10-9 Proof 1 by Community News Service

Interchange: Beneficial Insects Raised to Protect Nature and Crops

The New Jersey Conservation Foundation’s “The State We’re In” column for the first week of October was written by co-executive director Jay Watson.

This time of year, with a summer’s worth of mosquito bites newly in the rearview, a reprieve from thinking about insects is probably welcome. But not to Marcello Mangano, director of the Phillip Alampi Beneficial Insect Rearing Laboratory (PABIL). And for that, all of us in this state we’re in should be grateful.

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Mangano leads a team of scientists at the facility in West Trenton, which falls under the purview of New Jersey’s Department of Agriculture. Nicknamed “the bug lab,” it’s where insects that are less pesky than important to our ecosystem multiply under the watchful eyes of researchers and entomologists. The results, often invisible to the public, can be hugely consequential: Since its launch in 1985, PABIL has been fighting to protect the $290 million we, as a state, lose annually to crop loss or damage caused by agricultural pests. Their efforts have protected more than 100,000

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acres of soybeans from Mexican bean beetles. Even purple loosestrife, a noxious weed that tears a path of destruction everywhere it grows, has found a formidable enemy in the lab, which has released more than 1.5 million beetles to control loosestrife populations.

“When people hear about the work we do they get super happy,” Mangano said. He makes a strong case for why that’s the right reaction. Though PABIL’s an insect factory that churns out weevils, beetles, and parasites by the thousands, New Jersey farmers both organic and traditional rely on it to keep the crops that make their way to our kitchen tables healthy. There’s even a national security aspect to PABIL’s bug deployment: Consider our position on the map, Mangano urged. Because of the volume of importation that happens here, at the ports of New Jersey and nearby ports in New York and Philadelphia, “in my mind we serve as a first line of defense in mitigating problems introduced by invasive species that slip through the cracks,” i.e., those that hitch a ride overseas.

manage pests, weeds, and diseases is an imperfect science. Zeroing in on the right bugs to unleash and getting them approved by government officials for widespread use can take more than a decade. Mangano uses the word “mitigate” rather than “eliminate” when he talks about the lab’s victories, because generally the creatures PABIL rears in its humidity- and temperature-controlled spaces don’t fully wipe out offenders.

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Between The Lines

The natural approach to beating back crop-wrecking organisms has been around a long time. In 324 BC, Chinese growers used ants to feed on citrus bugs. Pesticides gained ground in the 1950s, but in 1962, when Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring” was published, the public started paying attention to the environmental havoc they wreaked. Now, Mangano said, many New Jersey farmers use a hybrid system for managing invaders, relying on both biocontrol — the scientific term for the lab’s work — and chemicals.

Using living organisms to

An example is the purple loosestrife work the lab initiated years ago: “It possibly came in as an ornamental, but it did something unfortunate,” he said. “It was pretty in July, when you’d see it bloom purplish blue in ditches or waterways.” But it displaced native plants and affected native turtles. The beetles the ‘bug lab’ propagated to control it spread themselves out and effectively decimated the plant. But “now you’ll see one or two spotting the environment.” It doesn’t matter: Biological control often is self-sustaining, with beneficial bugs integrating into their new surroundings and staying put. “The projects self-perpetuate.”

PABIL is open for tours, which affords Mangano a chance to persuade the public that while the work done there can make people squeamish, it’s important. “I’ve never met anybody who’s walked away saying, ‘Oh, this is silly,’” he said. “They always say, ‘I had no idea this was happening.’”

They should know, of course. “We go undetected for the most part,” he said. “But what we do touches so many parts of the state and potentially the country. It doesn’t just impact the food you eat, it affects the trees, the forests,

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the streams, the lakes.”

Other beneficial insects are being reared to address invasive plants like mile-a-minute and Japanese knotweed; and non-native invasive insects like Mexican bean beetle and brown marmorated stink bugs.

This biological control is a part of what is known as Integrated Pest Management. It strives to rely on biological solutions to pest problems while reducing the need for harmful broad spectrum chemical applications.

As world-famous scientist E.O. Wilson once said, “insects are the little things that run the world.”

For information on what’s happening at the bug lab, visit https:// www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/pi/prog/buglab/.

To learn more about preserving New Jersey’s land and natural resources, visit the New Jersey Conservation Foundation website at www.njconservation.org or contact info@njconservation. org.

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Friday, october 11

Networking

More than 700 women gather this week for the NJ Conference for Women, organized by the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Business Alliance, at the Hyatt Regency Princeton in Carnegie Center.

The day-long event, which was sold out as of press time, is one of the largest gatherings of professional women in the state and features keynote speakers, breakout sessions, networking, and more. For more information, visit njconferenceforwomen.com.

The conference’s opening keynote, titled “DNA of High Achieving Women: Discover The Mindset, Disciplines & Strategies Of Successful People,” will be delivered by Betsy Allen Manning, the owner of Dallas, Texas-based leadership training company Destination Workplace. According to her biography on the conference website, Manning “is an internationally known leadership speaker, bestselling author, and company cul-

ture expert. Her specialty is helping leaders attract, engage and retain the best talent in a hypercompetitive marketplace.”

The headliner of this year’s event is Emmy Award-winning television host, actress, and New York Times best-selling author Valerie Bertinelli, who closes the conference with a fireside chat about her journey and her new book, “Indulge.” Bertinelli, known for her work as the host of multiple Food Network shows and for her roles in television series “One Day at a Time” and “Hot in Cleveland,” is also the author of “Enough Already,” “Losing It,” and “Finding It.” According to conference press materials, “Indulge” includes “heartfelt essays about how to savor moments big and small” and “is a permission slip to enjoy food, and more importantly, enjoy life.”

In between the feature speakers will be time for networking and lunch as well as two 50-minute breakout sessions. Attendees have a choice of seven breakout topics and speakers for each session. They are:

“F**k Menopause: Conquering Gut Health, Weight Gain & Menopause Transitions,” presented by Philippa Bebbington, a registered dietitian who runs a private practice called Nourish by Phil and is the author of “Cracking the Food Code: Stop Diets That Don’t Work.”

“Three Keys to Leading a Multigenerational Workforce” presented by Krishna Powell of HR 4 Your Small Biz, which facilitates talent development for an international roster of clients.

“Harnessing the Power Within: The Successful Woman’s Guide to Wholeness,” presented by Gia Lacqua, an empowerment coach, motivational speaker, and leadership expert.

“Women Business Ownership and Trends in 2024” presented by Lisa Linkowsky, the founder and CEO of Milestone Franchising.

“Career Pathing & Progression for Women: Strategies for Advancement, Equity, and Growth” presented by Jennifer Willey, founder of the training, coaching, and consulting firm Wet Cement.

“Lions, Tigers & Clowns, Oh My! Improve Your Work-Life Balance and Manage the Three Rings” presented by Judy Sailer, the director of learning and development for Primepoint HR & Payroll.

“AI and Shaping the Business Landscape with Microsoft Copilot” presented by Cora Park, the founder and president of Diamond Business Communications.

Business Meetings

Wednesday October 9

Networking, BNI Falcons, IHOP, 610 Route 33, East Windsor, 877264-0500. www.bninjpa.org. Hybrid meeting. Speaker: Marc D. Binder CPA, tax planning topics. 7 to 8:30 a.m.

Business Before Business Virtual Speed Networking, Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce, 609-924-1776. www. princetonmercerchamber.org. Network over morning coffee and re-engage with chamber friends. Register. $15; free for members. 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

Funding Opportunities for Trenton and Hightstown Businesses, New Jersey Small Business Development Center, Greater Mt. Zion Church, 42 Pennington Avenue, Trenton, 609-771-2947. www.sbdcnj.com. Event explores funding options available to local entrepreneurs, providing the knowledge and resources needed to secure the financial support essential for business growth and success. Register. Free. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Bertinelli, left, and Betsy

are the featured speakers at the Princeton Chamber’s NJ Conference for Women on Friday, October 11. Bertinelli

Thursday October 10

Networking, BNI Tigers Chapter, Conference Center at Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, 609-570-3237. www.bninjpa.org. In-person meeting. Speaker: Emilio Rojas, gutters. 7 to 8:30 a.m.

Networking, BNI Top Flight, Town Diner, 431 Route 130, East Windsor, 609-443-8222. www. bninjpa.org. 7 a.m.

