Conservation Organization
Receives Grants to Promote Private Land
Stewardship 5
Special Connections
Support Group Helps
Parents of Adults with Special Needs 8
People and Stories/ Gente y Cuentos Earns
Top Rating from Charity Navigator 10
Sparked by Career Game from Senior Forward Hill, Tiger Women’s Hoops
Tops Cornell in Ivy Opener 23
Featuring a Blend of Veteran Stars, New Faces, PHS Wrestling
Getting Tested on A Weekly Basis 27
Runny noses, coughing, sneezing, fever — respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases are on the rise, with cold-like symptoms that are often mild but can cause severe illness in some people, including babies, older adults, and the immunocompromised.
RSV is the leading cause of childhood illness and hospitalization in infants, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which also recently reported that more than half the counties in New Jersey have a “very high” percentage of emergency department visits for RSV. Emergency room visits for RSV in Mercer County were described as “moderate.”
Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center Emergency Medicine Chair and Faculty Medical Director Colleen Marchetta, DO, FAAEM, reported, “Post-holiday, we have already seen a signi cant increase in patient visits to our Emergency Department for respiratory illnesses.”
She continued, “The growing concern about RSV arises from its increased incidence and the pressure it places on health care systems. RSV is a leading cause of hospitalization in infants and can cause severe disease in older adults and those with underlying health conditions. The simultaneous circulation of RSV with other respiratory viruses, such as in uenza and COVID-19, exacerbates this burden.”
Marchetta described signi cant variations in RSV in recent seasons, which Princeton Deputy Administrator/Director of Health Jeff Grosser attributed, at least in part, to effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“After the pandemic years (2020-2022), when strict social distancing and masking measures reduced the spread of many respiratory viruses, there was a notable surge in RSV cases in late 2022 and early 2023,” Grosser wrote in an email.
“This was attributed to a lack of natural exposure during the pandemic years, leading to a higher number of unexposed individuals once restrictions were lifted.”
In order to manage the surge in RSV cases, the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center Emergency Department has “increased bed capacity and ensured adequate staffing to accommodate the influx of patients,” “reintroduced face masks in clinical areas to curb the spread
The Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education (BOE) will vote on the appointment of School District of the Chathams Superintendent Mike LaSusa as the next superintendent of PPS at a special board meeting on Wednesday, January 8 at 5:30 p.m.
Kathie Foster has been serving as acting/interim superintendent since November 2023, following former Superintendent Carol Kelley’s resignation after just over two years at the helm. Foster will continue to lead the PPS until July 1, when LaSusa will take over to serve a term of a minimum of three and a maximum of ve years.
An Ad Hoc Superintendent Search Committee launched the superintendent search in August, held numerous forums, and conducted a community survey in collaboration with a search rm in the following months, and has been reading applications and con dentially interviewing candidates over the past two months. LaSusa, who has led the Chathams district for the past 13 years, taught middle school Spanish in North Philadelphia at the start of his career in public education, then taught Spanish and social studies at Chatham High School starting in
2001, and went on to serve as high school principal and assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.
As superintendent in the Chathams, his achievements include development of a program to support students’ mental health and well-being, implementation of a later high school start time, creation of a mandatory Holocaust and Genocide Studies course at Chatham Middle School, expansion of special education programming, introduction of Chinese (simpli ed) and American Sign Language
in grades 6-12, and investments in programs and facilities for the arts and athletics. LaSusa was named Region One New Jersey Superintendent of the Year in 2019. LaSusa earned his B.A. in Spanish from Gettysburg College, a M.S. in secondary education from Saint Joseph’s University, and an Ed.D. from Rutgers University in social and philosophical foundations of education. He currently lives in Morris County with his wife and children.
During his rst run for a seat on Princeton Council in 2021, Leighton Newlin spent a lot of time walking through every neighborhood in town, talking with people about issues that were on their minds. He was halfway into his rst term on the governing body when it struck him that few of those people were showing up at Council meetings to ask questions or air their concerns.
“I realized that some people felt intimidated by Council meetings,” he said. “And I thought, if people have questions but
are reluctant to ask them, maybe I’ll go out and try to talk to them at a different place every week, and see what the response is.”
That was in April 2023 — the official debut of “Leighton Listens.” On almost every Wednesday since, Newlin has visited a local gathering spot to do just that — listen. Since the rst session at Hinds Plaza, at which ve people showed up, Newlin has been hearing about issues of concern from a range of people,
As
We
We
them for bringing a smile to everyone at Princeton Windrows every single day.
As
As we begin a new year, the residents of Princeton Windrows wish to celebrate our exceptionally talented and dedicated staff.
Their hard work and service to this community keep all of us thriving. We are consistently amazed by the performance of every member of our staff, from senior management to front desk attendants who know all of us by name and greet everyone with a smile, to the housekeeping, culinary, and facilities teams who keep our community running smoothly. Our professionally trained employees are always striving to improve the lives of our residents.
always striving to improve the lives of our residents.
We acknowledge and congratulate our staff members and thank them for being true pillars of this community.
We acknowledge and congratulate our staff members and thank them for being true pillars of this community.
We thank them for bringing a smile to everyone at Princeton Windrows every single day.
We thank them for bringing a smile to everyone at Princeton Windrows every single day. Here’s to our staff! A
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ARTFUL ICE: Colorful and creative ice sculptures are among the attractions at Peddler’s Village in Lahaska, Pa., on January weekends.
Peddler’s Village Hosts “Fire and Frost Fun”
Peddler’s Village in Lahaska, Pa., will host “Fire and Frost Fun” on select Friday and Saturday evenings this month.
Against the backdrop of the village’s historical “Winter Wonderland” setting, the outdoor festival will feature dozens of ice sculptures, a DJ spinning party music, and a family-friendly scavenger hunt. The event will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, January 10; Saturday, January 11; Friday, January 17; and Saturday, January 18.
January 18 is also the final night of the holiday lights display featuring a million dazzling, colorful lights. Additionally, Peddler’s Village shops and boutiques will be presenting special January sales that will continue through the month. Admission and parking are free.
At the festival, visitors can watch artists from Ice Concepts sculpting blocks of ice into art. Also scheduled are fi re artistry, fi re breathing, and juggling performed by Airplay, associated with the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts, as well as family activities and outdoor food and drinks. Live ice sculpting will
take place on Friday, January 10 at 6 p.m.; on Saturday, January 11 at 5 p.m.; on Friday, January 17 at 6 p.m.; and on Saturday, January 18 at 5 p.m.
Families will also be able to participate in the Villagewide Find Jack Frost scavenger hunt in which children can win free prizes. Hot chocolate and cider will be available on the Village Green. Village restaurants will be open, and food trucks will also be on site. Shops will be open until 8 p.m. during Fire and Frost Fun. For a full schedule of entertainment and food trucks, visit PeddlersVillage.com.
Warming Centers: Through Friday, January 10, warm, safe space is available for residents at Witherspoon Hall, Monument Hall, Princeton Public Library, and the Center for Modern Aging. Visit princetonnj.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=540 for details.
Disposing of Christmas Trees and Brush: The Department of Public Works is collecting throughout January. Place trees and brush curbside by 7 a.m. on any weekday. Remember to remove all decorations, do not put trees in a bag, and keep vegetative material at least 10 feet away from storm drains.
Leighton Listens: Councilman Leighton Newlin holds one-on-one conversations about issues impacting Princeton from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on January 9 at Tipple and Rose, 210 Nassau Street; January 15 at Delizioso, 205 Witherspoon Street; January 22 at Bagel Nook, Princeton Shopping Center; and January 29 at Jammin’ Crepes, Princeton Public Library lobby, 65 Witherspoon Street.
Food Pantry: Arm In Arm’s mobile food pantry is at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch of Mercer County Library System, 2751 Brunswick Pike, on Monday afternoons from 2-4 p.m. Fresh produce, eggs, milk, frozen proteins, and quality baked goods as well as canned and boxed items and personal care items are available for those in need, and different social services agencies are on site. Mcl.org.
Sustainable Princeton “Lending Library” : Sustainable Princeton offers residents and nonprofits in Princeton the opportunity to borrow sustainable home items such as electric landscape equipment, induction cooktops, and repair tools, for free, for up to two weeks. Visit sustainableprinceton.org for more information.
Free Rabies Clinic: Open to all New Jersey residents, at Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad, 1 Valley Road on Saturday, January 18 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Pets must be at least 3 months old. Dogs must be leashed; cats secured in a carrier. All pets must be accompanied by an adult. Visit princetonnj.gov for more information. Volunteer with Friends of Princeton Open Space : Sessions are held on January 15 from 1 to 3 p.m., January 20 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 3 p.m., and January 29 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Work under the guidance of the stewardship team. Fopos.org.
Donate Blood : The Red Cross needs donors during cold and flu season. On January 8 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at MarketFair, 3535 U.S. Route 1; and on January 22 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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the organization’s Vice President Mark Bean and his wife Samantha, in front of a rain garden they established as part of the Community Conservation Program.
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Thanks to two grants totaling $101,250, The Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS) have the resources to involve more property owners in land conservation.
Subscription Information: 609.924.5400 ext. 30 or subscriptions@ witherspoonmediagroup.com princetonmagazine.com
The Princeton Area Com -
munity Foundation’s Bunbury Grant program and the Open Space Institute and Land Trust Alliance’s Land and Climate Program have donated funds to support the expansion of the nonprofit’s community partnerships in the conservation of privately-owned land, as well as continued stewardship of properties owned by the organization.
The idea is to encourage residents and corporations of the Hopewell Valley — as well as all of Mercer County and neighboring communities such as Montgomery, Lambertville, and the Amwells — to play a greater role in conservation. The initiative applies to properties of all sizes.
“You can make a difference anywhere from a quarter of an acre up to 100 acres of land,” said Jenn Rogers, FoHVOS executive director.
“You don’t need an incredibly large property. We’re actually starting to see this becoming a more common way to take care of property. It’s not fully mainstream yet, but we as citizens are really starting to understand that our health — physical and mental — is really connected to the health of our natural world.”
As an example, FoHVOS Vice President Mark Bean and his wife Samantha have created a biodiverse yard at their Hopewell Township property.
“The couple have converted a detention basin to a lush meadow, established native landscaping beds, and created a rain garden to reduce stormwater runoff and recharge groundwater supplies,” reads a press release about the grants. “A tangible result of their efforts is reduced water in their basement during rainstorms.”
To help inform the nonprofit’s expansion of its stewardship program, FoHVOS is asking area residents to take a seven-minute online Community Conservation Survey, available at surveymonkey.com/r/JP8Z3Z.
The two grants will support research, planning, and strategy work to expand
the Community Conservation Program, which enlists private landowners in promoting native plants, reducing stormwater runoff, and increasing biodiversity on their properties. Some 300 homeowners currently participate, encompassing nearly 4,000 acres of land.
“We’ve had success in the past working with residents in and around the Hopewell Valley. We’re focused on expanding it to corporate campuses and agricultural land,” said Rogers.
FoHVOS was incorporated in 1989. The nonprofit manages more than 3,000 acres of land and 17 miles of hiking trails. “Our preserves
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Continued from Preceding Page offer critical habitat for over 40 species of rare plants and animals, safeguard local waterways, and encompass nearly 1,000 acres of old growth forest,” reads the release.
Educating residential, corporate, and agricultural property owners about how they can help in conserving the land is the continued focus.
“Conservation is not just for biologists, ecologists, and naturalists,” said Rogers. “It’s for everybody. When we all participate, that’s when we really make the difference. The grants were pretty competitive, and we were really pleased to get them. We worked really hard at bringing grant funding into our organization last year. We’re thrilled with the recognition.”
—Anne Levin
Jammin’ Crepes has launched a new partnership campaign with local nonprofits in the Princeton community with whom they have enjoyed working over the past 10 years. The campaign is being kicked off this month in support of The Arts Council of Princeton.
Everything on the menu, including all store merchandise, is included. Twenty-five percent of all sales between the hours of 4 and 6 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays, at the 20 Nassau Street location, will be donated to the nonprofit organization of the month. Online orders placed for pickup between 4 and 6 p.m. qualify.
A forum for the expression of opinions about local and national issues.
“What brought you to the event today?” (Asked Sunday morning at the Experience the Battle of Princeton reenactment at Princeton Battlefield State Park) (Photos by Sarah Teo)
“We are so grateful for these amazing local nonprofit organizations that support the fabric of our community,” said co-founder Kim Rizk. “Their work provides opportunities for so many, and creates a local support system integral to a healthy community.”
The Center for Modern Aging Princeton (CMAP) will hold its first-ever Open House for the Evergreen Forum, a program dedicated to fostering lifelong learning and curiosity among older adults. The event will take place on Thursday, January 16, from 12:30 to 4 p.m. at 101 Poor Farm Road.
Attendees will be able to meet Spring 2025 course leaders, attend sample lectures, have light refreshments, and win a free class through a giveaway.
The Evergreen Forum invites older adults to cultivate their curiosity and reimagine learning through dynamic daytime study. Spring offerings include Literature and Art and Culture, Government and Politics, History and Science, and more. Registration opens online on Tuesday, January 28 at 9:30 a.m., at cmaprinceton.org/ evergreen-forum.
Most classes begin in March and meet once a week for two hours. Fees are $110 for six- to eightweek courses. Senior scholarships are available to those for whom the fee is a hardship. To apply, contact Johanna Peters, director of social services, at jpeters@ cmaprinceton.org, or (609) 751-9699, extension 111.
About a year ago, John George, a “semi-retired” clinical psychologist who lives in Blawenburg, was talking with a friend who has an adult child with special needs.
“The child was on and off his meds,” said George. “The child does quite well and has a job, but sometimes my friend and his wife get concerned when the child goes off their meds.” The child “comes home and “takes a while to get stabilized again.”
Elaborating on some of his friend’s concerns, George continued, ”He’s about 70 and he and his wife talked about the difficulties they have as they get older and look toward their retirement and about this child who will eventually need someone to keep an eye on him when they’re no longer around. Not just to keep a roof over the child’s head, but also someone who will care.”
George, who has been in practice in both New York and New Jersey for over 40 years, added, “It’s not just the practical things, but who will really care about this person.”
George, who has a history with the Center for Modern Aging Princeton (CMAP — formerly the Princeton Senior Resource Center) as the originator and former leader of the Transition to Retirement group at CMAP, was looking to get involved further.
“I started rolling this idea around in my head,” he said. “You know there must be many people in the same position as my friend, who are aging and who have these same concerns.”
That idea was the genesis of Special Connections: Parents of Adult Children with Unique Needs, a support group that meets on the first Friday of every month from 1 to 2:15 p.m. at CMAP, 101 Poor Farm Road.
Run by George and a CMAP social worker, the group is ongoing, has had three sessions so far, and is looking forward to expanding in the new year.
“It’s a very much-needed group,” said George. “And the main thing about a
group like this is that people don’t feel alone. You don’t feel you’re the only one. Getting a group together allows you to share resources, issues and concerns.”
He continued, “As I found with the Transition to Retirement group, people were struggling with the problems by themselves. People are struggling with these issues and then you get somebody who’s a couple of steps ahead of them in the process and can help. I know that there are many people in this situation, and I’m hoping that this group can help them.”
In a typical session, George explained, the group members share their stories and their concerns, and also they share resources, like the names of lawyers who specialize in estate planning, or contact information for Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman for help with information about government programs and agencies, and available benefits that can provide support.
The group has discussed the potentially positive impact of the Special Olympics, as well as a range of other helpful resources such as The Special Needs Alliance, Autism Speaks, the New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities.
Noting that the individuals’ special needs can be physical, developmental, or psychological, George added, “I believe that these parents share a particular burden — not just the concerns about aging and all that comes with it, but also concern for their dependent child’s welfare when they, the parents, are gone.”
An AARP: The Magazine article recently highlighted the challenges of aging parents and their special needs children in a society that’s getting older and needing more supports and services. It’s a big issue now, the article noted, and certain to become a bigger problem in the future.
It pointed out that hundreds of thousands of older Americans have adult children with disabilities living with or dependent on them.
“More than 1.1 million adults receive Social Security benefits due to a childhood disability,” the story stated, “and nearly 345,000 of them have parents receiving retirement benefits, according to Social Security Administration data.”
The article continued, “There are probably far more families in this situation, as these numbers only include families receiving Social Security payments. And the challenges are becoming increasingly urgent as more Americans reach retirement age and their children with disabilities live longer.”
Gina Hookey, a local mother of a special needs adult, commented on the value of parents coming together to exchange information. “In addition to expressing feelings, worries, and concerns, there is so much information that parents can share that is extremely beneficial,” she said. “I have met with or spoken to parents and have learned about certain programs, social security insights, medical information, and multiple services that are available.”
George pointed out, “Special Connections is a place for these parents to share their concerns, resources, and solutions, and, perhaps most importantly, to not feel alone in what may seem a very personal and potentially isolating problem.”
The mother of a 38-yearold son, who lives in nearby Pennsylvania, agreed. “Sometimes parents of special needs adults are isolated, not being able to do as much socially and busy serving as caregivers,” she said. “It would be nice to connect with others in the same situation and share information and hopes for the future.”
For more information about Special Connections and registration details, call CMAP at (609) 751-9699 or visit cmaprinceton.org. There will also be an informal get-together on January 24 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at CMAP, 101 Poor Farm Road, where people can gather and share information.
—Donald Gilpin
Princeton Middle School Student Honored for SAT Performance
Matthew Dodd-Nickles, a student at Princeton Middle School, has been named as one of the brightest students in the world by the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth after qualifying for CTY’s Study of Exceptional Talent (SET).
Matthew, who is in eighth grade, was honored for exceptional performance on the SAT, taken as part of the CTY Talent Search. CTY uses above-grade-level testing to identify advanced students from around the world and provide a clear picture of their academic abilities.
To quality for CTY’s Study of Exceptional Talent as an eighth grader, students taking the SAT need to score 730 or above on the math and/or verbal portions of the test.
“This is not just recognition of students’ performance on one test, but a testament to their curiosity and capacity for learning,” said Amy Shelton, executive director of CTY. “These students have demonstrated enormous potential, and now we encourage them to seek out experiences and communities that help them challenge and stretch their knowledge, connect with other young scholars, understand diverse perspectives, think critically, and pursue their goals confidently.”
Founded in 1979, CTY is a center for innovation dedicated to advancing the field of gifted education through research on testing, programs, and other supports for advanced learners. On the premise that advanced learners come from every community and every demographic, the organization aims to understand and inform how these students need to be nurtured to achieve their full potential as learners and global citizens. The CTY community includes students, alumni, and donors from around the world. Visit cty.jhu.edu for more information.
The New Jersey Black Women’s Collective (NJBWC) invites aspiring leaders to apply for the 2025 cohort of the Leadership Institute, a transformative program designed to cultivate and develop the next generation of Black women leaders in New Jersey. Applications are open through January 8. The program will launch on Saturday, January 25, and run through June 28, 2025.
Early last year, the NJBWC and Mercer County Community College (MCCC) inaugurated this initiative, bringing together a steering committee led by NJBWC founders, MCCC executives, and MCCC President Deborah E. Preston. The program aims to equip participants with the tools to address realtime challenges, actualize their visions, and enhance their leadership effectiveness while building a pipeline of Black women leaders across various sectors in New Jersey.
On June 8 of last year, members of the inaugural class presented their capstone projects and graduated in a special ceremony at the Trenton Country Club in West Trenton.
Tennille McCoy, Cofounder of NJBWC and
Chair of the Leadership Institute, said, “The passion and dedication displayed by participants throughout the program have been truly inspiring. We designed this initiative not just to build leaders but to foster meaningful connections and equip them with actionable tools to address today’s challenges effectively.”
Preston commented, “As we embark on the second year of this initiative, we remain committed to empowering women in leadership through intentional actions and unwavering support. Together, we are creating a brighter future for the next generation of leaders.”
