VOL. 63, NO. 17
Friday, May 4, 2018
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Pennington youth honored with prize in race relations By Lea Kahn Staff Writer
From organizing the first Islam Awareness Week at The Lawrenceville School to leading a symposium for Muslim youths to help them bridge the divide between Islam and American society, Shaezmina Khan has worked hard to change the way Western society views Muslims. For her efforts, Shaezmina, who is a student at The Lawrenceville School, was recently honored with a certificate of accomplishment from the Princeton Prize in Race Relations of Central and Southern New Jersey. The
awards program, sponsored by Princeton University, recognizes students who have worked to close the gap between the races. Shaezmina, who lives in Pennington and is a junior at the private school, was excited when she learned she had won a certificate of accomplishment - one of six handed out at the April 11 awards ceremony at Princeton University. She was encouraged to enter the competition by a friend, who won a certificate several years earlier. When Shaezmina visited the Princeton Prize website, she discovered the emphasis was on race
relations. None of the previous winners had focused on religion, because it is not as clearcut as the relationship between whites and blacks. “Nobody focused on understanding my religion, but it is interconnected with race,” Shaezmina said, pointing out that Muslims can be of any race or ethnicity. The challenge for Muslims transcends race. For them, it is about how they can make connections and assimilate into American society, all while retaining their religious faith, she said. One can be both a Muslim and an
Assemblymen seek higher age to buy rifles, shotguns By Philip Sean Curran Staff Writer
New Jersey would keep young adults from buying rifles and shotguns by raising the age at which they could legally purchase such weapons, according to a bill introduced in the state Legislature by two lawmakers who represent Princeton. Assemblymen Andrew Zwicker and Roy Freiman (DMercer, Hunterdon, Middlesex and Somerset) want to increase the purchase age from 18 to 21. Their bill would allow individuals under 21 to possess such a weapon to hunt, as long as they have a hunting license, to use in a competition, or if they fall within one of the other exceptions carved out in their legislation. “To me, this is a data-oriented bill on steps we can take to help prevent gun violence,” said Freiman, who is a gun owner, on April 30. Freiman said the state already has “common sense” gun control measures on the books and he said New Jersey has not seen the type of mass shootings witnessed in other parts of the United States. The proposal would bring the minimum age requirement to buy shotguns and rifles into line with the regulation the state already has to buy a handgun, 21. “To me, it’s common sense,” said Princeton Councilwoman Heather H. Howard, who is a former state Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, about the bill. She said the measure would mirror what officials in Florida recently did. “It’s also a recognition that
18- to 20-year-olds commit gun violence at a higher rate,” said Howard, who is a member of the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium that will advise policy makers in New Jersey, New York, four other states and Puerto Rico. “If we know younger people are more likely to commit gun-related violence, then we should be limiting access to guns.” “Medical research does show us teenagers have a different decision process,” Freiman said. “Medical research also indicates teenagers use a different part of the brain to make decisions that are more emotionally based than those of (people in their) 20’s and as we get older as a part of our decision process.” He said the bill would not change hunting rules. The measure would grandfather in anyone between the ages of 18 to 20 who already has an identification card to buy a firearm. There would also be an exemption for members of law enforcement or the military. Violators would face a fourth-degree offense. Freiman said there is a companion bill in the state Senate. Legislation was introduced there by state Sen. Joseph P. Cryan (D-Union County) and state Sen. Nicholas P. Scutari (D-Union, Somerset and Middlesex). “I feel confident we will get the support necessary behind it,” Freiman said. “And I feel highly confident that, should this come across the governor’s desk, he will sign it.” Zwicker did not respond to a text message or a message left at his legislative office seeking comment. According to the state’s Uniform Crime Report for 2015, rifles were used in 0.8 percent of all murders that year. Out of 369 such offenses, three involved a shotgun and 263 involved a handgun. The same report found the most frequent perpetrators and victims of murder were black men between the ages of 20 and 24. This week, the National Rifle Association reacted to the Freiman-Zwicker bill by suggesting it would violate the Constitution. See BILL, Page 3A
American. Shaezmina took a multipronged approach to the issue, from coordinating a two-day symposium for Muslim youth as a summer intern at the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), to organizing a three-day Islam Awareness Week for her classmates at The Lawrenceville School. The CAIR symposium brought together 50 Muslim high school students around the theme of “Defining Your American Identity,” she said. Workshops and lectures included “Challenging Islamophobia and Racism”
and “Breaking Barriers: Building Relationships Across Racial Divides.” Muslim youths have struggled with their identity in the wake of anti-Muslim sentiment that occurred after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Shaezmina said, adding they do not feel they can be both a Muslim and an American, and fit into American society. “Being Muslim and American are not mutually exclusive. You can be both, and you can do it well. No one should question your faith and your citizenship,” said Shaezmina, who was born
See PRIZE, Page 3A
Photos by Scott Jacobs
Serving it up Hopewell Valley High School’s men’s tennis team took on opponents from throughout the county during the Mercer County Boys Tennis Championships on April 26. Above, Daniel Blumenthal returns a volley during a match. Right, William Keller gets in position for a play.
Hopewell officials adopt capital improvements bond ordinance By Lea Kahn Staff Writer
Members of the Hopewell Township Committee have adopted a $3.5 million bond ordinance that includes money for the 2018 road program, and equipment purchases for the Department of Public Works and the police department. Committee members took the action on April 23.
The bond ordinance allocates $2.69 million for the road program. The money will pay for work on Brandon Road West and Treymore, Voorhees, Bollen, Pebble Creek and Shrewsbury courts in the Brandon Farms development. There is money appropriated for improvements to Burd and Reed roads, plus design work for Bull Run Road and Denow Road. The bond ordinance earmarks
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money to buy a dump truck and other trucks for the Department of Public Works. It also sets aside money to buy a leaf collector, a brush chipper and related equipment for the department. The police department will be able to buy a four-wheel-drive vehicle and assorted equipment, including radar units for patrol cars and digital cameras for the Detective Bureau. A breath-test machine also will be purchased.
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HOPEWELL VALLEY BRIEFS TMS students present Honk! Jr. the Musical
Blessing of animals and picnic lunch
Timberlane Middle School proudly presents the classic story of the Ugly Duckling in Honk! Jr., The Musical Thursday, May 3
Hopewell United Methodist Church will host a Blessing of Animals, on Sunday, May 6 at noon at the church, 20 Blackwell Ave., Hopewell. The blessing will be followed by a Community Picnic. Every animal will receive an individual blessing. All well-behaved pets and their people are welcome. Stay after the blessing and enjoy a picnic lunch with friends and your pets. There is no charge for the lunch. The event is part of the church’s theme for April and May – Alive! Caring for our pets is one way of showing love, care, and concern for the Created World. The activities will be held outside, weather permitting. For more information, email connect@ hopewellmethodist.org or call 609-466-0471.
at 6:30 p.m., Friday, May 4 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 5 at 7 p.m. at The Hopewell Valley Performing Arts Center. Based on the classic Hans Christian Anderson story of the Ugly Duckling, this show is great for all ages. Everyone can enjoy this relatable and high energy musical. There are messages about not judging a fowl by their feathers and a family’s love and acceptance. All performances will be at the Performing Arts Center at the Hopewell Valley Central High School‚Äã 259 Pennington-Titusville Road, Pennington NJ. Tickets $10 Adults, $5 Students/Senior Citizens and Teachers and on sale through www.showtix4u.com or tickets will be available at the theater box office 1 hour prior to the performances.
Walking group On Tuesday, May 8 at 11 a.m., the Hopewell Valley Senior Services will be meeting at the parking lot in the park by the Route 29 & 546 intersection. they will be walking on the tow path from the park to Church Road and back along River Drive.
Tech time Stop in at the Hopewell Branch of the Mercer County Library (245 Pennington-Titusville Road, Pennington) for tech help from local teens at 3 p.m. on May 8. Registration is required by May 4. This is the last Tech Time until Oc-
tober. To register, contact Liz, 609-537-0257.
Tech Class: Using Your Smartphone This course will cover the most important features of a standard Smartphone and review the differences between different models. Students need not to have a smartphone to attend but are encouraged to bring their devices if they have one. Registration is required, call Liz 609-537-0257 by May 2. There is a $5.00 fee per attendee for the class, please bring a check made out to the Hopewell Valley Senior Foundation. Wednesday, May 9, 4:30-6 p.m. at HV Senior Center, 395 Reading Street, Pennington.
Ladies Auxiliary Mother’s Day plant sale The Ladies Auxiliary of the Hopewell Fire Dept. will hold their annual Mother’s Day Plant Sale on Thursday May 10, Friday May 11, and Saturday May 12 from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. each day. There will be a bigger selection of beautiful hanging baskets, various sizes of blooming patio planters, sunflowers, geraniums, tomatoes, peppers, and Double Knockout Roses. The Historic Hopewell blankets will also be available in all four colors cranberry, hunter green, Duke blue, and black at $40.00 each.
Mother’s Day flower sale The Pennington Fire
Company Ladies Auxiliary will be holding their annual Mother’s Day Flower Sale on May 10, 11 and 12 from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. on each day. The sale will be held at the Pennington Firehouse which is located at 120 Broemel Place in Pennington (across from the post office). Come early for the best selection.
Plant sale at Hopewell UMC The Hopewell UMC will host a plant sale at the church on Friday, May 11 from 5 – 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 12 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. We will be offering bedding plants in the flat: annuals, perennials, herbs and vegetables. Additionally, we will have composted sheep manure for those gardeners looking to enhance their soil. If you are looking for tools, pots and gardening bric-a-brac, we will have a gardening “yard” sale for used items. Children’s activities – Young ones can make some garden art. We are located at 20 Blackwell Ave., Hopewell, NJ 08525. For more information, email connect@ hopewellmethodist.org or call 609-466-0471.
Hopewell Valley Chorus spring concert set “Oh, My Joy,” the Hopewell Valley Chorus’ spring concert, will take place Friday, May 11, 7:30 p.m. at St. James Church, 115 E. Delaware Ave., Pennington. The concert will feature the world premiere of “Here Is the World,” by composer Allen L. Borton,
and classical to contemporary songs by Mendelssohn, Pergolesi, Dawson, Clausen, McCartney, and more. Presentation of a Hopewell Valley Chorus Scholarship to trombonist Christopher Nadar, a senior at Hopewell Valley Central School, will also take place. Admission is $15, with a reduced cost of $12 for seniors and students. To purchase tickets, call 609737-3177 or order online at hopewellvalleychorus.org.
PQM Mother’s Day event It’s going to be a great celebration on Saturday, May 12 at Pennington Quality Market. All PQM Kid’s Club members are invited to the PQM Corner Café between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. to join in the Mother’s Day fun. PQM will provide the supplies for creating a special Mother’s Day Craft for Mom. Each Kid’s Club member will also receive a free treat. If your child is not a PQM Kid’s Club member, they can sign up on the spot with an easy to complete application found at the courtesy booth. Joining entitles each kid to a free treat weekly, as well as participation in other Holiday Kid’s Club Events. Kid’s Club members also receive a birthday card that provides a discount on their birthday cake. For more information on this day of fun for everyone, please visit our website at www.pqmonline.com.
State Button Society Show Oceans, rivers, fish and
whales - see them pictured on buttons at the New Jer-C sey State Button Society (NJSBS) Show and Competition, set for Saturday, May 12, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Button collectors will also enter competitions featuring baskets and buttons made from celluloid and black glass. The show will be held at the Union Fire Company fire hall, 1396 River Road (Route 29), Titusville, and there is plenty of free parking. Admission is $2 for adults, free for juniors to age 17. For more information, contact 732-356-4132, send an e-mail to buttonsinnewjersey@gmail.com, or visit newjerseystatebuttonsociety.org.
How to manage daily living with arthritis
One in five adults in the US is diagnosed with arthritis, but despite it being common, arthritis is a broadly used term for a wide range of conditions that can lead to chronic joint pain and disability. Join Dr. Sanjina Prabhakaran, a board certified, fellowship trained rheumatologist from Capital Health-Rheumatology Specialists, to learn about the different types of arthritis that can occur in adults, symptoms, and how to manage your condition in every day life. Wednesday, May 16, 10 a.m., HV Senior Center, 395 Reading Street, Pennington.