Friday October 11

New Jersey Conference for Women, Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce, Hyatt Regency Princeton, 102 Carnegie Center, West Windsor. www.princetonmercerchamber. org. Day of learning, inspiration and growth, including two plenary sessions, breakouts, continental breakfast, a celebration luncheon, and more. 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

JobSeekers Professional Service Group of Mercer County, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www. psgofmercercounty.org. Paul Cecala offers an interactive session

on effectively sharing your success stories to help you stand out to hiring managers and provide insight into your skills and value during interviews. 9:45 a.m. to noon.

Wednesday October 16

Networking, BNI Falcons, IHOP, 610 Route 33, East Windsor, 877264-0500. www.bninjpa.org. Hybrid meeting. Speaker: Fred Voza, presentation on printing services. 7 to 8:30 a.m.

Real Estate Business Alliance Presents: Expert Insights Into Development and the Current Market, Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce, Mercer Oaks Catering, 725 Village Road West, West Windsor. www.princetonmercerchamber. org. Panel of industry leaders shares insights into their current projects, how they are navigating challenges, and the strategies behind their success. Panelists are Debra J. Tantleff, founding principal, Tantum; Mitchell Newman, vice president of land, Lennar; and Joe Forgione, founder & principal, JMF Properties. Moderated by Dolores Kelley of Stark & Stark. Register. 8 to 10 a.m.

Valerie

Allen Manning

photo by John Russo.

ART FILM LITERATURE DANCE DRAMA MUSIC

PRE VIEW

DAY-BY-DAY EVENTS, OCTOBER 9 TO 16

Event Listings: E-mail events@princetoninfo.com

While many venues have returned to hosting in-person events, others are still taking place online. Event descriptions specify if an event is being held virtually or in a hybrid format. To include your virtual or in-person event in this section email events@princetoninfo.com.

Wednesday o ctober 9

Classical Music

Cécile McLorin Salvant Princeton University Concerts, Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University. concerts.princeton.edu.

Jazz vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant returns with an ensemble of renowned improvisers from genres spanning early music, jazz, folk, and electronic music to create a new type of folk song inspired by timeless and universal stories. This original fusion of Baroque music, vaudeville, Sappho, and folkloric material of Europe and the Americas will be expressed through the voice of one of the most gifted vocalists and prolific storytellers of our time. $35 to $60. 7:30 p.m.

World Music

Sound Journey, office of Religious Life, Princeton University Chapel. chapel.princeton.edu. Ruth Cunningham, founding member of the vocal ensemble Anonymous 4 and a sound healing practitioner, offers live music for meditation and introspection. Free. 5:30 p.m.

On Stage

Duel Reality, McCarter Theater, 91 University Place, Princeton. www.mccarter.org. Inspired by Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet,” two feuding families engage in a battle of skill, each competition more daring than the last — while a pair of star-crossed lovers struggles to escape the showdown. Cirque-infused show appropriate for all ages. $25 to $103. 7:30 p.m.

Dancing

Contra Dance, Princeton Country Dancers, Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive, Princeton. www.princetoncountrydancers.org. Lesson followed by dance. $15. 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Not to Be Forgotten

A reception takes place Sunday, October 13, at the Artists’ Gallery in Lambertville for an exhibition featuring works by Alla Podolsky and Laura Rutherford Renner. The show is on view through November 3.

Pictured above are Renner’s ‘A Night Out,’ left, and Podolsky’s ‘Dusk.’

Literati

Author: Daniel Chandler in Conversation with Angus Deaton, Princeton Public Library & Labyrinth Books, 122 Nassau Street, Princeton. www.princetonlibrary.org. Economist and philosopher Daniel Chandler discusses his recently released book “Free and Equal: A Manifesto for a Just Society” with Princeton University professor emeritus Angus Deaton. 6 p.m.

Good Causes

Dine for a Cause, Hopewell Valley YMCA, Hopewell Valley Golf Course, 114 PenningtonHopewell Road, Hopewell. hvymca.org. Pasta dinner night and live music by the Jack Furlong Jazz Orchestra to benefit the Y. Cash bar. Register. $30 per person. 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Wellness

Wild Gentle Yoga: Yoga to Connect with Yourself and Nature, Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, 1635 River Road, New Hope, PA. www.bhwp.org. Gentle yoga that builds body awareness, strength, flexibility and a better understanding of how humans connect to and reflect natural systems with Priscilla Hayes. Register. Pay what you can, $8 and up. 8 to 9 a.m.

Decoding Nutrition Labels, Mercer County Library. mcl.org/ events/amateur-photo-contest. Join Ricardo Kairios, Family and Community Health Sciences Educator, to learn about the Nutrition Facts Label. During this session,

cardo will highlight easy ways to read the nutrition facts label, tips to avoid foods high in sodium and added sugars and find foods high in fiber and calcium, and gain resources to help support healthy eating behaviors. Register for link to program. 2 p.m.

Lectures

Queer History Special Presentation, Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice, 12 Stockton Street, Princeton. www.rustincenter.org. “Searching for Hobey Baker” with ESPN 30 for 30 writer/ producer Andrew Reynolds, shares the story of the legendary Princeton athlete, the making of his podcast on him, the reaction from the sports world, and implications for today. Also livestreamed via Facebook. 7 p.m.

Outdoor Action

Stewardship Session, Friends of Princeton open Space, Mountain Lakes Preserve, Mountain Avenue, Princeton. www.fopos. org/getinvolved. Volunteers work under the guidance of the FOPOS stewardship staff to perform riparian and forest restoration, invasive species removal, and plant native species, focused on timely fall cleanup and planting efforts. Register. BYO water and work gloves. 1 to 3 p.m.

Socials

Jersey Art Meetup, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.artscoun-

cilofprinceton.org. Princeton Comic Makers presents: JERSEY ART MEETUPS (JAM), a weekly social event connecting creatives within the greater Central Jersey area through a shared passion for sequential art and new media. Attendees may use this open workshop space to draw, write, and develop their own artwork, with an opportunity to receive peer review and feedback from other members if desired. Illustrators, animators, writers, and generalists are all welcome to join and discuss their art and career goals, share learning resources, promote current projects, or find friends and collaborators. Must be 16+ to attend. Free. 7 to 9 p.m.

For Seniors

Plainsboro Senior Club Plainsboro Municipal Building, 641 Plainsboro Road, Plainsboro, 609-275-4965. Potluck lunch and presentation of two short plays. Free. 12:30 p.m.

Thursday o ctober 10

Classical Music

Chamber Series at Trinity, Princeton Symphony orchestra, Trinity Church, 33 Mercer Street, Princeton. www.princetonsymphony.org. Concert featuring music composed for piano trio. The trio consists of Emma Richman, violin, Wangshu Xiang, cello, and Yoon Lee, piano. $45. 7 p.m.

On Stage

What the Constitution Means to Me, George Street Playhouse, Arthur Laurents Theater, 11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. www.georgestreetplayhouse.org. Playwright Heidi Schreck delves into multiple facets of this historic document, debating as to whether or not we should keep or abolish it. $25 and up. 2 and 7:30 p.m. Alma, Passage Theater, Mill Hill Playhouse, 205 East Front Street, Trenton. www.passagetheatre. org. Benjamin Benne’s family dramedy exploring the complex relationship between a mother, daughter, and what home means to them. $33. 5:30 p.m.

Literati

Author: Diana Weymar on “Crafting a Better World”, Princeton Public Library & Labyrinth Books, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.princetonlibrary.org. Diana Weymar, the creator and curator of the public art projects Interwoven Stories and Tiny Pricks Project, discusses her book “Crafting a Better World: Inspiration and DIY Projects for Craftivists.” 6 p.m.

Farm Markets

Princeton Farmers Market Princeton Public Library, Hinds Plaza, 55 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, 609-924-9529. www. princetonfarmersmarket.com. More than 30 vendors including local organic produce, pasture raised meat and eggs, farmstead cheeses, fresh baked goods, empanadas, all-natural dog and cat treats, homemade jam, oldworld style pickles, fresh flowers, handcrafted jewelry, knife sharpening, and more. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Gardens

Succulent Arranging with Cindy olentine from Sprouts Historical Society of Princeton, Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road, Princeton. www.princetonhistory. org. Join local florist Cindy Olentine from Sprouts as she demonstrates how to create beautiful arrangements using succulents. Register. $85 includes supplies. 6 to 8 p.m.

