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Lathering up good feelings

By Dan AUBrey

“I’m a professional barber.

I make people feel good and look good. Mostly feel good,” says Joe Festa — affectionately known as the “Mayor of South Warren Street” in the heart of Trenton.

The appellation comes from Festa’s longtime presence as the owner of State Barbershop — now celebrating its 60th anniversary.

“It’s a man’s barbershop — that’s what this is,” says Festa, who also recently celebrated another milestone: his 85th birthday.

Standing in a two barberchair shop that has seen hair fashions and hair lines come and go, Festa, fit and dressed

in black tight duds — runs down the shop’s services, “Shaves, facials, all haircuts.

We make working people feel good.”

The clientele runs the gamut from clerks and laborers to state governors, legislators, congressmen, monsignors, and Trenton mayors.

There is also the occasional celebrity drop-in — like former Yankee right fielder Reggie Jackson.

As Festa tells it, the unrecognized Jackson was in town for some unnamed reason, walked in the shop, and asked if he could get a cut.

Festa — a longtime body builder with weights in the shop’s basement and a gym behind the building — says it

wasn’t until he sized-up Jackson’s shoulder muscles that he asked if he was an athlete and learned “Mr. October” was under his shop’s shears.

Talking about his choice of career, Festa, a Ewing resident, says he started across the street in another shop for an unplanned reason: A judge told him to get a profession or go to jail.

“I was arrested for bookmaking in my young 20s,” he says. “I worked for the mob.

That was in North Trenton where all the big guys were, the kings.”

It’s also where Festa grew up in a household of 13 children headed by a Bayer Aspirin black seal worker father from See FESTA, Page 12

TCNJ professor gets $1M grant

By Bill Sanservino

Sophomore Kenny Romero helped lead the Ewing High School bowling team to a 6-1 record and the Burlington County Scholastic League championship. See story on Page 18.

Melkamu Woldemariam has the best of both worlds.

His position as an assistant professor of biology at The College of New Jersey affords him the opportunity to do the two things he loves—teach and conduct research.

Last month, Woldemariam was the recipient of a major boon that will allow him to step up his activities in both areas.

The Plainsboro resident has been awarded a $1 million joint grant from the National Science Foundation and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

The funding will be used

by Woldemariam, 41, a plant biologist who specializes in molecular and chemical ecology, to support his research program and to engage undergraduate research collaborators in his work.

Woldemariam’s research involves comparing the chemical composition of corn varieties and how we can better prevent against insect attack, as well as revealing the genetic causes for the variability in plant chemical defenses.

Each year, a sizable fraction of global agricultural productivity in crop plants is lost to insect and pathogen attack.

“It’s an awesome feeling to know that the work we do here at TCNJ is viewed

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very favorably by talented researchers in the field,” Woldemariam said. “I am thrilled to be able to give my students the opportunity to participate in this project with potential national and international significance.”

Woldemariam was born in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia, and he grew up in a small town called Jimma, which is about 300 kilometers southwest the capital.

After graduating from high school, he attended Addis Ababa University, where Woldemariam says he shaped his academic life.

While there, he earned a degree in biology. After gradSee GRANT, Page 4

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2Ewing Observer | April 2021

Around town

Town Center residences near completion

The first phase of homes in the Ewing Town Center is nearing completion, and the property is now officially open to the public for tours of its Witherspoon Neighborhood.

The town center, which is being built on the former site of the old General Motors plant will include more than 90,000 square feet of retail, and over 14,000 square feet of offices.

The Witherspoon Neighborhood, which is the first of five residential neighborhoods in the complex, includes two-bedroom, two-bath flats and two-bedroom, 2.5-bath townhomes with dens. Both feature attached garages.

According to Town Center spokesperson Lia Levy, the names of the neighborhoods are intended to honor various Revolutionary War leaders.

“The name Witherspoon is a tribute to John Witherspoon, who was the president of Princeton University and a signer of the Declaration of Independence,” she said.

The complex will feature a combination of main street retail space along Parkway Avenue, a mix of restaurants and commercial space lining the Center’s entrance, and a community of brand-new residential rental units with a 10,000-square-foot clubhouse.

American Legion honorees

American Legion Ewing Post 314 recently presented Certificates of Continuous Membership to Louis Slocum Jr. (70 years) and Jack Otto (60 years). Above left are Ginger Kosinski (auxiliary president), Slocum, and Tom Slowinski (post treasurer).

Above right are Slowinski and Otto.

“Nothing like this has ever been built in Ewing,” said Robert Gelbard, one of Ewing Town Center’s managing partners. “We are very excited to create this new and invigorating address.”

The property has a storied past. The site became home to General Motors Inland Fisher Guide Plant in 1938, pro-

ducing parts for some of the most popular cars of the day. Ewing’s role as a local employer evolved in World War II, when the plant was converted to produce aircraft in the support of the U.S. Navy.

After the war, the plant returned to its roots as an automobile manufacturer and made headlines as the site of

the world’s first industrial robot.

WHAT DID WE MISS? What are you noticing in your community? What stories do you think we should tell? Do you have news to share? We want to hear from you. Send your news or tips to news@communitynews.org.

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GRANT continued from Page 1 uating, he got a job at the university as a graduate assistant. During that time, he taught and was also leading laboratory projects, which made him fall in love with academic processes.

I said, “okay, teaching and doing research is the best of both worlds.”

He went on to earn a master’s degree at Abbis Ababa University and then went on to teach at the school for four years.

He then went to Germany and earned his Ph.D. at the Max Planck Institute.

“That’s where I got introduced to the world of plant-insect reactions,” Woldemariam said. “So I studied there for about four years and got postdoctoral training.”

He then came to America to study at the Boyce Thompson Institute, which is an independent affiliate of Cornell University. Four years later, in 2018, he accepted a position as a professor at TCNJ. *** Ewing Observer Editor Bill Sanservino and editorial intern Dani Sakran recently conducted an interview over Zoom with Woldemariam to discuss his life, career and the research project that won him the grant. Below is an edited version of that interview.

Ewing Obser ver: Can you tell me how you became interested in biology when you were younger?

Melkamu Woldemariam: Biology is the only place in science where you can seriously inquire about this beautiful process called life. Right? So, I

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couldn’t find any other place where I can inquire about life and then spend my life literally asking questions and then finding a way of answering these questions. So, that was a life-changing moment.

That is one thing that really made me fall in love with biology. The second thing is the application part, right?

Every study that you do in biology in one way or another affects the life of millions of people, and that aspect is very attractive to me. I think these two probably sum it up.

EO: Growing up, what did your parents do for a living?

MW: I grew up with my grandparents and my grandad was a teacher.

And, probably, he influenced me to be a teacher myself. He was at the age of retirement when I was born, and, of course, since he retired he didn’t have anything to do but inspire me to be a knowledge seeker. So, I must have taken some of his footsteps.

EO: When did you start actively pursuing research projects and especially research projects in this particular area?

MW: This particular area started when I was a Ph.D. student. As a Ph.D. student, you are always given a project to work on so that you earn your research, but in my second year of my research, I knew that I would be in academics.

I knew that I would be a researcher, so I was always thinking about, “what would I do when I graduate,” right?

Coincidentally, I ended up identifying corn as a very interesting plant motor

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system and here we are. I ended up studying and then falling in love with corn.

EO: Can you tell me a little bit about how you formulated your current project, how grant process worked and what was it like actually receiving the grant?

MW: I started this project as more or less a paid project when I was a postdoctoral scientist at Cornell. I started asking questions and then doing some parallel experiments, in addition to the main project that I got paid for.

The preliminary data that we collected over the four years gave us very strong impetus to propose something grand—something big. And, that’s how it started.

Right after I joined TCNJ, a couple of my students and I kind of strung these pieces of preliminary data together and that gave us a complete picture of what we needed to explore.

We started working on the grant, and at TCNJ we have a grant writer, which makes life really easy. We worked with her for about 6 months refining the ideas and then writing everything in a way that made the most sense.

My collaborator at Cornell University also chipped in—he’s like a senior personnel on the grant.

We then compiled everything and sent it to the National Science Foundation.

EO: What was your reaction when you got the grant?

MW: The news that the project is being funded is very encouraging and I’m very excited for it—especially three things.

The first one is the scientific aspect of it.

The grant will give us an opportunity to explore the science in as much detail as we can.

Second, I am so excited about the training opportunity that it brings. Right now, even at the beginning of the grant, I have eleven undergrad students working with me in my lab.

The project will stay for another four years, and you can imagine the amount of high-quality research that I will be able to provide to students of all kinds, from all backgrounds and social and educational backgrounds.

The third opportunity is training somebody at a really high level. I will have a postdoctoral scientist working in my lab, and we have started the hiring process. The postdoctoral scientist will be trained in my lab and they will transition from being a postdoc into a faculty member at another college. That high-level training is something thing that I am so excited about.

Getting the money is really good for the science, but in addition to that, there is a lot of life-changing opportunities for students literally at the very formative stage of their academic

involvement. That is simply priceless.

EO: Can you explain to me, I guess for the readers as simplest terms as we possibly can, just exactly what it is you’re researching?

MW: In simple terms, what we’re looking for is mechanisms for protecting corn plants from attack by pests.

Corn is a very important crop. It provides energy, both for directly feeding our population, cattle and the alcohol industry. The energy industry is also fueled by corn.

Unfortunately, because of its nutritional value, is a species that is attacked by more than 90 different types of insect species.

EO: 90?

MW: Yes, 90 different types, and that is actually an understatement—it could be way above that.

What we are trying to do is to find out a natural way of defending corn plants from these attackers naturally.

All plant species in one way or another produce defensive chemicals when they are attacked by herbivores.

The production and the release of these toxic compounds is influenced by a very critical hormone signaling pathway. That hormone signaling cascade is known as the Jasmonate Signaling Cascade.

