WWP Proof 2

Market named Best in Jersey

EDiTeD By Bill Sanservino

The West Windsor Community Farmers Market has been named New Jersey’s favorite farmers market, number one in the Northeast and placed fourth in the nation in the American Farmland Trust Annual Farmers Market

Celebration.

The AFT and the Farmers Market Coalition recently announced the winners of the 14th annual America’s Farmers Market Celebration, a national event that ran between June 21–Sept. 19.

Markets receiving the most public votes are declared the national

winners. The celebration also recognizes top markets in five regions nationwide and in all 50 states.

“Placing fourth in the nation allows us to celebrate and bring more awareness to our nearly 20-year-old market, whose mission has always been to support

A new perspective on WW history

By Dan AUBrey

The Historical Society of West Windsor is celebrating the township’s 225th birthday by giving the community a present: the publication of the “West Windsor Then and Now: A New Perspective”—a book that builds on the previously published West Windsor Then and Now, written for West Windsor’s 200th anniversary.

According to HSWW vice president Paul Ligeti—author of the current anniversary edition—the book “was something never seen before: a comprehensive analysis of centuries of West Windsor history, released amid a related yearlong celebration.

Authored by Henry Innes MacAdam and designed by Jeff and Ruth Currie over the span of just a few months, the original West Windsor Then and Now brought to residents stories familiar and new: tales of early settlers, community growth, personal lives just as nuanced and important as ours, scientific breakthroughs, and even an ‘alien invasion’—to name just a few.”

Ligeti, who also writes the West Windsor Chronicles column in The News (see page 14), says about the new publication: “The new book was written with the intent

that it should be easy for anyone of high-school reading level and above to pick up and become wellversed in our collective community history. We incorporated color images onto almost every page of the book—historical photographs, documents, illustrations, maps, and more. It also has a list of the nearly 200 still-extant local sites we believe are 100 years old or older (some dating to the 1700s).

Divided into 20 sections, the 172-page publication starts off with “Natural Resources” and the simple yet often forgotten premise:

“To understand West Windsor’s environment is to understand its historical foundations. The town’s natural resources were fundamental in influencing how life developed here.”

That includes natural water ways such as the Millstone River and a portion of the Assunpink Creek and later the humanmade Delaware and Raritan Canal, which fed off the nearby Delaware River.

“Rivers, creeks and watershed did not just provide water for drinking and irrigation. They also served as important transportation corridors for those traveling by canoe, such as the indigenous Lenni Lenape. Residents further used waterways for fishing, recre-

The West Windsor Community Farmers’ Market was recognized with a proclamation by West Windsor Council. At rear are council members Michael Stevens (left), Linda Geevers and Martin Whitfield. In the middle are WWCFM board member Craig Goodfriend, market manager Chris Cirkus, market teen board liaison Sidd Janakiram , Mayor Hemante Marathe, town council member Andrea Mandell, and WWCFM board members: Thomas Calabria and JoAnn Parla, and council President Sonia Gawas. At front are WWCFM board members Muthiah Mohan and Curtis Hoberman.

New Jersey farmers, local food producers and purveyors, create a welcoming community space for all and engender a healthy lifestyle,” said Chris Cirkus, the WWCFM manager.

She added: “Seeing the diversity of markets across the country through the American Farmland Trust Celebration highlights all of us doing this invaluable work. We’re proud to be in good company.”

Founded in 2004 with eight farms and a baker, the WWCFM continues its mission to support New Jersey farmers and food producers and purveyors, connect consumers with the farmers and makers who grow, raise and produce their food, create a welcoming community space and engender a healthy lifestyle. The market is run entirely by community members as a 501c3 and a true labor of love for the community.

“We create a downtown on Saturday mornings by gathering farmers, makers, musicians, and our community-at-large, all around local food, seasonal eating, and a friendly positive environment; it’s just what we all need to kick off the weekend,” Cirkus said.

The market continues to run every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. until Nov. 19. Winter market season runs on the first and third Saturdays from 10

a.m.-1 p.m. in the same location.

The market’s farms and vendors come from within 75 miles, with all but one grower from outside of New Jersey.

Shoppers can find numerous items including Jersey Fresh produce, artisan cheese and dairy products, beer, wine and spirits, curries, jams, chutneys, microgreens, mushrooms, sustainably caught seafood, grass-fed/pastured meats and poultry, farm fresh eggs, honey, teas, coffee, locally grown oats, fresh pasta and sauces, and vegan chocolates.

It also offers Lebanese salads and sweets, Polish favorites, alpaca fiber wear, spice blends, naturally leavened breads and baked goods, gluten-free baked offerings and locally grown flowers. Food trucks include savory and sweet crepes, fresh juices, smoothies, acai bowls and egg sandwiches, plus vegan breakfast and lunch selections.

Check the market website at wwcfm. org for a complete list of vendors and rotating schedule

High school students and local community members are encouraged to volunteer with the WWCFM; please email manager@westwindsorfarmersmarket.org.

Go to westwindsorfarmersmarket.org/ calendar for the schedule of performers and community groups featured each weekend.

Kelsey Theater celebrates its 50th anniversary

Theatergoers will enjoy a season full of entertainment as Mercer County Community College’s Kelsey Theatre celebrates its 50th anniversary with 17 exciting full-length adult and family productions and 10 productions for children in addition to a myriad of music concerts and dance performances for the 20222023 season.

M. Kitty Getlik, artistic director of Kelsey Theatre, is celebrating the theatre’s 50th anniversary with a plethora of shows that will run through August 6, 2023.

