11-19 TD by Community News Service

DOWNTOWNER TRENTON’S CITY PAPER

NOVEMBER 2019 |

COMMUNITYNEWS.ORG

Let’s Go!

Trenton Art, page 10 • History, page 8 • Water, page 5 1179 NEWARK, NJ

W. Reed Gusciora Mayor

Steven J. Picco Acting Director

November 1, 2019 Dear Neighbor, This is the first in what I hope will be a regular series of communications with you regarding the Trenton Water Works (TWW). I believe it is very important to keep you aware of the things we are doing to provide you with a safe and reliable source of water. As you know, we issued a boil-water advisory on September 27, and lifted it the next day. Low chlorine levels in the water flowing from our water-filtration plant triggered the alert. Chlorine is used to kill bacteria in water, and state law mandates that certain chlorine levels be maintained at all times. Plant staff reacted quickly to the low-chlorine alert, and had the system working normally within 30 minutes of discovering the source of the problem. TWW, in consultation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, concluded that it was best to be fully transparent about the situation and issued the advisory. Emergency-notification procedures were triggered, with varying degrees of effectiveness. The event exposed inefficiencies in the notification system, and TWW is working with Mercer County and the municipalities in our service area to update and streamline our notification lists. Although the plant was operating normally throughout the advisory period, state regulations require water testing at several points throughout the system to ensure all areas meet appropriate standards. Those tests were done soon after the plant was shown to be operating normally. One of the tests requires a 24-hour waiting period before results can be analyzed. Therefore, any water order or advisory must last at least 24 hours. That was the case here. As soon as all test samples were shown to be compliant, the advisory was lifted. All in all, the technical response to the event was everything you would want to see in an operation of this kind. I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience that the advisory caused. We are doing all we can to ensure that this kind of problem does not happen again. TWW has experienced a steady trend of operational improvements during the past 18 months. Going forward, we are embarking on a capital-plan review and continue to add qualified staff, all designed to strengthen the current and future operational capabilities of the system. In the meantime, if you would like to be added to our direct-notification system, please visit the City of Trenton website at www.trentonnj.org and click the link to TWW-Connects, TWW’s Reverse 911 System, located at the top of the homepage. You will be directed to the CodeRED website, where you can set up a free account and enter information to receive emergency notifications going forward. Good things are happening at TWW. I will continue to share both our successes and challenges with you, so that you better understand our team’s commitment and progress. Sincerely,

Steven J. Picco Acting Director

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2Trenton Downtowner November 2019

What is TWW-Connects? TWW-Connects is a Reverse 911 or “Robocall” system that Trenton Water Works uses to notify residents about water-quality issues, boil-water advisories, water-service outages and restorations, and water-quality emergencies. The system can target residents in TWW’s service area: the City of Trenton, Hamilton Township, Ewing Township, Lawrence Township, and Hopewell Township. Customers’ cell phones, cable-based phones, internet-connected phones, or conventional landline phone numbers must be registered with the system to receive a call, text message or e-mail notification from the system.

How Do I Register? 1

Visit the City of Trenton’s website at www.trentonnj.org and click on the link to the TWW-Connects, Trenton Water Works Reverse 911 System.

Create an account by setting up a user name and password.

Fill-in the requested fields, follow the prompts—enter your name, physical address, how you wish to be notified—and agree to the terms and conditions to complete the registration.

Any Questions?

For personal assistance, please call (609) 989-3055.

MWCNSTWWCONNECTS11012019

November 2019 | Trenton Downtowner3

up FRONT

Arena celebrates anniversary with murals

Murals of John A. Roebling, left, and Monument neighborhood. Trenton Choice Neighborhood Ronald Berman at CURE Arena.

pectra management at CURE Insurance Arena recently unveiled two murals on the building’s concourse as part of the venue’s 20th anniversary celebration. The murals depict the late Ronald Berman, developer of both the arena and the Roebling Market shopping center, and Trenton industrialist John A. Roebling, whose company formerly controlled the property of the two venues. Trenton-based mural artists Leon Rainbow and Dean “Ras” Innocenzi

created the murals in partnership with the Mercer County Improvement Authority.

Trenton gets federal neighborhood planning grant

.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced a $1.3 million Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant to redevelop Donnelly Homes and North Trenton’s Battle

Planning Grant partners include designers Wallace Roberts and Todd, the Trenton-based Smith Family Foundation, Mercer County Community College, Mercer County Workforce Development Board, Mercer County Office of Training & Employment Service, Capital Health, Isles, Inc.; Capital Area YMCA, Trenton Health Team, Grace Cathedral Fellowship Ministries, NJ Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, NJ State Capital Partnership, and The College of New Jersey. Another $63,000 was presented to the Trenton Housing Authority, a new participant in HUD’s Family Self-Sufficiency Program, that provides HUD assisted tenants with a path to financial independence.

Call for writers

ttention writers, freelance journalists, and those aspiring to be: The Trenton Downtowner and other Community News Service publications seek freelance correspondents to tell the stories of Central New Jersey’s people, businesses, arts, and culture. Tell us about yourself and your interests and/or sign up for an info session on Thursday, November 14, at 7 p.m. Contact Dan Aubrey: dan@princetoninfo.com.

Cover art

he image is by New Jersey artist J. Kenneth Leap and part of his “360 Degrees of New Jersey,” a large stained glass work in the New Jersey State House.

downtowner Phone: (609) 396-1511 Fax: (609) 844-0180 Website: communitynews.org METRO Editor Dan Aubrey

Co-Publishers Jamie Griswold and Tom Valeri

Senior Assistant Editor Sara Hastings

Administrative COORDINATOR Megan Durelli

Calendar Editor Christina Giannantonio

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Rob Anthes, Wendy Greenberg, Diccon Hyatt, Richard D. Smith

Letters to the Editor: dan@princetoninfo.com

Production Manager Stacey Micallef (Ext. 131) Ad Traffic Coordinator Stephanie Jeronis Graphic Artist Vaughan Burton Sales Director Thomas Fritts (Ext. 110) Senior Account Executive Jennifer Steffen Account Executives Deanna Herrington, Mark Nebbia Administrative advertising assistantS Gina Carillo, Sylwia Marut, Aimee Vienneau

4Trenton Downtowner November 2019

The Trenton Downtowner welcomes letters to the editor of reasonable length and tone. Writers should include their name, address and phone number. Addresses and phone numbers will not be published. To submit news, event listings or sports, send detailed information to: News Events

news@communitynews.org events@communitynews.org

7,500 copies of the Trenton Downtowner are mailed/bulk distributed in Trenton 12 times a year. Detailed sales kits available upon request. Call (609) 396-1511 Ext. 110.

