Town Topics Newspaper, February 22, 2023

University Prepares

Electric Bus Fleet, Vast Mobility Plans

Emphasizing sustainability and efficiency, Princeton University’s presentation on their transit and mobility programs, delivered to the Princeton Town Council on February 13, provided an array of ideas for initiatives and collaboration.

In their report, Princeton University Director of Transportation and Parking Services Charles Tennyson and Assistant Vice President of Communications and Regional Affairs Kristin Appleget emphasized the ultimate goal of making walking and biking so appealing that few people choose transit, and motorized vehicles are mostly behind the scenes.

The Tiger Transit bus eet has new routes as of January 30, more frequent and easier to understand, Tennyson said, and all buses will soon be electric.

“We’re pleased to see that people are coming back to transit post-pandemic,” he added. “I think we’ll continue to see our new routes grow in ridership with the improved design, and we’re really excited about electri cation of the system.”

The University expects to decommission the entire diesel eet in the coming months so that by summer only electric vehicles will be operating around campus and around town. “When this work is completed the University will be among the very few operations in the country with a fully-electric eet,” Tennyson said. He went on to emphasize that “everything on this network is available to every member of the community with free open access for all.” On the side of every bus will be printed “Free Shuttle Service For All,” said Tennyson, “so there’s no mistaking who can ride it.”

The vehicles, which produce zero emissions, will be charged at two sites, a smaller charging station on campus in the parking lot at Elm Drive and Faculty Road and a larger charging facility at a University-owned property on Alexander Road in West Windsor.

Extending far beyond Tiger Transit, the University’s mobility program also includes a 15-vehicle Enterprise carshare eet, primarily for student rentals, which provides about 700 trips per month for the University community. There is also a University contract with Zipcar for two vehicles located at Princeton Station and one at Princeton Junction, available for

Continued on Page 10

PPS to Host “State of the District” Event

Seeking to bring the community together, to highlight an array of programs, and to present the Princeton Public Schools’ (PPS) new Strategic Plan, the schools are inviting the Princeton community to a State of the District celebration on Monday, February 27 at Princeton High School (PHS) from 6 to 8 p.m.

PPS Superintendent Carol Kelley urged everyone in the Princeton community to attend the event and promised many opportunities to learn more about what’s going on at the schools. Participants will have the chance “to learn how we’re championing our students and how parents and the community can contribute,” she said in a PPS press release. “I hope our parents and community will join us on Monday to help celebrate what we have accomplished and to take a look at where we want to go.”

In a David Letterman-style countdown, Kelley listed the top three reasons why people should come out for the event.

“Reason No. 3 is the chance to chat with principals, administrators, supervisors, and students who will staff more than 20 expo tables highlighting PPS programs,” said Kelley.

She continued, “Reason No. 2 is that students are giving tours of the high school, including the new wing. If you are a community member or have students in our middle or elementary schools and have never been inside the high school, here is your chance.”

And Reason No. 1 is to bring the community together. “We will have cheerleaders, student presenters, refreshments, and a raffle for a basket of PPS spirit wear,“ said Kelley. “But, most importantly,

it will give everyone a chance to come together in fellowship.”

The press release emphasized that “fellowship is central to Dr. Kelley’s leadership and ethos.”

The wide variety of expo tables throughout the high school will give visitors the opportunity to explore: what school counselors do, nursing services at PPS, English as a second language, world languages pre-K to grade 8, dual language immersion, special services and Inclusion, and

Replacement of Gas Lines Beginning Between Hulfish and Clay Streets

Following a brief delay, work on PSE&G’s gas modernization project in Princeton was scheduled to get underway on Tuesday evening (after press time). The project is designed to make the delivery of gas to local residences safer, cleaner, and more reliable.

The replacement of the town’s aging cast iron gas pipes with new plastic or coated steel piping was to begin with work between Hul sh Street and Clay Street. In this area, Paul Robeson Place and

Wiggins Street, as well as Witherspoon Street, are to be closed to traffic from 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. Mondays through Saturdays as the project continues.

The project will replace 12 miles of gas mains throughout Princeton. It is part of the utility’s plan to replace more than 875 miles of pipes, along with other gas infrastructure improvements, across New Jersey. Initial work has involved testing soil and digging test holes to verify existing gas pipes. Once trenches are dug,

CELEBRATING GEORGE WASHINGTON: Gingerbread baking, quill pen writing, fun facts and quotes, reenactors, and more were featured at George Washington’s Birthday Celebration at the Johnson Ferry House on the New Jersey side of Washington Crossing State Park on Saturday afternoon . (Photo by Charles R. Plohn)

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Ireland and central New Jersey have one important thing in common: rolling hills of green. In celebration of D&R Greenway Land Trust’s work to preserve the green in local communities, Voices Chorale NJ is bringing Irish music and dancing to a benefit for both organizations in time for St. Patrick’s Day. The event will take place in a restored barn on Sunday, March 12, from 3-6 p.m. at D&R Greenway’s Johnson Education Center, 1 Preservation Place.

Storyteller Ron O’Reilly will share his Irish tales, and the Kotelnicki School of Irish Dance from Hamilton will perform and teach Irish line dancing. Local musicians Bronwyn Bird and Justin Nawn from The Birdhouse Center for the Arts in Lambertville will play traditional Celtic music.

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Guests will be seated pubstyle for beer, wine, and Irishthemed food. A silent auction will be held.

“This special event combines the best from two prior events with Voices: Irish music and an unforgettable procession to an outdoor firepit at sunset that is absolutely magical,” said D&R Greenway President and CEO Linda Mead.

Voices will perform “Wild Mountain Thyme” (also known as “Will ye Go Lasie, Go”), a favorite of Voices board president and choir member Jane Read. “I first came to know this through Judy Collins, and then The Byrds, all the way back in the’60s,” she said. “We’re also singing a song composed by our own Ken Guilmartin, called ‘St. Brigid’s Dance,’ which he wrote after a musical journey in Ireland.”

Guilmartin is a singer with

Voices, a trustee of D&R Greenway, and the founder/artistic director of Music Together LLC.

“No Irish song fest (at least in the U.S.) would be complete without ‘Danny Boy,’” Read said. “The song is based on a tune known as ‘Londonderry Air’ which has been used by many songwriters. The words were written in 1910 by an Englishman, Frederick Weatherly, and set to this tune in 1913. The tune has been used for many other songs and hymns as well. Voices is excited to renew our partnership with D&R Greenway with this event. We look forward to sharing our music and enjoying the afternoon with friends old and new.”

Tickets are $65, and space is limited to 75. Visit drgreenway.org or voiceschoralenj. org, or call (609) 924-4646.

Topics In Brief A Community Bulletin

Environmental Resource Inventory : On February 22 at 7 p.m., the Princeton Environmental Commission hosts a virtual information session on this topic during their regular monthly meeting. Residents are invited to ask questions and provide feedback. Visit princetonnj.gov.

Porchfest Needs Hosts and Performers : The Arts Council of Princeton is seeking hosts and performers for the April 29 Porchfest. The deadline is Friday, March 3. Visit artscouncilofprinceton.org.

Pickleball Courts Now Open to the Public : The courts behind Community Park Elementary School and Community Park Pool are open dawn to dusk on a first-come, first-served basis. Free, no reservations required. This is a trial period through April 1.

Ice Skating on the Square : On Hulfish Street behind the Nassau Inn, skate on the outdoor synthetic rink through February 26. Tickets are $10, sold at the door. Visit palmersquare.com.

Recreation Department Summer Jobs : The Princeton Recreation Department is looking for customer service staff, a day camp counselor, teen travel camp counselor, day camp supervisor, seasonal maintenance worker, and lifeguard/swim instructor for the summer season. Visit princetonnj.gov.

Join Boards, Commissions, or Committees : The municipality is looking to fill vacancies with residents of Princeton who are willing to attend regularly scheduled meetings. Visit princetonnj.gov for more information.

Princeton Farmers Market Winter Market : On Thursdays, February 23, March 9 and 23, and April 6 and 20 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Dinky train station lot, 172 Alexander Street. Local farms, baked goods, artisan foods, unique gifts, and more. Princetonfarmersmarket.com.

Free Rabies Clinic: New Jersey residents can get rabies shots for dogs or cats on Saturday, March 4 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad, 2 Mount Lucas Road. Park at 1 Valley Road or 400 Witherspoon Street. Pets must be at least 3 months old. Dogs must be leashed; cats in a carrier. All must be accompanied by an adult. (609) 924-2728.

CELEBRATING THE GREEN: The Cider Mill Preserve is among the pastoral spots saved by D&R Greenway in recent years. A shared benefit for the organization and Voices Chorale NJ is planned for Sunday, March 12.

