The staff of the New Jersey State Museum was all set to host a 125th anniversary celebration in 2020 when the pandemic put the kibosh on those plans.
Mayor Bert
talks about the budget and development in the township
By Bill SanseRVino
And since “126th anniversary” or “127th anniversary” just doesn’t have much of a ring, executive director Margaret O’Reilly and her staff had to be content to wait until another round number came along — which is why the museum is finally celebrating this month with a party marking its 130 years in existence.
Ewing Township Council, Mayor Bert Steinmann and Business Administrator Aaron Watson break ground on the new Ewing Senior and Community Center on March 5, 2025. Pictured are Councilwoman Kathleen Wollert (left), Council Vice President David Schroth, Council President Jennifer KeyesMaloney, Watson, Steinmann, Director Of Community Affairs Ted Forst, Councilman Kevin Baxter and Councilwoman Sarah Steward.
Ewing Township continues to progress with a series of budget and development initiatives, even as the broader economy faces a slowdown.
Officials break ground on new senior and community center N.J. State Museum marks 130 years Moving Ewing forward
On Thursday, April 17 from 6 to 8 p.m., the New Jersey State Museum Foundation plans to commemorate the museum’s anniversary with a celebration that will include an exclusive preview of the museum’s newest exhibition, “Ecosystems at Risk: Threatened and Endangered in
See NJSM, Page 12
By Bill SanseRVino
Ewing Township, state and Mercer County Ewing Township officials joined with members of the community on March 5 to celebrate the groundbreaking for the new Ewing Senior and Community Center.
The event marks a significant step in the community’s efforts to rebuild after a fire destroyed a major section of the center in September 2022. The new facility, located at 999 Lower Ferry Road, will be a hub for residents of all ages, offering modern amenities and state-of-the-art features.
“This is more than just a groundbreaking—it’s a promise fulfilled,” said Mayor Bert Steinmann during the ceremony.
“When fire devastated the original center, we vowed to rebuild bigger and better, and today, we take a major step toward delivering on
See ESCC, Page 5
Mayor Bert Steinmann, in a March interview with Ewing Observer editor Bill Sanservino, emphasized the importance of strategic planning, noting that continued investments in infrastructure and local development will play an important role in sustaining the township’s economic resilience.
Despite rising costs and revenue challenges, the township has plans to support key areas, including affordable housing, road improvements, and commercial and residential developments.
See STEINMANN, Page 8
Steinmann
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Did you know that we update our website, communitynews.org, on a regular basis? What we publish in the newspaper is just a portion of the news that we bring to the community each week.
Here are some headlines from the past month that didn’t appear in print:
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Observer
We are a newsroom of your neighbors. The Ewing Observer is for local people, by local people. As part of the community, the Observer does more than just report the news—it connects businesses with their customers, organizations with their members and neighbors with one another. As such, our staff sets out to make our town a closer place by giving readers a reliable source to turn to when they want to know what’s going on in their neighborhood.
EDITOR
Bill Sanservino (Ext. 104)
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
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RWJUH Hamilton April Healthy Living / Community Education Programs
CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP
Wednesday, Apr. 2; 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
CARING FOR LOVED ONES WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS
Mondays, Apr. 7 & Apr. 21; 10:30 a.m.11:30 a.m.
ADULT CHILDREN CARING FOR PARENTS
Mondays, Apr. 7 & Apr. 21; 5:30 p.m.7:00 p.m.
LETTING GO OF CLUTTER
Tuesday, Apr. 8; 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
PREDIABETES CONNECT GROUP
Tuesday, Apr. 15; 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP
Wednesday, Apr. 16; 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP
Tuesday, Apr. 1; 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Presented by The Cancer Center at RWJUH Hamilton, this support group welcomes those who have received a breast cancer diagnosis in all phases of their journey. An oncology nurse navigator and certified oncology social worker will offer participants an opportunity to share personal experiences, helpful resources, and methods of coping with feelings of anxiety and distress. Please call 609.584.2836 to confirm attendance.
THE AARP DRIVING COURSE
Monday, Apr. 7; 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Be a safer, better driver. Most insurance companies will lower your premium with a completion certificate. Bring your NJ or PA driver’s license. Fee: $20 for AARP members presenting a valid AARP card;
YOGA CLASSES
Tuesday, Apr. 8 & 22; 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
MEDITATION CLASSES
Tuesday, Apr. 8 & 22; 11:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
CHAIR YOGA
Tuesday, Apr. 8 & 22; 12:00 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.
TAI CHI
Tuesday, Apr. 3 & 17; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
$25 for nonmembers. Bring cash (exact change) or check (payable to “AARP”) with you on the day of the class. “WII” ARE POWERED GAME TIME
Thursday, Apr. 10; 2:30 p.m.- 3:30 p.m.
Join RWJ Rehabilitation, RWJUH Hamilton, for this fun hour of Wii games and learn about safe mechanics. Mastering body movement is leveling up your real-life stats. Play smart, move like a pro, and stay in the game longer!
THE POWER OF FOOD: NUTRITION STRATEGIES FOR DIABETES
Monday, Apr. 14; 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Apr. 22; 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Join Lori Hager, MS, RD, and learn how to manage and control your diabetes through dietary choices. Learn the basics of diabetes and how nutrition affects blood sugar levels. Gain practical tips for meal planning and preparation to control your diabetes. These sessions will occur the 2nd Monday (daytime) and 4th Tuesday (evening) monthly. MISCONCEPTIONS VS. LIFESAVING REALITIES OF ORGAN DONATION
Tuesday, Apr. 15; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Did you know one organ donor can save eight lives and help 75 more by donating tissue and corneas? Adults 18 and older can register to be organ and tissue donors, regardless of medical history or age. Join the NJ Sharing Network and Tim Ryan, MSN, RN, CEN, Nursing Professional Development
Practitioner, CPDIR, RWJUH Hamilton, for this informative talk.
GYNECOLOGIC CANCER SUPPORT GROUP
Tuesday, Apr. 15; 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
This group brings individuals with gynecologic cancer the support, education, and empowerment they need to move along the path to recovery. Topics discussed include coping with the emotional impact of cancer, adjusting to changes during and after treatment, and managing concerns about recurrence. To register, call 609-584-6680. This program takes place at The Cancer Center at RWJUH Hamilton, 2575 Klockner Rd., Hamilton, NJ.
CAN OTC HEARING AIDS WORK FOR ME?
Wednesday, Apr. 16; 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
To increase the public’s access to hearing aids and improve hearing, the FDA established a new category of Over-The-Counter (OTC) hearing aids for adults 18 years of age and older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. Join Lorraine Sgarlato, Au.D., audiologist at RWJUH Hamilton’s Balance & Hearing Center, as she talks about the availability of OTC hearing aids and who can benefit from them.
MINDFULNESS MEDITATION FOR BEGINNERS
Wednesday, Apr. 16; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Learn how to help heal your body and relax your busy mind. No experience necessary.
Don’t miss an opportunity to participate in lifechanging conversations, listening, learning, and exploring for this time in our lives. Topics created for you by you. Every week is new and something different. Join us on all the dates, two, or even one. It’s your choice. New members are always welcome.
Learn about advanced gastrointestinal care and the latest specialized techniques and equipment being used to diagnose and treat complex GI conditions from our experts, Christopher Chum, DO, Board Certified in Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, and Imran Fayyaz, MD, Board Certified in Gastroenterology, President, RWJUH Hamilton Medical Staff and RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group member.
NOURISH YOUR BRAIN: COOKING FOR BRAIN HEALTH
Friday, Apr. 11; 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Have some fun while learning recipes that can help fuel your brain.
STROKE SUPPORT GROUP
Tuesday, Apr. 22; 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
This group is a place for survivors and caregivers to build a community. Share personal experiences, feelings, recovery strategies, and firsthand information on managing life after stroke. Meetings will be facilitated by RWJUH Hamilton Rehab experts, Ashley Sarrol, Speech-Language Pathologist, & Allyson PanikowskiBerry, Occupational Therapist. Survivors and care partners at any stage of recovery are encouraged to attend.
HERBS TO HELP PROMOTE RESTFUL SLEEP
Tuesday, Apr. 22; 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Explore how herbs can support your mind and body to ease into restful sleep. You’ll learn about seven herbs that promote sleep and how to incorporate them into your nightly routine. Sample a tasty oxymel (a sweet-sour herbal syrup) and make a sleep oxymel to take home. Fee: $20
HEART-HEALTHY NUTRITION
Wednesday, Apr. 23; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Join our bimonthly nutrition education class about making dietary choices that support cardiovascular health. Discuss the principles of heart-healthy nutrition, learn tips for meal planning and preparation, and explore recipes.
REIKI SHARE
Wednesday, Apr. 23; 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
For folks who have been Reiki certified (at any level) to come share the gift with fellow practitioners. Give a
BREAKFAST & LEARN: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) IN HEALTH CARE WITH KENNEDY GANTI, MD
Thursday, Apr. 17; 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming health care. Join Kennedy Ganti, MD, FAAFP, FHELA, Regional VP of Health Informatics, RWJBarnabas Health, and Clinical Instructor, Department of Family Medicine, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, for a discussion about AI and how it can improve your health.
A BETTER HEALTH PROGRAM: GROUNDS FOR SCULPTURE WELLNESS WALK, RWJUH HAMILTON
Wednesday, Apr. 23; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Friday, Apr. 25; 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Grounds for Sculpture welcomes us for their Wellness Walk! Whether you are a fast or slower walker, there will be a group for you. Join us to
session, get a session. Please bring a sheet and small pillow.
SPRING SMOOTHIE
Tuesday, Apr. 29; 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Learn how to make quick, delicious, and nutritious smoothies. Whether you’re looking for a refreshing breakfast, quick meal, a post-workout snack, or a healthy dessert, smoothies are a fantastic option.
HEARING AND BALANCE SCREENINGS
Wednesday, Apr. 30; 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Join us for these free screenings. These 15-minute appointments are designed to help assess your hearing health or your balance health/fall risk. To schedule your required appointment, call 609-245-7390. Location: RWJ Balance & Hearing Center, 2 Hamilton Health Pl, Hamilton Township, NJ.
SPEAK, LISTEN, CONNECT: THE KEYS TO MEANINGFUL & EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Wednesday, Apr. 30; 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
In this interactive workshop, you’ll learn how to express yourself with clarity, listen with empathy, and navigate tough conversations with confidence. Whether in love, friendships, or work, discover practical tools to build deeper, more meaningful connections. Walk away with communication skills that transform the way you relate to others. Fee: $15
*All programs require registration and are held at the RWJ Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Rd., Hamilton, NJ, unless otherwise noted.
boost your energy, connect with nature, explore art and meet new people. Member attendees are invited to enjoy GFS for the remainder of the day. Please only register for one date.
BREAKFAST & LEARN: SOCIAL SECURITY AND YOUR RETIREMENT
Thursday, Apr. 24; 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Learn strategies to help you maximize your Social Security benefits.
LET’S TALK ABOUT THOSE GOLDEN YEARS WITH NAMI MERCER
Tuesday, Apr. 29; 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Reaching our “golden years” brings a myriad of life changes – some joyous and some challenging. Janet Haag, Executive Director, NAMI Mercer, will lead this discussion on aging. Aging well isn’t about defying time – it’s about embracing it with grace and gusto. Together, let’s explore the landscape of mental wellbeing in later life.
Scan QR code to view, learn more & register on-line for the programs listed above. Or visit rwjbh.org/HamiltonPrograms Email CommunityEdHam@rwjbh.org or call 609-584-5900 to learn more
Celebrating Black history
Lola Atunrase (center), owner of International Cotoure stands with two staff members from Cadwalader School in Trenton during the school’s Black History Month celebration on Feb. 28, 2025. Atunrase’s Ewing-based shop specializes in global clothing and accessories. She gave fashions to members of the school’s staff to wear as part of the celebration.
ESCC continued from Page 1
that commitment.”
The 70,000-square-foot facility will include a black box theater, creative arts spaces, a café, a banquet hall, an extra-large gym, an indoor track, and modern meeting areas.
Financial support from state and federal partners, including Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (a Ewing Township resident) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, helped secure more $8.5 million in funding. The funding ensures the project can proceed without increasing the township’s debt.
Architect Vincent Myers of DIGroup, the firm overseeing the project, was also present. Myers is a Ewing resident). The Ewing High School Jazz Band provided musical performances, and representatives from Arc Mercer led the Pledge of Allegiance.
A $34 million contract for the project was awarded to Benjamin R. Harvey Co., with DIGroup Architecture serving as the architect and Remington & Vernick Engineers as the owner’s representative.
The groundbreaking ceremony drew a large crowd, including members of the Ewing Township Council, local nonprofit agencies, civic groups, and the Mercer-Burlington Building Trades.
The new center is expected to become a key space for community engagement, providing residents with opportunities for social, recreational, and cultural activities.
For more information on the Ewing Senior and Community Center project, go to ewingnj.org/escc-construction.
•
Replacing
Re
Settling
Gateway signs unveiled
Ewing Township celebrated a major milestone in its Gateway Signage Project with the unveiling of the first “Welcome to Ewing” sign on Olden Avenue.
The event marked the beginning of a larger initiative to install 19 gateway signs at key entry points throughout the township.
Mayor Bert Steinmann, joined by members of the Ewing Township Council, local business leaders and community members, officially unveiled the sign during a ceremony on March 19 on Olden Avenue.
The gateway signs, designed and fabricated by Zienowicz Signs & Fabrication, come in three sizes to accommodate different locations. The Olden Avenue sign is the largest, with smaller versions planned for sites including Federal City Road, Sullivan Way, Spruce Street and Stuyvesant Avenue.
Ewing’s Public Works Department is handling the installation. Steinmann credited longtime resident Michael Dobrowolski for the idea to install gateway signs after he suggested it at a township meeting. Dobrowolski, who was in attendance, helped cut the ribbon.
The Gateway Signage Project was made possible through the financial support of the Ewing Redevelopment Agency, which funded the entire project.
For more information on the Gateway Signage Project and other township initiatives, go to ewingnj.org.
Representing Town Council was Ewing
Repair
Ewing Restaurant Week 2025
Secure your spot in Ewing’s lineup of fantastic culinary establishments participating in our fourth annual Restaurant Week! We’re inviting you to take part in this exciting event, offering an opportunity to showcase your restaurant and draw in new customers while celebrating the vibrant culinary scene in our town.
By joining in, you’ll be part of a community-wide celebration of our local eateries, and we’ll work hard to make sure the residents of Ewing know where to go for a great meal at a great price! At week’s end, we’ll finish it off tallying a vote by participants for the Best of Ewing Restaurant Week! So, be sure to add your restaurant to the mix! The favorite will be announced at the end of the event.
SIGNS continued from Page 5
Councilman Kevin Baxter. Also in attendance were Business Administrator Aaron Watson—who served as event emcee, Police Chief Al Rhodes, and Ewing department directors.
Officials sent out a special thanks to Ewing Police and Fire for safety coordination and to Tahir Johnson, CEO of Simply Pure Trenton, for the use of this business’ parking lot.
flexible spending controls, get real-time notifications of all transactions, and more.
Kids get hands-on money management experience, along with access to Greenlight Level Up, an in-app financial literacy game with a best-in-class curriculum, educational challenges, and rewards.
“At Credit Union of N.J., we are committed to empowering our members with the tools and knowledge they need to achieve financial success,” said Andrew Jaeger, president and CEO, Credit Union of New Jersey.
Credit Union of N.J. partners with Greenlight
Deadline for participation is Friday, April 18, 2025
For more information and to sign up go to ewingnj.org/restaurant-week.
