10-20 TD by Community News Service

downtowner Trenton’s City Paper

October 2020 |

communitynews.org

Sole Man Robert Giaquinto’s Shoe Repair has been welcoming downtown foot traffic for more than 70 years. Page 10. When the Jersey Devil came to town, 4; Dean ‘Ras’ Innocenzi and the street art scene, 12.

Call for a free 15 minute consult

2Trenton Downtowner October 2020

Social Distancing  Mask & Gloves  Clean Environment 

UP FrOnt TDI seeks donations

DI Connect — aka Trenton Digital Initiative — looking to collect more than 500 laptops and desktops with at least a core I3 processor to refurbish and distribute free to support the greater Trenton community. The nonprofit TDI Connect refurbishes computers donated by businesses, organizations, and individuals and distributes them free in collaboration with greater Trenton school and community initiatives. While the group has provided over 800 PCs in 2020, coordinators are experiencing a significant increase in requests related to low-income families needing computers by schools using remote learning. TDI coordinators say the group installs new disk drives so donors can remove current ones from computers prior to donating or request removed drives be returned. For more information email PCDonations@TDIConnect.org or visit www.TDIConnect.org.

LALDEF gives back

he Trenton-based Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund, in partnership with LAZOS America Unida, and supported by a grant from the Princeton Area Community Foundation, hosted a September 13 giveaway event. The group distributed school supplies, books, backpacks, fresh pro-

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Families received fresh produce and school supplies at a September 13 giveaway organized by LALDEF. duce, and information about COVID-19 to more than 350 attendees. Volunteers provided material to elementary and middle school students while practicing social distancing and wearing LALDEF masks. The giveaway was possible thanks to the collaboration of multiple organizations and individuals. Westminster Presbyterian Church in Trenton, led by Rev. Karen Hernández-Grancen provided 68 of the 100 donated backpacks. School supplies and information about COVID-19 was possible thanks to a grant from the Princeton Area Community Foundation, and produce was a donation from the national hunger program Rows for the Hungry. For more information on LALDEF, visit www.laldef.org.

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Phone: (609) 396-1511 Fax: (609) 844-0180 Website: communitynews.org SENIOR EDITOR Dan Aubrey MANAGING EDITOR Sara Hastings SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jennifer Steﬀen (Ext. 113) ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Mark Nebbia

A publication of Community News Service, LLC © Copyright 2020 All rights reserved. CO-PUBLISHER Jamie Griswold MANAGING EDITOR, METRO DIVISION Sara Hastings MANAGING EDITOR, COMMUNITY DIVISION Rob Anthes

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Community News Service 15 Princess Road, Suite K Lawrence, NJ 08648 Phone: (609) 396-1511 News & Letters: dan@princetoninfo.com Events: events@communitynews.org Website: communitynews.org Facebook: facebook.com/trentondowntowner Twitter: twitter.com/mercerspace 3,000 copies of the Trenton Downtowner are bulk distributed in Trenton 12 times a year.

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October 2020 | Trenton Downtowner3

What happened when the devil came to town? By Dan Aubrey

f the Jersey Devil was wearing a T-Shirt in 1909, it might just say, “I Visited Trenton and All I Got Was a Name.” The creature generally known as the Leeds Devil — and the subject of this month’s (609) insert — was rechristened the Jersey Devil during a strange, snowy week in January, 1909. That’s when nearly 1,000 alleged eyewitness reports inexplicably arrived at police stations and newspaper offices from as far south as Salem and as far north as Trenton. It was the capital city’s stories that led Trenton Times writers to rename the beast on January 21. It was in an article that started with “The ‘Flying Hoof’ is on its — or her or his way to Trenton. There are evidences that the route selected is more or less circuitous, but the mysterious ‘Jersey Devil’ is surely in this neighborhood.” In addition to footprints being found in nearby White City and Groveville, there were encounters in Trenton. “It was early morning and William Cromley was returning home from his job as doorkeeper at the Trent Theater in Trenton,” say writers James McCloy and Ray Miller Jr. as they cobble together newspaper accounts for their

1976 book “The Jersey Devil.” They continue reporting that “his horse shied, panicked. Cromley jumped out of his buggy, to see ‘a sight that froze the blood in his veins and caused his hair to stand upright.’ Confronting him was a beast of fur and feathers, about the size of an average dog, with the face of German shepherd, from which glowered large, sparkling eyes. Tucking its two feet underneath, the monster hissed as it spread its wings and departed.”

hey add, “At about that time, Trenton City Councilman E.P. Weeden was awakened from a sound sleep by noises of something trying forcefully to enter his door. Frightened he flung open his second floor window, heard the flapping of wings, and saw cloven hoof-prints impressed deep into the snow his roof.” Weeden’s status as the rational owner of a prominent carriage business gave his testimony credence and made authorities consider the number of other devil-made Trenton footprints, such as those reported around the Trenton Arsenal. Weeden himself lived at 216 Brunswick Avenue, McCloy and Miller add that “the behavior of Mrs. William Batten, of the 400 block of Center Street, was indicative of the mood of the city.

Having found footprints on her windowsills and doors, she barricaded herself in the house and announced that she would not venture out until certain that the Jersey Devil had gone.” And that “trolleys in Trenton and New Brunswick now had armed drivers to ward off any attacks.” Then the next day, at around 7 p.m. “a report circulated that at last the Jersey Devil had been captured. C.C. Hilk, a saloonkeeper of Lamberton Street, Trenton, received a phone call that the Jersey Devil was locked in the barn on his farm across the Delaware River in Morrisville, Pennsylvania. The caller informed the astonished Hilk that the Devil had been riding atop a wagon driven into the barn by a farmhand. Several men then slammed the door shut, trapping the beast. A number of eager and curious rowed a boat across the Delaware to see the elusive creature. A search of the barn proved that the Jersey Devil had again mysteriously vanished.” However, this creature that was once a passing tale related to a Quaker woman having a devil-child in the Pines had suddenly appeared in the state’s imagination, appeared on the

The Jersey Devil as depicted in J. Kenneth Leap’s stained glass at the State House. front pages of major newspapers, and thanks to a Trenton became the Jersey Devil.