The theatre will offer a live, in-person performances as well as online streaming of several main stage events for 20222023. In addition to musicals, mysteries, dramas and comedies, the series will spotlight concert events, dance productions and children’s shows.

“We are proud to show off Kelsey’s new amenities which include new curtains, new restrooms, new carpeting and new seats,” said Getlik, who has been artistic director at the Kelsey for 33 years “Kelsey Theatre now has a state-of-theart T-Coil Assisted Listening System for a more robust experience for our patrons.”

The holidays go into full swing in November with Theatre to Go’s White Christmas Movie Sing Along followed by the hilarious comedy The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge from MTM Players.

Pierrot Productions presents The Children’s Hour in January and An Ideal Husband will be presented by Shakespeare ’70. Theater to Go will serve up The Fantasticks, then hilarity moves to center stage at the Kelsey when MTM Players presents Sordid Lives.

Kelsey will also present the modern musical A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and other must-see productions, including the Mercer Dance Ensemble’s Collaborations, The Parental Advisory Comedy Show, Hello Dolly, Romeo & Juliet, and Bye Bye Birdie, as well as a full schedule of concerts and kids shows including The Emperor’s New Clothes,Winnie-thePooh’s Christmas Tail, Nutcracker, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along and many more shows that are sure to please the entire family.

For a full schedule visit Kelsey.mccc. edu. Tickets may be purchased online at www.KelseyTheatre.org or by calling the Kelsey Box Office at 609-570-3333.

Kelsey Theatre is located on MCCC’s West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road.

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A

LIGETI continued from

ation, and industry. Seven mills ground grain and other agricultural products through the turning of water wheels, powered by the flow of various rivers and creeks around the town.”

1 other creatures. Gone were the perme able soils, replaced by impermeable pave ment—and therefore increased runoff.”

The chapter moves from water to veg etation and wildlife habitats, “which has yielded a strong variety of animal spe cies—from fish to birds to mammals to insects and much more... This, in turn, has allowed humans—whether indigenous, colonial, or modern—to hunt for food, educate themselves about their surround ings, and appreciate the bounty of nature.”

Anticipating community members and readers who won’t recognize the above within the current West Windsor land scape, the chapter notes, “Historically, West Windsor was a small farming com munity—that is, until he second half of the 1900s. The nationwide post-World War II ‘suburban boom’ began in our town starting in the late 1950s, and devel opment accelerated in the last quarter of the 20th century.

This growth saw the transformation of much of West Windsor’s farm and wood land into suburban neighborhoods sur rounded by thousands of acres of houses and manicured lawns. Disappeared were much of the forests and meadowlands that provide habitats for birds, mammal, and

Hence the West Windsor Environ mental Commission’s intent to create a “Greenbelt” or “a mostly non-interrupted expanse of meadows and woodland strad dling either side of the town’s major waterways.”

The next chapter of the book gives focus to the original people of the area, the Lenni Lenape, a name that loosely translates as “original/real/common person.”

“The fog of time obscures the precise origin of West Windsor’s original occu pants—the descendants of Paleolithic settlers who likely immigrated to the east coast sometime after the end of the last Ice Age, many thousands of years ago.”

Not so foggy is the book’s note that it was in 1634 that English captain Thomas Young was in search of a Northwest Pas sage through North America and had sailed up the Delaware “as far as the ‘Rockes’—what we now know as the ‘Falls of the Delaware’ at Trenton. Also in Trenton, a stream called the ‘Assun pink Creek’ flowed into the Delaware. Had the expedition followed it northeast via a comparatively short overland trek, it would have reached the region which we now call West Windsor, and its members

would have possibly encountered the area’s original indigenous inhabitants.”

While the book highlights the local by pointing out that the name Assunpink is derived from the Lenape word for a “rocky, watery place,” the chapter pro vides mainly a general statewide overview of the Lenape during the Colonial era.

That is until the end of the chapter when the book notes that “vestiges of the Lenape remain in West Windsor.

Artifacts such as arrowheads are found along waterways and among farmland. Additionally, a 1703 deed shows two Lenape individuals—Hapohucquona and Tolomhon—selling hundreds of acres of West Winsor land south of the Assunpink Creek for ‘Five match coats, two hoes, two hatchets, four knives and one gallon of rum.’ This buttresses longtime tradi tion that the community of Edinburg—at the intersection of Old Trenton and Edin burg Roads—was established near or at the site of a Lenape settlement.”

Readers also learn that West Windsor “is also home to ‘Tatamy’s Swamp’— wet lands largely between Clarksville and North Post Roads that were likely once owned by a seminal Lenape figure named Moses Tunda Tatamy (c. 1690—1760).

After witnessing the extrajudicial execu tion of his chief, Weequehela, in 1727, Tatamy vowed to protect his people. He became a prominent peace keeper, set tling numerous intercultural disputes for decades and participating in summits such as the treaty of Easton.”

The next chapter, “Colonial Predeces sors,” follows the European colonization. And after a quick overview of the Dutch and English settlers in East and West Jer sey, the chapter soon hones in on the his tory and the references that provide the names in the region.

Sweeping, raking, blowing or otherwise placing yard waste that is not containerized at the curb or along the street is only allowed during the seven days prior to a scheduled and announced collection, and yard waste shall not be placed closer than 10 feet to any storm drain inlet, nor in such a manner that it blocks a bicycle lane or other depressed curb crosswalk.

West Windsor Township, Municipal Code, Art

Garbage,

WHY

CAN

WHY

YARD WASTE

AND LEAF COLLECTION

FREQUENTLY

Unfortunately, collection crews CANNOT go back into an area that has been serviced to stay on schedule. You will have to wait until your next scheduled pickup or bring your yard waste to the Public Works Facility.