WHEN: Saturday, April 26 - Sunday, May 4, 2025
WHERE: Restaurants of all types throughout Ewing Township
When: Saturday, February 25 - Friday, March 3, 2023
REGISTRATION: For more information and to register online go to ewing.org/restaurant-week
Where: restaurants of all types throughout ewing Township
reSGISTrATIOn: For more information and to register online go to ewing.org/restaurant-week
CONTACT: Councilwomen Jennifer Keyes-Maloney jkeyes-maloney@ewingnj.org OR Ewing Green Team @ ewinggreenteam@gmail.com
COnTACT: Coumcilwoman Jennifer Keyes-Maloney jkeyes-maloney@ewingnj.org
The Credit Union of New Jersey has announced a partnership with Greenlight Financial Technology, Inc. to better serve families and help the next generation build healthy financial futures.
Credit Union of New Jersey members will have free access to Greenlight’s award- winning family finance app, available through the Greenlight for Credit Unions program.
According to a Credit Union of N.J. press release, about 91% of kids and teens believe they need financial knowledge and skills to achieve their life goals, and 94% of parents agree.
Still, only 35 states require a personal finance course for students, and teens score an average of 64% on the National Financial Literacy Test, showing a clear gap in financial education that is accessible and effective.
Parents also rank personal finance as the number one most difficult life skill to teach their children with 81% saying they wish they had more financial education tools and resources.
Greenlight offers a debit card and app that teaches kids and teens how to earn, save, give and spend wisely—all with parental supervision. Using the Greenlight app, parents can send money instantly, automate allowance payments, manage chores, set
“Through our partnership with Greenlight, we’re excited to provide families with a powerful resource to help the next generation build strong money habits,” Jaeger said. “By offering free access to Greenlight’s financial education app, we’re making it easier than ever for parents to teach their kids and teens essential financial skills that will serve them for a lifetime.”
Credit Union of N.J. members can receive a free Greenlight subscription by registering at Greenlight.com/CUNJ and adding their account as a funding source.
Credit Union of N.J. members are eligible for Greenlight SELECT plan at no cost when they connect their Credit Union of New Jersey account as the Greenlight funding source for the entirety of the promotion. Subject to minimum balance requirements and identity verification. Upgrades will result in additional fees.
Upon termination of promotion, members will be responsible for associated monthly fees. The offer ends April 4, 2027.
Credit Union of N.J. provides financial services to more than 37,000 members through four full-service offices located in Mercer County and an E-Branch at CUNJ.org.
Established in 1943, the $465 million credit union is headquartered in Ewing Township. Membership information and current rates may be obtained by calling 609538-4061 or visiting CUNJ.org.
Ewing Council President Kevin Baxter (left), Mayor Bert Steinmann and sign maker
George Zienowicz at the unveiling of the new Ewing Township gateway sign on Olden Avenue on March 19, 2025.
Over the next few months, The Observer will run excerpts from the interview with Steinmann in a Q&A format.
In this month’s article, the mayor talks about the challenges with cradfting the 2025 municipal budget, the expansion of the Trenton-Mercer Airport and the township’s three redevelopment areas— Parkway Avenuue, North Olden Avenue and the zone at the intersection of Lexington, Parkway and Olden avenues.
Ewing Observer: Let’s start by talking about the 2025 municipal budget. How is that shaping up this year?
Steinmann: The way we’ve laid out our budgets year over year, we’ve always had an increase. I never denied that to anyone who tried to play games with it. I mean, every municipality or government knows there will be increases, whether it’s healthcare—healthcare is out of control—payments, insurance, things like that. They keep going up.
I’ve been able to incorporate all of that into an annual budget that’s realistic for the people, and it’s usually been around a penny and a half to 2 cents. I don’t anticipate it to be any more than that this year. With that said, we’ve been able to build a surplus. This last year, we were up about $10.5 million in surplus, so we’re going to use some of that to offset the costs that
have increased to keep taxes stable. I still want to maintain what the bonding and rating companies look for, which is a healthy surplus in our accounts. I never go below $6 million, and I don’t intend to. That seems to be the threshold that everybody’s comfortable with, including the bond rating companies, so that’s what we aim for. What that means for taxpayers is that any money we borrow, we get at a much lower interest rate.
Ewing Observer: What is Ewing’s bond rating?
Steinmann: AA Plus. When I took over, it was in the toilet. It was like a negative, and it took about two or three years to get the bond rating up to a AA. But with all the aggressive construction and programs we implemented, we were able to get our surpluses up, and good revenue was coming in. That bumped us up.
Ewing Observer: So, the bond rating is like a person’s credit score, but for governments. So, essentially, the higher your bond rating, the less it costs to borrow money because of a lower interest rate, correct?
Steinmann: Exactly. We’ve been very fortunate to get to that point. I would like to get a AAA rating, but given where we are, it’s next to impossible. Very few towns have that, and they’re very wealthy towns. I’m not saying Ewing is poor, but
we’re not very wealthy.
Ewing Observer: I know Plainsboro was AAA, and maybe Princeton or West Windsor.
Steinmann: Right, but there are very few with that rating. Ewing is doing just fine financially. We’ve been managing our money smartly, never borrowing more than we need.
I never played games, like holding off on raising taxes during election years— that doesn’t make sense because you have to make it up eventually. If we keep the tax rate at about a penny and a half to 2 cents, it’s roughly $60 a year for the average taxpayer. So it’s a minimal amount. People spend more than that on pizza.
Ewing Observer: Yeah, these days, maybe half a pizza.
Steinmann: Right, exactly. Or a dozen eggs.
Ewing Observer: Inflation has been pretty high these past few years, and prices have gone up. What are some of the challenges you faced putting together this year’s budget? How are you keeping costs down while providing the services you need?
Steinmann: I’ve been fortunate with my department managers. We’ve asked them to look in every nook and cranny for savings. We asked them to aim for a 10% reduction from what they requested the
year before, and so far, everyone’s been accommodating.
We may not achieve 10% everywhere, but even 2% or 3% savings help. Fuel costs have come down a little, which helped with things like asphalt costs. We’ve been fortunate to catch those commodities on the lower end.
Ewing Observer: There’s a lot of talk about reductions in federal funding that could impact a number of aspects of government. Does Ewing rely on any significant federal funding— either directly or through the state or county—that might be uncertain moving forward?
Steinmann: Yes, we received federal funding for a fire department program—a $3 million grant over the next three years to hire additional firefighters. We’re also going to take over the fire service at the airport with a shared services agreement with the county.
We’re working through the final details now. All our firefighters are trained for those types of fires. We send recruits to Pittsburgh for live training on an airplane, so they’re equipped for that.
I’m not too worried, though. I’ve got a little bit of fear of that, although not a whole, but we’re too far down the rabbit hole to pull back now. I believe the federal funding will continue. We’ve already
EWING RECREATION
OPEN
TO CHILDREN ENTERING GRADES 1-5
Camps run from June 30 through August 22
Camp days include swimming, arts and crafts, nature, special events, entertainers, theme days, athletics, dance and drama.
discounts are available. Financial assistance is available. Register and pay before April 10th and save 5%.
Travel 4 days a week and one day at camp. Trips to Amusement parks, beaches, aquarium, rock climbing, bowling , laser tag, skating and much more. $370/week for residents $74/day, Non-Residents: $470/week, $94/daily. Campers can attend day camp weeks of June 30 and August 22.
TEEN TRAVEL: JUNE 30 - AUGUST 16 KIDS ENTERING GRADES 6 - 8 All activities at ESCC and Fisher school, except trips.
Ewing Pool System locations, Hollowbrook Community Center (HCC) and Ewing Sr. & Community Center (ESCC). Season dates are Saturday, May 24th - Labor Day. Open weekends and Memorial Day. Pools open full time starting June 16th. HCC is available Saturdays for private rentals only. Contact Raquel at rince@ewingnj. org for rentals. Splashpads are a popular feature at both pools! Pool patrons can pay daily fees or register for season passes at Communitypass.net. Register and pay before April 10th and save $25! Swim Lessons at HCC: Evaluations, Saturday, June 14th. Sessions are on Monday evenings and Saturday mornings.
received some, and the president has indicated that those funds are secure. The state is using our partnership with the county as a model for how counties and towns can work together.
Airport expansion
Ewing Observer: You mentioned the shared agreement with the Trenton-Mercer Aitport. Let’s talk about what’s going on there. The county is already starting construction on the new fire station there, and I would assume they’re getting geared up to start the terminal expansion and the parking garage. Can you discuss the impact in Ewing?
Steinmann: The impact as far as the construction at the site—I believe will be very positive for Ewing Township. Number one, once the construction actually gets started, our local businesses, restaurants and things like that will see more of a boom, obviously, because of those construction workers needing to eat someplace. And they do. They like to go offsite when they do that. So that’s a positive impact.
I’ve made no secret that I’m a big proponent of the airport—always have been. Even when Brian Hughes was county executive, I supported this project 100%. Now with Dan Benson being there as county executive, I’m standing behind him 100% when it comes to this airport.
I think it’s all going in the right direction. It’s good locally for the town, and it’s good regionally for this area. To be quite candid with you, Ewing does benefit more, I believe, from it than some other communities. Hopewell might benefit a little bit too, but we benefit because we have, like I said, restaurants and a lot of people working around here that will actually be employed at the new terminal and for the construction site.
During the construction, there’s probably going to be some impact on local roads with traffic and things like that, but I think it’s nothing that’s insurmountable.
Ewing Observer: Has the county shared with you when they might be looking to get started on construction of the garage and terminal?
Steinmann: I think it’s going to be kind of hand-in-hand with that. The situation now is that all the plans are completed. And in fact, the plans have been submitted to the township planning board for us to go over to make sure everything complies with our codes, because they do have to follow the township codes. So, we’re already looking at that. And trust me, it’s page after page, and a lot of drawings to go over. I think right now it’s just a matter of funding. If somebody comes up with $150 or $200 million tomorrow, they’re ready to put it out to
bid. So, I think it’s that far down the road that they can go ahead and do that.
Ewing Observer: So, right now, at this point, it’s more of an issue of funding than anything else?
Steinmann: That’s exactly right.
Redevelopment
MOBILE ALERTS
Ewing Observer: Also in that area of the township is the Parkway Avenue redevelopment area, which includes the Ewing Town Center and the old Navy Jet Propulsion site. What’s going on there?
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RAVE is the official notification system that calls your phone or sends you a text message or email to alert you to important Ewing news such as delayed trash pickup, fireworks, or emergency road closures.
Steinmann: The new town center is actually thriving. They can’t build those apartments fast enough. They go on the market one day and they’re gone the next. With the housing market, it’s really a rental market now. People aren’t owning their homes as much anymore because it’s getting harder to get loans, and the down payment that people need is just not within reach for a lot of them. So, they end up renting. But it’s a great place to rent. They’re also actively signing leases for the commercial space now. I think they’ve signed one for a place called Turtle Bean, which is like a Starbucks-type of business. They’ll offer coffee, pastries— not donuts—and infusion drinks. That’s already started. There’s a beauty salon going in there, and they’ve been negotiating with a couple of restaurants. Hopefully, those will be completed in the next few month or so. The commercial space is really starting to move forward.
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Ewing is proud to launch The Hometown Heroes Banner Program, a living tribute meant to honor the brave Ewing men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces today and in the past. Banners will be displayed along Silvia Street light poles from Memorial Day through Veterans Day to both celebrate and remind the community of their dedication to our country.
To qualify, a Veteran, living or deceased, must have had a connection to Ewing Township at some point in their life. Also, those honored on war memorials within the community and Veterans recommended by Organized Veterans Groups, such as Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Marine Corps League, Vietnam Veterans of America, etc., may be eligible.
Installation Deadlines, Location, and Pricing
• Banners, 36" x 24" will be displayed on light poles on Silva Street from Memorial Day through Veterans Day.
Ewing Observer: Are medical offices allowed there?
Steinmann: Yes, they just signed a lease with Capital Health. They’re putting up a freestanding building right by the railroad tracks. That building will be 30,000 square feet.
See STEINMANN, Page 10
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• Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until the limit for the current cycle is reached. Any submissions beyond that will be included in our next phase of submissions.
• The location of the banners will be randomly selected.
• A fee of $125 is required for each submission. The fee includes the production of the banner, Photoshop photo restoration, installation, and removal.
• The deadline for all submissions is April 15, 2025.
Banners will be removed and returned to the sponsor after take down following the Veterans’ Day ceremonies.
The Hometown Heroes Banners are funded through donations and sponsorships. The $125 cost of each banner includes installation and removal. Sponsorships and donations will be used to assist families who would like to take part in this program but cannot afford to pay the cost of the banner requests. You can sponsor a specific banner/family or simply donate funds to be used as needs arise. Apply or learn more at https:// ewingnj.org/hometown-heroes.
Ewing Observer: Are they going to put in an urgent care center or something like that?
Steinmann: No, it will be for physical therapy and fitness training.
Ewing Observer: In terms of phasing, are they ahead of schedule with both the commercial and residential components? I think they were planning to build out the residential portion over the next couple of years.
Steinmann: Yes, I think they’re ahead of schedule. They’ve already started another project that wasn’t supposed to start for another seven or eight months, or even a year from now. That’s the other little workspace on the other side of the park. They’ve already started on that. There’s also another building under construction on Parkway Avenue.
The other building, which is just down the road, wasn’t going to be built for another two or three years, but they’re actively discussing starting construction on that now. I’m optimistic about it. The retail portion has lagged a bit, but for obvious reasons. They want to make sure there are enough people going to these stores. But I think it’s going to catch up soon, so I’m very enthusiastic about it.
As for the Navy jet propulsion site, if you drive by there today, it looks a lot dif-
ferent than it did a year ago. There’s still some cleanup to do, but I’d say 90% of it is cleared. Hopefully, they’ll start construction soon. There has been a bit of a setback because the warehouse market has dried up. It was hot for a long time, but it has cooled down recently.
Ewing Observer: That’s probably because every town is building warehouses.
Steinmann: Exactly. In fact, we had a 300,000-square-foot warehouse planned by the airport, but that’s on hold. They’ve talked to me about some other ideas, so we’ll see where it goes. But the 20,000-square-foot buildings at the front of the Navy jet propulsion site are moving forward.
Ewing Observer: And the plan hasn’t changed since last year when we talked?
Steinmann: No, the plan hasn’t changed. Not saying it couldn’t change in the future, but for now, the warehouse option is still part of the plan.
Ewing Observer: Housing isn’t allowed there because of environmental reasons, correct?
Steinmann: Yes, that’s correct. Ewing Observer: So, your options are limited.
Steinmann: Yes, it could be something like a data center. Someone did inquire
about that, which wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Ewing Observer: What about a cannabis grow or manufacturing facility? Or is that area not zoned for that?
Steinmann: No, it’s not zoned for that. But there are still other opportunities to explore. For now, nothing has changed there.
Ewing Observer: How about the newest redevelopment area, which is at the intersection of Parkway and Lexington Avenues?
Steinmann: That project is much needed, and it has been approved. Our sewer ban was just lifted by the DEP. Previously we couldn’t issue any sewer permits for commercial space until we resolved some issues with the nitrates at the sewer plant. That’s been addressed now, so we’re moving forward with that project. A QuickChek with a gas station is going in there.
Ewing Observer: Which corner will that be on?
Steinmann: It will be on the corner of Lexington Avenue. You know where Larkin’s has a little garage? That’s going to get torn down, and the whole lot will be developed. Across the street, the restaurant that used to be Parkway Pizza is now a Mexican grill. It opened about two or three months ago. We’re still negotiating with the owner of the shopping center to
do something with the strip mall.
Ewing Observer: What about the side where the IHOP is?
Steinmann: The IHOP is still there. It’s staying. The QuickChek will be across the street from it.
Ewing Observer: So that accounts for all four corners.
