that tooth loss is not so much an inevitability that comes with pregnancy, but that pregnancy poses challenges (such as susceptibility to gingivitis) that women must address in order to maintain good oral health. Make an appointment with our office as soon as you are pregnant. We can help assess your oral health and
map out a plan for the rest of your pregnancy. If you’re planning to become pregnant, it’s a good idea to visit a dentist beforehand to take care of any dental issues that may be affected by your pregnancy. To schedule an appointment, please call 609-924-8300, Or visit us at Montgomery Knoll, 192 Tamarack Circle, Skillman. Our commitment is to relationships of partnership, respect, and appreciation. We offer cosmetic and family dentistry, as well as Zoom® and Invisalign®. Please e-mail your questions or comments to: drjamescally@yahoo.com
P.S. A pregnant woman experiences hormonal changes that increase blood flow to her gum tissues, causing them to be more sensitive, irritable, and swollen.
the time, exactly how the vagus nerve becomes damaged is an unknown factor. Sometimes harm comes from uncontrolled diabetes, a particularly tricky situation because diabetics with gastroparesis have a hard time regulating blood sugar. Conditions such as Parkinson’s or multiple sclerosis can cause gastroparesis, as can gastric surgery during which an injury can occur to the vagus nerve, resulting in long-term problems. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting undigested food, heartburn, bloating, and feeling full quickly. These are fairly common symptoms of many problems, however, so a doctor should be consulted. Currently there are few medications available or approved to treat gastroparesis, and their use can be limited by undesirable side effects and limited effectiveness. To schedule an appointment, please call ROBERT PLATZMAN, D.O. at 609-9218766. My practice is located at 601 Ewing St., Suite C7, in Princeton. Our website, www. drrobertplatzman.com, has more information about the practice. P.S. Dietary modifications and medications are the two most common ways of treating gastroparesis.
Notes Continued from Page 4
Photo courtesy of Stuart Country Day School
Rosheeta Shah, left, and Vedaswini Kabra work on their roller coaster design.
Science Continued from Page 1
an adult. “I want to be an engineer when I grow up,” said Faith Szarvas, a rising seventhgrader, “so I figured this is a good start.” This was Faith’s second year in a row attending the Stuart STEM camp, an experience she spoke fondly of.
“I love this camp, I just love it,” she said. On this morning, she and the other girls were competing in teams of two to make a roller coaster, with the creativity of their design and the cost in supplies they had to “buy” with play money all taken into account. The trick is making sure the marble that starts at the top
of the miniature amusement ride makes it all the way down to the bottom without falling out—not an easy task as the girls discover. Britt watches with pride as they create their designs and try to figure things out. “Just to see that process and the learning and the growing that they do,” she said.
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school board would have to approve any such referendum proposal before then, with the board next meeting Aug. 29. But the leader of the
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school board sounded less definite about the PHS addition than Cochrane. “We’ve looked at a few different suggestions, but we haven’t come to any conclusions,” board Presi-
dent Patrick Sullivan said after the meeting.
“You
can’t say there’s going to be a high school addition, you can’t say there’s not. It’s just we don’t know yet.”
is directly related to habitat type and quality. As the recently introduced plants and trees emerge to change the vegetation composition, the bird species frequenting the area should also change and develop. The bird banding program will monitor the dynamics of the preserve’s bird community. Species previously banded include field and song sparrow, common yellowthroat, indigo bunting, bobolink and many others. This program requires registration and children over 6 years old are welcome. Please be aware this program is held in a field; shelter and restrooms will not be available. Fee is $20 per adult, $10 per child. For more information and to register, please call 609-8883218 or e-mail natureprograms@mercercounty.org.