Paul Ligeti chronicles township history in “West Windsor Then and Now: A New Perspective.”

For example, although he probably never set eye or foot on the region, Wil liam Penn purchased a region of what is West Windsor—hence the Penns Neck (or stretch of Woods) name.

Around the same time, in 1693, Eng lishman David Lyell purchased a por tion of what is West Windsor that abutted Penn’s property, hence the familiar name Penn-Lyle.

Local history heats up around 1730 with population expansion below New Brunswick into “Windsor,” “very likely” named after the English town. Scottish settlers in the region also contributed area names.

After noting a variety of land sales, a “wave” of Dutch families—from the origi nal colonial settlers in what had been New Amsterdam—“began to define the area and formally chartered the Town ship of Windsor in 1751.”

“West Windsor retains a few remnants of this original wave. The Schenck-Coven hoven cemetery west of Route 1 and north of Washington Road dates back to at least 1746. And perhaps most interest ingly, the ‘Schenck Farmstead’—home to the West Windsor History Museum— may have been farmed at least as far back as the 1740s, when Cornelius Voor hees purchased a large tract of land from David Lyell’s son, Fenwick.”

The book continues and quickly pro vides readers information about the town’s incorporation, community life during the Revolutionary War, the various communities within the town ship, and the “Tale of the Two Wind sors,” prompted by the division growing between those who identified as being closer to Princeton with those gravitating towards Hightstown.”

There are also a few pages devoted to slavery in West Windsor, noting that early Quakers practiced slavery and using cen sus figures and newspaper advertise ments for facts.

Interestingly the book provides a piece of New Jersey history often over

looked: The state’s “constitution writ ten in 1776, gave suffrage to free African Americans (male and female) and white females. However, a subsequent 1807 law, restricted voting to only white men with fifty or more pounds worth of property.”

The book continues with chapters deal ing with “Farming, Faith, and Families,” “Nineteenth Century Progress,” and developments and transformations from 1900 through 2022.

The final product is an important doc ument that captures the history of the town through historic documents—as attested by its 16 pages of bibliography— and some current reflections that speak to the moment.

For example, look at the simple inclu sion of the township’s competition to secure a 225th anniversary logo that would encapsulate the township’s history in just a few words and images.

As contest winner West Windsor artist Mikel Circkus tells readers, “To come up with the graphic.... I backed into the design by following the brief. The instruction spec ified two colors, plus black and white, and to include two to four design elements from the Historical Society’s list of references.

“The Township’s official seal is yel low and green, so I stuck with that as my palette.

“For the historical references, I chose

three that were our community’s most recognizable—agriculture, the (Princ eton) Junction (train), and of course, ‘War of the Worlds.’

“(I used) ears of corn, a locomotive, and an extraterrestrial tripod, that I modeled after the 1906 illustration by Brazilian artist Henrique Alvim Correo in Book One, ‘The Arrival of the Martians,’ from the Belgian edition of ‘The War of the Worlds (1906).’

“I enclosed the design elements, includ ing the type and banner, in a circle for both its symbol of unity, integration, and whole ness, as well as the simplicity of integrat ing the logo on all forms of promotion.

“Ultimately, I wanted the finished piece to have an illustrated quality that would be contemporary with a considerable nod to the past while appealing to the entire community.

“As a resident for over 20 years, I’m honored to have had the opportunity to contribute my design and sensibilities to our local history.”

And by sharing his words and thoughts, he, Ligeti, and the Historical Society of West Windsor give the community some thing to remember and celebrate.

West Windsor Then and Now: A New Perspective by Paul Ligeti, 170 pages, $29.99 (softcover), $49.99 (hardcover), available through the Historical Society of West Windsor website.

“West Windsor Then and Now: A New Perspective” celebrates the township’s 225th birthday.

Two running for Plainsboro seats on WW-P School Board

By Bill Sanservino

Two candidates are running for one open Plainsboro seat on the West Wind sor-Plainsboro Board of Education in the Nov. 8 election.

Incumbent Robin Zovich is being chal lenged Bill Beecroft for a three-year term on the board.

The News asked each of the candi dates to provide biographical information about themselves and a statement regard ing why they want to serve on the board. Their answers are presented below.

* *

Beecroft, 51, has been a stay-at-home dad for the last nine years. He has two daughters in the WW-P school district. His nine-year old, Hazel, will enter fourth grade in September, and his five-year old, Rosie will start Kindergarten.

Beecroft has a B.A. in Literature and Communications from Stockton Univer sity. He has coached High School football and track and field.

He volunteered as an ESL teacher working with refugees from Bhutan for the Lutheran Social Ministries in Tren ton. He volunteered as a track and field coach for Ewing High School and made

bagged lunches with his family for the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen during COVID when the dining area was forced to close.

He has worked for a political polling firm in Boulder, Colorado, surveying vot ers for State and local Colorado elections.

He also worked for a pub lic policy think tank that evaluated educational pro grams for the federal gov ernment, including, “School Choice Scholarships,” “Teaching Abstinence in schools,” and “The National Job Corps study.”

Beercroft lived in Plains boro for 5 years, then moved to Ewing for 13years. Once he and his wife, Alison, had children, they decided to move back to Plainsboro specifically for the schools and have been here for the last 5 years.