It is a very critical signaling cascade. If you have that cascade working well, then the plants will produce high amounts of defense compounds when they’re attacked by herbivores, which means they can defend themselves better.

In corn, we don’t know a lot about this signaling cascade. We know very little. So, that is exactly why I’m interested in looking at how this Jasmonate Signaling Cascade monitors the defense responses of corn.

We will be identifying novel genes or novel mechanisms that regulate the defense responses of maize (corn) and once those mechanisms are identified, you can imagine how important that would be, because you can breed them into the corn varieties that we have using natural methods and then go about producing more resistant corn lines.

EO: Have you started the research yet? How far are you?

MW: The preliminary data that we used is really good enough, and we are building on that. For the last six months, despite the pandemic, I was able to sneak in the lab, following, of course, all of the social distancing and masking protocols to do some work.

EO: How did you manage, and how will you manage, to go forward and work on this as the pandemic has progressed?

MW: The pandemic is painful on everybody. The last semesters we See GRANT, Page 6

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GRANT continued from Page 5 couldn’t bring students on campus, so I had to do most of the research by myself.

Fortunately, the early-career faculty like me were allowed to spend a limited amount of time in the laboratory with very strict social distancing protocols.

TCNJ has done a very good job and that benefits me a little bit. Even though I couldn’t involve all of my students in person, I was able to do a good amount of research during the pandemic.

Now, we are almost coming back to normalcy, and a number of students would come to the lab. Of course, you can only have one student at a time in the lab, but given that it’s way better than last semester.

EO: Has the college announced in person classes yet?

MW: No, no. We do have hybrid mode where you have a very limited number of students come in person and the rest join remotely. But, for research, you can only have one student per lab. When that student goes away, another student joins.

So, in a very specially and temporally separated manner we can have a limited number of students for research right now. Next semester we hope that we will be in person, but it is really difficult to make predictions. It all depends on how the pandemic pans out.

EO: Let’s talk a little bit about

Melkamu Woldemariam, professor of biology at TCNJ, has received a $1 million grant to study ways for corn to help improve its protection against insects. your home life. How long have you lived in Plainsboro Township?

MW: Three years now. I’m a newcomer.

EO: Relatively. Plainsboro is pretty transient, though so you might be one of the long-timers by this point. How many children do you have and what schools do they attend?

MW: I have two children. A daugh-

ter who is 16, she’s almost turning 17 now. She is in grade 11 at High School North. My son is in grade 9, he just turned 15.

EO: Do you have experiences that stick out that may have been important in helping shape your life or your career?

MW: Oh, absolutely. I have a lot of stories, but I think all of them, as far as my academic life is concerned, all of my stories revolve around my students.

I started my teaching career really early, I got lucky. I was selected to be a graduate assistant when I was 23 and a half. Which means, right from college I was a near-professor working in an academic environment.

I built relationships with many of my students early on, and the highlight of my life has been to see most of my students that I taught early becoming professors themselves.

I’m relatively young, but I have students who I taught as juniors or sophomores who are now professors in many universities all over.

That is an amazing feeling. It’s just like your children growing up and becoming somebody. And I was involved in teaching them courses, writing them recommendations and seeing them grow over the years.

Those stories always make me fall in love with teaching. That is a unique thing about my academic life. If there is anything, that would be a story.

EO: So, you’re in a great posi-

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tion. You get to teach students, work with students, train them to be instructors themselves while also, at the same time, get to do research in an area that you have a lot of interest in.

MW: Absolutely. I think that the influence that teachers have is simply an understatement. I mean, we do influence our students in really meaningful ways.

That is why I think this profession in general deserves a lot of respect and recognition. I feel strongly about that.

Another story is probably related to TCNJ. TCNJ is a smaller college, by many standards, but we have a really good project-driven environment.

Every course, for example, in the biology department, remarkably has a strong project-based teaching curriculum. Students are exposed to actual research early on.

Our first course, Bio 201, has three research projects where students will be progressing through and working actively on. It’s not like a theoretical enterprise, but it’s actually based on a research-driven curriculum.

That is one really remarkable thing and it supports your research career too. The second thing is that we are highly encouraged to integrate our research into the classroom.

This is unique in many aspects.

For example, I teach two upper level courses, and in both of them my students are actually working on my own research.

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They are part of the data collection.

So, it’s not like they’re given a tiny project where they start, then they finish, and then that’s it. They know they are involved in something grand. Something that contributes to a bigger picture.

Those are really important things that actually make everyone thrive in TCNJ’s environment. In addition to, of course, having a dedicated office for grant writing and encouraging faculty to be teacher scholars. And, I would like this message to be out there, in one way or another, and that is responsible for my little success I’ve achieved so far.

EO: Can you tell me your wife’s name?

MW: My wife’s name— I think her shortened name would be easier—is Lily. She prefers that one. She has an Ethiopian name which is longer, but Lily is probably easier.

EO: If you look down the road, where do you see your career going?

MW: I have one life mission. I want to do really cool science that can be done in any big universities.

I worked at Cornell and I worked at the Max Planck Institute, where you can do really huge levels of research.

What I see myself doing, is conducting exactly that kind of high level research at TCNJ. That is my life mission. And the grant is enhancing the research capacity of my department.

I want to make sure we have all the tools that we need, all the techniques and skills that we need to do really cool science with undergrad students. Those are, I think, my life missions for the next few years.

EO: That’s awesome. I guess, one other question that came to my mind is generally what do the funds from the grant go towards?

MW: A couple of things. Number one, most of the grant goes into purchasing the tools that are needed towards research. It could be reagents that are needed, it could be paying for services like mass spectrometic services, DNA sequencing services—all of those really pricey things will be covered by that.

A fair chunk of it will go into training the postdoctoral scientists that come to my lab.

The postdoctoral scientist swill stay at my lab for two years and we will be training the postdoctoral scientists using the funding.

We will have about two REU students— there is this program called Research Experience for Undergraduates and what we do is send two students every year to Cornell for the summer for an intensive two-month long training.

We will send two students per year every summer for the next four or five years. And these students will be be exposed to really high level research for two months In addition, there are two students every year that will be trained with me during the summer. Tuition fees and all of the things will be covered for them.

These are the major things (the grant will pay for), but in addition to this, we have two days, which I will be hosting students from the Trenton school district.

The idea is we will go ahead and recruit these high school students and they will come to my lab and see what kind of

research we do.

They will actually be involved in learning the tools of the trade and then asking questions that are related to my research.

We will have this kind of continuous supply of training opportunities for students from the surrounding areas.

In addition to that, I think I have two students per year who will join me on a National Conference. We will go to scientific symposiums and my plan is to actually put my students up front, so rather than me telling my story, these undergrad students will go to the scientific symposiums, present posters or even give talks.

We do also have funding for that so that the students will be able to network with other students and other professors and actually see what scientific symposiums on a big scale look like. So, these are the major big-ticket items for the research.

EO: Is there anything I haven’t asked or talked to you about that you would like the readers to know about?

MW: I think we talked pretty much well about every aspect. Good questions.

Please make sure your readers know how awesome TCNJ’s environment is. For students, it’s an environment where they can come and thrive.

And a big acknowledgement to everybody at TCNJ, the department, the deanship is a very supportive and nurturing environment. And I really, really appreciate the support form everybody.

Contact BILL SANSERVINO: bsanservino@ communitynews.org, (609) 396-1511, ext. 104, facebook.com/BillSanservino.

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April 2021 | Ewing Observer7

GOODNEWS The Ewing Public Schools Schools

June April

2021 2005

Adopt-a-Survivor Program for Teacher the Year Recipients are Honored EHS Football A Great Season EHS GirlsofHoops!

Begins at Ewing High School Standout Honored Nearly sixty years since Allied forces liberated the Nazi concentration camps, the now elderly survivors of the Holocaust are turning to a new generation to preserve their testimony about their wartime experiences for future generations.

Holocaust survivors are steadily dwindling in number.

Many madeafter it their mission to educate As they left have the court a tough state playoff the world that anti-Semitism racism loss to Hopewell Valley lastand year, the easily juniorslead on to murder, and to speak about the Ilana horrors they and the EHS Girls Basketball team, Wade, Getheir families With the passing of time, it has neece Boone,suffered.

Madison Scott and Tamia Warner, become urgent to find a new generation to sadness, continue all felt the typical post-game emotions: the survivors’ mission and tell their stories after the disappointment, frustration. survivors do so.

But at can leastnoitlonger was normal.

On April 12, the Adopt-a-Survivor (AAS) At the time, the student-athletes had no idea program was introduced to the Trenton area at that it would be the last normal thing forEwing quite High School. some time. Six Holocaust survivors were adopted byShortly twelve after Ewingthat Highloss, sophomores.

The adopted the COVID-19 pansurvivors—Moshe Gimlan, Vera Goodkin, demic swept through the nation. After Marion March th Lewin, Ruth Lubitz, Charles andto Jack Zaifman— 12 , the girls would notRojer return Ewing High were originally from Germany, Czechoslovakia, School for the rest of their junior year.

Poland and Belgium.

As Ewing High School reopened in the fall, The survivor with onethey or the girlsAAS wereprogram hopefulpairs anda optimistic that more students.

The students embark on a joint journey could return to the court in the winter. They with the through discussions about life knew thatsurvivor there were brighter days ahead, but before, during and after Holocaust.season Participating needed to be sure that the a basketball would students will be able to represent the survivor and actually happen. tell“Ithedefinitely survivor’s had storydoubts with accuracy feeling we in about and whether the years to come.

In addition, each student makes would be able to get to play this year, but we a commitment to when tell thewe survivor’s public were all excited realizedstory thatinwea would venue in the year 2045, a hundred years after the get to have a season,” Warner remarked. liberation of Auschwitz.