DOCUMENT SHREDDING EVENT Sponsored by the Mercer County Improvement Authority

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2020 / 9AM – 12PM Lot 4 / 651 South Broad Street, Trenton (across from Mercer County Administration Building)

MATERIALS ONLY ACCEPTED ON THIS DATE AND TIME, RAIN OR SHINE

SHREDDING

Maximum of Eight Boxes and/or Bags of Paper NO Household Chemicals - NO Commercial Businesses

MERCER COUNTY

RECYCLES Residential Waste Only / NO COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES Mercer County Residents Only / Proof of Residency Required (Driver’s License) Brian M. Hughes, County Executive / John P. Thurber, Chairman / Phillip S. Miller, Executive Director

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 609-278-8086 OR VISIT WWW.MCIANJ.ORG 4Trenton Downtowner October 2020

HEALTH

OCTOBER 2020

@capitalhealthnj

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 BECOMES REGION’S

FIRST CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN ROBOTIC SURGERY Capital Health confirms its role as a nationally recognized health care leader with world-class expertise and advanced technology. In August, Capital Health Medical Center- Hopewell was designated a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery”by Surgical Review Corporation (SRC). The Center of Excellence accreditation distinguishes Capital Health as having met rigorous, internationally recognized standards in providing the safest, highest quality of care and surgical capabilities. “Capital Health’s designation as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery affirms our commitment of providing patients along the Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York corridor with access to the most advanced medical technologies, expert physicians, and world-class, patient care close to home,” said DR. CATALDO DORIA, medical director of the Capital Health Cancer Center and physician director of the Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery. Robotic-assisted surgery — sometimes referred to as highprecision surgery — may be an option to traditional surgery. Considered minimally invasive, robotic-assisted surgery is known for its many benefits including smaller incisions, lower risk of infection, less pain, and faster recoveries. It can be used to as a treatment for many cancers, including colon, gynecologic, head and neck, liver, lung, prostate, and pancreatic cancers. Under the direction of Dr. Doria, expertise within the hospital’s robotic surgery program has grown dramatically. In 2019, Capital Health’s surgeons performed more than 550 robotic surgery

cases, making it the leading hospital in the country for single robot cases. The surgical team has also expanded to include surgeons with highly specialized expertise including: … ASHLEE GODSHALK RUGGLES, MD, colorectal surgeon … ERIC MAYER, MD, director, Urologic Robotic Surgery, Capital Health – Urology Specialists … JOYCE VARUGHESE, MD, FACOG, medical director, Gynecologic Oncology … AFRICA F. WALLACE, MD, director, Thoracic Surgery As part of Capital Health’s commitment to provide the highest level of quality care and expertise, it recently invested in a dual console for its da Vinci® surgical platform to provide for a wider range of surgeries and its growing roster of surgeons with minimally invasive surgical experience. The dual console also enables a second surgeon to assist in surgeries and serves as a conduit for future surgical training. To learn more Capital Health’s Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery, please visit capitalhealth.org.

Health Headlines by Capital Health | Trenton Downtowner 5

CAPITAL HEALTH MEDICAL GROUP ADDS THREE FELLOWSHIP TRAINED RHEUMATOLOGISTS TO SPECIALTY PRACTICE Capital Health Medical Group recently welcomed DRS. WILLIAM TORELLI, SEHRIS KHAWAJA, and RISHI PATEL, fellowship trained rheumatologists, to its Capital Health – Rheumatology Specialists practice. With this expansion, Capital Health continues to meet an important need for diagnosing and treating autoimmune conditions and diseases that affect the joints, muscles and bones that cause pain, swelling, stiffness, and deformity.

William Torelli, DO

The new providers join Dr. Sajina Prabhakaran in the medical office building at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell, located at Two Capital Way, Suite 550, Pennington, New Jersey 08534. New offices will also open soon in Newtown, Pennsylvania and Bordentown, New Jersey. “Rheumatology is a very complex area of specialization, and we’re pleased to have Dr. Khawaja, Dr. Patel and Dr. Torelli join our team,” said Dr. Joshua Eisenberg, chief medical officer of the Capital Health Medical Group. “Their training and experience add great depth to the services that are available at Capital Health – Rheumatology Specialists, and we’re pleased to offer the residents of our community a growing team of specialists to accurately diagnose these complicated conditions and develop personalized treatment plans that are carefully coordinated with referring physicians.” DR. TORELLI received his medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and completed his internal medicine residency at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania. He was fellowship trained in rheumatology, including training in musculoskeletal ultrasound, at Lehigh Valley Health Network in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Dr. Torelli is a member of the American College of Physicians and the American Osteopathic Association. DR. PATEL received his medical degree at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and completed his internal medicine residency at Cooper University Hospital/Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden, New Jersey. He completed his rheumatology fellowship at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Medical Center, part of Northwell Health/Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra University in Great Neck, New York. Fluent in English and Gujarati (and conversant in Hindi and Spanish), Dr. Patel is a member of the American College of Rheumatology and the American College of Physicians.

6Trenton Downtowner | Health Headlines by Capital Health

Rishi Patel, MD

Sehris Khawaja, DO

DR. KHAWAJA received her medical degree at West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her internal medicine residency at Lehigh Valley Health Network in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She was fellowship trained in rheumatology at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., during which time she also provided care for patients at the Washington DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Dr. Khawaja is a member of the American College of Rheumatology, American College of Physicians, and the Association of Women in Rheumatology. Appointments with Dr. William Torelli, Dr. Sehris Khawaja, and Dr. Rishi Patel can be scheduled by calling 609.303.4360. For more information, visit capitalrheumatology.org. The team at Capital Health – Rheumatology Specialists treats conditions that include (but are not limited to) rheumatoid arthritis, gout, pseudogout, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, psoriatic arthritis, enteropathic arthritis, lupus, Sjogren’s syndrome, mixed connective tissue disease, vasculitis, and scleroderma. With cutting-edge testing and imaging technology conveniently available under one roof at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell, the rheumatology team provides diagnoses and care plans tailored to each patient, which can include medication such as steroids, disease modifying agents, or biologics (genetically-engineered from human genes). Other treatment options may include therapeutic ultrasound-guided joint aspirations and injections offered on an outpatient basis to help relieve pain and pressure. Through prescriptions and careful monitoring, the team at Capital Health – Rheumatology Specialists works with patients to reduce immune responsiveness, control the symptoms of their disease, and help prevent potential long-term complications. Capital Health – Rheumatology Specialists is part of the larger Capital Health Medical Group, an extensive network of care with more than 400 primary and specialty care providers across three counties in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. For more information, visit capitalmedicalgroup.org.