(Photo by Michael Abadie)

cational theater program called Literature to Life that adapts books into solo performances to inspire a passion for reading in students, has been involved in the piece for a few years. Betts had asked her to help develop a solo show that could be performed in prisons, “since he felt this was the way people inside would actually connect to his book,” she said.

When they met, Thoron had just returned from a trip to Japan working with Washi Tale collaborator Kyoko Ibe, a distinguished paper artist, on an article about their decade-long theater collaboration based on handmade Japanese paper, washi

“Felon” Solo Show, Related Events Highlight Need for Reading in Prisons

23 years after his release from prison, Betts explores his incarceration in a solo theater show based on his own American Book Awardwinning poetry collection.

TOPICS Of the Town

Not coincidentally, Felon: An American Washi Tale, being performed at McCarter Theatre Center March 2, 3, and 4, with related community events including an ongoing art exhibit, has a mission of encouraging the availability of literature in prison.

The solo show written and performed by Betts, and developed and directed by Elise Thoron, is based on Betts’ experience of incarceration, and is a meditation on criminal justice, artmaking, and community After his release, Betts earned a master’s degree in creative writing from Warren Wilson College, and a juris doctor degree from Yale Law School. In 2020, he founded Freedom Reads, an organization that gives incarcerated people access to books by donating libraries to correctional facilities. In 2018 Betts received a Guggenheim Fellowship and in 2021 he was awarded a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship. He is currently working on a Ph.D. in law at Yale University.

The development of Felon : An American Washi Tale, has been a studied process. Jane Cox, director of Princeton University’s theater program at the Lewis Center for the Arts, and the production’s lighting designer, said she first got involved with the theater piece during the COVID-19 lockdown.

“We worked over Zoom for a few months as Dwayne and Elise, the director and dramaturg, created an initial shape for a solo show out of Betts’ book of poems, Felon,” said Cox. “It was immediately clear how exciting the project was both from a theatrical point of view, and from the point of view of humanizing the experience of incarceration, and post incarceration, for audiences. We are all complicit in the

American carceral system, but some of us are quite removed from the actual experience.”

Cox suggested that the Lewis Center consider participating in developing the piece, and when the campus theaters reopened in the summer of 2021, the Betts piece was offered in a live performance. Since then it has toured to many prisons and been further developed at Duke University and the New Haven Arts and Ideas Festival, said Cox.

Thoron, the co-founding artistic director of an edu -

“On the flight home, I read Dwayne’s book Felon and was surprised that in the opening poem there was a couplet about a papermaker,” said Thoron. “So, I asked him, ‘Why a papermaker?’” And Dwayne showed me photos of making paper from his friends’ clothing who were still doing time in prison, and I showed him photos of our Washi Tale sets made by Kyoko of handmade paper and old documents.

“Betts’ ‘prison paper’ was beautiful gray, but sat in his closet; he didn’t know what to do with it, and I found myself saying ‘well that’s our set’ — you can take in into prison, it’s only paper. And that was the beginning — it felt like the universe was propelling us into doing the actual work of the show, which has been intense and ever-evolving in tandem with Dwayne’s organization Freedom Reads , installing micro

libraries in housing units in prisons across the country, where he now performs the show. So, we are kindred souls in washi and books.”

The piece took shape during Betts’ Felon book tour in 2019, as different sequences of poems were read, and they discussed what stories to best set them up and looked at the possible dramatic arcs running through the show, said Thoron. They settled on the structure of moving from poetry to prose, “which keeps the ear fresh for both.”

They also decided that the storytelling in between poems would be highly structured improvisation.

The first time it was performed in a theater was August 2021, in a creative residency at the Lewis Center.

“In the Princeton creative residency, we explored the theatrical elements of the show, adding Jane’s [Cox] lighting and Palmer Hefferan’s [Lewis Center guest artist] sound design,” said Thoron. The show went to other universities as it continued to evolve.

“Most importantly, he started performing the show in prisons as part of the Freedom Library installations he was doing with his new organization Freedom Reads,” said Thoron. “The show changed as prisoners asked good questions in post-show dialogue with Dwayne, the focus tightened, and the length, to what we are currently working on in this Princeton residency at the Berlind Theatre. We are so excited to return post-pandemic and have time with our extraordinary theatrical collaborators at

THE PRISON EXPERIENCE: Reginald Dwayne Betts on the set of “Felon: An American Washi Tale,” which features “kites” (prison letters) designed by visual artist Kyoko Ibe. The show comes to McCarter Theatre Center March 2, 3, and 4 in collaboration with the Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton University. (Photo by Barbara Johnston, courtesy of Reginald Dwayne Betts/Freedom Reads)

STARTERS

WOOD-FIRED STARTERS

“Felon” Solo Show

Continued from Preceding Page Princeton, and for the first time, Kyoko Ibe with us from Japan, and finally be able to share Felon: An American Washi Tale with audiences here.”

Audiences, she said, may come to understand that “we are connected in unknown ways. Anything is possible after prison. Mercy is essential, but not easy. Storytelling is an important part of being human, as is listening. And a book can transform a life.”

As the project evolved, Cox said, “we began relationships with communities on campus and off, and started to understand the many ways that Princeton University is already involved in prison education and reform.”

In addition to the audience for the performances, said Cox, “the conversations, events, and workshops include more than a dozen campus units (academic and otherwise), more than a dozen New Jersey organizations, more than 150 high school students and returning citizens, and approximately 200 members of our immediate campus community (including students, staff, and faculty). We are delighted in the ways in which this project has already created new relationships and conversations, and are so looking forward to sharing space, conversation, and art with so many people!”

Felon will be performed March 2 and 3 at 7 p.m. and March 4 at 2:30 p.m., at the Berlind Theatre at McCarter Theatre Center, 91 University Place. An exhibition of work made from traditional Japanese washi paper by Ibe is on view through March 5 in the Hurley Gallery. For additional companion events and information, visit arts. princeton.edu.

—Wendy Greenberg

March 6 is Deadline For Pitch Competition

Princeton University’s Empower 2023 Conference and Pitch Competition celebrating women academic entrepreneurs and all founders commercializing or licensing university intellectual property (IP) is set for April 26-28, online.

All startups that are commercializing or licensing university-developed IP, and are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, are invited to apply to pitch at the competition. The deadline is Monday, March 6.

Question of the Week:

“Who is your all-time favorite president, and why?”

(Asked in honor of Presidents Day)

(Photos by Charles R. Plohn)

Hilary: “Barack Obama. I came to my awareness as a voter when he was elected. I liked him and it was refreshing to have someone young in the office. He inspired us all in many ways.”

Rabi: “I agree. Obama presented hope for the future and was different than the previous presidents who were mainly concerned with foreign conflicts and terrorism.”

—Rabi Murugesan, Chennai, India with Hilary Murusmith, Princeton

Dustin: “John F. Kennedy. He was equal and fair to everybody. There was no right or left, and the only way was an American way.”

—Estela and Dustin Wojcicki, Mount Pocono, Pa.

Winners of the 2022 Town Topics Readers’ Choice Awards Categories for Best Outdoor Dining Best Restaurant Best Bakery Best Breakfast

Applicants will compete for more than $150,000 of cash and in-kind prizes, including a first-place prize of $100,000 and a $10,000 bundle of in-kind legal and advisory services. Semifinalists and finalists will also receive mentoring advice and the opportunity to meet with several venture capital firms.

All are welcome to attend the conference. Visit empower.princeton.edu.

well loved and well read since 1946

Glory: “Theodore Roosevelt, because he committed a lot of his presidency to nature conservancy.”

Sunnee: “I was also going to say Theodore Roosevelt, but I do admire President Barack Obama. He was our nation’s first Black president and I always felt like he and the first lady represent promise.”

—Glory Lu, Mountain Lakes with Sunnee Zhang, Philadelphia

Mick: “I don’t think I have a favorite president, but the most memorable one was Barack Obama. I was more conscious about politics when he was elected and he helped the country in many ways, and when he was in the office the country was in good standing.”

Xander: “Barack Obama. He became president when I started paying attention to politics. He also presented himself as a professional president.”

—Mick Bilarano, Philadelphia with Xander Guidry, New Orleans, La., and Beens

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Washington Crossing River Painting Discovery Will Enhance New State Park Visitors Center

It’s a “true New Jersey story,” says the executive director of the Washington Crossing Park Association of the recent discovery of an important work of art.

A long-forgotten painting depicting George Washington crossing the Delaware River was located in a basement after more than 50 years. The crossing represents a key point in history: After crossing the Delaware on December 25, 1776, Washington embarked on a 10-day campaign that would change the course of the American Revolution, culminating at the Battle of Princeton on January 3, 1777.