Their excitement was heightened by the knowltwelve adopters are Dave Angebranndt, edgeThe that this student solid core of upperclassmen would Tyler Barnes, Annie Cook, Liz Dunham, Emily Everett, be joined by a dynamic freshman class, including Curtis Fornarotto,Rhian Vildana Hajric, Devonpresence Jones, the playmaking Stokes, interior Jen Meade, Billy O’Callaghan, Nikyta Sharma Joi Johnson, and versatile Te'Yala Delfosse. and Melysa continued on page A2 WhenWilson. the combination of stellar senior leader-

EHS Football standout Dayne Ellis was honored by the Delaware Valley Chapter of the National Football Foundation and the College Hall of Fame as Colonial Valley Conference season, overwhelmEwing High School’s 2020 ing opponents with their skill and savvy, finishScholar-Leader-Athlete. ing the season undefeated, including convincing “It is a tremendous honor for Dayne to be recogwins over longtime rivals Notre Dame, Hopewell nized by teachers, coaches, classmates and teamValley and Allentown. mates for his efforts in the classroom and on the With no NJSIAA state playoffs this year, Ew- football field,” the organization announced in a ing was placed in a mini-tournament of the top released statement. “The Delaware Valley Chapter teams in the conference, only to see their final of the National Football Foundation and College game against Allentown, a team it had soundly Hall of Fame honored Dayne at our 59th Annual defeated earlier in the week, cancelled at the last George Wah Awards event in March.” moment after a positive COVID test emerged The versatile lineman has garnered attention from a team it played 48 hours earlier. for his impressive accomplishments in the class“I thought that we might have some COVID room and on the gridiron. challenges this year,” Scott stated. “But I didn’t “Dayne has been incredibly reliable as he the 2005 literally Teacher of the Year Awards were honored at a luncheon on April 29th. Jan Fay, 2004 Mercer County thinkThe it recipients would ofemerge minutes before hasn't missedAntheil; a practice, game, Lore; or snap for2004 us,” Teacher the Year, was a guest speaker. 1st row (L to R): Joan Zuckerman, Principal Sharon Solomon, Jan Fay, our lastoftitle game.”

EHS Miller, HeadEHS; Coach Matt Ray Dalessio “He Mercer County Teacher of the Year; Inetta Emery, Principal Parkway; Danielle Superintendent Broach. 2ndstated. row: Darrell Regardless of how it ended, all the members Jackson, Principal FMS; Donna Andreas, Antheil; Don Barnett, FMS; Betsy Parkway; Rodney graduating Logan, Principalclass EHS. of 2021 leadsTurgeon, the EHS football of the EHS Girls Basketball team can take pride with the highest GPA and is a true gentleman and in Ewing a great season and Students be excited about their High Attend Gorbachev Presentation a great young man.

Dayne is poised to continue bright futures.

Whitney Lewis, EHS Freshman They will bring with them great memories, “Ev- to do great things in life, in college and beyond.”

On April 18, 2005 Ms. Chiavuzzo, Mrs. Walker

ship and enthusiastic freshman combined on the Safety Townand impressive. court, the results were substantial June 30 11 the truncated The Blue Devils rompedJuly through

ery playing with those girls joined was theseveral best,” and second 30 Ewing High School freshmen Scott shared.

“Senior Night was very special this Mercer County high school and college students, year as we all got to share the court one last time.” and politicians to hear a presentation given by WarnerGorbachev is interested playing hoops in colMikhail at theinSovereign Bank Arena. lege, and her classmates are excited about Gorbachev was the last communist leader oftheir the next in the journey butDuring they move Sovietsteps Union from 1985astowell, 1991. his on knowing that thevarious program is set up for success term he instituted policies including his in the future. political policy of Glasnost and economic policy “We are grateful and appreciative of our seniors and all they have done for the program,” Athletic Director Ernie Covington stated. “We wish them the best and they will always have a home here.”

Trentonian ALL-CVC Basketball Team picks for both the girls and the boys Ewing High School Basketball teams had quite a few honorees: Ewing High Girls Basketball team freshman tandem Joi Johnson and Rhian Stokes led the All CVC First Team, Geneece Boone was selected for the All-CVC Second Team and Coach Monti

(Dan Montferrat) was selected as Coach of the Year. Chimia Bethea was selected as the Christian Somma Courage Award Winner.

On the boy’s side, Tyreek Rollins was selected for the All-CVC Boys’ Basketball Third Team and Marcus Beaubrun was designated for Honorable Mention.

Have a Happy Summer!!

Contact: Jean Conrad 609-538-9800 x1302 Congratulations for application

GoodNews will resume with the September issueOrder! of the Observer are in

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’s main goal was to The Fisher Middle School make the Soviet economic system more efficient.

Odyssey of the Mind teams parPerestroika involved the transfer of control from ticipated in a virtual regional the government to the business owners. This policy

FMS Sends Four Teams to OotM Virtual Competition

tournament continued on pagethis A2 past March.

This year Fisher had four teams Due budget compete.

Theto teams spent restraints the last few months NO Summer School Programs creating scripts, props and costumes for their eight-minute video.

Odyssey of the Mind will be offered by the Coach Liz Butera proudly stated, “All of the Ewing Public Schools teams have done a great Job!”

during the Summer of 2005.

Follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/TheEwingSchools 8Good News | April 2021

The Ewing Public Schools EHS Artwork Selected for Phillips Mill Art Show Congratulations to Natalie Slok who received an Honorable Mention for Works on Paper, “The Advocate” Congratulations to the following students who had their artwork selected for participation in this year's Phillips' Mill Youth Art Exhibition, New Hope, Pennsylvania:

Painting Category:

Photography Category:

Natalie Slok, “Disconnected”, Goauche

Andres Beauchamps, “Tunnel Vision”

Works on Paper Category:

Natalie Slok, “The Advocate”, Mixed Media

Emilia Carbajal, “Stalker”, Colored Pencil

Ariana Miranda, self-portrait, Charcoal; “Party Girl”, Chalk

Trinity Warner , “Building Blocks”, Colored Pencil

The Youth Art Exhibition was conceived when Phillips’ Mill decided to build on the success of its well-respected adult Art Exhibition, which began in 1929. As the adult show seeks participation from artists living within a 25 mile radius of the Mill, the Youth Art Exhibits solicits participation from the art departments of high schools located within that radius. The art department at each school selects the student work. They are then assessed by a juror selected by the Mill, and cash prizes are awarded.

From its start in 2014, the show has grown in size each year, both in the number of artists and works displayed as well as the number of participating high schools. The amount of prize money awarded has also grown thanks to the generosity of sponsors. The exhibition is free for the schools and the artists, and no commission on sales is charged. This year's exhibition was virtual, with award winners notified by March 15, 2021.

Referendum ’18 Update Referendum ’18 construction projects are continuing to make progress, even during the pandemic. Currently, the Ewing High School and Fisher Middle School Gymnasium and Locker Room Rehabilitation projects are well under way. In addition, we recently started demo on a much anticipated Ewing High School Auditorium renovation. Starting April 1, 2021, we will begin the demo and replacement of boilers district-wide; this will bring higher efficiency heat and hot water to the district, helping to reduce our district’s overall carbon footprint. This summer we will tackle several sections of roofing throughout the district as well as finalize the planning of the overhaul of the district’s HVAC systems and building automation controls, also facilitating the greening of our schools.

Other capital projects that will be forthcoming are an electrical and data upgrade throughout the district, some Gusz building interior and exterior improvements, and some final touch-ups to the Ewing High School Athletic campus. The Ewing Public Schools is proud of the progress it has made toward these projects over the last year in spite of all of the challenges brought on

by COVID-19. We are looking forward to better days, when members of the public and school community can come for a visit to see an athletic event in our new gymnasiums, or attend one of many concerts and plays put on by our talented students. That stated, none of this would have been possible without the guidance of the Board of Education and support from the community.

Thank you and hope to see you “in-person” soon.

Lore Receives Kindness Certified School Recognition Students are honored for actively creating a kinder world.

The world can use some extra joy right now and the students at Lore School are doing their part to uplift their community with kindness, compassion, unity and respect! To recognize Lore’s ongoing commitment to kindness and their participation in the 10th annual Great Kindness Challenge, they have been designated as a “Kindness Certified School” by Kids for Peace.

Kids for Peace is a global nonprofit that hosts The Great Kindness Challenge, a positive and uplifting program that fosters connection, inclusion, appreciation and overall well-being. The annual program has multiplied in enrollment each year, having grown to over 17 million students in 33,000 schools, reaching across all 50 states and 115 countries.

Lore School students demonstrated their commitment to kindness by encouraging all students to complete acts of kindness as well as decorating the school with uplifting messages, organizing a school-wide service project, and hosting Spirit Days. Lore Principal Kelly Kawalek couldn’t be prouder of her students. “I am so very proud of our Lore Lions for accepting the Great Kindness Challenge and for showing that, We are Lore…

Hear our Roar! Even in today’s world of uncertainty, Lore students continue to demonstrate kindness in the way they treat one another and in their service to community. Whether it’s helping others during the holiday seasons or collecting books to be sent to a school in Texas, who suffered such loss in the recent floods, we continue to work together to make the world a better place.”

Lore School invites the Ewing community to keep the kindness going by lifting each other up, helping each other out and cheering each other on. Kindness has the power to unite us all!

Follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/TheEwingSchools April 2021 | Good News9

The Ewing Public Schools Senior Spotlight: Meet Selma Benkhoukha Do you have any ‘words of wisdom’ to share with your classmates as we are still navigating the COVID-19 health crisis? My best words of wisdom through this COVID era of hybrid and virtual school is to stay focused on the goals that originally motivated you. Whether it’s just to get good grades, work for your dream school, work for your dream job or to just graduate. Keep your goals in mind and it will help motivate you to go to class so much more.

What do you want people to know about Ewing High School that they might not know?

Ewing High School students come from so many backgrounds, there is always something to learn from the various experiences and stories students share to educate one another. Ewing High School is dedicated to spreading the message that culture is beautiful and should be celebrated. From Black History Month celebrations to Hispanic Heritage Month and Women’s History Month, Ewing High School embraces and celebrates everyone’s culture, identity and individuality.