Park commission plans summer nature camps The Mercer County Park Commission’s Nature Programs will host thrilling and educational summer camps for children ranging in age from pre-K to eighth grade. The summer camps are developed and instructed by the Park Commission’s team of Naturalists. Making its debut this
summer is the anticipated Archaeology Camp to be held at the Tulpehaking Nature Center in Hamilton the week of July 24 through 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Dig into summer fun and follow in the footsteps of professional archaeologists. Here, attendants can conduct excavations at one of the most significant archaeological sites in the Eastern United States, the Abbott Farm National Historic Landmark. Your “junior archaeologist-in-training” will practice the skills and methods that archaeologists use to unearth information about past cultures, including Native Americans, Revolutionary War patriots and exiled kings. Throwing with an atlatl, tool and pottery making, and other challenges are on the schedule. Appropriate for children entering grades 4 through 6. The Aquatic Adventure Camp will be held at Mercer County Marina, July 31 through Aug. 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. If your child loves being on the water observing nature, then Aquatic Adventure Camp will be a perfect fit. Designed to balance the fun of summer with science, Aquatic Adventure Camp will have your child diving into fresh water ecology, testing Mercer Lake’s water, kayaking creeks and coves and observing wildlife. Aquatic Adventure Camp also includes activities such as fishing, taking a ride on the pontoon boat, hiking and a cookout. Campers will memorialize their week by making a gyotaku T-shirt to bring home. Baldpate Mountain Nature Camp is a weeklong camp packed with nature explorations, science experiments, hikes through the forest, and unstructured nature play. The 1,200 acres at
Baldpate Mountain provide a rich and diverse ecological setting for children to explore and let their natural curiosity aid them in learning about the environment around them. Camp days are devoted to a nature specifictopic and may include bugs, forest ecology, birds and tracking. Two different age groups accommodate children entering grades 1 through 3 and those entering grades 4 through 6. Two, one-week sessions are available from July 10 through 14 and July 17 through 21, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Park Commission’s Summer Nature Camps are filled on a first-come, firstserved basis and spots are limited. At this time, the Park Commission is unable to provide before or after care for children attending camp. For more information and to download registration forms, please visit https://mercercountyparks.org/#!/activities/summer-nature-camps.
Campout set on Baldpate Mountain
The campfire will be crackling, children laughing and meteors visible in the night sky during the Mercer County Park Commission’s Come Out and Play Campout scheduled for Friday, Aug. 11, to Saturday, Aug. 12, weather permitting. For the first time, families will be able to spend the night on Baldpate Mountain and experience the park like never before. The Come Out and Play Campout is designed to provide a unique summer experience. Those interested can register through www.mercercountyparks.org. Cost for in-county residents is $20 per person; out-of-county residents, $30 per person.
Applications Continued from Page 1 ify the information on the vote-by-mail application through the state voter registration system. “We look up their registration, their birth date and their signature,” she said. “So if they’re registered in the system, they’re good to go.” Freeholder vice chairwoman Lucylle R.S. Walter
said county officials support Sollami Covello’s initiative. She said it would help college students and senior citizens. For her part, Sollami Covello said she thought, ultimately, there would be Internet voting. “But there are a lot of kinks to be worked out with that, for security purposes,” she said. “And we’re not quite there yet.”
Legal Notices NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids for GRACE COURT IMPROVEMENTS will be received by the Township Clerk Township of Plainsboro Municipal Building 641 Plainsboro Road Plainsboro, New Jersey 08536 On August 4, 2017 until 11:00A.M., at the address set forth above. NO BIDS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER 11:00 A.M. BIDS RECEIVED AFTER SUCH TIME AND DATE WILL BE RETURNED UNOPENED TO THE BIDDER. Specifications and other information may be obtained for a non-refundable fee of $75.00 at the Purchasing Office of the Township of Plainsboro between the hours of 8:30 A.M. and 4:30 P.M. or by calling 609-799-0909 extension 1406 or e-mailing purchasing@plainsboronj.com. Bidders are required to comply with the requirements of N.J.S.A. 10:5-31et seq. and N.J.A.C. 17:27. The New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act (P.L. 1963, Chapter 150) is hereby made a part of every contract entered into by the Township of Plainsboro, and by any nontownship public participant, except those contracts which are not within the contemplation of the Act; and the Bidder's signature on this proposal is his guarantee that neither he nor any sub-contractors he might employ to perform the work covered by this proposal are listed or are on record in the Office of the Commissioner of the N.J. State Department of Labor and Industry as one who has failed to pay prevailing wages in accordance with the provisions of the Act. The vendor must comply with all local, county, state and federal laws, rules and regulations applicable to this contract and to the work to be done hereunder. ATTEST: Carol J. Torres, Township Clerk PP, 1x, 7/21/17 Fee: $43.05
SPORTS 8A
Friday, July 21, 2017
The Princeton Packet
WHAT’S UP
RESULTS Babe Ruth 15s The West Windsor-Plainsboro 15-year-old Babe Ruth all-stars advanced to the championship game of the Southern New Jersey State Tournament with a 3-1 win over Hamilton-Northern Burlington on Wednesday night at Veterans Park in Hamilton. Ian Muni tossed a three-hitter to pick up the win on the mound. The victory was the third straight for WW-P, which opened the tournament with an 8-3 win over Millville before topping Atlantic Shore, 7-2. WW-P will face the winner of the losers bracket final between Hamilton-Northern Burlington and Nottingham in the championship game on Friday at 6 p.m. WW-P clinches the title with a win. With a loss the teams would play a second game on Friday.
