PPS Adopts New Program To Teach Reading 5
Cause of PU Student’s Death Released by Medical Examiner 8
“Stigma-Free Play-Along” Is Theme of Annual Chamber Jam 14
Langborg, Peters Star as PU Men’s Hoops Edges Harvard in Ivy League Opener 21
Junior Paul Emerging as Standout for Princeton High Wrestling 25
Since merging with the Greater Somerset County YMCA and becoming a branch of that organization last March, the Princeton YMCA has been bolstering its programs that deal with children of limited resources. Key to this strengthening is Keshon Bennett, in charge of several youth initiatives involving children from preschool through high school.
The YMCA’s new director of youth development and outreach, Bennett oversees the growth of the universal pre-K sites in conjunction with the Princeton Public Schools; the Princeton Young Achievers (PYA) afterschool program, with three learning centers in partnership with Princeton Community Housing and Princeton Housing Authority; and the ACE mentoring program that focuses on middle and high school students.
“I have a nice, big calendar and a white board in my office, thank goodness,” he said this week. “But I have help. Slowly but surely, we are putting the team together.”
Bennett was leading the camp at the Somerset Hills YMCA in Basking Ridge when he learned of the opportunity in Princeton. “When they told me about the programs, I was immediately interested,” he said. “About six or seven years ago I had come here to coach basketball, and I really loved the community.”
Bennett, who turns 46 this month, grew up in Neptune. After working for Verizon for 16 years, he transitioned to education, teaching and coaching high school basketball. He coached in Plaineld before spending ve years teaching at New York’s Success Academy. “I was attracted to the inner city,” he said. “I love coaching. But it goes way beyond that once you start to develop the relationships and mentor the students. It got me going in this direction and I haven’t turned back.”
Since joining the staff at Princeton YMCA, Bennett has focused on program structure and staff recruitment. “Everyone is eager to get into a routine, and our priority is to ensure that our activities are operating well and our youth get a solid start to the second semester,” he said in a press release.
Claudia Orostizaga is Bennett’s associate youth development director. “Claudia is a Princeton resident and Princeton
Phases II and III of the Witherspoon Street project, improvements to Terhune Road, extension of the bicycle-pedestrian path on Cherry Hill Road, and reconstruction of Dickinson Street along with resurfacing of parts of Alexander Street and University Place will all be receiving signi cant boosts in funding in 2023 with a total of nearly $3.5 million in year-end grants from state and federal coffers.
As part of a $1.7 trillion federal government bill that Congress passed on December 23, Princeton will receive $750,000 for Witherspoon Street Phase II and III improvements. Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman announced on December 27 that the Witherspoon Street undertaking, along with 14 other projects in New Jersey’s 12th Congressional district, would be receiving a total of more than $15 million in federal community project funding as part of the omnibus bill.
“From mental health services to infrastructure improvements, these investments will make Central Jersey a better place to live, work, and raise a family,” she said in her announcement. “As New Jersey’s sole congressional appropriator, I take great pride in making sure my
constituents’ federal tax dollars come right back to their communities.”
Princeton Assistant Municipal Engineer James Purcell noted that the federal funds for Phases II and III of the Witherspoon project would be added to $625,000 from the state in Municipal Aid for Phase II.
Planned improvements on Witherspoon between Green Street and Franklin Avenue include underground utility upgrades, tree removal and replacement where necessary, sidewalk removal and
expansion, and roadway surface removal and replacement. Authorities have reviewed six bids that have been received and are expected to soon award a contract of approximately $4.3 million for completion of Phase II. Preliminary planning for Phase III, Franklin Avenue to Valley Road, has begun, and the awarding of a contract is anticipated by November 2023.
With the help of a New Jersey Safe Streets to Transit grant of $636,000, Terhune Road from North Harrison to Grover
“Toni Morrison: Sites of Memory,” an exhibition that will go “beyond gallery walls and into the community, demonstrating the interdisciplinary and collaborative nature of Morrison’s work,” according to a Princeton University press release, will open on February 22 in Firestone Library’s Milberg Gallery and continue through June 4.
Drawing on the University’s Toni Morrison Papers archive, the tribute to the 1993 Nobel laureate, writer, and former
Princeton University professor who died in 2019 will be manifested in a number of different forms over the coming months.
Morrison, whose novels included The Bluest Eye (1970), Song of Solomon (1977), Beloved (1987), and many more, taught at Princeton from 1989 to 2006. Morrison Hall, named in her honor, is home to the University’s Department of African American Studies.
Going beyond the Morrison archive that includes 200 linear feet of research
DONALD C. STUART, 1946-1981 DAN D. COYLE, 1946-1973 Founding Editors/Publishers DONALD C. STUART III, Editor/Publisher, 1981-2001
LAURIE PELLICHERO Editor BILL ALDEN, Sports Editor DONALD GILPIN, WENDY GREENBERG, ANNE LEVIN, STUART MITCHNER, NANCY PLUM, DONALD H. SANBORN III, JEAN STRATTON, WILLIAM UHL Contributing Editors FRANK WOJCIECHOWSKI, CHARLES R. PLOHN, WERONIKA A. PLOHN Photographers
Princeton Human Services is grateful to those who contributed to its 24th annual Holiday Gift Drive, providing presents for approximately 328 children up to age 12, in addition to donating gift cards to each family to help during difficult times.
In addition to municipal employees, police officers, emergency services, and many local residents who made donations, Human Services is especially grateful to Stone Hill Church, Princeton Senior Resource Center, Sustainable Princeton, and Ivy Rehab Physical Therapy for their support and contributions.
For information on how to sign up or donate for next year, email rjones @princetonnj.gov.
YWCA Princeton will host its 39th Tribute to Women Awards on March 31 at the Hyatt Regency. The awards place emphasis on celebrating professionals, volunteers, and activists who demonstrate commitment to promoting equity and supporting underserved or marginalized communities.
Established in 1984, the Tribute to Women Awards has recognized over 600 New Jersey women and allies for their accomplishments.
The 2023 Tribute to Women honorees are Lynne Azarchi, executive director, Kidsbridge; Rebecca Boswell,
supervising psychologist, Penn Medicine Princeton Center for Eating Disorders; retired justice Jaynee LaVecchia, partner, McCarter and English; Madeline Lightman, community volunteer, Breast Cancer Resource Center and HomeFront; Mitch Livingston, president, NJM Insurance Group, Male Ally Award; Sheria McRae, CEO, Foundation Academies; Marissa Muoio, head of Upper School, Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart; and Carlo Vitale, owner, Vitale Inspection Services and president of Happy Smile Foundation, Male Ally Award.
The awards will be held in person for the first time since 2019. “Our 2023 class of honorees exemplify creating equity by empowering others and creating opportunities for personal and professional growth,”
said YWCA Princeton CEO Tay Walker. “We’re looking forward to highlighting their important contributions and passion for service.”
“This year marks a decade that NJM has supported the YWCA of Princeton’s Tribute to Women Awards event which honors community members who are on the forefront of eradicating racism and empowering women,” said Pat Hartpence, NJM’s corporate giving officer and past Tribute to Women honoree. “We congratulate the YWCA on a century of service to the greater Princeton area and for its enduring focus on these critical goals.”
Tickets are $185 each, with discounts for couples and tables. For more information and sponsorship opportunities, v isit ywca princeton.org/tribute.
Ice Skating on the Square : On Hulfish Street behind the Nassau Inn, skate on the outdoor synthetic rink through February 26. Tickets are $10, sold at the door. Visit palmersquare.com.
Virtual Public Hearing on Inland Flood Protection Rules: On Wednesday, January 11 at 1 p.m., the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is seeking public comment on the proposed rules having to do with flood hazard area and stormwater management. Visit nj.gov/dep.
Volunteer for FOPOS, Honor Martin Luther King: Friends of Princeton Open Space invites volunteers to half-day, family-friendly habitat restoration sessions for the MLK Day of Service on Monday, January 16. Meet at the Mountain Lakes House event parking lot. Register at www.fopos.org/getinvolved.
Join Boards, Commissions or Committees : The municipality is looking to fill vacancies with residents of Princeton who are willing to attend regularly scheduled meetings. Visit princetonnj.gov for more information.
Blood Donors Needed: The American Red Cross needs blood and platelets to keep supplies from dropping. All types are needed, especially type O. Visit RedCrossBlood. org or call (800) 733-2767 for more information.
Free COVID-19 Test Kits: Available at Princeton Health Department, 1 Monument Drive, Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. There is limit of four per household; you must reside in Princeton to get the kits.
Free Vision and Dental Services for Low Income Residents : The municipality is offering these services for low-income Princeton residents impacted by the pandemic. For application information, visit Princetonnj.gov.
In an initiative aimed at effectively meeting the needs of all its youngest students, Princeton Public Schools (PPS) has adopted the Orton-Gillingham (OG) approach to the teaching of reading.
This past fall PPS trained
more than 20 of its elementary school staff members in OG methods, a multi-sensory, structured, sequential approach to reading instruction, and the district will offer training this summer to all kindergarten and first grade teachers.
“This is wonderful news for our early learners,” said PPS Superintendent of Schools Carol Kelley. “Learning to read is the key to attaining academic success, and by incorporating Orton-Gillingham techniques into our program we will help all of our students achieve their full potential. This boost to our early elementary program aligns perfectly with our goal of supporting the needs of early learners, age 3 to grade three.”
Using OG enables districts to reduce the number of students who read below grade level or need Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs) or other academic supports, PPS noted in a recent press release.
New Elementary Education Supervisor Sarah Moore, who is a Level-5 Orton-Gillingham master instructor and a certified Orton-Gillingham school district trainer, described the OG approach and the district’s plans for its revamped reading program. “The OG approach is multi-sensory in nature,” she said. “It ensures that multiple learning pathways (auditory, visual, and kinesthetic) are activated as students are learning. The OG approach emphasizes highly explicit and systematic teaching around phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills.”
She noted that the new program would be more intensive in order to support early literacy acquisition for students and that the OG approach would also be brought into grades three to five, where students would be studying morphology and etymology. Teachers will be participating in 30 hours of training in preparing to implement the OG approach.
Moore has led the training at PPS and is the author
of many journal articles on structured literacy practices. She has trained more than 500 teachers in the OG approach to teaching reading.
“The feedback from the Orton-Gillingham training this fall has been tremendously positive, and our interventionists are already using the program and strategies with students and reporting very strong results,” said PPS Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Kimberly Tew.
She added that the OG method significantly improves students’ ability to read and their ability to “read to learn” when studying other subjects.
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PPS recently received OG accreditation from the Institute for Multi-sensory Education, “a coveted designation that fewer than a dozen districts in the country receive,” according to the PPS press release.
“If you can help students early, the data shows that you dramatically reduce the number of students who read below grade level,” said Tew. “If you can provide early targeted interventions, 86 percent of students will not require any academic interventions. But if you wait until after the second grade, there is a big drop and only 36 percent of students do not need future interventions.”
Moore, who worked as supervisor of literacy and intervention in the Robbinsville Public Schools before coming to PPS last August, described impressive results from the introduction of the OG approach in Robbinsville. “We saw students reading on grade level go from approximately 45 percent to over 80 percent,” she said. “The national average for students reading on grade level by fourth grade is 33 percent, according to the most recent NAEP data.”
In addition to incorporating OG into the elementary program, this spring PPS will be moving to Early Bird, an early literacy screener from Harvard University and Boston Children’s Hospital, which identifies students who need additional reading support before deficits can occur.
Along with the OG training for all kindergarten and first grade teachers this summer, PPS will be introducing a “new structured literacy block” that will incorporate phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension study.
Elementary teachers are already enthusiastic in adapting to the new approach, said Moore. “We trained our first round of PPS teachers in OG through the Institute for Multi-sensory Education this fall, and there was a tremendously positive response. We’ve also had several other local school districts reach out to coordinate having their teachers trained in Princeton with our staff,” she added.
Moore is looking forward to ongoing progress for Princeton elementary schools in the teaching and learning of reading. “At PPS we are embracing best practices by aligning our tiered systems of support, providing teachers with in-depth training, revamping our universal screening processes, and bringing in our new structured literacy block,” she said. “We are very proud of the exciting work happening here and can’t wait to provide further updates as the rollout happens.”
—Donald Gilpinfor peace, happiness, and people getting along.”
Bella: “I am hopeful for return of normalcy in 2023 and that the situation in Ukraine will improve.”
Ariella: “I am hopeful for a lot! I hope that we will continue to be less afraid of COVID and that life will be more normal. I also hope that the antisemitism that we witnessed in 2022 will stop in 2023.”
Carson: “I am graduating in 2023, so I am looking forward to that. I hope that 2023 will be a more normal year as we continue to move toward normalcy.”
Rosslyn: “I worked in a hospital during the pandemic, and I hope for things to be normal and for everyone to be safe and healthy.”
A forum for the expression of opinions about local and national issues.
“What are you hopeful for in 2023?”
(Photos by Weronika A. Plohn)—Bella Lependorf and Ariella Scheer, both of Princeton —Carson Giles, Princeton with Rosslyn Scott, Annapolis, Md.
“I am hopeful for growth in my career and good health. Moving forward, staying healthy, and being positive are my goals for 2023.”—Kahlou Brown, Princeton
“I hope to improve my tricks on my bicycle and my skateboard.”—Benjamin Lisberg, Montclair
“I am hopeful for more peace in my personal life as well as the whole world. I hope
Grants continued from
Avenue will be reconstructed, including the road itself, a shared-use path on the north side, the addition of a dedicated bike lane on the south side, and traffic calming by way of a raised intersection at Thanet Circle and the new connector road. These upgrades are in conjunction with improvements being made by the developers of Avalon at Thanet and The Alice. The anticipated cost of this project is $1,049,000.
State Municipal Aid funds of $724,820 will be focused on significant reconstruction to Dickinson Street, along with sidewalk improvements and updated curb ramps.
Alexander Street and University Place north of the roundabout will also be resurfaced, with the total cost of the project expected to be $1,366,000.
As part of New Jersey’s Local Bikeway Program, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced on December 12 that Princeton would be awarded $750,000 to extend its Cherry Hill Road shared bicycle-pedestrian path from Foulet Drive to Crestview Drive. The path currently extends from Cherry Hill Road and Route 206/State Road to Foulet Drive.
Bikeway Grant awards for 2023 in Mercer County also went to Lawrence Township for its Pretty Brook Road Lawrence-Hopewell Trail Connector project and to West Windsor Township for its Conover Road Connection to South Post Road initiative.
In conjunction with Murphy’s announcement of more than $24 million in transportation-related grants, New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti said, ”The Department of Transportation is proud to support Gov. Murphy’s vision to make New Jersey more fair, equitable, and environmentally friendly. We appreciate the governor and the legislature providing an additional $20 million this year for Bikeways, Safe Streets to Transit, and Transit Village Grants. The increased funding means a record number of towns are receiving grants to create safer, more walkable and bikeable communities, and promote the use of public transportation.”
Citing rising traffic fatalities and serious injuries in the state, New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition Executive Director Debra Kagan pointed out that the new funding initiatives would support “vulnerable road users and create more walkable and bikeable roads, an essential part of building a safer and more equitable transportation system for New Jersey.”
Purcell pointed out some of the added benefits of the state and federal grants. “They free up our ability to do other improvements that are on our list,” he said. “Without the grants we’d be waiting on those. We’re hoping to see lots of streets resurfaced this year through our resurfacing program.”
—Donald Gilpin
Capital Health recently received a donation of holiday gift bags by 12-year-old Eliana Fastag-Rosenfield. Eliana spearheaded a Community Service Project in collaboration with her upcoming bat mitzvah.
She spent two months collecting close to 300 gifts — from books and toys to clothes and gift certificates — and soliciting from all members of the community through family, friends, and local businesses.
“I am inspired to bring joy to children who are in the hospital and fighting for their health this holiday season,” said Eliana. “I understand it is very difficult to stay in the hospital for such a long amount of time, so that’s why I decided to send these gifts to as many children as I can.”
As part of her bat mitzvah, Eliana embraced the opportunity to devote a community service project to children while engaging in learning opportunities and showcasing corporate philanthropy. “Jewish tradition teaches that life requires us to perform acts of mitzvot (good deeds) and tzedakah (charity) and gemilut chasidim (acts of loving-kindness),” said Eliana’s father, Lee Rosenfield. “She chose to undertake this project now because she wants to bring joy and cheer to children who are ill and will be in the hospital this holiday season.”