Taraun Tice McKnight, NJBWC Co-founder, added, “This program marks the start of a transformative journey for these exceptional women. I’m proud to celebrate their achievements and look forward to the profound influence they will have within their communities and professional spheres.”
Participants will engage in 14 curated sessions led by keynote speakers and facilitators, including Melody M. Fogarty and Rita WilliamsBogar. The program will feature leadership assessments and instruction from Mercer County Community College, alongside workshops, panel discussions, and lectures focusing on leadership, organizational culture, and personal development. Participants will also benefit from networking opportunities and interactive presentations designed to equip them with real-world strategies for success.
This year, the Leadership Institute introduces two new sessions: AI Exploration and Cyber Security Adventure. Topics will address critical areas such as change management, financial and fundraising skills, time management, workplace politics, and marketing and branding tools. The Leadership Institute is ideal for midlevel managers or supervisors ready to advance their careers, aspiring directors and vice presidents seeking to elevate their leadership impact, and professionals aiming to enhance their strategic and operational skills.
The second cohort of the Leadership Institute will
graduate on June 7, 2025, with a special ceremony at the Trenton Country Club in West Trenton. Members of the class will present their capstone projects, showcasing their growth and the program’s transformative impact.
To apply, visit mccc.edu/ njbwc.
The Sourland Conservancy has two presentations planned for the month of January.
On Thursday, January 9 from 7 to 8:30 p.m., Jared Rosenbaum will give a talk titled “Rare Plants in the Sourlands,” at the Montgomery Township Municipal Building. While the in-person event is sold out, it can be attended virtually by obtaining the link from sourland.org.
Rosenbaum is a botanist, ecological restoration practitioner, and co-owner of Wild Ridge Plants, a nursery specializing in native plants and seeds. He is the author of two books on native plants. Those attending the event will gain insights to the importance of protecting rare plant species, learn about their role in the local ecosystem, and discover how to support conservation efforts at home.
On Thursday, January 23 at 7 p.m., Jeff Hoagland will present “Phrenology and Haiku — Nature’s Seasonal Clock.” Hoagland is a lifelong naturalist and is education director of The Watershed Institute.
Hoagland’s talk will take attendees through the seasons, briefly visiting numerous hallmark moments and nature’s magic, from the skunk cabbage bloom and salamander rain to the flash of the firefly and monarch migration. Admission is free but registration is required for this hybrid event. Visit sourland.org.
33 Princeton-Hightstown Rd Ellsworth’s Center (Near Train Station) 799-8554
Tues-Fri: 10am-6pm; Sat 8:30am-3:30pm
Leighton Newlin
continued from page one some of whom have become regulars.
“That first time was a magical moment for me,” he said. “If you move toward people, they will move toward you. It might seem very simple. But if you tell people you will be somewhere to listen and they have something they want to say, they will show up. I love Wednesdays now. I look forward to them.”
Most of the 11 a.m.-to -12:30 p.m. sessions are held at local coffee shops and eateries such as Delizioso, Bagel Nook, Jammin’ Crepes, and Tipple and Rose. Sometimes one person shows up; most times two or three. On two occasions, nobody appeared. “But that was OK. I got some work done,” said Newlin.
Along the way, Newlin has been honing his listening skills. “I’m getting better at it,” he said. “You’ve got to listen through the entire end of what a person is saying. You don’t throw out an answer real quick. I really pay attention. I try to keep my eyes on them. I want to know what their issues are.”
The top priorities are affordable housing, density,
and “not in my backyard.”
“That comes up constantly. How we work with historic preservation is another recurring theme,” Newlin said. “Maintenance and upkeep, and trash in the central business district are almost always on tap. Traffic and safety concerns, particularly related to kids moving to and from schools on bikes, is big. Leaf pickup comes up every once in a while.
People have questions about PILOTS (payments in lieu of taxes), but most don’t understand them. I’m not central to redevelopment but I’ve been reading up on them, and telling people that they are a means by which we can build affordable housing. There is also a lot of concern about rentals.”
Some of the sessions lead to action. When Newlin visited Elm Court, home to verylow-income seniors, residents complained that there weren’t enough benches along the Johnson Trolley Trail.
“I brought [assistant municipal engineer] Jim Purcell back to talk to them, and he got really involved and engaged,” Newlin said. “And guess what? We got benches out there. That’s the kind of thing that can come through engagement.”
Newlin wants to involve more members of municipal staff and government in future gatherings. “My plan going forward is to have each of my Council colleagues and Mayor Freda go out with me at least once,” he said. “I’m not just listening for me, I’m listening for us.”
While he is happy to provide an outlet for local concerns, “I realize now that it is I who am the greatest beneficiary,” he said. “It’s been more than validating. I’m listening to hundreds of people. Being local is being accessible. As a local official, you’ve got to get out there and meet people where they are at. When they know you have no hard stop time, that you will hear what they’re saying, that makes the difference. It’s a constant campaign. I’m not asking for your vote. I’m asking for your help. To me, that should never stop. If you really are doing this job fully and right, your commitment should be consistent. I never stop.”
—Anne Levin
The Trenton Punk Rock Flea Market (TPRFM) has changed its name to the New Jersey Punk Rock Flea Market (NJPRFM), reflecting its growth and expanded reach across New Jersey and beyond.
What began as a grassroots movement in Trenton in 2013 has blossomed into a nationwide phenomenon which has inspired dozens of other punk rock flea markets to develop throughout the country. While the event’s heart and soul remain deeply rooted in Trenton, the updated name better represents its evolution into a convention that now hosts expos in cities throughout New Jersey including Edison (at the New Jersey Convention and Expo Center) as well as another venue to be announced later this year.
The NJPRFM brings its signature mix of alternative and DIY culture, the arts, unique vendors, food trucks, live tattooing and piercing, and more to a broader audience than before.
national and local talent to Trenton’s DIY music venues. Darkside New Jersey Art & Oddities Market, which debuted last November, is also a product of his team.
“The decision to rebrand was a long but natural progression for us,” said Kuzemka. “I grew up in Trenton and I live in Trenton. I am a wildly proud Trentonian, and while we’ll always be proud of our Trenton roots, where we got our start, our journey over the past 12 years has taken us far beyond the city limits, now with events all over the State of New Jersey as well as the occasional event in Pennsylvania. This new name reflects our commitment to DIY culture, arts, food and music across the entire state of New Jersey. We’re thrilled to see what the future holds.”
Founded in November 2012, the Trenton Punk Rock Flea Market quickly became a staple for lovers of DIY culture, vintage finds, and punk rock. Its origins trace back to the vision of Joseph Kuzemka, who previously was the executive producer and was a founding member of Art All Night for 15 years. Kuzemka has also managed such events as the Capital City Food Truck Battle, Activate Trenton! Live Music Series, Levitt AMP Trenton Music Series, and PorkChop Express Booking, which focused on bringing
To celebrate the rebrand, the NJPRFM is planning a series of events throughout New Jersey in 2025, starting with their annual Spring Fling expo featuring hundreds of makers from across the country, dozens of food trucks, celebrity guests and more at the Cure Insurance Arena in Trenton on April 12-13. Visit punkmarket. com for more information.
Menopause is Topic of Screening, Discussion
In partnership with Dr. Maria Sophocles, the Arts Council of Princeton will host a screening of The M Factor, a film shredding the last taboo and shame cycle for women in menopause, on Wednesday, January 15 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. This feature-length documentary film centers on the lived experiences of women across the U.S. Cameras follow women into their doctors’ offices, at work, and in their homes to expose the challenges they face — including racial biases, gender-ignorant care, inequitable structures and systems, and barriers due to the lack of basic midlife health care research. The women talk about their experiences and share their stories of enduring debilitating symptoms while being ignored, ridiculed, and/or shamed, and left untreated.
The event will include the screening, light refreshments, and a talk-back with Sophocles, the founder of Women’s Healthcare of Princeton (WHP), a gynecology practice that draws patients from all over the U.S. Visit artscouncilofprinceton. org for more information.
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People and Stories/Gente y Cuentos has begun 2025 with a pleasant surprise: a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest evaluator of charities.
“One of our donors mentioned to me that she hadn’t seen us on Charity Navigator,” said Debra LampertRudman, the organization’s executive director. “So I went and filled out the forms. And lo and behold, we were four-star. It’s a milestone for us. I think Charity Navigator is something the public generally looks to.”
Based at spacious new offices in the Wall Street office complex off Route 206 north of downtown Princeton, the 53-year-old organization reaches youth, adults, and seniors in diverse social service agencies through eight-week programs focused on literature and poetry. Participants meet in prisons, homeless shelters, alternative schools, libraries, and senior centers. The goal is to transform lives through literature.
“It works,” said LampertRudman. “It’s really true. We have documentation. People go on to do things they say they never thought they could.”
“Our donors tell us, ‘You do what you do so well, just keep doing it.’ Our vision is to do that, but expand to reach more people in need,” said Lampert-Rudman. “We’re keeping the focus heavily in New Jersey and Mercer County, but we have some new things coming up in places like Bucks County and the Bronx. Our focus remains here, though, which is where our heart is.”
Lampert-Rudman took over as executive director last November, after having served as interim executive director since the previous July. She described a typical, 90-minute session as beginning with an icebreaker, after which all of the participants are given a copy of a story printed out on sheets of paper.
“So they don’t even know the title,” she said. “Everyone looks it over at the same time. The coordinator goes into a little bit about the author, and then reads the story out loud. A guided
discussion follows, referring back to the story. And the lines are numbered, so they can do that. They are always bringing it back to the literature, so that at the end of 90 minutes, people feel energized and are asking more questions. There is always something to think about, something to ponder.”
Programs last eight weeks, “so that people who are generally reading at a fifth grade level or lower will suddenly feel confident and empowered that they’re discussing, maybe, Hemingway, and things they might never have had a clue about,” LampertRudman said.
Each participant earns a certificate at the conclusion of the program. “When we have funding, we like to give them a book of short stories or poems,” she said. “For some, it’s the first book they’ve ever been given. The certificate, for some, is a ticket to the next level in their organization — some privilege or opportunity. In one of the homeless facilities, they were putting them on their doors.”
People and Stories/Gente y Cuentos plans to involve more youth in future programs. Recent participants have included young girls experiencing homelessness, people in transition from prison, and individuals in treatment for addiction.
Last spring, the organization held a program at the Martin Luther King Middle School in Trenton for the first time.
“These were kids who were new immigrants, Spanishspeaking but from different countries,” said Lambert-Rudman. “Several of them were illiterate in their own countries. The teacher told us that this was a great bridge for them, a major boost. A lot of them drew their evaluations instead of writing them.”
A new initiative pairs a corporation or company with an underserved area. The company gets an eight-week session for employees, and pays for another one focused on those in need. Lampert-Rudman said she is hoping corporations can spend $5,000 on such an initiative.
“We’d love to have 10 of them happening,” she said.
—Anne Levin
Trenton Area Soup Kitchen Names Flynn as New CEO
The board of trustees of Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) has announced that Amy Flynn will become the next CEO of TASK, effective January 21.
Flynn most recently served as CEO of Meals on Wheels of Mercer County. Prior to that, she was executive director of Modcon Living in Columbus, Ohio; executive director of the YWCA of Yakima, Wash.; and held key development positions at Olive Crest of LA and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles.
“The board of trustees is confident that Amy’s proven ability to lead mission-driven organizations, her strategic vision, and her heartfelt dedication to community service will make her an invaluable asset to TASK. Amy’s career reflects her passion for ensuring that everyone has access to life’s essentials — food, shelter, and a sense of belonging,” said TASK Board Chair Pam Kelly.
Flynn will be replacing Joyce Campbell, who announced her plans to retire as CEO last summer, after more than eight years of transformative leadership. TASK grew under Campbell’s guidance, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic caused a surge in food insecurity nationwide as well as in the Trenton area. Today, TASK is preparing and serving more than 11,000 meals each week at its Escher Street dining room and roughly 40 community meal sites across the area. In addition, TASK provides education and employment services, workforce development programs, identification assistance, case management, creative arts classes, and the provision of basic necessities.
“Meeting the increasing needs of our community with compassion, dedication, and innovation, Joyce served TASK with an unwavering commitment to addressing food insecurity and advocating for our most vulnerable neighbors,” said Kelly. “Joyce has left an indelible mark on TASK and the entire Trenton area.”
Flynn said, “It is a true privilege to be entrusted with leading TASK. I deeply admire the extraordinary work this organization has done under Joyce’s leadership. I am excited to build upon TASK’s rich legacy and look forward to collaborating with its many friends, supporters, and community partners to further its mission of serving those in need.”
On January 1, at 3:25 p.m., subsequent to the report and investigation of a male with a knife on Clay Street, a 38-year-old male from Princeton was placed under arrest. He was transported to police headquarters where he was processed and charged with Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose; Unlawful Possession of a Weapon; and Defiant Trespassing. He was later transported and turned over to the custody of the Mercer County Correctional Center.
On December 30, at 6:10 p.m., someone reported that an unknown person pried open her vehicle while it was parked on Alexander Street and stole her debit card. The unknown suspect attempted to use the debit card to purchase an item in another jurisdiction, but the purchase was declined by the card holder’s bank. The cost of the damage to the vehicle is not known.
On December 29, at 2:03 p.m., someone reported their vehicle was burglarized while it was parked on Mountain Avenue. Cash and several credit cards were stolen from the vehicle and the credit cards were later used to make several purchases in other jurisdictions.
On December 28, at 6:26 p.m., subsequent to the report of an activated burglar alarm, it was discovered that an unknown individual entered a Highland Terrace
residence through a window that was pried open. It is unknown what, if anything, was taken from the residence. The suspects fled the area prior to the arrival of the police.
On December 26, at 3:07 p.m. a caller reported that two individuals entered a retail establishment on North Harrison Street and stole several items totaling $110. While they were in the process of fleeing the scene, they dropped the stolen items and fled the area before police arrived. They are described as a heavyset male in his mid-40s with a short, scruffy beard, wearing a green colored jacket, dark pants, and a black skull cap; and a thin male in his mid-40s, with a long beard, wearing a gray sweatshirt, dark pants, and black sneakers.
On December 25, at 5:23 p.m. subsequent to responding to an activated burglar alarm, a check of a Farrand Road residence revealed that unknown individuals attempted to gain entry to the residence via a locked window that they opened by breaking the glass. The unknown suspects fled prior to police arrival.
On December 24, at 2:14 a.m., subsequent to a motor vehicle stop on John Street, the driver, a 41-year-old Princeton male, was placed under arrest for Driving While Intoxicated. He was transported to police headquarters where he was also charged with Reckless Driving, Failure to Keep Right, and Open Container in a Motor Vehicle. He was later released with a date to appear
in Princeton Municipal Court.
On December 19 at 2:22 a.m., subsequent to a motor vehicle stop on Battle Road, the driver, a 31-year-old male from Bradley Beach, was placed under arrest for Driving While Intoxicated. He was transported to police headquarters where he was also charged with Reckless Driving, Failure to Stop/ Yield at Stop Sign, Failure to Keep Right, Improper Left Turn, Failure to Use Lamps, and Breath Test Refusal. He was later released with a date to appear in Princeton Municipal Court.
On December 19, at 4:17 p.m., subsequent to a call of a shoplifting at a retail establishment on North Harrison Street, a 43-yearold male from Princeton was placed under arrest and transported to police headquarters, where he was processed and charged with Shoplifting and Defiant Trespass. He was later released with a date to appear in court.
On December 19, at 5:01 p.m., subsequent to a report and investigation of an attempted fraud at a Nassau Street bank, a 22-year-old Penns Grove female was placed under arrest. She was transported to the police headquarters where she was processed and charged with Theft of Identity, Tampering with Public Records, Forgery, Hindering Apprehension, and False Statements to Obtain Fraudulent Credit Card. She was released with a date to appear in Mercer County Superior Court. Unless noted, individuals arrested were later released.
Mike LaSusa
continued from page one
Referendum
In what’s looking like a landmark month in the history of Princeton Public Schools (PPS), the BOE is also preparing for an $89.1 million facilities bond referendum on January 28. When Princeton voters go to the polls on January 28, they will vote on a three-question referendum, seeking approval for: No.1, expansion and renovations at Community Park Elementary as well as Princeton High School (PHS) endof-life HVAC replacement and upgrades at a cost of $37.9 M with an estimated annual tax impact of $222 for an average assessed home value of $853,136; No. 2, which cannot pass unless Question 1 passes, expansion and renovations at Princeton Middle School (PMS) and renovations at PHS, at a cost of $38.3M, with an estimated annual tax impact for Questions 1 and 2 of $447; and No. 3, which cannot pass unless Questions 1 and 2 are approved, expansion and renovations at Littlebrook Elementary at a cost of $12.9M with an annual tax impact of $532 for all three questions.
If all three questions pass, debt service aid from the state is estimated at $19.9M ($11.4M if only Question 1 passes, $18.5M if 1 and 2 pass).
PPS will host an In-Person Community Forum this Saturday, January 11 in the PMS Auditorium from 9 to 11 a.m., when community members will have the opportunity to hear from
district leaders and consultants and to ask questions.
Building tours will also be conducted for members of the public in the coming days and weeks leading up to January 28: at Community Park on Wednesday, January 8 at 3:30 p.m.; at Littlebrook on Tuesday, January 14 at 4 p.m.; at PMS on Thursday, January 16 at 3:30 p.m.; and at PHS on Wednesday, January 15 at 6:15 p.m., Friday, January 24 at 5:30 p.m., and on Sunday, January 26 at 10 a.m.
To sign up for building tours, visit princetonk12. org/buildingtours. To learn more about the referendum visit princetonk12.org/future. Town Topics Mailbox has also recently published many informative letters about the upcoming referendum, almost all in favor of the three proposals.
In discussing the proposed expansion and renovations, the BOE has emphasized the need to accommodate a growing population, with Princeton expecting more than 1,000 additional housing units in the next few years and more growth to come.
The planned improvements are “cost-effective” and “value-based” and necessary “to continue providing students with high-quality programming k-12 and to maintain neighborhood elementary schools with optimal class sizes for learning,” the district website states. The website also highlights that PPS gets about $19.9M savings in state debt service funding if all three questions pass.
Improvements would include 23 new classrooms (including science labs), five
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new small-group instruction rooms, three expanded cafeterias/multipurpose rooms, a new PMS multipurpose room, an expanded elementary library, five expanded and/or renovated performing arts spaces, two new performing arts spaces, and one updated and efficient HVAC system (at PHS) — if all three questions pass.
At their Tuesday, January 7 organization meeting, which took place after press time, the BOE was expected to swear in reelected incumbent Mara Franceschi and new BOE members Ari Meisel and Christopher Santarpio, as well as Cranbury BOE representative Katherine Lara. Betsy Baglio, who chaired the superintendent search committee, and Brian McDonald, who has joined the Princeton Council, stepped down from the Board at the end of their terms on December 31, 2024, as did Cranbury Representative Robert Christopher.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the BOE was also expected to elect a new president, taking over from Dafna Kendal, and a new vice president, taking over from Baglio.
The Board is inviting the community to the Wednesday, January 8 special meeting at the Valley Road building at 5:30 p.m., with refreshments to be served afterwards to celebrate LaSusa’s expected appointment as superintendent. —Donald Gilpin
The board of trustees of the Robet Schalkenbach Foundation (RSF) of Princeton has unanimously voted to adopt a new name for the foundation that more accurately reflects its mission and influence. Effective immediately, RSF will be known as The Progress and Poverty Institute.
According to Josephine Faass, executive director, Henry George’s seminal work Progress and Poverty is not only the intellectual foundation of the organization’s mission, but also a call to action. The organization provides research, outreach, and community-level interventions that promote economic, social, and environmental justice.
“The name change represents a renewal of our commitment to be a leading voice in the fight for an equitable economy,” said Faass, “one where progress is not achieved at the cost of rising poverty, but where the benefits of economic growth are shared by all.”