Plans call for the painting, by celebrated American combat artist George Matthews Harding, to hang in the new visitors center at Washington Crossing Park, on the Titusville side. The center is scheduled to open in 2026, the nation’s semiquincentennial (250 years).

The journey of discovery began when Ewing author Patricia Millen, a founding

member of the Washington Crossing Park Association (WCPA), was doing research with co-author Robert W. Sands Jr. for their book, Washington Crossing: Images of America (April 2022), part of an Arcadia Publishing book series. Millen, whose museum administration experience includes the Thomas Clark House in Princeton, came across a mention of the 1921 Harding mural.

“It leapt off the page because it was a big deal,” she said. “Had I missed something?” A 1971 American Association of Conservators and Restorers article noted that the mural was removed from the former Taylor Opera House in Trenton (later the RKO International) when it was torn down in 1969. The painting was slated for a then-new park visitors center to open around the nation’s bicentennial.

The painting, which turned out to be too large for the visitors center, was sent to Ringwood Manor in Passaic County for storage. Millen made some calls

and learned that it was still there, in a dusty basement. “I was flabbergasted,” she said. “I knew it was important. How many people would have read this and not known, not looking to find this? That is what I love about history.” Millen turned over her information to the WCPA. “I am excited the WCPA recognized how important it is,” she said.

Coincidentally, she added, the Taylor Opera House was where a group first met in the fall of 1909 to formulate plans for Washington Crossing Park (the New Jersey park was created in 1912 and the Pennsylvania side in 1917). Owner John Taylor, the creator of pork roll, had said that his grandfather fought in the Revolutionary War under Washington, according to the WCPA.

A Lambertville art conservator, Christyl Cusworth, was engaged to assess the work. She said in an email that the painting had been stored on a paper roller for 50 years. It was “well prepared for storage with a protective facing, but not intended to be stored for such a long duration on a paper roller,” she said. “There was some bowing of the roller and therefore some deformations of the painting itself, there is a typical amount of cracking of the paint layer, discolored varnish.” The painting will need a “new structural support lining, a thorough cleaning, filling and inpainting of voids, revarnishing and stretching onto a new

stretcher.” The meticulous process should take about six months.

WCPA Treasurer Michael Mitrano, who oversees the project and fundraising needed for the preservation, said they are 80 percent of the way to the goal of $60,000. The 15.5-foot by 9.8-foot mural, which is in an undisclosed secure facility, will grace the park’s new visitors center to be built by 2026. The new visitors center will be larger and have a view of the river, and historical artifacts will be better displayed, said Mitrano.

“I have learned a lot,” he said, noting that the painting is too large to move with a frame, and the frame would be assembled at the park building.

WCPA Executive Director Annette Earling said the process was a first for the group. “We’re all getting a crash course on art preservation, conservation, framing, and more,” she said.

The timing couldn’t have been better for the Visitors Center Museum. “The architects were still planning when Pat Millen emailed me about her discovery,” said Earling. “State officials acted with record speed, and the mural was factored beautifully into the next round of drawings.”

The WCPA, she said, “is excited that this mural will add another layer of interest to the museum, whose Swan Historical Foundation Collection is already going to be a tremendous draw.”

She added that she recently viewed another “crossing” painting (by Emanuel Leutze ) at the Metropolitan Museum of Art “and was amazed at how moved I was. I imagine that standing before a locally painted, more historically accurate piece, painted by an experienced military artist and modeled on the Delaware River (and not the Rhine!), will impact visitors for years to come.”

Donating to the project is outlined at wcpa-nj.com/ harding.

“It’s a marvelous story, part of history, lost to time in a basement with old Christmas decorations — it’s a buried treasure story,” said Mitrano.

—Wendy Greenberg

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“BURIED TREASURE”: Washington Crossing Park Association trustees, with art conservator Christyl Cusworth, third from left, assess the 15.5-foot by 9.8-foot mural, in need of restoration and repair. They are looking forward to the restoration of the mural and placing it in the new visitors center, scheduled to open in 2026.

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Electric Bus Fleet

continued from page one anyone with a Zipcar membership. ”These are all well used,” said Tennyson, “and we hope we can find more ways to promote these vehicles so the residents of Princeton realize they’re there.”

In its promotion of cycling, the University reclaimed a fleet of about 130 Zagster bikes, after Zagster went out of business early in the pandemic, and the University has contracted with local bike shops to repurpose the bikes as rentals.

“We’ve been renting them at low cost to students since last year,” said Tennyson. “It’s been a very popular program.” He added that an electric bike program is also in the works, but there is no launch date yet, as the

University needs time to make sure supporting infrastructure is in place.

As far as scooters are concerned, Tennyson acknowledged the potential problems of scooters and pedestrians sharing the same limited spaces. “There are no plans at this time to add scooters to the next generation of the mobility program,” Tennyson said.

Other highlights of Tennyson’s presentation included plans for advisory bike lanes (ABL) on Ivy Lane and possibly William Street, similar to the successful ABLs currently in use on College Road and Lawrence Road; planning a dedicated bike lane on Washington Road; a new 1500-space parking garage on Stadium Drive; and a post-COVID-19 rebound in Revise Your Ride, the

University’s program to reduce single-occupancy vehicle commutes, with close to 1,400 current participants.

In the follow-up Q&A session, Princeton Council members applauded the University’s mobility and transit plans and accomplishments. Councilwoman Michelle Pirone Lambros noted the impact on the town of Princeton.

“It’s really exciting you’re an educational institution that’s educating our community on all of these wonderful sustainability and mobility plans that we can learn from,” she said. “I know that we’ll partner on many things. This is something we can work on together. There are a lot of lessons here that we can learn from when we’re doing our streetscape design around town.”

—Donald Gilpin

“State of the District” continued from page one facilities planning. There will be a chance to meet the PTO Council, the Special Education Parent Advisory Group, Princeton Parents of Black Children, and members of the Board of Education.

Elementary school-focused expo tables will include Learning through Play at PPS Preschool, the K-5 Responsive Classroom, English language arts, the Continental Math League, and Math Workshop. Princeton Middle School (PMS) will offer expo tables on activities and clubs at PMS and (along with PHS), teaching humanities in times like these, and building equitable learning environments. In addition to tours of the building, the PHS expo tables will feature celebrating the arts, research program student projects, athletics, cheerleaders, student projects on Hidden Histories and Racial Literacy and Justice, and more.

Among other items on the February 27 schedule are a presentation of the new Strategic Plan, 2023-2028, which was also on the agenda for the Tuesday, February 21 BOE meeting, and a keynote address by Tara Doaty, a child and family well-being expert and founder and CEO of Sage Wellness Group.

Kelley emphasized the advantages of a dynamic strategic plan for the next five years. “There is much work to be done, but now, with a solid framework, it is easier for our educators, parents, and community members to see where we are going and how we can improve,” she said.

Highlights of recommendations in the Strategic Plan, which the district has been working on over the past year, include goals for student success, strategic priorities, key actions, and much more.

—Donald Gilpin

Vigil at Palmer Square Marks War’s Anniversary

On the first anniversary of the Ukraine W ar, the Princeton-based Coalition for Peace Action (CFPA) is sponsoring a Vigil for a Diplomatic Surge to Prevent Endless and Nuclear War in Ukraine from 12 to 1 p.m. on Friday, February 24 at Palmer Square, across from Nassau Presbyterian Church.

The vigil will start with silently holding posters for about the first 40 minutes along Nassau Street. At about 12:40 p.m., a short rally with speakers until 1 p.m. in Tiger Park, adjacent to the street, will conclude the event. Attendees are welcome to attend the rally even if they can’t come for the full one hour of the vigil. Those wanting to attend are asked to RSVP by emailing jnew@peacecoalition.org to help CFPA know an appropriate number of posters to provide. Visit peacecoalition.org for more information.

“As part of its Diplomacy, Not War Campaign, CFPA has been advocating for a diplomatic surge for some time. But the Ukraine War has reached a stalemate and is in grave danger of becoming yet another endless war, or even a nuclear war, if there isn’t a ceasefire leading to permanently ending it,” said CFPA Executive Director the Rev. Robert Moore.

He continued, “The first anniversary of the war is an especially important time to visibly advocate for a diplomatic surge. New developments suggest both great danger — reliable reporting that Russia’s northern fleet is deploying nuclear weapons for the first time in 33 years; and increased hope — news that the U.N. General Assembly will vote on a Ukraine-supported ceasefire resolution on February 23. We encourage concerned supporters to attend.”

CFPA also announced that, three days before the anniversary, they will have an e-alert enabling supporters of a diplomatic surge to email or call their congresspersons urging them to also speak out in support of that. That alert will be posted at peacecoalition.org in the Take Action section at the top.