Pennington Day Pennington’s
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Continued from Page 1A in the United States. Her parents immigrated from Pakistan. Shaezmina said the symposium sought to help the participants find ways to acquaint American society with Muslims and Islam. It encouraged them to realize there is place in society for people who are not like everyone else, she said. Having convinced her co-religionists they can be both Muslim and American, Shaezmina turned her attention to her classmates at The Lawrenceville School. As the president of
the school’s Muslim Students Association, she organized a three-day educational series at school. “The mission was to steer people away from the fear and mistrust of Islam that is rooted in ignorance. We felt it was our duty to de-mystify Islam” for our classmates, Shaezmina said. The Lawrenceville School students watched a video, “The Life of Muslims in America,” and discussed it afterward. They also listened to a Muslim chaplain from the University of Pennsylvania who
spoke about the myths and misconceptions about Islam. On the last day, Shaezmina invited her classmates to try on a hijab, the traditional headscarf worn by Muslim women. Although there are about 14 or 15 Muslim students at the private, co-educational boarding school, Shaezmina is the only female student who wears a hijab. It has been years since a Muslim female student at the school has worn one, she said. The students were encouraged to try on the hi-
jab. She explained its significance and also answered questions that ranged from whether women must wear a hijab, to the rights of women in Islam. The students learned about Islam and feminism. Shaezmina said she chooses to wear a hijab because it reinforces her values around modesty and shows her commitment to God. It serves as a shield and forces others to judge her on her character and intellect, not her appearance. The hijab is not a sign of oppression, she said. While some Muslims
feel conflicted about their religion and American society, Shaezmina credits her parents with being a guiding force for her. They taught her not to deny her identity. “Be proud of who you are and do not run away from challenges. My parents told me I would face adversity, but there will be successes, too. Even if no one else agrees, my family will back me,” she said. Shaezmina said she was grateful to her adviser, Tran Kim-Senior, an associate dean of admissions and the coordinator of Intercultural
Programs. She encouraged Shaezmina to apply to the Princeton Prize in Race Relations. Reflecting on earning a certificate of accomplishment, Shaezmina said she was humbled for being recognized for the work she has done, both at CAIR and at The Lawrenceville School. She was excited to win, but it was also bittersweet. “My work has made a difference, but there is still a long way to go. I am trying to get to the end goal, but it is still far away,” Shaezmina said.
man Lars Dalseide said by email April 30. “Legislation that prevents an 18- to 20-year-old from purchasing a shotgun for hunting or a single mother from buying the most effective self-defense rifle
on the market deprives these law-abiding individuals of their constitutional right to self-protection.” In the wake of the shooting that left 14 people dead at a high school in Parkland, Fla., in Febru-
ary, New Jersey lawmakers have passed a series of gun control bills. One such measure that passed the Assembly would require background checks of all private gun sales. “In New Jersey, we’re
doing what we can, but there’s only so much we can do given the fact that, obviously, our borders are porous,” Howard said. “States like Virginia have much more lax laws, and so guns are brought in
from other states.” She said longer term, New Jersey’s officials need to “think about even bigger answers because there’s only so much we can do within our own borders.”
are awarded to many local civic causes. Time is limited to register for booth space as it’s expected to sell out again. For-profit and non-profit both vendors are encouraged to apply as quickly as possible. Only a few spots remain for food vendors, who take residence at the Toll Gate Elementary school loop and Howe Commons. To register, visit: http://penningtonday. org/vendors/ The rain-or-shine event starts at 10 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. To learn more or to apply for a booth, visit www.
penningtonday.org.
Thomas Knox, Nigel Hess, a small ensemble from the There is a $5 fee per atGeorge M. Cohen, Jerome band. tendee for the class, please Kern and others, with the bring a check made out to usual mix including march- Tech Class: the Hopewell Valley Sees, medleys, overtures and Introduction to patriotic music. A special nior Foundation. Wednesfeature of this year’s con- Social Media day, May 23, 4:30-6 p.m., cert will be the world preIf you’ve ever wondered Hopewell Valley Senior mier of La Preghiera {The what the difference bePrayer}, conducted by the tween a post, a tweet, a pin Center, 395 Reading Street, composer, Thomas Juz- and a snap is, this class is Pennington. waik. for you. We will talk about The high school Per- the most popular social netSend items to amarforming Arts Center is works, who uses them and tins@centraljersey.com or located at 259 Penning- what they use them for. ton-Titusville Road in Pen- Time permitting, we will fax to 609-924-3842. The nington, NJ. Admission is help interested people sign deadline for submissions free. Following the concert up for their own accounts. each week is 3 p.m. on Frithere will be a reception Registration is required, with refreshments and live call Liz 609-537-0257 day. For details, call 609Dixieland music played by by May 16. 874-2163. 00256889.0217.03x10.18.BeckerNose&Sinus.indd
Bill Continued from Page 1A “The focus should be on proposals that prevent violent criminals and dangerously mentally ill people from acquiring firearms,” NRA spokes-
Briefs Continued from Page 2A community street fair, held this year on May 19, celebrates the Greater Hopewell Valley area’s best family fun, food, vendors, arts and crafts, music, dance, non-profits and more. Over 5,000 people and 225 unique booth vendors took part in last year’s festivities, with 2018 looking to grow even more. The day-long event, which takes up the greater part of South Main Street, does more than just entertain - it helps great causes. The funds raised by Pennington Day booth vendors contributes to grants that
Blawenburg Band celebrates 128th year The Blawenburg Band will commemorate its 128th anniversary year with a free concert on Sunday, May 20, at 3 p.m. at the Hopewell Valley Central High School Performing Arts Center in Pennington. The anniversary concert program this year continues the tradition of presenting a rich selection of music from the concert band repertoire, including pieces by Carlos Gomez, Leroy Anderson,
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Mayor of FantasyLand To the editor: On April 24, I attended a meeting in West Windsor at which Assemblywoman Holly Shepisi spoke in detail about both affordable housing and the crucial bills in the legislature trying to address the issue. The meeting revealed the devastating fiscal and environmental impact that the mandated affordable housing obligation and the associated market-rate units will have on municipal budgets. There is a burgeoning, statewide movement to approach affordable housing more sensibly, but I note that John Hart was the only member of the Hopewell Township Committee to attend this vital meeting. West Windsor Mayor Hermant Marathe also spoke at the meeting. He made clear that he holds special, open public meetings about affordable housing, writes regular letters to the newspaper on the issue, and reports at every municipal meeting in detail about emerging legislative solutions to affordable housing issues. All in contrast to Hopewell’s Mayor Kevin Kuchinski, who gives only very brief, politically tinged updates on affordable housing at township meetings, and who has pledged only a tiny amount of legal support for those legislative changes. In his letter to the editor last week, Mayor Kuchinski, who prides himself on his financial stewardship, bragged that “the township will bring in $800,000 in new revenue each year when the project is complete.” That may be the new revenue related to a smaller affordable housing project, but he failed to reveal the new costs associated with Hopewell Township’s overall affordable housing plans. Or perhaps Mayor Kuchinski is living in FantasyLand, and not understanding what the committee’s agreement with developers will bring. In January 1998, the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association along with the MSM Regional Council, two private, reputable groups, released a report that detailed the impact of sewer expansion on Hopewell Township. The report evaluated the impact on traffic, housing, environment, and the local economy. I quote: “The Trenton Sewer option was found to generate more than 2,200 new homes, create 105,000 auto trips daily and cause more than $13 million in tax deficits, when including indirect costs.” If that was the projected impact of 2,200 homes, what will be the tax deficit associated with 2,881 market rate homes and 653 affordable housing units? The two projects are not cleanly comparable, but the point remains. Every tax dollar brought in by the new market rate units will cost Hopewell Township more than $2.40 in services. Think more schools, more police, more road repair… to say nothing about the traffic nightmares that will be unleashed upon us all. West Windsor Mayor Marathe and Assemblywoman Shepisi emphasized that affordable housing is not a partisan issue and must be solved with creative ideas from all concerned parties. We must collectively understand the devastating impact of the township’s recent affordable housing settlements on property taxes and debt. Mayor Kuchinski is living in FantasyLand if he thinks that Hopewell Township’s new, secretly-signed contracts with developers will
fatten township coffers. When Mayor Kuchinski talks only about the benefits, he is being dishonest with us. Cheryl Edwards Hopewell Township
Mayor Kuchinski and his parade of political cronies To the editor: Was anyone taken in by the praise for the KuchinskiBlake budget at the Hopewell Township Committee meeting on April 23? In Hollywood, they have laugh tracks to create a land of make-believe amused audiences. In Hopewell Township, we have political cronies to create a land of make-believe public support. Whenever the Kuchinski-Blake administration needs to create support for themselves, all they need to do is dial-up their political cronies. These political cronies are a dedicated band of political loyalists, who appear when the Kuchinski-Blake administration could use some make-believe public support. While repeating themes, if not exact words, as if reading from a list of talking-points, these political cronies could not speak highly enough about how wonderful is the budget of their fellow-Democrats on the township committee: Democrat District 10 Hopewell County Committee member Peter Sandford, who was the Campaign Manager for all four Democrats on the current township committee and Kuchinski-appointee to the finance committee. Democrat District 12 Hopewell County Committee member Jack Belmont, who is a Kuchinski-appointee to the planning board. Democrat District 1 Hopewell County Committee member Linda Rogers, who is a Kuchinski-appointee to the zoning board. Democrat-loyalist Courtney Peters-Manning, who is a Kuchinski-appointee to the planning board. Democrat-loyalist Andrew Borders, who will, no doubt, be rewarded in the future. Speaking of the budget, in her letter to the editor, Deputy Mayor Julie Blake praised her 2.48 per cent tax increase. Of course, anyone with a good memory or left-over campaign literature, will remember that, in 2015, Ms. Blake claimed that a more than 2 percent tax increase “busted NJ’s 2 percent cap.” Why she is proud of doing that is a mystery to me. Maybe she forgot her phony campaign rhetoric. And speaking of forgetting, when comparing the 2015 budget, I guess Ms. Blake also forgot the fire in March 2015, that destroyed every public works vehicle and that expeditious rebuilding of the fleet needed to be addressed in that budget. Harvey Lester Titusville
I am proud of our municipal budget To the editor: On April 23, the Hopewell Township Committee vot-
ed to approve our 2018 budget. I am proud that our municipal budget in 2018 will be kept to a disciplined and responsible 2.48 percent increase that will result in less than a one cent increase in the tax levy. The township is holding the line on taxes while managing the increasing costs of state mandated affordable housing, fighting the PennEast Pipeline and bringing back valuable services like bulky waste pick-up. In 2018, we have kept our costs low and still been able to hire essential personnel for the police department, our community development office and public works, and we have increased hours for the assistant in the recreation department. In addition, long-term dedicated staff were recognized for their efforts and given merit raises. Even with these new staff hires and raises, our total operating budget will be less in 2018 than it was in 2015. It is important to remember that our current Hopewell Township Committee has raised the tax levy less over the past three years in total than the 2015 committee did in one. We’ve reduced our expenses by $200,000 from 2017 and 5.9 percent since 2015. In the last three years, the Hopewell Township Committee budgets have increased, on average, by less than 2 percent. With a lot of careful and intentional planning, we have also dramatically reduced our debt by $1.8 million in 2018; over the past two years, we have reduced the township’s overall debt by 12 percent. Working with our outstanding finance advisory committee, the Hopewell Township Committee has budgeted for a regular cycle of police car replacements and a sustainable snow removal plan. We have increased down payments on capital projects and items depending on their estimated life. By reducing our debt, we ensure future saving on interest costs. Because we know how important it is to plan for unexpected expenses, the proposed budget will allow us to maintain a fund balance or surplus of $10 million, a total 35 percent higher than our 20 year average. Protecting this balance is vital to preserving the township’s AAA bond rating, which will help us reduce future costs. With my fellow committee members, I will continue to look for opportunities to increase shared services, keep a reign on spending, and be responsible stewards of our residents’ tax dollars. Julie Blake Hopewell Township, Deputy Mayor
The good news about the budget To the editor:
With so much negativity in the news and online, I wanted to write with some good news as I see it on the Hopewell Township budget. The township committee’s 2018 budget controls 13 percent of the property tax bill (the balance goes to the school district, Mercer County, the fire district, andJ open space). It’s a good budget all around, with an average increase of 1.6 percent per year over the last three years, but I’m particularly happy to see that the committee is continuing to pay down debt in this era of increasing interest costs. Debt service, or the interest we pay on the money we owe, is a cost to taxpayers with no return in the way of government services. We are paying for the privilege of having debt. I hate that. The Wall Street Journal Prime Rate is 4.75 percent today, as compared with a flat 4.00 percent just one year ago, and all forecasts are that it will continue to rise. This means that it will cost more tomorrow to have the same amount of debt that we have today. Logically, the way to mitigate these rising costs is to pay down debt. I learned at the budget hearing that in 2015, we taxpayers paid almost $6.5 million in debt service. That is $6.5 million in interest costs for which we got nothing other than the privilege of having debt. This year, that will fall to about $5.1 million in interest on our debt. That’s still a big number, but it’s almost $1.3 million less than we paid in 2015. I’m glad to see that because of this aggressive debt reduction, we are going in the right direction. Courtney Peters-Manning Hopewell Township Editor’s note: Letters to the Editor must be submitted to amartins@centraljersey.com by Tuesday at 2 p.m.