Capital Health Earns

NATIONAL LGBTQ HEALTH CARE EQUALITY LEADER DESIGNATION Capital Health has earned designation as an LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Leader in the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) 2020 survey administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. HEI is the national LGBTQ benchmarking tool that evaluates health care facilities’ policies and practices related to the equity and inclusion of their Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) patients, visitors and employees. To earn this designation, Capital Health received an overall survey score of 100. “Capital Health’s designation as an LGBTQ Health Care Equality Leader affirms our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in the care we deliver to our patients,

our relationship with the communities we serve and the support we provide for our employees,” said DR. ERIC I. SCHWARTZ, vice president of Community Health and Transformation and executive director of Capital Health’s Institute for Urban Care. “We believe our diversity is our strength, and programs like our Pride Initiative help ensure that we provide a safe and inclusive environment for everyone, including our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer employees, patients and visitors.” Every year, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation recognizes the health care facilities that participate in the HEI survey for their dedication and commitment to LGBTQ inclusion. Of the 765 health care facilities that participated in the 2020 survey, Capital Health was one of 495 to earn top honors as an LGBTQ Health Care

Keeping It Real With VIRTUAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR EXPECTING PARENTS In the best of times, preparing for the birth of a child can be a time of joy and anxiety. In the midst of a pandemic, the experience may seem overwhelming. To safely provide guidance and instruction during these uncertain times, Capital Health now offers virtual childbirth and parenting education programs on the popular Zoom platform. “Capital Health is an established health care leader with a long history of helping families get off to healthy starts in Mercer, Burlington, and Bucks counties,” said Meredith Coronato, coordinator of Capital Health’s Childbirth and Parent Education Program. “The health and well-being of our community is always our top priority, so we’re taking our childbirth and parent education programs online in response to the COVID-19 crisis to make sure expecting parents safely get the information they need to keep their growing families on the road to good health.” Capital Health’s Childbirth and Parent Education Program offers a range of classes to help prepare expecting mothers and partners to be the best parents possible by teaching them about the process of birth, how to care for their infants, and how to access sources of support following the birth of their babies. Classes are taught by experienced, certified childbirth educators and board certified lactation consultants using the remote Zoom format. For a complete listing of program offerings, or to register for a class, visit capitalhealth.org/childbirth.

Equality Leader designation. Capital Health upholds a model of equality and respect for the LGBTQ community by providing a welcoming environment for LGBTQ clients, consumers, patients and staff; offering training opportunities to all employees to better serve the LGBTQ community; and implementing the Pride Initiative to demonstrate its commitment to inclusion to the community at large. To learn more about Capital Health’s commitment to providing equitable health care to all patients regardless of sexual orientation, gender, race or religion, visit capitalhealth.org/pride.

UPCOMING VIRTUAL CHILDBIRTH AND PARENTING EDUCATION PROGRAMS BABY CARE BASICS VIRTUAL CLASS October 13, 2020 at 6 p.m. November 10, 2020 at 6 p.m. November 24, 2020 at 6 p.m. December 8, 2020 at 6 p.m. December 22, 2020 at 6 p.m. Taught by an experienced, certified childbirth and parent educator, this class helps prepare first-time expectant parents to care for their newborn. ASK THE LACTATION CONSULTANT AND CHILDBIRTH EDUCATOR Second Thursday of the Month at 2 p.m. An opportunity for expectant parents to ask any questions they have about their upcoming birth experience at Capital Health. UNDERSTANDING BIRTH ONE-DAY CONDENSED PREPARED VIRTUAL CHILDBIRTH CLASS October 10, 2020 at 9 a.m. October 24, 2020 at 9 a.m. November 7, 2020 at 9 a.m. November 21, 2020 at 9 a.m. December 5, 2020 at 9 a.m. December 19, 2020 at 9 a.m. Class is taught by an experienced, certified childbirth educator, this is an intensive day to prepare the expectant woman and her labor support person for the birth experience.

VIRTUAL NEW PARENT SUPPORT GROUP Mondays at 1 p.m. The free support group for new parents with babies under one year old is facilitated by a board certified lactation consultant from Capital Health’s Lactation Center. VIRTUAL PREPARED CHILDBIRTH 4-WEEK SERIES Beginning October 6, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. Beginning November 6, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. Beginning December 2, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. Taught by an experienced, certified childbirth educator, this series consists of four weekly two-hour classes to prepare the expectant woman and her support person for the labor and birth experience. UNDERSTANDING BREASTFEEDING VIRTUAL CLASS October 19, 2020 at 6 p.m. November 2, 2020 at 6 p.m. November 16, 2020 at 6 p.m. November 30, 2020 at 6 p.m. December 7, 2020 at 6 p.m. Taught by a board certified lactation consultant from Capital Health’s Lactation Center, this class is taken before the birth of the baby.

Health Headlines by Capital Health | Trenton Downtowner 7

Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists is now scheduling appointments in Bordentown (1 Third Street), but will eventually move to the new, state-of-the-art Capital Health – Bordentown facility (pictured above). Appointments are also available in Hamilton.