Beecroft’s statement: As a stay-athome dad of a nine year old and five year old both enrolled in WW-P schools, I am running for the Board of Education due to a desire to be a public servant, and to be more involved in my children’s edu

cation. Before my children were born, I volunteered as a track and field coach at Ewing High School, and taught ESL to refugees from Bhutan with the Lutheran Social Ministries in Trenton.

My wife attended WW-P schools from elementary through high school, and we moved back to Plainsboro six years ago, primarily due to the excellent school system.

Now that my children are both in school I want to renew my commitment to public service through volunteering.

I was initially motivated to run for the WW-P Board of Education as a result of the proposal to transform Wicoff School into a special needs school. Although the proposal was withdrawn based on com munity feedback, I feel that the commu nication around the proposal could have been handled better.

Had the board and administration pre sented the proposal for public comment, the community opposition would have been made clear earlier, before it was communicated as a decision that had already been made, and subsequently had to be reversed.

The proposal to transform Wicoff into a special needs school was met with opposi tion on two fronts. First, Wicoff School is the heart of the community, built in 1919. The township of Plainsboro was founded the same year, due to the need for a com munity school.

The proposal to close Wicoff School to neighborhood families failed to acknowl edge this important history and commu nity connection to the school. Secondly, while the desire to consolidate special education resources is understandable, isolating special needs students in a sepa rate school runs contrary to the spirit of inclusion.

The likely goal of this proposal was to ensure that students with high support needs, who might otherwise have to attend private schools, are able to remain in the district and have their needs met. However, being part of a shared school community is beneficial to both special needs students and their typically devel oping peers.

Even for those students with disabili ties that necessitate placement in a sep arate classroom, they can still interact with other students during lunch peri ods, assemblies, and in the hallways. The board should have communicated the proposal and allowed time for public

comment and debate prior to making a decision.

Communication and transparency are the main areas where I feel the board can improve. During COVID, we received weekly email communications from the superintendent. The district continues to utilize lengthy email messages to dissem inate messages to parents.

I recommend incorporating video messages in a “fireside chat” format as a tool to personalize some of these mes sages. Additionally, a suggestion box should be available on the board website to invite parents to share concerns and recommendations.

Finally, any proposal for significant change should be presented for public comment and debate prior to making a final decision.

It is important for the board and the administration to understand how pro posed changes will impact the commu nity, and for the board and administration to communicate the reasons for the pro posed change.

Surveys could be utilized, as they were during COVID to determine how many families favored hybrid learning and how many preferred 100% virtual.

Open two-way communication would prevent a situation like the Wicoff pro posal, where the decision was reversed within weeks of the initial communica tion due to public outcry. The board and administration would not be blindsided by the public’s reaction if adequate twoway communication channels were in place.

Overall, my experiences with the WW-P school district have been gener ally positive over the past 4 years. I’m proud to live in a school district that, in addition to being one of the best districts in the state academically, also celebrates diversity and teaches our children Social Emotional Learning and conflict resolu tion skills.

As a prospective board member, I’m not looking to shake things up or make sweeping changes, but I want to ensure parents’ voices are being heard.

If elected, I invite parents to contact me with their questions and concerns, and I’ll make sure those issues are heard and discussed by the board.

My goal in serving on the board is to affect change that results in higher student achievement and well-being.

If elected, I am committed to learning and will avail myself of every training resource possible in order to be wellinformed, fulfill my duties and add value as a board member.

Beecroft

Zovich, 49, and her husband, Tommy, moved to West Windsor in 2006 and then bought a home in Plainsboro the follow ing year. She graduated from Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1991. She attended Boston College, graduating in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in English.

She currently is the office manager for West Windsor Family Dentistry. She was a homemaker from 2002 to 2021. Prior to that, she worked in New York City for seven years managing print and online advertising/marketing campaigns for a variety of clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to academia.

The couple has two children who have attended WW-P schools. Son Tommy Jr. is a graduate of High School North and daughter Malia is a junior at The Law renceville School.

Zovich’s statement: I am running for re-election and a second term on the WW-P School Board and humbly ask for your support and vote. I have served on the Administration and Facilities commit tee for three years which reviews school policies, school security, and non-curric ulum activities such as athletics, clubs, etc., works with Administration to ensure that district facilities are well-maintained and appropriately used, and discusses the continuing referendum projects. I also served on the Labor Negotiations Team

this year working with the Services Asso ciation towards ratifying an approved con tract for the Instructional Assistants, Bus Drivers, Secretaries and Grounds People employed by our district; a contract that supports retaining our members and attracting highly qualified candidates.

I am proud of the work that has been done by the Board especially with the majority of my term being during the pandemic.

Two months after being sworn in, our district, along with the rest of the world, was faced with challenges that shifted day-to-day, if not hour-to-hour, and decisions were having to be made expeditiously and approved with no prior history to refer to for guidance.

It has been extremely rewarding to be part of a Board that has consistently prioritized serving and advocating for our students and I have witnessed firsthand the dedi cation the Administration, teachers and staff have to our students, parents and community.

I feel through my relationships with the members of our WW-P community, Administration, teachers, staff and other Board representatives, I have positively

contributed to the success of our district. Throughout my 15+ years living in Plains boro, I have volunteered my time and energy to many community organizations: PTSA Executive Boards, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Lightning Lacrosse, West Windsor Little League, Cranbury Plainsboro Little League, Queenship of Mary and St. David the King Church.

Through the many friendships I have formed over the years, I feel that people in the community find me to be accessible, receptive and responsive. I have always been open to dialog and conversations to appreciate varied opinions and have facilitated acquir ing answers to questions and helped build public understanding.