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HOPEWELL VALLEY BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION RECAPS Last week, the Hopewell Valley Baseball and Softball Association continued its spring season. The following is a submitted collection of the weekend’s results.
HVBSA Majors Division Softball Final score: Delaware Township – 7/Pennington Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry Bandits - 7 In the Majors division, the Pennington Orthodontists and Pediatric Dentistry Bandits tied Delaware Township, 7-7. Great efforts all around and solid fielding by Lily Brennan, Grace Voorhees and Claire Dumont. Sophia Gadsby, Elizabeth Zelin and Sydney Rick reached base safely in every at bat, helping to spark the Bandits’ offense.
HVBSA AA Division Softball Final score: The Flower Shop Of Pennington Market Comets - 1, Lambertville - 0 The Flower Shop Of Pennington Market Comets went up against Lambertville, and came out victorious by the slimmest of margins, 1-0. Caitlyn Stubbs drove in Ally Heaphy for the only run of the game, while Chloe Faller and Aniyha Merola kept Lambertville at bay with their stellar pitching.
HVBSA A Division Softball The Dr. Mark McDonough Orthodontics Riptide
played their first away game in Lambertville last Tuesday, April 24. The players performed admirably, with hits to the infield as well as to the outfield. On defense, they fielded well, making outs and demonstrating their knowledge of where to get the lead runner. Madelyn Howe was awarded the game ball for her performance at the plate and in the field. In addition, Juliet Burgos was given a commendation for spontaneously losing a tooth while playing left field - she returned to the game the next inning! The DeSimone Orthodontics Glory had a great game at Lambertville on Thursday night, April 26. The players of the game were Lyla Baranowski and Jessica Devine for their outstanding hits and key plays in the field. Anna Pellegrino anchored an amazing come from behind victory in the after game race around the bases.
EXTRA INNINGS: Princeton Youth Softball Day On Saturday, April 28, the Princeton University Softball team hosted “Youth Day,” and HVBSA Softball families showed up in full force. In addition to all fans getting to enjoy a double header against the University of Pennsylvania, Hopewell girls who were part of the “Tiger Sisters” program got to participate in pre-game festivities and stood alongside the Tigers on the field for the National Anthem. “Tiger Sisters” is a program at Princeton University where each player is paired with local softball girls in a mentorship-type role. Thank you, Tigers, for a memorable, awe-inspiring day.
Courtesy photo
Avery Bovenizer (Comets) and Claire Dumont (Bandits) with their Tiger Sister, Allison Harvey. Legal Notices HUNTERDON COUNTY SHERIFF'S SALE 3486 SUPERIOR COURT OF NEW JERSEY CHANCERY DIVISION, HUNTERDON COUNTY DOCKET # F-009491-16 BETWEEN: REVERSE MORTGAGE SOLUTIONS, INC. vs SUZANNE MARY VAN FLEET, ET AL Execution for sale of mortgaged premises By virtue of a Writ of Execution in the above stated action to me directed and delivered, I shall expose for sale at public vendue and sell to the highest bidder on: Wednesday, May 9, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. in the afternoon prevailing time, at the Sheriff's Office, 71 Main Street, Freeholders Meeting Room, 2nd Floor, Borough of Flemington, that is to say: Property to be sold is located in the BOROUGH OF STOCKTON County of Hunterdon, State of New Jersey Premises commonly known as: 17 NORTH MAIN STREET Tax lot 2.01 IN BLOCK 9 Dimensions: (approx): .1000 Nearest Cross Street: FERRY STREET - MAILING ADDRESS: 17 NORTH MAIN STREET, STOCKTON, NJ 08559
The foregoing concise description does not constitute a full legal description of the property of which a full legal description may be found in the Office of the Hunterdon County Sheriff.
The Sheriff hereby reserves the right to adjourn this sale without further publication. The approximate amount due, on the above execution is the sum of $150,142.69 together with lawful interest and costs of this sale. A deposit of 20% of the purchase price in cash or certified funds is required at the Close of the sale. Taxes: Current as of 3/24/2018. SURPLUS MONEY: If after the sale and satisfaction of the mortgage debt, including costs and expenses, there remains any surplus money, the money will be deposited into the Suprior Court Trust Fund and any person claiming the surplus, or any part thereof, may file a motion pursuant to Court Rules 4:64-3 and 4:57-2 stating the nature and extent of that person's claim and asking for an order directing payment of the surplus money. The Sheriff or other person conducting the sale will have information regarding the surplus, if any. For interested parties regarding Sherriff's Sale, please contact Auction.com at (800) 793-6107 or at www.auction.com
Courtesy photo
Jessica Devine, of the DeSimone Orthodontics Glory, lines up a key hit on Thursday, April 26.
ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC (856) 858-7080 DATED: March 12, 2018
FREDERICK W. BROWN, SHERIFF HUNTERDON COUNTY
HVN, 4x, April 13, 20, 27, May 4, 2018 Fee: $208.32 Affidavit: $15.00
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6A Hopewell Valley News
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Friday, May 4, 2018F
IN THE LIBRARIES Events at the Pennington Public Library, located at 30 North Main Street in Pennington, include: Puppy Love: What to expect when bringing home a new puppy or dog Friday, May 4 at 7 p.m. Presenter: Tricia Baker, CPDT-KA, Professional Dog Trainer Before bringing home that new dog, be prepared and you will minimize stress and maximize joy. Topics to be covered include picking your right family dog, house training, crate training, unwanted behaviors, positive training tools, importance of early training, and clicker training basics. Introduction to Animal-Assisted Therapy Friday, May 4 at 8 p.m. Presenter: Tricia Baker, CPDT-KA, Professional Dog Trainer The simple action of petting a dog releases good brain chemicals. Learn the physical benefits of having a family pet, emotional support animals, therapy dog or working service dog. Find out how your dog can earn the Canine Citizen Certification from the AKC, and how he/she can become a therapy dog. Ongoing: Color Me Calm: Research shows that coloring can be relaxing. Many adults in need of a break from stress are finding peace inside the blank spaces of a coloring page. The library will have coloring pages and supplies in the New Jersey Room and to enjoy this activity as a way to de-stress or just let your inner child out. English Language Conversation Sessions: Meeting leader Bambi Hegedus has tutored professionally and on a volunteer basis for 25 years. Participants at these relaxed and informal sessions should have some knowledge of English. Emphasis will be on learning practical phrases and will be determined by the needs of the participants. Please e-mail trussell@penningtonlibrary.org for more information and to register. Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Story Time with Ms. Kim: Treat your child and yourself to a morning out with rhymes, music, a small craft, and a read aloud that brings books to life. Story times have many benefits for children including: hearing another adult read, watching other children get engaged in a story, and exposure to a wide variety of authors and writing styles. Geared for children age 2-4, siblings and babies welcome. Wednesdays
at 11 a.m., except last week of the month. Meetings will stop on the third week of July and will start back up in September. Adult Book Discussion Group: Drop by our long-running, monthly book discussion group for lively and stimulating conversation. Registration is not necessary. December 7 - Book and Film - Hidden Figures. First Thursdays at 2 p.m. Too-Busy-for-Books Book Club: Designed for people who barely find enough time to breathe, this book club will read only a short work per month-nothing longer than 120 pages. Dec 12 - The Lemoine Affair by Marcel Proust. Second Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. Events at the Hopewell Township branch, Mercer County Library, at 245 Pennington-Titusville Road, next to Hopewell Valley Central High School): Find your inner calm with our Guided Mediation Series. Mira Desai teaches this guided meditation series. Participants should wear comfortable clothing and bring a towel or yoga mat. Class dates are Fri., May 4 & 11 at 1 p.m. On Sat., May 5 at 10 a.m., take part of our monthly small business themed seminar presented by SCORE Princeton (Counselors to America’s Small Businesses). Please call the library for this month’s presentation topic at 609-7372610. On Tues., May 8 at 7 p.m., Food coach, Verna Dentino, will teach you about Understanding Nutrition Fact Food Labels by teaching participants how to decipher nutrition food labels on products at the grocery store so that you can be an informed buyer. Bring a pen and a calculator. Registration required. Registration required at www.mcl.org or call the library at 609-737-2610. Our book club, The Short of It, focuses on the short story. Each month we’ll read and discuss three short stories by the same author. This month’s author is Sandra Cisneros and her short stories, “My Lucy Friend Who Smells Like Corn,” “Little Miracles, Kept Promises,” and “Woman Hollering Creek.” The group meets on Wed., May 9 at 2 p.m. Copies of the stories are available at the branch library. Join us for our newly formed book group, African-American Authors Spotlight, on Thurs., May 10 at 7 p.m. This month we’ll discuss contemporary African-American author, Walter Mosely and
his Easy Rawlins Series (e.g., Devil in a Blue Dress, A Red Death, etc.). Registration requested at www.mcl.org or call the library at 609-737-2610. Behavior often takes the place of language in persons with dementia. Learn new ways to decode behavioral messages, identify common behavior triggers, and intervene in more positive ways to common challenges. Understanding and Responding to Dementia-Related Behavior is presented by the Great New Jersey Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association on Tues, May 15 at 7 p.m. Registration requested at www.mcl.org or call the library at 609-737-2610. Yoga for Success offers simple, but powerful yoga postures to bring stability and balance. Instruction by a trained Isha facilitator. An introductory class will take place Sat., May 19 at 3 p.m. The idea of downsizing and moving can feel extremely overwhelming. Moving is stressful at any age. On Mon., May 21 at 6 p.m., Downsizing Strategies for Seniors will cover all of these topics and will provide concrete, actionable information that will help you feel in control and less stressed. Registration requested at www.mcl.org or call the library at 609737-2610. The Writers Support Group will meet on Tuesday, May 22 at 6 p.m. at the library. All are welcome to attend and enjoy the challenges of becoming better writers, defeating writer’s block and perfecting the craft. Bob Kirby is back for Active Aging Fitness. Class takes place on Wed., May 23 at 11 a.m. Democracy was invented more than 2,500 years ago in Ancient Greece. We are still building it. Dr. Dobrinka Chiekova, Adjunct Professor in the History department at The College of New Jersey, will discuss The Birth of Democracy on Wed., May 23 at 7 p.m. Registration requested at www.mcl.org or call the library at 609-737-2610. Discover the steps you can take to prevent the onset of arthritis, how you can manage the disease and the treatment options that are available with Gina C. Del Giudice, MD, and Michael J. Froncek, MD, both board certified in rheumatology and internal medicine and members of the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center. Join us for Everyone Aches: Rheumatoid
Arthritis on Wed., May 24 at 7 p.m. Registration requested at www.mcl.org or call the library at 609-737-2610. Take a cool break at the library on a peaceful Friday afternoon – bring some knitting, coloring, quilting, or other relaxing craft, and share the company of other fellow craft enthusiasts for our Relaxing Art program on Fri., May 25 at 1 p.m. Feel free to bring a bag lunch or snack. This month’s Movie for Adults is Me Before You (2016) has two showings on Wed., May 30 at 1:30 & 6:30 p.m. A young woman acts as a caregiver for a banker who was paralyzed in an accident. Her no-nonsense ways force him to reconnect with life, and the pair eventually develop feelings for each other (110 minutes, Rated PG-13). Resume reviews are available by appointment. Call Andrea Merrick at 609737-2610 to register for a convenient time for help in creating or reviewing your resume. One-on-one help with library digital resources, like e-books, audiobooks and movies, is available by appointment. Call 609-737-2610 or email avanscoy@mcl. org. Those who have something to put in the display case should contact Anna Van Scoyoc at 609-737-2610. If you have old Centralogues you’re thinking of getting rid of, the library will take them for its local history collection. Get to know the borough better by joining the library’s activities at the Hopewell Public Library: Storytime: Every Monday morning at 10:30, preschoolers and their adult companions are invited to gather in our upstairs Children’s Room for stories, songs and activities. HPL Book Club: Held on the first Monday of each month, at 7:00pm at the library. Copies of each month’s book are available for check out. All are welcome. Traditional Book Club: Meets the first Monday of each month at 7pm at the library. Copies of each month’s book are available for check out. All are welcome. Hopewell Public Library (466-1625) is located at 13 E. Broad St. in Hopewell Borough. More information is available on the website - redlibrary.org, and on Facebook.