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the state of the CITY

A new face takes aim at Trenton Water Works woes By Rob Anthes

renton Water Works Interim Director Steven J. Picco assumed his position September 16. He then dealt with his first crisis 11 days later when a mechanical failure caused chlorine levels in the water to drop and a boil-water advisory to be issued. TWW uses chlorine to disinfect the drinking water. Picco replaced Dr. Shing-Fu Hsueh as head of the utility after he resigned suddenly in early September. Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora had handpicked Hsueh to correct long-standing issues at TWW, one of the state’s largest water utilities. While Hsueh accomplished plenty in his year on the job, he also left behind plenty for Picco to handle. Picco, 71, grew up locally, living in Hamilton, Ewing, and Trenton. He is a graduate of Ewing High School and Rider University. He moved out of the area 18 years ago, relocating from Pennington to Philadelphia. He has worked as a lawyer for 45 years, including a stint with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. He later served as assistant commissioner of DEP in charge of the department’s regulatory and legal operations and rose to become

deputy commissioner. tion Act, which became the basis for As a private lawyer Picco special- the Superfund statute. ized in evaluating environmental orgaCNS: And you were doing some nizations. things with Trenton Water Works? Picco sat down with Community SP: Yes, the first legal document I News Service managing editor Rob Anthes last month in his office at ever wrote as a lawyer for DEP was TWW’s Cortland Street headquarters. the hearing officer’s report orderAn edited and abridged transcript fol- ing Trenton to cover the reservoir. In 1975, I believe it lows: was. Community And here we News Ser vice: I hope that by whenever are. I am trying to You spent many I turn this over to dismantle that oryears with the New der because times Jersey Department whoever’s not going to have changed. of Environmen- be the interim director The plan is to tal Protection. take the reservoir At DEP were you that we have a fully out of service and focused on the place tanks in difstaffed utility and a entire operation, ferent locations or did you special- capital plan that he around our sysize in one specific tem, which gives or she can implement area? us dispersed water storage. NoSteven Picco: going forward. body’s putting all I started out spetheir water in one cializing in the place anymore. It will also solve some legal and government affairs side. pressure issues and give us much Because of the way the regulations were, I had this weird oversight of more consistent pressure all across the system. some water programs and the permit(With) the price of the cover and ting process. I wrote with two other the time it would take to do it, we can guys the New Jersey Spill Compensa- probably get through one or two phas-

Steven J. Picco started as interim director of Trenton Water Works in September. es of this tank program. It’s a better long-term solution. CNS: And the tanks would be throughout the service area? SP: We’d have four or five tanks. We haven’t gotten the final design. There’d be a pretty large tank — about a 20-million-gallon tank — near where the reservoir is now, for pressure purposes, among other things. Right now we have water towers. Everybody thinks the water towers are part of the system. They are in the sense that they’re connected to the water system. But they’re there not for water supply so much as water pressure. CNS: What other plans do you have? See PICCO, Page 6

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PICCO, continued from page 5

SP: I met with council. We’re in the middle of reviewing all our capital needs. The plan is to make an assessment of everything we have, what’s the maintenance, what’s the likely replacement time, and put it all into a capital plan to go before council. It would be bonded over a 20, 30-year period, so the impacts on individual ratepayers I don’t think will be significant. We need to staff up. I hope that by whenever I turn this over to whoever’s not going to be the interim director that we have a fully staffed utility and a capital plan that he or she can implement going forward. CNS: Where are you now with staffing? SP: We’re under an order with DEP that has certain staffing things. We’re in the 80 to 90 percent range. The problem is, for reasons that are still unclear to me, we have a lot of consultants who are actually operating parts of the plant. It’s not a very efficient way. The administration and council both agree that we should end those contracts and not renew them if we can possibly avoid doing so. We’re doing an overall staffing review. The idea is for me to turn over to my successor a functioning, clearly understood organization with well-

defined civil service titles. That’s not CNS: With staffing, is there a something that happens overnight. requirement that you have to live in the The water-boil advisory we had, the city to work here? one thing that went really well with SP: No. There is a strong that was the technical side. It was pretpreference. ty much all city employees. There was CNS: Is it more complicated to run a an equipment failure. It took awhile to find it, which is not surprising if utility that’s municipally owned? you’ve seen the plant. There are pipes SP: It’s more difficult to work in a everywhere. And it’s the kind of inci- government environment in terms dent that you had to actually eyeball of hiring than a private environment. the pipe to see where the issue was. A In a private environment, you post a large part of the job, somebody plant is underwacomes in, you ter, so you have like them. There By the time the boilto start draining certain antiplaces and look. water advisory was out, are discrimination But once they laws you have to the plant was back at found it, they be aware of, but fixed it in a half normal operation. then you’re done. hour. By the time Here there’s a the boil-water adprocess. Lots of visory was out, the plant was back at normal opera- people have input on that process, so it’s much longer than what you have tion. You could make an argument that in the private sector. It’s a little fruswe should’ve pushed harder and not trating at times, but it is what it is. You issued the advisory. The DEP wanted work with it. us to. We thought it was a good idea. CNS: Going back to the boil-water I’d rather issue an advisory that might advisory in late September, what haphave passed the red-face test than not pened? What exactly was the issue? have an advisory go out and either it SP: The alarm went off a little after turns into a real problem or the somidnight. They determined pretty cial media conspiracy theorists have quickly it was a low-chlorine situation. something to latch on to. And that Not zero chlorine, but the chlorine was never goes away no matter what you do. We erred on the side of excess below where we wanted it to be. There was never no chlorine in the system. It caution.

was just below the standard we wanted. (The staff) ran a pump test on both of the pumps that were involved. Both pumps passed. That means we’ve got a leak somewhere in the system. So you start looking at pipes. That took several hours to get done. They found it at about 6:30, and by 7 a.m., we were back to normal operation. Because the incident continued more than four hours, we had to call DEP. We were back and forth with them, discussing what the options were, what we thought the problem was, what we were doing. They said, “We think you should go with an advisory.” The advisory was issued quarter to 7 a.m. What happens is [Michael Walker], who’s in charge of our communications effort, has a whole list of people he calls. We do an email blast. It goes up on various reverse 911 systems; we have one, there are others. The word got out pretty quickly. The problem with that was Hopewell Township. An error on our part left them off the initial advisory. I immediately issued an apology. I called the mayor and explained what went on. I wrote a letter to the editor that went out the Monday following the event. The good thing was the technical side worked. We had speed bumps in the notification. It caused us to take a look at our whole notification process and what we need to do.

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So we’re joining the county’s reverse 911 system. We’re better coordinating our own 911 system with the city’s system. We’re going to have back-ups. We’ve added the school districts to our notification system. It’s just another way to get the word out as quickly as we can. All in all, it was a good exercise for us. It inconvenienced a lot of people, which I understand. But I’d rather be in a position of inconveniencing people where we maybe had a choice than not letting them know there was a problem and somebody finding out a year later. You’ve got to trust your public health guy. If the public health guys are playing political games or covering stuff up, you’ve got a serious problem. If we have a problem, you’re going to hear about it. We’ll take a lot of heat about it, but the alternative is worse. CNS: Another aspect of this that the public might not understand is the lab testing. SP: We have to do two tests in any kind of emergency of this type. First is chlorine. If you have a pool, a chlorine test is basically, you take the water, add something, look at the color. It’s almost instantaneous. But there’s also bacteria. You have to take the sample. You have to get it to the lab. They have to hold it for 24 hours before they can read it. In reality, it’s like a 30-hour test because you’ve got to get the sample, you’ve got to bring it back to a central location, you’ve got to take it to the lab. The lab gets them, logs them in, then the clock starts. So anytime you’re thrown into a situation like that, that order or advisory is going to be at least a 24-hour and more like a 30-hour duration. We’re going to be much clearer. That was one of the things we were not clear about telling people. We probably were a little naive in the advisory versus order. We were very careful to make it an advisory. In the real world, if they get a water-boil anything, they’re going to take it as an order. We’ve got to be more sensitive to the impacts of that going forward. Even DEP in our after-action meetings acknowledged that everybody should have made it clear about what we were doing and why. I heard about restaurants closing. There was no reason for restaurants to close. There was just this overreaction. But I get it. It happens, you learn, you move on. There’s nothing else we can do. CNS: One of the hardest things for any public utility is to build and keep the public’s trust. How do you build that trust with the public? SP: Well, first of all, you stop having those events. Second of all, we’ve started these town meetings. We’ll show up anywhere, answer questions, make pre-