Colleges Sign Deal To Streamline Transfers

At a ceremony held February 15 in Trenton Hall on The College of New Jersey campus, the presidents of Mercer County Community College (MCCC) and The College of New Jersey

(TCNJ) signed an articulation agreement to streamline access to four-year degrees for graduates of MCCC.

MCCC President Deborah Preston and TCNJ President Kathryn Foster gathered with higher education faculty and staff, foundation board members, trustees, and community members for a celebratory signing event formalizing a new agreement that creates a process for MCCC graduates to seamlessly transfer to TCNJ’s four-year bachelor’s degree programs. Beginning in the fall of 2023, MCCC associate degree graduates in good academic standing who have maintained the required GPA and who’ve satisfactorily completed the application for admission will automatically be granted admission to TCNJ.

“The articulation agreement that we sign today provides the opportunity to transform the lives of Mercer County residents,” said Foster. “The quality education at Mercer County Community College prepares students well for TCNJ, and Mercer students will now be able to transfer seamlessly to this high quality four-year college.”

“I know all the work that went into making this agreement happen, and I think that speaks volumes for the respect that the institutions have for each other and for the great work we are both doing in putting our students first,” said Preston. “This agreement is not about making either institution look good or making our vice presidents look good, this agreement is about finding solutions that work for our students.”

Mercer County Community College and The College of New Jersey have worked together in the past and have many common goals.

“We share a passion for the same ideals,” said Foster. “We share a passion for ensuring student success, for cultivating a love of learning, for educational experiences and engaged education, and we share a passion for empowering our students to sustain and enhance their communities locally and beyond,” Foster said.

Since joining forces, over the past four years more than 220 Mercer County Community College students have enrolled at TCNJ as full-time students according to statistics from TCNJ. Further, two out of three MCCC applicants gain admittance to TCNJ.

For more information about Mercer County Community College visit mccc. edu.

SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY : Princeton University’s 17-vehicle, free service Tiger Transit fleet will be fully electric by this summer. University representatives presented an update on their transit and mobility programs to Princeton Council last week. (Photo by Princeton University, Denise Applewhite)

Hun Students and Staff Reach Out To Teach Young Women in Afghanistan

Every Thursday night from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Seth Holm, chair of the Modern Languages and Classics Department at The Hun School of Princeton, logs onto the internet to teach a class for about 30 young women who are just waking up in Afghanistan, eager for schooling that has been forbidden to them in their home country.

Holm and his team of Hun students are helping these Afghan students to learn English so they can pursue further education outside of Afghanistan. Since its inception in June of last year, this initiative at Hun, the Afghan Education Student Outreach Project, has grown rapidly. Now, in addition to the Thursday night sessions, it also includes a “phone buddy” program, with Hun students talking with Afghan counterparts once a week; a one-on-one mentoring program; collaboration with the nonprofit New Jersey-based Afghan Girls Financial Assistance Fund (AGFAF); and the Hun School’s offering of two scholarships for one young Afghan woman to arrive on campus this spring and another by next fall.

Hun Head of School Jon Brougham emphasized the importance of the project, praising Holm and the student initiators. “The work that our students are doing, led by Zahra, Hanan, Steven, and Dr. Holm, is incredible,” he said. “This is a passion project with real meaning for the Afghan girls they are working with, but also for them and the Hun community as a whole. The right to learn, grow, and share a human connection should be universal.”

Since the Taliban’s August 2021 takeover of Afghanistan, the lives of women and girls have been restricted more and more, with increasing limitations on employment, public interactions, education, and other human rights. All public schools after sixth grade, private education centers, and all universities in Afghanistan are now closed to girls and women, who are in most cases essentially confined to their homes.

One of the founders of Hun’s outreach project, Zahra Y. (whose last name is withheld at her request), a young woman whose education in Afghanistan ended soon after she had enrolled in Kabul University, came to the Hun School in January 2022 with the help of AGFAF and Hun’s offer of a post-graduate scholarship.

“As a girl in Afghanistan, coming to the Hun School was a huge change for me,” she wrote in an email from the college in Ohio where she enrolled after graduating from Hun in June. “It was culturally so different and the opportunities they have in this school were a great experience for me that made me think about all those girls who were deprived of education back home.”

She continued, “I felt for them because I was in their position just a few months earlier. I had a feeling of guilt that I left all those girls behind. So I wanted to share my experience and my knowledge with them.”

About a year ago Zahra approached Holm with an idea for a project. She wanted to offer an online English class for girls in Afghanistan. Holm readily agreed to help. Zahra teamed up with two friends, Hanan Alsaffar and Steven Feng, and they quickly got the project started, raising money on a GoFundMe site for students who couldn’t afford their own internet costs. They put out a call for Afghan students on Facebook and got 250 responses in just two days.

Alsaffar, who is from Bahrain and currently a senior at Hun, described how her experience in organizing and tutoring in the program has changed her perspectives on Afghanistan. “Before the class it was to me like other terrible things happening in the world,” she said. “I did not have a personal connection to what’s happening there. But now, especially after getting to know Zahra, after being friends with her and after getting to know the students in the class, and especially my mentee, now I accept my responsibility to be

an advocate and my responsibility to help.”

She continued, “I don’t see this as a favor I give to the students. I think this is a responsibility, but not just for me. It’s everyone’s responsibility to help, especially because those students did not choose to be in this situation. They were forced to be in it, and if we have the capability to help, then we should.”

Zahra and Alsaffar developed a roster of about 20 students, selected from the many applicants, and the class began in the first week of June last year with two two-hour sessions per week.

“It was supposed to be a fourweek class, but it became so important and so enriching and joyful that none of us really wanted to stop,” said Holm. “So we kept it going.”

Since school started up again in September, the online class has been held one night a week every week, with enrollment growing from 20 to about 35. “People have invited friends, younger sisters, things like that, and almost everyone from the original group has continued,” he added.

In addition to the weekly class meetings, a number of Hun School student volunteers speak with their Afghan phone buddies once a week for English conversation practice. Holm noted that many of the young women in the class were of college age and somewhat advanced in their English language skills, so he and his Hun student colleagues decided to expand into a one-on-one mentoring program for young women of high school age.

“We send assignments to the students, and then we help them respond to the assignments,” said Alsaffar. “The idea is to help younger students in the class to do the assignments.”

As the program continues to expand, in addition to the Hun students, many of the mentors in the program are now advanced Afghan students. “Some of these Afghan girls are really important because they can speak their native language to students who are at a beginning level,” said Holm. “Many of these young women in my class are also tutoring one or two or sometimes three younger students on their own time.”

He continued, “It’s growing also because, in conjunction with AGFAF, we have more students who are interested in doing projects like this. We are developing intermediate and elementary level English classes, which will be taught by Hun students and Afghan students.”

Holm emphasized that some of his Afghan students are already expert language teachers. ”I have one student who has taught her younger sisters English and Turkish and is now teaching English to other students. She has taught lessons of the highest quality. If one of my teachers in the language department at the Hun School was giving lessons like this I would give them a glowing review. She’s done an amazing job. We have about 100 applicants for each of the new classes. We’re working through those applications now, and we’ll be rolling out those classes by the end of the month.”

Holm commented on this unexpected new trajectory in his career at Hun. “A lot of weird things have coalesced, like the skills I have developed,” he said, pointing out the online teaching methods he gained during the COVID-19 pandemic; the project-based programs he created through Hun’s experiential learning mini-semester terms; and his second year as department chair, where he has polished his skills in fostering collaboration among teachers.

“I really feel like I’m chair for two departments. One is at the Hun School and the other is online with the students,” he said. “It’s so rewarding. The students are so eager. They need direction about how to get started, but once you give them direction they really take the reins and get the work done. It’s like working with professionals.”

Holm has also been working with the head of school, the chief financial officer, the head of admissions, and others in order to bring more of these students from Afghanistan to the Hun School. “Everyone was really moved by the story and really wanted to help,” he said. But even though Hun has extended two scholarship lines for girls from Afghanistan, the process is complicated with many challenges that need to be met, including visas, funding, finding host families, and more.

“Students need a host family that can help during school breaks and can help with incidentals like computers and clothing to attend school,” said Hun Chief Marketing Officer Maureen Leming. “Often in these situations, they come with very little and we need many people to get involved to make sure that when these girls come they have what they need to be comfortable.”

She went on, “The school is very eager to help. We’re proud of everyone involved and the way the students have responded to this. We’re happy to see it grow and continue and we’re very happy to bring more girls from Afghanistan to Hun. It’s beneficial to everyone involved.”

Zahra, who from her college in Ohio continues to work as a mentor in the program, has ambitious goals for the future. “My future plan is to first educate myself and then to work for education for everyone,” she said, “and create a nonprofit organization to support and improve the education system not only in my country, but also in the United States and in all countries all over the world.”