Board President Matthew Downhour added, “The realities of the 21st century demand that The Progress and Povery Institute be more than just a continuation of the legacy of our benefactor, Robert Schalkenbach. By embracing this new name, we signal our dedication to carrying forward the torch of economic justice.”
The Mobile New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission is at the Hopewell branch of Mercer County Library System through January 10, and will be at the Lawrence Headquarter Branch January 21-24. The commission will be offering REAL ID; registration
Levels Rising continued from page one of infections,” and continues “to encourage vaccination against RSV, influenza, and COVID-19, especially among vulnerable populations,” according to Marchetta.
Grosser emphasized that it is not too late in the season to get vaccinated and that the CDC recommends either maternal RSV vaccination or infant immunization with RSV monoclonal antibodies for infants and young children and one of three available RSV vaccines for adults aged 60 to 74 who are at increased risk for severe RSV disease and all adults aged 75 and older.
Grosser pointed out that RSV season in New Jersey typically starts in early to mid-fall and can continue through early spring. Both Grosser and Marchetta noted that the continued presence of COVID-19, flu, and other respiratory ailments adds a layer of complexity to the situation.
They also emphasized the importance of good hygiene practices — regular hand washing, using hand sanitizers, avoiding close contact with sick individuals —and getting recommended vaccinations for influenza, COVID-19, and RSV.
Marchetta explained that most people recover from RSV within a week or two without requiring emergency care, but she urged, “Seek immediate medical attention if you or your child experiences difficulty breathing; bluish skin color, indicating insufficient oxygen; high fever; or dehydration.”
She added, “If you’re uncertain about the severity of symptoms or appropriate care, contact your primary care provider or utilize local health services for guidance. Reserving emergency room visits for severe cases helps reduce strain on healthcare facilities and ensures that critical resources are available for those in urgent need.”
Grosser emphasized the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, “including proper nutrition, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep” to support your immune system. “In high-risk situations or when interacting with someone who is ill, consider wearing a mask to further reduce the transmission of respiratory viruses,” he added.
—Donald Gilpin
GO Trenton! Wins Award For Sustainable Transit
GOTrenton!, Isles’ free electric vehicle rideshare program, received the “Organization of the Year” award from Plug In America at Automobility LA 2024, marking a significant milestone in sustainable urban transportation.
The award ceremony brought together key figures in the EV movement, including Isles Founder Marty Johnson and Pam Frank, New Jersey’s leading EV advocate and Plug In America board member, who presented the award to Isles CEO Sean Jackson.
“This recognition validates our vision of creating a sustainable, accessible mobility solution that not only moves people but moves our community forward,” said Jackson. “We’re proving that innovative solutions can address environmental challenges and social inequities simultaneously.”
During the first year of the program, 40,000 riders were served, and 4,000 monthly rides were provided. Twenty tons of CO2 emissions were prevented. Critical support was provided for the 30 percent of Trenton households without private vehicles.
GOTrenton! currently operates a fleet of seven vehicles, including four smaller vehicles, two vans, and one ADA-approved van. The program emerged as a solution to a critical challenge: transportation barriers preventing access to economic opportunities. While training local workers for good-paying jobs, Isles
discovered that the lack of reliable transportation was causing talented employees to lose employment.
The initiative received additional recognition with the Clean Cities Coalition Community Engagement Award at the League of Municipalities conference, further cementing its status as a model for sustainable urban transit.
Phase Two of GOTrenton! is set to launch in 2025, promising expanded services and continued innovation in sustainable transportation solutions for Trenton residents. Isles is working with County Executive Dan Benson to link Isles’ Go Trenton vehicles with county transit services to expand the program’s reach and impact.
Dietitian Offers Tips at Lawrence Library Event
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Beth Young will speak on Tuesday, January 21 at 6 p.m. at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch of the Mercer County Library System about tips for creating nutritious eating patterns and quick, healthy dinner recipes.
Young, a certified specialist in obesity and weight management, will talk about how to balance carbs, proteins, and fats, and discover the best fats for heart health, the importance of fiber, omega-3 fats, and essential vitamins and minerals.
Advanced registration is appreciated. The library is located at 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence Township . Visit mcl.org to register and get information.
The views of the letters do not necessarily reflect the views of Town Topics.
To the Editor:
Adding to a successful year (“Growing Town Balances Optimism, Concerns at 2024 Year End,” January 1, page 1), the nonprofit Princeton Einstein Museum of Science (PEMS) enlivened Dohm Alley on Nassau Street for over five months with a free exhibit, “Einstein’s Attraction to Magnetism.” Over 20,000 people from across the country and around the world enjoyed the show, funded by the Richard Lounsbery Foundation and with special thanks to Stanley Dohm and Princeton Future.
PEMS closed out the year with a $50,000 gift from the William Watt Family and will be back next in 2025 with a new exhibit, “Einstein’s Brain: Mind of a Genius.”
ELIZABETH ROMANAUX PEMS Founder and Chair Sycamore Place
To the Editor:
Regarding the upcoming referendum vote for Princeton Public Schools, I offer the following for consideration by the taxpayers as they weigh the pros and cons of supporting what I believe to be a well-conceived plan by the district. During my own recent service as a School Board member, I wrangled with this planning. As a parent, I know our middle and high schools to be unpleasantly crowded and Littlebrook School has no room for storage or growth. Redistricting is coming for our elementary schools no matter what, and the referendum will enable that redistricting to be thoughtful while supporting walking and biking to school.
I begin with the premise that small class sizes are in the best interests of our students and teachers. New housing units continue to be built in town. Growth is here and coming.
Fellow taxpayers have asked good questions, including:
Why not use the Westminster Choir College buildings?
Why not build a new school (e.g., a grade 5/6 school proposed a few years ago)?
Can’t we use the empty sections of the Valley Road school building?
Didn’t we just approve referendums in 2023, 2022, and 2018?
To briefly address each:
We don’t know if or when the Westminster acquisition might go through. The extent of site inspections plus remediation, then renovation, needed to make the buildings safe and ready for students would be many years — and unknown millions of dollars — away. This site may provide an opportunity for the schools in the future.
New construction is ineligible for significant debt service aid from the state. A taxpayer dollar spent on renovation goes further than one on a new build. PPS does not own an empty site available for a brand-new school, and a new school would come with attendant costs, most significantly an entirely new operating budget, including new personnel at all levels. I personally deemed such an investment to be cost prohibitive and impractical.
The site at Valley Road would require extensive demolition of existing structures at great expense, and the land area is undersized to be worth the investment of creating a new school. Also, see above about new construction and operating costs.
Thanks to our community’s dedicated support, we did indeed pass three referendums in recent memory. Each made targeted improvements in safety, wellness, sustainability, technology, and major maintenance (e.g., new roofs). Large capital expenditures cannot be covered in our district’s annual budget, and the referendum structure allows us to use state debt service aid to reduce the cost to Princeton taxpayers. If all three questions pass in this referendum, our community will receive an estimated total of $19.9M in aid, which is a significant cost savings to taxpayers. I view it as the most practical solution to address current and future growth. Without the referendum, we will face costly trailer rentals, impractical redistricting, and the possibility of larger class sizes, none of which seem acceptable to me.
Thank you for your consideration.
JEAN Y. DURBIN Mount Lucas Road
To the Editor:
Like many of our neighbors, one of the reasons we moved into the Municipality of Princeton was due to the excellent public schools. Our three boys (two of whom will graduate from Princeton High School this June) have benefited tremendously from their time at Littlebrook, Princeton Middle School, and Princeton High School. So that future students can likewise enjoy the advantages of a top-notch public school education, we urge our Princeton neighbors to support the January 28 public schools referendum.
Our schools are already at or near capacity — this before the increase expected in the coming years due to the 1,000+ additional housing units coming online in the next five years. In order to continue to provide the same level of public school excellence so many of our children have enjoyed, particularly related to class size, it is imperative that we plan ahead and provide more space in our schools and fund necessary renovations. Unfortunately, we cannot pay for the necessary expansions/renovations out of existing operating funds, due to the state-imposed 2 percent cap on the amount school taxes can grow year-to-year and because doing so would prevent us from receiving state aid to subsidize the cost of improvements (and, if all three of the questions described below pass, our community will receive an estimated total of $19.9M in state aid).
On January 28, you will be presented with three questions: Question 1 provides funding to replace the HVAC system at PHS and to expand Community Park (this would cost, on average, $222 annually per household); Question 2 expands the already over-crowded PMS, and reconfigures parts of PHS to improve functionality (together with Question 1, this would cost, on average $447 per household); and Question 3 will fund much-needed new classrooms and expanded common areas at Littlebrook (this, together with Questions 1 and 2, would cost on average, $532 annually per household).
If Question 1 doesn’t pass, Question 2 can’t pass. Similarly, if Questions 1 and 2 don’t pass, Question 3 can’t pass. Passing all three would result in: 23 new classrooms (including science labs), five new small group instruction rooms, three expanded cafeterias/multipurpose rooms, one new PMS multipurpose room, one expanded elementary library, five expanded/renovated performing arts spaces, two new performing arts spaces, and one updated PHS HVAC system.
We understand that $532 annually is not a trivial amount — especially for those without school-aged children.
However, not only does this support our children (and future children), but it also benefits all of our home values — as, like so many of us, future neighbors will be attracted to Princeton due to its high-caliber schools.
We also know that you may have a lot of questions, and encourage you to visit sites.google.com/princetonk12.org/ pps-referendum-2025/home for more information.
REGAN
AND MARTY CROTTY Herrontown Road
To the Editor:
Rejoice! After years of asking, Mercer County is now accepting #5 plastics in our curbside recycling bins. So in 2025, we can recycle all #1, #2, and #5 plastics —including yogurt and condiment containers, amber-colored prescription bottles, take-out containers, beverage caps, and jar lids.
The county says that 91 percent of what we put in the yellow bins gets recycled, so long as it is clean and empty with no plastic bags. Per a recent waste study, of the 26,998 tons of recyclable material collected throughout Mercer County in 2022, 24,568 tons was in fact recycled into new raw materials.
The addition of #5 plastics will not only boost our community’s recycling gains, but also reduce the amount of garbage that goes into our trash bins and landfills, decreasing costs and increasing reuse all around. In a world where it’s not easy to avoid plastics, this is welcome news.
JAMES BASH Harrison Street
To the Editor:
The 2024 Year in Review [“Growing Town Balances Optimism, Concerns at 2024 Year End,” January 1, page 1] reminds us of what an exceptional place Princeton is to live in. We cannot let the moment pass without recognizing the outstanding year our performing arts organizations had as they brought national and world class talent to our area. With a distinctive reputation for innovation and individuality, American Repertory Ballet (ARB) is recognized as one of the state’s premier performing arts organizations. Presenting classical repertory alongside new and existing contemporary work, ARB entertained the thousands who attended to start their holiday season with The Nutcracker, and pushed the boundaries with Artist in Residence Ethan Stiefel’s Princeton premiere of VARIANTS. At venues throughout the area, Princeton Symphony Orchestra, led by Music Director Rossen Milanov, attracts large and diverse audiences to their Classical Series concerts, PSO POPS! concerts, Chamber Series concerts, and the extraordinary annual Princeton Festival on the grounds of Morven Museum & Garden featuring performances by Angel Blue, Sonia De Los Santos, Abeo Quartet, The Sebastians, Empire Wild, American Repertory Ballet, and a fresh production of Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte McCarter Theatre Center is one of the country’s flagship theaters and a cultural asset for all of Central New Jersey. The company is a multi-disciplinary creative hub of arts and ideas which offered over 50 theater, music, dance, spoken word, and educational programs in 2024, notably the world premiere of Empire Records: The Musical, a celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, debut of Yunchan Lim, the return of David Sedaris, The Hot Sardines, and Michael Feinstein, and ongoing partnership with Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts.
As we journey through 2025, attend a live performance and support the performing arts in Princeton so these companies can continue to offer us the finest work.
CHERYL MINTZ Franklin Avenue
To the Editor:
Among our four families, we currently have nine kids (and one teacher!) in the first-rate Princeton public school system. Three of our children were lucky enough to be involved in the very first year of Community Park’s tremendous dual language program. We’ve got kids in the high school, the middle school, and the elementary school. Some of us grew up in this town and went to school here ourselves. We have all watched our children enter the Princeton school system during kindergarten and thrive in our schools in the many years since. We have seen the town change, the community change, and the schools change over the years. We are writing to ask for your support for the incredibly important upcoming school referendum. At every point in our time as members of the Princeton community, we have seen significant pushback in any sizeable investment in our schools, even as we are all well-aware that a desirable school system draws professional families to the community and preserves our skyrocketing property values. We are nickel-and-diming our investment in our community’s
children. Why? We are here for these schools — and the wonderful community that exists here. For those of us who don’t have children in the system, or whose children have aged out — this is still our community. These are our kids — yours, your neighbors’, your friends’, your family’s. We love this town— in no small part because we love our schools.
It should come as no surprise that more and more families are moving here for those very same reasons — excellent schools and a fantastic community. The number of children who will be walking through the doors of our schools over the coming years is growing. Our investment in our schools is not keeping pace with our growth. This upcoming referendum will be doing the bare minimum to make some imperative changes to our buildings to sustain our current population, let alone the number of kids from the families soon to arrive. The only complaint we have about the referendum is that it isn’t ambitious enough — our schools need so much more investment to maintain their excellence.
Our wonderful schools, and the amazing teachers and staff who make our schools so top-notch, deserve our respect and our help. The financial assistance we are voting for in January’s referendum is absolutely necessary to ensure our schools remain outstanding for years to come.
We hope you will consider not just your own family’s needs, but those of all the families you know around you when you show up to vote on January 28. Princeton’s community needs your support — and our kids need you!
JANE FRANSSON Jefferson Road
LINDSAY CASTO Laurel Road
KATERINA KUCEROVA Westcott Road
ANNA BATTAT Park Place
To the Editor:
Several days ago, a friend sent me an article from The Times of London in which the writer, John Darlington, bemoans the fact that we appear to be living in what he characterizes as the “Garb Age.” Instead of preserving the character of so many buildings that make towns and cities interesting and unique, we use the excuse that adaptively reusing them is too difficult and expensive.
Darlington cites the fact that the demolishing of old buildings in many cases throws away “an enormous amount of embedded carbon and spent energy,” only “to be replaced by a structure that requires still more.” In the U.K. “the building and construction sector is responsible for 40 to 50,000,000 tons of carbon emissions annually” — more than aviation and shipping combined.
Clearly Princeton is not the U.K., and the amount of waste, environmental damage, and eradication of Princeton’s uniqueness cannot be compared by volume, but the philosophy should be the same: the attempt to mitigate the Garb Age.
The most recent, but not only, example of Princeton’s induction into the Garb Age was when PTS razed historic buildings at 108 Stockton in order to “monetize” property designed by noted architect Rolf Bauhan, initially used as the early home of the Hun School.
Unfortunately, that destruction has already been accomplished, but the buildings’ successors do not have to be constructed to the scale that soon will come before the Planning Board for approval. Smaller and fewer units, built to fit in with the historic neighborhoods that surround it, would leave much more green space, more old growth trees, a lesser chance of exacerbating an existing water runoff problem, and would minimize greatly the likelihood of intensifying an already dangerous traffic problem in the area.
Princeton is a jewel. We should exercise good stewardship and preserve it, not tarnish it.
JANE MACLENNAN Edgehill Street
To the Editor:
As residents of Princeton since 1998, we feel very fortunate to live here. Our town’s many public and nonprofit institutions (library, pool, parks and playing fields, schools, universities, Arts Council, McCarter…) make Princeton uniquely vibrant, and enhance the quality of life for all. Directly and indirectly, we all benefit every day from the investments made in the past to build and maintain them.
For the life of our town, our public schools are the most
essential of all these institutions. And what distinguishes Princeton Public Schools from similar districts — small class sizes; neighborhood elementary schools that foster strong bonds among families and children; excellent arts, music, STEM, language, and enrichment programs K-12 — can only occur in school buildings that have sufficient classroom capacity, space that is programmed for all of these curricular activities, and most importantly, up-to-date, efficient HVAC infrastructure necessary for safe, healthy learning environments.
Ensuring that our school buildings have appropriate space, capacity, and infrastructure is well worth investing in as a community. We all have a stake in maintaining the strength, performance, and reputation of our public schools. They are the bedrock of our homes’ values, a driver of healthy commerce, a keystone of our civic life, and the center of Princeton’s diverse, dynamic social web.
We appreciate our elected School Board members for their thoughtful, prudent proposal for the conservative stewardship of these public assets. None of the projects in any of the three components of the facilities plan are luxuries or “nice to have” features. All components are critically necessary to address known, urgent needs, and are essential for preserving the educational quality and community-building character of our wonderful public schools.
As we eagerly watch the exciting progress of our town’s growth and look forward to welcoming more children who will benefit from attending Princeton’s public schools as our nowadult sons did, we urge our fellow residents to join us in voting “Yes” on all three school facilities bond referendum questions on your vote-by-mail ballot, or in person on January 28.
ANDREA SPALLA AND KEVIN ROYER Maple Street
To the Editor:
Like many of you, we moved to Princeton two decades ago in large part because of the community’s support of its public schools. Our daughter graduated from Princeton High School in 2020; we feel incredibly grateful that she has been privileged to receive an excellent education that helped her become a well-prepared, caring citizen with a strong support network among her classmates, teachers, and community.
We as a family see the January 28 School Referendum as an opportunity to express our gratitude to Princeton and to pay it forward by making sure that today’s and tomorrow’s young families have the same opportunities that our daughter has been given.
We will be voting yes to all three questions on the ballot, knowing that Question 1 must pass for Question 2 to be considered, and Question 2 must pass for Question 3 to be considered.
There are a number of advantages for our community if it passes all three Questions at the same time: the current fiscal environment will allow our community to take advantage of lower-cost bond financing and state support; renovations will be more effective by leveraging economies of scale; and reductions in operating costs will happen sooner by installing more-efficient and greener energy systems more expeditiously.
We are very aware that it is not easy to ask our fellow residents to pay more in taxes. However, we also know that this community has a proud tradition of making the necessary investments in our public schools to make sure that every child has the opportunities they need in order to thrive and lead productive and happy lives. Everyone wants what is best for their own children and grandchildren — we are proud to be a part of a community that counts all of the children in its schools as its own children.
We urge you to vote yes to Questions 1, 2, and 3 when you vote on January 28.
GREG STANKIEWICZ
JULIA SASS RUBIN Jefferson Road
Stankiewicz is statewide coordinator for the New Jersey Community Schools Coalition and served as a member of the Princeton Board of Education from 2017 to 2019. Rubin is on the faculty of and serves as associate dean of academic programs for the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers.
Town 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.
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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.
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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.
Actress and model Brooke Shields, a Princeton University alumna, will discusses her new book, Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman , with author Idra Novey, in a special Friends and Foundation of Princeton Public Library event on Wednesday, January 15 at 7 p.m.
Author Brooke Shields Discusses New Book at PPL’s Beyond Words Fundraiser and empowering exploration of aging that flips the script on the idea of what it means for a woman to grow older. Shields has spent a lifetime in the public eye. Growing up as a child actor and model, her every feature was scrutinized, her every decision judged. Today, she faces a different kind of scrutiny: that of being a “woman of a certain age.” And yet, for her, the passage of time has brought freedom.
An Evening with Brooke Shields, the first program in the 2025 Beyond Words series, will be held in Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall, 68 Nassau Street, on the Princeton University campus.