“Our community partnerships are a great asset and truly benefit patient care during this season of giving, as well as throughout the year,” said Suzanne Borgos, Capital Health’s chief strategy officer. “Capital Health is very fortunate to have caring and compassionate friends and neighbors. We thank the Rosenfield family for their outpouring of generosity this holiday season.”
The New Jersey Arts & Culture Renewal Fund (NJACRF) is awarding $2.2 million in grants to 96 nonprofit organizations across the state, including the Arts Council of Princeton, Arts Against Racism and Stretto Youth Chamber Orchestra, both of Princeton; and Storytelling Arts Inc. of Princeton Junction.
Since its founding in 2020,
the NJACRF has awarded a total of more than $6.7 million in grants to more than 180 nonprofit arts, culture, and history organizations statewide. The NJACRF recently received a $1.5 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to support its grantmaking. The NJACRF awards grants to organizations that contribute to cultural equity and community well-being, which aligns with the goals of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s philanthropy. The NJACRF has also received significant support from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
Hosted by the Princeton Area Community Foundation, the NJACRF is a collaboration between private and public donors. Established at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been a lifesaving initiative for many of the state’s nonprofit organizations in the arts, culture, and historical sectors. NJACRF has prioritized support to small and mid-size organizations, led by and/or serving Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) that were found to be disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
“The New Jersey Arts and Culture Renewal Fund started as a Recovery Fund two years ago to help arts, cultural and historical organizations survive the COVID pandemic. We have now transformed into a Renewal Fund, focusing on the resiliency and future of the sector as its needs change and evolve,” said Jeremy Grunin, co-chair of the Fund’s Steering Committee.
“This sector is essential to our social and emotional well-being — keeping us connected, fostering unity, and improving mental health. Through equitable grantmaking, the New Jersey Arts and Culture Renewal Fund is helping smaller arts, cultural, and historical organizations continue to thrive during challenging times, which in turn, positively impacts the entire New Jersey community.”
“In this round of our grantmaking, the New Jersey Arts and Culture Renewal Fund received $5.8 million in requests, indicating the great need that still exists among arts and culture organizations across the state,” said Sharnita C. Johnson, vice president of strategy, impact, and
communications at Victoria Foundation. “The New Jersey Arts and Culture Renewal Fund directly addresses inequity and historical disparities in funding and intentionally fills the resource gap.”
An early gift from the Grunin Foundation was a catalyst for other foundations and institutions to join in supporting the NJACRF. In addition to the Grunin Foundation, major institutional supporters include the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund, Merck, Prudential Foundation, Amazon, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, and The Wallace Foundation.
In the most recent round of awards, grants ranged in size from $1,500 to $50,000, with an average grant size of $23,000. All grants are pending a final review.
In Mercer County, organizations receiving grants (in addition to those in Princeton) include Artworks Trenton Inc., Capital Singers of Trenton, the Conservatory of Music and Performing Arts Society of Trenton, Hopewell Valley Arts Council, the James R. Halsey Foundation of the Arts in Hamilton, Passage Theatre Company of Trenton, Trent House Association, Trenton Circus Squad, and Trenton Music Makers.
The Roxey Ballet Company of Frenchtown and ACME Screening Room of Lambertville were among the organizations in Hunterdon County to receive funds.
In Burlington County, organizations included ArtPride New Jersey and the Roebling Museum. Crossroads Theatre Company of New Brunswick, Middlesex County, also received a grant.
On December 31, at 2:03 p.m., the Princeton Police Department was dispatched to the area of 73 Palmer Square West for a hazardous condition, which the caller believed to be something sharp on the sidewalk. The officer on the scene was checking for the hazard when he was shocked by an unknown electrical current. He was transported to the Center for Emergency Care at Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center for evaluation. After being treated, he was released from the hospital. Investigation on the scene revealed there was a malfunctioning light pole that was the source of the electrical current. PSE&G and Palmer Square Management responded to the scene and subsequently shut off the power to the light pole, rendering it safe, according to police.
On December 29, at 8:16 a.m., a Markham Road resident reported being scammed out of $1,000 worth of Apple gift cards. She purchased the gift cards and sent images of the account and PIN numbers to an unknown person, who then withdrew the funds. The Detective Bureau is investigating.
On December 28, at 5:05 a.m., a 35-year-old male from Ewing was placed under arrest for Driving While Intoxicated, subsequent to a motor vehicle accident investigation on Stockton Street. The driver was charged accordingly and later released. It was later determined that the vehicle involved in the crash was reported stolen
out of Trenton. The Detective Bureau and Trenton Police Department are investigating.
On December 28, at 9:29 a.m., a Herrontown Road resident reported that unknown suspects entered her unlocked rental vehicle while it was parked in her driveway and removed her wallet, which contained cash and various credit cards. The Detective Bureau is investigating.
On December 25, at 10:03 p.m., subsequent to a report of an erratic driver, a 65-year-old Princeton man was placed under arrest for Driving While Intoxicated. He was transported to headquarters, processed, charged accordingly, and later released to a sober friend.
On December 23, at 12:24 p.m., an individual reported that a check he had mailed to the IRS in 2021 from a mailbox in Palmer Square West was stolen, altered, and cashed, resulting a monetary loss of $10,000. The Detective Bureau is investigating.
On December 21, at 2:16 p.m., an individual reported that a check she mailed on behalf of the school she is employed at was stolen, altered, and cashed. The school suffered a monetary loss of $13,041. The Detective Bureau is investigating.
On December 19, 2022, at 11 p.m., subsequent to a motor vehicle stop for speeding and failure to keep right, the driver, a 43-year-old male from Skillman, was placed under arrest for Driving While Intoxicated. He was transported to headquarters, processed, charged accordingly, and released.
On December 14, at 11:40 a.m., a Hodge Road resident reported that unknown individuals broke in through the primary bedroom window sometime between December 9 and December 14, and stole several items. The Detective Bureau is investigating.
Unless otherwise noted, individuals arrested were later released.
The death in October of Princeton University student Misrach Ewunetie was ruled a suicide last week by the Middlesex County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The office released a toxicology report on Wednesday, December 28 on the 20-year-old member of the Class of 2024, who was missing for nearly a week before her body was discovered on October 20 near the University’s tennis courts. There was no evidence of foul play, according to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.
“The cause of death was determined to be Buproprion, Escitalopram, and Hydroxyzine Toxicity,” according to a release from the prosecutor’s office. Buproprion and Escitalopram are antidepressants, while Hydroxyzine is an antihistamine.
According to the report, Ewunetie had a clinical history of major depressive and anxiety disorder. At least 59 pills and pill-like fragments were in her system, and empty bottles of two of the drugs were found in her dorm room. Mentions of suicide were found in her journal.
In a statement released to the University community, Rochelle Calhoun, vice
president for campus life, said, “Our hearts go to Misrach’s family and friends, and to the wider campus community that has been shaken by this tragedy. Losing a member of our community is always difficult. The long wait for definitive news about what led to her death has been challenging for all of us, and especially for those close to Misrach.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day by dialing or texting 988, or online at 988lifeline.org.
Additional support is available by texting NAMI to 741741.
—Anne Levin
The Sourland Conservancy has announced that their staff, community partners, and volunteers have planted another 10,000 trees in 2022. This brings their forest restoration project total to 25,200 planted in the last three years.
“We are tremendously grateful for the support of the entire community,” said Rob Aluck, the Conservancy’s stewardship director. “Nonprofit organizations, land trusts, counties, municipalities, private residents, volunteers, and donors are all working together to restore the forest and reduce the impact of ash decline.”
The Sourland Conservancy (SC) is a small nonprofit organization based in Hopewell and Skillman. Their mission is to protect, promote, and preserve the unique character of the Sourland Mountain Region of Central New Jersey. The Sourland Region straddles three counties (Hunterdon, Somerset, and Mercer) and includes portions of seven municipalities (Lambertville, Hillsborough Township, East Amwell Township, West Amwell Township, Montgomery Township, Hopewell Township, and Hopewell Borough).
The New Jersey Forest Service has estimated that the 90-square-mile region is on track to lose over one million trees due to the emerald ash borer. That number represents approximately 20 percent of all trees throughout the region. Trees filter air and water, stabilize stream banks, capture and store carbon, reduce
stormwater runoff, and provide important habitat for wildlife including 57 threatened and endangered species. The loss of one million trees is expected to exacerbate the effects of climate change and could result in more serious flooding in the future.
“The Sourland forest’s understory is already degraded due in large part to the overpopulation of whitetailed deer,” said Executive Director Laurie Cleveland. “We need to plant quickly to discourage the spread of invasive plants, and we must protect each sapling from deer browse using fencing or tree tubes.”
The Conservancy’s forest restoration project incorporates a multipronged approach: engaging partners and volunteers in planting events in public parks and preserves, hiring seasonal interns to plant in areas that were not appropriate
for large groups (sensitive species habitat, steep slopes, interior forest, etc.), selling “tree kits” at their annual native plant sale, creating educational materials and videos to encourage residents to plant native at home, and managing the Sourland Stewards Facebook group to provide additional support.
This year, the Conservancy expanded their efforts to include planting directly on private land. The first private homeowner to participate was Jennifer Bryson of Hillsborough Township.
“The tremendous loss of ash trees in our area has been devastating,” said Bryson.
“I’m afraid of the impact on wildlife — and our water.
I’ve lost so many ash trees, I couldn’t keep up with replanting.”
Bryson worked with Conservancy staff to determine the most effective approach to planting in the wooded
section on her farm, which is located within the USFS priority area. Conservancy staff planted 1,000 trees and shrubs and protected each seedling from deer browse using metal fencing or tree tubes. Bryson prepared the site for planting by mowing and removing invasive shrubs, and she has agreed to continue maintaining the planting site to ensure success.
Visit sourland.org for more information.
continued from page one
High School graduate,” he said. “She was instrumental to us during the pandemic, supporting our students with remote learning, and she is a great asset to us.”
The PYA site director is Michael Woods, who is also the assistant teacher at the preschool during the school day, and works at camp during the summer. “Mike is the ideal of a Y youth leader,” Bennett said.
The ACE program is back to weekly in-school meetings at the high school, and will soon expand to middle school. New coaches
RJ Becton and Alyssa Roman will be leading programs including field trips and experiential learning.
“Our focus is on opportunities for social-emotional learning, college and career readiness, character development, health and well-being, and communitybuilding,” Bennett said in the release.
ACE, which originally addressed chronic absenteeism, is especially relevant to Bennett. “I was one of those students,” he said.
“My mother passed away when I was 15. You have the opportunity to mentor young students, which was a natural fit for me.”
The father of two daughters — one in elementary school, the other in middle school — Bennett said he doesn’t have a favorite program. But he admits having a special affinity for the preschool kids. “I just love to see those smiling faces,” he said.
The overall aim is to give children access to the entire team, as they grow. “If you took all three of the youth development programs, the ultimate goal is to take our preschool students, and move them up, all the way through high school, and help them prepare for college or whatever vocation they pursue,” Bennett said.
“Hopefully, we’ll have some of the high school students volunteer and come back to help.”
To volunteer or learn more, visit princetonymca.org.
—Anne Levin
In a lengthy proclamation enumerating dozens of Henry Francis Pannell’s accomplishments and contributions to the community, Princeton Mayor Mark Freda, on behalf of the Princeton Council, declared December 21, 2022 as Henry “Hank” Pannell Day.
A lifelong Princeton resident, Pannell worked as chief of maintenance for the Princeton Housing Authority (PHA) for 28 years before his retirement in 2001. He has served as a resident commissioner of the PHA for the past 20 years.
HIs accomplishments with the PHA included leadership in designing and building trade apprenticeship programs for neighborhood youth during the summers. The Summer Youth Work Force has assisted in the completion of numerous successful projects, including the construction of the PHA’s neighborhood and community center on the corner of Clay and Witherspoon Streets, which was named the “Henry F. Pannell Learning Center.”
Pannell, who has also served as executive director of the Princeton Nursery School, is described in the proclamation as “a proud advocate and spokesperson” who has “consistently worked on behalf of the quality of life of his neighbors, and shared the rich and unique history of the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood, Princeton’s 20th Historic District.”
The proclamation goes on to note that Pannell “has been a fixture in the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood his entire life, not just living, but photographing, recording, and being a part of the rich culture and history of the neighborhood.”
It adds, “He has been a mentor to youth and a constant reminder of the good that comes from giving of oneself for the good of others and caring about your neighbors and where it is that you live.”
The Healthy Eating Challenge will be held January 12, 17, and 23 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. The program is free, but donations are accepted. The sponsor is Eating for Your Health.
The program includes a kick-off session, a check-in session, and a final session. Also included are 10 days of personalized emails with information, recipes, shopping lists, and tips to stay motivated. Participants can explore a variety of healthful food choices, and notice how different foods affect their bodies.
Eating for Your Health supports people in changing the way they eat, transforming their relationship with food. The organization believes that every person and every body is unique and that no single approach to food is right for everyone; so participants are encouraged to explore and experiment with food that reflects their taste, budget, background, and culture.
The importance of eating single, whole, fresh ingredients, and avoiding processed foods whenever possible, is encouraged, but the organization does not advocate one single approach to food or way of eating. For more information, visit eatingforyourhealth.org.
Three upcoming events are planned by the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber. Two are in person; one is virtual.
On Thursday, January 5 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., the monthly membership luncheon is held at the Princeton Marriott at Forrestal, 100 College Road East. Tim Palilonis of BlackRock’s U.S. Wealth Advisory Business will speak on the market outlook for 2023.
Mercer ELC (Employer Legislative Committee) will hold a monthly breakfast on Friday, January 6 from 8-10 a.m. at The Lobby Club, 17 East Front Street in Trenton. The speaker is Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald (D-6), and his topic is legislative priorities for the year ahead.
On Wednesday, January 11, “Business Before Business” speed networking will be held virtually from 8:309:30 a.m. The event is free for the first quarter of 2023 to all Chamber members; $15 for non-members.
Visit princetonmercer.org for more information.
loved and well read since 1946
continued from page one
materials, manuscript drafts, correspondence, photographs, and other items that the University acquired in 2014, the tribute will include an art exhibition by sculptor and mixedmedia artist Alison Saar at the Princeton University Art Museum’s Art@Bainbridge; newly commissioned performances by McCarter Theatre and Princeton University Concerts in response to Morrison’s work; a threeday symposium with more than 30 writers and artists reflecting on Morrison and her archive; tours of the exhibition; children’s programming; a spring lecture series; and undergraduate courses on Morrison’s work, according to the University press release.
“It is difficult to overstate the importance of Toni Morrison’s writing to American literature, art, and life,” said the exhibition curator Autumn Womack, assistant professor of English and
African American Studies at Princeton. “This exhibition draws us towards the unexplored corners of her writing process and unknown aspects of her creative investments that only live in this archive.”
Womack continued, “In imagining this initiative — from exhibition to symposium to partner projects — I wanted to show the importance of the archive to understanding Morrison’s work and practice. But I also wanted to show how this archive in particular is a site that opens up new lines of inquiry and inspires new kinds of collaboration.”
Saar’s exhibition, titled “Cycle of Creativity: Alison Saar and the Toni Morrison Papers,” on view at the Art@Bainbridge gallery on Nassau Street February 25 through July 9, will focus on themes of musicality, labor, and ancestry. Morrison’s writing will be paired with sculptures, prints, and textiles by Saar to explore the many cultures that make up
the Black American experience.
Original works by performance artists Daniel Alexander Jones and Mame Diarra Samantha Speis will be featured at McCarter Theatre on March 24 and 25, as the two will present ruminations on Morrison’s writing and its influence; and on April 12 MacArthur Fellow and three-time Grammy Awardwinning jazz vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant will present a composition, inspired by Morrison’s archive and newly commissioned by Princeton University Concerts, at Richardson Auditorium on the Princeton University campus.
A three-day symposium will take place March 23 to 25, featuring “a wideranging group of scholars, writers, and artists” displaying “the multidisciplinary and collaborative nature of Morrison’s oeuvre,” Womack noted.
According to the University press release, the Princeton University
Library’s “Sites of Memory” exhibition divides about 100 items, most never exhibited before, into six different
categories related to Morrison’s work and life: Beginnings, Writing Time, Thereness-ness, Wonderings and
Wanderings, Genealogies of Black Feminism, and Speculative Futures.