If re-elected, I would con tinue efforts to support our district mis sion statement which is “to empower all learners to thoughtfully contribute to a diverse and changing world with confi dence, strength of character, and love of learning.” The DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) initiative which the Adminis tration commenced a few years back, rec ognizes the diversity of our community and the varying educational needs of our

students. Involving teachers, staff, stu dents, parents, community members and the Board is a necessity and ensures suc cessful partnerships and programs.

The professional development pro vided to our Administration, teachers, and staff, establishes and maintains a structure that empowers the staff and establishes morale which in turn enhances and enriches instruction in the classroom; our teachers are invaluable and need our support.

Many of our students need assistance with the everyday stress of school, and some more so with the additional strain of the last two years of abnormal aca demic and social conditions. We need to continue to support them with additional instructional and mental health resources such as access to teachers/tutoring and mental health counselors from UBHC (University Behavioral Health Care).

In addition, as I’ve done for the last three years, I will continue to strongly advocate for the support from Adminis tration for the programs/coaching of our student-athletes as well as champion for the reinstatement of community-building events/trips in our schools.

Thank you for your support and trust the last three years and I hope to continue to give back to the WW-P School District and community for the 2023-2025 term.

Zovich

South junior Grund plays soccer around the world

By Rich Fisher

If there’s one thing you can say about Aidan Grund, it’s that his passport is in order.

It had to be, for some very cool rea sons. Over the past four months, the West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South junior enjoyed what had to be con sidered some amazing trips for a high school soccer player.

It started with him going to California to try out for the nationally renowned Surf Select Club team, which selects some of the nation’s top schoolboy players.

After making the U16 team, Grund and Surf Select played in the Super Cup in Northern Ireland during the summer. There were games against top-quality European teams, including Grund’s favorite, Manchester United.

Aidan played well enough to not only earn MVP honors for his team, but he was recommended by the Surf Select coaches to play on the U.S. team that

competed in Germany’s Bayern Munich Youth Cup in mid-October.

“It was a quick turnaround, I think they told me around two months ago,” Grund said. “I was shocked. I was really shocked.”

The trip to Germany included a 7-v-7 tourna ment with eight other countries. Prior to the actual games, the U.S. team was trained by the FC Bayern staff at their professional facility.

“It was a really good experience,” Grund said.

It’s not hard to see why. FC Bayern Munich is Germany’s most suc cessful program. By winning the FIFA Club World Cup in 2020, Bayern Munich became only the second club to win the “sextuple”, which also includes winning the League Cup and Champions League in one season, and the Domestic Super

cup, UEFA Supercup and Club World Cup the next season.

It’s the kind of outfit that one could learn a lot from. Not to mention, Grund was practicing with some high-caliber players.

“It’s just super enjoy able,” he said. “You don’t have to do it all by your self. You get to play with some really talented players and the level of soccer just goes up so much.”

The U.S. team made it to the semifinals before losing to Japan.

“They were 50-min ute games but they’re probably more tiring than the 90-minute game,” Grund said. “There’s so much running with 7-v-7.”

Asked what countries truly impressed him in the tournament, Aidan did not hesitate.

“Nigeria,” he said. “They were big, tall for the most part. They all were just crazy talented with their feet and their IQ of the game, which is insane. Probably the best players I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Prior to that, Grund also saw a dif ferent brand of soccer playing for Surf Select in Ireland.

“They played in a way, where it was super physical but where the refs would not call a foul,” he said. “They would do everything to mess you up but it wouldn’t be considered a foul. I kind of enjoyed it, it was fun.”

Along with the fun, came an education from playing European teams.

“It opened my eyes,” Grund said. “It was really nice to compare myself to some of the best kids in the world up to that point. I’m a Man United fan so it was sort of like a dream come true to play against them. I met a lot of new people and played with a lot of new kids. We played five games in just over a week and it was a lot of fun.”

And while he was having fun, he was

‘You get to play with some really talented players and the level of soccer just goes up so much.’

community forum

It takes a village to run an award-winning farm market

It takes a village to run an amazing farm ers market, and that includes YOU, our greater community.

A call to action was put out late in the summer to cast a vote for the West Wind sor Community Farmers Market as your favorite market in New Jersey, and you showed up! Thank you for supporting and voting!

In mid-September, we were notified by the organizers of the annual Celebration of Farmers Markets (American Farmland Trust and Farmers Market Coalition), that out of over two thousand markets par ticipating nationwide, the WWCFM was voted the number one market in New Jer sey and the Northeast, plus the bonus was that the market had ranked as the fourth favorite in the nation!

Having managed the market since 2011, I am always meeting fellow West Wind sor (and Plainsboro) residents who have never been or haven’t visited the farmers market since the very beginning years of 2004, 05, etc when the market was a frac tion of the vibrant community space it is

now.

It is overwhelming for me, as a com munity organizer that for the folks who know (and voted) and make a concerted effort to shop locally each week—they (you) really “get” what a gem the market is to our own township, to the surrounding area residents, to our local food economy, to the community groups who we give space to engage with their fellow neigh bors, to the musicians who perform, to the farmers who grow, raise and produce the most amazing seasonal produce, meats, cheeses, etc., the artisan food vendors who create up delicious offerings, the residents who sit on our 501c 3 volunteer board who pitch in on Saturdays at the information table as well as advise the overall market operations, and the teenagers who help us with set up and break down in exchange for volunteer hours.

The Market is a collective of everyone working together for the greater good in local food. It isn’t one manager, or one shopper, or one farmer, or one volunteer; we are a community coming together each

and every week to lift each other up. What makes the West Windsor Community Farmers Market stand out against other markets? Exactly that—community at its finest.