NEW OFFICE IN BORDENTOWN FOR CAPITAL HEALTH

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SPECIALISTS Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists, part of Capital Health Medical Group, is now scheduling appointments at a new office location at 1 Third Street, Bordentown, New Jersey 08505 (just off Park Street). Current and new patients can now see DRS. CHRISTI WESTON and ARVIND BHASKER, as well as licensed clinical social workers KRISTIN CARDONA-COCCIA and CHELSEA HOAGLAND, at the new secondary location. The phone number is 609.689.5725 and office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. “During these unprecedented times, many people are facing a variety of mental health challenges,” said Dr. Christi Weston, medical director of Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists. “We’re happy to expand our presence in Burlington County and make access to this important area of specialization more convenient to those who need it most in that part of Capital Health’s service area.” As part of Capital Health’s expansion into Burlington County, construction of its multi-specialty Capital Health – Bordentown facility is nearing completion. Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists will eventually relocate to this new, state-of-the art building, which is currently home to Capital Health Primary Care – Bordentown and specialists from Rothman Orthopaedic Institute. According to the National Institutes for Health, more than 44 million adults in the United States are living with a mental health issue, yet less than half of them receive treatment. Addressing the need for behavioral health services in our community, the team at Capital Health Behavioral Health Specialists provides compassionate psychiatric care and counseling services in a warm, calming environment. The team of highly skilled psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists and advanced practice clinicians use innovative treatment modalities to help people overcome obstacles and lead healthier, happier lives. They diagnose and treat a broad range of behavioral health conditions and offer a variety of psychotherapy groups that provide safe, comfortable and non-judgmental spaces to help people connect with others who share similar struggles and together learn skills to improve their lives. To schedule an appointment with a Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists provider at their Hamilton or Bordentown locations, call 609.689.5725 or visit capitalhealth.org/behavioralhealth for more information.

8Trenton Downtowner | Health Headlines by Capital Health

Therapy for Adults Experiencing Depression SHIFT: Group Thursdays | 2 p.m. | Location: Zoom Meetings* Facilitator: Kristen Cardona – Coccia *You will receive Zoom meeting details after registration is complete.

SHIFT will teach you new, healthier ways of thinking, feeling and behaving while you gain new perspectives on how to manage your depression. Group therapy provides benefits that individual therapy may not. Psychologists say, in fact, that group members are almost always surprised by how rewarding the group experience can be. Groups can act as a support network and a sounding board. Other members of the group often help you come up with specific ideas for improving a difficult situation or life challenge, and hold you accountable along the way. Regularly talking and listening to others also helps you put your own problems in perspective. Oftentimes, you may feel like you are the only one struggling — but you’re not. It can be a relief to hear others discuss what they’re going through and realize you’re not alone. … Fatigue or loss of energy almost every day SYMPTOMS … Feelings of worthlessness or guilt of DEPRESSION almost every day may include: … Impaired concentration, indecisiveness … Insomnia or hypersomnia (excessive sleeping) almost every day … Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in almost all activities nearly every day (called anhedonia, this symptom can be indicated by reports from significant others) … Restlessness or feeling slowed down … Recurring thoughts of death or suicide … Significant weight loss or gain (a change of more than 5 percent of body weight in a month) The time to SHIFT to a healthier, happier you is now. To sign up, call Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists at 609.689.5725. This group therapy program will be billed to your health insurance.

Food, Art & Love,

Trenton-Style N

ow is the time to come together— to keep loving local, sharing our challenges, taking care of our community and ourselves. Through it all, you can f still find great good, creative energy and community spirit in downtown Trenton. And that is just what we all need!

Art where yo u are

October 4, 2020 12-3 pm

The Sidewalk Chalk Project is happening in neighborhoods across Trenton — and everyone’s invited to participate. So grab some chalk and show some love for the places that inspire and support you. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to find out how. Find out more at Trenton-downtown.com.

FOOD & DINING IN DOWNTOWN TRENTON Arlee’s Raw Blends Capital Dog at Capital Center City Deli Columbus International Pizza Corner Café at Capital Center Crown Fried Chicken Delia’s Empanada Cafe Fabio’s Pizza Gyro Express Health Is Wealth 1911 Smokehouse BBQ NJ Weedman’s Joint Po Po Chinese Royal Cake Creations Sunrise Luncheonette The Big Easy The Hummingbird Restaurant Tracey’s Kitchen Call ahead for hours and seating availability. Visit Trenton-downtown.com for updates.

.com

We recently unveiled the second of three murals by Leon “Rain” Rainbow called “We Are Survivors.” This must-see work, on the front facade of the Sprout U School of the Arts, was sponsored by TDA with funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and NJM Insurance. Many thanks to all who came to the event, including Trenton mayor Reed Gusciora, City Councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson, Sprout U School of the Arts director Danielle Miller-Winrow and all her “sprouts.” And, of course, a special thank you to Leon Rainbow for his vision and commitment to community.

NEVER MISS A BEAT!

Thank you to our sponsors!

October 2020 | Trenton Downtowner9

Trenton’s old time cobbler keeps in step with changing times By Dan Aubrey

obert Giaquinto’s shop at 115 South Warren Street in downtown Trenton isn’t pretty. In fact, the decades-old city fixture shows its wear and tear — a condition that fittingly sets the stage for what it is all about. “I recraft shoes and repair shoes, handbags, jackets, and belts,” says Giaquinto, 58. “If it can be fixed, I can repair it. Anything.” The sole survivor in a throw away culture, Giaquinto basically stepped into his father’s shoes and a career. “My dad started in 1947,” Giaquinto says between handing out brown-bags of spruced-up shoes to customers stepping in and out during a recent Friday afternoon. He says his dad — the original R on the R. Giaqunito’s Shoe Shop sign — started repairing shoes in Gimbles and Lit Brothers department stores before getting his own shop on Front Street. Giaquinto provides some background. “My dad was born on Bond Street (in North Trenton). His father was a carpenter. His mother was pregnant with him when she came over from Italy on the boat. They came from a town outside Naples.” He says his father began doing shoe

work when he was a kid working in different shoe repair shops, making deliveries on a bike and then in the shop. “Then he got drafted and went to work for the Army. They kept him at Fort Dix. It was very important for there to be a shoe repair center (for the military). At one point they shipped him to Panama, and he was there for a few years. When he came back he bought the shop. I have the bill of sale and the lease from Lit Brothers.” About his own life, he says, “I’m ad-

opted. I was born in upstate New York, the Village of Silver Creek.” He says a Lutheran minister friend of his parents was the one who helped make the arrangement for Robert and his older brother to be adopted. “We lived in the Whitehorse section of Hamilton. My mom still lives there,” says the 1980 graduate of Hamilton High West. He says he got into the business when at age 10 he would get on the bus and “come down to my dad’s shop. I’d play out front and do little

Educating to lives of exceptional leadership and service

r e v o c s i D

stuff here and there. But I finally got into the business when I was in high school. I had to get working papers to work for Kinney’s shoe store on Route 33 in Hamilton.” Giaquinto worked there until he graduated from high school and then divided his time between Hamilton and the new shop at the Quakerbridge Mall.