In which activities do you participate in school? I am a student-athlete on the EHS Girls Varsity Soccer team and EHS Girls Lacrosse

team. I am a member of the Student Council, the Environmental Club and I am also a Peer Leader.

In addition, I am a Princeton University Preparatory Program (PUPP) scholar.

What activities do you participate outside of school? PUPP takes place both in and outside of school, so I dedicate my time to the program. I also have a part-time job at Dick’s Sporting Goods.

What awards or acknowledgements have you received in school and/or outside of school? I was the “Rookie of the Year” on the EHS Girls Lacrosse team my first year playing. I have also been recommended for various scholarships throughout high school by teachers and advisors.

What accomplishments are you most proud of?

I think now more than ever I recognize the small things I should be proud of myself for. I think my proudest accomplishment is just making it to where I am today, getting through high school and having a future to look forward to. I went through a long period of time of being unmotivated and still, from time to time, I feel the effects of quarantine, but I am proud of myself for picking myself up and getting back to where I left off.

What is your favorite memory of high school to date? As insignificant as this may seem, my favorite memory of high school is meeting up with my friends in the time before class started in the morn-

Parkway 5th Students Given Books to Build Home Reading Libraries!

Mrs. Eve Schroeder is a Parkway Elementary School teacher who has switched roles this school year from 3rd grade virtual teacher to an EIS ‘in-person’ teacher to a 5th grade ELA virtual teacher. While switching back and forth, Mrs. Schroeder realized that students who are learning at home do not always have access to books to read independently. With a small donation, Mrs. Schroeder was able to collect approximately 100 books from BookSmiles to give to her students.

BookSmiles, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, provides educators, especially those serving Title I schools, with unlimited books for their classroom libraries as well as for their students' personal collections.

After a bit of planning it was decided that the virtual 5th grade students would come to school one afternoon to browse the books Mrs. Schroeder collected. A contactless exchange was arranged

ing, just talking and eating our Dunkin Donuts. It is the little things like that, when school closed due to COVID, I found myself missing the most.

Who is your favorite teacher and why? Mr. Hammer definitely holds the position of favorite teacher. People look at me like I’m crazy when I say AP Biology is my favorite class but that’s just the magic power Mr. Hammer has. He is not only an amazing teacher and gives great advice for school and preparing for college, but also gives so much to Ewing High School.

What are your plans after you graduate from Ewing High School? I plan to go to college and study Neuroscience. I want to be a Neurologist so medical school is also somewhere in my future plan. Before then I plan on having fun and celebrating graduation with my friends.

What is your favorite quote or book? My favorite book is The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.

Now the important question, during this time of social-distancing what have you been doing in your free time? Since I cannot hang out with my friends, I found myself video chatting and working on myself and ‘my space’ a lot. My room has gone through major renovations and so has my mind.

Even when this COVID era comes to an end something I will continue to do is take time out of my day to either journal or do something for myself.

EHS Boys Basketball Volunteers with Green Team

and each virtual student was able to take home up to three books, including one brand new book.

Parkway ‘in-person’ 5th grade students were able to choose a brand new book during their library special class that same week.

Ewing High School Boys Basketball team helped beautify the community by volunteering their time to help clean up Moody Park on the first day of spring. Organized by the Ewing Township’s Sustainable Green Team, in coordination with AmeriCorps Watershed Ambassador Program, the clean-up event held on March 20th coincided with the regional and state events to focus on beautifying your community. Couldn’t make the event? Take time to beautify your Ewing neighborhood any day!

Follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/TheEwingSchools 10Good News | April 2021

The Ewing Public Schools April 2021 Schedule in Ewing Schools Apr 1-2

Schools Closed - Spring Break

Apr 5

Schools Closed

Apr 6-9

No “In-school” Programming; All schools and students will be operating on a virtual learning platform

Apr 12

“In-school” Programming Resumes

Apr 13

EHS - S2 T1 Q2 Parent Progress Reports FMS & Elementary - End of 3rd Marking Period

Apr 23

FMS & Elementary - Genesis Parent Access 3rd Marking Period Report Cards

Apr 26

Board of Education Meeting (FMS Auditorium) @ 7pm (Public Session @ 8pm)

Skype a Scientist at FMS

Fisher Middle School teacher, Mr. Jesse Ambriz has worked diligently to ensure his students have authentic learning experiences. Skype a Scientist connects professionals with the classroom to provide an opportunity to make learning personal. The guest Scientist/Mathematician that joined Mr. Ambriz’s class was Bennett Sessa. He talked about his profession and how he uses mathematics in his career as a scientist. He also talked about how math is all around us. He structured his presentation based upon what Mr. Ambriz’s students were currently learning. Additionally, he shared several videos, simulations, graphics, and even Art pieces. The students concluded their session by asking tailored questions they crafted for Mr. Sessa.

$25 for 25 Years Capital Campaign Since 1994, EPEF has awarded thousands of dollars of grants to Ewing Educators for innovative programming that directly benefits our community's greatest asset, the children in our community. Supporting programs and experiences for our students in Science, Math, Technology, Music, the Arts and civic programs has been our hallmark. Your support helps to fund these programs without the use of taxpayer dollars. Be a Giver! Support the $25 for 25 Capital Campaign.

Your contribution helps to support grants like these provided to Ewing Township public school teachers: Lore's Two Brain Challenge Game Show Assembly, 3D Printing Like the Pros, Maker Space Positive Education, Get Moving With Math, Diversity Through Literacy, Hearbuilder Literacy Program, Pawsitive Panthers Day of Service, and innovative grants such as Technology to Support 21st Century Workplace, and Full STEAM Ahead.

In addition, EPEF also provides scholarships annually for graduating seniors and has worked with major corporate partners to provide additional support and resources for programs throughout Ewing Public Schools, such as the Week of Service/Trenton Area Soup Kitchen and Antheil’s Hands on Science with a Dash of Math grants.

For more information about EPEF, please visit our website at www.EPEF.org.

Safety Town: CANCELLED for 2021 Safety Town 2021 has been cancelled for this year but the program will return in June 2022. See you next year in 2022!

FMS and EHS Orchestra Classes Welcomed a Special Guest Speaker TCNJ Orchestra Director, Professional Violinist and Professor: Uli Speth The Fisher Middle School orchestra and Ewing High School orchestra classes had a special guest speaker via Google Meet during February and March.

Mr. Uli Speth is a professional violinist, professor, and orchestra director at The College of New Jersey.

Mr. Speth performed for the students and had students try new techniques with him including Martelé bow and vibrato. Mr. Speth spoke about his musical experiences which began when he was a child first playing the recorder and then violin in his home country of Germany, which brought him to New York City for college and other opportunities.

Mr. Speth also spoke about the benefits of playing in orchestra in high school and beyond including how great it looks on college applications, and the social opportunities it can provide. Mr. Speth did a great job working with the students, offering words of encouragement for a challenging school year, and answering all of their questions.

2021 Ewing Township Board of Education Ms. Lisa A. McConnell, President Dr. Channing C. Conway Mrs. Deborah A. Delutis Ms. Deborah A. Jones

?

Mr. Anthony F. Messina, Vice President Mr. Michael S. Miller Mr. Tyrone A. Miller, Jr. Mrs. Stephanie F. Staub

For questions or information, please contact: Superintendent’s Office 609-538-9800 ext. 1102 Email: thullings@ewingboe.org Website: www.ewing.k12.nj.us

Design and Layout by Daniella Crescente GoodNews is an official publication of The Ewing Public Schools ©2021 GoodNews

April 2021 | Good News11

FESTA continued from Page 1 Italy and stay-at-home mom.

“I got an education with (the mob),” he says and then provides examples: “Like ‘never be a sucker.’ That means people will take advantage of you. And no one takes advantage of me. And ‘never argue with a fool,’ they get you on their level and then beat with you with their experience.”

Festa says when the judge gave him a three-year suspension, another bookmaker, who also happened to be a barber, gave him a job in his Warren Street shop.

“I never took a lesson,” Festa says.

Instead he got serious, got to the shop early, and learned on the job by cutting hundreds of heads of hair in order to perfect his craft.

“I had to learn a legitimate job. Cutting hair saved my life,” he says.

He then mentions a few other choices that helped him get a handle on his life and his profession.

“My success is that I married the right lady,” he says of his wife of 57 years, Marie.

“She is more attractive than the day I married,” he says of the mother of their three grown daughters and six grandchildren.

Another choice? “Being nice. That’s what got me through life.”

That includes finding himself the owner of four Warren Street properties because someone appreciated his kindness to his wife.

Since then Festa has become an apostle of kindness and has a personal

Ewing resident Joe Festa has run his Trenton barber shop for 60 years. mantra: “Keep kindness to yourself, it destroys you.”

And word on the street and the occasional newspaper article say Festa does more than talk and is involved with helping people get back on their feet by finding them places to stay and finding support.

“If you want to feel good, be nice to someone else,” he says, adding “I teach children to be nice to people.”

Festa says he’s a happy man working in what he calls an “old fashioned neighborhood” with shoe makers, restaurants, lawyers, and barber shops.

But he also laments that the city seems to have lost its sense of selfdirection. “I’m looking at our city where our country started here. But we’re not taking care of it. We have a hotel that has been closed for three years. The governor should be doing something.”

Taking a more than half-full glass attitude he adds, “But in tough times, that’s when you find out what you’re about. Things are happening for a purpose.”

“We have the 40,000 state workers who haven’t been working down here. We’re having hard time without the state people. We should be nice to them when we get them back.

“The people who live in Trenton have to want a better city. They have got to want it. There is always a way.

We’re not giving up.”

“We” includes fellow Warren Street area business owners — Classic Books, Giaquinto’s Shoes, Smoke House Restaurant, and others who have been supporting one another as the city’s fortunes and pandemic restrictions change — like when Festa had to close for several months.