From generational icon Shields comes an intimate
At 59, she feels more comfortable in her skin, more empowered and confident than she did decades ago in those famous Calvin Klein jeans she advertised. In Brooke Shields
Wednesday, January 15 at 8pm Princeton University Chapel
Is Not Allowed to Get Old (Flatiron Books, $29.99), she’s changing the narrative about women and aging. Shields is the author of two previous books, Down Came the Rain and There Was a Little Girl
Novey, who will join Shields in conversation, is a novelist, poet, and translator. Her novel Take What You Need was a New York Times Notable Book of 2023 and named a Best Book of the Year by The New Yorker, L.A. Times, Boston Globe, NPR, and Today.
Her fiction and poetry have been translated into a dozen languages and she’s written for The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and The Guardian. In 2022, she received a Pushcart Prize for her story “The Glacier” published in The Yale Review.
Tickets are on sale at princetonlibrary.org/support/beyond-words-brookeshields/#purchasetickets.
The Beyond Words event plays a vital role in raising funds that fuel the mission of the Princeton Public Library. For more information, visit princetonlibrary.org.
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 12 at 4 p.m. The readings will take place at the Princeton Makes store in the Princeton Shopping Center.
The January reading will feature music themed poetry by Andrew Condouris and Todd Evans. Their readings will be followed by an open mic available to up to 10 audience members who would like to read their original poetry.
Condouris writes poems that resonate with the cadence of life’s quiet moments and the rhythm of human experience. At a tender age, he discovered his passion for poetry, finding inspiration during weekly speech tests in a sound isolation booth. Alone with words, this formative period sparked a lifelong love affair with language and verse. After completing his undergraduate studies, Condouris pursued his Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing at Fairleigh Dickinson University, honing his craft and delving deeper into the complexities of poetic expression. Armed with his degree, he returned to his roots, channeling his creativity into nurturing young minds as an English teacher in the Trenton Public School district. Condouris’ poetry reflects the intersection of the personal and the universal, weaving together themes of identity, memory, and beauty in life’s ordinary
moments. His work invites readers to pause, reflect, and find meaning in the intricate tapestry of existence.
Evans is an award-winning poet and playwright, and founder and president of The Don Evans Players community theater group. Evans is also host of The Classics open mic and the Freedom Friday open mic in Trenton.
Princeton Makes is a cooperative comprised of 37 local artists who work across a range of artistic genres, including painting, drawing, stained glass, sculpture, textiles, and jewelry. Customers will be able to 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.
Ragged Sky is a small, highly selective cooperative press that has historically focused on mature voices, overlooked poets, and women’s perspectives.
For more information, visit princetonmakes.com.
Friends of Lawrence Library Hold End of Jan. Book Sale
Shop the Friends of the Lawrence Library January Book Sale for thousands of used, gently-read books for readers of all ages. The sale opens to the public on Friday, January 31 at 10 a.m. and ends Monday, February 3 at 2 p.m., at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch of the Mercer County Library System, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence Township. Payment is by cash, check, or Zelle only.
A special early admission event will be held on Thursday, January 30 from 1 to 4 p.m. where the public will have the first chance on some “amazing deals.”
This event is free for current members of the Friends of the Lawrence Library, $5 for the general public, and $20 for patrons with scanners. This event is the only time scanning devices will be permitted.
Beginning Friday, January 31 at 10 a.m., entry to the sale is free and open to the public. No scanning devices will be allowed. The book sale will be open on Friday and Saturday, February 1 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Sunday, February 2 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.; and Monday, February 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday and Monday will be $5 a bag; patrons should bring their own bags.
Book donations for the Friends of the Lawrence Library book sale are being accepted at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch. Proceeds from the book sale fund programs and other library services that benefit library patrons of all ages. For more information about the library and its programs, call (609) 883-8294 or visit mcl.org.
The Trent House Association will host a talk by William (Larry) Kidder on his newest book, Defending Fort Stanwix: A Story of the New York Frontier in the American Revolution . This free talk and signing will be given on Saturday, January 11, at 2 p.m. in the Trent House Museum Visitor Center, 15 Market Street, Trenton. The talk will be given simultaneously on Zoom at tinyurl.com/FortStanwix. There is free parking behind the museum property off William Trent Place.
Revolutionary War historian and author Kidder will describe life in Fort Stanwix before, during, and after a siege by British General Barrimore St. Leger, highlighting the crucial role cooperation among soldiers and civilians, colonists, and Indigenous peoples played in this important victory. The book was published this past November (Three Hills, $31.99).
In the aftermath of defeats in 1776-1776, the British attempted to split the colonies by controlling the Hudson River. Three British generals — Burgoyne, Howe, and St. Leger — joined in this campaign. Fort Stanwix, at present-day Rome N.Y., was in the path of St. Leger’s army.
The courageous actions of the Continental soldiers, civilians, and Haudenosaunee
tribal members withstood St. Leger’s siege of the fort forcing his army’s retreat. This British defeat led to Burgoyne’s surrender at the Battles of Saratoga, a turning point in the war that convinced France to aid the American Revolution.
Kidder is author of many books and articles on the Revolutionary War, particularly in New Jersey, including A People Harassed and Exhausted: The Story of a New Jersey Militia Regiment in the American Revolution; Crossroads of the Revolution: Trenton, 1774-1783; Ten Crucial Days: Washington’s Vision for Victory Unfolds; Revolutionary Princeton 1774-1783: The Biography of an American Town in the Heart of a Civil War; and The Revolutionary World of a Free Black Man: Jacob Francis, 1754-1836. The William Trent House Museum is a National Historic Landmark in the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area and on the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail. The Museum is dedicated to sharing the authentic history of the house, property, and people with our communities, connecting the past with today and tomorrow. For more information, visit williamtrenthouse.org.
I was crazy about The Great Gatsby, Old Gatsby. Old sport. That killed me. —from The Catcher in the Rye
Iwoke up from a nap five minutes before midnight, turned on the TV, and there was Times Square packed with Happy 2025-top-hatted, rainwear-cloaked revelers under a delirium of color that swarmed into futuristic formations every time I blinked my eyes. At first the signs were meaningless, nameless, wordless, New Year’s Eve on Mars, like a vision of the place I loved as a 14-year-old seen through the eyes of old Rip Van Winkle emerging from a showing of A Star Is Born on a rainy night in 1954. What does it mean, all this dazzling stuff? Where’s a familiar face? Where’s Judy Garland? Where’s any legible meaningful remnant of lost New York? Then, wonder of wonders, a fl oodlit sign for The Great Gatsby comes into view on the fi rst day of t he novel’s 100th year, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece is in lights, and Broadway makes 20th-century sense again....
Now it’s as if Times Square is being submerged in Francis Cugat’s hallucinatory cover art for the first edition of Gatsby, that deep all-consuming blueness descending on the rainy chaos of celebration, two narrow witchy eyes with golden neon pupils peering above an emerald teardrop and the red lips of a siren, luring us between the covers to one of Gatsby’s epic parties where “men and girls” are coming and going “like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars” while “the cars from New York are parked five deep in the drive, and already the halls and salons and verandas are gaudy with primary colors and hair bobbed in strange new ways, and shawls beyond the dreams of Castile.”
Gatsby’s Contribution
On New Year’s day, six years before the publication of The Great Gatsby , J.D. Salinger was born, as is noted on Britannica’s “This Day in History: January 1,” the entry accompanied by a closeup photo Salinger asked Little Brown to remove from the jacket of The Catcher in the Rye (1951). The link between Salinger’s novel and Fitzgerald’s is not only signified by Holden Caulfield’s admiration (“Old Gatsby. Old sport That killed me”). Dominant among the habits of speech that bring Holden to life is his fondness for the term “old,” which he uses liberally, whether for a teacher (“old Spencer”), his sister (“old Phoebe”), a bellhop who beats him up (“old Maurice”), a “pain the ass” (“old Luce”) and places like “old Pencey,” the prep school he’s left in the dust.
Salinger tactfully puts off his oblique nod to Gatsby ’s contribution until late in the book when Holden is thinking about war and war movies and his brother D.B., who, like Salinger himself, “landed on DDay.” The chapter ends as Holden abruptly shifts from “Old Gatsby. Old sport. That killed me” to “Anyway, I’m sort of glad they’ve got the atomic bomb invented. If there’s ever another war, I’m going to sit the hell on top of it. I’ll volunteer for it. I swear to God I will.” The impact of this chapter-ending stunner escaped me when I first read the book. I didn’t know then that Holden’s character, whose favorite term of approval is “it killed me,” had been developed during Sgt. Salinger’s progress from D-Day to the Battle of the Bulge to the Nazi death camps.
Published in mid-July 1951, The Catcher in the Rye was an immediate bestseller. Two months later, the novel on top of the New York Times list for the first week of September was James Jones’s From Here to Eternity, followed by Herman Wouk’s The Caine Mutiny, Nicholas Monsarrat’s The Cruel Sea , and Salinger’s Catcher, which would qualify as a war novel if only because it was partly composed on a portable typewriter in numerous combat situations like the one in Salinger’s unpublished story of foxhole life, “A Boy in France.”
I was Holden’s age when I discovered The Catcher in the Rye , barely registering that sudden intrusion about the bomb
because I was too busy having fun. In fact, I was still laughing at Holden’s description of the terrible film he saw at Radio City (“I could’ve puked”). At 17, Salinger’s novel was, per the film review cliché, “a laugh riot.” It took later readings to appreciate what was really going on. One thing I realize now is how rarely you sense anything like real laughter from Holden. His favorite indicators are “it knocked me out” or “it killed me.”
Early Reading
My favorite book before Catcher was a fat paperback of From Here to Eternity, wherein James Jones brought the casual, naked, fully spelled out f-word to American readers. About 15 pages from the end of Catcher, published the same year, Holden is leaving a note for “old
Phoebe” at her school. On his way up the stairs he notices that someone had written “F— you” on the wall, and he wants “to kill whoever’d written it.” Imagining “some perverty bum,” he “kept picturing ... how I’d smash his head on the stone steps until he was good and goddam dead and bloody.”
Around the time I discovered The Catcher, I was swept away by The Great Gatsby (no one was teaching Gatsby, or, least of all, Catcher in those days). I was actually more shocked by the shooting of Gatsby in his swimming pool than I was by the violence in From Here to Eternity. I still wonder how the producers of the Broadway musical deal with Gatsby’s death scene.
The year my parents and I lived in New York, I was so besotted by Times Square that I walked around taking photos of the giant movie billboards. My dream book would be a vast compendium of Times Square movie billboards through the years, night and day. The first movie my wife and I saw in 2025 was Frank Borzage’s Desire, which was made in 1936 and played at the Paramount, the theatre with the biggest, most elegant marquee on Times Square (now home to the Hard Rock Cafe).
Available on the Criterion channel, Desire stars Gary Cooper and Marlene Dietrich, who remembers it as “the only film I need not be ashamed of.” In his New Statesman review, after observing that “Miss Dietrich has been so tidied groomed, perfected that one cannot believe that she exists at all,” Graham Greene says “there are moments in this fim when Absolute Beauty very near wavers into the relative, the human, the desirable.”
Writing this on Monday, January 6, four years after the Capitol was attacked by a violent mob, I have to mention one of the finest moments in Gary Cooper’s career. Toward the end of Desire, in a tense, seemingly casual dinner table discussion about whether or not America should become involved in another war, the subtext is Cooper’s intrusion in the jewel plot masterminded by a suave “prince” named Carlos, who has a gun in his pocket. Carlos hopes there’s not going to be a war, but “with nobody minding his own business, you never can tell what may happen. If America is wise, it won’t ever mix in European affairs.” Says Cooper, “But sometimes we get dragged in” and we “have to go through with it.” Looking wary, ready to pull his gun, Carlos admits it would be foolish to underestimate America: “It’s a big country.” At which Cooper stands up, leans over the table, and says, measuring his words, pure Gary Cooper: “Six foot three.”
New Year’s Music
As much as I enjoy the traditional music played after the ball descends and the clock strikes 12 — John Lennon’s “Imagine,” Louis Armstrong’s “Wonderful World,” Frank Sinatra’s New York “New York,” I’d like to recommend adding two songs that could match the overflow of the crowd’s enthusiasm: Steve Winwood’s exuberant hit from 1980, “While You See a Chance,” and from 1985, “All I Need Is a Miracle” by Mike + the Mechanics. —Stuart Mitchner
THREAT: Actress, singer, and dancer
Jersey on January 31.
Sutton Foster to Perform
At State Theatre New Jersey State Theatre New Jersey presents “An Evening with Sutton Foster” on Friday, January 31 at 8 p.m. Foster will perform songs from her Broadway hits including The Music Man, Anything Goes, and Sweeney Todd Tickets range from $39-$69.
Foster most recently starred in the Broadway revival of Once Upon a Mattress, reprising the role after leading the New York City Center Encores! adaptation. Prior, Foster starred as Mrs. Lovett in the Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street opposite Aaron Tveit. Foster starred as Marian Paroo in the 2022 Broadway Revival of The Music Man, earning her seventh Tony Award nomination and the 2022 Drama League Distinguished Performance Award.
In the summer of 2021, Foster reprised one of her most notable roles as Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes at the Barbican
Theatre in London in which she earned an Oliver Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. A cinematic version of the show had a subsequent limited release in U.S. and Australia theaters. Her original performance in the Roundabout Theatre Company’s revival at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre earned her a 2011 Tony Award.
Numerous other productions in which Foster has appeared on and off Broadway include Into the Woods, Sweet Charity, Violet, The Wild Party, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Shrek the Musical.
In the fall of 2021, she became a first-time author with the release of her memoir Hooked: How Crafting Saved My Life, about how crafting has kept her sane while navigating the highs and lows of family, love, and show business.
State Theatre New Jersey is at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick. Visit Stnj. org for tickets and more information.
The Laurie Berkner Band will return to Berkner’s hometown with a “Greatest Hits” concert for families at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 1 at McCarter Theatre. Prior to the event, Berkner will give a special solo, sensoryfriendly, “relaxed performance” at 11 a.m., joined by dancer Michelle Esch.
“I can’t wait to come back to the McCarter Theatre,” said Berkner. “It’s such a thrill to have made playing at my neighborhood theater from childhood into a yearly tradition. And I’m so grateful that my partnership with the theater allows me to present both a sensoryfriendly show (for those who prefer less stimulation) and a full-band show. Both experiences are uniquely special and being able to share them with my fans brings me so much joy.”
Berkner and her band will perform songs from a career spanning more than 25 years, including such hits as “Victor Vito,” “Bumblebee
(Buzz Buzz),” “Pig On Her Head,” “We Are The Dinosaurs,” “Rocketship Run,” “The Goldfish (Let’s Go Swimming),” and more recent fan favorites like “Superhero,” “Waiting for the Elevator,” “My Bunny Goes Hop,” and “Chipmunk at the Gas Pump.” Kids and grownups alike are encouraged to get up and dance. Kids should plan to bring their dancing shoes and a stuffed animal (for their heads).
The band features Berkner on vocals and guitar; Susie Lampert, keyboards; Winston Roye, bass; and Bobby Golden, drums/percussion.
For her sensory-friendly, “relaxed performance,” Berkner will perform solo in an environment that has been adapted to provide a welcoming atmosphere for individuals with autism, learning differences, or other sensory and communication needs, so that they and their families may enjoy
Laurie’s live show together. The concert is performed with the light and sound levels adjusted slightly to create a more sensory-friendly environment. These performances are “shush-free” zones where patrons are free to talk and leave their seats throughout the show, as well as bring their own snacks, fidgets, and communication devices with them to their seats.
Most of all, a sensoryfriendly performance is a judgment-free environment, where all are welcome to enjoy the show in whatever way makes the experience work for them.
Visit Mccarter.org for tickets.
“The Addams Family” Comes to New Brunswick State Theatre New Jersey presents the musical comedy The Addams Family for four performances on Friday, January 24 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, January 25 at 2
and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, January 26 at 2 p.m. Following the show on January 24, there is a cast party with food, music, and giveaways in the STNJ Studio. Tickets for the cast party are $10. Show tickets range from $40-$105. Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet young man from a respectable family. When Wednesday confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother, Gomez must do something he’s never done before — keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents.
State Theatre New Jersey is at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick. Visit stnj. org for tickets.
“MONIZA”: This painting by Mari Keeler Cornwell is featured in “Unwavering Grace,” on view January 18 through February 15 in the Considine Gallery at Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart. An opening reception is on January 18 from 2:30 to 4 p.m.
“Unwavering Grace” Art Exhibit
At Stuart’s Considine Gallery Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, the all-girls independent day school for PS-12 at 1200 Stuart Road, has announced its upcoming winter gallery exhibition, “Unwavering Grace,” featuring the work of artist and Stuart alumna Mari Keeler Cornwell ’96. The exhibit will showcase
Cornwell’s evocative acrylic paintings that celebrate the strength, resilience, and unique stories of women from diverse backgrounds.
“Mari’s show exemplifies Stuart’s commitment to fostering creativity and empowering voices through art,” said Andres Duque, gallery director. “Her work not only highlights her artistic mastery, but also reflects
the powerful influence of the women who have inspired her life and career.”
The exhibit highlights Keeler Cornwell’s portraits of remarkable women, including Moniza , a human rights lawyer from Karachi, Pakistan, who defied traditional norms to advocate for Afghan refugees, and Mary, her paternal grandmother, who became Venezuela’s
Join Museum Director James Steward and Senior Associate Director for Collections and Exhibitions Chris Newth for a lively conversation about preparing the new Museum for its Fall 2025 opening. Reception to follow.
first female aviator and a symbol of independence and determination.
“These paintings are a tribute to the strength of women, capturing their unique stories and resilience,” said Keeler Cornwell. “My own journey — from growing up in Venezuela to becoming an artist in the U.S. — mirrors the boldness I try to express on canvas.”
The public is invited to view “Unwavering Grace” in Stuart’s Considine Gallery January 18 through February 15. An opening reception will be held on Saturday, January 18 from 2:30 to 4 p.m. The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, when school is in session. A portion of the proceeds from select works will support causes that align with the artist’s mission of empowerment.
Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Keeler Cornwell is a classically trained artist whose journey has been shaped by the vibrant hues of her homeland and the formidable women in her life. In 1989, her family relocated to Princeton, where she spent her formative years at Stuart Country Day School, gaining confidence and cultivating her passion for art. After earning her B.F.A. from Laguna College of Art and Design, she balanced a career in advertising with her artistic practice, exhibiting her work in New York City. Now a professional artist and educator, Keeler Cornwell’s work celebrates the strength and resilience of women, drawing inspiration from the stories and identities that have shaped her own.
For more information, visit stuartschool.org.
“I’ll Make Me a World” Coming to Artworks Trenton Artworks Trenton has announced an upcoming exhibition, “Clifford Ward: I’ll Make Me a World, prologue.” It will run February 1 through April 12, with an opening reception on February 1 from 6 to 9 p.m., offering visitors a unique opportunity to experience Ward’s artwork. The exhibition brings together selected works from multiple series of
works by Ward, celebrating the intersection of his artistic journey with the imaginative and forwardlooking spirit of Afrofuturism. Curated by Addison Vincent, artistic director of Artworks Trenton, this exhibition represents a unique collaboration between Artworks Trenton and Grounds For Sculpture (GFS), located in Hamilton. The Artworks Trenton exhibition is a first look at select pieces to be featured in GFS’ upcoming exhibition, “Clifford Ward: I’ll Make Me a World.” The exhibition at GFS is guest curated by Noah Smalls and will be on view in its Museum Building from May 18 to January 11, 2026. Expanding on the Artworks Trenton exhibition, GFS will display Ward’s work in a larger context, revealing the complete narrative and the interconnectedness of his greater oeuvre.
Ward, known for his innovative and thought-provoking pieces, has gained recognition for his works inspired by the mythologies, cultures, and pathos of the African Diaspora, Australian Aborigines, Native American, and Maori people. His work spans a variety of mediums and styles, consistently pushing the boundaries of contemporary art.