PRINCETON, NJ | ALL GIRLS' PRIVATE SCHOOL | PS-12

THE ALL-GIRLS' ADVANTAGE

OCT. 18

1-3 PM

Register online at stuartschool.org/openhouse. Interested in starting your daughter’s journey today? Contact 609.921.2330.

10Trenton Downtowner October 2020

Robert Giaquinto followed in his father’s footsteps and took over the family shoe repair shop.

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“They had me driving from the ever the circus was at the stadium Route 33 shop to the Quakerbridge something would come from them. I Mall store. When they wouldn’t give had to re-sole the clown shoes. I had me a managing position, I went to Art done the high wire shoes. I had to do Broader’s Florsheim Shoes (in the the harnesses and bridles for horses and collars for elephants. Whatever Quakerbridge Mall).” But he says he couldn’t take the they need I’d do.” He then smiles and says, “The management there and decided to go clown shoes were huge. I had to buy a to work for his father. “I was about 21 when I started work- sheet of leather to fix the soles.” Giaquinto says another business ing with him,” he says, noting his faperk is “I am always learning. Some ther was happy about the decision. Giaquinto says the state took over of the old-time shoemakers, they don’t the building his father was renting want to learn or do something differaround 1981. “That’s when he moved ent. I’m very much into that. “I am in the Shoe Service Instiover to Lafayette and Warren (it was tute of America a dry cleaner and (SSIA). They now an empty hold convenlot). That was Giaquinto’s customers tions with new when I took it include neighborhood products and over.” sessions. I also He says that in residents and state belong to Shoe the early 1990s he Repair Internamoved to the curworkers, with the SRI. That’s rent location and occasional special visitor tional, big on Facebook in the mid-1990s and all over the purchased the — including a circus world. We have building from the performer with a broken members from locksmith Caola Greece, Mexico, & Company. “I clown shoe. and they post also make keys,” pictures of what he says pointing they do and how to a wall of them. After nearly 40 years of dealing with they do it. “Between both associations you can old heels and lost soles in downtown Trenton, Giaquinto says, “I love what submit rebuilds and recrafts. It’s a I do. Especially when you get shoes contest. They’re judged by our peers. that are falling apart and I recraft So it’s neat to see what they put in for them. They look beautiful when they their awards. You get the guys who get done. I take something that looks put out videotapes about what they did. And I learn. You learn a lot from like hell and make it look new.” He then gets more specific. “I do those guys.” “I never put anything in (the coneverything, lifts and heels to recrafting anything to cementing anything. tests),” he says. “I don’t even post anyThere are six different cements we thing online regarding my work. As have to keep on hand. There used to long as my customers are happy that be one, but now there are different is all that counts. “But if I’m not sure of how to do materials, and there are all kinds of something, I’ll put something out on crazy things that I have to do.” Customers coming in for gluing the SRI Facebook and ask.” He then adds that the SSIA website soles (cost around $25) or quality shoe refurbishing (approximately is a “reliable place” for people looking $75) include “neighbors and state and for a shoe repair maker and has a list federal workers. I run the gamut of ev- that is growing shorter. “I used to Google to find shoe reerybody.” He also gets an occasional special pairers,” he says. But now, “there are visitor. “Years ago it got to be when- not many.”

Another love, he says, is the downtown Trenton location, even though the current COVID-19 closures are affecting his business. “Without the state and city being here, there’s nobody down here. That’s the hardest thing to deal with.” He says one way to stay in business is through mailing. “People can mail (the job) to me. All they have to send is a name and daytime phone, and I’ll contact them and discuss what has to be done.” But some love has come back through the state via an AAE loan, and “the Trenton Downtown Association gave me a nice grant,” he says. The married father of two boys says another challenge is his health, affected by an autoimmune condition and breathing problems connected to his tools of the trade including solvents, glues, and dyes that he has used for the past four decades. “When I was younger I just had the door open and fans on. I didn’t have ventilation. I now do.” Nevertheless, when he looks back

The R. Giaquinto storefront on South Warren Street. and takes stock of his business, Giaquinto says, he his interest and investment are in a downtown Trenton shoe repair shop. “I love it down here.” R. Giaquinto’s Shoe Repair, 115 South Warren Street. Open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Closed Sundays. 609-599-9090 or www.rgiaquintoshoerepair.com.

MERCER COUNTY

LOW-INCOMEMERCER HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LIHEAP) COUNTY MERCER COUNTY

2020-2021 PROGRAM October 1, 2020 2017-2018BEGINS 2017-2018 ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

The County of Mercer will be accepting applications for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for the 2020-21 season beginning October 1, 2020. Mercer County will continue accepting applications for the Universal Service Fund (USF) Program year. Residents pay their ownHome heating costs, and meet The Countythroughout of Mercer willthe be accepting applicationswho for the Low-Income Energy Assistance until 31, 2018. Mercerfinancial County willassistance the following income guidelines, may be eligible to applications receive with their TheProgram County of(LIHEAP) Mercer will beMay accepting for the Low-Income Home continue accepting applications for the Universal Service Fund (USF) Program Assistancewith Program (LIHEAP) until may May 31, Mercer to County will winter heatingEnergy bill. Residents medical conditions also2018. be eligible receive throughout the year. Residents who pay their own heating costs, and Service meet theFund (USF) Program continue accepting applications for the Universal cooling assistance:

PROGRAM EXTENDED UNTIL MAY 31

following incomethroughout guidelines, may be eligible to receive assistance with their the year. Residents whofinancial pay their own heating costs, and meet the winter heating bill. Residents with medical conditions may also be receive assistance with their MONTHLY INCOME GUIDELINES following income guidelines, may be eligible to eligible receivetofinancial cooling assistance.

winter heating bill. Residents with medical conditions may also be eligible to receive

Household Size cooling assistance. 1

USF Program

LIHEAP Program

$1,967

$2,127

MONTHLY INCOME GUIDELINES

MONTHLY INCOME Household Size USF Program LIHEAPGUIDELINES Program $2,658 2 $2,873 1 $1,759 $2,010 Household Size USF Program LIHEAP Program 2 $2,369 $2,707 $3,349 $1,759 $3,404 3 $3,620 $2,010 1 3 $2,978 4 $3,588 2 $2,369 $4,100 $2,707 $4,039 4 $4,367 $3,404 5 $4,198 3 $2,978 $4,797 6 $4,807 $5,494 4 $4,730 $3,588 5 $5,113 $4,100 7 $5,417 5 $4,198 $6,190 $4,797 8 $6,026 $5,421 $4,807 $6,887 6 6 $5,860 $5,494 9 $6,636 $7,584 7 $5,417 $6,190 10 $7,245 $7,935 $6,111 7 $6,607

8 $6,026 $6,887 9 $7,584 $6,802 $6,636 $7,353 10 contact the Mercer County $7,245 To request an application please Housing and Community $7,935 * Federal income limits are subject to change during the program year. Development Office at (609) 989-6858 or during (609)the 989-6959. Applications also be *Federal income limits are subject to change program year. Please call can for incomes above 8 persons. obtained by visiting the Housing office at 640 South Broad Street, 1st floor, Room Due 106, to Covid-19 restrictions, time the public will only ableCounty to enter the building on an as To request at an this application please contact the be Mercer Housing and Community Trenton, NJ 08650. needed basis by appointment only. If anatin-person appointment is 989-6959. necessary, Applications clients can call Development Office (609) 989-6858 or (609) can609-337also be st 0933 or email heatingappt@mercercounty.org to schedule an appointment. floor, Room obtained by visiting the Housing office at 640 South Broad Street, 1 Locations & Hours: Hamilton Office - County Connection 106, Trenton, NJ 08650. Trenton Office Hamilton Square Shopping Center Beginning October 1, 2020 the County will temporarily be operating an outdoor informational center adjacent to 640 South Broad Street – Rm 106 957 Highway 33 at Paxson Avenue the 640 South Broad Street building. Clients will be able to drop off applications and access information from Trenton, NJ 08650 Hamilton, NJ 08690 Hamilton Office - County Connection Locations & Hours: LIHEAP staff. M-F 8:30am – 4:30pm Tues & Thurs 10:00am-12:00pm (by appt. only) Center Trenton Office Hamilton Square Shopping Saturdays – 4/7 & 5/5 (Wednesday open until 6:30pm) The County will continue to receive applications up until the deadline of Highway July 31,33 2021 by regular mail, fax, 640 South Broad Street – Rm 106 957 at Paxson Avenue 10:00am-1:00pm (walk-ins) Trenton,forms, NJ 08650 08690 and email. Applications, and information can be accessed atHamilton, this site: NJhttp://www.mercercounty.org/ M-F 8:30am – 4:30pm Tues & Thurs 10:00am-12:00pm (by appt. only) departments/housing-community-development/housing-and-community-development-programs Board of Chosen Edward Pattik Saturdays – 4/7 & 5/5 (Wednesday open until 6:30pm) Freeholders Housing Director Applications can be sent by regular mail, fax, and email: 10:00am-1:00pm (walk-ins) * Federal income limits are subject to change during the program year.

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Mercer County LIHEAP/USF Programs Edward Pattik 106 Housing Director P.O. Box 8068 Trenton, NJ 08650-0068 Brian M. Hughes, County Executive email address: housing@mercercounty.org Fax: 609-278-2758 Board of Chosen Edward Pattik Brian M. Hughes, County Executive Freeholders Housing Director Brian M. Hughes, County Executive Board of Chosen 640 S. Broad St, Room Freeholders

October 2020 | Trenton Downtowner11

Trenton mural artist Dean ‘Ras’ Innocenzi gets very real By Dan Aubrey

he Trenton Downtown Association’s “Murals on Front Street” project at Front and South Broad streets has been bringing color and life to the downtown Trenton region over the past few months. The community-based arts project supported by a $25,000 New Jersey State Council on the Arts grant is coordinated by Trenton street artist Leon Rainbow, who enlisted several other noted artists in the region to participate. One is Dean Innocenzi, an active street artist who uses the tag name “Ras.” “I wanted to come up with a threeletter name,” says Innocenzi during a recent interview. “With influence from reggae and Rasta music/culture, I tried the word RAS and liked how the letters flowed together and stuck with it.” Innocenzi, who works for the Trenton based recycled-product company TerraCycle, credits Rainbow for being a force in the Trenton arts community and introducing him to street art. That occurred when Rainbow coordinated the 2007 installment of the annual Jersey Fresh Jam hip-hop festival at TerraCycle. Innocenzi has just been hired as a graphic artist and videographer. “I was there as the video guy. I designed the flyer for work and met Leon,” Innocenzi says.