Trenton Water Works’ filtration plant on Route 29. lead pipes that we’re in the process of sentations, whatever you want to do. I found to my shock when I got replacing that are ours. The real problem is in the houses here, through some Homeland Security concern that I don’t understand, we where the connection to our system is cut off our tours of the filtration plant. lead or that the soldering for copper Especially the kids’ tours. The more pipes contains lead. This phosphate that we’re using is you understand something, the more you’re familiar with it, the more you’re not meant as anything other than getting these trace amounts of lead out comfortable with it. You’re open, you give people ac- of the system. It works best when you cess, you answer their questions. It’s have these kinds of localized, very lowa long-term thing. It doesn’t happen level but still of concern situations. Our whole idea is to protect the enovernight. There was a period five or six years tire system with this and then move to replace all the ago when this lead lines that we place was in a can identify and bunker mentality. The problem with this take out. Also, When you go into organization is there to encourage a bunker mentalpeople to do the ity, everybody was a lot of turmoil here same in their else goes into a bunker men. . . It takes awhile for an houses. issue, tality. It takes a organization to recover weOnarethat going to little while to get start the lead line people out of the from that. replacement. (In) trenches and talkTrenton, because ing to each other it has taken so long to get the approvagain. CNS: There are a number of initia- als, the contractor we awarded the bid tives that were in progress before you to pulled out. We are rebidding the came on board. One of them, started by project. We have a priority schedule worked your predecessor, was a program to add out. The local finance board approved orthophosphate to the water. our plan limiting consumer costs to SP: Orthophosphate is basically a $1,000. No matter what it costs, the food additive. If you put that into your consumer’s going to pay no more than system in incredibly minute amounts, $1,000. it has the effect of attracting any lead We’re setting up a system where and literally attaching it to the pipe. you can pay that through your bills over time. This is all in microscopic quantities. It’s very stable. Anyone that has CNS: How do you find the money to a lead problem eventually does this. fund these projects? EPA’s approved it. SP: It’s all bonded, and then it goes We put the bid out. We’ve awarded into the rate base, and off you go. the bid. I expect that sometime in the CNS: In the marketing campaign next 30 days or so we’ll begin putting that in place. We’ll have a public notice you have now, it says that you planned — this is what we’re doing, this is how to audit TWW. we’re doing it. So it’s not going to be a SP: We just got the bid from the surprise to anyone. auditor, which I approved. It’s governThe lead we have in our system ment again. It will be up before city comes from two areas. There are old

council. It’s reusing the city auditors. This is called a process audit. They come in and look at how things are working, where things aren’t working as well as they should, how everything works together. It’s going to be focused a lot on our billing and collection operation, which we are now in the process of upgrading. It’s designed to analyze the inefficiencies, give us some ways to fix it. Just this week, I approved six new staff positions, three of them bilingual for customer service. We were able to get an understanding with city council and the city that we need to staff up. It’s on us to explain what we’re doing clearly so that everybody understands it. CNS: How long do you plan on being in this role? SP: I joked with everyone who asked when I first started that my top priority was to find and recruit my successor. It’s becoming more urgent the longer I stay in this position. In reality, I want to stay six to nine months. It’s going to take that long to find the right person and let them get familiar with the plant. The problem with this organization is there was a lot of turmoil here, from outright criminal conduct — which is stuff of public record — to they weren’t paying attention, particularly during the Mack years. It takes awhile for an organization to recover from that. City council has displayed their differences with the mayor on a variety of issues. I’m very clear this needs to function properly going forward, and they’ll do what they can to do it. The mayor’s made no bones about it — that’s why he brought Shing in in the first place. We have a meeting of the minds on that I’m trying to take advantage of as quickly as I can. If I have particular expertise relevant to this, it’s getting decision makers together and getting them pointed in the direction we want them pointed in. That’s what we’re trying to do here. I’ve told mayor, I’ve told the council that you don’t want to recruit somebody who’s going to be here for two or three years. They offered me the position, and I turned it down for that reason. I came out of retirement. I didn’t come out of retirement to stay here two years and leave. I wanted it clear so that everybody understood that my role is to try to stabilize things here, put them on a good financial basis, recruit somebody who’s going to commit to staying here and bring some organizational stability. Move away from the consultants because that’s built in instability. We want all our employees to be Water Works employees, as many in the City of Trenton as possible, as many in the service area as possible. If we do that and just continue to communicate to everybody, those things tend to fix themselves.

November 2019 | Trenton Downtowner7

Trenton Historical Society marks 100 years with a party and a show By Richard D. Smith

‘T

he task now is to find more ways to be relevant,” says Trenton Historical Society president Damon Tvaryanas as the organization celebrates its 100th anniversary of preserving and celebrating the city’s history. Tvaryanas (pronounced “terry AHN iss”) is thinking beyond Trenton’s early Colonial, Anglo-Saxon history and talking about “other communities, including commuters to Trenton, and show them it’s their city too.” Tvaryanas, a professional art and architecture historian in what he terms “the cultural resource industry,” adds that the THS is “making the biggest efforts it can towards introducing programs that will attract their interest.” That includes the Saturday, November 23, anniversary gala and opening of the “Trenton Eclectic Exhibition” at the Trenton City Museum. In a major research essay for the centennial, Tvaryanas has shown how Trenton’s leading citizens and newspaper editorialists had urged for the creation of an historical society at least as early as 1912. But it was not until March 20, 1919, that an organizational meeting was held by members

Trenton Historical Society board members Sally Baxter, left, Damon Tvaryanas, and Elizabeth Yull. of the “Princes of Caliph,” a social branch of the Knights of Malta (one of the ubiquitous early-20th-century fraternal organizations similar to today’s better-known Elks). But like many such groups of that era, it was open only to men, as was noted a mere two days later in a letter of protest to the Trenton Evening Times that argued that “several ladies

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in 1976 saw the society’s successful preservation, in partnership with the Trenton, Mercer, New Jersey, and federal governments of the Eagle Tavern on South Broad Street, built in 1756. When the Trenton Historical Society was founded in 1919, the city was already the capital of New Jersey and county seat of Mercer. It was at its peak as an American manufacturing center and already home to a diverse population, with vital Italian, Polish, Irish, and African-American neighborhoods. In recent years historical societies like Trenton’s have recognized the tremendous scope of their cities’ social, ethnic, and industrial stories. And like other historical societies, THS has translated this wider vision into a wider range of programs and events. Among the most tangibly beneficial to Trenton is its grant program to enable historic preservation. Owners of historically significant buildings who wish to preserve them and, especially, to restore these structures’ exteriors to period appearance, may apply for funding. Its most recent application can be found at www.trentonhistory.org/ restore-trenton-historic-property-rehabilitation-grant-program. Indeed, preservation was very much a motivation for the Trenton Historical Society’s premiere annual

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fundraiser, known as “The Wrecking Ball.” As the name suggests, it was instituted to raise monies for preservation efforts and stop the wrecking ball equipment used in building demolition.