History

Fall Lecture Series Old Barracks Museum, 101 Barrack Street, Trenton, 609-396-1776. www.barracks.org. Michael C. Harris discusses “Germantown,” his book about a now a busy neighborhood in Philadelphia that was the site of one of the largest battles of the American Revolution. Once a small village outside of the colonial capital, on October 4th, 1777, George Washington attempted to recapture Philadelphia

through this battle that often gets brushed over. Q&A and book signing follow lecture. Free. Refreshments served. Books available for purchase. 6 p.m.

Lectures

Thursday Night Nature, Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, 1635 River Road, New Hope, PA. www.bhwp.org. Lecture series held via Zoom. Topic is “Lenape Past, Present, and Plantways: Traditional Ecological Knowledge from the Lenapehokink” with Adam DePaul. Register. $15. 7 to 8 p.m.

Collaborative Histories, a conversation on contemporary photography, Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Visual Arts, Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University. arts.princeton.edu. A public conversation held in conjunction with a major two-day symposium, “Poetic Record: Photography in a Transformed World,” that will gather photo-based artists, writers, curators, historians, and students to explore the poetics of photography, its instability, and its latent potential, organized by award-winning photographer Deana Lawson, Princeton University professor of visual arts. Free. 7:30 p.m.

Friday october 11

Yom Kippur starts at sundown.

Classical Music

Pastime with Good Company Riverview Early Music, Salon 33, Princeton Junction. riverviewearlymusic.com. A program of popular songs and dances from the 16th and 17th centuries played on period instruments. Presented in an intimate setting with a core theme of the fall season. Salon 33 takes place in a private home. Exact location will be sent to you once you RSVP. Optional potluck supper at 7 p.m. 8 to 10 p.m.

Live Music

Deb & Mike Duo Hopewell Valley Vineyards, 46 Yard Road, Pennington, 609737-4465. www.hopewellvalleyvineyards. com. Classic rock. 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Pop Music

The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA, State Theater New Jersey, 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. www.stnj.org. The top ABBA tribute group in the world, The Concert performs the most iconic hits, including “Mamma Mia,” “S.O.S,” “Money, Money, Money,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” “Waterloo,” “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme,” and “Dancing Queen.” $29 to $174. 8 p.m. On Stage

The Rocky Horror Show, Bucks County Playhouse, 70 South Main Street, New Hope, Pennsylvania, 215-862-2121. www. bcptheater.org. The musical that inspired the 1975 classic cult film, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” follows engaged couple Brad and Janet on the adventure to beat all adventures. $75 and up. 7:30 p.m. Duel Reality, McCarter Theater, 91 University Place, Princeton. www.mccarter.org. Inspired by Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet,” two feuding families engage in a battle of skill, each competition more daring than the last — while a pair of star-crossed lovers struggles to escape the showdown. Cirque-infused show appropriate for all ages. $25 to $103. 7:30 p.m.

Alma, Passage Theater, Mill Hill Playhouse, 205 East Front Street, Trenton. www.passagetheatre.org. Benjamin Benne’s family dramedy exploring the complex relationship between a mother, daughter, and what home means to them. $33. 7:30 p.m.

Deathtrap, Actors’ NET, 635 North Delmorr Avenue, Morrisville, PA, 215-295-3694. www.actorsnetbucks.org. The play follows Sidney Bruhl, a once-successful playwright now grappling with a creative dry spell. When a former student sends Sidney a promising new script, the struggling writer hatches a plan to collaborate with the young playwright-or perhaps something more sinister? What unfolds is a suspenseful and hilarious exploration of ambition, greed, and deception. $24. 8 p.m.

Steel Magnolias, Kelsey Theatre, Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, 609-5703333. www.kelseytheatre.org. Play explores the relationships between a tight-knit

group of Louisiana southern ladies who gather in Truvy’s small-town beauty parlor, celebrating the milestones in each other’s lives. $22. 8 p.m.

Clue, Music Mountain Theater, 1483 State Route 179, Lambertville. www.musicmountaintheatre.org. The comedy whodunit that will leave both cult-fans and newcomers in stitches as they try to figure out who did it, where, and with what. $32. 8 p.m.

Nunsense, Villagers Theatre, 475 DeMott Lane, Somerset, 732-873-2710. www.villagerstheatre.com. Musical farce about five nuns who put on a talent show to raise money to bury their sisters who died from botulism after eating vichyssoise prepared by the convent cook. In the blackbox. $15. 8 p.m.

Dancing

Friday Night Folk Dance, Princeton Folk Dance, Suzanne Patterson Center, 45 Stockton Street, Princeton. www.princetonfolkdance.org. Lesson followed by open dancing. No partner necessary. $10. 8 p.m.

Socials

Hispanic Heritage Month Dance Party, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Dance favorites like Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Cumbia, and more. No experience needed. Come solo or bring your favorite dance partner. Family-friendly event for all ages. Free. 7 p.m.

Saturday october 12

Classical Music

evensong, Westminster Choir, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 801 West State Street, Trenton. www.rider.edu/arts. Concert following the ancient liturgy, anchored by Herbert Howells’ Westminster Service, with sung “lessons” focused on themes of exile and refugee-ism, from Babylon to today, through choral works of the French Baroque and the 21st century. Free. 8 p.m.

Jazz & Blues

Chris Botti State Theater New Jersey, 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. www. stnj.org. Grammy Award-winning trumpeter performs. $29 to $69. 8 p.m.

Live Music

Gabriel Bar-Cohen Small World Coffee 14 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www. smallworldcoffee.com. 7 p.m.

Outdoor Concerts

Fall Music Series, Palmer Square Green, Princeton. www.palmersquare.com. Eco Del Sur performs. Noon to 2 p.m.

Art

Campus Collections outdoor Walking Tour: Residential Colleges Neighborhood, Princeton University Art Museum, Ai Weiwei’s Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads, University Place. artmuseum.princeton.edu. Join a guided walking tour of the campus collections with an Art Museum guide and discover a variety of artworks by modern and contemporary sculptors, from Sol LeWitt to Maya Lin. 2 p.m.

Mercer County Photography 2024, Trenton City Museum at ellarslie, Cadwalader Park, Trenton. Opening reception and awards ceremony for juried exhibit by photographers living, working, or studying in Mercer County. Juror Gary D. Saretzky, archivist, educator, and photographer, taught photography and the history of photography at Mercer County Community College from 1977 to 2012. On view in collaboration with the Mercer County Division of Culture and Heritage through November 24. 2 to 5 p.m.

On Stage

Steel Magnolias, Kelsey Theatre, Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, 609-5703333. www.kelseytheatre.org. Play explores the relationships between a tight-knit group of Louisiana southern ladies who gather in Truvy’s small-town beauty parlor, celebrating the milestones in each other’s lives. $22. 2 p.m.

Duel Reality, McCarter Theater, 91 University Place, Princeton. www.mccarter.org.

Second Sunday Means Time for Poetry

Princeton Makes, a Princeton-based artist cooperative, and Ragged Sky Press, a local publisher focused on poetry, host a Second Sunday Poetry Reading on Sunday, October 13, at 4 p.m. The readings take place at the Princeton Makes store in the Princeton Shopping Center.

The October reading features Bob Rosenbloom and Sophie Liebergall. Their readings will be followed by an open mic available to up to 10 audience members who would like to read their original poetry.

Bob Rosenbloom resides with his wife in Monroe. He recently retired from the practice of law after nearly 40 years. His writing has appeared in the Paterson Literary Review, Tiferet, LIPS, Edison Literary Review and US 1 Worksheets, among other journals. His poem, “Dear Amy,” won First Prize in the Ginsberg Poetry Contest.

Sophie Liebergall writes from Philadelphia, where she is pursuing an MD and a

Inspired by Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet,” two feuding families engage in a battle of skill, each competition more daring than the last — while a pair of star-crossed lovers struggles to escape the showdown. Cirque-infused show appropriate for all ages. $25 to $103. 2 and 7:30 p.m.

Alma Passage Theater, Mill Hill Playhouse, 205 East Front Street, Trenton. www.passagetheatre.org. Benjamin Benne’s family dramedy exploring the complex relationship between a mother, daughter, and what home means to them. $33. 2 and 8 p.m.