State Open Golf Springdale Golf Club was one of four New Jersey Golf Clubs to host the New Jersey State Golf Association State Open qualifying tournament. The event took place on June 15 where 103 golfers participated. The golfers, professionals and amateurs, had to have a USGA index of 5.0 or less to enter the qualifying tournament. Reid Bedell of Manasquan River G.C. and Logan Sabins of Jumping Brook C.C. led the field with scores of 69.
Summer hoops Owen Biggs scored a team-high 19 points and Jake Angelucci added 12 as the Hornets topped the Lakers in the Junior Division of the Princeton Recreation Boys Summer Basketball League. Frank McLaughlin scored 11 in the loss. In other Junior Division action, the Thunder defeated the Clippers. In the Senior Division, Torynz Bethea had a team-high 24 points and Jaxon Petrone scored five as Princeton Orthodontics topped Princeton Pettoranello, 31-21. Ryan Cruser netted eight and Luke Bornstein scored four in the loss. In other Senior Division action, Ethan Guy netted 12 points and Nico Cucchi added nine to lead Caliper Farms over the Majeski Foundation, 38-22. James Petrone had nine and Jaylen Johnson scored four points in the loss.
Sean Scarpa The 12-year-old Montgomery resident was the sixth overall finisher in the Heritage Day 5k Run, which was held in North Brunswick on July 15. Scarpa covered the course in 22 minutes, 8 seconds. The overall winner was Luke Owen of Lawrence, who finished in 18:58. Montgomery resident Elizabeth Henderson was the top female finisher, seventh overall, with a time of 22:11.
Sivan Krems The Princeton University graduate earned a pair of Silver medals at the recently completed Maccabiah Games, which were held in Israel. Krems was the silver medalist in both singles and doubles in women’s tennis. Seeded sixth in the singles draw, she won three matches to reach the final, where she fell to her doubles teammate, top-seeded Mia Rabinowitz. Krems and Rabinowitz finished second in doubles.
Photo by Beverly Schaefer
After missing most of the last three years with arm trouble, Princeton High graduate Ben Gross had a solid season for the Princeton University baseball team as a junior.
Gross takes the next step in comeback By Bob Nuse Sports Editor
Ben Gross couldn’t have asked for anything more during his junior season at Princeton University. After arm trouble limited Gross to just six inning on the mound as a senior at Princeton High School, he missed all of his freshman season and pitched just three inning as a sophomore at PU. Gross was finally healthy as a junior and turned in quite a season for the Tigers. At Princeton this past season, Gross was 3-5 with a 4.20 earned run average. He led the Tigers with 48 strikeouts. Among the highlights to his season was throwing a two-hitter over five innings and striking out eight in a game at Duke in March. Gross had made two appearances in 2016 and did not allow a run in three innings. “It was nice to not be on the bench for every single game of the season and just be watching the
team,” Gross said earlier this week from North Carolina, where he is pitching in the Coastal Plain League. “I think I surpassed my goals going into the season. One of my goals in my first full season back was to kind of get my feet wet. I felt like I did more than that and had a pretty big role for the team.” Gross emerged as one of the weekend starters for the Tigers, getting nine starts on the season as Princeton went 12-28-1 overall and 7-13 in the Ivy League. For a pitcher who had basically been sidelined for three straight years, it was quite a success story. “I had shoulder surgery and missed my freshman year and then sophomore year came back and was sort of rehabbing,” said Gross,a Cranbury resident. “I got a few innings in that year and then this year I was full back.” This summer Gross is pitching for the Holly Spring Salamanders in the Coastal Plain League. He
was selected to play in the Coastal Plain League All-Star game, where he pitched a scoreless inning for the East team, striking out two batters in the inning. The East won the game, 2-1. So far this summer, Gross is 22 with a 2.08 earned run average in six games this summer. In 17.1 innings he has allowed just nine hits and seven walks, while he has struck out 26 batters. All four of the earned runs he has surrendered this season came in his last outing. Prior to that, Gross had gone nearly 17 innings without allowing an earned run. “I’m not really sure what my official role is,” Gross said. “I come out of the bullpen. I am usually the first guy out after the starter and eat up as many inning as I can until they go to the next guy. I like the roll I am in. It’s nice change from starting. The objective is to gain more experience and help get ready for next year. I am away from the stresses of
school work and it is a great atmosphere to play in down here. I would put this up there as one of the better summer collegiate leagues. “My coaches at Princeton suggested I play in a summer baseball league and our pitching coach (Mike Russo) coached here a few years ago. He knew the GM and let him know about me. It is a lot of fun.” Gross hopes the added experience of this summer helps him next year at Princeton, where he will likely be looked at as one of the team’s top starters. “It will be my last year, so it will be bittersweet,” Gross said. “I definitely have higher expectations for myself and the team next year. Last year was more of a get out there and see if I still have it and if I can stay healthy and see if success comes. Next year I have to go out and continue to improve and do what I can to help the team.”