hile Tvaryanas, 49, is dedicated to Trenton history, he was born in Brooklyn to parents who worked as graphic artists and had met while studying at the Pratt Institute. They did some advertising and a great deal of illustrations for guides and manuals. (Tvaryanas’ father produced work for clients ranging from the U.S. Army to then-prominent Bell Laboratories in Holmdel.) Early on the family moved to New Jersey, and Tvaryanas grew up in Jackson. “I was always very interested in what had happened around me in the past,” he says. “What old [building] foundations in the woods were; what a map showed.” He had an attraction to archaeology but says he didn’t realize there were archaeology jobs available. He graduated in 1991 from New York University with a degree in art and architectural history and then earned a master’s in historical preservation from the University of Pennsylvania in 1993. Tvaryanas worked from 1996 to 2000 at Hunter Research, the Trenton-based historical archeology and preservation firm (see the Decem-

ber, 2017, Trenton Downtowner). He important — is the expertise that joined Richard Grubb Associates, an- Trenton Historical Society members other preservation research firm, in bring, almost every week, to issues of Cranbury, leaving last year to under- new construction. For example, says Tvaryanas, “We take private consulting. He joined the board of the Trenton get tons of notifications about cell towHistorical Society some 10 years ago er work.” For the volunteer organizawhile he was working at Hunter Re- tion, the four or five letters received search. By the time he was offered monthly asking if the society has any concerns — and the executive the replies they position, about — three years ago, In recent years historical necessitate represent about he had changed societies like Trenton’s that weight. Usujobs and moved ally it’s about to Westampton have recognized the cellular antennas Township in Burbeing added to lington County. tremendous scope of an existing struc“I asked the their cities’ social, ethnic, ture. Occasionboard, do you really it involves ally want someand industrial stories. “someone wantone who doesn’t ing to put up a currently live or 75-foot tower on work in the city? And they said, ‘Yes, this is the kind an historic property when it’s just inof inclusion beyond the immediate appropriate to do so.” But, Tvaryanas says, the society is borders of Trenton that we want to hopeful of playing a positive role in develop.’” Although the saving of Eagle Tav- important future preservation activiern and the grants program have been ties. A notable example is sure to be notable successes for the Trenton His- the eventual reconstruction or entire torical Society, it has had a few failures replacement of the South Broad Street despite its most persistent efforts. Bridge over the Assunpink Creek by Among these was the attempt to save Mill Hill Park. This was famously the site of the the monumental Trenton High School Second Battle of Trenton on January building on Chambers Street. But there are successes, almost on 2, 1777, when Washington’s troops a weekly basis. Less obvious than a re- thwarted the intensive effort of the stored building facade — but equally fearsome British grenadier shock

troops to capture the bridge. That bridge is long gone, but segments remain of a span that is not much newer. “There’s an early 19th-century bridge in the central core of the existing bridge,” Tvaryanas says. “The Assunpink flooded frequently, and there are a lot of old newspaper references to the bridge being washed away. It’s unclear when the bridge was repaired or when it was totally replaced. But we do know the core, the center lane, of [today’s] bridge is a very early bridge.” As the Trenton Historical Society moves forward it is celebrating by attempting to involve the city’s diverse populations as well as members from neighboring communities who have professional and/or family ties to Trenton. The November 23 gala and the Trenton City Museum’s “Trenton Eclectic” exhibit, featuring seldomseen art, artifacts, documents, ephemera, and maps from the span of Trenton’s 350 plus years, are just a few of its ongoing events. “The Trenton Historical Society is a great, long-lived institution,” Tvaryanas says, adding that its efforts “are all about strengthening the community as a whole.” For more information and upcoming events: www.trentonhistor y.org or www.facebook.com/Trenton-Historical-Society-255066127033

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November 2019 | Trenton Downtowner9

Art All Day stop BSB Gallery is busy building downtown Trenton By Wendy Greenberg

he BSB Gallery, with its tall glass windows high ceilings and period lighting, is welcoming artists and visitors to its East State Street-based contemporary arts and education space in Trenton’s Canal to Creek arts district. It will also have its doors wide open as part of the annual Art All Day set for Saturday, November 2 (see related story on page 13). BSB, which stands for Broad Street Bank and now owned by the Bayville Holdings, was originally built in 1900 and is known as Trenton’s first skyscraper. The gallery was launched in February, 2018 ,and is open on Thursdays to Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Additional hours are added for events like openings, special lectures, and parties. There is also a new exhibition section called the G2 or gallery two. It opened in August. Gallery curators Christy O’Connor and Aine Mickey personally renovated the G2 space, painting the walls a dramatic dark gray. Mickey and O’Connor, in their 20s and 30s respectively, have worked together for two years and seem to complement each other in expertise. As for the direction and mission of the gallery, “We are on the same page,” says Mickey. O’Connor is a painter, mixed media artist, and sculptor from Monmouth County. She has curated pop art exhibits throughout the state and has had her own art practice for five years with works in many shows throughout the region. Although she did not grow up with artists in the family (her dad was an ice cream salesman), she had a passion for art and photography, and majored in art in college. She taught preschool and decided to make a change and focus on the visual art part of her training as opposed to the art education part. Mickey, who grew up in Trenton, is a fine art and documentary photographer with a focus on social and economic inequality. She has worked on film sets and owns her own photography business. The daughter of project managers, she has a background in pharmaceutical business development and brings her organizational skills to arts and event marketing with experience producing large outdoor events. Her photography is shown in Trenton galleries and is slated for an exhibitions at the at Mercer County Community College’s downtown JKC Gallery for photography. Trenton Downtown Association Executive Director Tom Gilmour says the BSB “is a gallery where we try different things and have fun.”

The bank had been vacant some 17 The BSB Gallery, left, and curators Aine Mickey and Christy O’Connor. years, he says. “TDA is all about revitalizing downtowns, bringing in busiThe challenge for any new gallery is where the trees took on colorful yarn ness, and recruitment and retention. getting people in the door. The gallery and fiber coatings. But it doesn’t work unless we also is walking distance from many state During the November 2 Art All Day bring in visitors. There is already a offices and a block from the post of- celebration BSB will offer Fiber Lit strong creative arts community in the fice. “We want people to know we’re yarn bombing demonstrations. Artist city, and BSB is a platform to show off here,” says O’Connor. “We are look- Scott Lewis will discuss his current that art.” ing to branch outward but want to be solo exhibition, “The Anxiety Side Gilmour previously was director part of the community. We are open to Show,” an exploration of, and fascinaof economic development in Asbury ideas. We want Trenton to be involved, tion with the visual and literary, porPark, where the arts, notably music, to create a core base of people who traying a character’s psyche. And G2 transformed the city. will feature work by Trenton pen and want to be here.” He says there is a migration of Adds Mickey: “People are busy. ink artist ISeeDyfrnt. A native of Ghaartists who are being pushed out of They don’t think they have time. We na, he is inspired by different cultures larger, more expensive cities, and who need to incentivize. Once in, the space and spirituality. find they can afUpcoming exhibitions include should engage ford studio and people. It should “Road Maps: Navigating Moments,” living space in become a place November 7 to December 7, with an ‘There is already a Trenton. “It’s an that can provide opening reception Friday, November ar tist-friendly culture that is 8. The two separate solo exhibitions strong creative arts city,” he says. positive, interest- feature paintings and mixed media BSB was crecommunity in the city, ing.” She says works by Tali Margolin and Heidi ated with support market- Sussman. They will each present a and BSB is a platform to print by a grant from ing and word of hands-on class. Margolin presents the George H. mouth have been “Journey Through Memories, Preshow off that art,’ says and Estelle M. serving a Memory,” on Saturday, helpful. the TDA’s Tom Gilmour. Sands FoundaBSB wants to November 9, from 1 to 3 p.m. Susstion and by Isles attract artists man offers “A Journey to Paint — A Inc., with the supfrom Trenton and Painting Party with Music,” Saturday, port from the New Jersey Neighbor- from other areas and enlarge the city’s November 16, from 1 to 3 p.m. Parhood Revitalization Tax Credit Pro- community of artists. ticipants should register through the gram. BSB will offer professional develop- BSB website. “We had the idea, and once we se- ment this winter, with classes in busiThe year will end with “Every cured the grant we picked that specif- ness writing, CV writing, and other Ghetto, Every City,” December 14 ic space because East State Street was skills helpful to artists or the general to January 4, with an opening recepinactive but had potential,” he says. public including lectures, art dem- tion Friday, December 13. The show The corner is evolving, with the Com- onstrations, and children’s program- examines city life, from corruption to monwealth Building across the street ming. Educators are invited to apply inequality and the communal spirit of being renovated for mixed use. “Cur- to teach. perseverance and strength in urban rently, the challenge is walk-ins, but Mickey, having grown up in Tren- communities. TDA is all about challenges,” Gilmour ton, says she can detect the evolution January brings “Badlands,” Janusays. He envisions an active block in of the arts community. “It’s always ary 9 through February 8, featuring about five years. been an interesting place, defined works by sculptor Domenic Sansone, For the next few years BSB’s ob- mostly by small businesses. I don’t who relies on everyday and accessible jective is to “cultivate creativity and remember art to be too big a deal in building materials. community,” according to its mission the past, but art has gotten more moBSB Galler y, 143 East State Street, statement. The space, says O’Connor, mentum with murals, festivals, and Trenton. Thursday to Saturday, 11 should “bring art to the Trenton com- galleries.” a.m. to 5 p.m. 609-599-3268 or munity, to become a staple in the comBSB recently hosted (with the bsbgaller y.com. munity, so the people in Trenton can TDA) the first Fiber Arts Festival and Link to register for workshops: have work exhibited, and be a place public yarn bombing in Mill Hill Park, for professional development.” www.bsbgaller y.com/workshops