Steinmann: Yes. And on the stretch of Parkway Avenue where Wawa is, they just got their permits released. They’re going to put up an apartment complex there where all that land has been cleared. That’s going to be residential with retail space as well.
Ewing Observer: What about the site in the Parkway Avenue Redevelopment that was owned by the late Sam Marazzo? I believe his daughter is now running it after he passed away. Has there been any talk about doing something similar to what’s happening with the town center?
Steinmann: Sam talked about that, but his challenge was that he wanted to keep the supermarket. Any designs we came up with that mirrored the town center ended up blocking the supermarket, and he didn’t think that was a good idea, so he never followed through with it. It’s not off the table, though.
We can still discuss it. I’d like to see it happen. They could do something differ-
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ent with the grocery store.
Ewing Observer: They could also sell the site to another developer and go from there.
Steinmann: Right, exactly. But his daughter, Mary, who now runs the site, has kept it up nicely. They re-paved the parking lot, which has made a big difference. The new owner of the supermarket has been good to work with, too.
Ewing Observer: How about North Olden Avenue redevelopment? Any projects happening on Olden or North Olden?
Steinmann: Right now, no. Olden Avenue is a tough nut to crack. Many of the business owners are okay with the status quo. We’ve talked to them, but they like things the way they are. They feel like what they have works for them, so they don’t want to see any changes. We’ve made some headway in certain areas. For example, we had a developer who wanted to do something with the old Ambest Surgical Supply building. They wanted to put a Checkers restaurant there.
We told them they needed to invest in landscaping and other improvements to the property. They didn’t want to spend that kind of money, so we said no. This is a redevelopment zone, and we control what happens there. So, they tried to persuade us, but once I’ve made up my mind,
that’s it.
We’re taking every opportunity we can, though. If people come to us for financial help through the Ewing Redevelopment Agency, we provide it, but they’re required to make certain improvements. Sometimes they agree and move forward, and sometimes they don’t want to, so they don’t get the funding.
Ewing Observer: At one point there was money available for façade improvements, correct?
Steinmann: Yes, that’s still available. The problem is getting everyone on the same page to invest. The idea is to make everything consistent, but some business owners just don’t want to do it.
Ewing Observer: It’s hard with an area where the businesses have been there for so long, especially when you have so many curb cuts. Getting everyone to agree is tough.
Steinmann: Exactly. We’ve tried to eliminate some curb cuts and have shared driveways, but some people don’t like that idea. They don’t want people to have to drive an extra 50 feet.
They’ve been doing business this way for so long, and they’re resistant to change. Even when the next generation takes over, they tend to have the same mindset. It’s almost like it’s ingrained in them.
New Jersey.”
At this fundraising event, former museum trustees Karen S. Ali, Larry Conti, Gabrielle Deen, Sally Lane and Dolores Yazujian, as well as former foundation executive director Nicole Jannotte Stubbs, will receive the Museum Legacy Award.
The event takes place at the museum at 205 West State Street, Trenton. Tickets are $125 and must be reserved by Thursday, April 10. Visit givebutter.com/LPxIm8 to register.
The exhibition, which will be on view from April 19 through March 15, 2026, takes visitors through each of New Jersey’s major ecosystems: Skylands, Piedmont, Pinelands, Delaware River, Delaware Bay and Atlantic Coast.
The exhibition highlights the threatened and endangered wildlife that are native to each region, from bobcats in the Skylands to piping plovers along the coast. There are more than 2,000 plant species native to the state as well.
The exhibition also details the threats that our wildlife and habitats face, as well as what residents can do to help protect them. The exhibits also provide examples of research underway that may offer hope for the future of biodiversity in the state.
O’Reilly has worked at the museum for
36 years, serving as the executive director since 2015. She says the new exhibition makes sense now because climate change is a topic that is front and center.
“We try to do programs that relate to what some of the schools are doing, because fully 40 percent of our visitors are students,” O’Reilly says. “We are all talking about climate in New Jersey right now. Climate change is an important topic in New Jersey because we’re right up against the ocean and feeling and seeing the effects of it.”
The New Jersey State Museum has four main areas of focus: archaeology and ethnography; cultural history; fine art; and natural history. O’Reilly says that when coming up with new ideas for feature exhibitions, she and her staff look to rotate through those main subjects, though there is no specific pattern to how they rotate.
The most recent feature exhibition at the museum focused on the work of a single artist, Robert Duran. Duran, well known in New York art circles in the 1970’s and 80’s, dropped out of sight when the gallery that represented him closed.
He moved to New Jersey and continued painting, but never again sought representation. “He had been in big shows and reviewed by big critics, but after the 1980’s he never showed again,” says O’Reilly, who was the museum’s curator of
An eastern box turtle, one of more than 3,700 animal species native to New Jersey. (Photo courtesy of New Jersey State Museum.)
fine art before becoming executive director. “After he died, a gallery in New York got his estate from the family and saw the work he had been producing. He became a New Jersey artist after moving here, so I’m really proud that we reintroduced this artist to the world.”
When a curator has an idea for a possible future exhibition, the first thing O’Reilly and her staff do is think about
how the idea might be executed. They consider how would it look, what it would cost, whether there would be adequate space to display it.
“Once an idea jells, our curators develop an exhibition idea, they reveal it to the entire exhibition committee and we talk about budget and that kind of thing. If we can figure out a budget, or know we can fundraise for it, we put it on the schedule.”
Three staff members took the lead on bringing Ecosystems at Risk to life. Dana Ehret, the museum’s curator of natural history; Julie Vastano, assistant curator of natural history; and Devra Hock-Reid, assistant curator for science education, ran point, with other staff members providing advice and expertise as needed. Museum staff worked closely with members of the Department of Environmental Protection as well.
Ehret had the original inspiration for the exhibition. Ehret grew up in the state, making regular visits to the beach and taking hikes in state and local parks with his family. He studied marine biology at Stockton University and worked at the Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor during college. He says these experiences gave him a deep appreciation for the diversity of New Jersey’s ecosystems. “I hope visitors to the ‘Ecosystems at Risk’ exhibition take away a greater appreciation for New Jersey’s natural areas and the rich diversity of
SUMMER CAMP
EWING CYO at Hollowbrook PRE-SCHOOL
• June 23rd - August 22nd (7:30AM - 5:30PM)
• Openings for children entering 1st grade - age 10
• Free breakfast, lunch and snacks
• All vouchers accepted
• Private subsidies available on a limited basis
• Large playground and newly renovated, fully air-conditioned facility
• Daily swimming in the Hollowbrook Pool and SPLASH PAD
• Immediate Openings for Ages 21/2 - 3
• Limited openings for 4 year olds
• Hours 7:30AM - 5:30PM
• Free Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks
• All vouchers accepted
• Private subsidies available on a limited basis
• Large playground
• Beautiful suburban setting
wildlife that shares our great state,” Ehret says. “I also hope our visitors learn about some of the wonderful work the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Fish and Wildlife staff do to protect our environment.”
Shortly after Ecosystems at Risk opens to the public, it will serve as the centerpiece for another event, this one coinciding with Earth Day. On April 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the museum will host a variety of activities including urban birdwatching, water health talk, a discussion on tidal marshlands and a planetarium show, “We Are Guardians,” that offers perspective on ecosystems worldwide.
The feature exhibition is just one of many things that visitors will be able to see on the four floors of the New Jersey State Museum at any given time. Anyone who grew up in New Jersey can probably tell you what is on display there from the school field trips they took there as children. Fossils, Native American artifacts, colonial home furnishings, flags of the Civil War era.
The pieces on display may change, but many standing exhibitions have been active for years. “Almost any museum you go to, there are things that have to be on view — things that visitors expect,” O’Reilly says. “If you go to the Louvre and the Mona Lisa’s not on view, that’s a
problem. Forty percent of our attendance is school groups, and those teachers are teaching the same things every year.
“Some things can’t stay on view for long — photographs, textiles, things that start to break down if on display for any length of time. So that quilt you saw three months ago might not still be on view, but another quilt might be.”
O’Reilly and the museum’s curators are always looking for ways to ensure that the standing exhibitions stay fresh, even after decades on view. “The way we evolve as humans, we learn differently (over time). Our educators are always thinking about that in terms of the programs they do, working with the curators in terms of making the exhibitions understandable to the general public,” O’Reilly says. “We look at exhibitions now and again and say, this needs to be changed completely, or this needs to be updated.”
* * *
As a state agency, the museum receives an annual appropriation to cover operations. The appropriation does not always allow for the budgeting of everything on the agenda, which is where the New Jersey State Museum Foundation comes in.
Formerly known as the Friends of the State Museum, the nonprofit foundation serves as a major fundraising entity for the See NJSM, Page 14
Stay NJ Information Session
Ewing Township is pleased to host an information session on the Stay NJ property tax relief program on April 25 beginning 10 a.m. at the Ewing Township Municipal Building, 2 Jake Garzio Drive, Ewing. (Council Chambers).
Representatives from the New Jersey State Treasury Office will be on hand to provide details about the program and answer questions. This is the first in a series of free information sessions Ewing Township will offer, beginning in April. The sessions are open to all—no need to be a Ewing resident to attend.
New Jersey Property Tax Relief
New Jersey Property Tax Relief
New Jersey
Property Tax Relief
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For Senior Homeowners and Renters Age 65 and Over
New Jersey Property Tax Relief
New Jersey Property Tax Relief
For Senior Homeowners and Renters Age 65 and Over
New Jersey Property Tax Relief
New Jersey Property Tax Relief
New Jersey Property Tax Relief
For Senior Homeowners and Renters Age 65 and Over
New Jersey Property Tax Relief
New Jersey Property Tax Relief
New Jersey Property
For Senior Homeowners and Renters Age 65 and Over
For Senior Homeowners and Renters Age 65 and Over
Three Programs, One Combined Application
For
Three Programs, One Combined Application
For Senior Homeowners and Renters Age 65 and Over
For Senior Homeowners and Renters Age 65 and Over
For Senior Homeowners and Renters Age 65 and Over
For Senior Homeowners and Renters Age 65 and Over
Three Programs, One Combined Application
Three Programs, One Combined Application
Three Programs, One Combined Application
Three Programs, One Combined Application
Three Programs, One Combined Application
Three Programs, One Combined Application
Based on 2024 Residency, Income, and Age
Based on 2024 Residency, Income, and Age
Three Programs, One Combined Application
Three Programs, One Combined Application
Three Programs, One Combined Application
Based on 2024 Residency, Income, and Age
Based on 2024 Residency, Income, and Age
Based on 2024 Residency, Income, and Age
File by October 31, 2025
Based on 2024 Residency, Income, and Age
Based on 2024 Residency, Income, and Age
Three Programs, One Combined Application
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For Homeowners and Renters Age Eligibility
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continued from Page 13
museum, hosting events such as the 130th anniversary celebration. The foundation also helps the museum secure grants that are only open to nonprofit organizations. Some exhibitions are funded partially or entirely by grants and donations.
The museum was established by the New Jersey Legislature in 1895 during the term of Gov. George T. Werts. It began as a collection of display cases on the third floor of the State House. After the State House Annex opened in 1929, the museum took up residence in a wing of the new building.
Then in 1965, the museum moved to its current, standalone space, a Mid-Century Modern building whose architecture has fallen out and then back into style over the
past 60 years. The museum, along with the New Jersey State Planetarium that connects to the main building’s lower level, has been serving the people of New Jersey since 1965.
The main building underwent significant renovations between 2004 and 2008, but for the most part, remains much the same as it was when it first opened. O’Reilly says it has generally held up well.
“Of course, every museum will tell you they need more space,” she says. “None of us shows the majority of their collection. Museums worldwide show somewhere between 8 and 12% of their inventory full time. We would love more space for teaching, for exhibits, but it works for where we are right now.”
Web: nj.gov/state/museum.
Spring Fling Book Sale
NJSM
The New Jersey State Museum in its original location, the New Jersey State House, circa 1902. (Photo courtesy of the New Jersey State Museum.)
VOTE BY MAIL NOTICE TO PERSONS WANTING MAIL-IN BALLOTS
If you are a qualified and registered voter of New Jersey who wants to vote by mail in the Primary Election to be held on June 10, 2025, the following applies:
• You must be registered as a Democrat or Republican by no later than June 3, 2025 to be able to receive a mail-in ballot.
• You must complete the application form below and send it to the county clerk where you reside or write or apply in person to the county clerk where you reside to request a mail-in ballot.
• The name, address, and signature of any person who has assisted you to complete the mail-in ballot application must be provided on the application, and you must sign and date the application.
• No person may serve as an authorized messenger
or bearer for more than three qualified voters in an election but a person may serve as such for up to five qualified voters in an election if those voters are immediate family members residing in the same household as the messenger or bearer.
• No person who is a candidate in the election for which the voter requests a mail-in ballot may provide any assistance in the completion of the ballot or serve as an authorized messenger or bearer.
• A person who applies for a mail-in ballot must submit his or her application so that it is received at least seven days before the election, but such person may request an application in person from the county clerk up to 3 p.m. of the day before the election.
• Voters who want to vote by mail in all future
elections will, after their initial request and without further action on their part, be provided with a mail-in ballot until the voter requests otherwise in writing.
• Application forms may be obtained by applying to the undersigned either in writing or by telephone. Or the application form provided below may be completed and forwarded to the undersigned.
• If you are currently signed up to receive mail-in ballots, but wish to now vote at the polls, either on Election Day or before, in accordance with NJ’s new “Early Voting” law, you must first opt out of vote by mail by notifying the county clerk in writing at the address below. You may find a form for removal from the permanent list on the Mercer County Clerk’s website at https://www.mercercounty.org/ government/county-clerk/elections.
Dated: April 8, 2025, Paula Sollami Covello, Mercer County Clerk, 209 S. Broad St., Election Dept., P.O. Box 8068, Trenton, NJ 08650, 609-989-6495
The sky’s the limit at the NJ state planetarium
By Joe Emanski
The planetarium at the New Jersey State Museum is one of the capital city’s most prominent landmarks. Its bright white dome rises like an alien spaceship along Route 29, which skirts the back of the Capitol Complex where the planetarium resides.
Modern planetariums (planetaria?) are movie theaters, first and foremost. Yes, visitors to the New Jersey State Museum also get to enjoy the stars of the night sky projected onto the ceiling of that dome, accompanied by a “sky talk” presented by planetarium staff. But these sky talks are merely a prelude to the main attraction: a high-definition motion picture short that has been specially formatted for planetarium viewing.
The movies have proven to be successful in entertaining visitors at planetariums across the nation. Schoolchildren arrive by the busload during weekday field trips, followed by tourists in their SUVs on weekends. NJSM has a catalog of show licenses stretching back to the early 2000s, many of which are still in the regular rotation today.
But the planetarium is also always adding new shows into the mix, such as “Spark: the Universe in Us” and “We Are Guardians,” two 2023 short films that have had their NJSM premieres this year.
The shows both tie in to the museum’s upcoming feature exhibition, “Ecosystems at Risk: Threatened and Endangered in New Jersey.” (See story, page 1.)
The planetarium at the New Jersey State Museum. (Facebook photo.)
tems across the earth.
“I really want the shows here to tell people something new, something that they haven’t heard before,” Hamer says. “I really want the shows to instill a sense of wonder. I don’t want them to just be dry lists of information. It’s important to me that they’re visually stunning.”
Films like these may fill out the majority of the planetarium schedule, but they are not the only attractions. Since joining the NJSM two years ago, Hamer has instituted a free monthly lecture series called “Science Under the Stars,” that features area scientists and researchers.
“I think it’s really special to connect the public directly with scientists,” Hamer says. “I’ve started to have a really dedicated audience of people who come every month.”