Reflecting on the Afghan students’ progress so far, Holm noted, “It’s really important for them to learn English so that they can have a sense of connection with the outside world through the phone buddies program, through the mentoring program, through the classes, but also having access to the internet and knowing English gives you access to the world. You can learn anything you want if you have the internet and you know English.”

He continued, “Girls in Afghanistan are often trapped in their houses, so these classes are the only community they have outside the four walls of their homes. Things are easing up a bit in some areas of Kabul, but their lives are always under a threat.”

—Donald Gilpin

Gas Lines continued from page one the new gas mains will be installed block by block.

Princeton’s Assistant Municipal Engineer Jim Purcell gave an update on the project at the February 13 meeting of Princeton Council. The contractor, Ferreira Construction, is doing the work during the night to reduce noise from saw-cutting and jackhammers, he said. Work will progress north on Witherspoon Street during the day if traffic can be accommodated and the work can be coordinated with the PSE&G electric utility pole replacement project that is currently underway.

Also being taken into consideration is the ongoing work on Phase 1 of the Witherspoon Street Improvement Project, involving road, curb, and sidewalk replacement. The second phase is to include underground utility upgrades, tree removal and replacement, sidewalk removal and expansion, and roadway surface removal and replacement between Green Street and Leigh Avenue.

“We hope PSE&G will complete work on Witherspoon Street and the side streets before Phase 2 work starts,” said Purcell.

The utility needs to install a temporary regulator to maintain gas pressures throughout the system, because the regulator at the corner of Witherspoon Street and Spring Street is in the way of current work on the Witherspoon Street Improvement Project and needs to be decommissioned, Purcell said. The temporary regulator is to be installed at the corner of Vandeventer Avenue and Park Place.

The municipality wants that work to be done at night, since daytime work would have a detrimental effect on traffic. “They [PSE&G] are trying to determine how to accommodate this,” Purcell said. “They did want to do it during the day. The crew — and there is only one in the Trenton region — is currently assigned to monitor the regulator at Spring Street while our Witherspoon Street Improvement Project is being constructed within 100 feet of it.”

Shifting the crew to night work means they won’t be able to monitor the Witherspoon project during the day. “So we’ve told them we will adjust our contractors’ work to stay more than 100 feet from the Spring Street regulator when they work on Vandeventer at night,” he said.

A date for that installation by PSE&G has yet to be scheduled, Purcell said Monday.

—Anne Levin

Senior Resource Center Announces March Programs

The Princeton Senior Resource Center has announced upcoming programs, which are a mix of in-person, hybrid, and virtual events. Films, seminars, talks, music, and fitness classes are among the offerings. In-person offerings are either at the Suzanne Patterson Center or Poor Farm Road location.

A seminar, “Women in Princeton’s History,” will be given on March 7 at 3 p.m. as a hybrid event. The presenter is Eve Mandel, director of programs and outreach at the Historical Society of Princeton. The program brings to light the contributions of some of the diverse and influential women in Princeton’s history, whose identity may have been hidden behind their husbands’ names.

On March 14 at 3 p.m., Annette Murphy, clinical medical geriatric social worker, will deliver the inperson seminar “Partners in Care: What is Care Management?” which is focused on what to know when looking for a care manager and why one would be sought out. Several TED Talks are scheduled throughout the month, with topics including “Can We Feed Ourselves Without Devouring the Planet?” and “7 Beliefs That Can Silence Women, and How to Unlearn Them.”

“The Full Monty Uke Band Experience” will appear March 30 at 1 p.m. at the Poor Farm Road location. This ukulele band formed five years ago at the Montgomery Senior Center plays everything from ballads and country to oldies and contemporary music. “Pups & Cups” on March 30, 3-4 p.m. is an hour of socializing and pet therapy, with a certified therapy dog, at the Poor Farm Road location.

Retirement programs include “Transition to Retirement” on March 17 at 2:30 p.m., Women in Retirement’s “Adventures in Fieldwork, Sandanista, Nicaragua” on March 17, and a Coffee Klatch at Panera Bread in Nassau Park or on Zoom on Fridays at 10 a.m. Pickleball at various levels, table tennis, and “sculpt and stretch” sessions are among the fitness offerings.

Most programs require registration. For a full schedule of topics, dates, times, and locations, visit princetonsenior.link/MarchGeneral-Programs.

Concierge Service!

JUDITH BUDWIG Sales Associate Cell: 609-933-7886 | Office: 609-921-2600 judith.budwig@foxroach.com

TEACHING YOUNG WOMEN: Zahra Y., co-founder of the Afghan Education Student Outreach Project at the Hun School.

Mailbox

Sharing History of Court Clubhouse In Wake of its Move Across Prospect

To the Editor:

The enjoyable article in Town Topics about moving 91 Prospect across the street (where its address will surely change!) referred to the building as “Court” [“Court Clubhouse Almost Ready for Move,” February 1, page 1].

This building had another history that deserves to be remembered. In about 1968 it became half of Stevenson Hall, a non-bicker Princeton University-managed dining facility with its own dynamic history. (I’m looking forward to telling a Princeton alum that the building he celebrated his wedding in has crossed the street). The other half of Stevenson Hall, 83 Prospect, housed the University’s kosher kitchen until 1993, but 91 Prospect continued to be Stevenson Hall for another 10 years.

TOBIAS D. ROBISON, GS ’65 Jefferson Road

Affordable Housing Overlay Ordinance Needs to Be Revisited and Revised

To the Editor:

In 2020, the town of Princeton passed an ordinance #2020-17 that implemented affordable housing overlays as a way of promoting residential development in town. By easing zoning restrictions for residential development in areas designated under the AHO ordinance, the town provided incentives for developers to build new residential housing that would include at least 20 percent affordable housing units. In 2023 we are beginning to see the impact of these eased rules on residents in and near these AHO districts, particularly in designated historic districts, where there are some unexpected consequences. We support the concept of AHO’s and the need to build affordable housing. The devil, as usual, is in the details. I believe the current ordinance needs to be revised.

At the Planning Board meeting of February 2, 2023, developer RB Homes presented a concept plan for development of 344 Nassau Street, at the corner of Nassau and Harrison streets. This project is in both the AHO-2 overlay and the Jugtown Historic District. Under the rules of the AHO, building requirements that are part of normal zoning are superseded by the AHO rules. In short, the protections against overdevelopment of Jugtown are eliminated. This is not the case in the Jackson-Witherspoon AHO-7 approved in January 2023, where the role of the Historic Preservation Committee is affirmed.

What does this mean for the streetscape and neighborhoods? The proposal from RB Homes is for a flat-roofed building of four stories totaling 45 feet, dwarfing the peaked roof of the existing building that is only 29 feet. HVAC equipment would be permitted on the roof, further exacerbating the size discrepancy. There is no requirement for a setback on Harrison Street. The AHO ordinance calls for a maximum setback of only 10 feet, which is totally out of proportion to the existing residences and most other buildings in Jugtown. Parking is already an issue in the area, especially adjacent to this very busy intersection, where there is no street parking. The project proposes only 18 undersized parking spaces for 20 units, which is less than building code requirements.

It would be a grave mistake to suspend the protections afforded by the historic preservation laws. Our concern goes well beyond what this specific plan requests. If the four corners of the central, historic intersection of the Jugtown Historic District were to be developed according to the current AHO ordinance, the historic district would be overwhelmed by four-story buildings hulking over the much smaller existing historic offices and homes in the heart of Jugtown.

Letters to the Editor Policy

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.

All letters are subject to editing and to available space.

At least a month’s time must pass before another letter from the same writer can be considered for publication.

Letters are welcome with views about actions, policies, ordinances, events, performances, buildings, etc. However, we will not publish letters that include content that is, or may be perceived as, negative towards local figures, politicians, or political candidates as individuals.

When necessary, letters with negative content may be shared with the person/group in question in order to allow them the courtesy of a response, with the understanding that the communications end there.

Letters to the Editor may be submitted, preferably by email, to editor@towntopics.com, or by post to Town Topics, PO Box 125, Kingston, N.J. 08528. Letters submitted via mail must have a valid signature.

Historic preservation and affordable housing need not be in conflict. The AHO ordinance needs to be revisited and revised to balance both appropriately. There are existing locations in AHO-2 that are not within the historic district that are suitable choices for development.

The Princeton Historic Commission is due to hear the developer’s concept plan at its scheduled virtual meeting on February 27 at 4 p.m. (princetonnj.gov/588/HistoricPreservation-Commission). I encourage everyone’s input and participation in that review.

DONALD F. DENNY JR. Nassau Street

Sourland Conservancy Urges Hopewell Zoning Board to Reject Hotel Application

To the Editor:

The Sourland Conservancy does not support the proposed “Hopewell” boutique hotel plan, and we respectfully urge the Hopewell Township Zoning Board to reject the application.