We encourage you to (re)visit the WWCFM Saturdays through Nov. 19 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and then on the first and third Saturdays, December through April from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Rain or shine, local food matters. Community matters.

Chris Cirkus Cirkus is the market manger of the West Windsor Community Farmers Market.

SBRSA responds to recent EPA consent decree

The following letter is being published at the request of the Stony Brook Regional Sew erage Authority, which services West Wind sor, as well as Pennington Borough, Prince ton, Hopewell Borough, Hopewell Township and South Brunswick Township.

Stony Brook Regional Sewerage Author

ity has entered into a Consent Decree with the United States Department of Environ mental Protection and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The Consent Decree addresses notices of violation brought by the EPA and DEP alleging that SBRSA violated the Clean Air Act and associated laws and regulations with respect to SBRSA’s operation of two sewage sludge incinerators at its facility located on River Road in Princeton.

Without admitting liability and to avoid further litigation that would likely result in significantly higher costs, SBRSA has agreed to pay $335,750 in civil penalties shared equally by EPA and DEP. In addi tion, SBRSA has agreed to commit an addi tional $44,250 to DEP’s Environmental Mitigation Project Fund.

The majority of the violations alleged by EPA and DEP relate to SBRSA’s operation of an emergency bypass stack designed to protect the health and safety of employ ees, and SBRSA’s infrastructure, in the rare instances when commercial power or an equipment failure occurs. Although

Ready

SBRSA’s sewage sludge incinerators are designed so that sludge (a byproduct of wastewater treatment) automatically stops feeding in the event of an emergency, it is impossible to stop burning instanta neously and emergency action must be taken.

Without the operation of the emergency bypass stack, the exhaust gases would fill areas where employees are present and would damage the incinerator air pollu tion control equipment. The emergency bypass stack is used approximately 0.04% of the time that the incinerators are in operation and only during events beyond the control of SBRSA.

SBRSA has implemented procedures to reduce the use of the emergency bypass stack. For example, SBRSA does not operate the incinerators in anticipation of severe weather or heavy rainfall, which have been associated with commercial power failures, and has installed an unin terruptible power supply or “UPS system” on critical components that provides emer gency power when commercial power fails, in an effort to reduce emergency bypass events.

SBRSA endeavors to achieve compli ance, or perform better than required by its permit at all times, and continuously works to protect the environment. To this end, several years ago, SBRSA installed a regenerative thermal oxidizer. The RTO recycles heat from the exhaust thus reduc ing the amount of fossil fuels required to maintain temperatures within the incinera tion system. The reduced use of fossil fuels and resulting reduction in adverse emis sions are beneficial to the environment.

EPA and DEP also cited SBRSA for fail ing to file control plans specifically identi fying steps taken to ensure that mercury, dioxins and furans are appropriately con trolled. Apart from this misunderstand

ing over regulatory reporting, SBRSA’s daily sampling and monthly analysis of sludge fed to the incinerator, and verifi cation through periodic stack emission testing, establish that mercury emissions have always been significantly less than the amount allowed under the Clean Air Act and SBRSA’s operating permit. Emis sions of dioxins and furans have been neg ligible. In fact, emissions of all pollutants have always been less than the amount allowed under the Clean Air Act and SBR SA’s operating permit. Under the Consent Decree, SBRSA has agreed to incorporate mercury, furans, and dioxins, into future control plans.

SBRSA operates three wastewater treat ment plants for parts of Princeton, West Windsor Township, South Brunswick Township, Pennington Borough, Hopewell Borough, Hopewell Township, and Plains boro Township. At the River Road plant in Princeton, SBRSA incinerates its own sew age sludge and also incinerates sludge gen erated by other wastewater treatment facili ties throughout the state of New Jersey. SBRSA has always been proactive.

SBRSA was among the first entities in the State to install afterburners and Con tinuous Emissions Monitoring Systems (CEMS), among the first in the State to permit and model the emergency bypass stack emissions, and the first New Jersey Sanitary Sewage Sludge Incinerator facil ity to obtain a Title V Operating Permit (TVOP). This desire to operate its Multi ple Hearth Sewage Sludge Incinerator in an efficient and environmentally protec tive manner continues to this day. SBRSA remains committed to operating the incin erators in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

Questions regarding this matter should be addressed to Gale D. Downey, PhD at gdowney@sbrsa.org.

Genius® 3D Mammograms

Now at Windsor Radiology

Genius® 3D Mammograms provide arti cial intelligence as another layer of assurance that nothing is missed.

They also provide shorter exam times and greater comfort, reducing our “squeeze” time by 75%.

To schedule, call 609-426-9200 or go to WindsorRadiology.com

300A Princeton Hightstown Road, East Windsor, NJ

Alexa Hetzel

PA C Wendy Myers

MD Brianna Butler PA C

HEALTH EDUCATION

Wednesday, November 30, 2022 | 6 p.m.

Location:

Are

pain in

Healthy Holiday Eating

Thursday, November 17, 2022 | 6 p.m.

Location: Zoom Meeting

The holidays have the potential to throw you off your eating plan, so join Registered Dietitian LONI PERESZLENYI from the Capital Health Wellness Center for some clever tricks on how to navigate parties and family time and make smart food and drink choices. In addition to Loni’s creative holiday hacks, she will also share some of her favorite healthy holiday recipes.

care,

KATHIE OLSON, clinical coordinator for Capital Health’s Center for Incontinence and Pelvic Health, to learn strategies for living your life without

pain. Kathie will be joined by Capital Health Physical Therapists Natalia Ochalski and Felicia Taveira, who will discuss the benefits of pelvic floor physical therapy. All genders are welcome!

travel talk with Caryn and Aron tis the season for a Christmas river cruise

It is one of life’s pleasures on a crisp morning to be sailing on one of Europe’s storied rivers to medieval towns that celebrate the Christmas season with market festivals featuring native crafts, local food, beer and glühwein. It has been a few years since I visited the Christmas markets and I am looking forward to returning in 2023.