“We are excited to present Clifford Ward’s exhibition,” said Vincent. “His talent for engaging and inspiring audiences perfectly complements our mission to nurture creativity and artistic expression within the community. Furthermore, his work embodies the ideals of Black History Month, extending its significance beyond just February.”
“My sculptures either remain in their mixed media form (steel, newspaper, plaster bandages, cowrie shells, acrylic paint, or amber shellac with brown wax) or they are cast in bronze, iron, or aluminum,” said Ward. “I like to explore my love of geometry, cubism, mythology, anthropomorphism, textures and Egyptian/ Nubian art and symbols.”
“We are delighted to
collaborate with Artworks Trenton,” said Kathleen Greene, chief audience officer at Grounds For Sculpture. “It provides both of our organizations the opportunity to celebrate Ward’s extraordinary work while deepening our organizations’ connectivity and growing our mutual audiences within the local community.”
The exhibition at Artworks Trenton will include a diverse collection of Ward’s works created over the last decade, providing an immersive experience for art enthusiasts and newcomers alike. Special events, including an artist talk and community events, will be scheduled throughout the exhibition period.
Artworks Trenton is at 19 Everett Alley in Trenton. For more information, visit artworkstrenton.org. Grounds For Sculpture is at 80 Sculptors Way in Hamilton. Visit roundsforsculpture.org
Call for Art: Princeton Public Library Exhibition
The Princeton Public Library is is seeking submissions of art of all types for “Our Natural World in 8x8: An Art and Poetry Exhibition.”
Artwork of any type, inspired by an original poem or one that is in the public domain, may be submitted through March 1. Entries should be 8-by8 inches in dimension or be able to stand on an 8-by-8-inch surface.
Selected works from three age categories, adults included, will be displayed in the Main Lobby April 1-21 to coincide with the Princeton Environmental Film Festival and Earth Day. All types of art are welcome including painting, drawing, sketching, sculpture, mosaic, and collage. The use of recycled or repurposed, environmentally friendly materials is strongly recommended. For additional details and an entry form, visit princetonlibrary.org/PEFF.
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Post-screeningdiscussionledbystateSen.AndrewZwicker (D-16)andSamWang,professorofneuroscienceanddirector oftheElectoralInnovationLabatPrincetonUniversity.
“DUAL NATURE”: Beatrice Bork’s “Winter Nap” and Joe Kazimierczyk’s “Whispering Sky” will be on view January 19 to February 28 at the Tulpehaking Nature Center in Hamilton. An opening reception is on January 26 from 2:30 to 4 p.m.
“Dual Nature” Art Exhibit at Tulpehaking Nature Center
Tulpehaking Nature Center at Abbott Marshlands invites art enthusiasts and nature lovers alike to “ Dual Nature,” an art exhibition that explores nature from two distinct perspectives. Featuring the work of animal artist Beatrice Bork and landscape artist Joe Kazimierczyk, “Dual Nature” will be on view January 19 through February 28.
In “Dual Nature,” both artists reveal their unique approaches to capturing the natural world, bringing together Bork’s watercolor wildlife portraits and Kazimierczyk’s oil landscapes. Bork, known for her expertise in capturing the spirit and beauty of animals, relies on firsthand observation in the field to inspire her
works, creating narratives that invite viewers into the intimate lives of her subjects. Her meticulous watercolors highlight the essence of the animals she observes, blending detailed renderings with expressive backgrounds that evoke a sense of the spiritual and poetic, seamlessly merging precision with artistic sensitivity.
Kazimierczyk, by contrast, is an avid hiker who translates his experiences on the trail into oil paintings. Inspired by the sweeping vistas and serene beauty of untouched nature, he conveys a sense of depth and grandeur that evokes the viewer’s sense of wonder and connection to the natural world.
Together, Bork and Kazimierczyk’s work underscores the theme of “Dual Nature”:
both artists engage deeply with the natural world, yet their interpretations diverge in form and focus. Bork’s intimate depictions of animals complement Kazimierczyk’s expansive portrayals of landscape, inviting viewers to appreciate the vast diversity within nature —and within artistic expression itself. See more of their work at beatricebork.com and joekaz.com.
The exhibition will be at the Abbott Marshlands’ Tulpehaking Nature Center, 157 Westcott Avenue, Hamilton. An opening reception is on January 26 from 2:30-4 p.m. Registration is requested at abbottmarshlands.org/ event-calendar-list.
For more information on the exhibit and the artists, visit the event listing at abbottmarshlands.org.
Art@Bainbridge, 158 Nassau Street, has “Heléne Aylon: Undercurrent” through February 2. Artmuseum.princeton.edu.
Artists’ Gallery, 18 Bridge Street, Lambertville, has “Gallery Group Show” January 9 through through April 6. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Lambertvillearts.com.
Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, has “Annual Member Show 2024” through January 18. Artscouncilofprinceton.org.
D&R Greenway Johnson Education Center, 1 Preservation Place, has “When the Land Calls” through February 28 in the Marie L. Matthews Gallery. drgreenway.org.
Ficus Bon Vivant, 235 Nassau Street, has “Capture the Rhythm” through January 12. Ficusbv.com.
Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography, 14 Mercer Street, Hopewell, has “Annual Juried Photography Exhibition” through February 2. Gallery14.org.
Gourgaud Gallery, 23-A North Main Street, Cranbury, has works by Kathleen Maguire Morolda through January 26. Cranburyartscouncil.org.
Green Building Center, 67 Bridge Street, Lambertville, has “Trio” through March 3. Greenbuildingcenter.com.
Grounds For Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, has “Members’ Musings: Light as Material” through February
23, among other exhibits. Groundsforsculpture.org.
Historical Society of Princeton, Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road, has “Princeton Reflected: Stories from HSP’s Collection” and “Einstein Salon and Innovator’s Gallery.” Museum hours are Thursday through Sunday, 12 to 4 p.m. Princetonhistory.org
Mercer Museum, 84 South Pine Street, Doylestown, Pa., has “The Doan Gang: Outlaws of the Revolution” through December 31, 2026. Mercermuseum.org.
Michener Art Museum, 138 South Pine Street, Doylestown, Pa., has “Charlotte Schatz: Industrial Strength” through March 9 and “Mark Sfi rri: The Flower Show” through May 5. Michenerartmuseum.org
Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, has “Morven Revealed: Untold Stories from New Jersey’s Most Historic Home,” through March 2. Morven.org.
Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street, has oil and acrylic paintings by Tatiana Oles through February 4. Works by Yolanda Zhi are at the 254 Nassau Street location through February 4. Smallworldcoffee.com.
West Windsor Arts, 952 Alexander Road, West Windsor, has “Manifesting Beloved Community: Healing of the Planet for the Good of Humanity” through March 1. An opening reception is on Friday, January 10 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Westwindsorarts.org.
Wednesday, January 8
6:30 p.m.: Reporter Matt Katz discusses his podcast, “Inconceivable Truth,” and the search for his birth father, with reporter Charlie Stile at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.
7 p.m.: “The Simple Life of James Herriot ,” presented by Anglophile Claire Evans, via Zoom. Register at Princetonlibrary.org.
Thursday, January 9
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Leighton Listens. Councilman Leighton Newlin is available to discuss current events with members of the public at Tipple and Rose, 210 Nassau Street.
Friday, January 10
10 a.m.-2 p.m. Hunterdon County Rug Artisans Guild holds its monthly meeting at the administration building of the Hunterdon County Complex, 314 State Highway 12, Flemington. Hcrag.org.
12:30 p.m.: Pianist and writer Sir Stephen Hough discusses his collection of essays , Rough Ideas, in advance of his upcoming performance with the Takacs String Quartet. On Zoom, visit princeton library.org for link.
4-8 p.m.: Peddler’s Village in Lahaska, Pa., hosts Fire & Frost Fun , with ice sculptures, party music, a scavenger hunt, and more. Free. PeddlersVillage.com.
5-8 p.m.: Trivia in the Winery , at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. With DJ Mike. Terhuneorchards.com.
7 p.m.: A Capella Night at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Vocal groups from Princeton’s four high schools perform at this teens-only event. Princetonlibrary.org.
8 p.m.: TARZAN: The Musical is at Kelsey Theatre, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. Music by Phil Collins. $24-$26. Kelsey.mccc.edu.
Saturday, January 11
10 a.m.: Beginning of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra’s “Future Presence” experience in virtual reality and spatial sound, on the Princeton University campus, sponsored by Princeton University Concerts. Runs through Monday, January 13 at 10 p.m. Interactive music experience of Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Visit puc. princeton.edu or call (609) 258-9220.
2 and 8 p.m.: TARZAN: The Musical is at Kelsey Theatre, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. Music by Phil Collins. $24-$26. Kelsey.mccc.edu.
12-5 p.m.: Winery Weekend Music Series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Wine, light bites, hot cocoa kits, and music from 1-4 p.m. by Sarah Teti. Terhuneorchards.com.
4-8 p.m.: Peddler’s Village in Lahaska, Pa. hosts Fire & Frost Fun , with ice sculptures, party music, a scavenger hunt, and more. Free. PeddlersVillage.com.
8 p.m.: “Croce Plays Croce: The Jim Croce Birthday Bash” at State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. $29-$99. Stnj.org.
Sunday, January 12
10-11:30 a.m.: Waterfowl Walk with South Jersey Wildlife Tours at the Billy Johnson Nature Preserve, sponsored by Friends of Princeton Open Space. Fopos.org.
11 a.m.: Author Lisa Gardner discusses her latest novel , Still See You Everywhere, with Amy Jo Burns at this ticketed Book Brunch event at Princeton Public Library,
65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.
12-5 p.m.: Winery Weekend Music Series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Wine, light bites, hot cocoa kits, and music from 1-4 p.m. by Michael Montemurro. Terhuneorchards.com.
2 p.m.: TARZAN: The Musical is at Kelsey Theatre, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. Music by Phil Collins. $24-$26. Kelsey.mccc.edu.
3 p.m.: Bad Kitty Birthday Bash with Nick Bruel, at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Celebration of Bad Kitty’s 20th birthday. Princetonlibrary.org.
4 p.m.: The Princeton Society of Musical Amateurs presents a choral reading of Gilbert & Sullivan’s Iolanthe at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 50 Cherry Hill Road. Mini rehearsal at 3 p.m. Vocal scores provided; walkin singers and listen-only participants welcome. Musical.amateurs@gmail.com
Monday, January 13 Recycling
6 p.m.: Feminist Book Discussion Group at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. The topic is “Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times.” Princetonlibrary.org.
7 p.m.: Annual Fly-Tying Night presented by the Ernest Schwiebert Chapter of Trout Unlimited at D&R Greenway, 1 Preservation Place. Professional fishing guide and fly-tyer Fritz Miller demonstrates how to tie various flies effective in area waters. Participants welcome to bring their own equipment.
Tuesday, January 14
10 a.m.: Read and Explore: Gingerbread Man, at Terhune Orchards, 330
Cold Soil Road. Kids read “The Gingerbread Man” and decorate a cookie to take home. Register online. Terhuneorchards.com.
6 p.m.: “Sustainable Creativity: Inspiring Change through EcoConscious Art” at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. A panel of Princeton-area artists explores how their creative processes are eco-friendly. Princetonlibrary.org.
Wednesday, January 15
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Leighton Listens. Councilman Leighton Newlin is available to discuss current events with members of the public at Delizioso, 205 Witherspoon Street.
7 p.m.: “Beyond Words: An Evening with Brooke Shields ,” at Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University. The Princeton University alumna discusses her new book, Brooke Shields is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman with author Idra Novey. For tickets, visit Princetonlibrary.org.
6-8:30 p.m.: Screening of The M Factor, a documentary about menopause, at the Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. Discussion follows with Dr. Maria Sophocles. $10. Artscouncilof princeton.org.
7 p.m.: “Preservation of the. Hopewell Railroad Station,” presentation by Michael Mills at Hopewell Presbyterian Church, 80 West Broad Street, Hopewell. Free. Hopewellvalleyhistory.org.
Thursday, January 16
6 p.m.: Program on understanding inheritance tax by Lisa Elkin-Wallis, auditor with the New Jersey Division of Taxation, at Lawrence Headquarters Branch of the Mercer County Library System, 2751 Brunswick Pike. Followed by a Q&A. Free. Mcl.org.
Friday, January 17
4-8 p.m.: Peddler’s Village in Lahaska, Pa., hosts Fire & Frost Fun , with ice sculptures, party music, a scavenger hunt, and more. Free. PeddlersVillage.com.
8 p.m.: An Evening with Mari Black , presented by the Princeton Folk Music Society at Christ Congregation Church, 50 Walnut Lane. $25 ($20 members). Princetonfolk.org.
8 p.m.: The Clean House , a play by Sarah Ruhl, at Kelsey Theatre, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. $20-$22. Kelsey.mccc.edu.
Saturday, January 18
10 a.m.-1 p.m.: Native Seed Sowing Extravaganza at Hopewell Valley Central High School. Get a done-for-you jug with soil and native plant seeds, leave outside over the winter, and transplant seedlings in the
spring. $5. RSVP for event and educational pre-event at tinyurl.com/HopewellExtravaganza.
10 a.m.-12 p.m.: Free Rabies Clinic at Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad, 1 Valley Road. Open to all New Jersey residents. Princetonnj.gov.
10 a.m.: Read and Explore: Gingerbread Man, at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Kids read “The Gingerbread Man” and decorate a cookie to take home. Register online. Terhuneorchards.com.
12-5 p.m.: Winery Weekend Music Series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Wine, light bites, hot cocoa kits, and music from 1-4 p.m. by Brian Bortnick. Terhuneorchards.com.
2:30-5 p.m.: “Lord, Write My Name: The Gospel and African American Experience in Spirituals,” at the Unitarian Universalist Church at Washington Crossing, 268 Washington Crossing Road, Titusville. $25. SSAAM.org.
4-8 p.m.: Peddler’s Village in Lahaska, Pa., hosts Fire & Frost Fun , with ice sculptures, party music, a scavenger hunt, and more. Free. PeddlersVillage.com.
8 p.m.: The Clean House , a play by Sarah Ruhl, at Kelsey Theatre, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. $20-$22. Kelsey.mccc.edu.
Sunday, January 19
12-5 p.m.: Winery Weekend Music Series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Wine, light bites, hot cocoa kits, and music from 1-4 p.m. by Carmen Marranco. Terhuneorchards.com.
2 p.m.: The Clean House , a play by Sarah Ruhl, at Kelsey Theatre, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. $20-$22. Kelsey.mccc.edu.
Monday, January 20 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-3 p.m.: Friends of Princeton Open Space events on MLK Day . Volunteers work with stewardship team to battle invasive plant outbreaks at the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Preserve and free established trees from the death grip of invasive vines. Register at fopos. org/events-programs.
Tuesday, January 21 6 p.m.: Dietitian/nutritionist Beth Young discusses tips for creating nutritious eating patterns and healthy recipes. At the Lawrence Headquarter Branch of Mercer County Library System, 2751 Brunswick Pike. Free. Mcl.org.
Wednesday, January 22 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Leighton Listens. Councilman Leighton Newlin is available to discuss current events with members of the public at the Bagel Nook, Princeton Shopping Center.
we cover for each other.”
Parker Hill was fired up to start her final Ivy League campaign for the Princeton University women’s basketball team as it hosted Cornell last Saturday afternoon.
“This is where we define our season, this is where we make our run for the postseason,” said Princeton senior forward Hill. “This is where it all really counts.”
Hill started the Ivy run with aplomb, producing career highs in points with 18 and rebounds with nine as Princeton rolled to a 72-39 win over Cornell, improving to 10-4 overall and 1-0 Ivy.
Setting the tone for her big day, Hill went 6 of 6 from the floor in the first half.
“If you keep seeing it go in, you are more motivated to keep shooting it,” said a grinning Hill, who ended up going 9 of 11 from the floor in the win. “I was kind of feeling it, I won’t lie.”
While Hill had the feeling that she had eclipsed her career best in scoring, she didn’t realize that she was one rebound away from her first-ever doubledouble.
“I didn’t know,” said Hill, a 6’4 native of Bethesda, Md. “I knew I was close to 20 [points], I didn’t know I was at nine rebounds.”
As part of a frontcourt rotation that includes junior Tabitha Amanze, senior Katie Thiers, and junior Fadima Tall, Hill believes that working as a unit helps each of the players excel.
“We are definitely like a team effort, we all work off of each other,” said Hill. “We all have individual strengths but at the end of the day, we are all great post players and we are all great teammates. We all work to get it done. If one of us is having a bad shooting day or if one of us is getting extra fouls,
Having nearly doubled her stats from last year, going from 3.5 points a game to 6.4 and 2.6 rebounds a game to 5.0, Hill is excited to make a greater contribution this winter.
“I think the role has definitely expanded a little bit, I am more of a consistent starter than I was last year,” said Hill. “I am definitely playing a little bit more and scoring a little bit more. I worked on shots around the rim, shooting a little bit, nothing crazy just the simple basics and getting shooting percentage up.”
Heading into the season, Hill sensed she would be playing a greater role in the wake of the graduation of forward Ellie Mitchell and guard/forward Chet Nweke.
“I thought so because we were losing some really dominant post presence,” said Hill. “We are a very young team. I am one of the players that is a little bit older and has a little more game experience. Playing the last few years I sensed it. I wasn’t expecting it 100 percent but I knew had to prepare for it just in case.”
Hill has imparted some of the wisdom she has gained from her experience to the squad’s younger players.
“I play more of role mentoring the post perhaps than maybe the guards one-to-one,” said Hill. “We all help each other out. We have the point guards and they are usually running the court so part of helping them is being flexible with whatever plays they are calling. They have a lot going through their heads. You can use that game experience to help them make decisions easier.”
The message that Hill and the veterans communicated heading into the Cornell game centered on keeping in the present.
“The main thing is one game at a time, we took this game very seriously,” said Hill. “We came out and we had a dominant win. We have another game next week and we have to keep it up, so don’t be satisfied and don’t relax because it is a long season. You have got to stick with it.”
Princeton head coach Carla Berube liked the way her players took care of business against the Big Red.
“We were just really excited to start this new season,” said Berube. “We needed to have a good start to the game and bring a lot of energy and bring it defensively. Things were working offensively, we just got out on the break. Clearly we were trying to get the ball inside, whether it was Tabby or Parker or Fadima. That was definitely a focus for us.”
Berube credited Hill with giving the Tigers some very good work at the offensive end.
“I thought our guards and our posts found her well inside,” said Berube. “She had a lot of one-on-one opportunities in there and she made the most of them.”
With Princeton outscoring Cornell 44-24 in the paint, Berube was happy with how Princeton dominated inside.
“We have some good posts in there that we want to get touches,” said Berube, who got 12 points from Tall, eight from Amanze, and four from Thiers in addition to the 18 from Hill. “They are big targets so why not put it in there. They are all really good scorers. They also know that when the double is coming, they need to kick the ball out. They are just smart, that is where we are going to.”
Sophomore point guard Ashley Chea played a key role in getting the ball inside, contributing a game-high seven assists.
“Ashley had some great assists in there,” said Berube. “When she is pushing and attacking good things happen and then she found her three. She just did some crazy things like she did down at this end, she came to a jump stop, I was like, ‘oh oh’ and then she turned and shot the ball and scored it. I was like ‘oh my gosh.’”
The Tigers did some very good things at the defensive end, holding the Big Red to 33.3 percent shooting from the floor (16 of 48) and forcing 19 turnovers.
“I like it when you can keep a team under 40, that is the goal,” said Berube. “It is coming along. I always say it takes a while to develop team chemistry on the defensive end. Everyone talks about offensive chemistry but it just takes a while defensively. Things are coming together. There is always a lot to work on still but I like where we are at.”
Hosting a hot Harvard team (12-1 overall, 1-0 Ivy), the Tigers will need to put in some good work to overcome the Crimson.