The Sourland region is home to the largest contiguous forest in Central New Jersey. Its mosaic of habitat is home to a rich diversity of animal and plant species, many rare or endangered. The entire Sourland Mountain Region is a designated Continental IBA ( Important Bird Area) macrosite, and is one of only 113 such sites in the United States. Millions of migratory birds rely on the Sourland forest’s food and shelter to survive their journey from South America to New England and Canada.

In 2020, the NJ Forest Service estimated that the 90-square-mile Sourland region was on track to lose over one million trees due to a single invasive insect, the emerald ash borer. Now, the spotted lanternfly threatens our forests and farms. Baldpate Mountain and Fiddlers Creek Preserve, adjacent to the property, provide critical habitat for birds, turtles, amphibians, pollinators, and other sensitive wildlife species whose numbers are already in steep decline.

Practicing good stewardship today is an uphill battle, and we must honor and defend the work of those who have gone before us to provide for the well-being of future generations. In 2002, Hopewell Township created a Master Plan to “protect, enhance, and maintain the best interests of current and future citizens.”

“Land use and management decisions made today will determine whether we squander these riches through

ill-conceived development and exploitation, or choose to be worthy stewards of the land and water, preserving what is best about the Township, and its critical resources, for future generations.”

The plan includes specific guidelines that are meant to protect the Mountain Resource Conservation District; to protect our single source aquifer groundwater, surface water, and the rural character of the region, as such most commercial development is prohibited. Critically, the DVariance the applicant seeks will remain on the property when it changes owners. Future owners may not be concerned with the sensitive nature of the area. If this variance is granted, a precedent will be set in the region. Current and future residential property owners would have fewer barriers to convert their properties into a commercial property. This would be devastating to the ecology of this protected district.

The Sourland Conservancy asks that the Hopewell Township Zoning Board reject this application. It does not meet the burden of proof required to grant a D-Variance. Decades of hard work and resources spent to protect this region should not be thrown away. Citizens rely on those in positions of power to protect our valuable resources for the health and well-being of us all.

LAURIE CLEVELAND Executive Director, Sourland Conservancy Princeton Avenue, Hopewell

Local Pickleball Court Users Have Organized Through the App TeamReach

To the Editor:

Your blurb on February 15 [Topics in Brief, page 4] about the trial pickleball courts [behind Community Park Elementary School and Community Park Pool] is correct, but I would add that users have organized themselves through the app TeamReach. One of pickleball’s strength is its welcoming social nature, and this is a way to meet and enjoy the game with new acquaintances. Currently there are 80 registered users on the app. Also, despite the court trial period being mostly during the winter, usage continues. Those wishing to join the group on TeamReach should look for Princeton PBall and apply the code “bigdillfun.” Look forward to seeing even more pickleballers!

SPIAResponds: Turkey/Syria Earthquakeand DisasterRelief

InternationalAffairs

TjadaD’Oyen McKennahas groundedher careerinthe simplebelief that,no matterwhere someoneis born,no matterwhere theylive,they shouldbe abletolead athrivingand successfullife.

AsChiefExecutiveOfficerof MercyCorps,Tjadaleads aglobalteamofover5,400+ humanitarians,whoprovide immediaterelieftosavelives andlivelihoodsandworkto createtransformationalchange reaching37millionpeoplein morethan40+countries. Tjadaspentmorethana decadeworkingtoend worldhungerinroleswith theBill&MelindaGates FoundationandtheU.S. government.Duringthe Obamaadministration, TjadaservedastheDeputy CoordinatorofDevelopment forFeedtheFuture,theU.S. governmentʼsglobalhunger andfoodsecurityinitiative, andtheAssistanttothe AdministratoroftheU.S. AgencyforInternational DevelopmentʼsBureauforFood SecurityinWashington,D.C.

:30pm

•WhatcantheSPIA/Princetoncommunitydo?

—PANELISTS—

ShellyCulbertson, MPA'04 AssociateDirector, DisasterManagement &ResilienceProgram, RANDHomeland SecurityResearch Division

DougMercado, MPA'07 International Humanitarian AffairsExpert AlkinKaz’23 President, TurkishStudent Association

February23,2023

12 : 15pm-1 : 30pm

DOUGLAS BLAIR Patton Avenue

Books

Room open at 10:45 a.m. for coffee and pastries. Participants enter through the doors on Hinds Plaza. The talk will begin at 11 a.m. This event will also be offered virtually through the library’s YouTube channel. For further information, visit princetonlibrary.libnet.info/ event.

According to Dani Shapiro in the New York Times, “Tate’s hard-won willingness to become loving and to be loved ultimately shapes a story that has a lot of heart — one that goes straight to the messy center of what it means to interrogate our own limitations and deepest desires, wherever that journey may take us.”

Tate has been published in The New York Times (Modern Love), The Rumpus, The Washington Post, and the Chicago Tribune.

Mody Discusses His Book

“India is Broken” Feb. 28

Author Christie Tate Featured at Princeton Public Library Book Brunch

New York Times bestselling author Christie Tate will discuss her new book, B.F.F: A Memoir of Friendship Lost and Found (Avid Reader Press) during a Book Brunch event on Sunday, February 26, at Princeton Public Library. The Chicago-

based writer will be joined in conversation by Megan McCafferty, author of novels for young and young-atheart readers including the New York Times bestselling Jessica Darling series. A book signing will follow. Doors to the Community

Author and economic historian Ashoka Mody discusses his recently published book India is Broken: A People Betrayed, Independence to Today (Stanford University Press) on Tuesday, February 28, at 7 p.m. in the Community Room at the Princeton Public Library. Nobel Laureate in Economics Angus Deaton calls India is Broken a “compellingly readable history of Indian politics and economics since independence. This is a magisterial account of how any democracy, even the world’s largest, can be destroyed from within. Based on immense scholarship, it also uses great storytelling.”

Mody is the Charles and

Marie Robertson Visiting Professor in International Economic Policy and Lecturer in Public and International Affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University. Formerly, he worked at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. He is the author of EuroTragedy: A Drama in Nine Acts (2018), and his writing appears often in outlets such as Financial Times , Project Syndicate, and Bloomberg View.

“Impermanent Blackness”

Discussed at Library Feb. 22

Korey Garibaldi discusses his recently published book Impermanent Blackness: The Making and Unmaking of Interracial Literary Culture in Modern America (Princeton University Press) with PU faculty member Kinohi Nishikawa from 7 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, February 22. The event will take place in the Community Room and is being livestreamed on YouTube. For further information, visit princetonlibrary.libnet.info/ event.

According to Publishers Weekly, “Garibaldi’s conclusions regarding the ‘challenges and opportunities that underpin commitments to building an inclusive American society’ are timely and penetrating. This is a vital look at a transformative era in American literature.”

Garibaldi studies the social and intellectual history of the United States and Europe (18th-20th centuries), with particular interests ranging from the Victorian novelist Henry James to Russia’s national poet, Aleksandr Pushkin. His courses focus on histories of citizenship, imperialism, cultural and economic thought, and the African diaspora.

Nishikawa specializes in 20th- and 21st-century African American literature, book history, and popular culture. At Princeton he teaches undergraduate courses on African American humor and African American literary history and graduate seminars on Black archive studies and Black aesthetic theory.

At Last!

BOOK REVIEW

In the Month of Love and Black History —

Why end the last column in February with Carson McCullers, who had the audacity to call her first novel, written when she had barely come of age, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter ? True, last Sunday was her 116th birthday. But consider the subjects usually associated with this month — Valentine’s Day; Black History Month; the birth of James Joyce, whose Leopold Bloom “mutely craves to adore”; the death of John Keats, who “always made an awkward bow.” What about the presidents? McCullers’s magnificent title would surely have had resonance for Lincoln, who once said of Anne Rutledge, “My heart is buried in the grave with that dear girl.” And for Washington, born on this date in 1732? According to the Library of Congress (“Presidents as Poets”), of the two love poems he wrote in his teens, one begins, “Oh Ye Gods why should my Poor Resistless Heart / Stand to oppose thy might and Power” and ends “That in an enraptured Dream I may / In a soft lulling sleep and gentle repose / Possess those joys denied by Day.”

“White and Black Humanity”

After making Black history with the publication of his novel Native Son (1940), Richard Wright reviewed The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter in the August 5, 1940 New Republic. It’s a stunning notice wherein he celebrates “the astonishing humanity that enables a white writer, for the first time in Southern fiction, to handle Negro characters with as much ease and justice as those of her own race. This cannot be accounted for stylistically or politically; it seems to stem from an attitude toward life which enables Miss McCullers to rise above the pressures of her environment and embrace white and black humanity in one sweep of apprehension and tenderness.”