Jacob Hamer is the curator of the planetarium at the New Jersey State Museum. Hamer, an astrophysicist by training, says his very first experience in astronomy was in a planetarium. “I did a senior year internship in a planetarium, and now I’m hosting a senior in high school doing an internship with me,” Hamer says. “Things have kind of come full circle.”
In the March lecture, Philippe Yao, a graduate research fellow in astrophysics at Princeton University, discussed black holes and their surrounding environments. April’s lecture, “From Beginning to End: The Story of Our Universe,” scheduled for 4:15 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, is set to feature Dr. Cyril Creque-Sarbinowski from the Center for Computational Astrophysics.
Hamer says that “We Are Guardians,” a story about deforestation in the Amazon rainforest and the impact it is having in global climate stability, is geared toward younger audiences. “Spark: The Universe in Us,” meanwhile, is perhaps more appropriate for older viewers.
Creque-Sarbinowski will present on what we know about the origins of the universe — and what it might be like in the distant future. To attend, register online at nj.gov/state/museum/eventscalendar.shtml.
“Spark,” narrated by Diego Luna, looks to connect the air we breathe and the carbon we are made of to exploding stars millions of light years away and billions of years in the past. This interconnectedness of all the elements in the universe and all life on earth is symbolic of the interconnectedness of the fragile ecosys-
The planetarium is also available to be reserved for private viewings on weekend mornings. Those reserving private viewings can invite up to 40 people for a fee, and choose a show from the planetarium’s catalog, presented by planetarium staff. For more information email njsm. reservations@sos.nj.gov.
Summer family fun
Tomato Patch at Kelsey Theater
Reach for the Stars — Register Now!
A few weeks can last a lifetime! Find out at Tomato Patch Summer Workshops in Theater, Dance, Vocal Music, Video, and Visual Arts! Students make lasting friendships and wonderful memories while becoming an accomplished performer/artist.
Now in its 25th year, Tomato Patch is the longest-running, most successful multi-disciplinary Visual and Performing Arts program in Central New Jersey. Featuring classes for all school age students, Tomato Patch is taught by a talented staff of professional artists.
Tomato Patch Workshops is a multidisciplinary full-day Theater, Dance, Music, Visual Art, and Video summer program for ages 10-18 in two sessions:
Session 1: Grades 8-12, minimum age 13. June 30 through July 24; no Tomato Patch on July 4. Only $1,175.
Session 2: Grades 4-7, minimum age 10. July 28 through August 14. Only $1,100.
Hours are 8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. with before and after care available.
Tomato Patch Workshops culminate in The Festival Of The Arts!
Unlike every other performing arts camp, Tomato Patch allows you to major in one subject and take classes in other areas. Become a triple threat!
A Master Class is available for advanced theater students. There are two sessions, same price at Tomato Patch.
The Master Class in Theater culminates in A Night of One Acts!
For more information and to view class schedules visit www. tomatopatch.org or call 609-570-3566.
Bob Smith Soccer Academy
Soccer camps for ages 5 to 14
The Bob Smith Soccer Academy has been a family-owned and operated business since the early 1990s. This summer, it offers camps at two locations for boys and girls, ages 5 to 14.
The first camp takes places outdoors at The Robbinsville Community Park from July 7 through 11 and August 11 through 15.
The second, is at their new location, an indoor, air conditioned turf field, The Multisport Kingdom in Manalapan from July 21 through 28,August 4 through 8, and August 18 through 22.
Full-day camp runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and half-day camp runs from 9 a.m. to noon. Camps are designed to improve soccer skills to players of beginner, intermediate and travel levels.
They offer free before and aftercare, from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Bob Smith, A United States Soccer Hall of Fame member since 2006,
played internationally and in the USA for 11 years.
After he retired, he passed on his love of the game to the young players of New Jersey at his soccer camps held at Mercer County Park. He always has the most qualified, professional staff by his side, His soccer academy was founded at the Robbinsville Fieldhouse, where his skilled staff and manager Joe Donigan, provided training for players ages 4-15, hundreds of youth travel teams, and many men’s leagues.
Operations have since relocated to Multisport Kingdom in Manalapan, where they continue to train players of all ages and levels, host summer camps, and run travel leagues for 225 youth teams from all around the state. Bob Smith’s son Dylan, who also played in college and internationally, helps run the academy and is the director of coaching for Freehold Soccer.
Bob Smith Soccer Academy, 150 Woodward Road, Manalapan. www. bobsmithsoccer.com email: info@ bobsmithsoccer.com. Register today and get a $25 discount for early registration!
RSM Princeton
Advance Your Child’s Math Learning This Summer!
Summer math classes at RSM Princeton are now enrolling!
RSM’s award-winning program can help your child reinforce their math skills over the summer. RSM’s program has been trusted by parents for over 25 years across 75+ locations in North America. We take pride in ensuring each student learns in an environment that is optimal for them while boosting their confidence in math and learning abilities.
About RSM. At RSM, we use the rigorous study of mathematics as a vehicle to develop our students’ math fluency, intellect, and character, empowering them for life. Our unique approach consists of a continuous K-12 curriculum, taught by expert teachers, in a classroom environment of peers who study together year after year.
RSM’s curriculum is inspired by elite mathematical schools in the former Soviet Union, adapted to meet
Summer family fun
the needs of students in the U.S. educational system. Our curriculum has continually been perfected by our curriculum department over the past 25 years.
Why Choose RSM’s Summer Program? A Program for All Students: RSM offers summer classes for K-12 students looking to strengthen their grasp of the fundamentals, prepare for the upcoming school year, or experience additional challenges.
Prevent Summer Learning Loss:
RSM’s program ensures that students retain and strengthen their math knowledge, keeping them on track when they return to school in the fall.
Talented Faculty: All of our teachers have a background in mathematics or a related field and a deep passion for the subject.
Summer Program Details: 6-Week and 3-Week Offerings. This summer, RSM Princeton is offering courses that run for six or three weeks. Our 6-Week program has two classes per week and starts in June. Class durations vary depending on the student’s grade. Our 3-Week program
has four classes per week and begins in July. Classes in our 3-Week program run for three hours per day. Classroom Environment: Students are instructed by an expert teacher leading an interactive lesson in an in-person class environment. Who Can Join? RSM Princeton
has summer classes for students in grades K-12 and is also offering math competition classes for students looking for an additional challenge.
Get Started Today! Visit our website at mathschool.com/Princeton to view the summer schedule for RSM Princeton and enroll your child today.
SportS
Dupee leads emerging Blue Devils girls wrestling team
By Justn Feil
Samantha Dupee broke her nose wrestling this year.
It was the second time in her career that she suffered a broken nose wrestling.
The first time came when she was in elementary school, fresh to the sport. A boys head hit her squarely in the nose. She didn’t give up then, and she didn’t give up when this time it happened with the stakes higher.
Dupee was practicing the day before the first match of her senior season with the Ewing High School girls wrestling team when she was hit and broke her nose again. It put her final scholastic season in jeopardy, and made an already challenging sport even tougher.
“It was definitely challenging,” Dupee said. “I had to wear a face shield, which you had to adjust to that and get used to having blind spots. That was probably one of my biggest challenges. But also the girls since my freshman year, there have been so many more girls in regions and my weight class had a lot of girls too that were very strong and they wanted it a lot too.”
Dupee had to first fight to get back on the mat. She was on restrictions that kept her from the usual wrestling training, severely
limited her conditioning and forced her to budget her efforts. She would follow her dad to the gym just to get in some sort of workout, but she had only a tight window to prepare for the Colonial Valley Conference Tournament. The tournament ended up being her first matches back.
“I was very nervous,” she said. “I didn’t really have any stamina because I hadn’t been running or I hadn’t been practicing. But I knew my stuff, I knew what moves to do. I knew it would be a challenge, but I still persevered through it.”
Dupee made a triumphant return to the mat, capturing a major decision over West Windsor-Plainsboro South’s Grace Kang, 9-0, in the final to win the 120-pound weight class. It was her second straight championship title at the tournament previously known as the Mercer County Tournament.
“I knew I had to give it my all because this would be my second time wrestling in counties and I really wanted to make it two times that I would have won,” Dupee said. “So I went out there having the mindset that I would give it my all no matter the outcome.”
The senior was joined as a gold medalist by teammate Alexandra Neuberger, who won the 152-pound crown with a pin in 36 seconds. They helped highlight the Blue Devils’
EHS wrestler Samantha Dupee (center)shows off her medal after a recent competition at Robbinsville High School.
Kimberly
RAVE
second-place team finish behind Trenton. Ewing scored 147 points to pull away from third-place Hamilton West (134.5).
“It’s a very big accomplishment,” Dupee said. “I was so proud of everybody that tried their best and placed. It was just so crazy to see how far we’ve gotten in just my high school years.”
Dupee gets some credit for that development. When she joined the Ewing wrestling team as a freshman, it was co-ed. There were only two girls.
“Sam was actually a huge part of our recruitment, whether it was just like influencing girls whenever they would come and watch our matches and encouraging them to give it a shot,” said Ewing coach DJ Zedalis. “Whether it was one of her friends and she makes a bet with them and wins and says, now you have to wrestle.”
Dupee helped encourage girls to join the team at interest meetings and promoted the sport that she fell in love with in fourth grade.
“I started with the Ewing Rec program,” she said. “I was always an active kid and have so much energy and my mom was tired of it because I would always roughhouse around her. My neighbor, her son was wrestling so my mom brought me to a program one day. It was the Ewing rec program and it just stuck with me ever since.”
The physical sport appealed immediately
WHAT IS RAVE?
to Dupee. It got tougher when she started in high school and girls still had to wrestle mostly against boys.
“It was pretty tough wrestling with the boys,” she said. “My freshman year, I didn’t really wrestle any girls until regions. So that was tough. But before, I got my name out there with wrestling boys because I used to wrestle boys and I would do a good job. It was just my senior year that Coach Z started getting all these girl matches and being able to wrestle so many girls teams.”
Over the last two years in particular, Dupee has helped to bring along the new Ewing wrestlers that don’t have as much experience after their later starts.
“I would definitely help them,” said Dupee. “Like if they were having trouble with doing a move I would go up to them and show them how to do a certain move. And when we had our tournaments, I would go up and start screaming stuff to do so they would know what exact move to do and they would definitely listen.”
Dupee had plenty of success behind her suggestions. The two-time area champion went on to finish her career at Ewing in a fi fth/sixth place match at the Central Region tournament, falling to Maeve Witte of Freehold Township. She’s one of three senior girls along with Franchesca Edouard and Ynsi Santiago graduating from the program, but leaving it much healthier than only a cou-
RAVE
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ple of years ago.
“As big of a loss as those three are going to be, the work that they’ve done with the younger girls, I think they’re leaving behind a legacy and the knowledge and just commitment to the team that resonated with the girls to where I think that’s just going to build tradition within the program,” Zedalis said. “It just kind of creates a culture to where these girls are just going to continuously get better and better and better as the years go on.”
It’s not the first sport of which Dupee is getting in on the ground floor. She’s already gearing up for another spring on defense with the Ewing High girls flag football team. The Blue Devils are looking to build on last year’s successful inaugural season.
“We have a bunch of athletic girls on the team, so I’m hoping we do very good because we did awesome last year,” Dupee said. “We only lost one game last year.”
Dupee, who also enjoys snowboarding in her spare time, likes flag football enough that she is considering pursuing it in college, although if a wrestling scholarship opportunity comes knocking, she would find that appealing. Both sports are relatively new statewide, with girls wrestling set to officially become a team at Ewing next year.
“It’s definitely different,” Dupee said. “Wrestling is more like of an individual sport because you’re wrestling for you, but you’re also wrestling for a team. And flag football is like everybody comes together to do the game.”
Dupee will have a couple of months of flag football before she will be graduating and finalizing her next steps. She will be able to look fondly back on her athletic experiences at Ewing, in particular the camaraderie she felt over four seasons of wrestling.
“Just having what we had at the Ewing wrestling team, like having a family and always someone to lean on,” Dupee said. “And making so many friends with the wrestling team.”
Samantha Dupee had a hand in helping to promote and develop the team. The wrestling program had 14 girls this year and the hope is to get 20 by next year.
“I’m very excited to see the program still grow and Sam can look back hopefully whether it’s next year or four years from now or 10 years from now and just realize that her influence on this next generation coming in played a significant part in the girls wrestling team,” Zedalis said. “I’m going to start calling it a team. I hope she looks back and is proud of what she was capable of during her time here.”
Fifth Sunday in Lent, April 6
A Service of Music & Meditation at 10 am
Palm Sunday, April 13•Worship at 10 am
“Mary Magdalene in the Ministry of Jesus” Artist Laura James presents her new exhibit and leads a conversation at 11 am
Maundy Thursday, April 17
A contemplative Service of Tenebrae at 7 pm
Good Friday, April 18•Worship at 12 pm
Easter Sunday, April 20•Worship at 10 am
visit ewingcovenant.org
Attention students in 6th, 7th, & 8th grade! Join us for either or both of our twoweek Career Exploration Camps at Mercer County Technical Schools. Camp runs daily from 8:30 am to 11:30 am.
Samantha Dupee works to pin an opponent during a wrestling match.
Below is a selection of events taking place this month in our area. For even more events, go online to our website, communitynews. org/events.
Details below were believed to be accurate at time of publication. We always recommend that you confirm all necessary details when planning to attend an event.
Wednesday, april 2
Music and Movement, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 11 a.m. For babies and toddlers. Singing songs, working on fine motor skills, dancing. Registration required. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing. Craft Station, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 11:30 a.m. fun project to make. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
Crafty Crew, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 1:30 p.m. Craft supplies not provided; bring portable craft projects to the library. mcl.org. 320 Hollowbrook Drive, Ewing.
Thursday, april 3
Baby Time, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 10:30 a.m. Rhymes, songs with movement, fingerplays and bubbles with books. Ages newborn to 2 years. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing. Play-Doh and Free Play, Mercer County Library:
Sensory Storytime, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 10 a.m. Visual, sound, textures and other multisensory elements. Ages 3 and up. Registration required. mcl.org. 320 Hollowbrook Drive, Ewing.
Preschool Storytime, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 10:30 a.m. family Storytime with stories, songs, fingerplay, and crafts. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
Sing and dance with Amanda, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 11 a.m. Sing and dance with Amanda and her ukulele. Ages 5 and under. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
Play-Doh Challenge, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 1:30 p.m. Tests creativity and thinking skills while the clock ticks down. Ages 5-9. mcl.org. 320 Hollowbrook Drive, Ewing.
saTurday april 5
Macbeth in Stride, Lewis Center for the Arts. 8 p.m. Musical by Whitney White employs the musical styles of rock, pop, gospel, and R&B to investigate some of the most familiar narratives of Shakespeare’s “Scottish play.” The show asks: What does it mean to be a woman? A Black woman? And what
happens when the one thing she desires is power? $20. mccarter.org. McCarter Theater, 91 University Place, Princeton.
Mamma Mia! Movie Sing-Along, Kelsey Theatre. 2 p.m. In a musical wave of audience participation activities, you are guided by our hosts as you sing along and play along with the movie. $22. kelseytheatre.org. Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor.
sunday, april 6
Sunday Movie Series, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 2 p.m. Gladiator II (2024, R), Runtime: 148 min. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
Edible Chocolate Dirt Worm Cup, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 2 p.m. Make edible worms in dirt with chocolate pudding, crushed chocolate cookie crumbs (like Oreos) and gummy worms. mcl. org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
Chess/Board Games Free Play, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 3 p.m. All skill levels welcome. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
Monday, april 7
National Library Week Scavenger Hunt, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 9:30 a.m. Imcl.org. 320 Hollowbrook Drive, Ewing.
markers. Ages 5 and under with adult. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
Board Game Club, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 2:30 p.m. Bring games or use ours. Drop-ins welcome. Registration preferred. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
MessyCrafts, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 2:30 p.m. Different project each week. Dress for a mess. Ages 5 and under with adult. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
Wednesday, april 9
National Library Week Scavenger Hunt, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 9:30 a.m. mcl.org. 320 Hollowbrook Drive, Ewing.