The Rocky Horror Show, Bucks County Playhouse, 70 South Main Street, New Hope, Pennsylvania, 215-862-2121. www. bcptheater.org. The musical that inspired the 1975 classic cult film, “The Rocky Hor-

Poets Sophie Liebergall, left, and Bob Rosenbloom read their poetry at Princeton Makes on Sunday, October 13.

PhD in neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania. Her work has appeared in the Atlanta Review, Third Wednesday, and appendx. Through poetry she seeks to explore themes of embodiment, the strangeness of physicalism, and intersubjectivity. Second Sunday Poetry Readings, Princeton Makes, Princeton Shopping Center, 301 North Harrison Street, Princeton. Sunday, October 13, 4 p.m. Free. www.princetonmakes.com

ror Picture Show,” follows engaged couple Brad and Janet on the adventure to beat all adventures. $75 and up. 3 and 8 p.m. Clue Music Mountain Theater, 1483 State Route 179, Lambertville. www.musicmountaintheatre.org. The comedy whodunit that will leave both cult-fans and newcomers in stitches as they try to figure out who did it, where, and with what. $32. 3 and 8 p.m. Deathtrap, Actors’ NET, 635 North Delmorr Avenue, Morrisville, PA, 215-295-3694. www.actorsnetbucks.org. The play follows Sidney Bruhl, a once-successful playwright now grappling with a creative dry spell. When a former student sends Sidney a promising new script, the struggling writer Continued on following page

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 6 P.M. Labyrinth Books, 122 Nassau St.

Sam Sax is a queer Jewish writer and educator. Their most recent book is the debut novel Yr Dead (McSweeney’s, 2024) which Kirkus called “profoundly original” in a starred review. Their most recent book of poems is Pig (Simon & Schuster, 2023), which was shortlisted for the Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ+ Poetry. Sax is author of Madness, winner of the National Poetry Series, and Bury It, winner of the James Laughlin Award from the Academy of American Poets.

C.K. WILLIAMS

presented by the Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Creative Writing and Labyrinth Books

Photo by Hollis

Rafkin-Sax

Reflecting on 100 Years — and Counting — at Adath Israel

Acentennial is more than a milestone; it is a testament to the adaptability and ingenuity needed to survive in a changing world.

For Lawrenceville’s Adath Israel Congregation, founded on October 15, 1923, in Trenton, N. J., the 100th anniversary has been an opportunity to delve into the synagogue’s history, to honor its strengths, and to develop new approaches to ensure a thriving future.

Rabbi Benjamin Adler, celebrating his 10-year anniversary at Adath, used his 2022 Rosh Hashanah sermon to prepare his congregation for its hundredth anniversary, using history to shed light on present challenges and future opportunities.

The congregation laid the cornerstone for its first building, at 715 Bellevue Avenue in Trenton, designed by Louis Kaplan, the architect of the Trenton War Memorial. The building was sold on January 1, 1989.

Jews in 1920s Trenton worried about Jewish survival into the next generation, despite their thriving religious and secular Jewish community: with delis, bakeries, kosher butchers, synagogues, funeral homes.

The 1920s, Adler says in his 2022 sermon, were a time of “deep anxiety for American Jews.” The explosion of Jewish immigration to the United States in the preceding 40 years meant that “many were looking for ways to create a new life and were not interested in Judaism. … Jews wanted to be American.”

Evidence of the anxiety of Trenton Jews appears in a November 2, 1920, letter in the Adath Israel ar-

october 12

Continued from preceding page

by Michele Alperin

chives that proposes a meeting to discuss creation of a Conservative synagogue in Trenton.

This letter sounds like it could have been written today. Signed by 18 concerned Jews, it asks a series of questions including: Do you not feel deep concern over the fact that Judaism is declining in your community? Are you not chagrined when, on Yom Kippur, more young Jews are in the theatres than in the synagogues?

For the letter’s writers, the solution to their angst is a Conservative synagogue. Adath Israel’s founders, Adler says, “felt that the answer to the problem of Jewish apathy and rapid assimilation was a modern, contemporary synagogue that would appeal to Jews of Trenton in the 1920s.” They were looking to create “an intermediate synagogue,” between the highly observant Orthodox and the far less traditional Reform synagogues, where, for example, men and women could sit together, and prayers would be in both Hebrew and English.

Just as these 1920s Jews resolved their problems with “a new [Conservative] synagogue that would pray in a different way,” Adler suggests that the 2022 Adath needed self-renewal and increased relevance.

To do so, Adath Israel has instituted changes a number of changes over the last few years.

For the year leading up to Adath Israel’s hundredth anniversary, Friday night services based on the synagogue’s history, two decades at a time, reflected timely music and snacks as well as sermons based on material from the synagogue’s archives that “focused on

hatches a plan to collaborate with the young playwright-or perhaps something more sinister? What unfolds is a suspenseful and hilarious exploration of ambition, greed, and deception. $24. 8 p.m. Nunsense, Villagers Theatre, 475 DeMott Lane, Somerset, 732-873-2710. www.villagerstheatre.com. Musical farce about five nuns who put on a talent show to raise money to bury their sisters who died from botulism after eating vichyssoise prepared by the convent cook. In the blackbox. $15. 8 p.m.

Film

Family Movie Matinee: “Hotel Transylvania”, Princeton Public Library, Princeton Garden Theater, 160 Nassau Street, Princeton. www.princetonlibrary.org. In this animated comedy, Adam Sandler voices Count Dracula, a doting father and vampire who runs a hotel for monsters PG. 1 hour, 31 minutes. 10 a.m.

Dancing English Country Dance, Princeton Country Dancers, Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive, Princeton. www.princetoncountrydancers.org. Lesson followed by dance. $15. 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Literati

Book Launch: Sensation Blues, Ivy Inn, 248 Nassau Street, Princeton. www.sensationblues.com. Music journalist Bennett Kelly signs his debut rock & roll novel “Sensation Blues.” Think “Catcher in the Rye” steeped in the blues music of Muddy Waters, Son House, Robert Johnson, and more. Book purchase includes a drink ticket. Free to attend. 2 to 5 p.m. Poetry Reading Group, West Windsor Public Library, 333 North Post Road, West WiIndsor. www.poetryreadinggroup.wordpress.com. Read, share, and discuss the best in classic and contemporary poetry. Free. 2 p.m.

the struggles and triumphs of the community for those decades; what was going on in the world and how did that affect Adath; and what we can learn because today we are going through struggles similar to theirs,” Adler says.

Another change has been a monthly, more intimate service in the round featuring young musicians who are teaching the congregation new melodies and, Adler says, “working with us to build a sustainable model so that we can evolve our services ourselves even when [they are] not here.”

Because many people today are reluctant to affiliate with institutions like synagogues or social clubs, Adath Israel has also created MOSAIC, a center for arts, culture, and ideas, with a twofold purpose. One, Adler says, is “to reach out to people who are not necessarily interested in membership,” including both Jews and non-Jews. The center also encompasses another role of a synagogue, beyond religious school and worship services. “It is a place to learn and grow as adults,” Adler says.

Some new programs focus specifically on “finding multiple avenues for young families to be part of the Jewish community,” Adler says. The poster for two new bi-

Good Causes

Pawp-Up Shop Fundraiser Save, A Friend to Homeless Animals, 1010 Route 601, Skillman. Explore unique treasures at the pop-up artisan market to raise funds for SAVE’s Emergency Medical Fund. $20 entry fee. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Fairs & Festivals

Fall Family Fun Weekend, Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Lawrence. www.terhuneorchards.com. Celebrate fall with corn and hay bale mazes, pedal tractors, ducky races, children’s games, live music by Stone Hearth, pick your own pumpkins and pumpkin painting, and more. $18. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Farm Markets

West Windsor Community Farmers’ Market, Vaughn Drive Lot, 877 Alexander Road, Princeton Junction. www.wwcfm.org. Up to 50 farms and other vendors on site selling fresh produce, meat, sweets, beer, tea, bread, pickles, and more. Live music and other special events weekly. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Farmers Market, Montgomery Friends of open Space, Montgomery Township Municipal Center, 100 Community Drive, Skillman, 609-915-0817. www.montgomeryfriends.org. Jersey Fresh produce and farm products, baked goods, sauces, fibers, honey, flowers, coffee, and music. Rain or shine. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

History

1899 Camp Meeting Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum, True Farmstead, 189 Hollow Road, Skillman. www.ssaamuseum.org/campmeeting. Free, family-friendly event recreating an 1899 Camp Meeting with live music, costumed reenactors, horse and buggy rides for kids, and more. The museum’s first-ever living history event is presented as part of Somerset County’s 19th annual “Journey Through the Past” weekend. Noon to 4 p.m.