“It is a huge challenge, Harmoni Turner is probably the best all-around player in this league,” said Berube. “She is the best, if not one of the best. That is a challenge within itself being able to just limit her touches and her scoring opportunities. She has got a great team around her. They are a well-coached team. It is a whole week for preparing for them and us getting better as a group and feeling good going into Saturday. We know how big that game is.”
In Hill’s view, the Tigers will be ready for another big effort when they take the court against Harvard.
“They are a great team, I am sure we will do all of the preparation to be ready for it,” said Hill. “We will be working. It is nice that we are at home. It will be a tough game but we will be ready.”
— Bill Alden
Todos los materiales reciclables deben estar en cubos oficiales y en la acera antes de las 7:00 a.m.
Papel de oficina y papel mixto
Postales y papel de fax
Carpetas de archivo Manila
Revistas y periódicos
Correo basura y catálogos
Tubos de correo
Sobres de ventana
Guías telefónicas y libros de tapa blanda
Libros de tapa dura (se debe quitar la tapa dura)
Frascos / botellas de vidrio para alimentos y bebidas
(desglosado y empaquetado)
Envases de aluminio para bebidas
Botellas de plástico para bebidas
Jarras de leche
Papel triturado (en bolsa de PAPEL)
Cajas de jugos y cajas de jugos / bebidas
Plásticos con símbolos
CAJAS DE PIZZA
Bombillas
Papel de aluminio
Moldes para hornear
BOLSAS
PLASTICAS
Vasos, platos y vidrios rotos
Cerámica y alfarería
Latas de aerosol
Contenedores de aceite de motor y anticongelante
Perchas para ropa
Latas para vendajes y latas para galletas
Espuma, vasos, y platos de poliestireno
Papel de seda
Servilletas, platos, y toallas de papel
Plásticos con los símbolos #3 al # 7
Philip Byriel toiled in relative obscurity during his first three seasons on the Princeton University men’s basketball team.
The 6’9, 230-pound forward Byriel played in just 29 games off the bench during that span of 91 contests, averaging around four minutes an appearance and totaling 30 points.
This winter, senior Byriel has emerged as a key performer for Princeton in his final campaign, making eight starts in the team’s first 14 games and providing some sharp-shooting from the perimeter.
“It is nice but at the same time, I am not asked to do too much because I have such great players next to me,” said Byriel, reflecting on his increased role.
“I feel like I have done that in practice for three years with the scout team or whatever it is. Now I get to do it with the other guys. It is kind of the same thing as the last three years.”
Last Saturday, Byriel got it done as the Tigers hosted Division III Kean, scoring a team-high 14 points on 5-of8 shooting, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range, as the Tigers won 92-71 and improved to 11-4.
For Byriel, that performance exemplified what he is bringing to Princeton’s frontcourt unit.
“I would say with them, just the ability to shoot it, step out a little bit and give them some space,”
said Byriel, who hails from Kingston, Pa., and starred at the Perkiomen School before coming to Princeton. “That is the main one.”
Princeton head coach Mitch Henderson likes what Byriel is giving the Tigers.
“He stretches the floor in every way for us,” said Henderson of Byriel, who is averaging 6.5 points and 2.4 rebounds a game and is third on the team in 3-pointers with 24. “I thought he was terrific today. He had great energy. He is coming along as a leader. Phil has got a lot to say, he doesn’t always say it in front of us but when he does it really benefits to the group.”
Henderson got a solid group effort in the win as all 16 Tiger players scored against the Cougars.
“That is a really wellcoached team, I would love for us to have seen some slightly different actions throughout the course of the game,” said Henderson, who got 13 points from freshman Peyton Seals in the victory with junior Jackson Hicke chipping in 12. “I actually think those kind of games really help you. We didn’t prepare the guys as much. We were hopeful that we could withstand what was going on. It wasn’t beautiful but we wanted to get everybody in.”
With Princeton getting into Ivy League play this week by playing at Harvard (5-8) on January 11, the Tigers will be doing some deep preparation for the clash with the Crimson.
“We start the league now, it is very much in the front of our mind,” said Henderson. “We are going on the road to start up there at Harvard, we know it is a challenge. Just because we have had success before doesn’t mean that we are going to have success now. We have been really good at preparing. The guys have been really locked in on the littlest of details. That would be what we do this week.”
Missing star forward Caden Pierce against Kean after he suffered an ankle injury in a 76-75 win over Akron on December 30, Henderson is looking for Byriel and freshman Mali Abdullahi to pick up the slack in the paint.
“I would like to be bigger just generally so I am glad that we have both Phil and Malik in there who can play together,” said Henderson, noting that he expected Pierce to be back in action against Harvard. “That is going to be important for us once we hit league. Each game is going to require a bit of a different look and both of those guys have played in really big moments. We have a lot of different ways we can play and different looks we can give. Whatever is necessary is what we are going to do. As long as the guys are committed to that, I think we can be really good.”
Having won three straight Ivy regular season titles, Princeton knows that it has a bull’s eye on its back in
a league that has seen increased parity in recent years.
“I think it is the strongest it has been since I have been coach, I have probably said that before,” said Henderson. “The teams that historically have not been making the tournament are doing great. I think Columbia has two losses. I think the league looks great and we are going to be challenged at every level. We are going to get everybody’s best shot. It will be a really fun challenge. I am looking forward to it.”
In Henderson’s view, the Tigers are ready for that challenge.
“We have quality wins against St Joseph’s, Rutgers, and then Akron without Cade,” said Henderson. “We have had a couple of low moments in the season and the guys have been responding. There has been real progress. You want to be playing your very best basketball in March. That is the trajectory that I am after and what I see.”
Byriel believes that Princeton is poised to play its best when it matters the most.
“I feel like you can always be in a better place and obviously we want Cade back too,” said Byriel. “Assuming that everyone is ready and is good to go, we are in a good spot. It is hard but we have always responded pretty well.”
— Bill Alden
Tell them you saw their ad in
David Ma was determined to make a big impact for the Princeton University men’s hockey team this winter after being sidelined last season due to injury.
“It has been a work in progress, it was a long break,” said junior defenseman Ma. “It was a shoulder injury. Since it was my second one, I decided to take the year off because I would have missed a good amount of time with that. It was just getting it healed up, making sure I am 100 percent good to go and then coming back and joining a new group. I am excited to be here.”
In getting up to 100 percent physically, Ma focused on dry land work.
“I was basically training the whole year, I just wasn’t on the ice too much,” said Ma, a 5’11, 180-pound native of Yonkers, N.Y. “I wasn’t taking too much contact, it was getting into the gym and working on that. It was a huge help to my game as well. I think a good part of that is going through that training. I missed a couple summers of training, that really hurt.”
The training has paid dividends as Ma has gotten off to a solid start this season, shoring up the Tiger defensive unit and contributing four goals and two assists at the offensive end.
“It is just playing with confidence, making instinctual plays and trusting my reads and then playing within the system,” said Ma. “Once everybody got their feet wet, it becomes easier.”
Last Friday night, things didn’t click for Princeton as it hosted No. 20 New Hampshire in its first game at Hobey Baker Rink since December 7. After battling the Wildcats to a scoreless stalemate through two periods, Princeton yielded three unanswered goals in an 11-minute span in the third period on the way to a 3-0 setback.
“They are really disciplined,” said Ma. “They are skilled, they can make some plays.”
In a critical stretch of the contest, the Tigers didn’t make any scoring plays as they failed to cash in on a five-minute power play that started late in the second period and continued into the third.
“We always try to gain momentum from the power play,” said Ma. “Even if we don’t score, we want to do our best to grab some momentum and bring the energy up. We need to go and make some adjustments and come back tomorrow.”
On Saturday, in the second game of the weekend set against UNH, the Tigers displayed some energy as they rallied from an early 3-0 deficit to score three goals in the second period to knot the game at 3-3. The Wildcats, though, tallied a goal midway through the third period to pull out a 4-3 victory.
Bringing a five-game winning streak into the weekend, the Tigers, now 6-6-1, have been gaining a comfort level as they adjust to new head coach Ben Syer and his approach.
“Once everything starts to click, you don’t have to think too much about the new adjustments and those splitsecond decisions are much easier,” said Ma. “Playing with different guys coming in you get to learn the system.”
Princeton coach Syer credited Ma with emerging as a key guy for the Tigers.
“David has been really good, he has been solid in so many different areas,” said Syer. “He has been really good defensively here and he has created a lot of offense. He had a couple of looks here tonight as well too. He has been a real valuable component to our group.”
Being back at Hobey Baker Rink was a plus for Princeton.
“It was real exciting to get back and play in front of our fans, it was a great crowd,” said Syer. “It was great support by the youth groups, it was awesome. I thought it was a really hard-fought game.”
While Syer liked the way his players fought against UNH, he acknowledged that the Wildcats were a formidable foe.
“It just goes to show that they are a really good team,” said Syer. “They are a really mature team and it is a real challenge for us. I joke with our guys, there is a reason why punters in the NFL make a million dollars. They chipped a lot of pucks, they advanced a lot of pucks.”
The Tigers were up for the challenge most of the evening until the game got away from them in the third period.
“It was a game of playing in the neutral zone,” added Syer. “It doesn’t seem like you get a lot but you have to stay on top of detail. I thought we did a decent job defensively even in the third. It just takes one split second here of not picking up your guy quickly and allowing guys to come out of the corner. That can be the difference.”
Princeton’s failure to score on the five-minute power play ended up being a big difference in the contest.
“It is a momentum builder both ways for special teams, to kill penalties and to score on the power play,” said Syer. “We certainly had our chances. UNH did a really nice job killing here tonight.”
Looking ahead, Syer is looking for the Tigers to build momentum through getting better puck possession.
“We have to be able to get to loose pucks quicker and be able to support
Princeton University
player David
helps guard the crease in action earlier in his career. After having been sidelined last season due to injury, junior defenseman Ma has returned this winter with a bang, tallying four goals and two assists so far this winter. Princeton, which fell 4-3 to New Hampshire last Saturday to move to 6-6-1 overall, plays a home-and-home set against Quinnipiac this weekend, hosting the Bobcats on January 10 before facing them in Hamden, Conn. the next day. (Photo by
Frank Wojciechowski)
33 Princeton-Hightstown Rd Ellsworth’s Center (Near Train Station) 799-8554
Tues-Fri: 10am-6pm; Sat 8:30am-3:30pm
Ma, for his part, believes that Princeton is heading in the right direction.
pucks quicker so we possess it longer and create more opportunities,” said Syer, whose team plays a home-and-home set against Quinnipiac this weekend, hosting the Bobcats on January 10 before facing them in Hamden, Conn., the next day.
“All year I think we have been playing good hockey,” said Ma. “I think a huge part for us is just capitalizing on some of the opportunities that we have gotten, getting some bounces our way and creating our own luck. At the start we were a little shaky and we are finally figuring it out and turning it around.” —Bill Alden
Can be purchased Wednesday mor nings at the following locations: Princeton McCaffrey’s
Kiosk Palmer Square
Speedy Mar t (State Road) Wawa (Universit y Place)
5 5
Wawa (Rt 518)
Martin “Tiger” Bech electrified fans as a whirling dervish for the Princeton University football team in the 2017 and 2018 campaigns.
Utilizing his speed, elusiveness, and toughness, the 5’9, 180-pound Bech earned second-team All-Ivy League honors as a return specialist both years while developing into a key receiver.
During Princeton’s historic 10-0 2018 season, Bech’s special teams heroics helped turn the tide in a dramatic 29-21 win over Harvard as he returned four punts for 80 yards, included a long of 39, to fl ip field position.
After graduating from Princeton in 2021, Bech, a native of Lafayette, La., was on the fast track in the real world, working as stock broker for Seaport Global in New York City.
But in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day, Bech, 27, got caught up in tragedy as he was killed in the New Orleans truck attack. He died from internal injuries and head trauma hours after the attack, according to family members.
The terrorist attack killed 14 people and injured dozens after Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a pickup truck that bore the fl ag of the Islamic State group into the New Year’s celebration on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of the city. He steered around a police blockade and slammed into revelers before being shot
dead by police, according to news reports.
Bech was in the city celebrating the New Year with former Princeton teammate, good friend, and work colleague Ryan Quigley ’20, who was also injured in the attack. Quigley, a star running back during his Tiger career, was hospitalized with severe cuts to his head and a broken leg and is on the road to recovery.
A moment of silence in honor of Bech, Quigley, and all those impacted by the New Orleans tragedy was observed before Tiger home athletic events last weekend.
Princeton football head coach Bob Surace remembered Bech as exemplifying his moniker.
“There was no more appropriate nickname of a Princeton player I coached,” said Surace in a statement issued last Wednesday. “He was a ‘Tiger’ in every way — a ferocious competitor with endless energy, a beloved teammate and a caring friend. Our last conversation was about how proud I was of the growth he showed during his time at Princeton and the success he was having after graduation. My love goes to the entire Bech family.”
As a freshman in 2016, Bech gave glimpses of the talent that would help him grow into an All-Ivy performer, making three receptions for 43 yards and returning nine punts for 111 yards before getting sidelined during
the second half of the season due to injury.
In his sophomore campaign, Bech averaged 23.1 yards per kickoff return and 9.1 yards per punt return. He made 40 receptions for 596 yards and two touchdowns, enjoying a career-day against Yale with six catches for 175 yards and a touchdown.
As a key contributor in Princeton’s perfect 2018 season, Bech averaged a leaguebest 10.8 yards per punt return and made 10 catches for 186 yards and a touchdown.
Bech’s gridiron excellence influenced his younger brother, Jack, who has become a star receiver for TCU, making 62 catches for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns this fall for the Horned Frogs.
“Love you always brother,” Jack Bech wrote on X. “You inspired me (every day) now you get to be with me in every moment. I got this family T, don’t worry. This is for us.”
The matriarch of the family, Bech’s mother, Michelle, had dinner with him in New Orleans on Tuesday night before he went out with Quigley. She told the Washington Post that her son was “on top of the world, they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
She added that “his light just knew it was too much, too fast … he was so bright, a really cool kid.”
For those who knew and loved Bech, his light will shine on brightly forever.
—Bill Alden
and receiver for the Tigers in the 2016-
family
January 1.
Princeton Wrestling Falls to West Virginia Battling hard in its first dual of 2025, the Princeton University wrestling team fell 27-12 to West Virginia last Saturday at Jadwin Gym.
The Tigers got wins in the dual from Mikey Squires at 197 pounds, Dan Jones at 133, Eligh Rivera at 141, and Ty Whalen at 149.
Princeton, now 2-5 in duals, will compete in the Franklin & Marshall Open on January 10 and then have a dual at Morgan State later that day.
Sarah Paul and Lucia DiGirolamo starred as the Princeton University women’s hockey team defeated Union 5-2 last Saturday.
Junior Paul and freshman DiGirolamo each scored two goals for the Tigers, who posted their seventh straight win and improved to 12-5 overall and 6-5-2 ECAC Hockey.
Princeton plays at Quinnipiac on January 10 and at Yale on January 11.
Former Princeton University men’s basketball star Tosan Evbuomwan ’23 signed a two-way deal with the Brooklyn Nets, the organization announced last Wednesday.
Evbuomwan, a 6’8, 219-pound forward, joined Brooklyn from the San Diego Clippers, the NBA G League affiliate of the Los Angeles Clippers. In 16 games for the Clippers in the G League Tip-Off Tournament, he averaged 18.4 points-per-game on 52.7 percent shooting from the floor along with 6.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists. In his fi nal game for the Clippers, a 134-111 victory over the Memphis Hustle in Oceanside, California, on December 29, Evbuomwan scored 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting, five rebounds and two steals.
Making his debut for the Nets on Saturday, Evbuomwan scored three points with one rebound and one assist in 21 minutes of action as Brooklyn fell 123-94 to the Philadelphia 76ers.
In 17 games as a rookie for the Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies in 202324, Evbuomwan averaged 5.9 points per game along with 3.5 rebounds while shooting
38 percent from 3-point range. One of the most storied players in Princeton program history, Evbuomwan produced a brilliant senior campaign in 2022-23. He was named to the NCAA South Region AllTournament Team after leading the Tigers to the Sweet Sixteen. He was also named National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) AllDistrict 13 First Team, Ivy League Tournament Most Outstanding Player, Ivy Madness All-Tournament Team, first-team All-Ivy League, Academic All-Ivy League, College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District, and the London Basketball Classic MVP. As a junior, Evbuomwan was named the 2022 Ivy League Player of the Year and earned first team All-Ivy and All-District honors. Evbuomwan also left his mark on the record book at Princeton as his 161 assists in 2022-23 tied the program record for most assists in a season, and his 323 career assists rank No. 6 on the Tigers’ all-time list. Evbuomwan also joined the 1,000-point club in 2022-23, and his 1,033 points rank No. 34 all-time in team history.
The Princeton High wrestling team features a blend of experience and new faces that it has been testing weekby-week so far this season.
The Tigers boast some well established stars like seniors Blas é Mele and Cole Rose. They have added a budding star in Forest Rose, Cole’s brother and the only freshman on their varsity. And then they have a significant group of wrestlers who are competing in their first full season of varsity action after the program graduated some and lost some past team members to other commitments.
“I try to put a schedule together that’s going to benefit our guys,” said PHS head coach Jess Monzo. “I try to benefit them in both ways, like we’re going to pick up some matches outside of our division that we’re going to compete with, and then we’re going to pick up some matches where you’re going to see what some other guys can do and then we’re going to test your willpower, test your heart, test your head. How are you going to respond to a little bit of adversity with some of these other programs that can wrestle?”
In a quad held last Saturday, the Tigers faced a strong local rival in Hightstown along with non-conference foes A.L. Johnson and Moorestown. PHS went 0-3 on the day, falling 54-18 to host Hightstown, 42-34 to A.L. Johnson, and 54-18 to Moorestown. Although the Tigers took their lumps, seeing a variety of talent and styles has helped them.
“That’s a benefit,” said Monzo. “Wrestling A.L. Johnson, a pretty good team up in Union County and then wrestling Moorestown from down in South Jersey, they always got a couple of good guys. Kudos to those two coaches. They put together some good lineups. Sometimes you’re the hammer, sometimes you’re the nail. We were a box of nails. We got hit a couple too many times early and it was just tough to dig our way out of those holes.”
The Tigers now face the heart of their Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) schedule this week, when they will host Nottingham on January 8, then wrestle at Hopewell Valley on January 9 before facing Allentown, Notre Dame, and host Hamilton West in a quad on January 11.
“ We ’ve got five Mercer County schools coming through,” said Monzo. “We run into a lot of our CVC and Mercer County opponents this week so we’ll see how we rebound.”
PHS is 1-3 following the weekend. The squad posted a solid 44-23 win over WW/P-South on December 19 in its opening dual and then wrestled in the Wendy Pandy-Leh Invitational on December 14 and the Sam Cali Invitational held on December 26-27 that both featured elite competition. The Tigers’ less experienced wrestlers are being pushed with every varsity match. The top-end team members have shown their mettle in the highest level competitions Against A.L. Johnson, ju -
nior Dayron Ospina Posada won by pin at 175 pounds, senior Danny Monga won by technical fall at 126 and Cole Rose won by technical fall at 138. Earlier in the season, Mele won the 144-pound title at the Sam Cali meet while Forest Rose opened eyes with his runnerup finish at 106 pounds. It’s been an impressive start for the youngest Rose – the last of his family to come through PHS.
“He is talented,” said Monzo. “He had a little wake-up to high school wrestling in the first tournament of the year. He still placed third, which is terrific. I know he wanted to do more, he’s got a bit of fight in him. So coming into the dual meet and into the Mercer County and into our season and then going to Sam Cali and having the performance that he did, it really is only going to help him grow because I know he thinks he can. And he just needs that little bit to show him that you are doing the right thing right now. But now the unfortunate thing about that right is now everybody knows. You’re not going to sneak up on anybody now, freshman. You might have snuck up on the Sam Cali, but now people know your name. They saw the result. Now you’re one of the guys that their eyes are on. They’re not going to overlook you anymore.”