10Trenton Downtowner November 2019

CAPITAL HEALTH MEDICAL GROUP IS PLEASED TO WELCOME CHRISTINE LOTTO, MD VASCULAR SURGEON Whether it is an initial visit to help diagnose a condition, obtaining some of the most advanced treatments, or getting a second opinion, our team of specialists and surgeons can help. DR. CHRISTINE LOTTO recently joined the multi-specialty surgical team at Capital Health Surgical Group, where her areas of focus include (but are not limited to) open and minimally invasive repair of aneurysm disease, complex endovascular treatments of aortic and peripheral arterial disease, lower extremity bypass procedures, carotid artery surgery and stenting, and the management of the full spectrum of venous diseases, including treatment of varicose veins and spider veins.

Dr. Lotto completed her fellowship training in vascular and endovascular surgery at Harvard (Brigham and Women’s Hospital) in Boston, MA and in advanced aortic endovascular surgery at L’Hôpital Marie Lannelongue in Paris, France. She joins the Group’s experienced surgeons who are specially trained in acute care, bariatrics, breast, colorectal, gynecologic oncology, hepato-pancreatobiliary, thoracic, vascular, surgical critical care, and general surgery.

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UPCOMING HEALTH PROGRAMS Unless otherwise noted, call 609.394.4153 or visit capitalhealth.org/events to sign up for the following programs. ROOM TO BREATHE: WHAT IS COPD AND HOW DO WE TREAT IT Tuesday, November 12, 2019 | 6 p.m. Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell NJ PURE Conference Center COPD is a major cause of disability that may prevent you from performing everyday activities like walking, cooking, or climbing stairs. Join DR. DIANA KOLMAN, director of Interventional Pulmonology at Capital Health, to learn about COPD risk factors, symptoms, and the latest screening and treatment options that are available to you.

WELCOME TO MEDICARE Friday, November 22, 2019 | 2 p.m. Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell NJ PURE Conference Center Are you a new retiree? Join us to learn what you need to know about your Medicare benefits for 2019 and how to compare health and drug plans to find the best coverage. Speaker is MARY MCGEARY, director of NJ State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).

AARP SMART DRIVER COURSE Thursday, November 14, 2019 | 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Capital Health – Hamilton This course teaches valuable defensive driving strategies and provides a refresher of the rules of the road. You must be 18 years of age or older and have a valid driver’s license to attend this course. Cost is $15 for AARP members and $20 for non-members.

55+ BREAKFAST SERIES – MANAGING DAILY LIVING WITH ARTHRITIS Wednesday, December 4, 2019 | 8:30 am - 10 a.m. Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell NJ PURE Conference Center 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 everyday life.

PANCREATIC CANCER: MANAGING RISK, MAKING AND UNDERSTANDING A DIAGNOSIS Thursday, November 21, 2019 | 6 p.m. Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell NJ PURE Conference Center Led by DR. JASON ROGART, director of Interventional Gastroenterology and Therapeutic Endoscopy at the Capital Health Center for Digestive Health and a genetic counselor from the Capital Health Cancer Center.

Capital Health – Hamilton 1445 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road, Hamilton, NJ, 08619 Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell One Capital Way, Pennington, NJ 08534 November 2019 | Trenton Downtowner11

NOVeMBeR heaDLINeRs

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Next to Normal, Bristol Riverside Theatre, 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, 215-785-6664. www.brtstage.org. A seemingly normal modern family struggles with the effects of bipolar disorder. Through November 24. 8 p.m. Catch Me If You Can, Kelsey Theater, Mercer Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, 609-570-3333. www. kelseyatmccc.org. Musical comedy based on the film about Frank Abagnale, who successfully poses as a pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer even as an FBI agent is hot on his trail. Also November 2 and 3. 8 p.m. State House Artwork Tour, New Jersey Statehouse, 145 West State Street, Trenton, 609847-3150. www.njstatehousetours.org. Tour celebra�ng the 40th anniversary of the Public Buildings Arts Inclusion Act. See artwork incorporated into the capitol complex including stained glass, �lework, pain�ngs, and sculptures. Reserva�ons required. Every Friday. 1:30 p.m. Friday Dance Party, American Ballroom, 1523 Parkway Avenue, Ewing, 609-931-0149. www.americanballroomco.com. $10. 7 to 9 p.m. Joe Holt, 1867 Sanctuary, 101 Scotch Road, Ewing, 609-392-6409. www.1867sanctuary.org. $15-$20. 8 p.m.

First Friday Story Time, Tulpehaking Nature Center, 157 Westco� Avenue, Hamilton, 609-888-3218. www.abbo�marshlands.org. Story, cra� or ac�vity. Free. 10:30 a.m.

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Thumbelina, Kelsey Theater, Mercer Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, 609-570-3333. www.kelseyatmccc. org. Musical adapta�on of the beloved fairytale. 2 and 4 p.m. Art All Day, Artworks Trenton, 19 Evere� Alley, Trenton, 609-394-9436. www.artworkstrenton.org/artallday. Open studio tours and live art demonstra�ons. Noon. Opening Recep�on, Artworks Trenton, 19 Evere� Alley, Trenton, 609-394-9436. www. artworkstrenton.org. Opening for the Art All Day Group Exhibi�on, as well as an exhibi�on featuring works by Habiyb Shu-Aib. Through Saturday, November 23. 6 to 8 p.m. Annie Sumi, 1867 Sanctuary, 101 Scotch Road, Ewing, 609-392-6409. $15-$20. 3 p.m. Carl Bartle� Jr., Candlelight Lounge, 24 Passaic Street, Trenton, 609-695-9612. www. jazztrenton.com. $15, $10 drink minimum. 3:30 p.m. Open Mic Night, Starbucks, 102 South Warren Street, Trenton. Music, spoken word, poetry, comedy, storytelling, and more. 3 p.m. Bedlam, 1867 Sanctuary, 101 Scotch Road, Ewing, 609-392-6409. $15-$20. 8 p.m.

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11/8 Healthy Minds Fes�val 2019, Urban Mental Health Alliance, Mercer County Community College, 102 North Broad Street, Trenton, 609-610-7603. All day event featuring speakers, music, vendors. 10 a.m. Wellness Walk, Tulpehaking Nature Center, 157 Westco� Avenue, Hamilton, 609-8883218. www.abbo�marshlands.org. Guided outdoor walk. Free. 10 a.m. Interpreta�on Through Movement, Grounds for Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, 609-249-0210. Interference Fringe/TALLUR L.N. Spotlight Series. $20. 1:30 p.m. Day of the Dead Karaoke Party, Cook Athle�c Associa�on, 411 Hobart Avenue, Trenton, 609-586-5117. www.cookathle�cassoca�on.com. 7:30 p.m. Dwight “Doc” Gooden, Hamilton Tap & Grill, 557 Route 130, Hamilton, 609-905-0925. www.fancitsports.homesteadcloud.com. Meet-and-greet and luncheon with the former Mets and Yankees player. $25-$100. 11:30 a.m.