Lenape Relationship with the Natural World, William Trent House, 15 Market Street, Trenton. www.williamtrenthouse. org. Official premiere of the second of three

Rabbi Benjamin Adler, above left, has been with Adath Israel since 2012. Above, an image of the synagogue’s old sanctuary at 715 Bellevue Avenue in Trenton.

weekly educational programs this fall for children 0 to 2 and 2 to 4 ½ years olds promises: “Your children will learn to love being Jewish through music, art, cooking, puppet shows, and food.”

The synagogue is also trying to make it financially easy for young families to join, with half-cost memberships for the first two years. In addition, children of all members pay no tuition to attend religious school.

The synagogue has also changed organically over time under the influence of different rabbinical leaders and changing needs.

Although a condition of the synagogue’s formation was that men and women would sit together dur-

videos on Native American history and contemporary issues, focused on the Lenape experience in New Jersey. Free screening introduced by Karelle Hall, who researched, scripted, and narrated the video. 4 to 4:30 p.m.

Outdoor Action

Stewardship Session Friends of Princeton open Space, Mountain Lakes Preserve, Mountain Avenue, Princeton. www. fopos.org/getinvolved. Volunteers work under the guidance of the FOPOS stewardship staff to perform riparian and forest restoration, invasive species removal, and plant native species, focused on timely fall cleanup and planting efforts. Register for one of two two-hour sessions. BYO water and work gloves.

10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Princeton Canal Walkers, Turning Basin Park, Alexander Road, Princeton. 3 mile walk on the towpath, weather permitting. Free. Register to canalwalkers@googlegroups.com for notices of weather-related cancellations. 10 a.m.

Socials

10th Anniversary Celebration Tulpehaking Nature Center, 157 Westcott Avenue, Hamilton. Family-friendly activities, live animal presentations, guided nature walks, cake, and ice cream celebrating 10 years of service to Mercer County residents and visitors. Noon to 4 p.m.

Sunday o ctober 13

Live Music

Mark Feingold Group, Hopewell Valley Vineyards, 46 Yard Road, Pennington, 609-737-4465. www.hopewellvalleyvineyards.com. Jazz. 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Outdoor Concerts

Music Fest Sundays Palmer Square Green, Princeton. www.palmersquare.com. Jerzy Merzy Beat, Beatles Tribute per-

ing services, its first full-time rabbi, Samuel Rosenblatt (the son of the cantor who played himself in “The Jazz Singer”), did not approve of men and women sitting together during services and left after one year.

In 1951, Ruth Sugarman, whose father was the synagogue president, wanted to have a bat mitzvah. The rabbi, trained in Orthodoxy, studied the issue and could not come up with an objection. As a result, the synagogue became egalitarian, and women celebrated bat mitzvahs and were counted as members of a minyan, the quorum of Jewish adults required for certain religious obligations.

After more than 60 years at Ada-

Karelle Hall introduces a free screening of her video on the Lenape relationship with the natural world on Saturday, October 12, at the William Trent House in Trenton.

forms. 1 to 4 p.m.

World Music

Ritmos y Raíces: Celebrating Latin American Music, Westminster Choir College, Gill Chapel, Rider University, 2083 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrenceville. www.rider. edu/arts. Faculty recital features works by contemporary composers Guido López Gavillán (Cuba), Miguel Astor (Venezuela), Darwin Aquino (Dominican Republic), Johanny Navarro and Ernesto Cordero (Puerto Rico), along with songs from Brazil, Haiti, Argentina, Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru. Free. 4 p.m.

Art

Ceramics Scavenger Hunt, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, 609-924-8777. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. The Arts Council will hide handmade ceramic pieces around town –from mugs, to bowls, to small sculpture. If you find one, it’s yours to keep. To play, fol-

th’s building in Trenton, in 1986, the synagogue made the decision to move out of Trenton and purchased the Lawrenceville property. Despite the sadness of leaving its longtime home, Ruth Sugarman, now chair of the development committee, said in an article in “The Times of Trenton”: “It has to happen. The congregation has to go where the people are.”

The synagogue suffered an antisemitic incident early on. A sign that announced its move to the Lawrenceville property with the heading, “Future Home of Adath Israel Congregation,” was defaced with Nazi graffiti. But the other Lawrenceville religious institutions quickly stepped in and added their own sign next to the original one: “The Religious Communities of Lawrence welcome our new neighbor.”

In 1988 Rabbi Daniel T. Grossman, who served for 25 years before Adler’s arrival, became Adath Israel’s rabbi, bringing with him a commitment to inclusion for special needs children and access for people with disabilities. He guided the design of the new, barrier-free synagogue building in Lawrenceville. The sanctuary of the one-story building includes a ramp to the bima (prayer platform) and special cradles that allow someone in a wheelchair to take out the Torah scroll. “Our tradition is that everyone uses the ramp, not just the people who need it,” Adler says, adding that Grossman was able to use American sign language during services.

Responding to special needs — whether learning issues, behavioral challenges, or developmental disabilities — continues to be a hallmark of the Adath religious school. “We’ve always been a place for kids who didn’t fit into other religious schools,” Adler says. Inclusiveness at Adath also

comprises welcoming of new congregants, as it did with the March 2010 merger with Ahavath Israel synagogue of Ewing. Part of the official welcoming campaign, called Beit Echad (One House), was a musical celebration where members of Ahavath Israel walked into the Adath Israel sanctuary under a huppa, like a bride being brought to her groom.

One additional step toward increasing inclusivity has been a change in by-laws to allow nonJews to become members. This change brought another one, still in process, where Adath has designated a part of its Fountain Lawn Cemetery section for interfaith burials — not traditionally allowed in a Jewish cemetery.

Adler grew up in a Conservative synagogue in San Antonio, Texas, but it was Camp Ramah in California that, he says, was “the transformative part of my Jewish journey.”

“I loved being in this very intense Jewish environment where we were praying every morning, saying the blessing after meals, Jewish learning, and singing — all that was really energizing for me,” Adler says.

In 1997 Adler graduated from Columbia University and started working in the programming department of B’nai Jeshurun in New York City, which describes itself as “a non-affiliated, egalitarian, inclusive synagogue community focused on the power of prayer and music, rooted in love and social justice.”

Having grown up in a synagogue where musical instruments were not part of prayer services, he says, “It was my first time with not just instruments, but a band and really beautiful music that was so different than what I was used to — the experience of being at Shabbat services where there are thousands of

low the Arts Council on Instagram and check its stories that day for clues. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Not To Be Forgotten, Artists’ Gallery, 18 Bridge Street, Lambertville. www.lambertvillearts.com. Opening reception for exhibition featuring works by Alla Podolsky and Laura Rutherford Renner. On view through November 3. 2 to 4 p.m.

Campus Collections outdoor Walking Tour, Princeton University Art Museum, Nassau Hall, Princeton University. artmuseum.princeton.edu. Join a guided walking tour of the campus collections with an Art Museum docent and discover a variety of artworks by modern and contemporary sculptors. Rain or shine; stair-free. 2 p.m.

Dance

The National Ballet of Ukraine, State Theater New Jersey, 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. www.stnj.org. Program from the company on its first U.S. tour in more than 30 years includes “The Dying Swan,” “Don Quixote,” and “Giselle.” $29 to $140. 8 p.m.

On Stage

What the Constitution Means to Me George Street Playhouse, Arthur Laurents Theater, 11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. www.georgestreetplayhouse.org. Playwright Heidi Schreck delves into multiple facets of this historic document, debating as to whether or not we should keep or abolish it. $25 and up. 2 p.m.

Steel Magnolias Kelsey Theatre, Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, 609-5703333. www.kelseytheatre.org. Play explores the relationships between a tight-knit group of Louisiana southern ladies who

people and everyone is singing and dancing. And afterwards, the scene on the steps outside, hundreds of young people talking, shmoozing, and meeting people.”