Mele, a Princeton University commit, has earned high expectations for years. He further proved himself after taking sixth place at 138 pounds in the state championship last year. The senior sets a lofty standard for the program.
“Those kids see what a guy like Blase does, they see how hard he works and where he trains and what else he does outside the season,” said Monzo. “So they start to emulate that during the season. They see how he stays after for a little while after practice and he gets some stance and motion done and gets some stuff done on his own and he’s in the gym in the morning. So they see what he’s doing and then they start to buy into it. But just because you’re doing it for a week or two doesn’t mean you’re going to be getting the results that he gets. That’s a lifestyle that he lives. He doesn’t preach what he does. He just does what he does and kids follow.”
The more Tigers who dedicate themselves more earnestly to the sport like Mele does, the better they will perform on the mat. While team members like Mele and
the Rose brothers wrestle year-round, others are working into shape and adjusting to the higher level of varsity wrestling at the same time.
“So for some of these younger guys and some of these guys that were JV the last year or two, and now they’re jumping in the lineup as juniors, it’s a little harder for some of them to find that early success, knowing that they need to really work harder,” said Monzo.
The focus early on has been improving the team’s conditioning and developing each wrestler’s moves. The Tigers are looking for a variety of ways to give their wrestlers the best chance to excel on the mat.
“The thing with wrestling is there’s times where you might just win a match in a third period on conditioning alone,” said Monzo. “You don’t have to be the better wrestler, you don’t have to be the more talented guy. If you got a tank that can outlast the other guy, you can put them into a little bit of deep waters later in the match. If you keep it close enough in the beginning, you can definitely do some damage with a good gas tank.”
The Tigers have been encouraged by some of the effort that they have seen in the early going. PHS’ wrestlers have shown some intangibles that they can build on going forward.
“Just the fight, the want to succeed,” said Monzo. “Sometimes success isn’t there, and it’s never going to be given overnight in a sport like wrestling, but it is the constant fight in the kids and the determination to get that hand raised, to find a way to win that match. In a sport like wrestling, if you’re not doing it constantly and you’re a three-month wrestler because you’re doing other things and you have got other stuff going on, it’s a little bit tougher to find that success in the beginning.”
PHS has had some difficult early tests, but it anticipate s rewards com ing down the line. The Tigers have two weeks until they compete in the CVC Championships from January 24-25. It will be a significant test for a lineup that has a mix of experience and talent.
“We have probably three to five guys that could possibly make finals,” said Monzo. “There’s a couple guys in our lineup that I think can surprise some people if they wrestle well, if they wrestle to their caliber.”
—Justin Feil
For the Princeton Day School girls’ basketball team, ending 2024 by edging Steinert 33-27 in the MCCC (Mercer County Community College) Showcase was proof of concept.
“It was good, giving us confidence going into the break; it helped the girls understand the work that we are doing is paying off,” said PDS firstyear head coach Pat Reddington reflecting on the December 28 contest.
“We bought into a game plan, we bought into the defensive strategy of that we were trying to do. I think Shelby [Ruf] and Nandini [Kolli] outrebounding them by a significant amount was a big factor. They didn’t get a lot of second chances, that helped us keep them to that 27.”
The win over Steinert improved the Panthers to 3-3, already matching their win total from last season when they went 3-16.
“Everything that I expected from the girls is exactly what I am seeing, even through adversity, which is comforting,” said Reddington.
“They play hard and they like each other. That is why I took the job. Even in that Hightstown loss (49-18 on December 27 in its first game in the MCCC event), I come off the court and there is a lot of people there and the first thing they say is that your girls play hard. It is nice when you don’t have to coach effort and you can really just hone in on getting better as a team and as basketball players.”
Senior forward and co-captain Kolli has helped spark that effort from her teammates.
“Nandini is just a relentless leader, if I am late into the locker room or if I am walking away for whatever reason, she is riling the girls up,” said Reddington. “She is huddling them, she not only leads by example, but she is our vocal leader. She and Shelby are definitely our captains. Both of them just do a great job and the girls receive it the right way too.”
Kolli is also doing a great job on the court, having posted a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds against Steinert.
“She is constant, productive and consistent; we know what we are going to get from Nandini every single time she steps out on the floor,” said Reddington. “She is going to give everything she has as a player. We have been trying to get her stepping out a little bit besides just being around the basket. She has really been focusing on her shooting from the outside and shooting from the free throw line which helps us.”
Fellow captain Ruf has been stepping up with some rugged play in the paint, highlighted by grabbing 16 rebounds with eight steals in the win over Steinert.
“We missed Shelby the day before at Hightstown, she was away and you saw the difference,” said Reddington of Ruf, who also stars for PDS as a soccer goalie and lacrosse midfielder/attack-
er. “She didn’t come out of the game with Steinert, she played the entire 32 minutes. She leads the girls, She never gets tired. You don’t see any quit or any setback from her later in the game.”
Another soccer player, junior Ella McLaren, has emerged as a key player for the Panthers.
“Ella fits right on there with the mold of the Shelbys and the Nandinis, the more kids you have like that, the better off you are going to be,” said Reddington. “She is a big piece for us too. I am using her as a fifth starter or a sixth player. Her pressure is relentless. She is a tough, strong kid and another high level athlete that you don’t have to say much to when it comes to working hard.”
Leading the team with 11 3-pointer, junior guard Sophia Rae Barber has been producing from the perimeter.
“She opens everything up for us, she is shooting well,” said Reddington of Barber. “She is another great player for us. I am happy that she is a junior and we have some more time to work with her. She got into the lane a little bit against Steinert which was nice. She is starting to attack a little more.”
Sophomore guard Briana Camp has also been giving the Panthers some good work.
“Briana is another spark offensively, she can get points in bunches for us,” said Reddington. “I think that in the last couple of games when we
got out to good starts, it was heavily on Briana.”
Taking on the responsibility of triggering the PDS offense, junior transfer Nica Martin has been a spark.
“My point guard Nica had a really good game against Steinert,” said Reddington. “She is learning the position a little bit, she didn’t really play much point guard last year. I kind of threw her into the mix. In the first game, she had nine turnovers. In the second game, it was down to five and in our win against Florence (71-13 on December 21), she ended with zero. She is really working on taking care of the ball and getting
her teammates set up. She has been handling pressure, she has done a great job for us.”
Going forward, Reddington is focusing on bringing out the best in his players.
“It is continue to progress and get better every single day,” said Reddington. “I don’t think there is necessarily something specific or anything we are trying to work on to still cover. It is figuring out what our identity is because some of the things I have done in the past may not be this team’s identity. We are honing what we like to do, what we find successful, and building off of that.”
With PHS hosting Hopewell Valley on January 9 and Hamilton West on January 14 as it gets into the thick of Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) play, Reddington believes the Panthers can experience plenty of success in league play.
“Not having a forgone conclusion of who is going to win the CVC for the first time in a little while .is getting everybody excited,” said Reddington. “You see teams beating other teams that I think will lose to other teams so on and so forth. It is going to be exciting when we get into the CVC games.”
—Bill Alden
Girls’ Basketball : Coming up just short in a nailbiter, Hun fell 52-47 to the Life Center Academy last Sunday. Star guard Gabby D’Agostino scored 17 points in the loss for the Raiders as they fell to 12-3. In upcoming action, Hun plays at the Pennington School on January 8.
Boys’ Hockey : Unable to get its offense going, PDS fell 5-0 to Don Bosco last Friday. Goalie Calvin Fenton made 24 saves in a losing cause as the Panthers moved to 3-2-1. PDS hosts St. Joe’s Montvale on January 8 and Bergen Catholic on January 13.
Boys’ Basketball: Michael Bess Jr. scored 19 points in a losing cause as PHS fell 75-39 to Franklin High last Saturday. The Tigers, who dropped to 1-5 with the defeat, host Lawrence High on January 9 and the Pioneer Academy on January 11 before playing at Notre Dame on January 14.
PUSHING THE BALL: Princeton Day School boys’ basketball player Gary Jennings looks to push past a foe in a game last winter. Last Friday, sophomore guard Jennings scored 19 points to help PDS defeat WW/P-South 72-50. Senior guard Adam Stewart tallied a game-high 23 points in the win as the Panthers improved to 3-3. PDS plays at Hopewell Valley on January 9, hosts Willingboro on January 10, and then plays at Hamilton West on January 14. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)
Girls’ Basketball : Sparked by Anna Winters, PHS defeated Nottingham 59-29 last Friday. Junior star Winters tallied a gamehigh 18 points to help the Tigers improve to 5-2. PHS plays at Lawrence High on January 9 and at Toms River North on January 11 before hosting Notre Dame on January 14.
Basketball : Lia States scored 15 points but it wasn’t enough as Stuart lost 57-45 to Stone Ridge (Md.) last Saturday to wrap up play in the Sacred Heart Basketball Tournament. The Tartans, who moved to 1-4 with the defeat, play at Allentown High on January 14.
Dillon Youth Hoops Opening Day Results
In opening day action last Saturday in the Girls’ Grade 3-5 Division of the Dillon Youth Basketball League, Milk & Cookies edged Homestead Princeton 24-22. Jaya Verma scored 12 points for the victors while Parker Friedland tallied 16 points for Homestead. Pizza Den defeated Tipple & Rose “Rosebuds.” Liv Nygaard scored 14 points to lead Pizza Den with Caroline Win adding 12. Princeton Orthopaedic Associates topped PBA #130 14-4 as Violet Spross scored
six points to lead the way. Mila Chokshi had four points for PBA.
In the Boys’ Grade 3/4 Division, Built By Me defeated At Earth’s End 21-19. Ahaan Balantrapu tallied 13 points in the victory while Joseph Mangone had 10 points in a losing cause. Aiden Spies scored 14 points and Ravi Klingler added 10 points to lead Lependorf & Silverstein, P.C. over Dean of Chess 2822. Leo Cronan had 14 points for Dean of Chess. McCaffrey’s posted a 17-10 win over Sportworld. Colin Suk, Gabriel Weiss, Sebastian Cole each had four points for McCaffrey’s while Jack O’Dowd had four points for Sportworld. Ivy Inn defeated Luxe Property Group 24-19. Liam D’Andrea scored eight points for Ivy Inn while Gus Calmeyn had 11 points for Luxe.
In the Boys’ Grade 7/8 Division, Back Nine Golf nipped K9 Resorts of Hamilton 2928. Alex Spies tallied 13 points in the victory while Nathan Stock had 18 points for K9 Resorts. Princeton Honda defeated National CSI 36-32. Owen Lee scored 14 points for Princeton Honda while Theo Henderson poured in 24 points for National CSI. Princeton Global displayed a balanced attack in defeating Locomotion 57-38. Aiden Davidson tallied 18 points in the win with Logan Koop adding 15 points and Kaayan Shah chipping in 14. Ai’Bree Green scored 16 points to lead Locomotion.
In the Boys’ Grade 5/6 Division, Meeting House topped PBA #130 41-24. Logan Aguila scored 20 points for the victors while Ali Redjal had 10 points for PBA. Mason Griffin & Pierson edged J. Majeski Foundation 39-38 in overtime. Bartholomew Gore led MGP with 22 points. Aidyn Shah and Everett Cole had 10 points each for Majeski. Princeton Pettoranello Foundation wiped Ivy Rehab. 21-19 as Baldwin Walton tallied 10 points to lead the victors while Hugh Kelly had 9 points for Ivy Rehab.
Andreas “Andy” Franz
Andy Franz died on December 27 in the home that he built and loved in Titusville, NJ.
Andy was born on March 3, 1935, in Batchka, Palanka, Austria-Hungary to Josef and Katharina Franz. In 1944, his family and their ethnic-German neighbors were displaced at gunpoint from their homes. He spent the next four years as an enslaved child in the work camp Jarek, where he, unlike others, survived hunger and typhoid. In 1948, he and his parents escaped by foot to Austria, entering freedom in Hungary on Good Friday, and began their lives as Displaced People. He attended school until age 15, when he apprenticed as a Tischler — a cabinet maker — supporting his family in Graz, Austria, and building cabinets across the country. In 1956,
he immigrated through Ellis Island on a Liberty Ship with $12, a cardboard suitcase, and a sponsor in Trenton, where he, along with other Danauschawben refugees, started his life as an American.
In 1958, Andy and his friend Adam Martini found work as master craftsmen at Nakashima Studios in New Hope, PA, where he learned the aesthetic that would shape his life. With the help of his friends, he went on to build a home outside Pennington, NJ. In 1969, after an accident on the day of the Moon Landing, he left Nakashima and accepted a job at Princeton Day School as an Industrial Arts teacher, where he remained for 29 years. He also served as an advisor and liked to say that he “lived in many houses” thanks to the skills
Princeton’s First Tradition Worship Service
Sundays at 11am
and work of former students. He retired from PDS in 1998 and found a second home in Hope Town, Abaco, Bahamas. Only a year later he boarded one of the first planes to arrive after Hurricane Floyd, taking a chainsaw and his toolbox to help others recover and rebuild. He also salvaged and restored the “shack” he named “Wrecktory,” and spent 20 winters with a community and friends in the “most beautiful place in the world.”
In recent years, Andy found continued joy and purpose building and creating objects from wood (and the occasional conch shell) in his home workshop. Surrounded by wildlife, he fed the birds each day and nurtured the many relationships he had forged throughout his life.
Andy is predeceased by his son Christopher (daughters Veronica and Bridget of Ewing, NJ). He is survived by his daughter Susan Franz Murphy (of Lumberville, PA, children Cassidy, Robert, Anna, and Jacob), his son Robert (of Tampa, FL, wife Mia, and sons Owen and Gareth), and remembered by many friends and former students.
While Andy loved flowers, gifts to Doctors without Borders (donate.doctorswithoutborders.org) or the Hope Town Volunteer Fire and Rescue Foundation (donorbox.org/hope-townvolunteer-fire-and-rescuehurricane-dorian-relief) are welcome.
Nancy Carole Forslund Jang
January 22, 1937 –December 25, 2024
Nancy Carole Forslund Jang, 87, of Princeton, NJ, died on December 25, 2024 at Princeton Medical Center, following a brief illness.
Nancy was born in Callao, Peru, in 1937. Her parents, Evar Forslund, a miner, and Ella Nikula Forslund, a school teacher, left their Finnish American community in Upper Michigan during the economic ravages of the Depression. Eventually Evar found work in Peru, where Nancy and her two sisters were born. The family lived in a tiny mining encampment in the Andes Mountains at an altitude of 13,000 feet. Nancy’s childhood was indelibly shaped by this magical place, a remote, treeless world infused with Spanish and steeped in Quechuan culture. Taught by her mother in a one-room schoolhouse, Nancy would forge lifelong friendships with three of her classmates: brothers Juan and Manuel Proano and their cousin Lucy. The tightly knit group also included Nancy’s sisters Marion and Charlotte.
When Nancy was 13, her family returned to the United States — sailing through the Panama Canal! — and resettled in the Upper Pen -
insula. A diligent student, she attended high school in Bessemer, Michigan, and worked as a waitress in her mother’s restaurant, The Evergreen Dinette. Nancy attended Michigan State University and studied to become a teacher, as her parents had intended. Yet after graduating, Nancy discarded these plans: she had no appetite for disciplining children and longed to see more of the world. After a stint working for the Studebaker Packard auto company in Indiana, she stunned her family by moving to New York City. Arriving with a few dollars in her pocket, she crashed on a friend’s couch until she leveraged her fluency in Spanish to land a job as a social worker in Spanish Harlem. Although Nancy described herself as “poor as a church mouse” and was even mugged on the subway, meeting new people and exploring New York thrilled her. Several years later, after a difficult breakup, she took another leap by moving to Germany to work for the United States Army as a civilian. Nancy rambled throughout Europe on the weekends, soaking up new cultures and sights. In Germany, she met Donald Jang, a Chinese American artist who also worked as a civilian for the Army. A fellow dreamer, Don had shocked his own family by rejecting a practical path after college: he too wanted to see and experience more of the world. Together, hazel-eyed Nancy and Don — with his signature rakish mustache — explored Germany and as much of Europe as they could, making lifelong friends and amazing memories.
After returning to the U.S., Nancy and Don got married in Las Vegas, once again defying family expectations and social conventions as interracial marriage was not only uncommon but, in fact, illegal in many states in 1964. Within a few years, they grew tired of the desert and casinos; so Don — now a high school art teacher — applied for jobs in the San Francisco Bay Area where he had grown up. When he was offered a job in Palo Alto, they picked up stakes; Nancy found work again as a social worker and Don taught art at Palo Alto High School. In Palo Alto they raised two daughters, Jennifer and Samantha. Nancy stayed home with her girls for several years, then landed a job at Stanford University at the Johnson Library of Government Documents, where she worked until her retirement.
It is no secret that Nancy’s greatest joy was being a mother and, later, a grandmother. She worked hard to ensure that Jennifer and Samantha could enjoy an array of middle-class activities and experiences that had been unavailable to her and Don during their respective childhoods: music and dance lessons, Girl Scouts, summer camps, bicycles and roller skates, visits to museums and the theater, and road trips throughout California to appreciate the state’s natural wonders. Nancy was also fiercely proud of her roots in the Upper Peninsula and took her daughters to the Midwest whenever she could. She was also deeply grateful to be an American and exposed Jennifer and
Samantha to as many states and regions of the U.S. as possible.
Once she became a grandmother, Nancy showered her granddaughters Emily and Kate with love and affection, books, and her famous near-weekly letters, studded with stickers. A born storyteller, she regaled “Bellina” and “Carissima” with tales of her youth in Peru, her Finn-Swede heritage, and fanciful yarns she invented just for them. In retirement Nancy never lost her love of travel and delighted in visiting family and friends in Lake Tahoe; Sea Ranch; and Hayward, Wisconsin.
Nancy was predeceased by husband Don (1996). She is survived by daughters Jennifer (Sam); Samantha (Danny); granddaughters Emily and Kate; sisters Marion (Jack) and Charlotte (Dick); many, many nieces and nephews; and a host of friends.
A memorial service was held on December 30 at Mather Hodge Funeral Home in Princeton. A second celebration of life is planned for later in the year in the San Francisco Bay Area. Memorial donations may be made to her favorite arts organizations: the McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, NJ, or the de Young Museum in San Francisco.
“Sisu” is the Finnish word for grit and determination. Nancy demonstrated her sisu countless times throughout her life and particularly during her last difficult days. We are heartbroken that she has left us, but deeply grateful she is at peace. Her kindness, warmth, generosity, lively mind, sense of humor, and huge heart will be sorely missed. But we know that she will always be with us, especially when we raise a glass of her favorite prosecco, open an enchanting book, or turn our faces into the Pacific Ocean breeze, dreaming of another adventure.
Dr. Gerald (Jerry) Berkelhammer
Dr. Gerald (Jerry) Berkelhammer passed away peacefully on December 31, 2024 at the age of 93 at his home at Stonebridge in Montgomery Township, New Jersey. Jerry was born in Newark to Max and Cecelia (Schein) Berkelhammer on February 3, 1931 and raised in Summit.
He graduated from Summit High School and went on to earn an AB degree from Brown University in 1952 and then a PhD, both in organic chemistry, from the University of Washington in 1957. His first job, though, was working at his father’s hardware store in Summit every Saturday and summers.
After receiving his PhD, he went on to work for the American Cyanamid Company for 42 years, first at the Stamford, Connecticut
Laboratories and then at the Agricultural Research Division in Princeton where he rose to be the Executive Director of Chemical Discovery. During this long and successful career he received 41 patents and was the author of 11 chemical journal papers. Jerry was a member of the American Chemical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and of the honorary societies, Sigma Xi and Phi Lambda Upsilon.