Jan: 9, 23 Feb: 6, 20 Mar: 6, 20 Apr: 3, 17 May: 1, 15, Jun: 3, 12, 26
Jul: 10, 24 Aug: 7, 21, Sep: 9, 18 Oct: 2, 16, 30 Nov: 13, 27 Dec: 11, 30
Jan: 2, 16, 30 Feb: 13, 27 Mar: 13, 27 Apr: 10, 24 May: 8, 22 Jun: 5, 19
Jul: 3, 17, 31 Aug: 14, 28 Sep: 11, 25 Oct: 9, 23 Nov: 6, 20 Dec: 4, 18
Jan: 10, 24 Feb: 7, 21 Mar: 7, 21 Apr: 4, 18 May: 2, 16, 30 Jun: 13, 27
Jul: 11, 25 Aug: 8, 22 Sep: 5, 19 Oct: 3, 17, 31 Nov: 14, 28 Dec: 12, 26
Jan: 3, 17, 31 Feb: 14, 28 Mar: 14, 28 Apr: 11, 25 May: 9, 23 Jun: 6, 20
Jul: 8, 18 Aug: 1, 15, 29 Sep: 12, 26 Oct: 10, 24 Nov: 7, 21 Dec: 5, 19
Jan: 4, 18 Feb: 1, 15, Mar: 1, 15, 29 Apr: 12, 26 May: 10, 24 Jun: 7, 21,
Jul: 5, 19 Aug: 2, 16, 30 Sep: 13, 27 Oct: 11, 25 Nov: 8, 22 Dec: 6, 20
Jan: 11, 25 Feb: 8, 22 Mar: 8, 22 Apr: 5, 19 May: 3, 17, 31 Jun: 14, 28
Jul: 12, 26 Aug: 9, 23 Sep: 6, 20 Oct: 4, 18 Nov: 1, 15, 29 Dec: 13, 27
Jan: 5, 19 Feb: 2, 16 Mar: 2, 16, 30 Apr: 13, 27 May: 11, 25 Jun: 8, 22
Jul: 6, 20 Aug: 3, 17, 31 Sep: 14, 28 Oct: 12, 26 Nov: 9, 25 Dec: 7, 21
Jan: 12, 26 Feb: 9, 23 Mar: 9, 23 Apr: 6, 20 May: 4, 18 Jun: 1, 15, 29
Jul: 13, 27 Aug: 10, 24 Sep: 7, 21 Oct: 5, 19 Nov: 2, 16, 30 Dec: 14, 28
Jan: 13, 27
Feb: 10, 24 Mar: 10, 24
Apr: 7, 21 May: 5, 19 Jun: 2, 16, 30
Jul: 14, 28 Aug: 11, 25 Sep: 8, 22 Oct: 6, 20 Nov: 3, 17 Dec: 1,15, 29
To the Editor:
A dear and cherished friend of Princeton, Barbara Herzberg, passed away in October 24, 2022. She had been a longtime resident of Princeton and an active member of the community for many years. She was active with Princeton Community Players, Community Without Walls, and the Jewish Center of Princeton.
Town Topics profiled Barbara several years ago in an article entitled “Princeton Resident Barbara Herzberg Shares Love of Theater and Teaching” (see towntopics. com/jul2606/stratton.html).
Shakespeare spoke of the world being a stage and of the entrances and exits of its players. We all have our own story of her entrance into our lives, but we all share in the sorrow of her exit.
Many of us know of Barbara from her time as an educator, but she was so much more than her profession. She was a passionate student of art and a frisky world traveler. New York City provided the perfect learning environment for Barbara. She would often attend plays, made use of her subscription to the Met, and enjoyed winter carriage rides through Central Park, after the obligatory “hot toddy.”
A tree in Central Park will be endowed to represent the branches of learning and her name will be engraved into a granite paving stone. The stone will be placed upon the park’s Literary Walk, alongside statues of Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, and Shakespeare.
She led a full life and deserves to have an everlasting legacy. Please give, so that we may reach our $5,000 goal and honor the life of such a cherished friend and her shuffle from this mortal coil.
You may donate at http://support.centralparknyc.org/ goto/Barbara_Herzberg.
RON KELLY Gulick RoadTown Topics welcomes letters to the Editor, preferably on subjects related to Princeton. Letters must have a valid street address (only the street name will be printed with the writer’s name). Priority will be given to letters that are received for publication no later than Monday noon for publication in that week’s Wednesday edition.
Letters must be no longer than 500 words and have no more than four signatures.
All letters are subject to editing and to available space.
At least a month’s time must pass before another letter from the same writer can be considered for publication.
Letters are welcome with views about actions, policies, ordinances, events, performances, buildings, etc. However, we will not publish letters that include content that is, or may be perceived as, negative towards local figures, politicians, or political candidates as individuals.
When necessary, letters with negative content may be shared with the person/group in question in order to allow them the courtesy of a response, with the understanding that the communications end there.
Letters to the Editor may be submitted, preferably by email, to editor@towntopics.com, or by post to Town Topics, PO Box 125, Kingston, N.J. 08528. Letters submitted via mail must have a valid signature.
Second Sunday Poetry Reading at Princeton Makes Princeton Makes, a Princeton-based artist cooperative, and Ragged Sky Press, a local publisher focused on poetry, will host a Second Sunday Poetry Reading on Sunday, January 8 at 4 p.m. The readings will take place at the Princeton Makes store in the Princeton Shopping Center.
Award. He received honorable mention for the 2022 New Jersey Poets Prize. His poetry has been featured on Verse Daily and The Writer’s Almanac and has also appeared or is forthcoming in numerous journals including Hole in the Head Review, Lily Poetry Review, Pinyon, and Vox Populi.
Princeton Makes is a cooperative comprised of 34 local artists who work across a range of artistic genres, including painting, drawing, stained glass, sculpture, textiles, and jewelry.
Customers can support local artists by shopping for a wide variety of art, including large paintings, prints, custom-made greeting cards, stained glass lamps and window hangings, jewelry in a variety of designs and patterns, and more.
The January reading will feature Barbara Elovic and Michael T. Young. Their readings will be followed by an open mic available to up to 10 audience members who would like to read their original poetry.
Elovic published a new poetry collection in 2022, How She Came Here. She’s published poems in more than 100 journals, which include Poetry, Sonora Review, and Marlboro Review. Additionally, her work is included in several anthologies. Bright Hill Press published her chapbook, Other People’s Stories, in 2014. She’s been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and was a founding editor of the poetry journal Heliotrope. In midlife she left her career in trade books to become a Pilates instructor. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Young’s third full-length collection, The Infinite Doctrine of Water, was longlisted for the Julie Suk Award. He received a Fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. His chapbook, Living in the Counterpoint, received the Jean Pedrick Chapbook
Ragged Sky is a small, highly selective cooperative press. We work with our authors closely. Authors retain copyright and the press uses their experience and professional resources to support the author’s work through the editing, production, and design process.
Ragged Sky Press has historically focused on mature voices, overlooked poets, and women’s perspectives. For more information, visit princetonmakes.com.
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Just gently jam the jivin’, drum boogie, the cat is rockin’ with a solid eight, I tell you it’s more to gait, the joint is jumpin’...
—Barbara Stanwyck as Sugarpuss O’Shea I was told that upon being asked to name his favorite among his books, Charles Dickens answered, “I love them all, but in my heart-of-hearts, I have a favorite child and his name is David Copperfield.” Well, though I love all the films I made with Fred Astaire, I, too, have a favorite child, and it is Swing Time —Ginger Rogers (1911-1995)
I’ve been reading Bob Dylan’s Philosophy of Modern Song (Simon & Schuster 2022), which could serve as volume two of his 2004 memoir, Chronicles , or else as a solid place-holder until the next one comes along. In the chapter “Saturday Night at the Movies,” he says “People will tell you they don’t watch old movies for a bunch of reasons — because they are in black and white or maybe there’s a twominute sequence that changing times have rendered politically incorrect. These people lack imagination and are fine throwing out the baby with the bathwater.”
Four days into the new year, the time is right for a closer look at two terms — “modern” in the context of Dylan’s new book and “dated” relative to the 1941 screwball comedy romance Ball of Fire , which is about, among other things, New York City, night clubs, gangsters, love, art, jazz, sex, and a group of scholars at work on the “encyclopedia of all human knowledge,” with a New Jersey denouement in an imaginary inn near Kingston. Also about New York and night clubs, the 1937 Astaire-Rogers musical Swing Time ’s screwball comedy of a plot is patched together around dance sequences that prove time and again that charm is never dated. In both films, which are a treat for the eye, ear, and spirit in any season, not least on New Year’s Eve, the standout “songs” are spectacles — “Drum Boogie,” a word-jazz jam, and “Never Gonna Dance,” a sublime lament.
In Ball of Fire, Professor Bertram Potts, a onetime boy genius who graduated from Princeton at the age of 13, is responsible for the section on English in the encyclopedia he and seven fellow scholars are striving to complete. The professor’s interest in the term “modern” is less about philosophy than the slang of the day, like moolah, smackeroo, smooch, gams, hoytoytoy, yum-yum, and drum boogie . The moment of truth wherein the professor realizes that his concept of the common vernacular is seriously out of date occurs during an exchange about money with a garbage man, who tells him “I could use a bundle of scratch right now on account of I met me a mouse last week.” As the conversation continues, Potts, who finds
grammatical chaos like “on account of” offensive, is busy scribbling in his notepad: a smackeroo is a dollar, the mouse is the dish the garbage man needs the moolah for (“We’ll be stepping, me and the smooch, I mean the mouse, you know, hit the jiggles for a little drum boogie”).
Professor Potts takes his study of slang from the Central Park museum neighborhood to Times Square, picking up fresh samples of lingo from newspaper boys and cab drivers along the way. In a night club where drummer Gene Krupa (1909-1973) is pounding spectacularly away on a floodlit pinnacle above the roaring of his band, the professor has his first glimpse of the female “ball of fire” who will eventually knock him assover backwards while defining yum-yum (“yum” the first brief kiss, “yum” the less brief second one, “yum-yum” the long one that literally floors him). The actor playing Professor Potts is Gary Cooper (1901-1961), the top male box office star in America in 1941, winner of that year’s Best Actor Oscar for his performance in Sergeant York , the subject of a TIME cover story and of rumors concerning his wildly promiscuous private life. Readers who went “Gary who?” can type “Ball of Fire Drum Boogie” on YouTube to see him, notepad in hand, a stunned witness to the glittering entrance of Katherine “Sugarpuss” O’Shea, played with earthy, wickedly endearing humanity by Barbara Stanwyck (1907-1990).
To see Stanwyck in action, take YouTube to “Ball of Fire: Yum Yum Time.”
Dated 2019/1942
All you see of Stanwyck at first is a hand, fingers with painted nails tapping the beat seconds before she pushes the curtain aside and swings into view, all legs, a stylish move similar to the sinuous entrance of Alexandria Octavia Cortez (1989 — ) twirling into action, sheer joy, in the Boston University Breakfast Club video that went viral online after she be -
came a member of the House’s class of 2019.
The New York Post headline dated January 3, 2019 reads, “Attempt to Shame Octavio-Cortez for ‘Breakfast Club’ Dance Backfires.” The video of AOC swinging into action can also be seen on YouTube even as mid-20th century Stanwyck sings, sways, and struts a mouse-click away. In the New York Times review headed “a Delightful Comedy” and dated January 16, 1942, Bosley Crowther observes that Ball of Fire is “so comprehensive in its handling of the modern vernacular and so altogether winning ... that it had the customers jumping with enjoyment at the Music Hall yesterday” — which was January 15, a month and a week after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and America declared war.
Playing fast and loose with time has become something of a New Year’s Eve ritual in this column, which now and again brings together a group of famous personalities of the past, stars, character actors, dignitaries, in a Times Square night club. Eleven years ago, January 4, 2012, the venue was the Royal Roost at 1580 Broadway, dubbed “the Metropolitan Bopera House” by WMCA DJ Symphony Sid. That night, December 31, 1948-January 1, 1949, the show was headed by alto saxophonist Charlie Yardbird Parker, and the celebrities on hand all had in common the fact that they had been born in 1911. For the pre-pandemic New Year celebration of 2019, the headliner was drummer Buddy Rich, who, like the stars at the tables, was a 1919 centenarian.
Since the pattern I’ve been following runs contrary to the custom of remembering those who were lost in the old year, why not celebrate the folks born in 1922 in the same venue with those who died in 2022? Given the realities of newspaper space and a deadline, the best I can offer is a snapshot of the possibilities. With then-
33-year-old Krupa already beating the drums, while then-35-year-old Stanwyck is singing and dancing, why not imagine 20-year-olds Jack Kerouac and Kurt Vonnegut on the scene, Kerouac covering the event for the Columbia Daily Spectator, unaware that future novelist Vonnegut is down from Ithaca taking notes for a story in the Cornell Daily Sun?
Other 1922ers in the audience could include already active comedian/musician Sid Caesar, in town on his way to joining the Coast Guard, and trumpeter Ray Anthony, soon to leave the Glenn Miller band to enlist in the Navy. As for adding a sample of those who left the stage in 2022, you’d have to make room for personalities the size of Jerry Lee “Great Balls of Fire” Lewis and New Wave director Jean Luc-Godard, while sitting Tony Sirico’s inimitable Paulie Walnuts at the same table with James Caan’s Sonny Corleone, a few steps away from a booth occupied by film critic/director Peter Bogdanovich and actor Sidney Poitier, who both died in L.A. on the same day in January. And where would Queen Elizabeth sit? Being only 15 in 1942, the then-princess would have been legally under age, but no doubt she and sister Margaret would be allowed entrance as long as they drank nothing stronger than lemonade.
This New Year’s Eve my wife and I were doing what we did in 2011-2012, watching Swing Time , which ends as Astaire and Rogers step slowly, beautifully, into “Never Gonna Dance,” which really means “Always, Always Gonna Dance.”
In the weeks leading up to 2023, we watched a dozen old movies, from toofunny-to-be-dated comic wonders like Rage of Paris and Crystal Ball on Amazon Prime to a slew of screwball comedies on the Criterion channel, including Ball of Fire , and some wild ones that had eluded even aficionados like ourselves, notably Murder, He Says (you won’t believe your eyes), Love Is News , Theodora Goes Wild (a forever modern title), and Raoul Walsh’s Me and My Gal, where you can see Spencer Tracy in his prime 30 years before The Old Man and the Sea and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. In Walsh’s rollicking film, life is earnest, life is real, or, in the lingo of love shared by Tracy’s cop and Joan Bennett’s barmaid, “everything’s jake.”
Next week it’s time for The Philosophy of Modern Song, in which Bob Dylan ends the “Saturday Night at the Movies” chapter with this challenge: “People keep talking about making America great again. Maybe they should start with the movies.”
—Stuart MitchnerOn Sunday, January 22, Princeton University Concerts’ (PUC) annual Chamber Jam returns for the first time since the pandemic. In the past, amateur musicians were invited to play along with professional musicians they had just heard perform a specific work, on the stage of Richardson Auditorium.
This time, the Chamber Jam — for which more than 100 eager musicians had signed up by press time — is a standalone event. It is the centerpiece of a day devoted to the relationship of music and mental health, including a film screening and discussion as well as a playalong event. The musicians the amateurs will be joining are members of the Me2/Orchestra, the world’s first classical music organization created for individuals with mental illnesses and the people who support them.
PUC, which most recently sponsored a program devoted to music and healing, found the Boston-based ensemble after doing a Google search. “We wanted to do an event about mental health. We stumbled upon them,” said Dasha Koltunyuk, the organization’s outreach manager. “The more we learned about them and talked to them, the more excited we got.”
The story of the orchestra, which is told in the documentary Orchestrating Change, focuses on Ronald Braunstein. “He was on the path to
becoming one of the world’s great conductors,” said Koltunyuk. “He had won competitions, and was really on his way. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. When that got out, his career crumbled.”
Braunstein was nearly destitute when he decided to start an orchestra for people like himself. The Me2/Orchestra is “changing the lives of these musicians in ways they never imagined,” reads a press release for the Chamber Jam.
“Roughly half the musicians are living with diagnoses or bipolar disorder, anxiety, obsessivecompulsive disorder, schizophrenia, associative disorder, borderline personality, depression, and addiction. The rest have no diagnoses. And that’s the point. Me2/Orchestra is a groundbreaking, transformative model for erasing mental health stigma where acceptance and understanding are the priority.”
“Everyone is welcome, Koltunyuk said of Braunstein’s ensemble. “There are no auditions. People sign up if they feel this is something they’d enjoy. It is truly open to everyone. It is growing, and has picked up a bit of momentum.”
