GoinG with the Flow

Musicians, filmmakers, activists, and artists keep Trenton on the move — including artist John Gummere, whose ‘Assunpink Creek’ is pictured.

ART HAPPENINGS: Free for All

Trenton Free Public Library presents “Art from Art News Writers and Photojournalists,” on view through March 25. The exhibit organized by the Trenton Artist Workshops Association features work by artists who also are arts writers or photo journalists: Ricardo Barros, Icon Magazine; Aubrey J. Kauffman, U.S. 1 and State of the Arts; Ilene Dube, State of the Arts and Princeton Magazine; John Gummere, Trenton Journal; Thomas Kelly, Community News Service; and Janet Purcell, Times of Trenton. 120 Academy Street. 609-392-7188

Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie Mansion opens the month with “Trustees Collecting,” celebrating 50 years of the Trenton Museum Society with an exhibition featuring works in the collections of TMS trustees, present and past. Opening reception on Sunday, March 5, 3 to 5 p.m., and on view through April 15. Cadwalader Park. 609-989-3632 or www.ellarslie.org.

Artworks Trenton’s new exhibition include works by the Women’s Caucus for Art in the main gallery, Amy Louise Lee, and Sweet Savages. March 14 through April 15. 19 Everett Alley and South Stockton Street. www.artworkstrenton.org.

New Jersey State Museum’s “Beyond the Tangible” is the recently opened exhibition of 26 non-objective abstract works by 22 American artists who began creating in the late 1930s. The work represents artists in the NJSM’s permanent collection. On view through August 2. 205 West State Street, Trenton. 609-292-6464 or www.nj.gov/state/ museum.

NEWS FROM CITY HALL: Homicide rate drops 45 percent, city says

According to Trenton Police Department (TPD) preliminary statistics, the City of Trenton achieved a 45 percent reduction in the number of homicides during the 2022 calendar year. While major cities in the United States experienced a 5 percent decrease in homicides, these cities also saw a 20 percent increase in thefts and robberies. Consistent with national trends, the City of Trenton experienced a 20 percent increase in robberies during 2022. However, the Capital City achieved a 27 percent reduction in burglaries in the same year. The growing prevalence of video doorbells have aided local law enforcement, including TPD, in improving their burglary clearance rates.

The City of Trenton recovered 354 firearms in 2022, which marks a 9 percent increase compared with 2021. Additionally, while aggravated assaults increased by 7 percent last year, there was a 23 percent decrease in the sexual assault rate.

In Mayor W. Reed Gusciora’s first term, he opened the Trenton Real-Time Crime Center with the New Jersey State Police to prevent violent crime; launched the Trenton Community Street Teams, where civilian leaders mediate neighborhood conflicts before they become violent; hired more than 200 city youth during summers to provide alternatives to employment in the shadow economy; funded the city’s Summer Youth Camp to support the positive development of city children; and hired mental health counselors and dozens of new police officers.

This past year, the City of Trenton opened Trenton RISE, a communitybased youth center, to provide at-risk youth a safe space to study and play before or after school. Additionally, the mayor’s office facilitated the hiring of dozens of formerly incarcerated city resi- dents through its Office on Returning Citizens, ended the seven-year ban on hiring formerly incarcerated residents, and created the largest civilian public safety panel in the state: the 11-member CHANGE Committee.

Mayor Gusciora remarked, “In 2022, we worked hard to achieve urban violent crime reduction. We are innovating to establish a new public safety standard and partnering with state and area-wide stakeholders for the sake of our citizens. In this, we’re doing it together.”

City urges animal adoption

The City of Trenton is requesting the public’s assistance in adopting dogs and cats located at the Trenton Animal Shelter, 72 Escher Street, Trenton.

The shelter currently houses more than 70 dogs, which is triple its normal capacity. The City of Trenton’s Department of Health and Human Services is currently collaborating with Trenton Animals Rock to overcome this situation. For information on how to adopt/ foster an animal or to volunteer at the Trenton Animal Shelter, please contact Officer Munoz at jmunoz@trentonnj,org. For additional information on fostering opportunities, donation information, and more ways to help, you can contact TAR at info@TARNJ.org.

SENIOR EDITOR

Dan Aubrey

MANAGING EDITOR

Sara Hastings

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Jennifer Steffen (Ext. 113)

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Christine Storie (Ext. 115)

ADMINISTRATIVE ADVERTISING ASSISTANT

Gina Carillo (Ext. 112)

Community News Service 9 Princess Road, Suite M Lawrenceville, NJ 08648

Phone: (609) 396-1511

News & Letters: dan@princetoninfo.com

Events: events@communitynews.org

Website: communitynews.org

Facebook: facebook.com/trentondowntowner

Twitter: twitter.com/mercerspace

3,000 copies of the Trenton Downtowner are bulk distributed in Trenton 12 times a year.

TO ADVERTISE call (609) 396-1511, ext. 110 or e-mail advertise@communitynews.org