TRINITY CHURCH AT ROCKY HILL
&
RUMMAGE BAKE SALE
1 CRESCENT AVENUE
SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2018 8:00 am to 2:00 pm Doors open at 8:00 am and will close at 2:00 pm. Coffee and baked goods will be sold from 8:00 am on.
Bag sale from 1:00 to 2:00 pm for $4.00
Never Too Late for Orthodontics! The stereotypical image of a child or teenager in braces is a thing of the past. In fact, more than one million adults in the U.S. currently wear braces or Invisalign™ clear aligners! If you’re thinking it’s too late to straighten your smile, DeSimone Orthodontics wants you to know that no matter your age, orthodontic treatment can change your life. We understand that not everyone had the opportunity to receive orthodontic treatment when they were young. Some of you may have had braces in the past but for various reasons need them again. Whatever the reason you are seeking
orthodontic treatment as an adult, we have options for you to get the smile you’ve always wanted in a way that works best for you. Because of the advanced technology used in our office, we are able to provide a variety of treatment options. Esthetic options, like crystalline braces and clear aligners, and accelerated treatment are especially appealing to adults. Depending on your unique case as well as your lifestyle and personality, we will recommend treatment that is perfect for you! Call us to schedule a complimentary evaluation at 609-737-8000.
JUST BRUSHING THE SURFACES
If you would never consider going 24 hours without brushing your teeth, you should certainly give your retainers and other removable orthodontic appliances similar attention. Bear in mind that the same kind of bacteria that accumulate on the teeth also can grow on a retainer. When this bacterial film is not removed from a retainer that is placed back in the mouth, it is like applying a plaque-laden solution to the teeth and gums. So, it certainly pays to adopt the habit of brushing a retainer with a soft-bristled brush every time you brush your teeth. Use non-whitening toothpaste, and rinse the retainer well. Clean more thoroughly every week with a denture cleaner to keep it fresh. Because patients can easily remove these appliances, there may be a tendency not to wear them as prescribed. This means the teeth, jaws, and muscles may move back toward their original positions. Correcting orthodontic problems can create a nice-looking smile, but more importantly, orthodontic treatment results in a healthier mouth. To schedule a free orthodontic consultation, please call the office of MARK W. McDONOUGH, DMD, LLC. at 609-730-1414. We are located at 245 South Main Street (next to Toll Gate Grammar School), Pennington.
P.S. For weekly cleaning of retainers, soak in a denture cleaner for about 5-10 minutes. Then, gently scrub with a toothbrush and rinse.
Friday, May 4, 2018
www.hopewellvalleynews.com
Hopewell Valley News 7A
RELIGIOUS NOTES St. Matthews’s Episcopal - The church is at 300 S. Main St., Pennington, across from Toll Gate Grammar School. Sunday worship schedule is at 8 a.m. for Holy Eucharist Rite I and at 10 a.m. for Choral Holy Eucharist Rite II. The Sunday morning children’s program for ages four years through eighth grade meets during the 10 a.m. service. Nursery care is also provided for children under four years. The Rev. Barbara King Briggs is the Rector. Questions? Call 609-737-0985 or visitwww.stmatthewspennington.org. First Baptist, Pennington — Sunday services begin at 11 a.m. The Rev. Malik McKinley Sr. is interim pastor. The church is at the corner of Crawley Avenue and Academy Street in Pennington. For information, call 609-303-0129. Pennington United Methodist — Regular Sunday worship is at 10:30 a.m. The Rev. Daniel Casselberry is pastor. The church offers a variety of services designed to help those with special needs, including an elevator for wheelchair accessibility, wireless hearing aids and handicapped parking is available. The church is at 60 S. Main St. For further information on youth and adult Sunday school and special programs, call the church office at 609-737-1374 or visit www.pumcnj.com. St. James R. C. Church — The church is at 115 E. Delaware Ave., Pennington. The chapel is on Eglantine Avenue. Masses are held Saturdays at 5 p.m. and Sundays at 8, 9:45 and 11:30 a.m. Daily Mass is held in the chapel at 9 a.m. Monday through Saturday. The sacrament of reconciliation is held Saturdays from 11 a.m. to noon. The Rev. Msgr. Michael J. Walsh is pastor. The fax is 609-737-6912. Nancy Lucash in the office of religious education/ adult faith formation/RCIA can be reached at 609-737-2717. Visit stjamespennington.org for more information. Hopewell United Methodist — The morning worship begins at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 6. The morning message will be given by Rev. Kate Hillis. She will continue with the Easter worship series, Alive. The topic this week is, Creation of the Animals. A nursery is provided for infants and toddlers at that time. After the morning service from noon to 2 p.m. there will be a celebration of the Blessing of the Animals and a community lunch on the church lawn, weather permitting. Saturday, May 5 is Open Mic Night. All are welcome to come and participate or enjoy the music. Performers should be there by 6:30 p.m. to sign up and music will begin at 7 p.m. Adult Small Study Group meets at 8:45 a.m. on Sunday mornings. At this time they are studying Disciple IV: Under the Tree of Life. Children’s Sunday school meets during the morning service. Hopewell United Methodist Church offers a blend of contemporary and traditional worship styles. The church is located on 20 Blackwell Ave. It is handicap accessible. For more information about the Church and its programs, please contact Pastor Hillis at 609-466-0471 or visit the Church’s website at www.hopewellmethodist. org. You can also visit us on Facebook@ HopewellMethodistNJ. Hopewell Presbyterian — Worship starts at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday. Childcare is provided during the worship service. The church is handicapped accessible with an elevator to all three levels. Call the church office at 609-466-0758 or visit www.hopewellpresbyterian.org. The church is at the intersection of West Broad and Louellen streets. Second Calvary Baptist — The regular Sunday schedule is Sunday School for all ages at 9:30 a.m.; Sunday morning worship is at 11 a.m. Wednesdays, Bible study and prayer is at 7 p.m. The pastor is the Rev. Michael Diggs Sr. The church at Columbia and Maple avenues can be reached by phone at 609-4660862. The fax number is 609-466-4229. Calvary Baptist — Sunday worship and Sunday school meets at 10 a.m. Nursery is offered during worship. The Rev. Dennis O’Neill is pastor. Philip Orr is the minister of music. The church is at 3 E. Broad St., Hopewell Borough, near the corner of East Broad Street and North Greenwood Avenue. A chair lift is available to the sanctuary. Call 609-466-1880 for more information or visit www.calvarybaptisthopewell. org. St. Alphonsus R. C. Church — Mass is celebrated Saturdays at 4 p.m. and Sundays at 8 and 10:30 a.m. Daily Mass is held at 7 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The Rev. Msgr. Michael J. Walsh is pastor. Donna Millar is the coordinator of reli-
gious education and faith formation. The church is located at the corner of Princeton Avenue and East Prospect Street in Hopewell Borough. Questions? Call 609-466-0332. For information, visit http://stalphonsushopewell.org. Pennington Presbyterian — Rev. Nancy Mikoski and Rev. David Hallgren are pastors. Child care is available at 8:45 a.m. and church school for children, youth and adults is at 9 a.m. Worship services begin at 10:15 a.m., followed by fellowship time. Communion is the first Sunday of every month. There is also a class for adults on Thursday evenings at 6:55 p.m. Check our website home page for information about adult education offerings. There is a Bell Choir, and choirs for all ages. Call the church office for details, or look at our FOCUS newsletter under the ‘about us’ section of our website. All are welcome. The church has an elevator and easy access for wheelchairs. Call 609-737-1221 or visit facebook.com/PennPres and pennres. org for more information. First Presbyterian of Titusville — The church welcomes everyone in Christian fellowship on Sundays. Morning worship is at 9:30 a.m. in the sanctuary with Rev. Kenneth Good preaching. Immediately following worship there is a time of fellowship and refreshments in the Heritage Room. At 10:45 a.m. the Adult Education class meets in the Heritage Room. All events at the First Presbyterian Church of Titusville are free, unless otherwise noted, and open to the public. The First Presbyterian Church of Titusville, founded in 1838, is located at 48 River Drive along the banks of the Delaware River, six miles south of Lambertville near the foot of the Washington Crossing Bridge. Additional information may be found by visiting www.titusvillechurch. org, facebook.com/titusvillechurch or calling (609) 737-1385. Bethel AME Church - Sunday service begins at 11 a.m. The pastor is Rev. Dr. Angela M. Battle. The Bethel AME Church is located at 246 South Main Street in Pennington. The phone number is 609-737-0922. Visit the church’s website at bethelpennington.org for more information on future services and upcoming events. Titusville United Methodist — TUMC offers a weekly Sunday Family Worship Service at 10 a.m. The TUMC Book Group meets the second Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. There are small group discussions each month during the summer on the first and third Sundays at 9 a.m. All are welcome to attend. TUMC Youth Group meets Sunday evenings, twice a month. Holy Communion is celebrated each month. “Celebration Sunday” is an after-worship coffee hour served every fourth Sunday. TUMC is known as a “praying church” whose worship style is casual and familyfriendly. All are welcome, come as you are. TUMC was founded in 1806, and is located at 7 Church Road in Titusville. For more information, visit www.titusvilleumc.org or contact the church office 609737-2622. St. George R. C. Church — The Church of Saint George, 1370 River Road (Route 29) Titusville, holds Masses on Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. and Sundays at 9 and 11 a.m. Daily Mass is Tuesday through Friday at 7:30 a.m. Sacrament of Reconciliation is Saturdays from 4:30 to 5:10 p.m. the Rev. Msgr. Michael J. Walsh is pastor. The religious education office phone is 609-7301703. Parish phone is 609-737-2015. Abiding Presence Lutheran — Services of Holy Communion Saturday evenings at 5:30 p.m. and Sunday mornings at 8:15 and 10:45 a.m. Sunday School is held from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. for children of all ages and there is an adult study group that meets at the same time. Nursery care is provided during the Sunday worship service and Sunday school. The Reverend Marianne Rhebergen is interim pastor and the Rev. Becky Resch is associate pastor of the congregation. For more information please call the church office at 609-882-7759. The church is at 2220 Pennington Road, just south of I-95 at the corner of Rockleigh Drive and Pennington Road. For information, contact Pastor Becky Resch at 609-882-7759. St. Peter Lutheran — Worship services are held Sundays at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Contemporary worship is the third Sunday of each month at the 8 a.m. service only. The church is at the corner of routes 518 and 579 in Hopewell Township. The Rev. Stephen Gewecke is pastor. For more information about the church, call 609-466-0939, or visit www.stpeternj. org.