He met his wife, Lisa, at B’nai Jeshurun, where she was teaching religious school and also attending services. They married in 2000 and have three children: Ronen, 21, is studying economics at the University of Michigan; Jonah, 19, started at Yeshivah University this fall. Miya, 15, is in tenth grade at Lawrence High School. Lisa, a social worker, is now chief development officer for the Center for Modern Aging in Princeton. She worked previously at the Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Greater Mercer County and for the Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey.

As Adler worked at Adath Jeshurun on adult education, the weekly newsletter, and other administrative tasks, he soaked in its very contemporary approach to synagogue life.

At the same time he was contemplating becoming a rabbi. But before committing to a career as a Jewish professional, Adler investigated the “for profit” world and worked for two internet companies in New York during the dot com bubble.

“It was an interesting and exciting time to be in that industry, but it wasn’t very fulfilling for me,” he says. So he decided to pursue the rabbinate and was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2007.

Adler’s first congregation was the White Meadow Temple in Rockaway, New Jersey, in Morris County, which he describes as an “interesting and quite beautiful community on a lake,” yet “somewhat isolated.” But after seven years he was looking for a change: “I wanted a place with a little bit more opportunity to grow my own

gather in Truvy’s small-town beauty parlor, celebrating the milestones in each other’s lives. $22. 2 p.m.

Duel Reality, McCarter Theater, 91 University Place, Princeton. www.mccarter.org.

Film

organic Rising Film Screening, Rutgers Film Co-Op, Voorhees Hall #105/Rutgers University, 71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick. nofanj.org/events. Join NOFA NJ and Filmmaker Anthony Suau for a panel discussion and screening of “Organic Rising,” the first feature-length film to demystify organic agriculture. Tickets sold at the door. $20. 5 to 9 p.m.

Literati

Poetry

Reading: Hanna Fox and Michael

An image from the archives shows a 1946 Passover seder at the Trenton synagogue.

rabbinate and to try new things. Adath, being much more of a regional synagogue, pulling from different communities in different towns, in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, has been a wonderful place for the last 10 years.”

That also goes for Bernice Abramovich, the congregation’s first woman president. If you include her extended family, affiliation with Adath Israel covers an entire century. Her great uncle, Harry Siegel, was active at the synagogue’s founding. When her parents married, “they wanted an egalitarian synagogue where they could all sit together, so it seemed logical to come to Adath,” Abramovich says. Then she and her husband joined 45 years ago when their oldest son was starting kindergarten.

Growing up in Trenton, Abramovich remembers a tight Jewish community. “All of our friends went to the Hebrew school;

Comiskey Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.princetonlibrary.org. Poets Hanna Fox and Michael Comiskey read from their latest collections and discuss their inspiration and writing process. Refreshments will be served, Book signing to follow. 3 p.m.

Good Causes

Yoga for a Cure Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton. www. morven.org. Gather on Morven’s beautiful grounds for Yoga for a Cure, an all-levels outdoor yoga class with Gratitude Yoga in support of Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) research. Donation-based class fees will support METAvivor, a non-profit dedicated to increasing awareness of advanced breast cancer and equity in research and patient support. 3 to 4 p.m.

Fairs & Festivals

Fall Family Fun Weekend, Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Lawrence. www.terhuneorchards.com. Celebrate fall with corn and hay bale mazes, pedal tractors, ducky races, children’s games, live music by Eco del Sol, pick your own pumpkins and pumpkin painting, and more. $18. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Farm Markets

Hopewell Farmers Market, Fairgrown Farm, 62 East Broad Street, Hopewell. hopewellfarmersmarket.com. Fresh produce and vendors selling grass-fed beef, flowers, and more. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

History

Discovering Princeton at Morven Walking Tour Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton. www.morven. org. Explore Princeton’s Mercer Hill neighborhood and the Stockton family’s fascinating history on this October walk led by the authors of Discovering Princeton: A Photographic Guide with Five Walking Tours. This 90-minute tour will highlight the Stocktons’ profound influence on both the town and its institutions for over two centuries. Register. $20. 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Sunday open House Tours New Egypt Historical Society, New Egypt Historical Museum, 125 Evergreen Road, New Egypt.

we would all walk from Junior 3 to the synagogue and stop on the way at the delis on Hermitage Avenue,” she recalls. “We all lived close together. On holidays, the synagogue was an extension of our celebrations.”

For Adler, looking back on his decade at Adath, he highlights the importance of his connection with the congregation’s children and particularly being there at their bar and bat mitzvahs. “I’ve seen them grow up from being babies to young adults. It’s special for me. I’ve taught them in religious school. I see them at the bus stop to the JCC [Jewish Community Center] camp. I see them in the rest of town. It’s fun; it’s one of the great things about being a rabbi.”

Adath Israel Congregation, 1958 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrenceville. 609-896-4977 or adathisraelnj.org

McCarter Theater presents ‘Duel Reality,’ a Romeo and Juliet-inspired cirque show, from October 9 through 13.

Museum open with docents on hand to answer questions. Raffle tickets available for $5. 1 to 4 p.m.

All Aboard Bordentown Railroad Old City Hall Restoration Committee, Old City Hall, 13 Crosswicks Street, Bordentown. www.facebook.com/OldCityHallRestoration. History-filled day features a talk and walk that explores the Camden & Amboy Railroad, New Jersey’s first railroad and one of the oldest continuing train rails in the nation. The program also celebrates the State of New Jersey’s recent announcement to repair the historic 1831 Farnsworth Avenue Stone Arch Carriage Bridge and Tunnel, the oldest carriage bridge built over

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Passage Theatre Review: ‘Alma’

by Neal Zoren

october 13

Continued from preceding page

railroad tracks and in continuous use in the United States. The program’s guide is Pierre Lacombe, a Camden & Amboy Railroad expert, member of the Bordentown Historical Society, and retired U.S. Geological Survey geologist. Additional train historians and officials also participate. 1 p.m.

The Ryan Family Farm and Dairy in ewing ewing Township Historic Preservation Society, Benjamin Temple House, 27 Federal City Road, Ewing, 609-883-2455. www.ethps.org. Grand opening of a new exhibit Includes a public tour of the first floor of the House. 2 to 4 p.m.

Princeton History Walking Tour, Historical Society of Princeton, Princeton Battle Monument, 1 Monument Drive, Princeton. www. princetonhistory.org. Walk around downtown Princeton and the University campus as you learn about historic sites in the area, including Nassau Hall, University Chapel and Palmer Square. $15. Register. 2 to 4 p.m.

For Families

Family Sundays, Tulpehaking Nature Center, 157 Westcott Avenue, Hamilton, 609-888-3218. www.abbottmarshlands.org. It’s lunchtime for the education animals. See what it takes to keep them healthy, clean, and fed. For all ages. Free. 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Lectures

Online Meeting, Astrological Society of Princeton, 732-9703709. www.aspnj.org. John Townley presents “Islands In The Sky: Planetary Order as a Key to Character and Life Roadmap.” Register. $20; $5 members. 2 p.m.

Bordentown’s Old City Hall Restoration Committee hosts a talk and walk exploring the Camden & Amboy Railroad on Sunday, October 13. Pictured at right are community members visiting the Farnsworth Avenue stone carriage bridge.

Outdoor Action

2024 Roll & Stroll, Lambertville Historical Society & Bike Lambertville, Holcombe-Jimison Farmstead Museum, 1605 Daniel Bray Highway, Lambertville. www. lambertvillehistoricalosciety.org. Enjoy a leisurely bike ride on the towpath and quiet streets of Lambertville while learning more about the city’s history from an LHS docent. The 4-mile route allows participants to explore historic sites that are not part of the LHS walking tour. Additional, optional 6-mile ride following to the Prallsville Mills site in Stockton. Participants should have a roadready bike, a properly fitted helmet, water and appropriate layered clothing. To register and for more information email PaulMickFit@gmail.com. 1:30 to 4 p.m.

Sports for Causes

4th Annual Wheels for Meals, Jewish Family and Children’s Services of GMC, Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. www.jfcswheels4meals.org. Annual bike ride to fight hunger. Route options for all abilities: 50-mile, 25-mile, 10-mile, and 3-mile. Event proceeds benefit JFCS Hunger Prevention programs supporting individuals across Greater Mercer County. Register. $36 adults; $18 youth (18 and under). 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

o ctober 14

Film

Film: “Fish War”, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.princetonlibrary.org. This feature-length documentary highlights the violent struggle faced by Indigenous nations to exercise their treatyprotected right to harvest salmon in the Pacific Northwest. Registration requested. 6:30 p.m.