Should Wright’s reference to “the first time in Southern fiction” bring to mind characters like Dilsey in William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury (1929), Wright mentions a “quality of despair” in McCullers that he finds “more natural and authentic” than the same quality in Faulkner. He also credits her for creating characters who “live in a world more completely lost than any Sherwood Anderson ever dreamed of.” As for Ernest Hemingway, Wright praises McCullers for describing “incidents of death and attitudes of stoicism in sentences whose neutrality makes Hemingway’s terse prose seem warm and partisan by comparison.”

Wright’s eloquent appreciation, with its reference to “the violent colors of the life” depicted with “a sheen of weird tenderness,” looms above the general

acclaim that greeted The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter. As if he understood the potential for misreading and mischaracterizing an unknown young author’s first work, Wright closes with an advisory: “Whether you will want to read the book depends upon the extent to which you value the experience of discovering the stale and familiar terms of everyday life bathed in a rich and strange meaning, devoid of pettiness and sentimentality.”

The First Chapter

Although the novel was a success, what attracted the most attention, as Wright seemed to anticipate, was the freak show aspect of the deaf mutes, along with the author’s youth and gender. One of the most accomplished first chapters in American literature begins, “In the town there were two mutes and they were always together.”

As a teenager waking up to literature, I glanced at my mother’s paperback copy of The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter but didn’t get beyond the opening pages. I doubt that I would have cared when one of the mutes had to be committed to an asylum 200 miles away, leaving his friend bereft, walking alone for hours in the street: “Sometimes the nights were cold with the sharp wet winds of March and it would be raining heavily. But to him this did not matter. His gait was agitated and he always kept his hands stuffed tight into the pockets of his trousers.” As the days grew warmer, his agitation “gave way gradually to exhaustion and there was a look about him of deep calm. In his face there came to be a brooding peace that is seen most often in the faces of the very sorrowful or the very wise. But still he wandered through the streets of the town, always silent and alone.”

The book’s closing chapter begins at night. “All was serene” as the owner of the New York café, which never closes, walked through the town, “the peaceful silence of the night settled in him. These were the hours for rest and meditation.” Sentences like the ones I’ve quoted occur all through the book, true to Wright’s assertion that it was “not so much a novel as a projected mood.”

The mood that was beyond me at 17 moves me now. Two other paperback

Heart Is a Lonely Hunter”

books my mother was reading at the time were also in plain sight: McCullers’s short novel The Member of the Wedding and Ethel Waters’s autobiography, His Eye Is On the Sparrow. The play starring Waters and Julie Harris had been made into a film I hadn’t seen, but I had a crush on Julie Harris, James Dean’s girlfriend in the film East of Eden. She was my ideal, Dean was my idol. That’s what it took to move me at 17.

The Film

In the summer of 1968, less than a year after McCullers died at 50, the film adaptation of The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter was released. Since the movie was available for streaming on Amazon Prime, my wife and I watched it; she gave up after two scenes, but true to our marriage vows, she kept me company, “for better or for worse.”

What saves the film from shaming a great novel is Alan Arkin’s Oscar-nominated performance as John Singer. Arkin sensitively and generously embodies the quality that made the other characters seek out the company of a well-dressed, eloquently empathetic deaf mute. It’s the power of his presence that helps the owner of the café that never closes feel “the peaceful silence of the night” and gives soul-saving solace to the drunken, unstrung, highly intelligent radical played by Stacy Keach, whose political spirit Hollywood cravenly eviscerated.

In spite of a strong performance by Percy Rodriguez, the deeply embittered, terminally ill African American physician whose characterization so impressed Richard Wright is deprived of the scene that fuels his rage and inspires him to think of leading a thousand Blacks on a march to Washington. Played by Cicely Tyson, his headstrong daughter, a character of depth in the novel, is no less problematic in spite of Tyson’s passionate performance. Finally, there’s Mick, the 14-year-old tomboy, played with great enthusiasm by Sondra Locke, who was actually 23 at the time. The relationship between the girl and John Singer is the one on which the filmmakers hang the “heart” of the story. Although several touching scenes bring their relationship to life, particularly the one in which she performs a joyous pantomime in an effort to make Singer “hear” Mozart’s

Jupiter symphony, the film closes, sadly but predictably, with a heavily sentimentalized graveyard sequence. Again, what made the picture worth sitting through was the warmth and silent understanding projected by Alan Arkin, speaking to each individual eye to eye, receiving and absorbing with nods and gestures their wishful feelings, questions, hopes, fears, and most intimate thoughts.

Beware Wikipedia

Wikipedia usually proves to be an invaluable resource, with occasional, inevitable exceptions. However, the page devoted to this extraordinary novel is almost completely centered on a scholarly essay entitled, “The Ironic Parable of Fascism in The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter.” Two other essays under the heading “Reception” are taken from obscure journals like the one declaring that the presence of “so many mutes” in the storyline “strains the bounds of credulity.” There’s no mention of the Richard Wright review or the June 16, 1940 New York Times rave by Rose Feld (“A Remarkable First Novel of Lonely Lives”). Only after reading these wholly misleading and borderline absurd notices are we told, almost in passing, that the novel is ranked 17th on Modern Library’s list of the 100 Best English Language Novels of the 20th century and that TIME includes it among the “100 Best Englishlanguage Novels from 1923 to 2005.”

Thanks to Labyrinth

If not for a notice in the Art section of the February 8 issue of Town Topics about Labyrinth’s exhibit of “Paintings by artist Cliff Tisdell honoring Southern writer Carson McCullers,” I might have missed this unmissable novel. The exhibit will be on view through February 28. Thankfully, there’s no closing date for The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter

It’s also thanks to Labyrinth that I found the Modern Library edition, shown on this page. What more can you ask from a bookstore? Not only did Labyrinth alert me to a once in a lifetime reading experience , it had in stock a lovely reading copy, published in 1993, making this is a 30th anniversary of sorts. The darkly luminous photograph of McCullers has been a mute, companionable presence, like her creation John Singer, during the writing of this piece. I’ve tried without success to identify the photographer and the date, information usually provided by the publisher. My guess is the photo was taken around the time of publication, in summer 1940.

—Stuart Mitchner

“The

Topics

Performing Arts

average of more than 22 million monthly streams and millions of CDs and DVDs sold, her songs have become classics for children worldwide. Her debut DVD, which went quadruple platinum, was the first-ever indie children’s music DVD to enter Billboard’s Top Music Video chart at number one. She has released 15 best-selling albums including the recently released Another Laurie Berkner Christmas first recording artist ever to perform in music videos on Nick Jr., and has authored a number of picture books based on her songs.

Pre-sale tickets for loyal festival patrons and the event’s social media followers are now available with tickets for the general public going on sale now at balloonfestival.com. Ticket packages include a limited number of VIP meet-andgreet opportunities.

“ADELE

Laurie Berkner Concert

To Open Balloon Festival

Best-selling children’s recording artist Laurie Berkner , a native of Princeton, will headline this year’s children’s concert at the 40th annual New Jersey Lottery Festival of

Ballooning. The three-day festival at Solberg Airport in Readington begins July 28.

Berkner will perform that day at 1:30 p.m.

Berkner delivered the Festival’s first-ever kids’ concert in 2017 and has become a Festival staple. With an

“I am so honored to have been asked to perform at the New Jersey Lottery Festival of Ballooning this year as part of the 40th Anniversary Celebration,” said Berkner. “It is always such an amazing event and I’m sure this year is going to be particularly fantastic as we all celebrate this impressive milestone together.”

The festival, held from July 28-30, features the spectacle of up to 100 balloons taking flight twice each day, along with affordable family entertainment including concerts, fireworks, children’s amusement rides, and family entertainment in a safe, outdoor environment spread across Solberg Airport’s 744 acres.

local

SEVEN DECISIONS OF GANDHI WORLD PREMIERE

SAMEER PATEL, conductor WILLIAM HARVEY, composer and violinist Saturday March 11 8pm Sunday March 12 4pm Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University Campus

Alexander BORODIN / Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor

William HARVEY / Seven Decisions of Gandhi – WORLD PREMIERE

Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY / Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74 “Pathétique”

TICKETS princetonsymphony.org or 609/497-0020

WILLIAM HARVEY SAMEER PATEL

OF THE PRESCHOOL CROWD”: That’s what Princeton native Laurie Berkner, who will perform at the annual New Jersey Lottery Festival of Ballooning, has been called. Opening day is July 28.

that a violin concerto about his life could be based on decisions that made him the international nonviolence icon he is today,” he said. “When I met his granddaughter in Durban, South Africa, in 2017, I ran this idea by her, and she gave the project her blessing. During the pandemic, I finished the concerto just in time to dedicate it to her for her 80th birthday on July 1, 2020. The concerto will hopefully inspire us all to make decisions as well as Gandhi did, and to choose nonviolence and principled thought in all aspects of our lives.”