Baby Storytime, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 10 a.m. Ages birth to 2 1/2. Stories, songs and play. Registration required. mcl. org. 320 Hollowbrook Drive, Ewing.
Music and Movement, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 11 a.m. (See April 2 listiing).
Craft Station, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 11:30 a.m. (See April 2 listing)..
Crafty Crew, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 1:30 p.m. (See April 2 listiing).
Thursday, april 10
EWING RECREATION LAUNCHES NEW ONLINE REGISTRATION SYSTEM
NEW! Register for Ewing Recreation programs through CivicPlus Recreation Management
• Register your family for Ewing Recreation programs online, 24/7.
• Receive a unique family login via email after account creation.
• Keep your login email safe for future access.
• For paper registration, contact us or visit Hollowbrook Community Center, 320 Hollowbrook Dr. www.ewingnj.org/RecRegistration Questions or more information? Call us at (609) 883-1776 or email Nancy Pappano at npappano@ewingnj.org
Painting Station, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 10:30 a.m. Ages 2-5 accompanied by adult. Use different things to paint. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
Free Play, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 11 a.m. Children ages 2-5 years old, accompanied by an adult are invited to stay and play with library toys after the Painting Storytime. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
Tuesday, april 8
National Library Week Scavenger Hunt, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 9:30 a.m. mcl.org. 320 Hollowbrook Drive, Ewing.
Toddler Storytime, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 10:30 a.m. Toddler Storytime: Songs, rhymes, and stories. Suggested for children, ages 5 and under with an adult. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
Toddler Creates, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 11 a.m. Easy projects using crayons, glue and
National Library Week Scavenger Hunt, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 9:30 a.m. mcl.org. 320 Hollowbrook Drive, Ewing.
Baby Time, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 10:30 a.m. (See April 3 listiing).
Play-Doh and Free Play, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 11 a.m. (See April 3 listiing).
Author Talk: Amy Baldwin, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 4:30 p.m. Local children’s author will read her book Ziggy and Tray Go to the Library. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
Friday, april 11
Dancing Through Life, American Repertory Ballet & Princeton Ballet School. 5:30 p.m. Cocktails, dinner, and a performance featuring choreography by Ethan Stiefel, George Balanchine’s “Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux,” “The Time That Runs Away” by Stephanie Martinez, and 80 students from Princeton Ballet School. B. Sue Howard and Amy Megules honored. Register. $300 and up. arballet.org. McCarter
Theater, 91 University Place, Princeton.
National Library Week Scavenger Hunt, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 9:30 a.m. mcl.org. 320 Hollowbrook Drive, Ewing.
Sensory Storytime, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 10 a.m. (See April 4 listiing).
Preschool Storytime, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 10:30 a.m. (See April 4 listiing).
Play-Doh Challenge, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 1:30 p.m. (See April 4 listiing).
saTurday april 12
Brown Sugar, Cooper’s Riverview. 7 p.m. Rolling Stones tribute with DJ Frank Oliveti. Reservations recommended. coopersnj.com. 50 Riverview Plaza, Trenton.
sunday, april 13
Sunday Movie Series, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 2 p.m. A Real Pain (2024, R). Runtime: 90 min. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
An Evening with Dawes, McCarter Theater. 7 p.m. Celebrating the release of the California rock band’s latest album, Oh Brother, brothers Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith bring an intimate yet dynamic performance to the stage. $43 to $58. mccarter.org. 91 University Place, Princeton.
Monday, april 14
Painting Station, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 10:30 a.m. (See April 7 listiing).
Free Play, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 11 a.m. (See April 7 listiing).
Easter Egg Hunt, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 2 p.m. The Easter Bunny visited the Hollowbrook Branch and hid some of his
eggs inside the library. Ages 4 and up. Registration required. mcl.org. 320 Hollowbrook Drive, Ewing.
Adult Craft-No-Sew Sock Rabbit, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 7 p.m. Crafting can be relaxing, and crafting together with someone can help build a friendship and a sense of community. Join us at the Hollowbrook Branch, where you can create a no-sew sock rabbit. Snacks and water will be provided. For ages 16 and up. Registration required. mcl. org. 320 Hollowbrook Drive, Ewing.
Tuesday, april 15
Finding Your Unclaimed Property, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 10 a.m. Presented by Lori Jones, Department of the Treasury. Registration preferred. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
Easter Egg Hunt, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 2 p.m. The Easter Bunny visited the Hollowbrook Branch and hid some of his eggs inside the library. Ages 4 and up. Registration required. mcl.org. 320 Hollowbrook Drive, Ewing.
Toddler Storytime, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 10:30 a.m. (See April 8 listiing).
Toddler Creates, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 11 a.m. (See April 8 listiing).
Board Game Club, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 2:30 p.m. (See April 8 listiing).
MessyCrafts, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 2:30 p.m. (See April 8 listiing)..
Wednesday, april 16
Baby Storytime, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 10 a.m. (See April 9 listiing).
Music and Movement, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 11 a.m. (See April 2 listiing).
Craft Station, Mercer County Library: Ewing
Branch. 11:30 a.m. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing. (See April 2 listiing).
Crafty Crew, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 1:30 p.m. (See April 2 listiing).
Easter Egg Hunt, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 2 p.m. The Easter Bunny visited the Hollowbrook Branch and hid some of his eggs inside the library. Ages 4 and up. Registration required. mcl.org. 320 Hollowbrook Drive, Ewing.
Baby Time, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 10:30 a.m. (See April 3 listiing).
Play-Doh and Free Play, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 11 a.m. (See April 3 listiing).
Easter Egg Hunt, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 2 p.m. The Easter Bunny visited the Hollowbrook Branch and hid some of his eggs inside the library. Ages 4 and up. Registration required. mcl.org. 320 Hollowbrook Drive, Ewing.
Read to Theodore Finley, Library’s Dog, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. Starting at 3:45 p.m. For school-age children. Call (609) 882-3130) to register for a slot (required). mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
Twyla Tharp 60th Annivesary Tour, McCarter Theater. 7:30 p.m. Retrospective by the legendary dance group highlights a lifetime of significant
See EVENTS, Page 26
Home
works, from classical ballet to modern dance. $33 to $88. mccarter.org. 91 University Place, Princeton.
Friday, april 18
Preschool Storytime, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 10:30 a.m. (See April 2 listiing).
saTurday april 19
Henhouse Visits, Howell Living History Farm. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Step inside a working henhouse where the farm’s Barred Rock chickens are busy laying and help a farmer make their feed: then reach into a nest box and take out an egg to bring home. Visitors learn egg candling and grading and can also visit the farm’s 50 new baby chicks in the brooder coop. howellfarm. org. 70 Woodens Lane, Lambertville.
Baroque Passion: Music for Holy Week, The Dryden Ensemble. 4 p.m. Featuring soprano Clara Rottsolk in sacred arias by Bach and Ferrandini for obbligato violas da gamba and lute. drydenensemble.org. Chapel, Princeton Theological Seminary.
Monday, april 21
Painting Station, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 10:30 a.m. (See April 7 listiing).
Free Play, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 11 a.m. (See April 7 listiing).
Learn to Paint with Local Artist Lenore Obed, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 4 p.m. learning acrylic art with Ms. Lenore. Sponsored by the Friends of the Ewing Branch Library. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
Tuesday, april 22
Earth Slime, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 2 p.m. Make Earth Slime. All Ages. Sponsored by the
Friends of the Library. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
Toddler Storytime, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 10:30 a.m. (See April 8 listiing).
Toddler Creates, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 11 a.m. (See April 8 listiing).
Board Game Club, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 2:30 p.m. (See April 8 listiing).
MessyCrafts, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 2:30 p.m. (See April 8 listiing)..
Wednesday, april 23
Baby Storytime, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 10 a.m. (See April 9 listiing)..
Music and Movement, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 11 a.m. (See April 2 listiing).
Crafty Crew, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 1:30 p.m. (See April 2 listiing).
Thursday, april 24
Baby Time, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 10:30 a.m. (See April 3 listiing).
Play-Doh and Free Play, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 11 a.m. (See April 3 listiing).
Read to Theodore Finley, Library’s Dog, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. Starting at 3:45 p.m. For school-age children. Call (609) 882-3130) to register for a slot (required). mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
An Evening with Fran Lebowitz, McCarter Theater. 7:30 p.m. Fran Lebowitz brings her signature wit and razor-sharp commentary to McCarter in conversation with Eliza Griswold, a contributing writer for the New Yorker and professor of journalism at Princeton University. $33 to $83. mccarter.org. 91 Univer-
Important Notice to Voters from the Office of the Mercer County Clerk
Paula Sollami Covello, Esq.
Under NJ Law, Voters who have not voted by mail in 4 years will be removed from the automatic ballot mailing list.
This will not affect voter registration status and you can still vote early or at the polls.
If you would like to vote by mail, please submit a new application by visiting mercercounty.org/government/county-clerk
For assistance, please contact our office at (609) 989-6494 or email mercervotes@mercercounty.org.
Thanks for Voting!
Paid for by the State of NJ
sity Place, Princeton.
Friday, april 25
Sensory Storytime, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 10 a.m.(See April 4 listiing).
Preschool Storytime, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 10:30 a.m. (See April 4 listiing).
Play-Doh Challenge, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 1:30 p.m. (See April 4 listiing).
Anything Goes, Kelsey Theatre. 8 p.m. When the S.S. American heads out to sea, two unlikely pairs set off on the course to true love – but sometimes destiny needs a little help from a crew of singing sailors, a comical disguise, and some good old-fashioned blackmail. Classic musical updated with a new book and presented by the students of the Academic Theater and Dance Program and Entertainment Technology. $26. kelseytheatre.org. Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor.
saTurday, april 26
Science Outreach, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 10 a.m. Experiment alongside the Princeton University Science Outreach team. Lots of fun. mcl. org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
Artist Demonstration: Roberto Lugo, Princeton University Art Museum. Noon. Hands-on making event where Roberto Lugo leads a wheelthrowing demonstration. Learn how to decorate a pre-thrown vessel with visual motifs that combine classic patterns and elements of hip-hop and streetwear. artmuseum.princeton.edu. Art@Bainbridge, 158 Nassau Street, Princeton.
An Evening with Yo-Yo Ma, McCarter Theater. 7:30 p.m. Internationally revered cellist Yo-Yo Ma presents an evening of conversation and music moderated by PBS NewsHour correspondent Jeffrey Brown. mccarter.org. 91 University Place, Princeton.
sunday, april 27
Sunday Movie Series, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 2 p.m. A Complete Unknown (2024, R). Runtime: 141 min. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
Chess/Board Games Free Play, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 3 p.m. (See April 6 listing.).
In the Heights, Bristol Riverside Theater. 3 p.m. Lin Manuel Miranda’s musical tells the story of a vibrant community in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood – a place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are
always open, and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. brtstage.org. 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, Pennsylvania.
Monday, april 28
Painting Station, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 10:30 a.m. (See April 7 listiing).
Free Play, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 11 a.m. (See April 7 listiing).
Tuesday, april 29
Non-Fiction Book Group, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 10:30 a.m. Where the Deer and the Antelope Play by Nick Offerman. Registration preferred. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
Toddler Storytime, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 10:30 a.m. (See April 8 listiing).
Toddler Creates, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 11 a.m. (See April 8 listiing).
Board Game Club, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 2:30 p.m. (See April 8 listiing).
MessyCrafts, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 2:30 p.m. (See April 8 listiing)..
Adult Book Discussion, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 7 p.m. Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson. mcl.org. 61 Scotch Road, Ewing.
Wednesday, april 30
Baby Storytime, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 10 a.m. (See April 9 listing). Music and Movement, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 11 a.m. (See April 2 listiing).
Craft Station, Mercer County Library: Ewing Branch. 11:30 a.m. (See April 2 listiing).
Crafty Crew, Mercer County Library: Hollowbrook Branch Library. 1:30 p.m. (See April 2 listiing).
Jersey Art Meetup, Arts Council of Princeton. 7 to 9 p.m. 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. artscouncilofprinceton.org. 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton.
GOODNEWS
June 2005
Adopt-a-Survivor Program BeginsatEwing HighSchool
The Ewing Public Schools
April The Ewing Public Schools
Fisher Middle School Odyssey of the Mind Team Qualifies for States!
Nearlysixty years since Alliedforcesliberated the Naziconcentration camps,the now elderly survivors ofthe Holocaust are turning toa new generation topreservetheir testimony about their wartime experiences for futuregenerations.
Teacher of the Year Recipients are Honored
Good luck at the State Finals Tournament on April 5th at JP Stevens High School!
number. Manyhavemadeittheir mission toeducate the world thatanti-Semitism and racismeasilylead tomurder, and tospeak about the horrors theyand their familiessuffered. Withthe passing oftime, ithas becomeurgenttofind a new generationtocontinue the survivors’mission and telltheir stories after the survivors can nolongerdoso.
Antheil 4 th Grade Student, Timothy Salvador, Presents on Rare Disease Day
On Friday, February 28th, Tim Salvador from Mrs. Gershman/Mrs. Gager´s 4th-grade class gave a heartwarming presentation to his classmates and teachers to raise awareness about Rare Disease Day to inform them about rare diseases and celebrate people affected by various diseases.
OnApril 12, the Adopt-a-Survivor(AAS) program was introducedtothe Trenton areaatEwing HighSchool. Six Holocaust survivors wereadopted bytwelveEwing Highsophomores. The adopted survivors—Moshe Gimlan, VeraGoodkin,Marion Lewin,RuthLubitz, Charles Rojer and JackZaifman— wereoriginallyfromGermany, Czechoslovakia, Polandand Belgium.
The Fisher Middle School (FMS) Odyssey of the Mind team placed first at the Odyssey of the Mind Coastal Plains Regional Tournament held Saturday, March 8th, in Woodstown, New Jersey.
What is Odyssey of the Mind? It is a creative problem-solving competition that gives children the confidence to think for themselves and to create solutions to any challenge. It sparks “Beyond the Box” creativity for solutions to the Long-Term Problems, teaches communication among team members, and time management for goals. Timelines are a must! Technology, arts, engineering, mathematics, critical thinking, and teamwork are essential for a successful showing at the competition.
The AAS program pairs a survivorwithone or morestudents. The studentsembarkona joint journey withthe survivorthrough discussions about life before, duringand after the Holocaust.Participating studentswillbeabletorepresent the survivorand tellthe survivor’sstory withaccuracyand feeling in the years tocome. Inaddition, eachstudent makes a commitmenttotellthe survivor’sstory ina public venue inthe year2045, a hundred years after the liberationofAuschwitz.
Each year, Odyssey of the Mind™ releases a problem synopsis, there are five problems to choose from, and the FMS Odyssey of the Mind team selected Problem 5: Performance/An AstronOMical Odyssey (Division II). The problem synopsis: OMers always shoot for the stars, and this problem is no different! Many civilizations have used stories, myths, and legends to explain the stars in the sky and their patterns. In this problem, teams will create a humorous performance set in a teamcreated “historical” civilization that presents constellations and original stories explaining each one. The performance will also include a humorous astronomer character with a “stellar” costume, a lighting effect, and a shooting star!