George LeClair among those competing in state triathlon By Bob Nuse Sports Editor
Karen George LeClair believes if you put your mind to it and are willing to do the training, anyone can compete in a triathlon. The Montgomery resident is proof of her own belief, as Sunday she will compete in her second Olympic Distance triathlon and 10th overall when she heads to the starting line of the New Jersey State Triathlon at Mercer County Park in West Windsor. “My main training partner is my husband,” said George LeClair, whose husband, Jeff LeClair, will also compete in Sunday’s event. “He did a triathlon and I went to cheer him on and saw all the people doing it. The best part is all the different ages and all different sizes of the people who compete. This is part of our training for the Half Iron Man we’re planning to do in September in Lake George. It’s called the Big George. It had my name it it so I figured it was a good one to try for our first Half Ironman.” Once George LeClair caught the bug to compete she found the right group to train with. She and her husband are part of Run Around Princeton. The group trains together and enters races. There is a group within the group
Courtesy photo
Karen George LeClair and her husband, Jeff LeClair (standing with white hats) are part of the Run Around Princeton triathletes group and will both be competing in the New Jersey State Triathlon this weekend at Mercer County Park. that competes in triathlons, the Run Around Princeton triathletes. “I really consider myself a novice,” George LeClair said. “Most of my triathlons have been at the sprint distance. This one is a huge draw. Several of the people in Run Around Princeton were doing these long before me. Having a group to train with gives you
that extra incentive. It’s sort of misery loves company. There are actually a few people from our group doing the Lake Placid Ironman this weekend. We think we are suffering though our training and then they have three more hours to go after we’re finished.” Not only does George LeClair have the group to train with, she
also has her husband to train with and for support. The two get up around 4 a.m. several times a week to make sure they get their training in as they prepare for competition. “We are not competitive with one another,” she said. “He is tall and thin and fast and he is one of See TRIATHLON, Page 9
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Upsets rule in Princeton summer hoops league By Bob Nuse Sports Editor
Just call the Princeton Recreation Men’s Summer Basketball League the Upset Special League. With two lower seeds picking up wins during Wednesday night’s quarterfinals, just one of the league’s top four seeds managed to advance to the playoff semifinals that will be held on Friday night at Community Park in Princeton. After top-seeded and defending champion Majeski Foundation opened the playoffs with a win on Monday, the next three quarterfinals were all upsets based on the seeds. The results set up a semifinal
matchup at 7:30 p.m. between Majeski and the fifthseeded PA Blue Devils. In the other semifinal, sixthseeded New Jersey Athletic Club will take on the seventh-seeded Packer Hall All-Stars. NJAC advanced with a 54-49 win over third-seeded Princeton Special Sports. Junior Alexis led the scoring with 20 points in the win, while Kareem Elhossieni added 10 points. Nick Davidson had 24 points in the loss. “We’ve had a lot of downs this season but we definitely came together as a team,” said Elhossieni, who played his high school basketball at West WindsorPlainsboro South. “Some of us played in the Mercer
County 6-2 and under league last summer and we’re friends with each other. Me, Greg (Ford) and Junior all played on that team and I have played with a lot of these guys in high school with pick up. We all know each others game and we just played well tonight and executed.” With the upset win, NJAC now takes on the role of the favorite as they face seventh-seeded Packer Hall in the 8:30 p.m. semifinal. “We were happy with where we were seeded because we knew we could beat those couple teams that were on our side,” Elhossieni said. “It all came through.” The Princeton league is Elhossieni’s only chance to
play competitive basketball over the summer. While he always seems to find a place to play, he spends his college days playing football at Rowan University. Elhossieini, who plays tight end for Rowan, did not play football in high school. “I always wanted to play football,” he said. “I regretted not playing in high school. I talked to the coach and saw the chance and took it. I saw the opportunity and I took it.” Getting ready for the football season will have to wait until after the playoffs for Elhossieni, who has made himself in a solid player through hard work. “I play basketball everywhere,” he said. “I am always working out with
Coach Phil (Vigliano). A couple of these guys are with me all the time and we’re always playing. I was cut from team freshman and sophomore year and then played JV my junior year and started my senior year. “This is the only league I am playing in so I have to take advantage.” Elhossieni and NJAC took advantage as the sixth seed and now will play another day. The same holds true for the PA Blue Devils, who got past fourth-seeded PEAC Performance, 63-57. Matt Margolis scored 19 of his game-high 21 points in the second half to lift the Blue Devils to the win. Lou Conde had 16 points and Elijah Davis added 14 points in the loss.