“There’s kind of a harmony here (on Warren Street),” he continues.

“When you promote your neighbor, you promote your own business.”

Upbeat and quick with homespun wit and wisdom, Festa moves to the

topic of education and starts with a joke, “Know why Italian women are smart? Because they have to deal with dumbbells like me.”

After a few other groaners, he gets serious and says he dropped out of school in seventh grade and recently taught himself to read. “Get the lesson out that it is never too late,” he says.

Now one of the joys of his new found skill is learning more about one of his heroes, Abraham Lincoln, represented in a picture near his cutting station. “I love him. I think he is still here.

Life is important, but what is more important is the impression you leave.

I’m going to leave great memories.”

Some of those memories are also in pictures filling a good portion of the shop’s north wall, where clients wait.

There, a colorful line of images show Festa with Marie, his daughters and grandchildren, mayors, shop visitors, and images of Festa at his body-building prime.

Then he is quick to point out a single framed card on another wall. It’s from one of his daughters and poetically thanks him for “working hard to make my dreams come true.”

“I read it every day,” he says as he leans against the barber chair and stretches his legs. “Got to move,” he says about his actions. “Good health is vital to success. The difference between failure and success is energy.

A lot of people don’t have the energy. ” But that’s not all, “When you’re 85 and can put 12 hours in a day, you have to love what you’re doing.”

EWING CYO at Hollowbrook SUMMER CAMP

PRE-SCHOOL

• June 21st - August 20th (8AM - 5PM) • Ages 5 - 10 (Small group sizes) • Free breakfast, lunch and snacks • Child Care Connection and Mercer County 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 • Ages 31/2 - 5 • Hours 8AM - 5PM • Free Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks • All vouchers accepted • Private subsidies available on a limited basis • Large playground • Beautiful suburban setting

All State and Local Covid-19 protocols will be strictly followed.

REGISTER TODAY Spaces Limited

609-883-1560 12Ewing Observer | April 2021

HEALTH @capitalhealthnj

APRIL 2021

HEADLINES

B I - M O N T H LY N E W S F R O M C A P I TA L H E A LT H

Capital Health Welcomes New Neurology Specialists to Capital Institute for Neurosciences

“When patients require expert care for complex neurological conditions such as stroke, aneurysms, and brain and spine trauma, they look to our Capital Institute for Neurosciences,” said Dr. Dustin Rochestie, director of Neurology and Neurocritical Care. “Drs. Patel, Kiviat, Kananeh, and Patel add additional depth and experience to our team, so patients can be confident they’re receiving the most advanced neuroscience care in the region.”

Capital Health Regional Medical Center includes one of the largest dedicated Neuro ICUs in the state to care for the most complex neuroscience patients. DR. MOHAMMED KANANEH is one of the hospital’s fellowship trained neuro critical care physicians who provide intensive care for patients with life threatening conditions such as stroke, traumatic brain or spine injury, brain aneurysms, and other serious neurological disorders.

He was fellowship trained in neurocritical care at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

He completed his neurology residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, where he also completed his internal medicine internship.

DR. PRATIT PATEL joined the team to treat patients requiring endovascular intervention and diagnostics for cerebrovascular conditions like brain aneurysm, stroke, carotid and intracranial stenosis, arteriovenous malformation (AVM), arteriovenous fistula, and subdural hematoma. He is board certified in vascular neurology, neurology and neurosonology (ultrasonic imaging of the brain and other neural structures). Dr. Patel uses minimally invasive neuroendovascular techniques to treat patients accessing the brain’s vascular system using a catheter through the groin area or wrist. After completing his neurology residency at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Dr. Patel was fellowship trained in vascular neurology at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and later completed additional fellowship training in endovascular surgical neuroradiology at Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey.

Capital Institute for Neurosciences also offers care in the outpatient setting. Neurologist DR. MITEN PATEL, who recently joined the Institute’s Pennington-based practice, is board certified in neurology and fellowship trained in neuromuscular medicine. He received his medical degree at University College London in London, England. He went on to complete further graduate studies at University of Cambridge and conducted research at the Sanger Institute, which culminated in an MPhil degree.

Dr. Patel completed his neurology residency at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, New York, where he also completed his fellowship training in neuromuscular medicine, with an emphasis on electromyography (EMG). EMG is used to detect neuromuscular abnormalities by measuring electrical activity and muscle response to a nerve’s stimulation of the muscle.

DR. DAVID KIVIAT received his medical degree from the University of Florida, where he also completed his neurology training.

He has treated patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings and has managed care in the neuro ICU, stroke unit, and inpatient neurology service. Dr. Kiviat works with the Capital Health team as a part of its neurohospitalist service, treating patients with a wide range of neurologic disorders and emergencies. Dr. Kiviat is also experienced in neuroradiology, routine and long-term electroencephalograms (EEG) studies, and lumbar punctures.

Capital Institute for Neurosciences provides the most advanced neuroscience care and treatments for conditions such as stroke, aneurysms, vascular malformations, carotid artery disease, cerebrovascular disorders, brain tumors, brain and spine trauma, and complex spine care. Surgical services include neuroendovascular surgery, neurovascular surgery, microsurgery, brain tumor and skull base surgery, as well as advanced spine surgery. Capital Health’s Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center also operates a Mobile Stroke Unit, the first unit of its kind to go live in New Jersey and the Delaware Valley.

Capital Health recently welcomed Dr. Pratit Patel, Dr. Mohammed Kananeh, Dr. David Kiviat and Dr. Miten Patel to its Capital Institute for Neurosciences. The new providers include fellowship trained and board certified specialists who join the Institute in providing the most advanced neuroscience care and treatments to patients in central New Jersey and Lower Bucks County in Pennsylvania.

To learn more, visit capitalneuro.org.

Health Headlines by Capital Health | Ewing Observer13

Capital Health Introduces NEW ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD TO IMPROVE PATIENT CARE Capital Health, a regional leader in providing progressive, quality patient care, is now using a new electronic health record (EHR) across its two hospitals’ acute care areas to better serve the community and its patients. The EHR from global health care technology company Cerner Corporation supports doctors, nurses and staff to document and access critical patient information to make treatment decisions, ensure safety and improve the health care experience.

"During this challenging time, we are proud to offer our patients an improved health care experience through the launch of our new EHR,” said Gene Grochala, chief information officer, Capital Health. “Despite the challenges of COVID-19, our staff came together to successfully launch this new technology as part of our commitment to the health and well-being of our patients. We look forward to showing the community the benefits of this new system in simplifying and streamlining our ability to provide highquality health care services.”

The new Cerner EHR will support Capital Health clinicians to efficiently document and access patient information all in one location. Having the most up-to-date patient information at their fingertips supports clinicians in making the most appropriate and informed data-driven decisions. It also means patients who receive care at both Capital Health hospitals may not have to fill out as much paperwork because their critical health data will be able to follow them between locations.

"Setting up a new EHR during a global pandemic is not a simple task, and Capital Health overcame immense challenges to complete the project for the benefit of its patients and clinicians,” said Brian Kincade, senior director and general manager, Cerner. “We were able to successfully move a large portion of the design and build activity to a virtual environment, due to social distancing and travel restrictions, without skipping a beat. Capital Health’s dedication to getting the new system up and running, while also providing life-saving care amid COVID-19, is a testament to its commitment to the community.”

Patients will also have access to their health records through Cerner’s secure online patient portal. Once enrolled, patients can securely exchange messages with their care team, view health information and records, settle balances and view upcoming appointments. Through greater access to their own information, Capital Health is empowering patients to take a more active role in their care to support health and well-being.

Capital Health is the Central New Jersey/Lower Bucks County region's leader in providing progressive, quality patient care with significant investments in physicians, nurses and staff, as well as advanced technology. Comprised of two hospitals (Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton, NJ and Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell), an outpatient facility in Hamilton, NJ, and various primary and specialty care practices across the region, Capital Health is a dynamic health care provider accredited by DNV GL – health care and a four-time Magnet®-recognized health system for nursing excellence.

For more information, visit capitalhealth.org.

14Ewing Observer | Health Headlines by Capital Health

SIGN UP FOR CAPITAL HEALTH’S HOSPITAL PATIENT PORTAL CAPITAL HEALTH’S FREE ONLINE HOSPITAL PATIENT PORTAL GIVES YOU ACCESS TO YOUR HEALTH SUMMARY if you were admitted to one of our hospitals or visited one of our Emergency Departments on or after July 15, 2015. Outpatient diagnostic test results and laboratory results are available from July 1, 2016. Additional features to help you better manage your health will become available at a later time.

Our portals are available to patients 18 years of age or older.

Parents or guardians of patients under the age of 18 who wish to have access to their child’s medical records are asked to call our Health Information Management Department at 609.303.4085 (Hopewell) or 609.394.4460 (Regional Medical Center).

PREVIOUS PORTAL SIGN UP:

(for visits from July 15, 2015 – February 5, 2021) • Visit capitalhealth.org/myportal.

Click on the link for the Capital Health Hospital Patient Portal July 15, 2015 – February 5, 2021.

• Use your personal (not work) email.

You should receive a confirmation email once you have registered for the new patient portal.

• You must have an email address in order to register for the portal.

NEW PORTAL SIGN UP: (for visits from February 6, 2021 – present) • Visit capitalhealth.org/myportal.

Click on the link for the Capital Health Hospital Patient Portal February 6, 2021 – present.

• Use your personal (not work) email.

You should receive a confirmation email once you have registered for the new patient portal.

• You must have an email address in order to register for the portal.

Capital Health Specialty Practices – Bordentown is located on the second floor at 100 K Johnson Blvd N, Suite 201, Bordentown, New Jersey 08505.