Sounds easy, right? What is not included in the synopsis is the limitations of solving the problem which cannot be solved without referring to the Program Rules section of the Program Guide given to coaches and team. There is a time limit to the performance, when the Timekeeper says, “Team begin,” you get eight minutes to set up, Style, and present the solution to the problem. If you go over the eight minutes, PENALTIES! If you don’t include all of the requirements to fulfill the solution to the problem, PENALITES! That is not all of the stipulations: you can only spend a certain amount of money, possibly $125 on all of your supplies including props, set, costumes, and special effects, and oh…be ready to answer any questions the judges might ask about your set and solution to the problem right on the spot. One more thing, NO ADULT help at all!
“Rare Disease Day is celebrated each year on the last day of February to raise awareness for rare diseases and improve access to treatment and medical representation for individuals with rare diseases and their families. The date is chosen because in leap years it is February 29th, the rarest date.”
This day is close to Tim and his family´s hearts as Tim´s cousin was diagnosed with a rare disease called GRIN disease.
The recipients of the 2005 Teacher of the Year Awards were
Teacher of the
The Long-Term Problem is not the only thing the team is judged on — then there is Spontaneous! Every team solves a Spontaneous problem: the problem could be verbal, hands-on, or a combination of both, and you don’t know until you walk into the room what the team’s problem is going to be. The team gets 10 minutes to rack up points! Our FMS Odyssey of the Mind Team had a PERFECT SCORE for the Spontaneous portion of the competition. Way to go, team!
was a guest
at a
GRIN disease has left his cousin without the ability to talk or walk, but the class learned from Tim that his cousin’s disease does not stop him from giving the best handshakes!
Ewing High Students Attend Gorbachev Presentation
Whitney Lewis, EHS Freshman
On April 18, 2005 Ms. Chiavuzzo, Mrs. Walker and 30 Ewing High School freshmen joined several Mercer County high school and college students, and politicians to hear a presentation given by Mikhail Gorbachev at the Sovereign Bank Arena. Gorbachev was the last communist leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991. During his term he instituted various policies including his political policy of Glasnost and economic policy
From costumes and set design, to script writing, the FMS Odyssey of the Mind team’s creativity was impressive, and the judges thought so too! This team has truly shown what dedication and hard work can accomplish. They often stayed late to rehearse lines or hot glue countless pieces together to create their set to make their performance come to life.
To the team, “Like the stars, your potential is limitless. Never stop reaching for the sky!”
Tim shared a Google slide presentation, wrote his own story about a Zebra who suffered from a rare disease, (the zebra is the official mascot for rare disease patients), and brought in coloring pages, stickers, and even zebra cakes for his classmates to enjoy!
of Perestroika. His policies reopened churches, released political prisoners, and lifted bans on previously censored books.
The 20th anniversary of Perestroika was one of the essential themes of Gorbachev’s presentation. The policy’smain goal was to make the Soviet economic system more efficient. Perestroika involved the transfer of control from the government to the business owners. This policy continued on page A2 continued on page A2
Safety Town
June 30 - July 11
Contact: Jean Conrad
609-538-9800 x1302 for application
Have a Happy Summer!!
GoodNews will resume with the September issue of the Observer
The team will be heading to the New Jersey Odyssey of the Mind State Competition on Saturday, April 5th, with the hopes of earning a spot at the 2025 Odyssey of the Mind World Finals at Michigan State University, May 21-24, 2025. Congratulations to the FMS Odyssey of the Mind team and their coach, Mrs. Amanda Marroquin, and good luck!
The zebra was chosen to represent rare diseases based on a quote from Dr. Theodore Woodward, “When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras.” This is an old medical quote that reminds doctors to consider the most common causes of a patient’s symptoms first, but it’s also a reminder that rare diseases, the “zebras,” should not be forgotten.
The big takeaway from the lesson was that it is okay to ask about someone’s disease in a respectful way, and the more we spread awareness, the more inclusion and understanding we can have for people and families affected by rare diseases.
Due to budget restraints NO Summer School Programs will be offered by the Ewing Public Schools during the Summer of 2005.
honored
luncheon on April 29th. Jan Fay, 2004 Mercer County
Year,
speaker. 1st row (L to R): Joan Zuckerman, Principal Antheil; Sharon Solomon, Lore; Jan Fay, 2004 Mercer County Teacher of the Year; Inetta Emery, Principal Parkway; Danielle Miller, EHS; Superintendent Ray Broach. 2nd row: Darrell Jackson, Principal FMS; Donna Andreas, Antheil; Don Barnett, FMS; Betsy Turgeon, Parkway; Rodney Logan, Principal EHS.
The Ewing Public Schools
Ewing Schools Participate in Second Annual African American Read-In
On Friday, February 28th, Antheil, Lore, and Parkway Elementary schools along with Fisher Middle School participated in the second annual African American Read-In.
For more than 30 years, the National African American Read-In (AARI) has been a groundbreaking effort that encourages communities to read together, centering African American books and authors. Established in 1990 by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), AARI was intended to make literacy a significant part of Black History Month. Since then, the initiative has reached more than 6 million participants worldwide.
Literacy coaches Kim Mack and Jen Cline provided resources to teachers for students to learn about a variety of books written by Black authors. The elementary schools enjoyed read-alouds of books highlighted in teacher Read-In resources. At Fisher Middle School, students learned about historical and current influential Black Literary Legends and their works in their English Language Arts (ELA) classes. Students and staff volunteered to participate in lunchtime Poetry Cafes during which quotes and poems from African American authors were recited and enjoyed.
New this year, students participated in an optional contest where they completed various tasks related to African American authors and books. From bookmarks to poems, book reviews to comic strips, students submitted hundreds of entries. Congratulations to our contest winners listed below! It was a wonderful day of emphasizing literacy as an important component of Black History Month!
Mrs. Hoh’s kindergarten class at Lore School were the lucky recipients of a $500 grant to spend on new books! Provided through First Book and Pizza Hut, Mrs. Hoh and her students were granted their “book wish”! They enjoyed reading through their new books and sorting them into categories in their classroom library. Many books were also shared with several other grades and teachers at Lore School.
MARCH MADNESS DIVISION I WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: EWING HAS SOMETHING
TO CHEER ABOUT!
Joi Johnson, EHS Class of 2024, is continuing her education and basketball career at Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) and her family is excited to share that the FDU Knights Women’s Basketball team had a season record of 29-3. On Sunday, March 16th, the Lady Knights won the NEC Championship, completing a perfect 19-0 run in conference play, and were on a 22-game winning streak. The team also qualified to compete in the Women’s 2025 NCAA tournament for the first time in program history as the 15 seed, the highest seeding of any FDU men’s or women’s athletic team in the history of the university’s athletic program! On Friday, March 21st, they lost in the First Round of the NCAA tournament to No. 2 seed, TCU, 73-51.
Te’Yala Delfosse, EHS Class of 2024, is a member of the University of Michigan Women’s Basketball team. As a 6 seed, they participated in the 2025 NCAA Women’s tournament and the first game was Friday, March 21st (First Round/Round of 64). University of Michigan won the First Round against Iowa State, 80-74, but lost in the Second Round to No. 3 seed Notre Dame, 76-55.
Rhian Stokes, EHS Class of 2024, is a member of Saint Joseph University Women’s Basketball team (23-9), who qualified for the 2025 Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT). WBIT is a women’s national college basketball tournament that was inaugurated in 2024, in order to provide postseason opportunities for women’s basketball, similar to that of men’s basketball, which was a recommendation from the 2021 Gender Equality Report. 32 women’s basketball teams are playing to end the postseason on a high note.
Rhian’s Saint Joseph’s Hawks (23-9) played the UAlbany Great Danes (26-6) in the First Round on March 20th. Saint Joseph’s secured the win (69-40) to advance to the Second Round of the WBIT. It was a close game on Sunday, March 23rd in the Second Round of the WBIT, but Saint Joseph’s could not pull off the win in a tough-fought battle against Villanova, 62-60.
We are so proud of you, Te’Yala, Joi, and Rhian! Thank you for continuing to put Ewing on the map!
Can’t wait to see what next year brings for these teams and our hometown girls. 2025-2026 season, here we come!
The Ewing Public Schools
EHS Senior Spotlight: Meet Krish Patel
If you could use one word to describe yourself, what would that word be? Resilient
What do you feel is the most important character trait of a person? I would say integrity is the most important character trait for someone. It means being honest, standing by your values, and doing the right thing even when no one’s watching. It is April of your senior year of high school. What are you most looking forward to these last few months before graduation? I’ve been working on this project since my junior year, called the Farmbot. It’s an agricultural growing machine that automates the entire planting and tending process using advanced technology. The system handles everything from planting seeds to watering and monitoring crops, and there is no need for a human to get their hands dirty. I want to complete the final steps to get this robot fully up and running so the school can use it to teach other students and future generations about STEM. It will also show that a high schooler is capable of doing college-level stuff and not to UNDERESTIMATE someone.
Is a technology-based career in your future? What would you like to be when you “grow up” as adults say? A lot of people assumed I would pursue a technology-based career, but I’m actually going in the opposite direction — I’m heading into law enforcement. I’ve always wanted to do something meaningful with my life, but I was never sure what. The future is all about technology and new innovations, so I wanted to develop a strong understanding of tech. That way, if I ever need to switch careers, I’ll be able to adapt easily to a new path.
Parkway celebrated the end of Read Across America Week with a cereal box domino toppling event in the halls. Students decorated new, unopened cereal boxes to look like their favorite books. The completed cereal box projects were then set up in a line in the hallway like dominoes! Students cheered as the first cereal box was tapped to cause a “domino effect” and the cereal boxes fell down the hallway!
Parkway collected over 200 boxes of cereal and donated the cereal to stock the shelves of the local food pantry, Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK).
Who is your favorite teacher and why? My favorite teacher is Dr. Papadopoulos because she has been helping me since day one with all my robotics projects, including my college essay. I am thankful to have such a great teacher. She is kind, funny, and very understanding. She always wants to help everyone and is dedicated to teaching, even when we have tough STEM assignments. She pushes us to do our best and reach our full potential.
What activities do you participate in school? National Honor Society (NHS), Robotics, and Golf
What activities do you participate in outside of school? I am part of the nonprofit organization, Nar Narayan Dev Yuvak Mandal (NNDYM), and the charitable organization, International Swaminarayan Satsang Organization (I.S.S.O.), which helps the homeless and needy, and raises awareness about diseases. I help lead camps from organizing and planning.
What accomplishments are you most proud of? I am most proud of getting into NHS, being accepted into college, making it so far in life with all the struggles, and getting the Farmbot up and running.
How do you define success? Success is something you earn — it doesn’t just come to you. It can take many forms, whether it’s financial stability, academic achievement, or personal growth. For me, success is what gives me peace of mind at the end of the day. You can’t cheat your way to true success.
What are your plans after you graduate from Ewing High School? I plan to attend The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) to earn a degree in Psychology with a minor in Political Science, preparing me for a career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
What is your favorite quote? “If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun.” – Katharine Hepburn
FMS is proud of its Intergenerational Club, where 7th and 8th grade students have the opportunity to “adopt grandparents,” or senior adults from Ewing Independent Living. It’s exciting for our “grandparents” to interact with younger generations, sharing their years of acquired skills and knowledge, and at the same time, enjoying the energy, creativity, and vitality of young minds.
EHS Senior, Olamide
Adekoya,
is Recipient of the AGF Living the Legacy Scholarship
The Andrew Goodman Foundation (AGF) announced the recipients of its inaugural Living the Legacy Scholarship, and we are proud to publicize that Olamide Adekoya, a senior at Ewing High School, was selected for this honor.
This scholarship is given to just five high school seniors from across the country who have demonstrated outstanding civic leadership and a commitment to social justice in their communities.
Mo Banks, Director of Communication, shared, “We are thrilled to award Olamide this impactful scholarship. Olamide was selected because of her devotion to civic engagement and human rights advocacy, serving as President of the Ewing High School Student Council and Student Representative to the Board of Education. She has advanced her commitment to public service through an internship with Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman and leadership roles in various volunteer programs.”
In addition to the financial award, each recipient will gain access to AGF’s resources, including mentorship opportunities and a network of civic leaders dedicated to advancing democracy and social change. Congratulations, Olamide!
The Ewing Public Schools
A number of students at Antheil Elementary School had the opportunity to visit Adventure Aquarium in Camden. Not only did the students learn about different animals and their habitats, but they worked on communitybased skills such as waiting their turn to get to the front of an exhibit. It was an amazing learning opportunity for students that was filled with fun had by all. Some students decided to brave the touch tanks and even touched the Carpet Sharks!
April 2025 Schedule in Ewing Schools
Apr 1 EHS Counseling Event: 8th Grade Parent and Student EHS Curriculum Night @ EHS Auditorium - 6-8:30pm
Apr 4 FMS Presents the Musical/Play, “Mean Girls, JR.” @ 6:30pm Elementary Schools - End of 3rd Marking Period
Apr 5 FMS Presents the Musical/Play, “Mean Girls, JR.” @ 2pm FMS Presents the Musical/Play, “Mean Girls, JR.” @ 6:30pm FMS - Odyssey of the Mind Team State Competition!
Apr 7 EHS - 2nd Semester Term 1 Quarter 2 Parent Progress Reports FMS - End of 3rd Marking Period
EHS Key Club members took a field trip to the Mercer Street Friends food bank recently. Spearheaded by Juniors Arav Barman and Amine Abtouche, and led by President Aissa Benkhoukha, officers sorted out canned goods and prepared over 120 boxes of nonperishable food items to be distributed to mobile pantries in the Mercer County area. Key Club officers, Christian Ciron, Valentina Angon Rojas, Emily Guzman-Solares, Aishat Akindele, Taylor Harris, and Bryan Munoz did an excellent job sorting and boxing canned goods. Over 2,500 items were packed and organized. Great job, volunteers!
On Sunday, April 13th, the 2025 Mercer County Track & Field Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place to induct individuals who have shown exceptional skill and added significant value to the Mercer County, New Jersey Track and Field community.
This year, Ewing High School celebrates two alumni, Basil Campbell (EHS Class of 2003) and Adian Sanderson (EHS Class of 2004), who will be inducted into the 2025 Mercer County Track & Field Hall of Fame. Congratulations, gentlemen! Basil Campbell was Captain for the Boys Track and Field team and proudly remembers his accomplishments in his senior year. At the Group 3 State Championship, Basil placed first in the 400-meter Intermediate Hurdles and the 110-meter Hurdles; 2nd place in the 200 meter-dash, 3rd place in the 100 meter-dash. That same year at the Meet of Champions, Basil placed first in the 400-meter Intermediate Hurdles, 2nd place in the 110-meter Hurdles, and 6th place in the 200-meter dash. Culminating his Ewing High School Track and Field career, Basil set the school record for the 400-meter Intermediate Hurdles with a time of 52.47.
Basil continued his student-athlete career at the University of Connecticut and was a member of the Men’s Track and Field team. Basil graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology.
Adian Sanderson, earned All-State designation all four years of high school while attending Ewing High School and garnered All-American status in his junior year. Adian broke the Indoor State Record for Eastern Championships with a time of 21.34 for the 200-meter sprint. In his junior year, he finished second in the 200-meter sprint at the Indoor National Championships. He also won the Indoor State Championships in the 55-meter sprint and the 400-meter sprint. In his junior year, Adian was also the Mercer County Track and Field Champion by placing first in the 100-meter sprint, the 200-meter sprint, and the 400-meter sprint. Add this to a plethora of additional outstanding accomplishments in Track and Field for Adian in the history books!
Adian continued his studies and athletic Track and Field career at East Carolina University (ECU) in Greenville, North Carolina. Adian graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.Sc.) in Mass Communication/Media Studies.
What Adian Sanderson did not share is that he still holds the Outdoor Ewing High School Track record from 2003 with a time of 10.46 for the 100-meter sprint. The only student-athlete close to beating his record was Mekhi Stafford, EHS Class of 2023, with a time of 10.56. Adian also currently holds the record for the 200-meter sprint with a time of 21.14 and the 400-meter sprint with a time of 46.95, respectively, from 2003.