He says he saw dozens of street art- need to put into something before you ists descend on the complex and begin can master it,” Innocenzi says. “Then the next year I painted at the painting and “was blown away. I didn’t know there was an art scene this close jam. And by 2009 I was in the Vicious and wanted to be part of it. I was al- Stylez Crew,” the group of artists that ways into art and art classes. When I provides the artistic soul for the Jersaw this, I got into graffiti right away.” sey Jam. “It was kind of crazy,” Innocenzi That included “painting illegally for a while to get my skills up so I could says. “I surpassed where I thought I was going to be” paint (at the Jam) at that time. “I at TerraCycle. met these guys But after he ‘I look for details. I am by getting a job and a fellow and got psyched painter “got in trying to pay attention on it. I was also trouble” with the to everything I can,’ lucky they took law and despite me under their the adrenaline Innocenzi says. ‘You wing. I was rush he got from have to think about lucky.” painting illegally, He says anhe chose to get not only layering the other connection serious and apwas skateboardproached street color but the structure ing, where he the more accomof the face and have to began making plished artists skateboard vidMek, Leon Rainunderstand what you’re eos and met Mek. bow, and Will “I knew someKasso Condry. doing.’ one who worked “I got better,” at TerraCycle, he says. Innocenzi is a graduate of Hopewell and they wanted someone who could Valley Regional High School, where do graphics and who could make vidhe took art before studying with eos. “I was always into art,” he says. “But Mel Leipzig at Mercer County Community College and getting a degree when I picked up a spray can, it was in graphic design from The College like an activity, a sport —where I had of New Jersey. “I already had an art to move around. It was the physical background, so I was able to progress activity that made painting more fun. quickly. I really painted nonstop and I started progressing fast.” Innocenzi says that unlike painting put in that 10,000 hours they say you

12Trenton Downtowner October 2020

on a canvas, “You can do a lot on the wall, especially with spray paint. On a wall you can paint anything.” Now noted for his photographic-like aerosol images — ranging from celebrities like Marilyn Monroe to local figures such artist Leipzig — Innocenzi says, “When I got into the realistic kind of portraits I felt like I had my own thing going. It is not that common in graffiti. It is like what I did when I was a kid. I tried to draw skateboarders and Rocky Balboa — realistic.” He recently finished two black-andwhite photo-like murals for the Trenton Downtown Association’s New Jersey State Council on the Arts-funded public art project. “Every time I finish something, I feel like I want to improve,” Innocenzi says. That includes his arts expression. “I stepped away from stuff that looks cool for some personal things to give back to the community or be a memorial. Lately I have been painting a lot of people who have passed away.” He then names his mother and the two TDA murals honoring New Jersey skateboarder Brendan Wilkie and the internationally known Trenton jazz saxophonist Richie Cole. “It gets emotional,” he says. “But I’m trying to use my skills to create an emotion. I’m painting things that have meaning and evoke emotional responses in people — move them or have them relate to something. ” He is also working to create something that exists on its own. “The mo-

Dean ‘Ras’ Innocenzi’s unique artistic style includes, clockwise from above, a canvas-based close-up of Michelangelo’s ‘David’; a classic nude on canvas; a mural of his late mother at TerraCycle, and a mural of Trenton-based painter Mel Leipzig, also at TerraCycle. Opposite, Innocenzi in front of his tribute to the late skateboarder Brendan Wilkie. ment I’m done, the art and I are no longer connected. The art takes on a life of its own. I step away, and people come and see it.” Although he grew up in Hopewell, Innocenzi says he was born in 1983 at Helene Fuld Hospital in Trenton, a few blocks from TerraCycle and near where he lives in Lawrenceville. He says his father was a teacher turned lawyer, and his mother was a teacher’s aide at a Montessori school. Both had attended Ewing High School, where his father played trumpet in the school band and got to know fellow band member Richie Cole. Innocenzi says his dad would take him to hear Cole perform and even visited him at his home. “(Project coordinator Leon Rainbow) specifically asked for me to do Richie Cole. It felt good to get to honor him,” Innocenzi says. Innocenzi says while his father “did write some songs, he wasn’t so much of a musician. He’s not an artist. But he randomly did some art that was cool. He had an ability I got from him. My mother was kind of similar — artistic. Both my parents had some art abilities.” He says the difference was that he committed to it. “It is all practice,” says Innocenzi. “I have some ability. If I had not put in so much time practicing I wouldn’t be as good as I am.” About his process, Innocenzi says, “It depends on what it is. For murals you’re going to have a method to get the proportions right. You can use the bricks on the wall to create a grid. Like on a canvas, grid things out. We all have methods. Leon uses a projector.” “I simply glance at an image on a cellphone or on a piece of paper for reference,” he says about creating the image. “I look for details. I am trying

to pay attention to everything I can. I may use some artistic freedom. But if you’re trying to paint something realistically, it’s looking at the reference and not missing any tones. “You have to think about not only layering the color but the structure of the face and have to understand what you’re doing — feel and create an image like a 3-D rendering. It is all paying attention to detail and not being lazy.” He says he likes doing black and white photos images because “I just like how it looks. I wish I had a deeper answer. The gray looks more real to me. I have done some stuff in color. But with the gray you have the perfect range of values — you can get the blend so perfect.” But that depends on the weather or time of day. “Humidity can make paint come out funny,” he says. “When it is hot, the paint comes out faster and it is hard to blend. The winter starts to get weird when it gets cold. When it’s under 40 degrees, the paint runs out differently. Spring and fall are the best. When I was painting the Wilkie wall downtown, by four o’clock the sun was making weird shadows where I couldn’t see what I was doing.” Combine those problems with unusual wall textures, Innocenzi says the various or ==combined conditions “can be fun. When you’re painting out in the wild you have to be a problem solver.” He then touches on the impermanence of an art work that will be covered over or removed, “Sometimes it is hard to see certain pieces that I liked get gone over. But I think graffiti is unique, because of how it mimics nature in the way everything is always changing and nothing lasts forever.”