CAPITAL HEALTH OPENS NEW MULTISPECIALTY CARE OFFICE IN BORDENTOWN Expanding access to specialty health care service for residents in Burlington County, Capital Health recently opened its new Specialty Practices – Bordentown location at 100 K Johnson Blvd N, Suite 201, Bordentown, New Jersey 08505 (on the northbound side of Route 130, across from the Team 85 Fitness & Wellness Center). The new office shares a building that is also home to Capital Health Primary Care – Bordentown and Rothman Orthopaedics.

“Thanks to the continued growth of Capital Health Medical Group, access to expert health care in Burlington County is more convenient than ever,” said Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Health. “When our neighbors who live or work in Burlington County need specialized care for more complex conditions, our new Specialty Practices – Bordentown location brings highly trained clinicians under the same roof as our Primary Care – Bordentown team to streamline their care and address a wider range of health care needs.”

The providers at Capital Health Specialty Practices – Bordentown are part of Capital Health Medical Group, a network of more than 400 physicians and providers who offer carefully coordinated primary and specialty care. All Medical Group offices use a shared electronic medical records system, which allows providers to access medical records on secure network, making it convenient for patients to continue their care across our network of primary and specialty care providers. Patients can also manage their health easier using our Capital Health Medical Group patient portal, which allows them to conveniently access information about any of their office visits online.

For more information about Capital Health Specialty Practices – Bordentown, visit capitalhealth.org/specialtybordentown.

Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists clinicians, including DR. CHRISTI WESTON, DR. ARVIND BHASKER, DR. KRISTINA MCGUIRE, and licensed clinical social worker VICTORIA PENACARDINALLI, provide compassionate psychiatric care, counseling services, and advanced treatment (such as transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression) in a warm, calming environment. To learn more, visit capitalhealth.org/behavioralhealth or call 609.689.5725 to schedule an appointment.

Capital Health – Endocrinology Specialists includes DRS. SHERI GILLIS-FUNDERBURK, ERIKA VILLANUEVA, JOANNA TOLIN, SUNIL THOMAS, and NAZISH AHMAD, who provide care for people living with diabetes, thyroid disorders, metabolic bone diseases (such as osteoporosis), and other problems involving the endocrine (or gland) system. To learn more, visit capitalendocrinology.org or call 609.303.4300 to schedule an appointment.

Capital Health – Gastroenterology Specialists includes fellowship trained gastroenterologists DRS. MARK SAXENA, WASEEM BUTT, and MICHAEL ITIDIARE, as well as nurse practitioner LISA COSTELLO, all of whom specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of general diseases of the digestive system for adult patients. Visit capitalgastro.org to learn more or schedule an appointment by calling 609.528.8884.

Capital Health – Pediatric Gastroenterology Specialists, led by fellowship trained pediatric gastroenterologist DR. SABEENA FARHATH, provides patient-focused care with compassion for treating gastrointestinal illnesses in infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. Visit capitalhealth.org/pediatricgi to learn more or schedule an appointment by calling 609.528.8894.

Capital Health – Rheumatology Specialists includes fellowship trained rheumatologists DRS. WILLIAM TORELLI, RISHI PATEL, and LEIGH SEGAL, who specialize in the care and treatment of conditions that affect the joints, muscles, bones, and immune system. For more information, visit capitalrheumatology.org or call 609.303.4360 to schedule an appointment.

Capital Health – Pediatric Orthopedics features DR. MEGAN GRESH, a board certified and fellowship trained pediatric orthopedic surgeon who is dedicated solely to diagnosing, treating, and managing musculoskeletal conditions in children. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call 609.537.6000.

Health Headlines by Capital Health | Ewing Observer15

Capital Health Earns

NATIONAL HONOR FOR EXCELLENCE in Treating Pancreatic Cancer The National Pancreas Foundation (NPF) recently recognized Capital Health Cancer Center as an NPF Center for treating pancreatic cancer. After a rigorous audit, Capital Health earned this designation by demonstrating a focus on the multidisciplinary treatment of pancreatic cancer—treating the whole patient—with a goal of achieving the best possible outcomes and an improved quality of life.

To earn recognition as an NPF Center, Capital Health met comprehensive standards developed by a task force of pancreatic cancer experts and patient advocates. The criteria include having expert physicians in specialties such as gastroenterology, pancreas surgery, and interventional radiology, along with more patient-focused programs such as pain management, behavioral health, and more.

“Being named an NPF Center for the treatment of pancreatic cancer is a great honor for Capital Health, but it is even better news for patients who need our services,” said DR. CATALDO DORIA, medical director of Capital Health Cancer Center and a hepato-pancreato-biliary surgeon. “This designation is a result of the great work done by teams across disciplines at our Cancer Center every day and reaffirms Capital Health’s commitment to providing innovative, world-class care that is close to home for patients in Central New Jersey and surrounding regions.”

Capital Health Cancer Center, located at Capital Health Medical Center - Hopewell, is the area’s most advanced provider of cancer treatment delivered by some of the most experienced medical experts, led by medical director Dr. Cataldo Doria.

At the Center, a team of physicians from related fields such as medical oncology, radiation oncology, gynecological oncology, neurosurgery, hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery, interventional GI and pulmonology, radiology, plastic and reconstructive surgery, colorectal surgery, thoracic surgery and other specialties collaborate and provide patients with a network of physicians trained in the most complex oncology issues.

KNOW THE RISK OF PANCREATIC CANCER Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading causes of cancerrelated deaths in the US, with more than 48,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Though the exact cause of pancreatic cancer are not yet well understood, research studies have identified certain risk factors that may increase the likelihood that an individual will develop the disease.

For more information, visit capitalhealth.org/cancer.

OBESE people have a 20% increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer compared to people who are of normal weight

DIET high in red and processed meats is thought to increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer

SMOKING is associated with 20 – 30% of all pancreatic cancer cases

PANCREATIC CANCER RISK FACTORS

FAMILY HISTORY: 2 – 3 times increased risk if a first-degree relative (parent, sibling or child), is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer

PANCREATITIS: Chronic or hereditary

Slightly more MEN are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer than women

16Ewing Observer | Health Headlines by Capital Health

AGE: Most people diagnosed are greater than 60 years of age

LONG-STANDING, (over 5 years) diabetes

Ewing slated to receive more than $3 million in federal aid Mercer towns to get $115 million from American Rescue Plan

By Bill Sanservino

Mercer County and the communities within will receive a combined total of almost $187 million in aid from the federal government over the next two years.

The money will come from funds allocated for state and municipal aid under the American Rescue Plan— the $1.9 trillion stimulus package approved by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden last month.

Under the act, New Jersey will receive the eighth largest pot of federal money compared to other states, including $360 billion in state and local aid. The state itself will receive $6.4 billion plus another $189 million to expand broadband internet across the state.

An additional $1.8 billion will be split among the 21 county governments and $1.741 billion is to be divided among all 565 cities and municipalities in New Jersey.

The ARP calls for $71.26 million to go to the Mercer County itself and $115.5 million to be dispersed to individual municipalities. The money is earmarked for expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The breakdown of funds to Mercer municipalities is as follows: • East Windsor $2.68 million • Ewing $6.07 million • Hamilton $16.89 million • Hightstown $521,023 • Hpwl Borough $187,230 • Hpwl Twp. $1.74 million • Lawrence $3.18 million • Pennington $253,046 • Princeton $6.05 million • Robbinsville $1.42 million • Trenton $73.78 million • West Windsor $2.74 million *** “Our state and local governments

have been on the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19,” said Sen. Robert Menendez, who voted for the plan.

“They have been bleeding resources for over a year while costs have soared and revenues have plummeted. As a result, they have borne the brunt of the economic pain and desperately need help,” Sen. Menendez said.

He said the money in the ARP is intended not only for governments, but also for vaccinations, first responders, teachers, infrastructure improvements and small businesses.

“In the midst of the greatest public health and economic crises of our lifetimes, it is unacceptable New Jersey schools, hospitals, small businesses and workers faced the additional threat of budgetary shortfalls,” said Sen. Corey Booker, who also voted for the ARP. Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes and local officials contacted

by The Gazette said it is still unclear what the funds can be used to pay for, and they are awaiting guidance from the federal government.

Because the regulations regarding use of the funds are unknown, the money has not been included in most county and local municipal budgets for 2021. *** Local government funds will be distributed in two equal payments—the first by May 10 of this year, and the second by March 11, 2022.

According to the National Law Review website, the funds are to be used to “respond to the COVID-19 emergency and address its economic effects, including through aid to households, small businesses, nonprofits and impacted industries such as tourism and hospitality.”

All funds must be spent on costs incurred on or before Dec. 31, 2024.

The state and local governments cannot use the funds to make pension payments or to offset revenue losses resulting from any tax cut, tax delay or tax rebate enacted after March 3, 2021.

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Romero helps lead EHS bowlers to championship

By Rich Fisher

When Dario Doelatip walked his stepson into Curtis Lanes at age 6, he had no idea the impact it would make.

“He opened up a new world for me,” Kenny Romero said. “It was an amazing experience. I threw there for the first time and loved it. Since then I’ve joined the Junior League and I’ve been there ever since.”

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That came on the heels of a freshman season in which he averaged a 1383 LOWER FERRY RD, EWING NJ 178 (in 53 games) with a high game MULLERCUSTOMS.COM of 277 and high set of 674. He had another set of 667 and collected 14 games of 200 or better.

“He was a very quiet kid as a freshman,” Angebranndt said. “He’s still quiet but he’s definitely matured as a person and as a bowler. He’s practiced extremely hard over the last year to TAKING AWAY THE KEYS kind of hone in on what he needs to do well in order to be successful at the DOESN’T TAKE AWAY THE RISKS… sport.

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ple weeks and months he couldn’t bowl. All of a sudden, once the Junior League started up, he was a different person from last year.”

The coach noted that one of the major changes is that Romero learned how to put a bad ball behind him and focus on the next one.

“You just have to shake it off,” Romero said. “Not everybody’s perfect. Even the best bowlers get the worst shots and they don’t qualify for certain things. But they just keep getting better and better throughout the months and years.”