Jerry married Sheila Rosenson on June 20, 1954. They first “met” back in 1934, when Jerry was 3 and Sheila an infant in a baby carriage, because their parents were friends and both families lived in the same apartment house in Irvington. They became reacquainted in 1953 when Jerry came back to Summit for a visit, and after a courtship carried out mostly long-distance by U.S. mail between Elizabeth, New Jersey, and Seattle, Washington, finally tied the knot.
During his long career at Cyanamid Jerry served his community as a member of the Board of Education in Ewing Township from 19661968 and in retirement as President of Princeton’s Allison Road Association, as a volunteer at the Princeton Hospital pharmacy, and at Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, now known as Learning Ally. Jerry was a member of House 1 of the Community Without Walls, and its treasurer for three years. As a member of the Old Guard, he chaired its Arrangements Committee.
For over 70 years Jerry was an avid tennis player and competed with great success in the Mercer County Men’s Tennis League. He loved skiing and camping and instilled that love in his children and eventually, in his grandchildren. In retirement he spent many happy hours on local tennis courts. In addition, after he retired, he audited over 25 courses at Princeton University, especially history, and read everything ever written about World War I. For 21 wonderful years he called himself the “head groundskeeper” at his and Sheila’s home on Allison Road, where he grew amazing vegetables including bumper crops of asparagus and many varieties of salad greens and tomatoes, and provided all his friends with tomato seedlings. His asparagus bed at Stonebridge lives on!
Jerry is survived by his wife, Sheila, his daughter Jill Zorn and her husband, Jonathan, his sons Fred and Paul and Fred’s wife, Debra, and five grandchildren: Abigail and Hannah Zorn, Sam and Sara Berkelhammer, and Shira Berkelhammer, as well as his sister Ruth (Berkelhammer) Fink.
Funeral services and burial were held January 3 at Mount Lebanon Cemetery in Woodbridge. Contributions in Jerry’s memory may be made to causes of the donor’s choice.
Funeral arrangements are by Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel. For condolences please visit OrlandsMemorial Chapel.com.
Arlene Sinding, a 50-year Princeton resident whose teaching and mentoring career touched the lives of thousands of high school and college students, died January 3 at her home. She was 75.
The daughter of Sidney and Ruth Katz, Arlene grew up in Nutley, N.J., before graduating from Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey) in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in speech and theater education. She went on to earn three master’s degrees in administration and supervision of education, English as a Second Language, and Library Science.
In the 1970s, Arlene taught English at Princeton High School, primarily in the alternative school-withina-school called The Learning Community. One of her proudest achievements was directing a class play of Michael Weller’s Moonchildren, which the high school principal found objectionable due to what he considered offensive language. The principal insisted that certain words and phrases be removed, causing two 18-year-old students to file a lawsuit claiming a violation of their First Amendment rights. The lawsuit failed, and the students (with the playwright’s permission) performed the expurgated version of the play at the school. Later, they were invited to perform the unexpurgated version at the Unitarian Church of Princeton, charging a small admission fee and donating the proceeds to the American Civil Liberties Union.
Arlene spent most of the 1980s and 1990s teaching English at Hillsborough High School. In 2000, she returned to Princeton High School as the school librarian, a position she held until her retirement in 2012.
In addition to her public school career, Arlene offered a private tutoring service, called The College Connection, helping students prepare for the SAT. She consulted on test development and graded AP English exams for Educational Testing Service, and taught courses in a variety of subjects at Thomas Edison State University, The College of New Jersey, Berkeley College, Mercer County Community College, and Middlesex County Community College.
Arlene had three abiding passions: books, theater, and international travel. She was a voracious reader, never hesitating to offer unfiltered recommendations to family and friends. Her regular trips to Broadway plays and membership at numerous off-Broadway theaters generated a bookshelf full of Playbills. Her travels took her to 87 countries and
all seven continents, and she organized numerous Spring Break trips for high school students to Europe, Asia and Africa, in addition to chaperoning a Princeton High School choir trip to Russia and three high school orchestra trips to Europe, China, and Argentina.
Those who knew Arlene well were familiar with a fourth passion: shoes. Her wall-to-wall collection of Birkenstocks alone gave new meaning to the phrase square footage. And she wore her obsession with pride; her license plate holder declared, “She Who Dies With The Most Shoes Wins,” a point reaffirmed by her vanity license plate, SHUZ.
Surviving Arlene are her husband of 53 years, Rick Sinding of Princeton; sister and brother-in-law Judy and Marty Furman of Yorba Linda, Calif.; brother- and sister-in-law Steve and Monica Sinding of Washington, D.C.; nieces and spouses Marlee and Brian Cowan, Randi and John Sedigh, Kate and Pat Daly, and Jenny and James Bradbury; nephew and spouse Adam and Jackie Furman; 10 great-nieces and nephews; and a wide circle of friends.
A memorial service/celebration of Arlene’s life will be held at a time and place to be determined. Donations in her name would be welcomed by the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, and the ACLU.
Sally Pitcher Sword passed away peacefully, of natural causes, on January 1, 2025, in her Princeton, N.J., home. She was 99 years old.
Known affectionately as “Howie” by her friends and family, she was married for 55 years to William Sword, a former partner at Morgan Stanley and founder of Wm Sword & Co., investment bankers in Princeton, until his passing in 2005. Together they had four children, 10 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.
Howie’s friends and family were the center of her world. Always offering a positive comment or caring question, she was a loving and kind presence to all who knew her. Everywhere she frequented in Princeton, from the post office, to the library, to the grocery store, she was known and loved.
After raising her children, Howie was eager to continue exercising her inquisitive mind. With her high school degree from the Park School in Buffalo and an Associate’s Degree from Bradford Junior College in hand, she was accepted for transfer into the Princeton University Class of 1981. At the age of 55, she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Art History.
Howie took advantage of her degree to serve as a docent at the Princeton University Art Museum until well into her 80s. She also gave back to the University community by serving on the Auxiliary to the Isabella McCosh Infirmary.
Caring for others was a hallmark of Howie’s life. She was a board member and chair of the board at Trinity Counseling Service in Princeton, where she initiated the idea of hosting an annual Bastille Day Ball as a major fundraiser. To thank her for many years of service, the organization honored Howie at a Paris-themed event at Drumthwacket, the N.J. Governor’s residence, on July 14, 2007. She was also a recipient in 1977 of the Gerard B. Lambert Award for service to the greater Princeton Community.
For more than 50 years, Howie served as an admissions volunteer at Princeton Medical Center, offering a smile and warm welcome to patients and families. In the 1960s, she co-chaired the Hospital Fête, an important annual fundraising event for the Medical Center. After the Princeton YMCA and YWCA built their shared facility on Avalon Place, she was asked to chair the joint board. Additionally, she was president of the board of Princeton Nursery School, which provides quality childcare and pre-school education for families in need.
Howie also contributed meaningfully to several organizations throughout Princeton. In the 1950s, she was president of the local chapter of Planned Parenthood. She was a former board member of Princeton Day School, a former trustee at The Hun School, a member of the Pretty Brook Tennis Club, a charter member of the Bedens Brook Club, and former member of The Nassau Club.
Beyond her philanthropy and community involvement, Howie was an accomplished musician. She delighted friends and family with her talent for playing the piano by ear. As a 70+-year member of Nassau Presbyterian Church, and a former elder, she sang alto in the choir for many years. She also co-founded the “Opposite Sextet,” an all-women’s a cappella group, which performed in the annual Spring Sing concert — a tradition that continues to this day after 68 years. She and her sister Mary also co-founded the singing group “Tabooz” in college.
She is predeceased by her parents, Mabel (Swisher) Tynan Pitcher and Ralph Morgan Pitcher, her husband of 55 years William Sword, her son William Sword, Jr., and her sister Mary Pitcher Stewart. She is survived by her children Richard Morgan Sword and his wife Elizabeth of Jackson, Wyo.; Molly Sword McDonough and her husband Peter of Pennington, N.J.; Sarah Sword Lazarus and her husband Ken of Concord, Mass.; and her son Bill’s widow Martha Sullivan Sword of Skillman, N.J. She is also survived by her beloved 10 grandchildren: Gretchen Liddell Sword, Richard Morgan Sword, Jr. (Lindsay), Hope Tynan Sword, Bayless Hauge Sword (Andrew Byron), Sarah Pitcher McKani (Kunal), Elizabeth Payson Houfek (Nicholas), William Sullivan Sword (Anne Sekley), Thomas Mangan McDonough (Theresa LaColla), Samuel Skinner Lazarus and Molly Fradin Lazarus; and nine great-grandchildren. A service of remembrance will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, April 12, 2025 at Nassau Presbyterian Church, 61 Nassau Street, Princeton, N.J., 08542. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton or the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad.
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well loved and well read since 1946
We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection. We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you.
We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection. We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you.
We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business.
We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection. We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you.
ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL
are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection. We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you. ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL
We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection. We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you.
We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection.
We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through the
ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL
ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL
We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection.
to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you.
ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL
ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL
We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you
We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you
Dr. William F. Haynes, Jr.
Dr. William F. Haynes, Jr., retired cardiologist, author, educator, and beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend, died peacefully December 31, 2024, at age 98 after a short hospital stay surrounded by his wife, Aline; daughter, Suzie Haynes Halle; son, David Haynes; and son, Bill Haynes. He leaves eight adoring grandchildren who affectionally called him “Pop-Pop.” He was their inspiration and model of how to live a loving and fulfilling life. Bill’s life was punctuated by his deep faith, his undying kindness and gentleness, his ever-present smile, his quick wit, and his persistence, or as his wife said — his stubbornness. His love of Aline was profound, and their relationship only deepened the last few years of his life as his health was slowly declining. He also
had a deep love of nature, his trees (he often bragged he had planted 5,000 at the farm that he so loved in PA), and he enjoyed walking in the multiple fields surrounding the farmhouse. He was a quiet man who found contentment in just being.
Bill was born in Newark, NJ, in 1926. His father died when he was 12, and being an only child, he had a beautiful relationship with his mother, who instilled in him his love of God. He graduated from Newark Academy in 1944, having left in March of his senior year to attend the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY. After attending 17 classes in four months, Bill was on a Merchant Vessel in the Pacific. He served in World War II in the Pacific Theater till the end of the war, then spent the summer of 1946 as a Third Mate on a ship carrying German and Italian POWs to the U.S. and American GIs to and from the U.S. His years at the Merchant Marine Academy and serving in the war and later in the Navy were a formative part of his life and he treasured those years and the relationships he made there. He credits the education he received there and the responsibilities he shouldered at an early age (17) as essential building blocks for the rest of his life, including his legendary perseverance and discipline.
Bill began his studies at Princeton in the fall of 1946, graduating in 1950. At Princeton, he was active on the Swimming team and a member of the Cottage Club. He loved Princeton and never missed a
reunion except once and he cherished walking in the big Reunion P-Rade. Bill enrolled at Columbia P&S Medical School in the fall of 1950, graduating in 1954. After a one-year internship, he went on active duty in the Navy as Lt JG, as a Medical Officer and served an additional two years (19551957). While on this tour of duty, which was during the Hungarian Revolution, he tended to escapees his ship picked up in Bremerhaven and was taking to the United States. He was very proud of his 64 Atlantic crossings, his four in the Pacific and his two voyages in the Caribbean. As he treated numerous patients from many countries and backgrounds, he was instilled with an awareness and empathy towards the hopes and dreams of all people. He loved being at sea, high up on the ships looking out at the water and the beautiful sky. So peaceful!
Upon return from his Navy duty, he finished his fouryear residency and moved to Princeton, NJ, with his new bride, Constance Simpson. They raised three wonderful children and were both active in the community. He began his practice as a Cardiologist in 1960 and soon founded Princeton Cardiology Associates, a premier cardiology group still in existence. He also served as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Four years after his divorce, he married Aline Linehan James in 1984 and they shared a beautiful 41 years together. After a very successful practice, he retired in late June 1997 at age 71 and started his studies at La Salle University in Philadelphia in September to attain his Masters in Theology. He graduated with honors in 1975. He then served as an Adjunct Professor of Theology at LaSalle and as a guest lecturer at the Princeton Theological Seminary. Never one to stay inactive, he then wrote several books on medical issues and the power of prayer. He and his co-author of Is There a God in Healthcare, Geffrey B. Kelley, became quite the duo for giving talks up and down the East Coast, which he loved doing. He also wrote a book on his time at sea, which he dedicated to his grandchildren. Bill was a believer in exercise, and throughout his life until the pandemic, he either swam daily or worked out at the Princeton gym. He was an
excellent athlete, which he passed on to his three children. He took up golf at the age of 88 to join Aline on the links.
Bill was one of the original members of the Princeton Officers Club, and quite proud that he could still wear his dress uniform decades after leaving the Navy. Bill often served as the Group’s Chaplain, saying prayers at the beginning of each dinner gathering. He served twice on the Vestry at Trinity Church (his parish for many years), he was an active member of the 3rd Order of St. Francis, just meeting with a dear friend and fellow member a month before he died. He served as President of the Princeton University Friends of Swimming and was helpful in the planning and fundraising efforts for Denunzio Pool. He competed often in swimming events culminating in his winning two thirdplace medals at the WORLD Masters Championship Meet at Stanford University right after his 80th birthday. He served as President of his Class of 1950 at Princeton.
Bill was always young at heart. He loved to dance with Aline and he even took tango lessons with her for a cruise they were about to take when he was in his late 80s. He was always quick to pick up his harmonica whenever his son, David, or his grandson, Curtis, arrived with their guitars. They formed a little band called the “Rhône Riders.” He was found tapping his drumsticks to music just a month ago. He certainly lived life to the fullest. That smile rarely left his face. He will be so missed.
Bill was enthused with a love of God and the “feeling of the Presence” which gave him a great sense of peace and contentment. He was blessed with this great spirituality throughout his life – never one to shout it out to others but one had to be impressed with his calmness and sense of serenity. It was a gift. His love of nature was passed on to his children and grandchildren, and the times spent at his farm were a highlight in all our lives. We would like to thank especially his wonderful, caring internist, Dr. Doug Corazza, for his excellent care and his empathy, and for Bill’s wonderful two aides, Booker and Rana, for their tireless help and good humor – they were each so caring with Bill and we are so thankful.
There will be a Funeral Mass at Trinity Church, January 10 at 11 a.m. with a reception following at the Nassau Club. In lieu of flowers, one can make a charitable donation to Friends of Princeton Swimming. Visit makeagift.princeton.edu/ athletics and select “Friends of Club Swimming” from the “Give to Clubs or Campus Recreation” dropdown menu; or call (609) 2588508.
Arrangements are under the direction of MatherHodge Funeral Home, Princeton, NJ.
Sheila Albert of Princeton, NJ, passed away at home on December 23, 2024. She was 81 years old.
Sheila was born in Philadelphia and earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Rutgers University. She had lived in the Princeton area with her husband Steve since 1982.
Sheila had a long and successful career devoted to the service of others. She was a Case Manager and Development Director for the Association for the Advancement of Mental Health, the Executive Director of the Private Industry Council, a public/private partnership devoted to building the local economy and acting Executive Director of the Millhill Child and Family Development Center. After receiving her MSW she spent 16 years with the Trenton Board of Education, working as a school social worker and then on the child study team until her retirement.
She could do almost anything — and would light up people with her infectious smile and positive attitude. She and Steve enjoyed many adventures together including skiing in the Swiss Alps, biking through Provence, France, going on a tent safari in Tanzania, and numerous cruise vacations. After her retirement she played a lot of bridge and really loved it, accumulating hundreds
of Master’s Points. She was also an enthusiastic member of both the Present Day and Nassau Clubs.
Sheila was a bright light with a broad smile and an infectious laugh. She lived her life with the utmost integrity and love for her family and friends. She was a blessed woman and will be missed by everyone she touched.
Sheila is survived by her husband Steve; her children, Ira Goldstine and Cindi Finley; her stepdaughter, Lauren Albert; her grandchildren, Jake Goldstine, Zachary Goldstine, and Jordan McDonald; as well as two new great-granddaughters, Parker and Spencer.
Funeral services were held on December 26, at Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel. Burial followed at Beth Israel Cemetery in Woodbridge, NJ.
For condolences, please visit Sheila’s obituary page at OrlandsMemorialChapel.com.
Victor Auerbach (6/8/1934 – 12/8/2024)
Victor Auerbach passed away in his sleep at Meadow Lakes, East Windsor, NJ, after having lived a rich and complete life of exactly 90 1/2 years. Vic was born in the Bronx, NY, to Rose and Jacob Auerbach and was an accomplished skier and sailor, a lover of all things musical as long as it was classical or folk songs, a noted electrical engineer, and a 46 year-long life mate and partner of Arlene Ceterski in Hamilton, NJ.
He was president of the Princeton Ski and Sail Club from 1964-65, and served in many roles, while enjoying skiing and sailing all over the world with them. His other loves were sharing the ski lodge in Vermont, which he and Arlene owned with four others from the Club, documenting and memorializing trips and activities with photographs; skippering his own boat “Gotcha” in Barnegat, Chesapeake, and Narragansett Bays, and in Maine; and singing in the Princeton Society of Musical Amateurs. He loved sharing holidays and celebratory events with his sister Adele, brother-inlaw Kurt, three nieces, one nephew, and seven grandnieces and nephews.
Vic graduated from the Bronx High of Science, then attended and graduated from the City College of New York with a degree in electrical engineering where he earned membership in the Tau Beta Pi honor society. Later he was awarded a fellowship and earned an MS in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California. His working career was primarily at RCA’s Astro Electronics Division in East Windsor, NJ, where he was part of the team that developed an early weather satellite known as Tiros II and also a video disc for household movie watching, among other interesting projects. Vic retired from RCA in 1991. His fl uffy beard, his shirt pocket with pens and pencils at the ready, his knowledge of Gilbert & Sullivan, and his deep and loyal love for Arlene will be missed.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Those interested in being notifi ed of the date and location are asked to email marymcpaint@gmail.com.
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Friday, January 10 9:30-3:00
Saturday, January 11 9:30- 3:00
Full contents!! English Antiques, Decorative Accessories, Staffordshire, Wedgewood, HEREND, Sleep Number King, Brown Jordan, Books, Martha Vaughn Art, Chickering Piano, Costume Jewelry, Quality Sale!!
Pictures shown on Estatesales.net, MG Estate Sales. 01-08
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Small studio apartment in Victorian house located one short block from Nassau Street near the Garden Theatre. Walk-in efficiency kitchen, tiled bathroom, large closet, small porch and one off-street parking space included. On-site laundry. Available date: January 15, 2025. (908) 874-5400, x802, www.nspapartment.com.
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December 17, 2024
NOTICE TO VOTERS
A Public Test of the Mail-In-Ballot Tabulating Equipment and Programming for the Tuesday, January 28 th , 2025, Princeton Special School Election will be conducted on Tuesday, January 14 th , 2025 at 11:30 AM at 930 Spruce Street, Lawrence, New Jersey 08648. The testing will cover all 20 Districts in Princeton, County of Mercer. In order to encourage full participation, please submit any requests for accommodation of persons with disabilities to the Board of Elections, 930 Spruce Street, Lawrence, New Jersey 08648 at (609) 989-6522. (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 101-336)
to the
As we kick off the new year, the housing market is once again facing extremely low inventory levels. While we are already receiving calls from sellers preparing to list their homes this spring, early indicators suggest that 2025 will closely mirror the trends of 2024. Inventory remains tight across all price points, and buyers should be prepared for a competitive landscape.
Homes that are priced appropriately, in good condition, and located in desirable areas continue to attract significant attention, often resulting in multiple offers. For sellers, this means an opportunity to capitalize on strong demand, while buyers must remain vigilant and ready to act quickly when the right home becomes available.
As the spring market approaches, we anticipate heightened activity but no major shifts in inventory levels. Whether buying or selling, navigating this market will require strategy, preparation, and a clear understanding of current conditions.
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