Literati

Author: Sara Bronin, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.princetonlibrary.org. Sara Bronin, author, professor and founder of the National Zoning Atlas, discusses her book “Key to the City: How Zoning Shapes Our World.” Moderated discussion follows. 3 p.m.

Schools

Tour & Info, Princeton Learning Cooperative, 16 All Saints Road, Princeton, 609-851-2522. www. princetonlearningcooperative.org. Find out how self-directed learning can help teens create the education they want now, while building a path towards college, career, entrepreneurship, vocation, travel and more. Register via EventBrite. 2 to 3 p.m.

Tuesday

o ctober 15 Art

Reception: 2024 MCLS Amateur Photo Contest, Mercer County Library, Hickory Corner Branch, 138 Hickory Corner Road, East Windsor, 609-448-1330. mcl.org/ events/amateur-photo-contest. All are invited to attend the annual reception, displaying photographs submitted by Mercer County residents for the 2024 MCLS Amateur Photography Contest. Participants’ photos will be on display and winners will be announced. Light refreshments served. Regis-

ter. 7 p.m.

On Stage

Film: “The Last Hurrah” Princeton Public Library, 65 Wither-

PRE VIEW

off the Presses: ‘Sensation Blues’

New Jersey music journalist Bennett Kelly celebrates the launch of his debut rock & roll novel, “Sensation Blues,” on Saturday, October 12, at the Ivy Inn in Princeton. The free event runs from 2 to 5 p.m., and copies of the book will be available for purchase. Attendees who buy a book will also receive a free drink at the bar. Kelly, who was born and raised in Monmouth County, worked in radio production and sports journalism before moving on to covering music. He writes for New Brunswick Today and the Look at My Records music blog, and his work has appeared in U.S. 1 (see “Blues Traveler ‘Bringing the Rock to the People,’” July 17, 2024).

In publicity for “Sensation Blues,” Kelly describes it as “Think Catcher in the Rye steeped in the blues music of Muddy Waters, Son House, Robert Johnson and more.”

An excerpt from the novel follows:

McKinley grabs his guitar by the neck and tiptoes along the side of the house, softly on the grass and then quickly into the field. He breaks into a run for the hundred moonlit yards across the field, not stopping until he’s past the tracks. He leaps over them in one bound, landing on soft grass on the other side. He breathes and looks back over his shoulder, merely walking fast now and keeping stride. The house is dark save for a backdoor blue light, growing smaller by the step.

spoon Street, Princeton. www. princetonlibrary.org. Spencer Tracy stars as a powerful New England mayor preparing for yet another election campaign in this 1958 classic. 2 hours, 1 minute. 3 p.m.

Dancing

Tuesday Night Folk Dance, Princeton Folk Dance, Christ Congregation, 50 Walnut Lane, Princeton. www.princetonfolkdance.org. No partner necessary. $5. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Literati

Author: John Grisham and Jim McCloskey - in Conversation with David A. Davis, Princeton Public Library, Nassau Presbyterian Church, 61 Nassau Street, Princeton. www.princetonlibrary. org. The authors discuss their book, “Framed,” which features 10 stories of wrongful convictions and the hard-fought battles for exoneration that followed. Free ticket required. 7 p.m.

History

Princeton History Walks: Tigers of Princeton, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.princetonlibrary. org. Library staff lead this walk highlighting the history of some of the notable tigers that can be

Almost a mile up Sunflower Ave on the southern edge of downtown is the old cemetery. From the sidewalk, he peers into the center of it.

He’s still breathing heavy, and holds it for a few seconds. He doesn’t see or hear Ira.

He could turn back, but he’s already there. His heart pounds. He wonders if he’s gone crazy. He breathes deep, and enters through an iron gate.

In the darkness he finally hears someone moaning a mournful blueser. “Ira?” McKinley whisperyells from the edge of the cemetery.

The music stops. “McKinley!” he gratefully hears back. Then, “The middle!” McKinley finally sees a body, leaning on a tombstone, Ira at ease and smiling.

“Oh, you’re really on your journey now, Kingy,” Ira says to his nephew once in range.

McKinley’s yet to crack a smile as he walks up. He only nods. This is serious business.

“You been here long?” McKinley asks.

“A song or two,” Ira says. He’s leaning back with his ankles crossed, looking pretty comfortable.

“I couldn’t see or hear you from the sidewalk,” McKinley says.

“Good, good,” Ira says.

“Normally you can see across the whole thing.”

“Normally,” Ira smiles. “But you’ve never been here this late, or with your guitar.”

McKinley looks back to where he entered, checking as if someone followed him in. But he was alone

found on Princeton’s campus. Meet in the Lobby. 12:30 p.m.

Wednesday o ctober 16

On Stage

Dancing

Contra Dance, Princeton Country Dancers, Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive, Princeton. www.princetoncountrydancers.org. Lesson followed by dance. $15. 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Wellness

Wild Gentle Yoga: Yoga to Connect with Yourself and Nature, Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, 1635 River Road, New Hope, PA. www.bhwp.org. Gentle

on the sidewalk, and alone on his way in. Ira laughs at him.

“It isn’t right,” McKinley says.

“No, it’s just right. Trust me, nobody can hear us but the haints.”

“The what?”

“Haints!” Ira says. “Spirits,” he clarifies. McKinley makes a face. “You’ve got family buried here, you know.”

“I know,” McKinley says.

“I told them you were coming.”

“Tss,” he scoffs.

“They’re just dying to hear you play,” Ira jokes. “They say, ‘Little McKinley’s on tonight? Let me get my nickels…’ Hahaha.”

McKinley doesn’t laugh. He’s looking around. He’s spooked. “It’s too quiet. Won’t they hear us?”

“Of course. They come alive,” Ira says grandly. “Oh, you mean people? No, there’s nobody here Mac.” He waves his arm through the air. The air is still and misty. McKinley can’t see very far now. “It’s just you, me and the guitars,” Ira says. “Nobody chills in a graveyard. Nobody’s gonna interfere, not even the haints. That’s why it’s so quiet- they’re waiting for you to start.”

McKinley’s just nodding around, looking everywhere, over his shoulders, a little jumpy. He’s still feeling twitchy from having snuck out. The first time he’s ever done so. He can’t remember Paul ever going out the window or coming back in the wee wee hours. His heart’s still beating fast.

“Take a deep breath,” Ira says. He does, and it starts coming

yoga that builds body awareness, strength, flexibility and a better understanding of how humans connect to and reflect natural systems with Priscilla Hayes. Register. Pay what you can, $8 and up. 8 to 9 a.m.

History

Cranberry Business, New Egypt Historical Society, New Egypt Historical Museum, 125 Evergreen Road, New Egypt. Find out why, when, and how cranberry sauce came to be in New Egypt, was first sold, and became a national tradition. Participants welcome to share their memories and experiences. Raffle tickets available for $5. 7 p.m.

For Parents

Preparing Students with Disabilities for a Successful Transition to College Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.princetonlibrary. org. Learning disabilities specialist and author Elizabeth C. Hamblet discusses preparing students for a successful college transition. 7 p.m.

Lectures

So You Think You Know Civics: What is law?, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton. www.morven.org. Tao

down. There he is, standing with his acoustic guitar in a dark cemetery. He takes another breath.

“Aww man,” McKinley says.

“What?”

He sighs. “Okay,” he says.

“Okay?” says Ira. “Okay then, we’ll play. We’re starting at the beginning, what we created in the Delta a hundred years ago. Country blues. You’ve got about fifty years of country, Delta blues to learn, before you even consider electric.” If McKinley bats an eye on the inside, it isn’t revealed to his teacher. Ira continues.

“You’re gonna get to know every nook and cranny of that guitar. It’s in as good shape as the day I bought it for you and Paul, and you’ve finally grown into it. You know what it’s called, the make?” McKinley doesn’t need to glance at the headstock to say it back. “It’s a Stella.”