Another big improvement came in Romero’s knowledge of how to bowl.

Much like a baseball pitcher who goes from just trying to blow people away with his fastball to establishing a plan of how to pitch, Romero has gone from a thrower to a bowler.

“You see a kid transform from someone who just throws a bowl, to a kid who knows how to bowl,” Angebranndt said. “He’s still kind of the same bowler he was, very fundamentally sound, but he just tightened up some small technical things, and he blossomed this year.

“He knew how to throw his equipment this year, that’s a huge thing in bowling, to understand your equipment. All the balls are different. He knew when to make a ball change, he knew what to use when he had to.”

And with that progress, came confidence.

“He knew what adjustments he had to make as opposed to last year, where it was like ‘Oh crap, what did

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I do? What do I need to do to fix it?’”

Angebranndt said. “He got to the point where he knew what he needed to do.”

Romero credited senior teammate Mike Franks, “who really helped me out throughout the season and even before it,” and was also grateful to Aiden Reid, the Devils’ other senior.

“I enjoyed every moment bowling with our seniors,” he said. “They really had an impact on me.”

One of Romero’s biggest influences was Doelatip, who was a high school teammate of Angebranndt’s at Ewing.

“He was a really good bowler,” the coach said.

“In the beginning, when I felt I wasn’t good enough,” Romero recalled, “he always told me ‘You’re gonna progress, you don’t have to put so much pressure on yourself as a kid.’ He said to just have fun with what you’re doing. Every time we went bowling he always figured out something to help me improve.”

It has been a series of non-stop improvements for Romero. Two other noted differences in his game this year were the ability to hit his mark, and a penchant for picking up spares more frequently.

“A lot of people will throw with break on their ball, and you have to understand where the ball is going to start to hook,” Angebranndt said. “If you have a ball that’s gonna hook a lot you have to know that you can’t throw the ball into that area where there’s no

oil. He can consistently hit an area on the lane that he needs to.”

As for Romero’s spare shooting, Angebranndt said “He’s improved 100 percent from last year to this year. I’ve told my guys from the start it’s more important to convert spares than to throw strikes.

“Anyone can throw a ball down the lane and then strike. It takes a little more skill and concentration to make spares and I think he’s getting to that point.”

While Romero was dismayed that Ewing was only able to bowl seven matches due to the pandemic, he did take pride in the fact the Blue Devils were able to win the virtual BCSL Tournament.

“That meant a lot,” he said. “We’re just confident every time we go against teams. We give respect to each other and just keep lifting each other up even through bad frames, bad games.”

And while the Devils will graduate Franks and Reid, they do return a solid core with Romero and juniors Kyle Delutis and Nick Canavera.

Delutis led the team with a 189 average and Canavera checked in at 180.

“That’s exciting,” Romero said.

“It gives me a solid core group of guys who have been there before,” Angebranndt added. “They have experience, they know what to expect. It’s definitely a satisfying feeling to know they’re coming back.”

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thanks or to support our Emergency Response Fund,

Ewing Recreation April 2021

The Hollowbrook Community Center and Ewing Senior & Community Center reopen Monday, April 5th, from 8:30am – 4:30pm, weekdays only. They gym at ESCC will remain closed at this time.

Covid 19 protocols will be followed in all buildings and programs run by the Township of Ewing.

The Ewing Recreation Department is offering a 5% discount for all money paid on or before Monday, April 12th, for the Summer Day Camp and a $25 early registration discount on purchasing a seasonal pool system pass.

The Moody Park Summer Basketball League is accepting registration for boys and girls in 3rd– 8th grade, Register at communitypass.net. deadline is May 17th. For more info go to the league website at www. moodyparkbb.com.

Ewing Recreation Day Camp: June 28 - Sept. 3 at ESCC. Children entering grades K - 7. Daily capacity limit 12 campers max per grade. All activities at ESCC. Camp hours: 8:30am - 4:30pm, Early Hours: 7:30am - 8:30am, Late Hours 4:30pm - 6:00pm. Activities: swim lessons, arts & crafts, dance, nature, drama, sports, group games, entertainers, cooking,special events and much more!

Weekly Fees: $270 for Ewing residents, $370 for non-residents. Counselor in Training program for students entering grades 8 and 9. $50/week.

Teen Travel and all field trips cancelled this summer due to Covid 19.

Ewing Pool System locations, Hollowbrook Community Center (HCC) and Ewing Sr. & Community Center (ESCC).

Season dates are Saturday, May 29th Labor Day. Open weekends and Memorial Day until June 20th. Pools, 12:00pm – 8pm daily. Open full time June 21st. HCC is available Saturdays for private rentals only. Contact Raquel at rince@ewingnj. org for rentals. Splashpads are a popular feature at both pools!

Swim Lessons at HCC: Evaluations, Saturday, June 19th. Sessions are on Monday evenings and Saturday mornings.

Ewing Recreation Department is taking applications for picnic area permits at the following parks, John Watson on Upper Ferry Rd., Banchoff on Mt. View Rd., Higgs Park on Summerset St. Email Nancy at npappano@ewingnj.org or contact the office for more information or to reserve a date.

Ewing Little League: All info about the league can be found at ewingbaseball. leagueapps.com.

Ewing Hopewell Babe Ruth Baseball, ages 13 – 15, is taking online registration at hvbsa.org.

Ewing Girls’ Softball is taking online registration at ewinggirlssoftball.com.

Financial Aid available for all programs.

Early payment deadline April 12th.

Online registration for all Ewing Recreation Department programs is available at communitypass.net. You can securely register your entire family for all Ewing Recreation Department programs Recreation Department phone number is 609-883-1776. Any questions email Nancy at npappano@ewingnj.org. or Ted at tforst@ewingnj.org.

The Ewing Recreation column is paid content provided by Ewing Township.

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ing the core of who you are or doing things Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, you don’t want to do. Kathi Szabo of Eclecan RWJBarnabas Health facility, serves tic Well Being. Virtual class. Call (609) 584communities within a five-county area 5900 to register. 6 p.m. and includes an acute care hospital, cancer center, affiliated medical group, FRIDAY, APRIL 16 Lakeview Child Centers and the RWJ Fit- After School Snack Club. Who says healthy has to be boring? Work virtually alongside ness & Wellness Center. RWJBarnabas a dietitian to liven up your afternoon snack Health and Robert Wood Johnson Uniroutine. This is a three-class series for elversity Hospital Hamilton, in partnership ementary age and above—other sessions with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New held April 23 and 30. Virtual class. Call (609) Jersey—the state’s only NCI-designated 584-5900 to register. 4 p.m.

Comprehensive Cancer Center—brings a world class team of researchers and MONDAY, APRIL 19 specialists to fight alongside you, pro- Fit Families: A Virtual Wellness Program. viding close-to-home access to the latest Are you looking to make healthy habit changes for your family? This dietitian-ditreatment and clinical trials. For more rected series will focus on nutrition basics, information, visit RWJBH.org/Hamilton.

Coming up this month at RWJBH Hamilton THURSDAY, APRIL 1

Q&A with Dr. Ali. Bring your health and wellness questions to this casual conversation with Sara I. Ali, MD, Geriatric and Internal Medicine. She has answers for you! Part of the Better Health Programs for Age 65+ series. Virtual class. Call (609) 584-5900 to register. 1 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7

Kids in the Kitchen…Virtual! Green and clean! Fresh ideas packed with nutrients and kid-friendly flavor. Dietitian-directed and kid-created in the comfort of your own kitchen! Virtual class. Call (609) 584-5900 to register. 6:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, APRIL 8

The Impact of Allergies on Sleep. Allergies can disrupt sleep and cause problems like snoring or sleep apnea. Common CPAP problems are discussed, as well as a review of devices and masks. Anthony J. Ricketti, MD, board certified, fellowship-trained allergist and Peter Ricketti, DO. Virtual class.

Call (609) 584-5900 to register. 6:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14

Suicide Prevention. The more you know, the greater likelihood of saving a life.

Learn about the prevalence, warning signs and major risk factors surrounding who chooses suicide, why, when, and how.

Most importantly, what can we do to help?

Professor Jo-Ann Hoffman presents. Virtual class. Call (609) 584-5900 to register.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 15

Well-Being 101: Unlock Higher Levels of Health, Joy and Abundance! Learn how to increase your well-being without chang-

budget-friendly recipes, and incorporating fitness into daily routines. Other sessions held April 26, May 3 and May 10. Virtual class. Call (609) 584-5900 to register. 6:30 p.m.

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Tai Chi. Reduce stress and anxiety and increase flexibility and balance with Tai Chi. Presented in partnership with the RWJ Fitness & Wellness Center. Part of the Better Health Programs for Age 65+ series. Virtual class. Call (609) 584-5900 to register. 2 p.m.

Common Hand and Wrist Conditions. Learn the causes and latest non-surgical and surgical treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, basal joint arthritis, ganglion cysts and other hand conditions.

Kimberly Zambito, MD, board certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon. Virtual class. Call (609) 584-5900 to register.

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21

Safe and Strong at Home. Learn exercises you can do at home to improve your strength and balance from Huzefa Hussain, MS, OTR/L, senior occupational therapist, RJWUH Hamilton. Part of the Better Health Programs for Age 65+ series. Virtual class.

Call (609) 584-5900 to register. 10 a.m.

TUESDAY, APRIL 27

Breast Health: A Holistic Approach. Learn what you can do to naturally care for your breasts. Patti McDougall, integrative nurse.

Virtual class. Call (609) 584-5900 to register.

7 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28

Importance of Infection Control in the Time of Pandemic. Infection control in the time of pandemic is critical and highly important. Join Anne Dikon, director, Infection Prevention RWJ University Hospital at Hamilton as she tackles basic infection prevention. Virtual class. Call (609) 584-5900 to register. 11 a.m.