The first event of the afternoon, at 1 p.m., is the screening of Orchestrating Change, which follows Braunstein and several of his musicians for two years, captures their setbacks and accomplishments, culminating with a joyous concert. The Chamber Jam follows,
with Braunstein leading members of the orchestra and the local amateurs in Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. “It is such an iconic piece that everyone knows,” said Koltunyuk. “It has that famous opening — those four notes — which is such a dark statement. But the really beautiful thing is that at the end, after all the storminess, it is absolute triumph and joy. It is an incredibly cathartic piece.”
A group conversation facilitated by Braunstein and members of the orchestra, about the role of music within mental health, will follow.
PUC has handled overflowing crowds of ambitious amateur musicians in the past — most recently when famed conductor Gustavo Dudamel spent time at Princeton in 2018. “If it gets too big, we can assign people to specific movements,” Koltunyuk said. “But the more the merrier. And anyone is welcome. People don’t have to disclose whether they struggle with mental illness or not.”
While the event has a specific theme, it follows PUC’s original premise. “The Chamber Jam has always been a stigmafree zone,” said Koltunyuk. “It has been beautiful in the past — you’d have an 8-year-old sitting next to an 88-year-old. This one isn’t that different. But it has the intention of mindfulness.”
Going through the pandemic has broadened music’s relationship to mental health. “We are in this moment when we are so aware of music’s role in making us better,” Koltunyuk said. “This is a kind of celebration of finally being able to come together, and almost say thank you to music.”
Visit concerts.princeton.edu for more information.
—Anne Levin
The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) presents “What Remains,” an exhibition of fi gurative weaving and nonobjective constructions by artists Hetty Baiz and Laura Duerwald , on view in the ACP’s Taplin Gallery January 7 through February 4. The public is invited to an opening reception on Saturday, January 7 from 3-5 p.m. Baiz and Duerwald have developed cohesive bodies of original work that convey potent visual sensibilities and intriguing affinities. This exhibition focuses on the artists’ shared interest in repetitive processes, their use of organic nontraditional materials, and on the tension and harmony between their work.
Exploring the distinct processes and materials that drive each artist’s practice,
“What Remains” presents an environment that is visually striking, contemporary, and accessible, initiating conversations about the cultural and aesthetic relationships that reside in the deep sensuality of the two artist’s work. It engages both the experienced viewer and the uninitiated alike with rich layers of contrast, texture, form, and content.
Baiz is an American artist who creates paintings characterized by rich textural surfaces and interwoven layers of image, color, and material. Made from complex processes that can include digital manipulation, printing, weaving, painting, drawing, and burning with a torch, the final images — life-size fi gures and larger-than-life faces — are literally built into the material. They appear to be fading into the rugged surface, or perhaps emerging from it, and the identity of the subject
is absorbed into the materiality. Open ended questions about transience and the nature of being — of identity, mortality, and time — are intrinsic to her work.
Baiz has shown her work in numerous solo and group exhibitions both nationally
and internationally. Selected for the Incheon Women Artists Biennale in South Korea, she has taken part in collaborative art projects in China, Tibet, Dubai, Australia, and France. Teaching art to underserved women at an NGO (non-governmental organization) outside of Cape Town, South Africa, introduced her to weaving, a technique that she incorporates into her latest body of work.
Duerwald’s paintings are built from layers of paper, salvaged fabric, botanical dyes, pigment, and wax, creating sensual surfaces and improvisational geometric compositions. Pattern and repetition are potent sources of meaning — they encourage slow meditative connections of mind and body, like an awareness of one’s breath. Their rhythms enable constantly shifting internal and external conditions to be embedded in Duerwald’s process and embodied in her work.
Duerwald received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Syracuse University before moving to New York City, where she worked as an illustrator and graphic designer. Later, turning her focus to painting, she studied at the Art Students League in New York,
and earned a Master of Fine Arts in painting from Marywood University. She has been awarded fellowships and artist residencies at the NES Foundation in Skagaströnd, Iceland; the Vermont Studio Center; and the Sam and Adele Golden Foundation for the Arts. Her work has been shown in solo and two-person exhibitions, as well as national and international group shows, and is held in numerous private collections throughout the United States. She works and resides in the foothills of the Endless Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania.
The Arts Council of Princeton is located at 102 Witherspoon Street. Gallery hours are Monday through Thurs, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; and Sunday 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free and open to the public.
For more information, visit artscouncilofprinceton.org.
Hosts “2023 Juried Exhibit”
Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography presents its “2023 Juried Exhibit” from January 14 through February 5.
“It is always exciting to see the work of new and emerging photographers, as well
as work by more established photographers.” said John Clarke, the exhibit curator.
This exhibit includes 38 photographs selected by a jury panel from over 120 submitted works. The three jurors for the exhibit are John Stritzinger, Richard Lewis, and Charlann Meluso, who all commented on the overall quality of the entries and the difficulty of selecting the fi nal pieces. The full gamut of photographic possibilities was covered by the entries. The judges were tasked with selecting the images to be included in the exhibit and selecting three award winners. Entries were received from several states in the mid-Atlantic area.
The exhibit will open on January 14 from 11-4 p.m. The top award winners will be announced between 1 and 3 p.m. The exhibit will continue until February 5.
Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography is a co-op gallery located at 14 Mercer Street in Hopewell. Hours are 11–4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and by appointment with an email to galleryfourteen@ yahoo.com. For more information, visit Gallery14.org.
Geoffrey Berman served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) under former President Trump. Details about his tumultuous experience are shared in his recently released New York Times best seller “Holding the Line: Inside the Nation’s Preeminent U.S. Attorney’s Office and Its Battle with the Trump Justice Department”.
Berman will discuss his fascinating career notable cases from his tenure at the U.S. Attorney’s Office including charging Jeffrey Epstein, Big Pharma executives, domestic terrorists, and vicious criminal syndicates, as well as repatriating Nazi-looted art.
Moderator: Dina Shaw, Greenwood House Board Member and community leader.
TICKETS: $180 VIP Admission IncludesreservedseatingforfiresidechatandpreeventreceptionwithmeetandgreetonJan.22, 5:30-6:30PMataprivateresidenceinPrinceton, onehardcovercopyof“HoldingtheLine” $90 General Admission $60 Age 36 and Younger
TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT http://weblink.donorperfect.com/ GeoffreyBerman2023
If you have any questions, please contact Neil Wise, Director of Development at (609) 883-9014 or email nwise@greenwoodhouse.org or call Christine McCormick, Development Associate at (609) 718-0582 to purchase tickets.
PLEASE RSVP BY TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2023
St. mary’s residents enjoy the privacy of their own personally decorated apartment, and the presence and companionship of having nearby friends and neighbors with whom to share experiences. St. mary’s has 78 beautiful suites and apartments for assisted living, including 20 suites in grace garden memory care c ommunity. residents receive the care and support they need, and the respect and dignity they deserve. grace garden at St. mary’s assisted Living helps residents with moderate to moderate-severe dementia maintain their sense of independence, dignity and self-worth, in an assisted living setting.
Mary’s
The artists of Princeton Makes, the Princeton-based artist cooperative, are hosting an exhibition of their work at Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street, through February 7. An opening reception will be held on January 6 from 5-7 p.m., featuring live music by Zeke Levine and an opportunity to meet the artists showing their work in the exhibition. All works will be available for purchase.
The exhibition has been curated by Adriana Groza, a member of Princeton Makes and a fluid acrylic artist. “It has been on my mind, for some time now, that I take ownership of my own art curation project,” said Groza. “When the opportunity arose to bring together my peers at Princeton Makes and showcase their art in the bustling Small World Coffee café in downtown Princeton, I knew it was the right fit and I had to go for it!”
Jim Levine, founder of Princeton Makes, said, “Small World Coffee has been an ongoing supporter of local artists by allowing them to exhibit in their downtown Princeton location. They generously afforded the Princeton Makes artists a chance to showcase their work in one of Princeton’s most popular gathering places, and we are thankful for the opportunity.”
Princeton Makes is a cooperative comprised of 32 local artists who work across a range of artistic genres, including painting, drawing, stained glass, sculpture, textiles, and jewelry.
For more information, visit princetonmakes.com.
Art@Bainbridge, 158 Nassau Street, has “Colony / Dor Geuz” through February 12. artmuseum.princeton.edu.
Artists’ Gallery, 18 Bridge Street, Lambertville, has “Metamorphosis” through March 31. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. lambertvillearts.com.
Art on Hulfish, 11 Hulfish Street, has “Samuel Fosso: Affirmative Acts” through January 29. artmuseum.princeton. edu.
Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, has “What Remains” and “Painting Women: Variations on a Theme” January 7 through February 4. artscouncilofprinceton.org.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, Realtors, 253 Nassau Street, has “Intersection: Four Voices in Abstraction” through January 27.
D&R Greenway Land Trust Johnson Education Center, 1 Preservation Place, has “Land, Light, Spirit” through March 10 in the Marie L. Matthews Gallery. drgreenway.org.
Ellarslie, Trenton’s City Museum in Cadwalader Park, Parkside Avenue, has “Curated by Trenton” through January 22. ellarslie.org.
Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography, 14 Mercer Street, Hopewell, has “2023 Juried Exhibit” January 14 through February 5. Gallery14.org.
Gourgaud Gallery, 23A-A North Main Street, Cranbury, has “Monica Sebald Kennedy” through January 31. cranburyartscouncil.org.
Grounds For Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, has “Nightforms: Infinite Wave” by Kip Collective through April 2, “Roberto Lugo: The Village Potter” through January 8, and “Fragile: Earth” through January 8, among other exhibits. Timed tickets required. groundsforsculpture.org.
Historical Society of Princeton, Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road, has “Einstein Salon and Innovator’s Gallery,” “Princeton’s
Portrait,” and other exhibits. Museum hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 12 to 4 p.m., Thursday to 7 p.m. princetonhistory.org
Lambertville Free Public Library, 6 Lilly Street, Lambertville, has “ANEW Artists Alliance” through January 27. lambertvillelibrary.org.
Michener Art Museum, 138 South Pine Street, Doylestown, Pa., has “Walk This Way” through January 15, “(re)Frame: Community Perspectives on the Michener Art Collection” through March 5, and “Walé Oyéjidé: Flight of the Dreamer” through April 23. michenerartmuseum.org
Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, has “Ma Bell: The Mother of Invention in New Jersey” through March and the online exhibits “Slavery at Morven,” “Portrait of Place: Paintings, Drawings, and Prints of New Jersey, 1761–1898,” and others. morven.org.
Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street, has “Princeton Makes: Artist Collective” through February 7. “Zarina Morgan” is at the 254 Nassau Street location through January 3. smallworldcoffee.com.
Songbird Capital, 14 Nassau Street, has “Shirankala” through January 31. On view Saturdays from 1 to 6 p.m. or by appointment (609) 3312624.
West Windsor Arts Center, 952 Alexander Road, West Windsor, has “Off the Wall Holiday Market” and “Artists for Ukraine” through January 7. westwindsorarts. org.
Since [1950] Conte’s has become a Princeton destination; a great old-school bar that also happens to serve some of New Jersey’s best pizza, thin-crusted and bubbly. The restaurant hasn’t changed much since then; even the tables are the same. It’s a simple, no-frills space, but if you visit during peak times, be prepared to wait well over an hour for a table. 339 Witherspoon St, Princeton, NJ 08540 (609) 921-8041
Wednesday, January 4
3-5 p.m.: At Princeton Public Library, the film The Duke is screened in the Community Room. Free. 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.
8-10:30 p.m.: Princeton Country Dancers presents a contra dance at Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive. Bob Isaacs with Squirrel’s Chair. $15. Princetoncountrydancers.org.
Thursday, January 5 10 a.m.: Meeting of the 55-Plus Club of Princeton via Zoom. Princeton University Professor Kim Lane Scheppele will speak on “Destroying Democracy by Law.” Princetonol.com/ groups/55plus.
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.: Membership luncheon for Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber, at Princeton Marriott at Forrestal, 100 College Road East. Tim Palilonis, managing director at BlackRock, is speaker. Princetonmercer.org.
8:15 p.m.: Great Minds Salon: Regenerative Growing in the Garden State, Zoom event sponsored by The Jewish Center Princeton. Led by Gabriel Notterman Sicililano. Thejewishcenterprinceton.org.
Friday, January 6
8-10 a.m.: Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber holds the Mercer Employer Legislative Committee Monthly Breakfast at The Lobby Club, 17 East Front Street, Trenton. Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald is the speaker. Princetonmercer. org.
9:45 a.m.-12 p.m.: Job Seekers: Discover the Hidden Job Market, at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. PSG of Mercer County executive David Schuchman speaks. Princetonlibrary.org.
Saturday, January 7
12-5 p.m.: Winery Weekend Music series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Jeff Penque performs. Indoor seating in the wine barn; outdoor with firepits. Wine by the glass, cocoa for kids, and more. Terhuneorchards.com.
2-3 p.m.: Teens: Economics Made Simple, a middle school economics circle, at Princeton Public Library’s Tech Center, 65 Witherspoon Street. Students grades 6-8 learn about
topics in economics, presented by Princeton High School students. Princetonlibrary.org.
Sunday, January 8
9:45 a.m.: Princeton Battlefield Society presents “Experience the Battle of Princeton” at Princeton Battlefield, 500 Mercer Street. Narrated reenactment followed by a wreath-laying ceremony; tours of Thomas Clarke House; and more. Pbs1777.org.
12-5 p.m.: Winery Weekend Music series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Carmen Marranco performs. Indoor seating in the wine barn; outdoor with firepits. Wine by the glass, cocoa for kids, and more. Terhuneorchards.com.
Monday, January 9
10:30 a.m.: Sensory Storytime at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. For children age 2 and older. Especially welcome to those who are differently abled, on the autism spectrum, have sensory processing issues, or are overwhelmed by noise or crowds. Register at princetonlibrary. org.
Tuesday, January 10
7 p.m.: Steve Kornacki, political correspondent on MSNBC, talks with Ingrid Reed about what can be learned from the 2022 elections and what might happen in 2023, at Princeton Public Library’s Community Room, 65 Witherspoon Street. Also available virtually. Princetonlibrary.org.
7:30-9 p.m.: The Princeton Recorder Society meets on Zoom. For more information, contact jtanne1200@ gmail.com
7:30 p.m.: Alyssa Pagan of the Space Telescope Institute does an online presentation about her work on images from the James Webb Space Telescope. Sponsored by the Amateur Astronomy Association of Princeton. Free. Princetonastronomy. org.
Wednesday, January 11
7 p.m.: “Sweet Tooth, Bitter Truth.” At Princeton Public Library, health and fitness advocate Randie Rubin talks about how eating sugar impacts health, and shares some alternatives to satisfy cravings for sweets. Princetonlibrary.org.
7:30 p.m.: “Changing Perspectives on Cult and
Religion in Judah, a View from Tel Moza,” in-person and virtual event sponsored by The Jewish Center Princeton. With Shua Kisilevitz. Thejewishcenter.org.
8-10:30 p.m.: Princeton Country Dancers presents a contra dance at Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive. Sue Gola with Blue Jersey. $15. Princetoncountrydancers.org.
Thursday, January 12 10 a.m.-12 p.m.: Princeton Farmers Market at the Dinky train station lot. Local farms, baked goods, artisan foods, gifts, and more. Free parking. Princetonfarmersmarket.com.
7 p.m.: PSO Soundtracks: “Knoxville and the Lost Generation.” Historical musicologist Austin Stewart explores author James Agee and composer Samuel Barber’s approach to coloring their own childhood memories in Knoxville: Summer of 1915, at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.
Friday, January 13 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: The Hunterdon County Rug Artisans Guild holds its monthly meeting at the administration building of the Hunterdon County complex, Route 12 outside of Flemington. Guests welcome. Hcrag. com.
Saturday, January 14 12-5 p.m.: Winery Weekend Music series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Sarah Teti performs. Indoor seating in the wine barn; outdoor with firepits. Wine by the glass, cocoa for kids, and more. Terhuneorchards.com.
Sunday, January 15 12-5 p.m.: Winery Weekend Music series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Larry Tritel performs. Indoor seating in the wine barn; outdoor with firepits. Wine by the glass, cocoa for kids, and more. Terhuneorchards.com.
4 p.m.: Princeton Makes in Princeton Shopping Center hosts a free coffee house, featuring the Woe Nellies, a five-woman ukulele band. Princetonmakes.com.
Monday, January 16 Recycling
1-3 p.m.: The Women’s College Club of Princeton meets at Morven Education Center, 55 Stockton Street,
to hear the Rev. David Mulford’s talk, “Presidents Who…” Free and open to the public. WCCPNJ.org.