While wrapped up in a blanket on deck or viewing from your cabin balcony, you will pass fairytale houses or castles as you sail the winding rivers. And when it is time to dock you do so in the heart of the medieval towns giving you the opportunity to walk from the ship. Depending upon the town you are not required to sit on a bus for hours to get you to your destination and have the choice of wandering on your own through the markets or taking part in the guided excursion.

‘Tis the season for festivity and it is noticeable on ships sailing to Christmas markets. Sometimes, a decorated tree sits in the reception area or there is a gingerbread house, surrounded by seasonal sweets laid out at the main door. And you might receive a little “gift” from Santa or if you have been naughty from Krumpus.

The Europe Christmas markets are essentially street markets. Usually set up outdoors, they offer an incredible variety of local crafts and wares and delicious local Christmas delicacies. Gluhwein (Mulled wine), cider and hot chocolate are popular wintertime beverages sold in these markets. This is a great opportunity to embrace local customs.

There’s a river cruise itinerary for every taste and interest and a Christmas markets river cruise for anyone who loves the holiday season,

particularly the occasional snowfall. There is no vacation more magical than the holiday sailings in Europe from sailing up the Rhine past hundreds of castles or down the Danube stopping in medieval towns.

And if you absolutely hate the cold weather, the river is just as exciting during the spring, summer and fall. You can find a River Cruise to suit your desires whether it be wine drinking, tulip time, Jewish Heritage or a multitude of other interests.

We are planning on escorting a small group for Christmas Markets 2023. Leaving right after Thanksgiving. Join us for a very memorable experience on the Main and Rhine rivers. For more information, contact us a cberla@ cruiseplanners. com.

And as a treat, here is a recipe for traditional Gluhwein: 1 large orange (zest in wide strips and juice the orange), ¾ cup water, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 20 whole cloves, 2 sticks cinnamon, 2 whole star anise and 1 bottle dry red wine (750 milliliter). Combine Sugar and water and boil until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat, then add spices, including the orange zest. Tip: stick the cloves in the orange peel. Reduce heat to simmer, add wine and orange juice. Simmer for 30 min to couple of hours. Do not let it boil!. Strain and serve in small mugs. Can add a shot of rum or amaretto! Enjoy!

Go to makingvacationmemories. com to register for hot deals delivered directly to your inbox and follow us at www.facebook. com/makingvacationmemories. Unlike big online travel sites, Cruise Planners delivers the personal touch. 609.750.0807 or cberla@ cruiseplanners.com.

(Dir) 609-683-8549

609-799-5556

609-865-3696

253 Nassau Street

Princeton, NJ 609-924-1600 • (Dir) 609-683-8549

(Cell) 609-865-3696

www.GreatHomesbyEva.com

Here, it’s all about people.

Here, it’s all about people.

Here, it’s all about people.

Being together has never meant more. And The Landing of Hamilton gives residents enriching and soul‑filling social connections – from a warm and caring staff, to daily group events, and friend making moments. All tailored to each individual, in the safest environment possible.

Being together has never meant more. And The Landing of Hamilton gives residents enriching and soul‑filling social connections – from a warm and caring staff, to daily group events, and friend making moments. All tailored to each individual, in the safest environment possible.

Being together has never meant more. And The Landing of Hamilton gives residents enriching and soul‑filling social connections – from a warm and caring staff, to daily group events, and friend making moments. All tailored to each individual, in the safest environment possible.

Call today to find out more about our trial stays!

Call today to find out more about our trial stays!

Call today to find out more about our trial stays!

1750 Yardville-Hamilton Square Road

Hamilton 609.241.9538

1750 Yardville-Hamilton Square Road • Hamilton 609.241.9538 • TheLandingOfHamilton.com

TheLandingOfHamilton.com

TheLandingOfHamilton.com

1750 Yardville-Hamilton Square Road • Hamilton 609.241.9538

story of West Windsor’s first suburban community

LIGETI WEST WINDSOR CHRONICLES

Today, the Historical Society of West Windsor—a 100% volunteer nonprofit that preserves and promotes local history— explores the history of West Windsor’s first suburban development, which many residents call home: Berrien City.

is West Windsor’s 225th birthday! The Historical Society is leading dozens of commemorative community projects and free-to-thepublic events throughout the year. Visit westwindsorhistory.com/year-225 to learn

A city amid farmland

The idea for West Windsor’s first planned development—in what was then a town that had been dominated by a farming landscape since the mid-1700s, with farmland stretching as far as the eye could see - originated with a man named Montgomery Scott Berrien. In 1916, Montgomery presented plans to the Town Committee for a development he called “Berrien Heights” next to the former Elliot

Nurseries—a plant distribution center straddling either side of the railroad tracks that operated from 1912-1919.

This development was designed to take advantage of its proximity to the Princeton Junction train station (itself built in the 1860s) and featured 72 properties with uniform lots, surrounding two new roads: Berrien Avenue and Montgomery Street, named after the Berrien family and Montgomery himself, respectively. According to township tax records, about sixteen homes date to the time of Berrien Heights, and about half a dozen predate the development.