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October 2020 | Trenton Downtowner13

October Headliners

Old Barracks opens online racks.org/samplercollection. sampler exhibit Passage Theater Raises he Old Barracks Museum in downtown Trenton recently Curtain on Season

opened an online exhibit featuring 19 samplers made by girls in the 18th and 19th centuries. Museum coordinators note that needlework was an essential part of a young girl’s education and was created by girls ages 8 to 15 as a way to demonstrate skills for home life. The women also created samplers or embroidery with landscape subjects resembling paintings. “Considered art in their own right, samplers have come to be valuable for another reason, as oftentimes they are the only physical representation left of everyday women of the past. Usually girls would include their name, age, date of birth, and hometown (or some combination thereof) into their stitching, leaving a written record of their existence,” continues the statement. Barracks museum curator Rebecca Heiliczer says, “Exploring the lives of these women, many of whom have been forgotten, has been fascinating, frustrating, and even humbling at times. It is a privilege to research their stories and present it to the public.” View the collection at www.bar-

assage Theater moves into the 2020-21 pandemic season with a mixture of digital and live events Focusing on the themes of “Connection and Caregiving” as a way of commemorating the company’s 35th year of presenting professional theater in Trenton, the company offers the following events: Online Play Readings (on Zoom): “Welcome to Matteson!”: Written by Los Angeles-based playwright Inda Craig-Galván, who explores themes on intra-racial conflicts. Read live online with talkback on Saturday, November 21, at 7 p.m. Recorded version available to view online from Sunday, November 22, at 7 p.m. through end of day Tuesday, November 24. “Babel”: Created by Philadelphia playwright Jacqueline Goldfinger, presented on Saturday, January 23, at 7 p.m. Recorded version available to view online from Sunday, January 24 through Tuesday, January 26. $10. Online PlayLab Previews of new work: “The OK Trenton Project”: written and devised by the OK Tren-

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ton Project ensemble and based on the controversial removal of a Trenton work of public art. On view now through June 30. “Group!”: A new musical with music by Soviet-born Brooklyn composers Aleksandra M. Weil, lyrics by Eloise Govdare, and book by Hartford, Connecticut, based theater writer and director Julia B. Rosenblatt Dates: March 3 through June 30, 2021. Free with a suggested $5 donation. Online Artists Interviews: Artists include New Jersey playwright David Lee White (“Panther Hollow” and “The OK Trenton Project”), Inda Craig-Galván (“Welcome to Matteson!”), Philadelphia director Jill Harrison (“Babel”), New York City’s Chisa Hutchinson (“Surely Goodness and Mercy”), Aleksandra M. Weil and Eloise Govedare (“Group!”), Philadelphia area theater designer Alyssandra Docherty (“A Twist of Water”), Philadelphia theater artists Michael Osinski and Marie Laster (“A Twist of Water”), New York City designer An-lin Dauber (“A Twist of Water”), Gloucester, New Jersey, actor Wendi Smith “(A Twist of Water” and “The OK Trenton Project”), and Philadelphia actor Richard Bradford (“The OK Trenton Project”). Free with a suggested $5 donation. Online Learning Labs: Interactive video lessons providing opportunities to learn about the art of live theater as well as gain communication and language arts skills. Sessions are for elementary and middle school students. Free with a suggested $5 donation. Online Special Events: Passage has scheduled two fundraising Zoom play performances. “Panther Hollow”: A full production written and performed by former Passage Theater associate director David Lee White, available Saturday, October 17, 7 p.m., through end of day Tuesday, October 20. “Christmas 2.0”: An online staged reading written by Buffalo, New York,

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Part of the sampler collection presented online by the Old Barracks Museum. playwright Donna Hoke. Read live online on Saturday, December 12, 7 p.m. Recorded version available online from Sunday, December 13, 7 p.m. to end of day December 15. Ticket prices TBA. Live/In-Person Shows and Readings: Solo Flights Production: “Mother (and me),” a Solo Flight presentation written and performed by New York writer and performer Melinda Buckley Dates: February 19 through 21, 2021. “Surely Goodness & Mercy,” a theater for families and young audience presentation written by Chisa Hutchinson, March 18 through 21, 2021 “Group!,” PlayLab Staged Reading of a new musical with music by Aleksandra M. Weil, lyrics by Eloise Govdare, and book by Julia B. Rosenblatt. March 27, 2021. “A Twist of Water,” the mainstage production written by Los Angeles playwright Caitlin Parrish, April 29 to May 16, 2021. “The OK Trenton Project,” a PlayLab Staged Reading written and devised by The OK Trenton Project ensemble, June 19, 2021. Ticket prices TBA. Passage Theater, Mill Hill Playhouse, 205 East Front Street. 609392-0766 or www.passagetheAdvertise for $49 a month. For more information, call 609-396-1511 ext. 110.

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Notice of Vote-by-Mail Election November 3, 2020 General Election The November 3, 2020 General Election will be conducted primarily via vote-by-mail ballots, which will be sent to all “Active” registered voters without the need for an application to receive a vote-by-mail ballot. P.L. 2020, c. 72 requires you to sign the certification affixed to the margin of the flap on the inner envelope of the ballot notwithstanding the fact that you may not have applied for this ballot, but instead received this ballot automatically. You will be provided a postage paid envelope for the return of your ballot through the United States Postal Service. You are not required to attach a stamp. You may also choose to deposit your ballot in one of the secure ballot drop boxes located throughout the county, return your ballot in-person to your County Board of Elections, or deliver your ballot to your assigned polling place on Election Day. Please contact your Board of Elections at 609-989-6522 or www.mercercounty.org/boards-commissions/board-of-elections for convenient ballot drop box locations. Only you, the voter, can bring your ballot to your polling place on Election Day. If another person will be mailing your ballot, bringing it to a secure ballot drop box, or delivering it to the county Board of Elections, MAKE CERTAIN THAT PERSON COMPLETES THE “BEARER PORTION” ON THE ENVELOPE ADDRESSED TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS BEFORE THE BALLOT IS TAKEN FROM YOU. No person who is a candidate in this election is permitted to serve as a bearer. No person is permitted to serve as a bearer for more than three qualified voters in an election. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW FOR ANYONE EXCEPT YOU, THE VOTER, TO MAIL OR TRANSPORT YOUR BALLOT UNLESS THE OUTER ENVELOPE IS SEALED AND THE “BEARER PORTION” IS COMPLETED. A PERSON MAY BE FINED AND IMPRISONED AND MAY ALSO LOSE THE RIGHT TO VOTE UNTIL RESTORED BY LAW if that person attempts to vote fraudulently by mail-in ballot, prevents the voting of a legal voter, certifies falsely any information, interferes with a person’s secrecy of voting, tampers with ballots or election documents or helps another person to do so. If you would like to learn the status of your ballot you can call 1-877-NJ-VOTER or go to TrackMyBallot.nj.gov October 2020 | Trenton Downtowner15

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16Trenton Downtowner October 2020