Tuesday, January 17 10 a.m.: Read and Explore program at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Kids read the story The Gingerbread Man and decorate a big cookie to take home. $12. Register at terhuneorchards.com.
Wednesday, January 18 1 p.m.: Mayor’s Wellness Book Discussion at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. The book Anxious People by Fredrik Backman will be discussed; also available virtually. Princetonlibrary.org.
6:15 p.m.: Princeton Public Library Board of Trustees meeting, in the Community Room unless otherwise noted. Princetonlibrary.org.
8-10:30 p.m.: Princeton Country Dancers presents a contra dance at Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive. Donna Hunt with Clark Mills. Free. Princetoncountrydancers.org.
Thursday, January 19 7 p.m.: In a virtual discussion from Princeton Public Library, staffer Cassie Smith talks to Yolonda Jordan about dolls made from her patterns, which will be on display. Attendees can meet others who crochet. Register at princetonlibrary.org.
Saturday, January 21 10 a.m.: Read and Explore program at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Kids read the story The Gingerbread Man and decorate a big cookie to take home. $12. Register at terhuneorchards.com.
12-5 p.m.: Winery Weekend Music series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Brian Bortnick performs. Indoor seating in the wine barn; outdoor with firepits. Wine by the glass, cocoa for kids, and more. Terhuneorchards.com.
Sunday, January 22
12-5 p.m.: Winery Weekend Music series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Jerry Steele performs. Indoor seating in the wine barn; outdoor with firepits. Wine by the glass, cocoa for kids, and more. Terhuneorchards.com.
3 p.m.: Open Sing with the Princeton Society of Musical Amateurs, at the
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton, 50 Cherry Hill Road. Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Gondoliers Vocal scores provided $10 (free for students and nonsinging guests). Musicalamateurs.org.
Tuesday, January 24
7 p.m.: “Wednesday” night out: Sophie Labelle’s Trans Agenda Speaking Tour at Hopewell Theater, 5 South Greenwood Avenue. She will answer questions from the audience and sign copies of Assigned Male at the end. Redlibrary.org.
Wednesday, January 25
8-10:30 p.m.: Princeton Country Dancers presents a contra dance at Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive. Open Mic led by Bob Isaacs. $15 (free for 35 and younger). Princetoncountrydancers.org.
Thursday, January 26
10 a.m.-12 p.m.: Princeton Farmers Market at the Dinky train station lot. Local farms, baked goods, artisan foods, gifts, and more. Free parking.
Friday, January 27
8-11 a.m.: Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber’s 2023 Real Estate Forecast, at Princeton Marriott Hotel at Forrestal, 100 College Road East. Speakers are Lawrence Yun, Karly Iacono, Judson Henderson, and George Gnad. Princetonmercer.org.
Saturday, January 28
10-11 a.m.: Lunar New Year Storytime with local author Yobe Qiu at Hopewell Train Station, 2 Railroad Place, Hopewell. Redlibrary.org.
12-5 p.m.: Winery Weekend Music series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Chris P performs. Indoor seating in the wine barn; outdoor with firepits. Wine by the glass, cocoa for kids, and more. Terhuneorchards.com.
Sunday, January 29
12-5 p.m.: Winery Weekend Music series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Spiced Punch performs. Indoor seating in the wine barn; outdoor with firepits. Wine by the glass, cocoa for kids, and more. Terhuneorchards.com.
1 p.m.: Wassailing the Apple Trees at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Singing, dancing playing primitive instruments, toasts of hot cider, and more, with Handsome Molly Dancers and Kingsessing Morris Dancers. Free. Terhuneorchards.com.
Monday, January 30
Recycling
Saturday, February 4 10 a.m.: Read and Explore: Animal Tracks. At Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Kids read books about animals in winter, make bird feeders, and visit farm animals if weather permits. $12. Register at terhuneorchards.com.
Thursday, February 9
10 a.m.-12 p.m.: Princeton Farmers Market at the Dinky train station lot. Local farms, baked goods, artisan foods, gifts, and more. Free parking.
Sunday, February 12 4 p.m.: The Princeton Society of Musical Amateurs meets at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton, Route 206 at Cherry Hill Road, for a choral reading of Beethoven’s Mass in C. Vocal scores provided $10 (free for students and non-singing guests). Musicalamateurs.org.
Monday, February 13
Recycling Tuesday, February 14 7:30-9 p.m.: The Princeton Recorder Society meets on Zoom. For more information, contact jtanne1200@ gmail.com
Despite all the changes in lifestyle, culture, fads, and fashion over the years, the classic barber shop has never gone out of style.
Even throughout the turmoil and tumult of the 1960s, the hippies, with their long, unshorn locks, did not defeat the barber shop! Whatever trends, tendencies, tectonic shifts, movements, and changes— including astonishingly assorted hairstyles —appeared in the ensuing decades, men and boys still went to their favorite barber shop.
And, a favorite of many in Princeton is Nassau Barbers, located at 20 Nassau Street.
“When I first moved to Princeton five years ago, it took me a while to find the right barbershop,” says Princeton resident Dustin Bailey. “Then I found Nassau Barbers, and now I come regularly. It’s because of the quality of service and the friendliness of the staff.”
His opinion is echoed by the shop’s many other customers, and since its move from Chambers Street last May, business has been booming, report owner Travis Monahan and manager Jackie Witty.
Opened originally in 2011, the shop was purchased by Monahan in 2017. He has also owned Princeton Barber Shop on South Tulane Street since 2006. In the barber business for 21 years, and a licensed cosmetologist, he believes in offering high quality services in a professional setting.
“We have a very professional environment, with an excellent staff and the best service,” says Monahan. “My philosophy is to try hard to make everyone happy and be sure they will want to come back again. Value and quality are most important, and people know they can count on that from us.
“Also, keep it simple! People love ‘easy.’ Everything here is very straightforward. Customers all know what to expect from us.”
And, indeed, in an effort to make it simple and uncomplicated, Nassau Barbers accepts walk-in customers only — no appointments. Cash only payment helps to keep haircut prices reasonable at $22 Monday through Thursday, and $23 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. To help customers who only deal in plastic, an ATM machine is on the premises. Discounts are also offered to Princeton University students, police, veterans, current members of the military, and first responders.
Hands-on Barber Services include haircuts for men and boys, beard trim and removal, mustache trim, and shaves. Shampoo
and scalp massage are extra. Haircuts generally take 20 to 25 minutes.
“We also offer hot foam straight razor shaves on the back of the neck with every haircut,” points out Witty, who is also a hands-on barber.
“Our staff consists of eight barbers and cosmetologists, who are all expertly trained and experienced. We provide classic and modern cutting styles, and our barbers are highly skilled in fades, scissor work, and everything in between.”
The “fade” cut is especially popular now, adds Monahan. This look features cutting hair on the sides very close to the scalp, creating a shadowed transition to the thicker top. “It is tighter and more precise,” he explains.
While the men who come in generally just want a quick haircut, when the boys reach 12 or 13, they become more particular and interested in style, reports Witty. “Kids want to have styles like their favorite sports stars. They’ll bring in pictures of the ones they like.”
Customers are all ages, she adds, even as young as 6 months old. Coming in for a first haircut can be a momentous moment, and many moms save those first shorn curls.
“Sometimes, children can be afraid to have that first haircut,” explains Witty, “but we do our best to help them relax and make it fun. We have kid-themed capes
with dinosaurs, race cars, trucks, or outer space images. Then, the little ones can choose which cape they want to wear for their haircut. We also offer lollipops at the end or during the service.”
Princeton is an excellent location for their shop, point out Witty and Monahan, and its diversity provides for an even more interesting clientele.
“We have customers from all walks of life and backgrounds, and Princeton is such a diverse town that we have clients with all kinds of hair and texture. We can provide them all with excellent service.”
The warm, friendly, and unpretentious atmosphere is another attraction for many customers, and as Witty notes, many customers are loyal regulars of longstanding.
“We also get new people all the time,” she adds. “Many find us online, but also, sometimes people are just walking by, see us, and decide to come in for a haircut. It can be a spur-of-themoment decision.”
Another plus for customers is Nassau Barbers’ intriguing setting, with its modern, handsome black and white motif. “I call it ‘masculine bold,’” says Monahan, who custom-designed the look. Its display of faux animal heads on the wall engages the kids, with a tiger, bear, bison, elephant, elk, and others gazing down upon them.
In addition, the shop is state-of-the-art in very way, reports Witty. “Our eight stations are completely
TEAM WORK: “We can advise clients about an appropriate look, but it is really up to the customer. We will certainly help them to achieve what they want. Most men who come in actually just want a quick haircut! We will always offer great value, quality, and service,” point out Nassau Barbers owner Travis Monahan and manager Jackie Witty. Shown is the barbershop team, from left: Karina Gonzalez, Jackie Witty, Jay Huang, Travis Monahan, Karlly Nunez, Rebecca Cabete, Brigid Gallagher, Alheli Ramos, and Vick Gramajo.
up-to-date. Our chairs are electrically operated, and we have a highly rated cleaning system.”
With the traditional red, white, and blue colors in the barber pole announcing its presence, Nassau Barbers has found a permanent home, agree Witty and Monahan.
“We are here to stay. This is what we look forward to. It is our goal. And remember,
you can get haircuts in lots of places — but not that look like ours! In addition, we are planning on providing some further services and opportunities, so stay tuned!”
Nassau Barbers is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (609) 454-5085. Website: nassaubarbers. com.
—Jean StrattonTake a stroll down to our previous office at 4 Mercer Street or come to our new location, 4438 Routh 27 North in Kingston, where you can purchase a copy for 75 cents (3 quarters required) from our coin-operated newspaper boxes, 24 hours a day/7 days a week.
Ryan Langborg and Blake Peters fill different roles for the Princeton University basketball team. Langborg is a sharp-shooting senior starter while Peters is a sophomore reserve looking to provide a spark off the bench.
Last Saturday, the pair outperformed their normal duties as Princeton edged visiting Harvard 69-66 in the Ivy League opener for both teams, improving to 10-4 overall and 1-0 Ivy. Langborg posted the first doubledouble of his career with 12 points and a career-high 11 rebounds with Peters scoring a team-high 13 points in 20 minutes, including three key free throws in the last 16 seconds of the tense contest.
Langborg, for his part, relished coming through in the thrilling contest which saw Princeton overcome a 3130 halftime deficit to build a 62-50 second half lead only to see the Crimson make a furious comeback to narrow the gap to 66-64 with 25 seconds remaining in regulation.
“It is so much harder to win in league games,” said guard and co-captain Langborg. “We were just having fun out there. Obviously when the game gets tight, you have to focus up. We are playing our best when we are not thinking, you are just balling. In the league, you just rely on your habits and what you have gone over so much in practice.”
The 6’4 Langborg turned his focus to hitting the boards to help Princeton prevail.
“The bigs had their hands full with a bunch of big dudes on their team, so it was my responsibility to clean it up,” added Langborg, a native of San Diego, Calif., who is averaging a team-high 12.6 points along with 3.7 rebounds a game. “A lot of the times the people I was guarding weren’t crashing as much so I kind of had free rein to go after the ball.”
As a battle-tested veteran, Langborg was ready to step up in crunch time.
“A lot of the young guys don’t know a lot about the league,” said Langborg. “They will pick it up really fast but some of us have the luxury of playing a bunch of games and understanding how hard it is. We will keep going.”
One of those young guys, sophomore guard Peters, got going when he hit a three-pointer with 21 seconds left in the first half, set up by an assist from Tosan Evbuomwan.
“It is always good to see a shot go in, it also helps playing with Tosan,” said Peters, a 6’1, 190-pound native of Evanston, Ill., who drained a three-pointer and a made a twisting lay-up down the stretch. “He attracts a lot of attention on defense. I am just moving, trying to find my spots and he hit me a couple of times. It is my role out there to make shots. I was glad I could do that today.”
Playing for the U.S. men’s open team that won the gold medal at the 2022
“I had a great opportunity this summer to play in Israel; a lot of the habits I developed at Princeton continued this summer,” said Peters, noting that he shared the experience with Princeton assistant coach Skye Ettin, who served on the U.S. team’s coaching staff.
“I think getting back to competing. I wasn’t really playing last year and you really miss being out there. So this summer I got to get back in the groove playing again and that was really important. I regained my appreciation for the game a little bit after having a reduced role last year. This year is different and I have that competitive fire back.”
Princeton head coach Mitch Henderson liked the competitive fire displayed by his players as they held off Harvard.
“I am really happy with the win, I think that is a good team,” said Henderson.
“The league is just tough; we are going to be gone on the road a lot, so we really needed this one.”
A throng of 2,866 on hand at Jadwin Gym helped buoy the Tigers as they got the much-needed win.
“It was awesome, my daughter before the game was like, ‘The Drums of Thunder are here, they didn’t come last year,’” said Henderson. “I was like, ‘No one came last year.’ Even at halftime, I am thinking about all of these things and I heard the Drums of Thunder and I was just thankful for people and fans and entertainment. That was a long January.”
Henderson was thankful for the toughness displayed by Langborg as he achieved his first career double-double.
“I was telling some of the other freshmen that Ryan as a freshman struggled both with his stamina and keeping his body in front of guys at times,” said Henderson. “None of those things are issues now, in fact they are strengths. He is very tough. He gets a double-double, I never had any of those. This is terrific.”
Peters likewise made a terrific contribution from the Tigers.
“Blake killed us last year in practice regularly and that was a very good team,” said Henderson of Peters, who played in just 14 games last season, averaging 1.3 points and 4.6 minutes per appearance. “He has very high confidence and we have very high confidence in him. I was happy to see that he was the one on the line. He made some huge free throws and some huge threes.”
Freshman forward Caden Pierce came up huge in his Ivy debut with nine points, five rebounds, and two steals.
“We liked Caden in recruiting,” said Henderson. “We thought he was tough and he got two-handed rebounds. He is far ahead, he plays to win.”
Henderson also liked the contribution he got from Keeshawn Kellman, who tallied 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting.
“I am psyched and so are these guys; he just a total difference maker for us and a game changer,” said Henderson. “We wanted to see his growth. I feel like he is going to continue to get better each game he plays because he has not played that much.”
Coming into the Harvard contest, Henderson sensed that his players were primed for a big game.
“We had a really good, focused practice the first day back,” said Henderson, whose team will head to New York this weekend to play at Columbia (6-10 overall, 1-0 Ivy) on January 6 and at Cornell (11-3 overall, 1-0 Ivy) on January 7. “They were locked in on everything we asked them to do, including this morning. That starts with the older guys, you go in this league as the older guys go.”
With Princeton hosting the Ivy postseason tournament in early March, Langborg is hoping that the atmosphere Saturday can be a harbinger of things to come as the Tigers look to finish in the top four in the league standings to qualify for the tourney.
“We are bringing it home, not just for all of the guys that we are battling with but for all of the people and fans that support us as well,” said Langborg. “They are just as much a part of the group. It was good to see them out there tonight and they definitely gave us a boost.”
For Peters, coming through with the free throws to close the deal for the Tigers was a major boost to his confidence.
“It is definitely the biggest moment of my career so far, there is not really a way you can prepare for it,” said Peters, who is now averaging 6.2 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 14.4 minutes a game. “We do a drill in practice, you have to make 12 free throws in a row at the end. I was joking with the guys at the pregame that I have never missed. Some people dispute that. I have shot thousands of free throws in my life and a lot of the other guys have too. Whether it was me or it was someone else, we all have confidence in each other to make that.”
— Bill Alden
Ellie Mitchell is used to rebounding.
The Princeton University women’s basketball team is not.
Mitchell, the third-leading rebounder in the country, and the Tigers are looking to bounce back after suffering a 67-59 defeat at Harvard on Saturday. Their last Ivy loss came on February 8, 2019 when they fell 96-86 to Yale. The loss snapped their 42-game conference winning streak, and they will look to rebound with back-to-back home games against Columbia (12-2 overall, 1-0 Ivy) on January 6 and Cornell (8-6 overall, 1-0 Ivy) on January 7.
Princeton will lean on veterans like junior standout forward Mitchell as they look for their first Ivy win of the season. The loss at Harvard puts the Tigers in an early hole, and it will test the junior forward’s leadership in what is the most significant development in her role since last year.
“At this point, it’s year three for me, so I’ve been around it a bit more,” said Mitchell, a 6’1 native of Chevy Chase, Md.
“Some of these teams, I’ve played them before so I know how to play them. I’m just trying to talk them through and get them acclimated the same way I was fortunate to have with upperclassmen do the same thing for me. In that regard, it’s shifted a little.”