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April 2021 | Ewing Observer21

Senior Corner April 2021 ESCC & Hollowbrook CC Reopen April 5th!

APRIL 8TH BALANCE CLASS – BOB KIRBY THURSDAYS 1:00-2:00PM @ HOLLOWBROOK CC

APRIL 19TH SENIOR EXERCISE CLASS - KAREN MARTIN MONDAYS (10:00AM) TUESDAY’S (9:30AM) THURSDAYS (10:00AM) @ ESCC - OUTSIDE PATIO AREA. APRIL 23RD LINE DANCING - JOANNE KEEPHART RIDAY’S (9:30) ESCC - OUTSIDE PATIO AREA

Starting the week of April 5th • • • • • • • •

JEWELRY – Mondays 1 – 3pm CARDS/PINOCHLE – Tuesdays 10am & Thursdays 12:30pm BINGO – Tuesdays 12:30pm 2:30pm KNITTING – Wednesdays 9:30 – 11am Mah Jongg – Wednesdays 2:30pm – 4pm, starts 4/14 Mah Jongg Wednesdays, Beginners, 3 - 4pm, starts 4/21 MAX 10 PEOPLE for INDOOR CLASSES MUST CALL TO REGISTER FOR EACH 609-883-1776.

REGISTER for Senior Swim & Water Aerobics Now! Questions: 609-883-1776 * COVID-19 PROTOCOLS WILL BE FOLLOWED. Senior Corner is paid content by Ewing Township.

Attentive and empathetic service

The tree of our lives ILENE BLACK BETTING ON BLACK

There’s a big old gnarled tree on Broad Avenue. It sits outside our neighbor’s fence, with a grassy area between it and the street.

The tree has been there forever. It has lost branches, regrew branches, shed its leaves, and come back yet again in the spring, looking the same as the year before. Butterflies and birds used it as a resting spot.

My childhood best friend Carol and I used to use the tree as our own private mailbox. There were numerous knotholes and crevices in that tree.

We’d leave notes in it for each other all the time.

Top secret stuff.

It’s kind of funny to think about it now, because the tree was probably 50 yards from Carol’s house and about 100 yards from mine. But being kids, we thought it was exciting and secretive to leave notes in it for each other.

Then we grew up a little. We would ride our bikes down Broad Avenue at high speed, no hands on the handlebars, air rushing through our hair, right past that tree.

We’d lean our bikes against our tree to catch our breaths and deal with whatever scratch or cut or brush-burn we got while riding and often falling off our bikes. We would sit underneath that tree, talking about whatever preteens talked about. Carol had a transistor radio that we’d listen to while lolling in the shade of our tree. The neighborhood kids would meet up at the tree and decide what was on the day’s agenda. Would we walk to Woolworth’s, or swim at my house, or wade in the creek?

That tree has always been there.

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When we were in grade school, we decided that we would become hippies.

We donned headbands and love beads, took our shoes off, and talked in hippie jargon.

We reclined under our tree, listening to appropriate music from Carol’s trusty transistor radio. Songs like “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair),” “Fortunate Son,” and “What’s Going On?” We gave the peace sign to everyone who walked by. And the tree never laughed at us. When we were in high school, we’d run by that tree without a second thought, on our way to sleepovers or swim parties, and later, the movies or a friend’s house. The tree stood alone yet keeping watch over us and our shenanigans.

I walked by that tree on my way home from Carol’s at least a million times. The same with her. That tree was so deeply rooted, in the ground and in our lives.

After college, Carol and I drifted apart. We were no longer joined at the hip. We stayed friends, we stayed in touch, and we met for an occasional dinner. I got married and had kids, she got married and moved to Pennsylvania, and her parents moved out of that house. And the tree stood steadfast through all our life changes.

Then my husband George and I moved back to Ewing, in the house across the street from my childhood home. I could see the tree from our backyard.

I mourned when it lost a few huge branches during Superstorm Sandy. I was sure the tree was a goner. But no.

There it remained, spreading its feeble branches over our old hangout among the wild lilacs and dandelions (and probably countless crawling insects), with the butterflies still hanging around the tree like Carol and I used to.

Years rolled by and it became my kids who rode their bikes down Broad Avenue in front of the tree. They sat under it to rest and catch their breath.

That tree is steadfast. That tree is non-judgmental. That tree is scarred and battered yet firmly rooted. Time doesn’t matter to that tree. That tree has always been there. Like my friendship with Carol.

When I see a bird perched on its branches, I think of you, Carol. When I see the tree swaying gently in the wind, I think of you. I foolishly believe that part of you still exists in that tree. And even though I know I’ll see you again on the other side of the stars, I’ll treasure that tree till I, too, am a butterfly in the breeze.

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Ilene Black has been a resident of Ewing for most of her life and lives across the street from her childhood home. She and her husband, George, have two sons, Georgie and Donnie.

Echoes from Cross Keys “When we were “quitchuated,” (graduated) from grammar school, some of us HELEN KULL went to the Trenton Academy [in TrenEWING THEN & NOW ton],” said Cousin John. “We went by twoseated wagon or horseback, or ‘traipsin’ on Around the 1860’s, in the limited vicin- shank’s mares’ [Google says this means —an unfamiliar idiomatic ity of Ewingville, Ewing [Presbyterian] ‘walking’­ Church and Shabbakonk Road, which he phrase to me!].”

I asked Cousin John to describe a typiconsiders his ‘neighborhood,’ John Hendrickson recalls that there were from 20 cal day: “Well, it was time to get up at four to 30 houses. There were two blacksmiths o’clock,” he began, “then there was the milk(one next to the hotel), two wheelwrights, ing to be done and breakfast to be eaten. and a cobbler named Nathaniel Coleman. After breakfast, I hitched up the horse and That cobbler was my great- great-grandfa- wagon and delivered 125 quarts of milk.

Then I put the horse up and went to school ther, and he was also a horse dealer. the Trenton Academy, that Thus Patricia Whitewas. I was 16 or 17 years head Stoner sets the genold as I remember. I took eral vicinity described English and chemistry and in her reminiscence of algebra and the three Rs of Ewing, “Ewing in the Early course. I was a well-eduDays,” written in 1940 as cated boy in comparison to a project for her class at some of my farm chums.”

Trenton State College.

It’s humbling to think Coming from a family that at this time, roughly with deep roots in Ewing, the turn of the 19th to the she was able to interview 20th century, when the family members as to their vast majority of Ewing was memories of Ewing well individual farms, that this before 1940. Her cousin, scenario of farm chores John Hendrickson (probbefore school was likely ably in fact a cousin of her Stoner the overwhelming norm mother’s, as his descripfor students. Our students tions are well in the past), provides many of the remembrances, today have other challenges, to be sure, as does her grandmother Jane Lanning both COVID and pre-COVID era chalCadwallader (b. 1860), of life in and lenges. But milking the cows, delivering around Ewingville, or “Cross Keys.” Ms. the milk around town, and then riding/ walking to school in Trenton, attending Whitehead continues: Mr. Hendrickson said that his ances- classes, getting home and then keeping tors had come from Holland and settled up with studies makes a very full day!

We’ll spend more time with Patriin New York. Thence they had come to Ewing, where the first Hendrickson had cia Stoner’s reminiscences again next cleared the forest and built his house on the month.

If you have a family member’s rememShabbakonk Road [now known as Ewingville Road]. “The Cobbler of Cross Keys” brance of life in Ewing, we hope you’ll (Nathaniel Coleman) built his house in consider sharing it. Contact Helen at 1835. [Other Coleman-Lanning-Hen- ewingthenandnow@gmail.com if you drickson family homes were also built in have a story to share. the area, and some remain standing.]

All the children of grandma’s day went Helen Kull is an adviser to the Ewing to the old brick school at the junction of Township Historic Preservation Society. the Federal City and Shabbakonk roads.

Originally this was a frame building, but seventy years ago, it was rebuilt. What a time they had getting the money to build it! Jacob Hendrickson wanted brick, and Plant Health the rest of the school board wanted a frame Plant Health Specialists building. But Jacob won.

Plant Health Specialists [The school/structure still stands Specialists today, a private dwelling. It is someHardwood Mulch ✽ Tree and Shrub what altered from its original form, but Hardwood Mulch Hardwood Mulch remains along the old Shabbakonk Deep Root Fertilizing Dark-Fine Texture Road!]

Dark-Fine Texture Dark-Fine Texture $16.99and Everybody paid their own tuition in per yard ✽ Insect Disease 99 those days. The teacher sent a bill to the $16 6..99 per per yard yard $1 Control Free Delivery parents and that was that. “We had the usual readin’, writin’, and ‘rithmetic, and Free Delivery Free (4 yds.Delivery and up) studied from copy books, while sitting on ✽ Pruning (4 yds. and up) up) long wooden benches,” said Cousin John, (4 yds. and State of NJ Certified Tree Expert #336 “all the grades in one little schoolhouse.”

There was a school at Birmingham State ofUpper NJ Certified Certified Tree Expert #336 299of FerryTree Road Ewing State NJ Expert #336 (now Trenton Junction) [now West Tren883-4447 fax 883-5547 299 Upper Upper Ferry FerryRoad RoadEwing Ewing ton!], and one between Ewing Church and 299 the railroad [where the current Scotch 883-4447 fax fax883-5547 883-5547 www.silvaguardinc.com 883-4447 Road Plaza is], and numerous other little www.silvaguardinc.com www.silvaguardinc.com country schools. These were consolidated and closed when the Fisk, Reed, and Lanning schools were built [~ 1915].

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LOOKING FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS? Visit our website communitynews.org to get updates about your community all month long

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Your Pet Matters Your Career Is Calling Master Your Finances Health 411 Catch up on the episodes you missed every Monday through Thursday at 9 a.m.

Listen on air @107.7 FM | Online @1077TheBronc.com On App @WRRC on Google Play and the Apple App store.

April 2021 | Ewing Observer23

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24Ewing Observer | April 2021