Ascension Lutheran — The church is are held Sundays for infants through fifth at 900 Washington Crossing Road, New- grade beginning at 9:30 a.m. and Wednestown, Pa. Sundays, worship starts at 10 day evenings for all ages. The church is at a.m. Fellowship starts at 11 a.m. Nursery 87 Route 31, Pennington. Questions? Call care for infant through kindergarten is 609-737-2282. available. Har Sinai Temple — This is a Reform Women of Ascension and/or the Prayer temple at 2421 Pennington Road at Denow Shawl Ministry meet every other Tuesday Road West in Hopewell Township. Friday at 9:30 a.m. Shabbat services begin at 7:30 p.m. For For information, call 215-497-0447 or more information, call 609-730-8100 or visit www.ascensionweb.org. visit www.harsinai.org. Princeton Community — The reguHis Harvest of Souls Ministries — lar service is at 10 a.m. Nursery care and The nondenominational church holds worclasses for children through the fifth grade ship services the first and third Sundays at are provided. There are weekly programs 3 p.m. and the second and fourth Thursfor teens. Princeton Community Church days at 6 p.m. The church is at the Haris at 2300 Pennington Road, Pennington. bourton Community Church in Harbourton Visit online at www.princetonchurch.com. village, 1516 Harbourton-Rocktown Road, Questions? Call 609-730-1114. Hopewell Township. For further informaFirst Assembly of God — The regular tion, call 609-883-2937. service schedule is Sunday School, 9:30 With few exceptions, only religious ina.m.; Sunday morning worship, 10:30 a.m.; stitutions located in or serving Hopewell Tuesday morning prayer meeting, 10:30 Valley will be included in this column. a.m.; Wednesday family night, 7 p.m. Email updated information to amartins@ Special needs accommodations are centraljersey.com so it arrives by 3 p.m. available. Child care and children’s church Friday. 00245502.1111.03x5.25.WilsonFuneralHome.indd
WILSONAPPLE WILSON WILSON APPLE
FUNERAL HOME
2560 Pennington Road, Pennington NJ www.WilsonApple.com Wilson-Apple Funeral Home Robert A. Wilson, Owner NJ Lic # 2520
Wilson-Apple Funeral Home
R. Asher Wilson, Manager NJ Lic # 3823/Pa Lic # FD-000766
609-737-1498
609-737-1498
Cromwell-Immordino Memorial Home
Timothy F. Reeg Funeral Director
Joseph A. Immordino, Jr., Manager NJ Lic # 4231
Timothy F. Reeg, Manager NJ Lic # 3982/Pa Lic # FD-013977-E
609-392-1039
609-466-0233
Serving Hopewell Township, Hopewell Borough, Lawrenceville, Ewing, Pennington, Titusville, Blawenburg, and Princeton.
Funeral & Cremation Services 4055124.1218.02x6.HopewellMemorial.indd Formerly the Cromwell Memorial Home Manager Christopher Merlino NJ Lic. No. 4079
Hopewell Memorial Home offers a well-recognized third generation management team to provide full service funerals and cremation services in a warm, inviting and home-like atmosphere. Ask About our Upcoming Estate & Funeral Planning Seminar • Celebration & Themed Funerals • Cremation Services • Completely Renovated
• Pre–Planning Services • Honoring All Faiths • Veterans Discount
Cromwell Funeral Home of Hopewell Valley 71 East Prospect Street - Hopewell Borough
609-FUNERAL
HopewellMemorialHome.com
MAKING A FINAL SWEEP In addition to drawing up our wills and making funeral prearrangements, Swedish artist and author Margareta Magnusson believes that we should help smooth the transition surrounding our eventual demise by taking at least one more important step. In her book, “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning,” Ms. Magnusson advocates that people declutter their homes and get rid of unnecessary possessions before they die so that their children will not be burdened with the task of sorting through a lifetime of things. By performing this late-in-life task, parents help their children avoid the perplexing task of trying to decide what their parents would have wanted them to save and where to store these items.
According to the author, getting rid of stuff is a way to bring order to chaos. It is a permanent form of organization that makes your everyday life run more smoothly. Another thing you can do to help your loved ones it to pre-plan your funeral. Preplanning your service allows loved ones to spend time supporting each other instead of worrying about what you would have wanted. To learn more about our funeral services, please call 609-737-2900. We are located at 21 North Main St. Continuous Family Service Since 1881. “Death must be so beautiful. To lie in the soft brown earth, with the grasses waving above one’s head, and listen to silence.” Oscar Wilde
21 North Main St. Pennington, NJ
8A Hopewell Valley News
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Friday, May 4, 2018F
at your service
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real estate
to advertise, contact Tracey Lucas 732.358.5200 Ext. 8319 | tlucas@newspapermediagroup.com
Dawn Buxton Monsport Realtor/Sales Associate Office: 609-987-8889
Cell: 609-462-8333 | Email: dawnmonsport@verizon.net
Q
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Where did you grow up? A. My home town is Lawrenceville, New Jersey. I attended the Lawrence School system K-10, studying my last two years and graduating from the Hun School of Princeton. The Buxton side of my family came to Lawrenceville in the late-1800’s and operated a dairy farm on LawrencevillePennington Road. The dairy branched to Buxton’s Country Shops a chain of 32 restaurants, known for the best ice cream in the area. The Coleman (mother) side of my family came to Mercer County in the mid/late-1600’s, they came to America with Henry Hudson. My grandfather’s farm was on Quakerbridge Road across from the Mall.
Q
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What do you like most about living in this area? A. I find Mercer and Bucks counties to be amazing areas to introduce buyers to. Our towns have small town, historic charm and original farmlands. We are an hour from NYC by train and 45 minutes to Philadelphia by car. You can reach the Jersey shore in less than an hour and be in the Poconos in less than two. We have some of the best public and private schools in the state and country. Our communities get together and celebrate events and our residents look out for one another. I have always enjoyed living here and raising my two sons here.
Q
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What did you do before Real Estate? A. My restaurant career began with dipping ice cream at Buxton’s at 16. After graduating from Rollins College, I worked as a General Manager for Rusty Scupper & JB Winberie in Atlanta
and north Jersey. I finished my hospitality career in 2000 as Asst. General Manager responsible for the operation of 25 food and beverage establishments in Terminal C at Newark Airport.
Q
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How long have you worked in Real Estate? A. 18 years. I moved back to Lawrenceville in 2000 with my husband John and year old son Thomas. We purchased a family home. While on maternity leave that year for our second son Justin, I went to school for my real estate license and started a new career. A decision I have embraced and have truly enjoyed. The last nine years of my real estate career have been with Keller Williams.
$475,000
Nestled on a premium lot on a cul-de-sac street this four bedroom Colonial features a master suite w/ full bath, dressing room and balcony. Large kitchen w/ granite countertops & breakfast room. Finished basement with full bathroom. Family room w/ fireplace and sliding doors to deck. Deep, landscaped back yard. Whole house generator. Listed by Dawn Buxton-Monsport Broker Associate
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What do you enjoy doing when you are not working? A. Family time is very important. We enjoy travelling – skiing in the Berkshires in the winter and beaches or cruises in the summer. I am also very involved in community organizations and events which support my family and town – on the board of Lawrence Twp. Education Foundation, kitchen coordinator for LOGOS program at the Presbyterian Church, scholarship committee for the Woman’s Club of Lawrenceville and former board member for Lawrenceville Main Street. I look forward to the challenges, fun and new experiences each season and new year. 2018 Buxton Monsport Real Estate Team – Mark Cutaneo, Dawn Buxton Monsport & John Monsport
$365,000
LAWRENCEVILLE
$585,000
1 Ashwood Court OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY 5/6 1-4pm
Spacious four bedroom Colonial in the desired Nassau II neighborhood. Large lot of .61 acres, rich with mature landscaping & deep back yard. Hardwood floors. Updated kitchen w/ breakfast room. Family room w/ gas fireplace. Main floor laundry. Master bedroom suite. Don’t miss it!
Rare opportunity to own in Woodfield Estates. Four large bedrooms, including a large, updated master suite with beautifully appointed master bath. Gleaming hardwood floors throughout. Spacious kitchen w/ granite countertops & lots of cabinets. Finished basement. Magnificent deck off the family room, overlooking the fenced & landscaped back yard. Make it yours!
609-987-8889
$769,000
Mercer County Top Producers Association Member
12 Rosalind Drive OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY 5/6 1-3pm
Cell: 609-462-8333 www.buxtonmonsport.com Top Producer 100 Canal Pointe Blvd. Suite 120 Licensed in NJ & PA Princeton, NJ #0019129
609-987-8889
MONTGOMERY TWP
LAWRENCEVILLE
Listed by Dawn Buxton-Monsport Broker Associate
Cell: 609-462-8333 www.buxtonmonsport.com Top Producer 100 Canal Pointe Blvd. Suite 120 Licensed in NJ & PA Princeton, NJ #0019129
April 18, 2015 – attended Lawrenceville Fire Company 100th anniversary gala with my father, Gordon Buxton and brother Darren Buxton. My dad was honored as a former chief and his 70+ years of service and membership
Q
Keller Williams Princeton 100 Canal Pointe Blvd., Princeton, NJ
LAWRENCEVILLE
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Listed by Dawn Buxton-Monsport Broker Associate
Cell: 609-462-8333 www.buxtonmonsport.com Top Producer 100 Canal Pointe Blvd. Suite 120 Licensed in NJ & PA Princeton, NJ #0019129
609-987-8889
SPRINGFIELD TWP., BUCKS COUNTY, PA
$700,000
Just Listed
59 Millers Grove Road OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY 5/6 1-3:30pm Meticulously maintained 4 BRs, 3.5 BAs in a tranquil & quiet location overlooking the woods in sought after Miller’s Grove neighborhood. This bright home offers sprawling 1st floor layout w/2 wood-burning frplces, high ceilings, large windows & plenty of natural light. Woods facing master suite features his and her WI closets & peaceful bath including Jacuzzi tub, 2 large vanities & standup shower. With newer granite counters throughout, roof and gutters (’13), A/C (‘14) & HWH replaced (‘16) with new landscaping & paved driveway (‘18). This beautiful, private estate is move-in ready. Just unpack & enjoy!
100 Canal Pointe Blvd. Suite 120 Princeton, NJ
609-987-8889
Listed by Daniel Kim Sales Representative
Cell: 609-334-9097 iykim0627@gmail.com
Seasons View has breathtaking views that match a stunning remodeled stone bank barn, circa 1870s. Open floor plan of main level has oak flooring & ceilings w/hand hewn beams. Wall of glass windows & doors is backdrop for a central sitting area between graciously sized LR & DR. Wood burning stone frplce. Large kit has wrap-around counter & island, pantry closet, some & Viking 5-burner cooktop. Entry foyer w/2 closets & powder room. Exposed original walls are features with the vaulted ceiling, slider door to balcony & partial open wall w/leaded window accent & view downstairs. Master bath w/skylight, soaking tub, sep shower. 2 large BRs w/ architectural features, are on opposite side of center area. Lower is at grade w/sep propane heater, laundry area, storage, rear entry/exit, & entrance to oversized car gar. 1300 SF unfin. addition 2-level area that is framed out, has electricity, skylights & large windows. Exterior amenities include a walled courtyard ent into gar & spacious rear wood deck. Stone, cedar & Hardie Plank siding, newer windows, central vac & air, sec sys,. Location is close to the amenities of Bucks County & Lehigh Valley.
6319 Lower York Road New Hope, PA 18938 215-862-3385 Ext. 8409
Listed by Jim Briggs Associate Broker
Cell: 215-518-6977
Jim.Briggs@FoxRoach.com Licensed in PA and NJ
www.hopewellvalleynews.com
Friday, May 4, 2018
real estate HOPEWELL TWP.