Mitchell has been as reliable as ever on the court. She paced Princeton with a game-high 14 rebounds in the loss at Harvard to raise her average to 12.3 rebounds per game, trailing only two others in the nation. She also had one of her better scoring games with eight points, even though early foul trouble limited her to 25 total minutes after averaging 36 minutes per game to start the year.
The reigning Ivy Defensive Player of the Year has made her presence felt at that end as well, and her all-around effort sets the tone for the Tigers.
“You’re getting that every day in practice too,” said Princeton head coach Carla Berube. “It never wavers. You’re going to get all-out effort and a toughness. She makes her teammates around her play harder. She’s running the floor on every possession. She’s making her teammates have to do that. That consistency that she brings makes our program better. She’s intense. She’s that player you don’t want to play against because you have to work really hard to compete. I’m just happy she’s on our team and no one else’s.”
Mitchell was hampered by two fouls in the first quarter against the Crimson, but came back to help Princeton remain close throughout the final two quarters. Princeton tied the game, 13-13, with 3:14 left in the first quarter before Harvard scored the next 13 points to take and hold the lead for good. Princeton never got closer than three points the remainder of the way.
A basket by Mitchell cut the Harvard lead to 31-28 early in the third quarter. She cut the deficit to three points again
with 8:00 left in the game on a layup. Princeton made it a three-point game one last time on a pair of free throws by Julia Cunningham, but a pair of Harvard free throws kept the Tigers at bay under new Crimson coach Carrie Moore, a former Princeton assistant coach.
“They have a lot of familiar faces from last season, a lot of great scorers,” said Berube. “With a new staff there, they’re playing a high level and playing some good defense. They have a lot of great weapons.”
Princeton was not able to duplicate some of the comeback energy in Cambridge, Mass., that it had displayed recently. The Tigers had made their contest at UConn on December 8 close with a late rally to fall by only five points. Princeton had a big comeback from a 15-point third-quarter deficit at Rutgers on December 15 to win by 12 points before the players started their exam break.
“Sometimes our best basketball has been when our backs are against the wall a bit and when we’re down,” said Berube. “I’m hoping we can play that way every game, whether we’re up 15 or down or it’s a tie game. All of a sudden, something clicks. It happened in the UConn game too. We got down by over 12, all of a sudden, we play with a different intensity and aggressiveness. That’s kind of what happened in Rutgers. They just looked at each other and said, ‘let’s go.’ Nothing fazes them. They’re not going to get down and out about themselves. They’re going to find a way to dig out and put up their best effort no matter who we’re playing and what the score is or how many we’re down. They’re going to fight to the finish.”
In its return to the court after exams, Princeton won a thriller as it edged Rhode Island 56-54 on Grace Stone’s buzzer-beating layup on December 28. The Tigers had trailed by five points with 2:35 left and pulled it out.
Kaitlyn Chen continued as Princeton’s leading scorer with 21 points in that win and Parker Hill had a breakout game with 12 points in 15 minutes off the bench in the final non-conference game before Princeton played at Harvard.
“For starters, 1-15 I think we have a great team,” said Mitchell. “I think our coaches did a great job building us a tough non-conference schedule. It’s going to get us the game exposure we need to figure out here’s some of the spots where we’re lacking and we have to spend more time figuring out what works, what doesn’t work, and how we’re going to improve.”
Chen was the only Princeton player in double figures scoring against Harvard with 21 points again. Stone had nine points and Julia Cunningham had seven points. Harvard countered with three players in double digits led by Harmoni Turner and McKenzie Forbes’ 17 points apiece. Princeton continued with its newest lineup that has added Madison St. Rose as a starter for the last four games.
“At this point, if we’re not executing the way we need
to, we’re going to be in tough shape in the Ivy League season,” said Mitchell. “I think we’ve handled our non-conference schedule pretty well. Obviously we’re trying to try some people out, different combinations and different lineups on the floor. It goes back to how we tweaked the starting lineup. Ultimately we’re getting more and more comfortable playing with each other and executing better and playing tough opponents. There’s always work to be done. We had this long break to focus on ourselves and get ready for the Ivy season. We’ll adjust as we go. There’s always room to improve.”
Mitchell has focused her development on the offensive end, where she has been a complementary player. She is scoring 5.5 points per game, just down from last year’s 6.2 points per game average. Her main contributions have come with rebounds and toughness defensively, contributions that the Tigers have come to expect.
“Rebounds, that’s definitely my favorite thing to do,” said Mitchell. “I want to try to get double digits every game. I think we need that. Defensively, I want to always bring that defensive presence, whether it’s get tips, get steals, or talking to my guards to let them know what’s going on on the floor if they can’t see. Offensively, I’m trying to get more comfortable. If I can get six to 10 points, I think that helps us a lot. That’s something I’m trying to do.”
Berube notes that Mitchell’s shot has improved and Princeton is hoping she can find more scoring opportunities as the season continues. The Tigers have also emphasized that she needs to budget her fouls so she can stay on the court for the maximum minutes, a challenging trick when she matches up against talented bigger players. She works to limit their size while doing her job. She has proven she can rebound against anyone.
“She’s hard to box out,” said Berube. “It’s like, where to find her? She has a knack for the ball. She’s not going to stay just in one place to go up and grab the ball. She’s going to work to go get it. I think it’s pretty frustrating for bigger post players to play against her.”
Mitchell has to be somewhat versatile in her on-court role. She plays either the center spot when she is the tallest Princeton player, or can slide to a more natural forward spot if the Tigers have a taller player like 6’3 Paige Morton on the floor.
“It’s not that big a difference,” said Mitchell. “In practice, we switch off running the four (power forward) and five (center) spot. Even if Paige is in, sometimes I run the five spot and she runs the four. Sometimes you get in those game situations where I beat her down the court so I’m in the five spot, so we’re not going to waste the time exchanging. There are other people coming in off the bench too. Chet Nweke has been playing the post. If me and her are in, I’m playing the five. We do a good job of preparing for all sorts of different situations. It’s
probably a little harder for Grace Stone. When we’re going small, she’s the four. When we’re bigger, she’s a three (small forward). She has to know two (shooting guard) through five.”
Beyond Mitchell’s on-court contributions in statistics, she has accepted more of a leadership responsibility. She is helping to mold this year’s less experienced forwards, just as she was guided in her younger playing days.
“She had great leaders above her that she’s learned from,” said Berube. “She’s one of the veterans in the post. She’s done a great job of bringing the underclassmen along and showing them how it’s done. That’s one of the biggest areas of growth for her. The mental game, she’s been able to be steady and not let things move her one way or the other, bother her one way or the other. As a freshman, things could do that. She’s been really consistent with the mental aspect of the game.”
Mitchell remains steadiest with her rebounding. She
has grabbed double-digit rebounds in eight of 12 games this year, though she’s typically giving up size in many of her matchups, particularly when the Tigers go small and start her at center.
“I think it’s a fun challenge; being undersized, it’s tough sometimes,” said Mitchell. “I also think there are ways to make up for it. If I’m playing a 6’3 or 6’4 girl, or even a 6’2 girl, usually I’m quicker than them so I try to bounce around, don’t let them seal me, don’t get pinned, kind of be pesky. I take pride in that, especially when these big girls expect to be able to bury you in the post and you’re not giving up and working around.”
It is not a solo effort for Mitchell as her teammates have played a key part in helping her pile up rebounding stats.
“Another huge factor has been my teammates, we have great team defense,” said Mitchell. “Our guards, if we know we have these mismatches, we practice for the days coming in that we’re
going to dig opportunistically or double if we can. I know if I get stuck, I have one of my teammates there and they’re going to bail me out. It’s helped us hang around these bigger teams so far, so hopefully we can keep it up.”
The Tigers look to get back to winning when they face Columbia and Cornell in their first Ivy weekend. They play their final non-conference game January 12 when they host Hartford before finishing the Ivy regular season with 11 straight conference games in which they will need Ellie Mitchell to make her usual contributions on the floor as well as being a team leader.
“I’m an upperclassman so you’re naturally in that role more,” said Mitchell. “More of the young girls look up to you. On the court I’ve been playing more minutes, so it helps me be comfortable out there and just have a consistent presence. It’s been a new role to adjust to, but I’ve had fun with it.”
—Justin FeilEthan Pearson has enjoyed early success this season for the Princeton University men’s ice hockey team after a challenging first year.
The sophomore goalie could not have started his second college season much better. He became the first Princeton goalie since Jeremie Forget in March 2019 to be named the ECAC Goalie of the Week when he earned the honor for the week ending November 13. Pearson received the accolade after he posted back-to-back shutout wins over Yale (3-0 on November 11) and Brown (1-0 on November 12) after allowing just two goals in an opening-season loss to Cornell (3-1 on November 4).
“It gave me a lot of confidence,” said Pearson, a 6’2, 190-pound native of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. “I learned in the Cornell game, you have to want those moments and want to face those challenges. I felt like the Cornell game was one of the most important of my career. It set me up. It gave me high expectations for every game after that.”
After setting a seasonhigh of 34 saves in the loss to Cornell, Pearson made 25 saves for his first career win, a 3-0 win at Yale. Then stopped 21 more shots — every one of them critical in a tight 1-0 win at Brown.
“I went into the weekend with Yale and Brown, not knowing if I’d play either game yet,” said Pearson. “But I was ready and I set myself a goal: Let’s let zero goals this weekend, whether I play one game or two games, after a game like Cornell. And then it just continued every weekend. The start like that definitely helped a lot with my mindset.”
Pearson already has four shutouts this season, the most Princeton has had since six in the 2007-2008 year when the Tigers won the ECAC Hockey championship. Princeton hasn’t had more than two shutouts in a season since then.
“Every shutout we’ve had this year has been because of the play in front of me and how good the guys have played all 60 minutes,” said Pearson. “It’s a reflection on the play in front of me. If we play like that, we could beat anybody in the country.”
Last Saturday, Pearson made 26 saves as Princeton edged Colorado College 2-1 in overtime to improve to 7-8 overall. Pearson, for his part, now has a 7-5 record with a goals against average of 2.28 and a save percentage of .914. The Tigers are starting 2023 with a bang as they host Harvard on January 6 and Dartmouth on January 7 for the Hobey 100 Weekend celebrating the centennial of Hobey Baker Rink.
Looking ahead to the homestretch of the season, Pearson believes that Princeton can be a force in ECAC Hockey play.
“I’m really excited how our team is going to be after Christmas,” said Pearson of the Tigers who are 5-6 in ECACH played, and tied for third in the league standings with Colgate and Cornell. “We’re definitely going to make a run for the title.”
Pearson is hoping to be a significant part of it after turning around his fortunes in a year. His collegiate debut was a mixed bag with the team losing 5-4 to RIT on November 26, 2021 but Pearson excelling as he made 35 saves. He allowed six goals in a 9-0 loss to Quinnipiac in his second start and then played sparingly in two other games.
“The growth mindset I had, I kind of needed that adversity, even from those games,” said Pearson. “Obviously those games weren’t the best. RIT, I didn’t think it was an awful game on my part, it was just a learning game. I had a lot of shots. It was my first game in college. It was my first game in like a year and a half. I went from U18 to college in a year and a half. It was a big adjustment.”
Pearson had played with Mount St. Charles Academy in 2020 and then went to Chilliwack in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). He had hoped to play, but games were delayed repeatedly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and ultimately Pearson left to prepare for Princeton before the BCHL ran a short pod season. A year of training was all Pearson had when he came to the Tigers and began the transition to college hockey.
“You can tell power plays and play is so much quicker,” said Pearson. “Guys move the puck so much faster. Especially against Quinnipiac. Our team was on break for a while because of Omicron, and we were missing guys and it wasn’t our best performance, myself included. It was just a very tough spot. I definitely needed that type of experience to grow and I think it’s helped out for where I’m at at the moment.”
Pearson didn’t know how hard that first year would be. It was filled with challenging moments, but everything that happened he looked at as an opportunity.
“It was very difficult,” said Pearson. “My whole life I’ve been a starter on pretty much every team I’ve been on. Then I go to college and I get pushed to third string. That was a big, big adjustment, but honestly it taught me a lot. I faced a lot of adversity. Everyone needs to go through things like that to grow. I kind of accepted the role last year and said, just work as hard as possible so that next year when I have the chance to start I’ll give myself the best chance possible.”
Pearson has grabbed that chance this year. The Tigers played RIT on November 26 again this year, but this time Pearson shut them out in a 5-0 win. He also shut out Union, 2-0, on December 9
and recorded 30 saves in a wild 6-5 win over Rensselaer on December 10.
“It’s insanely different,” said Pearson contrasting it to last year. “You feel, first of all, that the responsibility is huge. When you have more playing time, you embrace more of a leadership role. You have to perform night in and night out. Last year, I was very nervous all the time and anxious to get a shot to play. Now that this year I have a little bit of experience, when I go into a game, I’m more used to it so I don’t get as nervous or as anxious. That’s a big part of my mental development toward the game. It’s definitely a big jump.”
Pearson is part of a Princeton team on the rise. The Tigers have started to find their groove. They are young overall with eight freshmen on the roster, and even seniors and juniors have fewer games than usual upperclassmen, after the 2020-2021 season was canceled by the Ivy League. The Tigers have overcome some of their lack of experience and are focusing on finishing games better after seeing development in other areas already.
“The overall chemistry between players is huge,” said Pearson. “Plus our systems overall have been better. At the start of the year, our penalty kill wasn’t at the top. The percentage doesn’t reflect how good the PK has been. The RPI game, I think they had four powerplay goals and a lot of them were at the end, like 6-on-3. Besides that, we easily have one of the best PKs in the league and that’s helped our success as of late. It gives me confidence a lot and I’m able to see the puck at all times. So the PK has been great, the power play has been good, and we’re just better in every aspect of the game than we were at the start of the season, which I think is huge.”
Pearson’s play in goal has given the team confidence as well. He continues to work at fine-tuning his play. He has been approaching games with a positive mindset after seeing early success. He has cleaned up some technical aspects of his game as well since last year. The combination has helped him play more effectively.
“Last year I felt when I went in the games, obviously I was nervous, but I also didn’t have as much poise as I do this year,” said Pearson. “Right now I’m reading plays and I’m able to stay in position and stay calm. Whereas last year I was more chasing the play. Sometimes I’d be behind because I was overplaying a shooter before he passes it which would get me late to pucks or late to onetimers. That’s the biggest difference so far which has
led to a lot better rebound control, which is an important factor in my game. That’s the biggest difference.”
His first year with Princeton gave him a road map for what to work at in the offseason. He took time to become a better student of the game. He focused on developing his mind and body in the offseason. He watched video and he made sure that the skates that he went to were productive.
“I trained with Jake Allen, who’s an NHL goalie right now,” said Pearson. “I learned a lot from him, picked his brain. I went to goalie camp in Ontario and picked the brain of
the coaches there. It was just strictly goalie development the whole summer. I watched a lot of video and when I came here I felt a lot more ready because I felt a lot more knowledgeable about the game than I did last year. That was a big part. I still worked out quite a lot. But the biggest part of my development was learning the game.”
Pearson has established himself as the main starter in the first half of the season with 12 starts. Senior Aidan Porter has started Princeton’s other three games with a 4.23 GAA and .839 save percentage. Pearson is looking to sustain his play as the Tigers resume play after exams.
“It’s a very important role,” said Pearson. “Aidan is also a very good goalie. You have to keep battling. He could have a couple good games and then, boom. I have to stay ready all the time. It’s very healthy competition we have at the moment. He’s pushed me and I’ve pushed him. I think it’s just going to lead to more wins for the team overall as we head into the second half of the season. I like where we’re at right now. We won four of the last five games before Christmas so that confidence within our team, we’re going to keep riding it along.”
—Justin Feil
Princeton University football senior associate head coach and defensive coordinator Steve Verbit has been named a finalist for the Football Scoop’s Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Defensive Coordinator of the Year Award.
Princeton’s defense finished No. 1 in the country this fall in the FCS in scoring defense (13.5), third in rushing defense (90.7), fourth in total defense (299.7) and interceptions (16), 11th in passing efficiency defense
(115.37), and 15th in fewest first downs allowed (189).
The Tigers had six All-Ivy League selections on the defensive side of the ball highlighted by star linebacker Liam Johnson, who was the co-winner of the Bushnell Cup for Ivy Defensive Player of the Year.
Princeton finished the season at 8-2 overall and 5-2 Ivy League, tied with Penn for second in the league standings behind champion Yale.