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Arturo Toscannini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra, The Sarnoﬀ Collec�on, Roscoe West Hall, The College of New Jersey, 2000 Pennington Road, Ewing. Pop-up exhibit. Free. 1 p.m. House Tour, Benjamin Temple House, 27 Federal City Road, Ewing, 609-883-2455. www. ethps.org. Learn about the families who called the circa-1750 Colonial farmhouse home. 2 p.m.

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Mama Monday: Feeding Your New Baby, Trenton Free Public Library, 120 Academy Street, Trenton, 609-392-7188. www.trentonlib. org. Tips on safely feeding and recognizing baby’s cue for feeding. Register. 5 p.m. Thalers and Pence: Foreign Coins in the American Colonies 1607-1857, Old Barracks Museum, 101 Barrack Street, Trenton, 609-3961776. www.barracks.org. Author Kenneth Gossard presents. Free. 7 p.m. Floral Crea�ons for the Holidays and Beyond, West Trenton Garden Club, Incarna�on St. James Catholic Church, 1545 Pennington Road, Ewing, 609-883-5804. www.wes�rentongc.org. Mee�ng and presenta�on. $5. 7 p.m. Art Chill Night, Championship Bar, 931 Chambers Street, Trenton. www.championshipbartrenton.com. Crayons and drinks. Art supplies provided. Free. 8 p.m.

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Open Mic Night, Trenton Social, 449 South Broad Street, Trenton. www.facebook.com/ trentonsocial. Hosted by Sean Ladden and Kyle Walter. 8 p.m.

11/9 Microso� Clinic, Trenton Free Public Library, 120 Academy Street, Trenton, 609-3927188. www.trentonlib.org. Free. Register. 1 p.m. Fall Mini Medical School, RWJ Center for Fitness and Wellness, 3100 Quakerbridge Road, Hamilton, 609-584-5900. www.rwjbh. org. Eight-week course taught by RWJ Hamilton physicians. $100. High school students free. Register. 6 p.m. Mindfulness Medita�on Prac�ce, St. Mark Lutheran Church, 350 Whitehorse Avenue, Hamilton, 609-585-7087. www.peaceofmindful.org. For beginner and experienced meditators. $5. 6:30 p.m. Watson Woods Walking Club, Tulpehaking Nature Center, 157 Westco� Avenue, Hamilton, 609-888-3218. www.abbo�marshlands. org. Easy group walk. Free. 10:30 a.m.

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Harlem 100, McCarter Theatre, 91 University Place, Princeton, 609-258-2787. www.mccarter.org. Mul�-media show featuring the sights and sounds of the Harlem Renaissance, from Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday to Langston Hughes and Ethel Waters. 7:30 p.m. Arturo Toscannini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra, The Sarnoﬀ Collec�on, Roscoe West Hall, The College of New Jersey, 2000 Pennington Road, Ewing. Pop-up exhibit. Free. 1 p.m. Ballroom Newcomers Dance, American Ballroom, 1523 Parkway Avenue, Ewing, 609931-0149. www.americanballroomco.com. Group class included. $10. 7 to 9 p.m. Country Line Dancing Class, Cooper’s Riverview, 50 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, 609-3937300. www.coopersnj.com. $10. 7 p.m. Dick Gra�on, Trenton Social, 449 South Broad Street, Trenton, 609-989-7777. 6 p.m. Get Friendly with Facebook, RWJ Hamilton Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Road, Hamilton, 609-584-5900. www.rwjbh. org/hamilton. Instruc�on on the basics of Facebook. Free. Register. 1 p.m. Culinary Tas�ng, Mercer County Community College Culinary/Pastry Program, MCCC Cafeteria, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. www.mcc.edu. Tas�ng of food from area restaurants and silent auc�on. Scholarship fundraiser. $50. 6 p.m.

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Blues Jam, Candlelight Lounge, 24 Passaic Street, Trenton, 609-695-9612. www.jazztrenton.com. $5. 6 p.m. Camp Olden Civil War Round Table, Hamilton Township Public Library, 1 Samuel Alito Way, Hamilton. www.campolden.org. Presenta�on and mee�ng. For more informa�on, email kdaly14@aol.com. Free. 7 p.m.

Galleries, studios, and art activities open all day

rt All Day returns on Saturday, November 2, with its annual afternoon of open artist studios, gallery exhibitions, live art making, mural installations, and walking, biking, and trolley tours. The citywide celebration that attracts thousands of visitors, hundreds of artists, and scores of venues runs from noon to 6 p.m. The event launched in 2012 is produced and coordinated by Artworks Trenton, the nonprofit arts center that houses galleries and studios and coordinates the noted Art All Night event in the spring. Art All Day visitors simply go to Artworks, located at 19 Everett Alley, at South Stockton Street, and pick up a map/program for a self- or coordinator-guided tour. Returning artistic or cultural venues displaying art are TerraCycle, with its walls covered with Jersey

Jam-inspired graffiti; Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund (LALDEF), showcasing artists in Trenton’s vibrant Hispanic Chambersburg neighborhood; Mill Hill Saloon’s

exhibition by the Trenton Photo Club; the Blacksmith of Trenton, where a forge has operated since 1863; the New Jersey State Museum, offering fine art exhibitions and children’s

projects; Trenton Community ATeam’s studio exhibition and sale; the 1719 William Trent House Museum; and more. New venues include Shiloh Baptist Church, Freedom Skate Park, and Hanover Creative. New attractions include the refurbished public art installation of internationally known video artist Nam June Paik, new murals created by Trenton artists, and the artistic crosswalks painted at several city intersections. The day ends with a reception at Artworks’ galleries from 6 to 8 p.m. featuring the Art All Day participating artist group show and a solo show by Trenton photographer Habiyb Shu’aib. Events are generally free, but some events or activities may include a small fee to defray costs. Artists’ works will be for sale. For more information or to link to a mobile site map, visit www.artworkstrenton.org/artallday. — Dan Aubrey

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Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Kelsey Theater, Mercer Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, 609-570-3333. www.kelseyatmccc.org. Musical retelling of the biblical story of Joseph, his 11 brothers, and a many-colored coat that causes a host of problems. Through November 17. 8 p.m. Friday Dance Party, American Ballroom, 1523 Parkway Avenue, Ewing, 609-931-0149. www.americanballroomco.com. $10. 7 to 9 p.m. Dick Gra�on and Kim Rogers, Cook Athle�c Associa�on, 411 Hobart Avenue, Hamilton, 609-941-8114. Jazz Night. 6 p.m. Holiday Bingo, Trenton Cats Rescue, German American Society Banquet Hall, 215 Uncle Pete’s Road, Trenton, 609-439-6236. www. trentoncats.org. Fundraiser. $5-$35. 5:30 p.m.  Freedom Friday, Ellarslie Mansion, Trenton City Museum, 299 Parkside Avenue, Trenton, 609-989-3632. www.ellarslie.org. Local musical, hip-hop and spoken word performers, featuring Jax Genius. $5. 7 p.m. Medicare Update 2020, RWJ Hamilton Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Road, Hamilton, 609-584-5900. www.rwjbh. org/hamilton. Informa�on on changes in beneﬁts. Free. Register. 1:30 p.m.