Hopewell Valley News 9A
real estate
$569,900
Great opportunity in Brandon Farms. Updated 2,462 SQFT model. This home features a 2-Story Foyer w/hrdwd flrs, upgraded trim package, and 9’ ceilings. First Level features a FLR & DR. Bright & sunny kit overlooks yard. Kit features Granite Counters, Double SS Sink, Range, Dishwasher, Bow Window, French Doors to Deck & Center Island. laundry Room located off Kitchen. Fam Rm w/wood-burning Frple & Built In Cabs. The Master Suite boasts (2) Walk In Closets & Bow Window that overlooks Yard. Mast bath features a corner Garden Tub & Stall Shower. 3 addt’ BRs, Full Finished W-O Bsmnt w/full size windows, Double Door to Yard, Recessed Lights, Bar Area & Wine Room. A Wonderful Place to Call Home!!
Listed by Dawn Petrozzini Broker-Owner
Cell: 732-501-0686
dawn@housesbydawn.com
08540
609-951-8600 Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated.
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LIVE-IN HOUSEKEEPER Non-smoker with driver's license. Clean record and references. Princeton. 609-721-3691
Value of Life
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Whosoever killed a human being (unjustly), except as a punishment for murder or for spreading disorder in the land, it would be as if he had killed all humankind. And whosoever saved the life of one, it would be as if he had saved the life of all humankind. (Quran 5:32)
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Friday, May 4, 2018
CENTRAL JERSEY’S GUIDE TO THE ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT May 4th – May 13th, 2018
Laughing at ‘The Nerd’
George Street Playhouse wraps up its season with a comedy favorite
2B
May 4th – May 13th, 2018
ON STAGE by Keith Loria
McCarter to Debut New Durang Play
3
COVER STORY Magic and Lunacy in ‘The Nerd.’
George Street Playhouse roars with laughter during Larry Shue’s comedy about an unexpected guest.
4
IN CONCERT Celebrate with Kool & the Gang.
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THINGS TO DO CROSSWORD PUZZLE
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LIFESTYLE Anthony Stoeckert, TimeOFF editor The Princeton Packet, P.O. Box 350, Princeton, NJ 08542-0350 PHONE 609-874-2159 FAX 609-924-3842 astoeckert@centraljersey.com
To be considered for inclusion in TimeOFF’s “Things to Do” calendar of events, information should arrive at least two weeks prior to the issue in which the announcement is to appear. Submission by email to timeoffevents@ centraljersey.com is prefferred.
ON THE COVER: Ann Harada, Stephen Wallem and Jonathan Kite in Larry Shue's comedy, "The Nerd," at George Street Playhouse. See review on Page 3. Photo by T. Charles Erickson
C
hristopher Durang had big success with his play, “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” when it premiered at the McCarter Theatre Center in 2012. That comedy about three siblings (with a cast including Sigourney Weaver and David Hyde Pierce) went on to a Broadway run that culminated in a Tony for Best Play. Durang is returning to McCarter with his third world-premiere commission for the theater, “Turning Off the Morning News,” which will run in Princeton, May 4-June 3. The play explores the chaos of family life in a time of alternative facts, social media saturation, and a news cycle that never ceases. “Turning Off the Morning News” stars Durang favorite Kristine Nielsen (who was in “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike”), as well as Jenn Harris, Rachel Nicks, Nicholas Podany, Robert Sella and John Pankow. “When Chris Durang calls an actor, it’s like Peter Luger Steakhouse calling a carnivore,” Pankow says. “I had worked with Chris before — [in] “Why Torture is Wrong, and The People Who Love Them” at the Public [Theater in New York] a few years back, so I was thrilled when he called about his new work.” The actor knew from his first read of the dark comedy that this was something he was going to enjoy working on. “Chris is so amazing because he can be hilarious and deeply disturbing and it’s a great combo because his writing hits you on so many levels,” Pankow says. “I read it and was dying laughing, and I couldn’t wait to say yes.” Pankow was particularly excited that he would get to re-team with Nielsen, who had played opposite him in 2009 during his first Durang show and is one of the writer’s goto actresses. “It’s an incredible cast, headed by Kristine Nielsen, who we have seen this extraordinary marriage of writer and actor with,” Pankow says. “I was there for one of them and so gracious to have a backseat and watch this thing unfold with her in this
part. The whole cast is an outstanding ensemble.” “Turning Off the Morning News” introduces Durang’s newest group of eccentric characters — a set of across-the-street neighbors: normal suburbanites Cliff and Salena and stark-raving mad couple Jimmy and Polly. Pankow plays Jimmy, and he describes his character as being “unemployed and very frustrated.” “He’s angry, very unhappily married, funny without trying to be, and is really dark,” he says. “You have to play it that way because the thing about Durang, if it’s played with a wink and a nod, it’s like a cake that doesn’t get the yeast and can fall flat really fast. I love the challenge of that.” Many people may know Pankow for his seven-year run as Ira on the 1990s sitcom “Mad About You,” but his acting resume includes more than 30 years of movies, TV and New York theater. “The thing I love about the theater is that it’s the closest thing I will ever experience to being in a band,” he says. “You look at the six of us in this play. We play our ‘set’ every night, and it might the same each night, but it’s also different because of the audience, the amount of energy we have, and how we bring our days in order to play together. You rely on each other just like a band relies on the other players. It’s the same in every play I have ever done.” He’s grateful that the phone keeps ringing with calls from people like Durang. “The beauty of what we do is that we can keep going at any age,” he says. “As long as you can turn the double-play, which in our case is memorizing lines, you’re good. It took about five years before I stopped being neurotic about the calls and wondering if it was over. You just have to have faith and it’s been a thrilling, phenomenal ride.”
“Turning Off the Morning News” is being performed at McCarter Theatre, 91 University Place, Princeton, May 4 through June 3. For tickets and information, go to www. mccarter.org or call 609-258-2787.
May 4th – May 13th, 2018
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COVER STORY - STAGE REVIEW by Bob Brown
Magic and Lunacy in ‘The Nerd’ S
George Street Playhouse roars with laughter during Larry Shue's comedy about an unexpected guest
ome shows let your mind go on vacation while your funny bone works overtime. That’s Larry Shue’s fiendishly funny “The Nerd,” playing through May 20 at George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick. In the course of his brief life, Shue wrote several comedies before his death at age 39. Had he lived longer, the canon of American farce would have been greatly enriched. He was a writer in an actor’s body, so his characters were often types he himself yearned to play. “The Nerd” is set in Terre Haute, Indiana, around Halloween, 1979. On his 34th birthday, Willum Cubbert (Colin Hanlon), an architect, is fretting over a hotel design he’s preparing for local businessman Warnock Waldgrave (Stephen Wallem). Willum’s longtime friend Axel (Zach Shaffer) and Willum’s girlfriend Tansy (Kate Reinders) have set a birthday surprise for him. It’s bittersweet, since Tansy is embarking on a career in Washington, D.C., as a TV meteorologist. However, Willum is preoccupied with hosting Waldgrave and his family for dinner. When the imposing Waldgrave arrives with his diminutive wife Clelia (Ann Harada) and live-wire son Thor (Hayden Bercy), things go downhill fast — Thor pops the party balloons and disrupts the equilibrium, while Clelia calms her nerves by smashing borrowed crockery with a hammer she keeps in her purse. An unanticipated guest is Rick Steadman (Jonathan Kite), who saved Willum’s life in in Vietnam. Despite this, Willum has never met Rick, having been unconscious on the fateful day. Rick’s arrival in costume-party garb terrifies Thor, who locks himself away in another room. Peeled like a shrimp from his costume, Rick is dressed in high-nerd — big glasses, plaid bell-bottoms and suspenders. He’s an 11 on the scale of social ineptitude, oblivious to his offensive remarks and inappropriate behavior — whether it’s about food, or a childhood girlfriend, or party games. The worst is “Shoes and Socks,” an elaborate game Rick insists that everyone play. The Waldgraves leave in a huff with their soaked footwear in a bag. As Rick lingers well past Halloween, Willum and his friends wonder how they can eject the house guest from hell without hurting his feelings. The lunacy ratchets up as they conjure bizarre rituals to frighten him, climaxing in a hilarious performance that plays on Rick’s severe swinophobia (fear of pigs). The denouement comes completely out of left field and caps a Looney Tunes ride through Bizarro-land. Shue’s comedy goes incident by incident, rather than
Photo by T. Charles Erickson
Jonathan Kite (left) and Colin Hanlon in “The Nerd,” at George Street Playhouse. tight plotting. The silliness ascends a steep slope until you’re helpless with laughter. As George Street’s Artistic Director David Saint says, this play depends on having the funniest actors you can find. Saint obviously knows where to find them. The ensemble cast, directed by Broadway and film veteran Kevin Cahoon, is loose and inspired. As the everharried but well-meaning Willum, Hanlon works up quite a sweat of worry. His pig-breakdown is a wonder (I worried about his sanity). Reinders’ Tansy is a woman who can smile and offer character-building advice while the world is collapsing around her. Intimidating in the role of Waldgrave, Wallem keeps a stern grip on his family and his sanity to the extent that’s possible while wearing a headful of cottage cheese. As Clelia, Harada is all sweetness and light — bottling it all up until it’s plate-smashing time. Young Bercy as Thor is a pint-size terror (don’t let him near my house). The two who get the best lines are Shaffer, as the perfectly sardonic theater critic Axel, who has never stayed past the first half of any play (a little joke for opening nights), and Kite, the laugh-engine who makes the whole thing run. His performance as the Nerd, a nasal-voiced bundle of undulating limbs and pure ickiness (to use the scientific term) is a joy to behold. Kudos also to set designer David L. Arsenault for creating a substantial period-perfect living-room in the compact
space, and Leon Dobkowski for costumes that make you glad we don’t live in the ’70s anymore. In fact, all the production crew in this temporary venue have done a fabulous job of making magic happen. Lunacy aside, Shue’s play has a warm heart and a message about the importance of basic human decency by helping others and following through on your dreams. It’s a fitting way to ring down the curtain on George Street’s first season in its temporary home at College Farm Road — with a laugh riot. Speaking of ringing down curtains, with this review I am, regretfully, ringing down my own as a theater reviewer for TimeOff. It’s been a wonderful ride and I’m grateful to the paper for the opportunity these past years. Because of it, I’m all the more aware of how important regional theater is to New Jersey, thanks to the talent and dedication of people like David Saint at George Street, and of others throughout central Jersey and beyond. We’re lucky to have them. So without further ado, I will exit stage left, hopefully not pursued by a bear. “The Nerd” is being performed at George Street Theatre’s temporary theater at 103 College Farm Road, New Brunswick, through May 20. For tickets and information, go to www.georgestreetplayhouse.org or call 732-246-7717.
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May 4th – May 13th, 2018
IN CONCERT by Mike Morsch
Celebrate with Kool & the Gang Ronald Bell was sitting at the piano one day when his brother Robert “Kool” Bell walked in. “You got anything for me?” Ronald Bell asked. “Yeah, I got two things for you,” said Robert Bell. “Hanging out. And ladies night.” “A lot of people hang out,” Robert said. “But ladies night, man there’s one of those everywhere in the world. That’s gotta be a hit.” The brothers and other founding members of Kool & the Gang had experienced some success with the group’s fourth studio album, “Wild and Peaceful,” in 1973. The album produced the band’s first three Top 10 singles — “Jungle Boogie,” which got to No. 2 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles charts; “Funky Stuff,” which made it to No. 5 on the R&B chart and No. 29 on the singles chart; and “Hollywood Swinging,” which topped the Billboard Soul Singles chart and reached No. 6 on the pop chart. The album itself would go to No. 6 on the R&B chart and No. 33 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. But from 1974 through 1978, Kool & the Gang hadn’t been able to really capitalize on that success, and the band’s
Kool & the Gang will perform during the State Theatre’s gala. label, De-Lite Records, was looking for more hits from the group. “Initially there was pressure to make a hit,” Ronald Bell says. “But what is a hit? We had no clue. Not really. We understood we had to make a commercial record. We were familiar with the whole commercial part of it. But we were See IN CONCERT, Page 5B
May 4th – May 13th, 2018
IN CONCERT Continued from Page 4B in it now, so let’s make something happen.” It would take a reality check, though, to help the band back on the road to the top of the charts. That happened at an in-store promotion in Jersey City in the late 1970s. Only one person showed up to the store to see Kool & the Gang and she was less than impressed. She referred to the band as “old hat.” “Old hat? Oh, no, no,” Bell says. “I took that so personally.” Some changes needed to be made. Kool & the Gang had started as an instrumentaldriven jazz and funk band that featured a lot of street hollering and chants, but hadn’t to that point in the late 1970s featured a dominant lead singer. The band needed a lead singer along the lines of Lionel Richie of the Commodores or Maurice White of Earth, Wind and Fire. So they hired James “J.T.” Taylor to handle the lead vocals and went to work on trying to write hit singles. “We were in pursuance of doing something really great,” Bell says. “We didn’t
have a lead singer, we were doing some experimentation at the time and disco was alive. We had to come up with something that worked.” So when Robert “Kool” Bell mentioned the phrase “ladies night” to Ronald Bell that day, something clicked for the songwriters. “We all made the connection, and we went in hard and came up with the song ‘Ladies Night.’ That was a peak moment, that album with a new lead singer,” Robert Bell says. The “Ladies Night” album was released in September 1979 and featured two Billboard Top 10 hits: the title track made it to No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 8 on the Hot 100 singles chart; and “Too Hot,” written by George Brown and Kool & the Gang, made it to No. 3 on the R&B chart and No. 5 on the singles chart. The album itself was No. 1 on R&B chart and No. 13 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. And the single “Ladies Night” would lead to the band’s next hit, which would become its signature song.