Princeton University women’s golf freshman Catherine Rao competed in The Patriot All-America women’s golf event last week on the Blue Course at The Wigwam in Litchfield Park, Ariz., outside of Phoenix.
Rao, a native of Camarillo, Calif., finished T-33 with a score of four-over 214 for the three-round event. Antonia Malate of San Jose State, Grace Summerhays of Arizona State and Emma McMyler of Xavier each carded a nine-under 201 to finish in a three-way tie for first with Malate ultimately earning the title on the fourth playoff hole.
Players gained invitations by having earned All-America honors the previous season either collegiately or at the junior ranks, with Rao earning her third American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) All-America honor in November.
The event is themed to honor service members and is an effort of the Arizona Golf Association, the Golf Coaches Association of America, and the Wigwam Golf Resort, with Folds of Honor, which awards scholarships to children of fallen and disabled service members and first responders, as the tournament beneficiary. Earlier in the week, players had the opportunity to tour Luke Air Force Base in nearby Glendale, Ariz.
Men’s Tennis Alum Pecotic Competing in United Cup
Princeton University men’s tennis alum Matija Pecotic ’13 will represent Croatia at the first United Cup, being held at multiple sites in Australia from December 28 through January 8.
The United Cup is an 18team, mixed-team competition. The 11-day tournament will be played across three cities, Sydney (Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Center), Brisbane (Queensland
Tennis Center), and Perth (RAC Arena).
The group stage will be played from December 29 to January 3. Each city will host two groups of three countries, competing in a round-robin format. Played over two days, ties will be comprised of two ATP and two WTA singles matches between the No.1-ranked players and No. 2-ranked players and one mixed doubles match. If the matchup is
locked at 2-2 after singles, the mixed doubles match will decide the winner.
The winner of each of the two groups will advance to the City Final on January 4 to determine which team will advance to the United Cup Final Four. The fourth team will be the City Final runner-up with the best record from its three matches. The semifinals will be played across two days on January 6 and January 7 in Sydney
with the final on January 8. At Princeton, Pecotic, a native of Sliema, Malta, was a 2013 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) All-America honoree, and was a threetime Ivy League Player of the Year along with a three-time All-Ivy League honoree. He reached as high as No. 2 in the ITA singles rankings, and No. 11 in doubles. Currently ranked No. 831 in the world, he has been ranked as high as No. 206 in 2015.
Christian Paul got a taste of the action last season for the Princeton High School wrestling team.
After going 8-6 in limited time in the regular lineup, Paul resolved to be a bigger part of the team this year.
“The main thing is not necessarily from starting but that feeling that I never want to be on the bench again,” said Paul. “I always want to be there and the idea that I don’t want to let anybody else outwork me.”
Paul is off to a good start. The junior won all three of his matches at 157 pounds as PHS went 2-1 in a quad meet last Friday with wins over Montgomery (39-33) and Monroe (35-33) and a loss (51-16) to Hillsborough. Paul defeated his Montgomery and Monroe opponents each by pin and then captured a 7-4 decision over Giuseppe Cicciari of Hillsborough while overcoming a bloody nose that had to be taped up.
“You can’t breathe out of your nose, it’s all taped up, so he’s trying to breathe out of his mouth and trying to figure stuff out, trying to pull the tape down so he could see as it rides up in his eyes,” said PHS head coach Jess Monzo, whose squad is now 3-1 in dual meets.
“The way he was able to gut that win out — it was a close match, tooth and nail right to the end — and it really showed a lot about who he is as a person and what he’s here for and what he wants to do this season. We’re excited for the rest of the year, especially for him, to see what he can do at a full 157. We’re looking to see some special things from him this year and I’m excited.”
Paul wrestled at three different weights last year, wherever PHS would get him on the mat. It was hard with him often giving up pounds to opponents. He was splitting time with Basil Rieger. Rieger has since moved away, leaving Paul as the lone junior to return to the PHS roster, but Paul set his mind on developing himself as soon as last year ended.
“In the offseason, I definitely got in the weight room a lot more,” said Paul. “I was going to the gym extremely consistently. Over the summer, I put in a lot of work. I wasn’t specifically wrestling, but I did a lot of strength work and that helped me going into the season. And I think that overall I’ve just worked harder this year. Last year, I obviously tried hard, but this year I’m really pushing it because I see what I’m able to do and I really want to get there so I’m pushing it all out every single time.”
Paul kept up workouts leading up to the start of the season. He came back motivated after being one of the younger wrestlers on the team a year ago. The PHS veterans inspired him to dedicate himself for his final two years in the program.
“It was seeing all the other guys around me,” said Paul. “I know specifically last year, Aaron Munford and Matt Ellsworth, they were some really big inspirations
for me because I saw how strong they were and how successful they were on the mat. It really motivated me to try to push even harder.”
Paul’s improvements have helped PHS solidify the middle of their lineup. The Tigers have been bit early by the injury bug, but are seeing the potential for another good season. Last year’s state qualifier Blasé Mele picked up a fifth-place finish at 132 pounds at the Sam Cali Invitational last Wednesday. Cole Rose also picked up a pair of wins in the competitive tournament. The Tigers also feature some key returners from a year ago in Marty Brophy, Ava Rose, Harrison Ehee, Tyler Ehee and Jordy Paredes.
“I think the team is actually looking exceptionally well,” said Paul. “We’ve lost five seniors that were all in the starting lineup so being able to fill those spots is important. We’ve gotten a lot of new guys like Chase (Hamerschlag), who is a freshman and filling a spot at 165, which is really huge for us. I’m hopeful for this season. I think we can do really well, and maybe even repeat.”
Last year, the Tigers won the Colonial Division of the Colonial Valley Conference by taking out defending champion Hightstown. PHS hosts Franklin Township on January 4 in a match that could pair future District 17 opponents, then will see Hightstown in a key quad on Saturday that also includes Manalapan, whom they beat by a point last year, and Middle Township.
“Hightstown is in our conference, in our division, so it’s a very big match,” said Monzo. “They’re kids from down the road, not far away. Manalapan always puts a good team on the mat. They have kids that can wrestle and they’ll be looking for a little bit of payback after last year’s dual meet.”
Monzo has been finding plenty of good spots with the way the PHS team has wrestled early on, and how it has handled some early adversity with missing some starters. Going 2-1 in the quad was a promising sign.
“I feel like we wrestled well,” said Monzo. “We kind of went out and we’re short staffed right now. We have some holes in the lineup right now so we’re trying to figure some stuff out. And even in the first dual meet, we had a couple seniors go down and it didn’t look too promising, and we had some of our younger kids step up. And it really showed a little bit of that team aspect and how to wrestle as a team. I think the kids are starting to understand.”
Paul is developing into a reliable piece of the PHS lineup. He picked up his first CVC win as the Tigers routed WW/P-South 71-6 on December 21, then three more in the quad meet. That perfect day boosted his confidence and has him feeling good in 2023.
“I feel like I underperformed a little bit at the first tournament of the year, but that was mostly getting the kinks out and getting back into shape,” said Paul. “It was really just like an
introduction to the season. I feel like I’ve come into my own and I think I perform much better going into the rest of the season and the postseason.”
Paul is feeling more confident about his potential after his offseason work and start to the season. It has helped him reset goals for this year. They are bigger than ever.
“I think my goals are a lot more tangible this year,” said Paul. “In the past few years, it’s been ‘get better’ or ‘get more experience,’ intangible ideas that you can get by showing up basically. But now I have these concrete goals I want to make. I want to place well in counties, place well in districts, potentially make it to regions — these concrete goals that I can measure myself by each and every day and each and every match.”
Paul has the potential to accomplish them because of his increased commitment since last year. Monzo could see a difference in the wrestler when he returned. Whereas Paul at times wrestled up at 157 last year to fill the spot, this year his lifting helped push him into that weight class organically.
“He really put an emphasis all through the summer and up to the season on lifting, and it shows,” said Monzo. “He’s a totally different person. He’s strong, he’s thick, he’s solid. He’s not cutting a lot of weight, so he’s wrestling at a more natural weight for him. And being as big and strong as he is, it’s showing up. It’s helping him in situations where in the past couple years he didn’t have as much.”
Paul has the chance to push forward with a strong group of wrestling partners on the team. They have helped prepare him for any number of circumstances he could face on the mat.
“Usually for drilling I’ll be going with Jordy and we go back and forth pretty regularly,” said Paul. “When we start to go live and go a little bit bigger groups like groups of three or four, we’ll have Chase and Noah [Kassas] join us so we have a group ranging from 157 to 190. It’s really good practice. Even with guys heavier than me, it’s getting used to that feeling of being able to move weight around and be able to control my opponent regardless of how heavy they are.”
The offseason work combined with getting back on the mat for practice and matches has helped push Paul to another level. It is showing up on the mat and with his attitude and expectations. He is more determined to win matches regardless of opponent.
“He’s definitely capable of getting it,” said Monzo. “With all the outside offseason work he put in, he’s now expecting himself to get those wins. He put a little size and strength on and he looks imposing now. I think he started really believing in himself too. There’s something about a young 15-16 year old kid when he starts lifting weights and seeing differences, he starts to believe a little bit more too.”
Paul is reflecting his newfound confidence in the practice room with the team. Now as an upperclassman he has more leadership potential. He tries to set a tone that will help the less experienced wrestlers as they adjust to high school wrestling.
“There are six or seven seniors obviously and Marty and Ava, being captains, they’re really big with the leadership part,” said Paul. “I think I’ve been able to help a decent amount because I know Ava has been injured and Marty hasn’t been feeling well. So I think I’ve been able to get in the room and during practice be able to motivate these younger guys that are being first introduced to such a competitive environment.”
Paul knows from experience how tough an adjustment it is and what it takes to get into the lineup and contribute. He got his start wrestling in sixth grade for the Princeton Middle School team, then made the big jump to high school as a freshman. It’s taken a couple of seasons, but Paul has lofty goals now after
earning a steady role in his third year.
“I can definitely feel myself gaining a larger and larger role as the years have gone on,” said Paul. “And specifically this year where I’ll be holding a full-time starting spot. I feel there’s a much higher expectation for me than in previous years.”
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Dropping a 39-36 nailbiter to Springfield in the opener of the Over the River Classic at South Hunterdon High last week proved to be a wake-up call for the Princeton High girls’ basketball team.
“After the loss yesterday we decided that we were going to turn it on and play with a lot of energy, both on the court and on the bench,” said PHS senior guard and captain Rachel Luo, referring to the December 27 contest.
Facing Princeton Day School in a consolation game a day later, PHS jumped out to a 22-9 first quarter as Luo tallied eight points, taking the ball to the hoop several times as she dribbled past the PDS defense.
“We weren’t really used to the rims and it was hard,” said Luo. “So I tried to drive which definitely worked, especially in the beginning and that helped us get going.”
After a shaky second quarter which saw PDS outscore the Tigers 14-10, PHS regained momentum by turning up its defensive intensity in the third quarter with a 16-6 outburst as it seized control of the game on the way to a 57-36 triumph.
“During halftime we were
talking that we needed to get the ball back defensively,” said Luo, who tallied 18 points in the win with four rebounds, three assists, and two steals to help PHS improve to 2-4. “We did get on a lot of fast breaks and that definitely helped us.”
As a battle-tested senior, Luo is looking to help out her younger teammates.
“This year we do have a lot of freshmen so we are all trying to learn,” said Luo. “I am hoping to take more of a leadership role, to just to help everybody and support each other because we have a lot of learn.”
PHS head coach Dave Kosa wanted his team to learn from the loss to Springfield.
“We didn’t play well yesterday, so we really wanted to change that,” said Kosa. “We are a young team and we are learning on the fly. I really challenged them today to come out and play as a team. We weren’t doing the things yesterday that we knew we could.”
The Tigers hit a lull after junior star Gabby Bannett went down with a leg injury midway through the first quarter.
“In the second quarter with Gabby not being there we were off a little bit,”
said Kosa. “Losing Gabby was tough — she is like the glue of our team. We said to them, ‘Just take a deep breath and settle down.’ We tried to keep it simple for them. I think that is one thing to do with a young team, not to give them too much because then they are thinking about all of these other things so we did that. We simplified things, we just went 2-3 zone. We were able to get out and run and we got that lead.”
One of those young players, freshman forward Anna Winters, did some big things for the Tigers in the win, scoring 18 points with eight rebounds, three assists, and three steals, earning AllTournament honors in the process.
“Anna is just fearless defensively and she is hardnosed offensively,” said Kosa. “She is tough, she is strong. She can take the ball to the hole and has really worked on her outside shot. She really helped us today. Having her play well today and Rachel taking the ball to the basket was big.”
Junior guard Riley Devlin also helped the Tigers, producing a superb floor game with seven points, eight assists, four steals, and three rebounds.
“Riley did a great job with her overall game, leading us as far as distributing the ball,” said Kosa.
“That is something that she is learning. Today was a great game for her.”
Luo has been doing a great job with her leadership. “Rachel is a silent leader, she leads by example,” said Kosa. “She has worked so hard and she is smart. When she is not hitting from the outside, she looks to take it in. She looks to score in different ways.”
With PHS playing at WW/ P-North on January 6, at Highland Park on January 7, and at Hamilton West on January 10, Kosa is hoping the win over PDS will get the Tigers on the right track.
“That is what the coaching staff was talking about, we didn’t play well yesterday, let’s feel good about ourselves today,” said Kosa. “Our motto is day by day, getting better. We are so young. We just want to have the young girls grow and learn as much as they can. We are getting some good leadership from Rachel, Gabby, and Riley.”
Luo, for her part, is confident that the Tigers can grow into something special.
“Going into the new year, it is helpful that we got a win like this,” said Luo. “I think we need to play with more energy and keep our streak going and still support each other and learn.”
— Bill AldenComing off the holiday break, the Princeton Day School girls’ basketball team struggled to find a rhythm as it competed in the Over the River Classic last week at South Hunterdon High.
PDS opened the event by falling to 49-32 to host South Hunterdon on December 27 and then lost 57-36 to Princeton High a day later in a consolation contest.
“We didn’t have a big turnaround from a 5:30 p.m. game yesterday to 2 p.m. today, and we only have seven players here,” said Panther head coach Seraphine Hamilton, whose team moved to 1-4 with the two setbacks at the event. “I think a lot of it was just being tired and having a long break. We have had four or five days off and only one practice before we came into the tournament.”
PDS got a big performance from junior star Mia Hartman against PHS as she scored 19 points on the way to earning All-Tournament honors.
“Mia was our go-to player in a lot of ways to get buckets,” said Hamilton. “She looks to score and attack in a way that some of our other players don’t and we needed that.”
Freshman Mikayla Rondinelli showed her potential, tallying seven points against the Tigers.
“I think Makayla is great at being aggressive on the glass,” said Hamilton. “She can get to the rim really nicely and finishes around the basket. She was really a great complement to that today.”
The trio of sophomore Olivia Richter, senior Paige Gardner, and senior Paris Smith also made some nice plays for the Panthers in the defeat.
“Olivia played well in the high post, she is crafty,” said Hamilton. “She is able to make some good passes and get some good looks. She looks to attack the basket, she was a really big difference maker. Paige and Paris today were making really good cuts.”
The Panthers had a really good stretch in the second quarter, outscoring PHS 1410 in the period.
“Our offense is predicated on teamwork and being able to work as a team,” said Hamilton. “We just need more practice time for us to fl ow and see each other because Paige and Paris were open a lot a few times in the second quarter. We were getting them passes when they were cutting. We just lost our focus on that a little bit in the third quarter.”
With PDS slated to play at Stuart Country Day on January 4 and then host the
Pennington School on January 6 and Steinert High on January 7, Hamilton believes her squad can find a rhythm as it hits a busy part of the schedule.
“I am looking forward to getting back after the new
year when we are able to be consistent with our practices,” said Hamilton. “It is hard to have five days off and one practice and then four days off, practice, game. That is not beneficial so once we get back on January 3, I think that is when we still start seeing more of that progress.”
Although the Hun School girls’ basketball team has gotten off to an uneven 4-7 start, Sean Costello likes his squad’s prospects as it heads into 2023.
“We would prefer to be closer to .500 but our schedule is pretty difficult,” said Hun head coach Costello, who is in his first season at the helm of the program. “We have long-term goals not short-term goals.
Our long-term goal is to be peaking by the end of the season, which means we have to progress slowly and improve each game a little bit. We have to learn from the games that we play, wins or losses. I think we have achieved that.”
The Raiders showed progress in their final game before the holiday break as they topped Freire Charter 52-31 in the Germantown Academy (Pa.) Make-a-Wish Tournament on December 17.