“That’s right. You know who

L. Dumas, associate professor of political science and chair of the Prelaw Advisory Committee at The College of New Jersey, leads an interactive discussion exploring the role that law plays in our government. How do we make laws? What is the role of the Supreme Court? How can laws change? Hybrid event. Register. Free. 6 to 7 p.m.

Presentation of the Paranormal Trenton Free Public Library, 120 Academy Street, Trenton. www.trentonlib.org. Lecture by New Jersey Paranormal, a dedicated team of paranormal investigators, who delve into the mysteries of the supernatural, exploring the existence of energy and spirits beyond the here and now. Register. 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Heritage Lecture Series Delaware River Greenway Partnership. www.delawarerivergreenwaypartnership.org. The Delaware River in Bucks County was one of the birthplaces of covered bridge building in America. But the last wooden structure spanning the river was demolished in 1945. What happened to the 11 great toll bridges that once connected Pennsylvania and New Jersey? Join local historian R. Scott Bomboy for a look at rare photographs of the bridges and hear the fascinating stories connected with them. Virtual event. Register. Free. 7:30 p.m.

played Stella’s?”

“Mmm,” he’s not sure.

“Well, lots of bluesers. But, your namesake, for one.”

“Oh yeah?” says McKinley. “Muddy Waters.”

“And we’ll get to him,” says Ira. He shakes his head in shucks-y admiration. “Shoot,” Ira says coolly.

“What?”

“When I bought that for you guys, I had visions of nights like this in mind.”

“In a graveyard?”

“Ehh, yeah, pretty much. I’ve always had these notions.”

Learn more about Bennett Kelly and ‘Sensation Blues’ at www.sensationblues.com.

“Sensation Blues” Launch Party, Ivy Inn, 248 Nassau Street, Princeton. Saturday, October 12, 2 to 5 p.m. Free to attend; book purchase includes drink ticket.

Schools

Upper School Experience Visit Day, The Pennington School, 112 West Delaware Avenue, Pennington. www.pennington.org/admission/events. Learn about the offerings at the co-ed private high school. 8 to 11 a.m.

Socials

Jersey Art Meetup, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Princeton Comic Makers presents: JERSEY ART MEETUPS (JAM), a weekly social event connecting creatives within the greater Central Jersey area through a shared passion for sequential art and new media. Attendees may use this open workshop space to draw, write, and develop their own artwork, with an opportunity to receive peer review and feedback from other members if desired. Illustrators, animators, writers, and generalists are all welcome to join and discuss their art and career goals, share learning resources, promote current projects, or find friends and collaborators. Must be 16+ to attend. Free. 7 to 9 p.m.

just say No to GMOs

Life in the Fast Lane

PSO Celebrates Expanded Princeton Office Space

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 26 to officially open its new offices at 1000 Herrontown Road. The orchestra was previously based on the grounds of Princeton Charter School but outgrew the space as its staff doubled in size.

“We were bursting at the seams, particularly as the pandemic eased and our staff began to transition from remote work to a full return to the office,” explained Executive Director Marc Uys.

Outreach by Uys and Stephanie Wedeking, chair of the PSO board, connected them with Experience Princeton and in turn Charlie Yedlin, president of the Yedlin Company, the property management firm overseeing the complex of buildings at 1000 Herrontown Road. Yedlin reconfigured and refreshed the space with architect and interior designer Sheila Nall.

“Stephanie and I met with Charlie and Sheila regularly to ensure that our entire full-time staff of 12 would fit comfortably,” said Uys. “We also created a flexible conference room space with a table which breaks down into multiple desktops in anticipation of seasonal staff brought on board each year to assist with the Princeton Festival.”

“It’s a great, smart-looking space that we’re very proud of, right here in Princeton,” added Uys.

Present at the September 26 ribbon cutting for Princeton Symphony’s new office space were Aubrey Haines, left, of Princeton Property Partners; Councilwoman Michelle Pirone Lambros; architect J. Robert Hillier; PSO executive director Marc Uys; Charlie Yedlin of the Yedlin Company; and board chair Stephanie Wedeking.

There is no public box office or performance space at the administrative site. For more information or to purchase concert tickets, visit www.princetonsymphony.org or call 609-497-0020.

County to Establish Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs

Mercer County Executive

Dan Benson has signed an ordinance to establish a Mercer County Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs.

The new office will assist members of the LGBTQIA+ community to navigate government programs

U.S. 1 Classifieds

H OW TO ORD e R PERS o NAL

Mail or e-Mail: That’s all it takes to order a U.S. 1 Classified. Mail your ad to 9 Princess Road, Suite M, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 or E-Mail class@ princetoninfo.com. We will confirm your insertion and the price. It won’t be much: Our classifieds are just 50 cents a word, with a $10 minimum. Repeats in succeeding issues are just 40 cents per word, and if your ad runs for 16 consecutive issues, it’s only 30 cents per word. Questions? Call us at 609-396-1511 ext. 105

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and access services that support job training, housing, and economic development. The office will also assess needs within the LGBTQIA+ community, provide educational materials to help members of the community understand their legal rights, and support government outreach to the community.

“Mercer’s vibrant LGBTQIA+ community plays a vital role in our success,” Benson said, “yet this population too often faces barriers in housing, health care, and access to government assistance. The new Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs will be an essential resource to ensure that Mercer’s LGBTQIA+ residents and business owners can navigate federal, state, county, and non-profit resources to receive the help they need.”

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o W T o RESP o ND

How to Respond: Place your note in an envelope, write the box number on the envelope, and mail it with $1 CASH per response to U.S. 1 9 Princess Road, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648. CASH ONLY - checks/money orders will NOT be accepted.

HOW TO ORD e R

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TRANSP o RTATI o N

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A Personal Driver seeking to transport commuters, shopping trips, etc. Modern, attractive car. References provided. Less than commercial taxi services. E-mail to gvprinter@gmail.com or call 609-331-3370.

HELP WANTED

oFFICE SPACE & VIRTUL oFFICE for START-UPs and SMALL BUSINESSES!!! 5 Independence Princeton City Office, LLC, 1 day/month/year or longer. Princeton Route 1. Flexible office space to support your business. Private or virtual offices, conference rooms, high speed internet, and friendly staffed reception. Easy access 24/7 and ample parking. Call Marga at 609-5145100, www.princetoncityoffice.com, mre@princetoncityoffice.com.

STo RAGE

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

LUNCH CooK wanted for Hopewell Township preschool. Preparation of children’s lunch from 10-2, MTRF. $18 -$20 per hour depending upon skill. Call or text David 609-577-5584.

Storage Unit for Rent in Skillman https://princetonstorage.homestead. com/ 609-333-6932 22x16 discounted rent $280.

BUSINESS SERVICES

Professional Ghostwriter: Press releases that grab editors’ attention and robust website content that rises above the run of the mill. Have your business history written to preserve the story behind your success. E. E. Whiting Literary Services. 609-462-5734 eewhiting@live.com

LEGAL SERVICES

LEGAL SERVICES Wills, Power of Attorney, Real Estate, Federal and NJ Taxes, Education Law. House calls available. Bruce Cooke, Esq. 609-7994674, 609-721-4358.

I Buy Guitars and All Musical Instruments in Any Condition: Call Rob at 609577-3337.

WANTED T o BUY

Cash paid for World War II Military Items. Helmets, swords, medals, etc. Call: 609-581-8290, E-mail: lenny1944x@gmail.com

HappyHeroes used books looking to buy old Mysteries, Science Fiction, Children’s Illustrated, Signed books, Pulp Magazines, old postcards, nonsports cards, and old ephemera. Call 609-619-3480 or email happyheroes@ gmail.com.

Wanted: Baseball, football, basketball, hockey. Cards, autographs, photos, memorabilia. Highest cash prices paid! Licensed corporation, will

J o BS WANTED

Job Hunters: If you are looking for a full-time position, we will run a reasonably worded classified ad for you at no charge. The U.S. 1 Jobs Wanted section has helped people like you find challenging opportunities for years now. We know this because we often hear from the people we have helped. We reserve the right to edit the ads and to limit the number of times they run. If you require confidentiality, send a check for $4 with your ad and request a U.S. 1 Response Box. Replies will be forwarded to you at no extra charge. Mail your ad to U.S. 1 Jobs Wanted, 9 Princess Road, Suite M, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648. E-mail to class@princetoninfo.com. You must include your name, address, and phone number (for our records only).