See IN CONCERT, Page 6B
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May 4th – May 13th, 2018
IN CONCERT Continued from Page 5B
128th Anniversary Concert Sunday May 20th, 2018 3:00PM Photo credit: Steve Mekler
6B
Hopewell Valley Central High School 259 Pennington-Titusville Road Pennington, New Jersey 08534
FREE ADMISSION Reception with Refreshments and Dixieland Music follows concert Dr. Jerry Rife, Conductor and Music Director
www.Blawenburgband.org
In “Ladies Night,” the female background vocalists can be heard singing, “Come on, let’s all celebrate.” And the pressure was even more intense from the record company for the group to follow up “Ladies Night” with another hit single. Ronald Bell had been reading scripture about humans being created and the angels celebrating the creator for doing so. And he still had the line “Come on, let’s all celebrate” from “Ladies Night” fresh in his head. Those two ideas combined to create “Celebration,” which would be the lead single from the band’s next album, “Celebrate!” released in September 1980. It ran up the charts to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart, U.S. Cash Box chart and the U.S. Record World chart. “I don’t care where we are in the world, people respond to that song,” Bell says. “It’s a beautiful thing to see that, where everybody is just dancing and celebrating to
that song. We can’t play a song after that one.” It’s exactly that type of celebrating Kool & the Gang hopes to inspire as the featured performers at the State Theatre’s 2018 Benefit Gala Saturday, May 12, at the theater in New Brunswick. The gala festivities begin at 5 p.m. at The Heldrich Hotel and the performance by Kool & the Gang will begin at 6 p.m. at the theater. In addition to the show, the event will feature a pre-performance cocktail reception, post-performance dinner dance with an open bar, auctions, and live entertainment from The Jersey Joint. The benefit, State Theatre New Jersey’s biggest annual event, underwrites the State Theatre’s programming and education programs. A portion of each ticket price represents a taxdeductible contribution to the State Theatre.
The State Theatre is located at 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick. Tickets for the Kool & the Gang concert only cost $35$75. Benefit Gala tickets cost $700. For more information, go to www.stnj.org or call 732-246-7469.
May 4th – May 13th, 2018
THINGS TO DO STAGE “A Little Night Music,” ActorsNET of Bucks County, The Heritage Center Theatre, 635 North Delmorr Ave., Morrisville, Pennsylvania. In Sweden circa 1900, the romantic entanglements of actress Desiree Armfeldt and others are revealed through Hugh Wheeler’s book and Stephen Sondheim’s lilting score, through May 6. Performances: Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. $20, $17 seniors; www.actorsnetbucks.org; 215-295-3694. “Calendar Girls,” Somerset Valley Players, 689 Amwell Road, Hillsborough. Adapted from the 2003 movie and based on the true story, the play tells the story of small town British housewives who posed naked for a pin up calendar to raise money to support families of cancer patients, through May 6; www.svptheatre.org. The Nerd, George Street Playhouse, 103 College Farm Road, New Brunswick. Comedy about Willum (played by Colin Hanlon) who is celebrating a birthday, and is joined by Rick Steadman (Jonathan
Kite), a fellow ex-soldier who saved Willum’s life, stops by for a visit that lasts way too long, through May 20; www.georgestreetplayhouse.org; 732-246-7717. “Caged,” Passage Theatre, 205 E. Front St., Trenton. The voices of incarcerated men speak out in writings by current and former inmates, through May 20; passagetheatre.org; 609-392-0766. “Turning Off the Morning News,” McCarter Theatre Center, 91 University Place, Princeton. World premiere comedy by Tony-winning author Christopher Durang that takes a dark look at today’s world, May 4 through June 3; www.mccarter.org; 609-258-2787. “The Producers,” Music Mountain Theatre, Route 1483 Route 179, Lambertville. Musical based on Mel Brooks’ comedy classic about producer Max Bialystock and accountant Leo Bloom, who realize they can make more money with a flop show than a hit, May 4-20. Performances: Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m. Tickets cost $22; www.musicmountaintheatre.org; 609See THINGS TO DO, Page 8B
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May 4th – May 13th, 2018
THINGS TO DO
Continued from Page 7B 397-3337. “Sylvia,” Kelsey Theatre on the campus of Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. A.R. Gurney’s romantic comedy about marriage… and a dog. Empty nesters Greg and Kate have moved back to Manhattan after years in the suburbs. As Kate tells Greg: “The dog phase of my life is definitely over.” But life has a way of giving you what you think you don’t want. Greg finds Sylvia, a street-smart Labradoodle, and brings her home, May 11-20. Performances: Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. $18, $16 seniors, $14 students/children; www.kelseytheatre.net; 609-570-3333. DANCE Mercer Dance Ensemble, Kelsey Theatre on the campus of Mercer County Community College,1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. Program titled “Escapades” featuring features current students, dance alumni and MCCC dance faculty, May 5, 8 p.m., May 6, 2 p.m., $18, $16 seniors, $14 students/children; www.kelseytheatre.net; 609-570-3333. CHILDREN’S THEATRE “101 Dalmatians Kids,” Music Mountain Theatre, Route 1483 Route 179, Lambertville. Pet owners Roger and Anita live happily in London with their Dalmatians,
Pongo and Perdita. Everything is quiet until Anita’s former classmate, the monstrous Cruella De Vil, plots to steal the puppies for her new fur coat, May 12-26. Performances are Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. $8; www.musicmountaintheatre.org.
MUSIC
CLASSICAL MUSIC Tesla String Quartet, The Pennington School, 112 W. Delaware Ave., Pennington. Music for two violins, viola, and cello. The Quartet will be the ensemble-in-residence at the School from May 1 through May 4. The concert will be in honor of “Star Wars Day,” May 4, 7 p.m. www.pennington.org; 609-737-1838.
JAZZ, CABARET, ROCK, FOLK, ETC. The Sweetback Sisters, Hopewell Theater, 5 S. Greenwood Ave., Hopewell. Country artists from Brooklyn, May 4, 8 p.m. hopewelltheater.com. Patti LuPone, State Theatre, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick. Concert titled “Don’t Monkey with Broadway” featuring the Tony winner exploring her love of Broadway with interpretations of classic show tunes by Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, Jule Styne, Stephen Schwartz, Charles Strouse, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin, May 6, 4 p.m. $35-$98; www.stnj. org; 732-246-7469. Dharmasoul, Princeton Friends School, 470 Quaker Road, Princeton (GPS address: 600 Mercer St.), Rock-funk duo Jonah Tolchin and Kevin Clifford will mark the release of their new album, “Lightning Kid,” May 12, 8 p.m. $15; www.dharmasoulband.com. The Temptations and The Four Tops, State Theatre, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick. The iconic Motown groups will perform their tops hits including “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” “I
See THINGS TO DO, Page 10B
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May 4th – May 13th, 2018
CROSSWORD PUZZLE “WHERE HAVE YOU GONE?” By PAM AMICK KLAWITTER
91 “Mansplain” was added to it in Jan. 2018 92 Reward units ACROSS 93 Knee-socks, essentially 1 Hogwarts’ Mrs. Norris is one 96 Jupiter’s locale 4 Long-dist. threat 98 Bad in Barcelona 8 Night vision? 99 Boring 13 Bed covering 100 Wide companion 17 Wearer of hot pants? 101 Cafés and such 19 Milhous : Nixon :: __ : 106 K, to Kay Garfield 110 Tried to sink, maybe 21 Goosebump-inducing 113 Adventurous Centennial 22 Big wind State motto? 23 One of the British? 116 Greek love god 24 Progressive rival 117 All together 25 Common sights on Roman 119 “That’s really spiffy!” roads 120 Long journey 26 Louisiane, par exemple 121 __ noire 27 Soil expert’s observations? 122 Barbie’s original bestie 30 Fully enjoys 123 Rx 32 Alaska’s __ Peninsula 124 Ward of “Sisters” 33 Kid’s backyard apparatus 125 Spa sounds 35 “What’s the __?” 126 __ corps 36 Pixar clownfish 127 Detective Dick’s love 39 Grafton’s “__ for Outlaw” 128 King of Spain 40 Tiny shape-shifters 44 Contest where anglers DOWN compete while jogging on 1 Select from a menu, with the shore? “on” 49 Musical array 2 Divider of rows 51 Tokyo sash 3 Prey grabber 52 Debtor’s list 4 Scheming Shakespearean 53 Highlands group soldier 54 Sumatran swingers 5 Trucker, often 56 It might be square 6 Overflows (with) 57 Sudoku box fillers: Abbr. 7 Rain forest 58 Tennis garb parrot 60 Penetrating wind 8 Clears of 61 Steffi’s tennis-playing spouse condensation 62 In the know 9 Bit 64 Show eager anticipation attachments 66 In vogue, with “the” 10 Clean the slate 68 Where all the Aberdeen lads 11 Island in the get together? stream 72 Logo on many sneakers 12 Barracks break 74 __ roll 13 Paul’s “Ebony 75 Prepare to ride, in a way and Ivory” 79 Coral Sea sight partner 80 She plays Hermione in 14 Like the studio “Harry Potter” films forced to quit 83 Big-headed club making 007 85 Rocket end? movies? 86 Spanish muralist 15 Strong support 87 Vegas table postings 16 Bodybuilder’s 89 It feels like forever pride 90 IRS enforcers 18 Tiny stingers
20 28 29 31 34 37 38 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 55 56 58 59 61 63 65 67 69 70 71 72 73 76
Formal proposal Feudal land Architect Jones Bothersome goings-on Ugli, for one Doctored drinks Nobel Institute city TV Drs. Isles and Quincy Pull the plug Web destination Barrett of S Club 7 Outback bounders Force out of office Basic finish? Singer’s cue You might pick one up in a bar See 95-Down Aviator __ Garros, French Open stadium namesake Knock follower? Diner perch To make sure Shed __ Pipe fastener Eduardo’s eye Storehouse Percussionist who worked with Prince Fable lesson Terse “__ Magnolias”: 1989 film How some insects get their news? Floor model
77 78 79 81 82 84 87 88 90 92 94 95
Popular jeans Seaside glider Beginning Fr. title Start to print? Altar exchange Top at Starbucks Glass fragment Stymies Muck partner “War of the Worlds” invaders With 50-Down, “Double
Fantasy” artist Big name in pharaohs Wild fights Residence Ice bucket accessory Walking tall __ tactic More valuable, in some cases 108 One-named singer 109 Wine from Hungary 110 Portrayer of the first female 97 98 102 103 104 105 107
Colonel Sanders, familiarly 111 Geometry figure 112 Needing a little more drying time 114 Publisher Chandler 115 Prunes 118 Title for Elton
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
THINGS TO DO
Continued from Page 8B Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch),” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Baby, I Need Your Loving,” and more, May 12, 7 p.m. $45-$95; www.stnj.org; 732-246-7469. Jazz at Princeton University, Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall on the Princeton University Campus. Concert by the Creative Large Ensemble, including compositions and arrangements by Slide Hampton, Renee Rosnes, Maria Schneider, and Sherisse Rogers, May 12, 8 p.m. $15, $5 students; music.princeton.edu; 609-2589220.