“We are trying to get an identity for ourselves, we have really been trying to preach defense and rebounding,” said Costello. “We have really tried to pressure teams in the full court in order to try to get some transition opportunities for ourselves. We did a really good job of understanding what pressure we can bring to turn a team over which resulted in us getting some transition baskets.”
Post-graduate guard Emily O’Dwyer, a native of Ireland, has been doing a very good job for the Raiders.
“She has been great, we are asking her to do a little bit more on the ball than she
she has really improved upon,” said Costello. “She is gifted off the basketball, she can really shoot the ball. She is a scorer. Her ability to put the ball in the basket and be physical on defense has really helped us.”
The all-around ability of senior forward Sasha Moise has been a big plus for Hun.
“Sasha has been our one constant throughout the year; even if she doesn’t have a high impact on the scoring column, she gives a lot in a lot of different ways,” said Costello. “She has been a post player the majority of her career and we are using her more as a playmaker in that new point forward position. She is a really good passer. She is a good defensive player, she is active on the glass. She can give you a little bit in a lot of areas.”
Sophomore guard/forward Amira Pinkett has been giving the Raiders a lot this winter.
“I don’t think we have scratched the surface with her; she has a lot of really good tools and in certain games, they shine,” said Costello. “She gets a ton of deflections, she is longarmed. The No. 1 area she is looking to improve on is just giving the consistent performance every game. If she is not scoring, it is not a big deal because she can still do the other things. Defensively and rebounding-wise, she can give us a whole lot. She has had some games where she has been really successful around the basket offensively as well.”
The success of senior forward Tylr Neely has been
a pleasant surprise for Costello.
“Tylr hasn’t played organized basketball since middle school and she is a senior,” said Costello. “She is going to play lacrosse at Coast Guard [Academy]. She is big, she is strong, and she is athletic. She came out this year and every practice she gets better. She is starting a lot of the games for us. She rebounds the ball well, she defends well. She doesn’t try to do too much offensively that she can’t do. She is somebody who has really improved for us.”
Another player who has shown improvement is junior Anna Schweer.
“The person who has done a really good job for us having to play point guard is Anna, she is pretty much our primary ball handler at this point,” said Costello. “She would probably be a little more suited off the basketball but she is doing a really good job.”
A pair of newcomers, Addie McNally and Victoria Lubaczewski, have also been doing a good job for the Raiders.
“We have some freshmen who have played some significant minutes for us,” said Costello. “Addie has been on the floor quite a bit. Victoria is extremely tough on wing defense. She is aggressive attacking the basket and has hit a couple of threes.”
As the Raiders play at Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) on January 7 and the host Princeton Day School on January 10 to start 2023 action, Costello believes his squad is headed in the right direction.
“I think we are getting better and that is where we want to be, we don’t want to be peaking right now,” said Costello. “The focus is to continue to improve each game, each practice. We are hopefully getting better in terms of knowing our rotations defensively. I want us to be more of an efficient offensive team. We turn the basketball over too much, that is an area we want to do better at. We turn the other team over but we want to protect the ball better.”
In Costello’s view, the Hun players possess the right mentality to keep getting better and better.
“It is a really close-knit group of kids; I think they have bought in and it is just a matter of getting the reps now,” said Costello.
“From here on out, it is a little bit of a sprint. We are playing a lot of games. It is a totally new system, a different group of kids and even the kids coming back are playing different roles. They have worked really hard and they are doing a good job. I can’t say enough about the level of effort that they give on a daily basis. I never have to coach effort which is great.”
Boys’ Basketball : Brandon Russell led the way as Pennington defeated Bordentown 57-45 last Thursday in round-robin play at the Trenton Holiday Showcase. Russell tallied 14 points to help the Red Hawks improve to 6-7. Pennington will be playing at the Shipley School (Pa.) on January 4.
Girls’ Basketball : Morgan Matthews starred in a losing cause as Pennington fell 68-54 in the final of the John Molinelli Tournament at Lawrence High last Thursday. Matthews scored a game-high 21 points for the Red Hawks, now 7-2. Pennington will be playing at South Brunswick on January 5.
Boys’ Basketball : Jahan Owuse tallied a gamehigh 19 points as PHS lost 58-49 to North Hunterdon in the Warrior/Cougar Classic round-robin event at Montgomery last Thursday. The Tigers had started the event by defeating host Montgomery 45-27 on December 27 to post their first win of the season. In upcoming action, PHS, now 1-4, host WW/P-North on January 6 and Hamilton West on January 10.
Boys’ Hockey : Cooper Zullo scored two goals but it wasn’t enough as PHS fell 7-2 to Ocean Township last Monday. The Tigers, who moved to 3-2 with the setback, face Robbinsville on January 6 at the Mercer County Skating Center.
A number of Pennington School senior student-athletes have recently confirmed their commitments to compete at the college level starting in the fall of 2023.
The Pennington star athletes who will be joining college athletic programs include: Ava Vecchione, field hockey, Hobart and William Smith Colleges; Ava Brass, soccer, Rutgers University; Piper Dubow, swimming, Middlebury College; Jonah Heimann, basketball, Harvey Mudd College; Macayla Rodriguez, basketball, Susquehanna University; Will Bercaw, baseball, Gettysburg College; Andrew Rosa, lacrosse, Oberlin College; Reagan Amberson, soccer, University of Texas San Antonio; Josh Finkle, tennis, Skidmore College; Amelia Stevenson, swimming, Kenyon College; Nick Kempe, soccer, Connecticut College; and Ronan Hwang, baseball, Tufts University.
Phyllis Apple, who turned 100 on November 30, 2022, died peacefully at her home in Princeton, NJ, on December 27, 2022 in the warm embrace of her family. Phyllis moved to Princeton to be close to her daughter Sharon Rose Powell and son-in-law Bob Powell. She had retired several years earlier at the age of 88 as the founder and head of The Apple Organization, a PR firm in South Florida which she ran for 30 years.
In a large feature article in the Miami Herald on the day of her burial service in Charlotte, NC, Phyllis was described as the “queen of real estate” who “put Miami on the map as an international destination” in the 1990s. In her last year as CEO in 2009, the Apple Organization was voted “Best PR Company in the Americas” by a joint collaboration of CNBC and the New York Times.
Effervescent and known to light up a room with her charm and charisma, Apple had also received the first ever Lifetime Achievement Award from the South Florida Business Journal — “an honor that crystallized her iconic stature in the world of real estate.” She shared with the Journal one of her tips on longevity: “A positive attitude can keep you young. Stay away from negativity.”
Phyllis Apple, at 91, brought her can-do positivity to Princeton when she moved to her condo in an 1830s house that had been recently renovated by Sharon and Bob. Phyllis was also blessed to live in the same town as her granddaughter Katharine Powell Roman and husband Ben Roman, and her three greatgrandchildren Sam, Gabe, and Audrey Roman. Grandson Robert Powell, formerly of Princeton and now residing in Los Angeles with his husband Jerran Friedman, visited her frequently.
Affectionately known as Grandmommy to all of her five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, Phillis is also survived by her son Robert Rose and wife Carolyn Rose of Charlotte, NC, and her daughter Susan Marcus and husband Steve Marcus of Amherst, MA.
Phyllis, who was called a “force of nature” by family, friends, and colleagues, began her life as Phyllis Lila Blackman from humble beginnings in Newark, NJ. She joined the Navy as a WAVE in World War II after graduating from Weequahic High School; and married her first husband Lt. Commander Albert Rose from
Durham, NC, after the war. The Rose family settled in Greensboro, NC, to raise their three children. Phyllis and her second husband, Bernard Apple of New York City, lived in Charlotte, NC, where Phyllis continued to volunteer for numerous Jewish and community organizations. Phyllis and Bernard moved to North Miami Beach; and at 58 and no longer married, Phyllis launched her professional career in PR at an age when many started planning for their retirement.
In the last decade of her life in Princeton, Phyllis stayed active and relished the many opportunities to attend plays at McCarter; concerts at Richardson Hall; Planned Parenthood and Princton Library fundraisers; lectures at the Potluck Society; and golf at Springdale Golf Club. In addition, she played mahjong with two different groups of friends every week, one of which she organized soon after arriving in Princeton. Phyllis could be seen walking her maltese dog Lucky in town every day in every season. Her laughter, active life, warm smile, and deep love and devotion to her family will always be remembered.
Phyllis was buried at Hebrew Cemetery in Charlotte, NC, on December 30, and received military honors. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her name may be sent to give.feedingamerica.org.
ics and playing baseball. Jeff went on to earn his medical degree from New York Medical College, completed his internship and residency at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and completed a fellowship in sports medicine at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles.
After three years practicing orthopaedics in San Diego following his fellowship, Jeff and Mary moved to Princeton in 1996, where Jeff joined University Orthopaedic Associates, specializing in sports medicine. Jeff served as the orthopaedic consultant and team physician for Princeton University, enthusiastically standing on the sideline at Princeton football games for over 20 years. Jeff was one of the rare few who joined a passion to a profession, and everyone he met benefited from it.
Jeff will be remembered as a loving husband and father as well as a friend, doctor, and coach. Those closest to him will fondly recall him for his selfl essness, loyalty, and quick wit. Many treasured memories of Jeff have a connection to sports. He had a lifelong love for sports — playing, watching, coaching, and caring for athletes. Many people will remember their interactions around his kitchen table, where friends, neighbors, and athletes would ask his off-the-clock medical advice on their latest injuries. His calm reassurance and special sense of humor made him everyone’s first call.
Richard William Knott 5/3/61 – 12/22/22
Richard William Knott, 61, graduated from Temple University with a degree in accounting and later received an MBA from the University of Virginia. Over the years, Richard worked for the United States Postal Service, Prudential Investments, Oppenheimer Funds, and SEI Corporation. While at Oppenheimer Funds, Richard survived the 9/11 attacks on The World Trade Center, and many colleagues credit Richard for saving their lives by insisting everyone evacuate the building after the first plane struck.
Richard is survived by his two sons, Conor Knott and Quinn Knott; their mother Angela Knott; and his two brothers, Bruce Knott and John Knott. Richard’s parents, Richard J. Knott and Margaret T. Knott preceded him in death.
Mary Glenn Smith died at home on December 28, 2022 at the age of 93. We are grateful that she was able to spend Christmas with her family and we thank the staff at Stonebridge for their care.
Daughter of the late Frederick and Maryon Lobdell, Mary Glenn (Mickie to many of her friends) was born in Maine on February 2, 1929. She spent much of her childhood in New Rochelle, NY, and on the family farm in Cambridge, NY. She received her bachelor’s degree from Colby College where she met her husband, Guy. They married in 1952 and started the family that was the center of her life.
Jeffrey Bechler, MD, of Princeton passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family on Thursday, December 29, 2022, due to cancer at the age of 63.
Jeff grew up in California and attended Palos Verdes High School, where he played football, basketball, and baseball and met the love of his life, Mary, at a high school dance. He then attended Dartmouth College, majoring in econom-
Jeff is survived by his wife Mary; children Christopher (Olivia), Katelyn, and Scott; father Thomas; brother Scott (Susan); sister Kim; brothers-in-law Bill (Emma) King and Robert (Andrea) King; sisters-in-law Dede King, Tricia (Fred) Kosmo, Debbie (Steve) Killman, Deirdre Neely, Eileen (Mark) Gillis; 19 nieces and nephews; and was predeceased by his mother Barbara Bechler.
A Memorial Service is planned for 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 7 at Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton. A reception will follow at The Bedens Brook Club in Skillman.
In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes contributions to Nassau Presbyterian Church (nassauchurch.org/giving/ give-now/) or to ALK-positive lung cancer research ( fundraise.lungevity.org/ campaign/In-Loving-Memory-of-Dr-Jeffrey-Bechler).
Richard had a successful career in finance. However, what really gave Richard joy was his love for family, especially his two boys. On many occasions, Richard arranged a vacation home for his extended family during multiple summers in the Outer Banks, NC. It was important for him to provide the family a special place to be together and have fun. Richard also gave generously of his time and talents to various community organizations, most notably as a trustee for Princeton Little League and Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart.
Richard loved sports. He coached both of his sons’ little league teams every year of their little league careers. Richard also made a point to bring his sons to various professional sporting events, and in particular enjoyed seeing as many different professional baseball parks as possible with his family when traveling. A highlight for Richard was visiting the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, with his family. Richard enjoyed golf and shared that love with his sons.
Richard had a very energetic spirit, was thoughtful and generous, and possessed a kind and happy demeanor. He liked to make his family and friends laugh. His mother used to say, “Before Richard’s toe reached the floor each morning, he was teasing his brothers.” Richard spent nearly his entire life focused on other people around him, making sure to be there for his family and friends whenever he could.
A public service to celebrate his life will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church in Princeton on Friday, January 6, 2023 at 2:30 p.m. Reception to follow at the church.
In 1965 Mary Glenn and Guy moved to Hillsborough, NJ, where they raised their family. She was an active member of the community. As a cancer survivor, she was particularly proud of her volunteer work with the American Cancer Society and also the Woman’s Club of Hillsborough where she was tasked with awarding scholarships to deserving students. They were parishioners at St. Paul’s Church in Princeton for many years.
Later in life, while living in West Windsor, Mary Glenn was an active member of St. David’s Parish. She sang in the choir and volunteered in the Parish Food Pantry.
Mary Glenn loved spending time with family, going to her beach house on Long Beach Island, traveling to Vermont, antiquing, crossword puzzles, baking, and knitting. She will be remembered as a beautiful, friendly, charismatic woman who brightened the lives of those around her with her beautiful smile.
She was predeceased by her husband, H. Guy Smith in 2005 and her daughter, Margaret. She is survived by her five children, Leslie Taulbee (Dennis), Pamela Farr (Doug), Timothy Smith, (Michelle LaRoche), Katie Lynch (Gerard), Molly Shuck (Scot); 16 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; her brother Brian Lobdell (Joanne); and dear friends, the Lump family.
Visitation will be on Saturday, January 7, 2023 at Kimble Funeral Home, 1 Hamilton Avenue, Princeton, NJ 08542 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Paul Parish, 214 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ at 11 a.m. Entombment will be at Holy Cross Burial Park Mausoleum, East Brunswick (Jamesburg), NJ.
Memorial contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741 or at donate3.cancer. org.
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Witherspoon Media Group is looking for a part-time advertising Account Manager, based out of our Kingston, NJ office, to generate sales for Town Topics Newspaper and Princeton Magazine The ideal candidate will:
• Establish new sales leads and manage existing sales accounts for both publications
• Develop industry-based knowledge and understanding, including circulation, audience, readership, and more.
Overall, the real estate market in New Jersey remained a
’s market during 2022 despite the steady increase in mortgage rates throughout the last few months of the year. What is the likely scenario for the state ’s real estate market in the new year? Several factors are coming into play as we head into January.
Nationwide, real estate prices have fallen in response to the higher interest rates as well as a drop in buyer demand. However, here in New Jersey, markets are reacting differently for several reasons.
First, home inventories remain below pre pandemic levels, including in highly sought after communities like Princeton. Demand from potential home buyers remains strong in these areas, where some homes continue to see multiple offers. Demand is particularly robust in markets that continue to draw buyers who are leaving New York for New Jersey ’s comparative bargains.
Going into 2023, buyers need to have mortgage pre approvals in hand before looking and may need to adjust their price ranges due to higher interest rates. Sellers need to make sure their houses are priced correctly.
(100% remote; can work from anywhere in U.S.). Perform Lead Biostatistician role on medium complexity studies (MCS), providing statistical (stat) oversight & attending meetings. Perform project mgmt activities including resource planning, timelines & milestone manager. Prepare Stat Analysis Plans for MCS under supervision. Must have at least master’s degree or equivalent in Biostatistics or related field & 5 yrs experience as Biostatistician or related role. Must also have: 5 yrs exp. w/ prep of Stat Analysis Plans, analysis & reporting; 3 yrs exp. programming in 1 or more stat software packages (SAS) used to conduct stat analyses & w/ SAS including using variety of stat procedures (e.g., non-parametric analysis, linear & non-linear models, categorical data & survival analysis); & knowledge of overall clinical trial process. Send resume to covcentlab@labcorp. com & refer to Job Code FZ122022.
01-04
• Collaborate with the advertising director and sales team to develop growth opportunities for both publications
Track record of developing successful sales strategies and knowledge of print and digital media is a plus.
Fantastic benefits and a great work environment.
Please submit cover letter and resume to: charles.plohn@witherspoonmediagroup.com