In Monday night’s quarterfinal games, top-seeded Majeski Foundation topped King’s Pizza, 58-38, in a rematch of last year’s championship series. Liam Byrne led the scoring with 17 points, while Jordan Glover and Elias Bermudez added 12 points apiece. Karron Johnson had 12 points in the loss for King’s Pizza. Seventh-seeded Packer Hall All-Stars posted an opening round upset when it knocked off second-seeded LoyalTees, 58-51. Kevin Johnson scored 18 points to lead the way in the win, while Khalid Lewis had 16 and David Haytaian added 10. Davon Black had 21 points and Darrin ElamCouncil added 11 in the loss.
has little doubt what the toughest leg of the three has been for her since she began training and competing. “Absolutely the swimming,” she said. “If you are not a swimmer as a kid or in college or high school, if you didn’t learn the technique, it’s tough to pick up. I learned to swim when I was young and could I could keep my head above water. But there is a lot of technique that you need to learn.” Triathlons are not easy. The Olympic distance that George LeClair will compete at on Sunday requires a
1500-meter swim across Mercer Lake, 25.2 mile bike, and then a 6.2 mile run. To be able to compete at those distances requires quite a bit of training. The sprint event on Saturday will include a 500-meter swim, 11.5 mile bike and 3.1 mile run. “We meet at the Bagel Barn and a lot of the time we ride through the Sourland Mountains,” George LeClair said. “We are running around Princeton and I think we have actually run all around Princeton. If we see a little road on the side we have not run on yet we say we have to find a route
that leads us down that road. “We have a Facebook page and depending on who posts and what they have on their schedule people will get together to train. We say we are going down to swim at the lake or we will post we have a 50-mile bike and a six-mile run and people will show up to do that together. We did that last weekend and there were two different groups that are doing two different course with a 50-mile bike ride and six-mile run.” The camaraderie within the group makes all of the events special. Having that
support certainly makes it easier. “We plan ahead,” George LeClair said. “We have a tent and everybody brings drinks and snacks and we gather afterward. We are all out there encouraging each other. We don’t compete against each other.” The next step for George LeClair and her husband will be the Half Ironman, with a goal of competing in a Full Ironman by 2019. “When we did our 50 mile ride followed by six mile run, if it were a full Ironman we’d still have to do 62 more miles on the
bike and a full marathon,” George LeClair said. “The thing with any of the races I have done, and especially a triathlon, is you can do it. It all comes down to training and the matter of if you want to put in time or commitment to do it. Do I enjoy getting up at 4 a.m. three or four times a week to train? Not necessarily. But the return is there for your effort. “Our group has such a wide variety of people. We have some stay at home parents and other who work and travel for work. We do it because we love the challenge and being a part of it.”
Triathlon Continued from Page 8 those people who is good at every sport in front of him. We give each other a kiss before each race and I tell him he has to meet me at the finish line. “We were running together and he had done triathlons long before I had met him. Seeing him compete and all the support for everyone it was something I wanted to be a part of. With the bike and run it was new challenge.” George LeClair has completed several marathons and from there made the move into competing in triathlons. She
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10A The Princeton Packet
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Friday, July 21, 2017