His friend Basil, still holds the 110-meter Hurdles record from 2003 with a time of 13.89 and the 400-meter Hurdles from 2003 with a time of 52.47, along with the 4x400 Relay from 2002, 3:20:35 with peers (Nwosu, Brecko, Pollard and Campbell).
Thank you to both Basil and Adian for leaving us with your legacy of success and continuing to make Ewing proud!
For golfers this spring, sand traps aren’t the only hazards to avoid. “Low back pain is common, especially in golfers over 50,” says Marc J. Levine, MD, Chief of Orthopedic Surgery and Director of Spine Surgery at Robert Wood Johnson University (RWJUH) Hamilton, a member of RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group and a clinical assistant professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
Most low-back injuries in golfers, Dr. Levine says, stem from stress on the spine associated with swinging a golf club. “Often, pain remains localized to the lower back, but occasionally it can become sciatic and radiate down one or both legs,” he says.
He offers these 4 tips for warding off back injuries on the links:
• Don’t emulate the pros. Many professional golfers today use the “modern golf swing,” keeping their hips stationary, twisting their upper body and following through forcefully.
While it may make a golf ball travel farther, “The thoracic and lumbar spine can’t absorb that kind of force regularly, especially if you’re over age 50,” Dr. Levine says. A safer approach is to use a swing that’s comfortable for you and to have realistic expectations about how far you can drive a golf ball.
• Keep your swing consistent. “Your body likes predictability,” Dr. Levine says. “Every time you jerk or move unexpectedly, it creates more strain on your back.” Dr. Levine recommends meeting with a golf pro at least once a year to evaluate your swing. Ask for tips to
improve your mechanics and ergonomics.
• Stay physically fit. A regular exercise routine can strengthen core muscles, including those in your abdomen and back. “Also, do stretching exercises for at least five to 10 minutes before you start each round of golf,” Dr. Levine says.
• Use the right equipment. “Choose shoes that will help you stabilize your feet, so you don’t lose traction,” Dr. Levine says. If you’re thinking about new clubs, look for ones with less rigidity in the shaft. “That will absorb some of the energy when you take a backswing and may create less force on your spine,” Dr. Levine says.
584-5900. Registration is required to attend programs.
ThurSdAy, APrIl 10
Lunch & Learn: Treating Complex Gastrointestinal Conditions with Advanced Gastroenterology. Noon-1:30 p.m. Join a discussion presented by Imran Fayyaz, MD, Gastroenterology, President of Medical Staff Leadership, RWJUH Hamilton, and member of RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group, and Christopher Chum, MD, Gastroenterology, who will share advanced gastrointestinal (GI) care and the latest specialized techniques and equipment being used to diagnose and treat complex GI conditions.
MONdAy, APrIl 14
TuESdAy, APrIl 15
Misconceptions vs. Life-Saving Realities of Organ Donation (Community Health). 1-2 p.m. Did you know one organ donor can save eight lives and help 75 more by donating tissue and corneas? Adults 18 and older can register to be organ and tissue donors, regardless of medical history or age. Join the NJ Sharing Network and Tim Ryan, MSN, RN, CEN, Nursing Professional Development Practitioner, CPDIR, RWJUH Hamilton, for this informative talk.
ThurSdAy, APrIl 29
Let’s Talk About Those Golden Years (Better Health). 10-11 a.m. Reaching our “golden years” brings a myriad of life changes. Janet Haag, executive director, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Mercer, will lead this discussion on aging. This program will explore the landscape of mental well-being in later life.
If you feel a twinge of back pain after a round of golf, Dr. Levine recommends rest, ice and overthe-counter anti-inflammatory medicines (aspirin, ibuprofen) as a first line of treatment.
See a doctor if pain continues for four to six weeks. “If you experience any numbness, tingling or weakness, get evaluated by an orthopedic surgeon,” Dr. Levine says.
Learn more at rwjbh.org/ortho
Programs at RWJUH Hamilton this month
The following programs are sponsored by RWJUH Hamilton Community Health, open to all and all ages, and Better Health Program, open to all 65+ years old. All programs take place at the Center for Health & Wellness located at RWJ Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Rd., Hamilton, NJ 08619--unless otherwise noted. View the calendar of programs available online at rwjbh.org/hamiltonprograms, or for more information or to register, call 609-
The Power of Food: Nutrition Strategies for Diabetes (Community Health). 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. and Tuesday, April 22; 6 -7 p.m. Join Lori Hager, MS, RD, for our monthly series. Learn how to manage and control your diabetes through dietary choices. Learn the basics of diabetes and how nutrition affects blood sugar levels. Gain practical tips for meal planning and preparation to control your diabetes. These two sessions will occur the 2nd Monday (daytime) and 4th Tuesday (evening) each month.
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Hearing and Balance Screenings (Community Health). 9 a.m. -Noon. Join us for free screenings on the last Wednesday of every month! These 15-minute appointments are designed to help assess your hearing health or your balance health/fall risk. For more information or to reserve your required appointment, call 609-245-7390. Note: This program will take place at the RWJUH Hamilton Balance & Hearing Center, 2 Hamilton Health Pl, Hamilton Township, NJ.
Dr. Marc S. Levine
Accomplished Breast Surgeons Join Cancer Specialists at Capital Health
Dr. Yi Huang and Dr. Jenna Mancinelli, fellowship trained breast surgeons who specialize in surgical care for benign and malignant breast diseases, have joined Capital Health as part of its Cancer Center and Center for Comprehensive Breast Care. As part of Capital Health Cancer Center and Capital Health Surgical Group – Breast Surgery, they offer office appointments in Pennington, New Jersey and Newtown, Pennsylvania and offer advanced treatments for breast cancer, skin-sparing/nipple-sparing mastectomies, and oncoplastic and hidden scar procedures.
oncology at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, where she trained with national leaders in the field of breast surgery. As medical director of Capital Health Center for Comprehensive Breast Care, she leads a multidisciplinary team to create personalized care plans for each patient.
“Capital Health is known for providing women in our region the best possible treatment for breast cancer and other breast health conditions,” said DR. YI HUANG, who joins as medical director of the Center for Comprehensive Breast Care. “Our nationally accredited program is designed to inspire confidence in our patients, and I’m excited to work with Dr. Mancinelli and lead an expansive team that includes radiologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, plastic surgeons, pathologists, rehabilitation services, and other support services.”
Before joining Capital Health, Dr. Huang was a breast surgeon and director of the breast program at Jefferson Health – Northeast in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After finishing her general surgery residency at Northwell North Shore – Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Manhasset, New York, where she served as Chief Resident, Dr. Huang completed her fellowship in breast surgical
DR. JENNA MANCINELLI completed her general surgery residency at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she served as Chief Resident. She completed breast surgical oncology fellowship training at MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, New Jersey. Outside the clinical setting, Dr. Mancinelli was Academic Chief Resident for General Surgery at PCOM, where she developed a new curriculum for the general surgery residency program that incorporated the fundamentals of surgical training, simulation, wellness, professional development, and research education.
Capital Health Center for Comprehensive Breast Care, part of Capital Health Cancer Center, offers a complete range of personalized breast care programs and services — from advanced genetic and diagnostic testing to leading edge surgical, medical and radiation oncologic care — all at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell. To make an office appointment with Dr. Huang or Dr. Mancinelli in Pennington or Newtown, call 609.537.6700 or visit capitalhealthcancer.org/appointment.
Capital Health Meets International Standards for Surgical Excellence
Eleven surgeons and five areas of focus at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell have achieved accreditation from the Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) for their high standards and commitment to the delivery of quality patient care and safety across a range of surgical specialties.
Capital Health physicians received the SRC Surgeon of Excellence designation in five areas of specialization, including:
Colorectal Surgery
Ashlee Godshalk Ruggles, MD, FACS, FASCRS
Hernia Surgery
… Joseph DellaCroce, MD, FACS
… Michael Kalina, DO, FACOS, FACS
Minimally Invasive Gynecology
… Robert Berk, MD, FACOG
… Donald DeBrakeleer, DO
… Meghan Patel, MD, FACOG
Kira Przybylko, MD, FACOG
… Audrey Tashjian, MD, FACOG
… Joyce Varughese, MD, FACOG
… Anne Walker, MD, FACOG
Minimally Invasive Surgery
… Jooyeun Chung,MD
… Donald DeBrakeleer, DO
… Joseph DellaCroce, MD, FACS
Ashlee Godshalk Ruggles, MD, FACS, FASCRS
… Michael Kalina, DO, FACOS, FACS
… Kira Przybylko, MD, FACOG
… Audrey Tashjian, MD, FACOG
… Joyce Varughese, MD, FACOG
Anne Walker, MD, FACOG
Robotic Surgery
… Jooyeun Chung, MD
… Joseph DellaCroce, MD, FACS
… Ashlee Godshalk Ruggles, MD, FACS, FASCRS
Joyce Varughese, MD, FACOG
… Anne Walker, MD, FACOG
Programs at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell that received SRC’s Center of Excellence accreditation include Colorectal Surgery, Hernia Surgery, Minimally Invasive Gynecology, Minimally Invasive Surgery, and Robotic Surgery.
“Being accredited by the SRC means that our qualifying surgeons, programs, and centers meet national and international standards for surgical excellence,” said Dr. Joshua Eisenberg, chief physician executive of Capital Health. “We have spent years recruiting and building high quality programs in a number of
specialties, and this recognition lets our community know about the advanced expertise and high quality that Capital Health is devoted to providing.”
Established in 2003, Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) is an internationally recognized, nonprofit, patient safety organization dedicated to recognizing and refining surgical care. SRC accredits the top hospitals, surgeons and health professionals worldwide that meet proven standards.
To learn more, visit capitalhealth.org.
Grants from Capital Health’s Trenton Neighborhood Initiative Support Improvements to Local Businesses
As part of its effort to invest in the community surrounding Capital Health Regional Medical Center (RMC) on Brunswick Avenue in Trenton, Capital Health has awarded grants totaling nearly $50,000 to seven local small businesses through its Trenton Neighborhood Initiative (TNI). Recognizing the power of local businesses and their vital role in the community served by Capital Health, the TNI Thrives Business Grant Program supports and promotes the growth and success of entrepreneurs in North Trenton.
The inaugural recipients of TNI Thrives Business Grants are MBM Fashion Variety, Mendez Auto Repair, Seafood #1, New Way Deli, New Religion Barber Shop, Ronnie’s Room LLC, and Stylez from the Heart. Business owners will apply their respective grants to fund important needs like employee training, equipment upgrades, expansion, and repairs, all of which promote local growth as well as a safer and more prosperous community.
“Trenton has been Capital Health’s home for more than 125 years, so we believe our responsibility to the community extends beyond the walls of our hospitals and medical offices,” said Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Health. “Our day-to-day work focuses on delivering services that are critical to the health of our patients, but we know good health requires a holistic approach.
TNI focuses on delivering innovative programs like the TNI Thrives Business Grants to help local businesses flourish and create safer and healthier environments for the residents they serve.”
“As someone who grew up here, our commitment to the neighborhoods surrounding Capital Health Regional Medical
Center and the broader Trenton community is especially meaningful to me,” said Samuel J. Plumeri, Jr., Chairman, Board of Trustees, Capital Healthcare Inc. “By investing in the future of Trenton and its residents, TNI programs like this will have a lasting positive impact on the community and the city as a whole.”
Capital Health launched the Trenton Neighborhood Initiative in 2021. With implementation partner Trenton Health Team, and many other community partners, TNI works to address the social determinants that influence the health of Trenton residents. The TNI Thrives Business Grant Program is a key part of the initiative’s Work pillar, which also includes scholarship programs, workshops to connect local entrepreneurs to educational resources, and networking opportunities for business owners.
In addition to Capital Health’s significant investment, TNI’s $10 million investment in Trenton is generously supported by Allied Universal, Bank of America, the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, Investors Bank, Janssen/Johnson & Johnson, Labcorp Foundation, Citizens Bank Philanthropic Foundation, the George H. Sands and Estelle M. Sands Foundation, Sodexo, the Wawa Foundation, PSEG Foundation, OceanFirst Foundation, Church and Dwight Employee Fund, and many other corporate and private foundation partners.
Capital Health’s Trenton Neighborhood Initiative seeks to advance neighborhood revitalization and support residents in realizing their vision for a healthier, more equitable Trenton. For more details, visit tnitrenton.org.
Capital Health First in Mercer and Bucks Counties to Offer Minimally Invasive Treatment Option for Stress Urinary Incontinence
Capital Health Center for Incontinence and Pelvic Health is the first and only practice in Mercer County, New Jersey and Bucks County, Pennsylvania to offer Bulkamid, a safe and effective minimally invasive option for treating stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Capital Health has been designated as a Bulkamid Center of Excellence in recognition of their staff’s experience, expertise with the procedure, the quality of positive patient outcomes, and their commitment to improving the patient experience.
bowel dysfunction. To help alleviate SUI symptoms, the team at Capital Health Center for Incontinence and Pelvic Health inject a soft, water-based gel, into the urethral wall to support the urethra’s closing mechanism and provide better control of urination.
“One in three women experience stress urinary incontinence (SUI) as they age, often during or after pregnancy,” said DR. DONALD DEBRAKELEER, director of Urogynecology at Capital Health. “Weakness in the pelvic floor prevents the urethra from closing fully, which can allow urine to leak during everyday activities such as coughing, laughing, or lifting an object. Bulkamid is an exciting minimally invasive approach that has the potential to improve the long-term quality of life for patients who were not helped by previous surgical treatment options.”
Bulkamid is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and manufactured by Axonics, Inc., a medical technology company that develops minimally invasive products to treat bladder and
Administering the gel is a simple process involving just three to four small injections that take about 15 minutes to complete. It is all performed under local anesthesia or light sedation, and as with any minimally invasive procedures, most patients experience a fairly short recovery time with less risk of serious complications than surgery. The long-lasting Bulkamid gel is clinically proven to provide safe and effective symptom relief for at least seven years.
Capital Health Center for Incontinence and Pelvic Health follows national guidelines and state-of-the-art best practices to accurately diagnose and treat conditions and help patients experiencing bladder, bowel, pelvic pain or sexual health issues. With office locations in Lawrenceville, NJ and Newtown, PA, the multidisciplinary team of clinicians—including specialists in urogynecology, gynecology, urology, colorectal health, physical therapy and behavioral health—all work closely to carefully coordinate care and develop personalized treatment plans that are tailored specifically to each patient. To learn more, visit capitalhealth.org/pelvichealth or call 609-303-4474 to schedule an appointment.
Achieve
More with a Healthy Pelvic Floor
Thursday, June 5, 2025 | 6 p.m.
Location: Zoom Meeting
Are you experiencing pain in your pelvic area during sex, personal care, or urination/bowel movements? It’s time to advocate for yourself! Join Kathie Olson, nurse practitioner and program director for Capital Health’s Center for Incontinence and Pelvic Health, to learn strategies for living your life without pelvic pain. Kathie will be joined by Rachel Hannum-Grinstead, a licensed pelvic health therapist, who will discuss the benefits of pelvic floor physical therapy. All genders are welcome!
Register for this event at capitalhealth.org/events.
I found my wife and the love of my life!
DONNIE BLACK
BETTING ON BlACK
I told my wife I would write an article about her and she told me in these exact words, ”Please Don’t.” I can’t help it. Our story needs to be told. Michelle has been a Ewing resident for her whole life. When you date a Ewing girl, you have to know what you are in for. I’m a Ewing boy, but dating a Ewing girl is something else. She is very outspoken and will tell you exactly what she thinks at any given moment.