MUSEUMS Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie Mansion, Cadwalader Park, Parkside Avenue, Trenton. Ellarslie Open 35. Annual juried exhibit continues a tradition of supporting area artists and bringing the finest in visual art to patrons and visitors. Juried by Heather Campbell Coyle, May 5 through July 1. VIP Night: preview art for sale, meet and great artists, May 4, 6-9 p.m., $15, $10 at door. Opening reception, May 5, 6-8 p.m. Hours: Wed.-Sat. noon to 4 p.m. Sun. 1-4 p.m. www.ellarslie.org; 609-9893632. Princeton University Art Museum, on the campus of
Princeton University, Princeton. “Frank Stella Unbound: Literature and Printmaking,” Between 1984 and 1999, the American artist Frank Stella executed four print series, each of which was named after a literary work that had a distinctive narrative structure, May 19 through Sept. 23; Hours: Tues.-Wed., Fri.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thurs. 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun. 1-5 p.m. Admission is free; artmuseum. princeton.edu; 609-258-3788. Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton St., Princeton. “A Gentleman’s Pursuit: The Commodore’s Greenhouse,” about one of the state’s earleist greenhouses, through June 3. Hours: Wed.-Sun. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $10, $8 seniors/students; morven.org; 609-924-8144.
LIFESTYLE Packet Publication
LOOSE ENDS
ia Ma
Pam Hersh
Dancing the night away, for good causes
When I turned 57 — once upon a time — I did what many people do when they get to “the age” of psychological liberation, and that was to make a lifestylechanging decision. In my case, it was a grumpy-old-lady decision to attend no more fundraiser galas. I would donate money to local causes, but would refuse to be forced to wear shoes that kill my feet, put on makeup that only accentuated my wrinkles, eat way too much way too close to bedtime, feel inadequate for being too poor to bid on a luxurious trip to a French Riviera villa, lose my voice talking over the obnoxiously loud music, lose my hearing seated next to the obnoxiously loud music, be unable to have a conversation with people I liked because of the obnoxiously loud music, and unearth no one willing to “dance the night away” with me to the obnoxiously loud music. Two weeks ago, I broke my no-gala resolution, because of a desire to support two classy and inspiring community leaders, whose lifestyle-changing decisions reflected an upbeat approach to life, instead of my rather deadbeat approach. Jianping Wang, president of Mercer County Community College (MCCC), and Carol Golden, the chair of MCCC’s board, both decided to dance to their own beat at public events, in order to raise money for educational causes. On the week-
end of April 20, they put their feet where their mouths were. West Windsor resident Dr. Wang entertained hundreds of MCCC supporters with two spectacular dance routines at the MCCC Foundation’s “Spring into Student Success” Scholarship Fundraiser on April 20. She danced the waltz and rumba to promote the MCCC mission of “student success through affordable quality education,” as well as to celebrate renowned New Jersey educator Dr. George Pruitt. Pruitt recently retired from the presidency of Thomas Edison State University, where he served for 35 years. Princeton resident Carol Golden, wearing her MCCC board chair hat, attended the MCCC benefit April 20, but put on her dancing shoes and glittery attire the following night for the Young Audiences Dazzle: Mad Hot Ballroom 45th Anniversary Gala. Modeled after the reality television program “Dancing with the Stars,” Dazzle featured local community leaders as the “Stars.” Golden, an attorney, who also serves without compensation as chair of Housing Initiatives of Princeton, was one of the four “stars,” who competed with flashy dance routines for votes to win the coveted YA Disco Ball Trophy. Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania is an artsin-education resource, providing high-quality performances and artist-in-residence programs to
Jianping Wang, president of Mercer County Community College, was on the dance floor during the college’s “Spring into Student Success” event. schools in all 21 counties of New Jersey and the seven eastern most counties of Pennsylvania. I was able to follow these two community movers and shakers as they progressed to being skilled dancing movers and shakers, because of my longtime role as a Mercer County Community College board member. I was particularly curious as to 1) what moved the MCCC college president and board chair to pursue the avocation of dancing for charity; and 2) how they navigated the challenges on the road of their
personal dancing journey. Apparently, the desire to dance had nothing to do with something in MCCC’s bottled water. Golden said that she got involved, because of her friend Barbara Coe. “Barbara participated [and won the YA trophy] several years ago,” Golden said. “She told me it was the most fun thing she ever had done. I agreed to be a YA star, because . . . it was for a good cause and it seemed like the right thing to do.” She added she also thought it would be good to do something out of her comfort zone. Golden did not win the YA contest, but she did win emotionally for herself and fiscally for Young Audiences by generating a lot of donations for the charity. The trophy went to Jeannine Cimino (senior vice president and regional operations leader, Berkshire Bank) — who competed against Golden — plus Tom Sullivan, (chief executive officer, Princeton Partners), and Jeff Vega (president and chief executive officer, Princeton Area Community Foundation). Golden described the journey as an “emotional roller coaster.” “I don’t think I realized how uncomfortable it is to be outside one’s comfort zone,” she said. “Many of my fears and inhibitions were activated . . . hence the discomfort. I was afraid of people’s judgments of me; I was afraid I would look silly or inappropriate; I was afraid I couldn’t learn the
routine. I forgot to be afraid that I might hurt myself — and that of course is what I did. About midway through the preparation I aggravated an old knee injury, a torn and never-repaired ACL. “After some rest and some physical therapy, I got back to the dancing, and wore a knee brace for practice, but I was always a little nervous about re-injuring it. And that, coupled with my slower-than- I-would-have-liked dancing progress, made the whole thing pretty stressful for me. So much of my head space was taken up with ‘Can I actually do this?’” Golden acknowledged that the whole experience has given her a better understanding of, and more confidence in, herself. “I do feel like a better person for having spent time with Ilya Abdullin and the other professional dancers at the Fred Astaire Studio,” she said, referring to each “star” dancer teaming up with a professional from Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Princeton, practicing for three months to prepare for the Dazzle debut. “They got me through to the place I am today — happy that I pushed through all the fears and did it! I feel lucky to have gotten to know them.” For Wang, her journey into dancing for charity was motivated by her moving personal and professional journey that started in communist China, where educa-
See LOOSE ENDS, Page 14B
12B A Packet Publication
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Loose Ends Continued from Page 11B tion was a privilege bestowed only a select few. “It has been a very long journey with many twists and turns from an unwanted girl from China to the sixth president of Mercer County Community College,” Wang said in the address she made at her MCCC presidential inauguration in 2015. “However, no one succeeds alone, as I am standing on the shoulders of many unsung heroes.” Her journey involved challenging the policies of the Maoist government, gaining admission to one of China’s premier universities, and eventually immigrating to the United States, where she pursued her advanced degrees and achieved her dream of becoming an educator. “I took up dance many years ago,” she said. “It was originally intended to reduce stress in a fun and healthy way. Indeed, I find myself enjoying it so much. For a long time, I kept my dance hobby as a secret, al-
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though I did feel very comfortable on dance floor. I simply wanted to enjoy myself and make it my time and my space. “I was inspired to go public [in performance mode] with my dance, because I believe it could be a great way to raise scholarship money. I will do whatever [it takes] to raise scholarship money. To do something fun for a great cause is definitely a win-win endeavor. “As I grow older, I find dancing to be a great way to stay healthy physically and mentally. I highly recommend it to everyone who is trying to find a good way to cope with stress. Whenever I am on a dance floor, my stress leaves my body and my mind clears up. The only thing I can hear is music and my body just wants to follow the music.” Sounds like a journey I should take. The trip just might transform me from a grumpy old lady to a funky-styled Ginger Rogers willing to go to fundraisers — once in a while.
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A Packet Publication 15B
8The Week of Friday, May 4, 2018
HEALTH MATTERS
Dr. Corine Williams, Ph.D.
What to know about young adults and opioids It may start with a prescription to manage pain after a sports injury or a car accident, or even after the time-honored, teenage rite of passage of having wisdom teeth pulled. But while opioid prescription medications can be effective in treating pain, they can also pose a significant danger, especially for young adults. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, young adults ages 18 to 25 are the biggest abusers of prescription opioid pain relievers in the United States. And they are suffering the consequences. To help stem the rising tide of opioid addiction and overdoses, Penn Medicine Princeton House Behavioral Health offers a Young Adult Program that provides comprehensive, evidence-based treatment tailored for people ages 18 through their mid-20s struggling with the combined issues of substance abuse and behavioral health issues, such as anxiety or depression. Starts in the medicine cabinet There is no question that opioid addiction is an epidemic in the United States, one that has reached crisis proportions and shows little sign of abating. Consider that a report released last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that from 2015 to 2016 opioid overdose death rates increased by more
than 27 percent among all demographics, including young adults. But how does opioid addiction start? Most people need to look no further than their own medicine cabinet for the answer. Recent research published by Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America indicates that the most common source of opioids available for misuse is the unused portions of postoperative prescriptions. According to the study, 80 percent of high school seniors who reported nonmedical use of prescription opioids previously had legitimate prescriptions, but recreationally used leftover doses. What starts as recreation can quickly and easily turn into dependence and addiction. As the study notes, 34 percent of people who have taken prescription opioids for at least two months became addicted to, or physically dependent on, the medications. For some people, it can be even quicker. Opioids work by attaching to specific proteins called opioid receptors throughout the body and reducing the perception of pain. Though opioids can be safe and effective for reducing pain when used correctly, when misused — whether for recreation or self-medication in people with a history of trauma, depression, anxiety or other mood disorder — they can cause changes in the structure of the brain that lead to
uncontrollable cravings for the drug. It doesn’t take long before the body needs the drugs just to feel well and stave off symptoms of withdrawal like extreme nausea, vomiting, pain, and shaking. Moreover, as tolerance builds, the body needs more to achieve the high and pain relief the drugs produce. And when it comes to young adults, their still-developing brains are particularly susceptible to chemical addiction. Over time, what starts out as misuse of prescription painkillers from the medicine cabinet can escalate to using heroin because heroin is easier and cheaper to buy. As the NIH reports, nearly half of young people who inject heroin report having abused prescription opioids first. Red flags The consequences of addiction can reach into all areas of life — social, legal and financial. Red flags that may indicate a young person is struggling with addiction include: • Changes in grades or study habits • Loss of job • Fighting with family and friends • Increased irritability • Abnormal sleep patterns • Lack of appetite • Weight loss • Wearing long-sleeve shirts, even in warm environments, to cover track marks • Stealing • Missing pills or pre-
scription bottles If you notice these signs or suspect that someone you know may be abusing drugs, talk to them about your concerns and encourage them to get treatment before they spiral further into the abyss of addiction. The road to recovery Research shows that young adults tend to have better recovery outcomes in programs tailored to their unique needs because of common life experiences and stressors that are different from those facing older individuals. The Young Adult Program at Princeton House helps young adults ages 18 through the mid-20s who are struggling with addiction by offering a comprehensive, evidence-based treatment approach that includes: • A thorough evaluation by a board certified psychiatrist or advanced practice nurse • Individual assessments and sessions • Group therapy that features coping and life skills training • Family group sessions • Creative arts therapy • Medication monitoring The program helps young adults struggling with addiction navigate the perils of staying sober and learn how to make good life choices by: • Building self-esteem and confidence • Developing healthy, adaptive coping skills in response to triggers • Creating life goals and fostering independence
• Maintaining medication therapy • Seeking connections to mental health and social supports, such as 12-step programs • Interacting positively with family Studies indicate that when a person is actively participating in treatment, the likelihood of long-term sobriety increases. Depending on needs, treatment options include a
partial hospitalization program from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. five days per week or an intensive outpatient program from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. three days per week. Princeton House also provides a medical detoxification program for chemically addicted patients. For more information, go to princetonhouse.org or call 888-437-1610.
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16B A Packet Publication
The Week of Friday, May 4, 2018