Montgomery died in 1922, but by 1924, his son, Alexander, had purchased enough property to expand Berrien Heights from 72 to 114 lots, renaming it “Berrien City.” Like his father, he sold only the land itself to buyers, who built their own houses. Berrien City included three new roads — Lillie Street, Scott Avenue, and Emil Street—named after his sister, father, and brother-in-law, respectively. Alexander died in 1926 but his son, Alexander Jr., appears to have actually lived in Berrien City and, with the Princeton Bank & Trust Company, carried on his father’s business for several years.

The Berrien City Firehouse, constructed in 1931, is now the site of the West Windsor Arts Center.

However, only part of the community—all east of the tracks - was actually developed, around the newly-constructed Wallace Road and the northern extension of Scott Avenue, as well as Emil Street and the railroad bridge.

Borosko place was also built, albeit named after a local family of Hungarian immigrants. Eventually, all three communities—Berrien Heights, Berrien City, and Princeton Gardens—became collectively known as “Berrien City.”

The Berrien City Fire Company

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Also in 1926, a real estate developer named Michael McLaughlin proposed a third community, called “Princeton Gardens.” The original plans featured 201 lots on both side of the railroad tracks.

The West Windsor Fire Company formed in Dutch Neck in 1921 as our town’s first emergency service. However, only five years later, it was evident that more was needed to provide for the township, especially with the construction of Berrien City. So, in 1926, a group of locals formed the Berrien City Fire Company, which soon reorganized as the present-day Princeton Junction Volunteer Fire Company. They erected a firehouse at 950-52 Alexander Road—in the heart of Berrien City—in 1931. Over the decades, the building was enlarged to accommodate

O U S

ever-expanding equipment and personnel. At one point, this even required the relocation of a house from the intersection of Scott Avenue and Alexander Road to North Post Road.

Mid-1900s Growth

Berrien City itself also grew significantly over the decades as dozens of new families built dozens of new homes. Many of the brick houses were constructed by Charles Aversano, and many of the stucco houses were built by the Hall family. Locals talk of finding leftover materials from the Pennsylvania Railroad in their homes.

Several houses were built from modular kits purchased from Sears, Roebuck, Weyerhauser, and other companies. Family, friends, and neighbors occasionally helped with construction. Today, Berrien City features a cornucopia of architectural designs, demonstrating a level of individuality unique among West Windsor’s planned developments.

Berrien City also had its own water company. Around the intersection of Scott Avenue and Wallace Road, there was a fresh water spring. Residents filled jugs there for drinking, until it was capped in the 1970s.

Another water tower, with an electric pump, was located at the corner of Scott Avenue and Montgomery Streets

at least as far back as the 1940s, if not earlier. During the winter, the tower often overflowed, forming ice sculptures. It was demolished many decades ago.

Berrien City’s sense of community has been evident throughout its existence. During the Great Depression, Bingo games at the Berrien City firehouse were popular. During World War II, the building also served as a Civil Defense station. In 1943, the local post office moved very briefly to the firehouse, then to the building directly next door, now occupied by Brother’s Pizza.

In the 1970s and 1980s, this same building housed an Italian restaurant called “Galleta’s Galley,” and before that “Howard’s Luncheonette.” Sal’s Shoe Repair Shop, directly adjacent, is another longtime business. A variety of local efforts - including, of course, the Berrien City Neighborhood Association - also helped to define the community’s identity.

John Forbes Nash, Jr.

Until recently, Berrien City was also home to one of West Windsor’s most famous residents—John Forbes Nash, Jr.

Born in 1928, Nash was a mathematical genius who made fundamental contributions to humanity’s understanding on non-cooperative games, singularity theory, geometry, and much more, and

even predicted many contemporary cryptographic concepts. In 1994, Nash received the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences based on his contributions to game theory. The next year, he became a Senior Research Mathematician at Princeton University. He won myriad other distinctions over the years.

Nash is also well known for his decadeslong struggles with schizophrenia. These struggles, and Nash’s eventual (majority) recovery after many long years, were the subject of Sylvia Nasar’s 1998 book “A Beautiful Mind” and the film of the same name.

From around the 1970s onward, Nash and his family lived in Berrien City. He took the Dinky Line to work in Princeton and was a familiar local face. Nash Park nearby on Alexander Road is named after him. Sadly, he and his wife, Alicia, passed away in a car crash in 2015. However, their legacies, and Nash’s immense contributions to the world, persist.

Arts in the city

In 2002, the Princeton Junction Fire Company moved most of its operations from Berrien City to new and larger facilities on Clarksville Road. That same year, after being petitioned by local residents, Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh convened the Mayor’s Art Center

Formation Task Force, with the goal of turning the historic Berrien City firehouse into an arts center.

The West Windsor Arts Council formed in 2002, after months of work by enthusiastic and visionary community members. In 2010, the West Windsor Arts Center opened in the old Berrien City firehouse. The building - once the site of emergency calls, bingo nights, dances, and receptions - now hosts exhibitions, performances, classes, camps, and more for the community.

Berrien City today

Today, Berrien City, while part of West Windsor, retains a unique identity and sense of place. Its tree-lined avenues evoke the Elliot Nurseries of over a century past. Its proximity to the train station is a constant reminder of Princeton Junction’s 1800s-era roots. And most importantly, the neighborhood retains a strong sense of “community” that makes its history all the more worth memorializing.

To contact, support, or volunteer for the Historical Society, or to check out our new full-length West Windsor history book, visit westwindsorhistory. com. We are also on social media— search “@SchenckFarmstead” on Facebook and Instagram. Email us at westwindsorhistory@gmail.com.

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