My mother was a Ewing girl and had the same traits as this girl. So I was prepared… She is the sweetest and kindest person I’ve ever met. I’m not talking about my mother. I’m talking about Michelle. She has literally changed my life and made me want to be a better person. She has the same exact traits as her beautiful mother, Pat. The odd thing is Pat is so similar to my own mother. They both will, at the drop of a hat, leave what they are doing to help their family. Michelle’s dad, is a different story. This guy was a Trenton detective but by the time I came into the picture, he had retired. I could almost guarantee that he had his police buddies look me up because he was not going to let his little girl date a criminal. I’m guessing I checked out because him and I are actually really close. Except that we like rival sports teams. I’m still a tad afraid of him.
Back to how Michelle and I met. I knew of her for years and maybe laid eyes on her once or twice, but she was always dating someone, so I didn’t pay her any mind. But one day, I was outside of the Firkin and she took a liking to me and my Phillies hat. She came with a girl, Janice, that I knew for my whole life and I was immediately hooked. I had to get know her.
It took me a few years after we met to have something hit me in the face and say, “dude, what are you doing, your soulmate is in front of you.” The odd thing is when we first met and she stole my burgundy Phillies hat and we locked eyes, I felt something. At that time of my life, a relationship was nothing I was looking for.
In September of 2013, I was a groomsman in my buddy’s wedding and I wasn’t allowed to have a date. Michelle was invited to the wedding and wasn’t allowed a date either. We were not on good terms at that moment, but our friends who were getting married sat us
next to eachother at the reception. I talked to my buddy about it afterward and his wife jumped in and said we all knew it was supposed to happen.
I’m guessing everyone knew before we did. I have to thank my best friend Brett Noonan and his wife, Ashley, for going against their word and sitting us next to eachother. It was a brutal experience but it actually brought us closer.
2013 was the year of weddings. Another best friend of mine (Tommy Nelson aka Biff) was getting married a few weeks later and yes I was in that wedding too. I asked Michelle to be my date to the wedding and we had a blast. All of my buddies were super pumped that I finally admitted that I really liked this girl.
My buddy Biff’s wife Kate made me promise I would take her to the wedding as my date or I wouldn’t have a date. I obliged. After that, we were texting more than we ever did. She went to Las Vegas for a work conference in late October 2013, and we texted and talked the entire time. I literally went to shave in the morning before work (I was living at my parents at the time), and I thought out loud and said it out loud to myself—”She’s too perfect to let go.” That is an actual true statement.
I didn’t write that in my vows, but I remember saying it. When she went to Vegas, we were both single, but I honestly didn’t feel single and didn’t want to be anymore. The past few years of my life, I had loved being single and doing single things and I still wanted to live that life.
I had a couple buddies who were still living that life, but I also had buddies who were moving on and getting engaged and married.
I remember this vividly… she was in Vegas and I was on the phone with her, and some dude bought her a drink and she accepted. Why wouldn’t she? She’s single but I think the dude was an old creepy dude. I was like and I quote “Yo, be careful, you need to come home in one piece.”
She and I are were just friends, but her trip to Vegas for some odd reason made me miss her. I was recently thinking about my mindset back then and wondering why I would miss a girl that much who I wasn’t in a relationship with? Well, I did. I was in love, and I don’t know when and how it happened.
She got off her flight back home and she was sick as a dog, but I was not letting her get anywhere near another guy. She met me at Wildflowers in Pennington with a few people and we went back to her
condo.
She went right to bed because she was really sick, and I brought her tea and soup that I made myself! We woke up the next morning on Oct. 26, 2013 and I asked her to be my girlfriend.
She actually said yes! You go Donnie! Fast forward to July 13, 2017… we got engaged and then Oct. 11, 2019, we weremarried. I love this woman more than I’ve ever loved anything.
I wrote the above about 3-4 years ago and now it’s 2025. I lost my mother and I’m so lost. I know Michelle is lost too and she is trying to help, but is unsure what to do. This woman has been there to watch my mom pass, to the viewing with her holding my hand and meeting so many
new people.
She never flinched. She never left my side during this whole entire thing. She calls my Dad, “dad,” and I get chills every time. My mom was the ideal perfect woman and put family first. Boys always try to find a girl that has the same qualities as their mother.
Holy crap did I find it! This woman is everything I’ve ever wanted and needed. She has been with me and I have been there for her for everything. She’s my wife and I wouldn’t trade her for anything.
donnie Black was born and grew up in Ewing Township. He currently works at radio station XTU in Philadelphia as a producer, on air personality and promotions director.
Ewing Recreation
April 2025
The Ewing Recreation Department is transitioning to CivicRec for all program registrations, replacing CommunityPass. Residents must now use CivicRec to register for programs at ewingnj.org/RecRegistration. Instructions will be sent through CommunityPass before it is officially phased out.
The department is also accepting applications for summer staff positions, including day camp counselors, teen travel camp counselors, pool desk and concession stand staff at ESCC and Hollowbrook pools, Moody Park Basketball League sc orekeepers, and maintenance workers. Those interested in lifeguarding should contact American Pools at mhill@americanpool. com.
Early payment discounts are available for summer programs. A 5 percent discount will be applied to payments made by April 18 for the Summer Day Camp or Teen Travel Camp. A $25 early payment discount is also available for seasonal pool system passes and day camp registration.
The Ewing Recreation Summer Day Camp will run from June 30 to August 22 for children in first through fifth grade. The camp is held on the grounds of the Ewing Senior & Community Center, with Fisher Middle School serving as the rain location. Camp hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Early drop-off is available from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., and late pick-up is available from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
The Teen Travel Camp, open to students in grades six through eight, will run from June 30 to August 15. Participants will travel four days per week and spend one day in Ewing. Campers can also participate in the Summer Day Camp during weeks when the travel program is not in session. Online registration is required at ewingnj.org/RecRegistration.
The Moody Park Summer Basketball League is now accepting registrations for boys in grades three through nine. The registration deadline is May 21, and the season begins Monday, June 2. More information is available at moodyparkbb.com. Registration is available at ewingnj.org/RecRegistration.
Ewing’s community pool system offers two locations for seasonal members and daily visitors. Hollowbrook Pool, located at 320 Hollowbrook Drive, will open for weekends and Memorial Day starting Saturday, May 24. On Saturdays, the pool will be available for private parties from 1 to 5 p.m. and open to the public from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday through Friday operating hours will be noon to 8 p.m. Event scheduling inquiries should be sent to Raquel at rince@ewingnj.org. The ESCC Pool will open on weekends and Memorial Day starting Saturday, May 25. Both pools will open full-time on Monday, June 17, from noon to 8 p.m. Swim lesson evaluations will take place on Saturday, June 14, with limited space available. Senior Swim and Senior Water Aerobics will begin on Monday, June 16, with seniors required to register at the Senior Office. The Shelly Dearden Basketball Camp will be held at Ewing High School from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for students in grades four through eight. The camp will be directed by Shelly Dearden and assisted by staff members and players. Daily sessions will include skill development, drills, three-on-three and full-court games, competitions, daily prizes, guest speakers, and an end-of-camp championship. The cost is $95 and includes a camp T-shirt. Registration is available at ewingnj.org/RecRegistration.
Picnic area permits are now available for John Watson Park on Upper Ferry Road, Higgs Park on Summerset Street, and Betor Park behind the municipal building. The ESCC camp picnic area will be closed for the season. To reserve a date, email Nancy at npappano@ewingnj.org or contact the recreation office. For more information on these or other programs, contact the Ewing Recreation Office at (609) 8831776 or visit https://www.ewingnj.org/departments/ community-affairs
The office is located at the Hollowbrook Community Center and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Ewing Recreation column is paid content provided by Ewing Township.
Senior Corner
April 2025
ALL PROGRAMS HELD AT HOLLOWBROOK COMMUNITY CENTER, 320 HOLLOWBROOK DRIVE
MONDAYS
10 a.m. Exercise - Karen Martin
12:30 p.m. Bingo
1 p.m. Mexican Train
1 p.m. Jewelry/Craft -Anne’s
TUESDAYS
10 a.m. Exercise - Karen Martin
12:30 p.m. Bible Study
12:30 p.m. Bingo
WEDNESDAYS
9:30 a.m. Knitting/Crochet
10 a.m. Chair Fitness - JoAnna Hopkins
10:30 p.m. Water Color - Ally Lyons Mercer County Library – Ewing Branch
1 p.,m. Chair Yoga - Gioia Fumo-Miranda
1 p.m. 5-Crown Cards
2 p.m. Mahjongg - Christine Kamph
THURSDAYS
10 a.m. Exercise - Karen Martin
1 p.m. Pinochle - Mercer County Library - Ewing Branch
1 p.m. Rummikub
1 p.m. Balance Class - Bob Kirby
1 p.m. Bid Whist
FRIDAYS
9:30 a.m. Line Dancing – Joanne Keephart
SENIOR CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMISSION (SCAC): Third Thursday of the month. General Body 10 a.m. Meeting is open to the public.
CLUSteinmann: (All held in Room #201-202)
Live Wires—11 a.m. ( 2nd Thursday of the month)
Busy C’s—11 a.m. ( 3rd Tuesday of the month)
Club D—11 a.m. (1st Thursday of the month)
HB Seniors—1 p.m. (2nd Friday of the month)
SENIOR LUNCHEON PROGRAM, Friday, April 25, Noon-2 p.m. “Ted the Tenor” From Broadway. $9pp/$14couple sign up on or before April 21.
MERCER COUNTY NUTRITION: Seniors 60 and older or anyone married to a person 60 and older is welcome to participate in the nutrition program. The program is located at Hollowbrook Community Center. A person is asked to donate a $1. Your donation is confidential. A delicious balance meal is served.
Last October, I was pleased to provide an “upcoming attraction” column about the opening of an exhibit at the Benjamin Temple House highlighting the Ryan family’s involvement with and care for the Temple House and its surroundings after the Temple family could no longer care for it.
And then in November, having attended the opening, and seen (and loved!) the exhibit, I shared more about the exhibit itself, the items on display, the research that was done, and the delightful presence of Patrick Ryan at the event.
But I’ve yet to actually share much about the farm itself. Some of you may remember when the farm was still in existence— perhaps even when it still served as a dairy farm.
The Ryan family purchased the house and land in 1903, and ran a dairy business for the next 50 years. Eventually the business was purchased by Johanna Farms. The house was moved in 1973 from its original location along Route 31 near Bull Run Road to make way for construction of the Interstate, to its present location on Federal City Road on the old Drake Farm.
Farm, home of Grade A Milk.”
“The parcel included a gently sloping meadow featuring a brook with a steadily flowing stream which provided more than adequate grazing and water supply for our dairy cattle.
“The herd numbered at least 40 - mostly Guernsey (for high butterfat content) along with six Holsteins (blended in to maintain volume). With the exception of a few very cold winter days when they stayed inside comfortably bedded down in straw or wood shavings, the cattle were released into the meadow twice a day, every day, following the twice-a-day milking (morning and night). They returned assembled in a line, much like a parade formation, and marched from the meadow into the barnyard awaiting a wholesome grain meal and milking.
The Ryan family purchased the house and land in 1903, and ran a dairy business for the next 50 years.
“In the barn there were 20 stalls on each side of the aisle, with a manure gutter running behind each row. A person would slide in between each position and snap the stanchion shut securing the cow for milking. Sounds so simple doesn’t it? Well there is a lot of work involved to make this routine a reality, twice a day, everyday of the year.
But for those “new” to Ewing and who never saw the farm, what was it like?
Protection
Wills
Living Wills
Trusts - Power of Attorney
Probate - Real Estate Closing
Fortunately, Peter Ryan (b. 1935), the eldest of the four children who grew up in the house and on the farm, has written a brief but detailed memoir of his experience living and working on the farm, and has graciously shared it not only with the Ewing Township Historic Preservation Society, but has also allowed me to excerpt some of his descriptions and recollections.
Since prior to World War II, most of Ewing was devoted to dairy farming, I thought that his first-hand description of an active dairy farm in Ewing during that era would provide many of us with an accurate glimpse into Ewing’s past.
So, Peter Ryan writes:
“Our former Homestead (the Temple House) was located on approximately 160 acres of fertile farmland off Pennington Road bordered by Bull Run Road to the South. A large billboard located on the property proudly announced “Ryan’s Dairy
“With the exception of the meadow, barnyard and horse paddocks, the remainder of the acreage was divided into very manageable fields for rotational crop planting of corn, oats, wheat, hay and soybeans. Some crops are more harsh on the soil, while others renourish the earth, making proper rotation essential.
“This was especially true in the days when commercial fertilizer and pesticide use was far less prevalent than today. Even spreading manure was done on a calculated basis to maximize the benefit to planned crop planting in each field. There were also approximately eight acres of woodland, and a complex of buildings, each with a specific purpose.”
Those buildings were the horse barn; the wagon house; the woodshed; the chicken coops including the hen house and the brooding house; the Spring House; the corn cribs; the pump house; the milk house; the dairy barn; the swine shed; the hay barn; the brewery grain pit; and the household itself.
We’ll “visit” some of these buildings next month.
helen
Kull is an Advisor with the Ewing Township Historic Preservation Society.
VACATION RENTAL
Fort Myers Beach, Fl. Dates are still available 1 br condo on beach. Call for details @ 609-577-8244.
MUSIC SERVICES
with all your questions 640-466-1378.
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
I Buy Guitars All Musical Instruments in Any Condition: Call Rob at 609-577-3337.
HELP WANTED
LUNCH COOK wanted for Camelot Preschool in Pennington, NJ. Preparation of children’s lunch from 10-2, MTRF. $18 -$22 per hour depending upon skill. Call or text David 609-577-5584.
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JOBS WANTED
Communications Coaching & Critique Looking for expert communications support? I offer proofreading, editing, presentation preparation, and public speaking practice to elevate your work. Let me help you craft clear, compelling content and deliver confident presentations. Contact me @your. chief.editor@outlook.com for professional assistance!
ROCK N ROLL BAND, 5 PIECE, AVAILABLE FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT, DITCH THE DJ AND HIRE A REAL BAND, WE PLAY FROM THE LATE 50’S THRU THE 80’S DANCEABLE TUNES, THE HIT & RUN BAND, CONTACT RICH @ 609-222-2570.
SERVICES
F,D, Mason Contractor, Over 30 years of experience. Brick, Block, Stone, Concrete. No job too large or small. Fully Insured and Licensed. Free Estimates 908-385-5701 Lic#13VH05475900.
Are you single? Try us first! We are an enjoyable alternative to online dating. Sweet Beginnings Matchmaker, 215-539-2894, www.sweetbeginnings.info.
LEGAL SERVICES Wills, Power of Attorney, Real Estate, Federal and NJ Taxes, Education Law. House calls available. Bruce Cooke, Esq. 609-799-4674, 609-721-4358.
Guitar, Ukulele and Drum lessons for all. Call Jane 609 510-1400. $25.00 per lesson.
Cleaning Services My name is Karolina, I’m a cleaning lady. If you are looking for somebody to clean your house, office - I’m here! I offer one-time, monthly, biweekly, weekly who can help make your house shiny clean, give me a chance and you will be happy -Dm me
Cash paid for World War II Military Items. Helmets, swords, medals, etc. Call: 609658-2996, E-mail: lenny1944x@gmail.com
Cash paid for SELMER SAXOPHONES and other vintage models.609-658-2996 or e-mail lenny1944x@gmail.com
HAPPY HEROES used books looking to buy old Mysteries, Science Fiction, kids series books ( old Hardy boys-Nancy Drew-etc WITH DUSTJACKETS in good shape), Dell Mapbacks - PULP magazines , old role playing stuff, good conditioned pre 1975 paperbacks old COLLIER’S magazine. Call 609-619-3480 or email happyheroes@gmail.com .
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