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Movie Night, Taqwa Learning Center, 1001 E. State Street, Trenton, 609-989-1079 or 609516-0239. Showing of “The Green Book” and “Lost Found: The African American’s Journety to Al-Islam. 3 p.m. Opening Recep�on - “A Journey To Paint / Home is Where…”, BSB Gallery, 143 East State Street, Suite 4, Trenton, 609-599-3268. www.bsbgallery.com. Thema�c show on view through December 7. Free 5 p.m.  Lars Haake, Candlelight Lounge, 24 Passaic Street, Trenton, 609-695-9612. www.jazztrenton.com. $15, $10 drink minimum. 3:30 p.m. Open Mic Night, Starbucks, 102 South Warren Street, Trenton. Music, spoken word, poetry, comedy, storytelling, and more. 3 p.m.  Social Jus�ce and Mental Health, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 801 West State Street, Trenton, 609-392-3805. www.trinitycathedralnj.org. Conversa�on with John W. Carlos. $25-$50. 3 p.m.

11/9 Blue Star Memorial Dedica�on, West Trenton Garden Club, Birmingham Park, 600 Bear Tavern Road, West Trenton, 609-883-5804. www.wes�rentongc.org. Dedica�on ceremony. 3 p.m.

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Flamenco Dancing and Music, Malaga Restaurant, 511 Lalor Street, Trenton, 609-3968878. www.malagarestaurant.com. Monthly diner with ﬂamenco music and dancing by Flamenco Flavor. Entertainment cover charge $10 to $12 added to your dinner bill. Reserva�ons strongly suggested. Sea�ngs begin at 5 p.m. Presenta�ons ﬁnished by 8:30 p.m. Call for exact performance �me. 5 p.m.  Closing Recep�on, Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie, 299 Parkside Avenue, Trenton, 609989-3632. www.ellarslie.org. “New Jersey Photography Forum: A 25-Year Retrospec�ve.” Presenta�on by curator Nancy Ori at 2 p.m. 1 to 4 p.m.

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Veterans’ Day. Bank and postal holiday. Know More About Hearing Aids, RWJ Hamilton Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Road, Hamilton, 609-584-5900. www.rwjbh.org/hamilton. Lunch and learn event. Free. Register. Noon.

11/10 Art Chill Night, Championship Bar, 931 Chambers Street, Trenton. Crayons and drinks. Art supplies provided. Free. 8 p.m.

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Open Mic Night, Trenton Social, 449 South Broad Street, Trenton. www.facebook.com/ trentonsocial. Hosted by Sean Ladden and Kyle Walter. 8 p.m. Overcoming Social Anxiety Step-by-Step, RWJ Hamilton Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Road, Hamilton, 609-5845900. Assistance with prescrip�on plans. Free. Register. 6:30 p.m. Fit, Food, Fun Dinner & Social, RWJ Hamilton Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Road, Hamilton, 609-584-5900. $75. Free. Register. 6:30 p.m. Mindfulness Medita�on Prac�ce, St. Mark Lutheran Church, 350 Whitehorse Avenue, Hamilton, 609-585-7087. www.peaceofmindful.org. $5. 6:30 p.m. Watson Woods Walking Club, Tulpehaking Nature Center, 157 Westco� Avenue, Hamilton, 609-888-3218. www.abbo�marshlands. org. Easy group walk. Free. 10:30 a.m.

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Ballroom Newcomers Dance, American Ballroom, 1523 Parkway Avenue, Ewing, 609931-0149. www.americanballroomco.com. Group class included. $10. 7 to 9 p.m.

11/14 Country Line Dancing Class, Cooper’s Riverview, 50 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, 609-3937300. www.coopersnj.com. $10. 7 p.m. Diagnosis and Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, RWJ Hamilton Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Road, Hamilton, 609-584-5900. www.rwjbh.org/hamilton. Free. Register. 1 p.m.

T�� 11/14

Blues Jam, Candlelight Lounge, 24 Passaic Street, Trenton, 609-695-9612. www.jazztrenton.com. $5. 6 p.m. CASA for Children Informa�on Session, CASA for Children of Mercer & Burlington Coun�es, 1450 Parkside Avenue, Suite 22, Ewing, 609-434-0050. www.casamb.org. Informa�on session for prospec�ve volunteers. 10 a.m. Medicare Part D Enrollment Event, RWJ Hamilton Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Road, Hamilton, 609-584-5900. www.rwjbh.org/hamilton. Assistance in signing up for or making changes to prescrip�on plans. Free. Register. 10 a.m. The Future of Neuroscience, RWJ Hamilton Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Road, Hamilton, 609-584-5900. New therapies and surgical techniques for neurological health. Free. Register. 6 p.m.

See EvEnTS, Page 14

November 2019 | Trenton Downtowner13

Civic service recognized

11/16 EvEnTS, continued from page 13



Young Washington: How Wilderness and War Forged America’s Founding Father, Old Barracks Museum, 101 Barrack Street, Trenton, 609-396-1776. www.barracks.org. Author Peter Stark presents. Free. 7 p.m.

F�� 11/15

Zachary Grim, 1867 Sanctuary, 101 Scotch Road, Ewing, 609-392-6409. www.1867sanctuary.org. $15-$20. 8 p.m. Empowering Caregivers, RWJ Hamilton Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Road, Hamilton, 609-584-5900. Conference for caregivers. Free. Register. 5 p.m.

S�� 11/16

Young Visions, Ellarslie Mansion, Trenton City Museum, 299 Parkside Avenue, Trenton, 609-989-3632. www.ellarslie.org. Tradi�onal, industrial and contemporary work by 10 young ar�sts. Opening recep�on. Exhibit runs through Jan. 12, 2020. 7 p.m. Jan Baldwin and Tim Brown, 1867 Sanctuary, 101 Scotch Road, Ewing, 609-392-6409. “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered with Baldwin and Brown.” $15-$20. 2 p.m. Monne�e Suddler, Candlelight Lounge, 24 Passaic Street, Trenton, 609-695-9612. $15, $10 drink minimum. 3:30 p.m. Steve Sandberg and Rob Thomas, 1867 Sanctuary, 101 Scotch Road, Ewing, 609-392-6409. www.1867sanctuary.org. $15-$20. 8 p.m. Open Mic Night, Starbucks, 102 South Warren Street, Trenton. Music, spoken word, poetry, comedy, storytelling, and more. 3 p.m. Studio 54 Dance Party, Cook Athle�c Associa�on, 411 Hobart Avenue, Trenton, 609-5865117. www.cookathle�cassoca�on.com. $20. 8 p.m.



S�� 11/17

Kate Vargas, 1867 Sanctuary, 101 Scotch Road, Ewing, 609-392-6409. www.1867sanctuary. org. $15-$20. 3 p.m. Schlach�est, Donauschwaben Verein Trenton, 127 Route 156, Yardville, 609-586-6109.

www.trentondonauschwaben.com. Dinner featuring homemade sausages, Sarma (stuﬀed cabbage) and roast pork. Register. Noon and 3 p.m. Clang, Clang, Clang, Went the Trolleys, Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie, Cadwalader Park, Trenton, 609-989-3632. www.ellarslie.org. Talk by Pat Allen and Karl Flesch. 2 p.m.

M�� 11/18

CASA for Children Informa�on Session, CASA for Children of Mercer & Burlington Coun�es, 1450 Parkside Avenue, Suite 22, Ewing, 609-434-0050. www.casamb.org. Informa�on session for prospec�ve volunteers. 5:30 p.m. Art Chill Night, Championship Bar, 931 Chambers Street, Trenton. www.championshipbartrenton.com. Crayons and drinks. Art supplies provided. Free. 8 p.m.

T�� 11/19

Open Mic Night, Trenton Social, 449 South Broad Street, Trenton. Hosted by Sean Ladden and Kyle Walter. 8 p.m. Weight Loss: Medical and Surgical Op�ons, RWJ Hamilton Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Road, Hamilton, 609584-5900. Free. Register. 6 p.m. How to Stop Stress from Stealing Your Health, RWJ Hamilton Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Road, Hamilton, 609584-5900. 60-second solu�ons for dealing with stress. Free. Register. 6:30 p.m.

W�� 11/20

Ballroom Newcomers Dance, American Ballroom, 1523 Parkway Avenue, Ewing, 609931-0149. www.americanballroomco.com. Group class included. $10. 7 to 9 p.m. Country Line Dancing Class, Cooper’s Riverview, 50 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, 609-3937300. www.coopersnj.com. $10. 7 p.m. TAACC Poetry Cafe, 1867 Sanctuary, 101 Scotch Road, Ewing, 609-392-6409. www.1867sanctuary.org. Featuring Latarsha Burke. $15-$20. 6 p.m.

he Trenton Council of Civic Association’s annual civic awards ceremony is set for Friday, November 14, 5:30 p.m. at the Ambassador, 610 New York Avenue. This year’s honorees are Artworks Trenton director Lauren Otis (pictured), Citizen of the Year; Neighborhood Improvement Association member Aziz Ali Bey, Catherine Graham Community Builder Award; Senior Sanitation Driver for the City of Trenton Division of Public Works Pam Bush-Allen, Public Servant Employee of the Year; Starbucks Community Store, Business of the Year; I Am Trenton CommuTickets are $40 each. For resernity Foundation, the Ed Whitman vations or more information, visit Civic Project of the Year. www.tccatrenton.org.

T�� 11/21

Blues Jam, Candlelight Lounge, 24 Passaic Street, Trenton, 609-695-9612. www.jazztrenton.com. $5. 6 p.m. The Tragedy of Benedict Arnold: An American Life, Old Barracks Museum, 101 Barrack Street, Trenton, 609-396-1776. www.barracks.org. Author Joyce Malcolm presents. Free. 7 p.m.

F�� 11/22

Open Mic Night, 1867 Sanctuary, 101 Scotch Road, Ewing, 609-392-6409. www.1867sanctuary.org. 7 p.m. Holiday Market, Artspace, HomeFront Family Campus, 101 Celia Way, Ewing. www.homefrontnj.org. Ar�san and ﬁne cra� products by 30 ar�sts. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

S�� 11/23

Landham Brothers, Candlelight Lounge, 24 Passaic Street, Trenton, 609-695-9612. www.jazztrenton.com. $15, $10 drink minimum. 3:30 p.m. Darla Rich Quartet, 1867 Sanctuary, 101 Scotch Road, Ewing, 609-392-6409. www.1867sanctuary.org. $15-$20. 8 p.m. Open Mic Night, Starbucks, 102 South Warren Street, Trenton. Music, spoken word, poetry, comedy, storytelling, and more. 3 p.m. Fiona Tyndall, 1867 Sanctuary, 101 Scotch Road, Ewing, 609-392-6409. www.1867sanctuary.org. Music of Burt Bacharach. $15-$20. 2 p.m. Holiday Market, Artspace, HomeFront Family Campus, 101 Celia Way, Ewing. www.homefrontnj.org. Ar�san and ﬁne cra� products by 30 ar�sts. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Inter-Faith Conversa�on Luncheon, Taqwa Community Learning Center, 1001 E. State Street, Trenton, 609-989-1079. $20-$40. Register Noon.

FELTUS

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S�� 11/24

Kyle Carey, 1867 Sanctuary, 101 Scotch Road, Ewing, 609-392-6409. www.1867sanctuary. org. Gaelic Americana. $15-$20. 3 p.m.

M�� 11/25

Art Chill Night, Championship Bar, 931 Chambers Street, Trenton. www.championshipbartrenton.com. Crayons and drinks. Art supplies provided. Free. 8 p.m.

T�� 11/26

Open Mic Night, Trenton Social, 449 South Broad Street, Trenton. Hosted by Sean Ladden and Kyle Walter. 8 p.m.

W�� 11/27

T�� 11/28

Thanksgiving. Postal and bank holiday.

F�� 11/29

Kathleen Scheide, 1867 Sanctuary, 101 Scotch Road, Ewing, 609-392-6409. www.1867sanctuary.org. $15-$20. 8 p.m. A Night of Comedy -- For Kicks and Giggles, GAK 2006 Girls Soccer, German-American Society, 215 Uncle Pete’s Road, Trenton. www.evenbrite.com. Comedy show and buffet dinner. Proceeds beneﬁt the GAK 2006 Soccer Fusion and Fission soccer teams. $40. 7 p.m.

S�� 11/30

Clipper Erickson and Rise Kagan Erickson, 1867 Sanctuary, 101 Scotch Road, Ewing, 609392-6409. $15-$20. 2 p.m. Loudon Wainwright: Surviving Twin, Bristol Riverside Theatre, 120 Radcliﬀe Street, Bristol, 215-785-6664. www.brtstage.org. The Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter presents a solo piece he calls a “posthumous collabora�on” with his father. 8 p.m. Julian Pressley, Candlelight Lounge, 24 Passaic Street, Trenton, 609-695-9612. $15, $10 drink minimum. 3:30 p.m. Open Mic Night, Starbucks, 102 South Warren Street, Trenton. Music, spoken word, poetry, comedy, storytelling, and more. 3 p.m. Comedy Night, The Stone Terrace by John Henry’s, 2275 Kuser Road, Hamilton, 609-5818855. www.thestoneterrace.com. Featuring Joe Bublewicz, Chris Roach, Paul Spra�. $25. 7 p.m.

Your weekly guide to Trenton Arts and Culture

Arlee’s Raw Blends - Opening Soon In Downtown Trenton! Starting out as a vendor at the Capital City Farmer’s Market, Arlee’s Raw Blends is getting back to its Trenton roots by choosing to open its 2nd brick and mortar store at 25 South Warren Street, right across the street from Starbucks. Stop by Arlee’s for delicious organic juices and foods born out of the personal passion for health and wellness of owners Paula Taylor and her brother, Brian Moore. Check them out online at www.arleesrawblends.com.

Vegan-friendly E. Front Food & Cafe Juice Bar 13 E. Front Street (609) 218-6124

242 E. State Street | (609) 393-1721

.com

Preserving Memories

Road Maps: Navigating Moments Paintings and Mixed Media Works by Tali Margolin and Heidi Sussman Exhibit Dates:

Nov. 7th - Dec. 7th

Journey Through Memories Sat, Nov. 9th, 1-3pm

Opening Reception:

Friday, November 8th 4-7pm

Presented by Tali Margolin

Heidi Sussman

A Journey to Paint

Tali Margolin

Road Maps: Navigating Moments brings together two artists exploring their journeys through life, art, and process. Their work crosses the boundaries between painting, photography, sculpture and mixed media process as they find their way through each work. Each piece holds its own story, as artists Margolin and Sussman invite viewers on their journey.

A Painting Party With Music Sat, Nov. 16th, 1-3pm Presented by Heidi Sussman

143 East State Street

Thurs - Sat

(609) 599-3268

Suite 4, Trenton, NJ 08608

11am - 5pm

bsbgallery.com

@trentondowntown

@thebsbgallery

bsbgallery

Free Admission Open to All

November 2019 | Trenton Downtowner15

UNWRAP A FEELING. The perfect gift says it all. Fund something special this holiday season with a Credit Union of New Jersey Lifestyle Loan.

Fund something special gocunj.com/lifestyle

16ď&#x20AC;źTrenton Downtowner November 2019

Federally Insured by NCUA.

(609) 538-4061

Equal Housing Lender.

(800) 538-4061