CELEBRATING BLACK COMPOSERS:

Newly Commissioned Songs

By

Black Composers, Writers

Tenor Lawrence Brownlee

returns to Princeton University Concerts (PUC) to premiere a new program, “Rising,” on Wednesday, March 8, at 7:30 p.m. at Richardson Auditorium.

Alongside pianist Kevin J. Miller, Brownlee will perform newly commissioned songs by Black composers, including Jasmine Barnes, Margaret Bonds, Shawn Okpebholo, and Damien Sneed, which utilize texts drawn from Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, Georgia Douglas Johnson, James Weldon Johnson, and other great Black writers of the Harlem Renaissance.

“These past years have been a trial, both for humanity as a whole, and the African American population here in the United States,” said Brownlee, “but, through all these many challenges we have faced, I have also seen moments of strength, inspiration, hope, and great beauty. It is those themes of uplift, elevation, and rebirth that we have tried to focus on with this new project ‘Rising,’ taking poems from the giants of the Harlem Renaissance, and working with some of today’s

“When Lawrence Brownlee made his PUC debut in 2018, he focused part of his program on traditional spirituals,” said PUC Director Marna Seltzer. “It is exciting to have him return to Princeton with a new project that focuses entirely on celebrating Black artists from the Harlem Renaissance through a contemporary lens. Creating space for music to speak to our history — past, present, and future — is at the heart of PUC’s mission, and I am grateful to Larry for using his glorious voice in support of this goal.”

As part of his time at Princeton, Brownlee will also visit Trenton Public Schools with Trenton Arts at Princeton to work with middle school music students as part of PUC’s Neighborhood Music Project. He will perform for and rehearse with students, as well as facilitate discussions around music.

Tickets for the concert are $10-$40, and are available at puc.princeton.edu or by calling (609) 258-9220.

Composer is Violin Soloist At Orchestra Performances

Tenor Lawrence Brownlee, left, and pianist Kevin J. Miller perform at Princeton University’s Richardson Auditorium on March 8. most talented African American composers, to create something that speaks not just to our struggles, but to our triumphs.”

On Saturday, March 11 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 12 at 4 p.m., the Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) presents the world premiere of composer William Harvey ’s Seven Decisions of Gandhi. Written for violin and orchestra, the work was dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi’s granddaughter Ela on the occasion of her 80th birthday.

The composer is soloist, accompanied by Dibyarka Chatterjee on tabla. The program also includes Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74 “Pathétique.” Guest conductor Sameer Patel is on the podium for both concerts at Richardson Auditorium, on the campus of Princeton University.

An admirer of Gandhi, Harvey was intrigued by the fact that Gandhi was once a violinist like himself, and this sparked an idea for composing a piece about the peaceful revolutionary. “Had Gandhi decided to stick with the violin, world history might be very different. This gave me the idea

Violinist, composer, and conductor Harvey has forged a unique international career that has taken him from Carnegie Hall to the jungles of Papua New Guinea to the streets of Kabul. From 2010 to 2014, he conducted the orchestra at Afghanistan National Institute of Music on Afghan national television, for President Karzai, and on tour to sold-out audiences at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. He has performed as soloist with orchestras in the U.S., Mexico, Argentina, and the Philippines, and served as concertmaster of orchestras in the U.S., Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, and South Africa. His recording of the Violin Concerto by Hector Infanzón was nominated in both classical music categories at the 2021 Latin Grammys. His compositions have been performed at music festivals in Mexico City and San Juan, Argentina.

Patel, who is the artistic director of the San Diego Youth Symphony, will debut this season with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the PSO, and will make return appearances with the Florida Orchestra and La Jolla Symphony and Chorus. He also served for six seasons as associate conductor of the Sun Valley Music Festival and recently concluded a tenure as associate conductor of the San Diego Symphony. Recent performances include Puccini’s Tosca with Houston’s

Opera in the Heights, as well as concerts with the orchestras of Toronto, St. Louis, Detroit, New Jersey, Sarasota, Phoenix, Grand Rapids, Sacramento, Naples, and Jacksonville.

Prior to the Seven Decisions of Gandhi concert weekend, Harvey will give a violin masterclass at Wolfensohn Hall, on the campus of the Institute for Advanced Study on Wednesday, March 8 at 7 p.m. Student performers will be selected by a panel of PSO musicians and have the opportunity to perform with an accompanist and receive insight and instruction from the composer and musician. Observation of the masterclass is

free and open to the public with ticketed registration.

On Thursday, March 9 at 7 p.m., Harvey will give a lecture at Princeton Public Library introducing traditional instruments of the Indian Subcontinent. Joined by tabla musician Dibyarka Chatterjee, the two will discuss the history of the tabla, the traditional music of India, and Harvey’s Seven Decisions of Gandhi . Admission is free.

Tickets for the March 11 and 12 performances at Richardson Auditorium start at $30; those 5-17 receive a 50 percent discount with an adult purchase. Visit princetonsymphony.org.

Lawrence Brownlee Tenor Kevin J. Miller Piano

Friday, February 24, 2023

8:00pm

Princeton University Chapel

University Organist Eric Plutz will explore the musical form of Theme and Variations, from early music to modern, simple to complex, and from a wide variety of composers. All are warmly invited to hear the Various Venerable Variations.

Questions: eplutz@princeton.edu

SOLOIST IN A WORLD PREMIERE: Violinist William Harvey performs with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra in his “Seven Decisions of Gandhi,” at Richardson Auditorium March 11 and 12. (Photo by Isai Pacheco)

Town Topics

June

Rising

Theater

Rising

Develop

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Gym time and gym games, STEAM activities, Arts & Crafts, Outside Time (weather permitting)

Full day camps: 9am-4pm

Gym time and gym games, STEAM activities, Arts & Crafts, Outside Time (weather permitting)

Full day camps: 9am-4pm

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Half day camps: 9am-1:30pm PM half day camp (Summer only): 12pm-4pm

Half day camps: 9am-1:30pm PM half day camp (Summer only): 1pm-4pm (Age 3+ *must be potty trained) Signed up online or at Eventbrite: Summer Camp: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/252260647387

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“Winter’s Hearth” Exhibit

At Ficus Above Gallery

“Winter’s Hearth,” featuring works by Nancy Lloyd, Annelies van Dommelen, and Anabel Bouza, is on view at Ficus Above Restaurant & Gallery, 235 Nassau Street, through March 26. A reception is on Sunday, February 26 from 3 to 5 p.m. with small bites, refreshments, and music.

Lloyd has been painting with oils since 1993 and enjoys all types of subject matter. She also works in encaustics, collagraphs, monoprints, and collages. Lloyd works with oils and translucent mediums to create landscapes and abstract paintings. Her own art studio in Bucks County, Pa., is nestled in the rolling hills of a tranquil setting with nature paths and tall grasses which lend to the gentle, soft nature of her style. You can almost hear the wind as her brushstrokes and trees bend and sway with each intentional brushstroke.

She has received numerous awards, notably the Stamford Pulmonary Associates Award for the oil painting “A Quiet Moment” at

the 55th Annual Art of the Northeast USA held by the Silvermine Guild Galleries of New Canaan, Conn., and the New Vision Award of Miniature Prints in Hong Kong for the monoprint “Turtle and Fish” at the Hong Kong Visual Arts Festival. Her work can be found in collections worldwide.

Layers, details, and various media comprise each and every art masterpiece created by Annelies van Dommelen. There’s so much dimension, texture, and design in each scene to focus on, and yet there is beauty in the continuity throughout each piece. Van Dommelen is an artist that uses a variety of mediums and techniques. At Ficus Above Restaurant & Gallery, her monoprints demonstrate a surreal quality with a fantasy-like mood and mythology, depicting heroism as well as isolation.

She has studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia and privately under the tutelage of specific artists, and also in specialty situations such as the Center for Book Arts and New York Academy

of Art Graduate School of Figurative Art, both in NYC, Vermont Studio Center, and Penland. She has received two fellowship grants and the Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Grant, and her work has been awarded in many juried, invitational, national, and international shows. Her artwork hangs in private residences as well as corporate offices.

Bouza, a paper artist and illustrator with a background in design, plays with nostalgia, fantasy, and nature to create three-dimensional, finely cut, layered paper art designs which can make viewers jump with each movement, remind them of their favorite Grimm fairytale and take them into a modern-day fantasy world. Since moving to the United States from Cuba in 2006, Bouza has shown her work in solo and group shows in Savannah, Chicago, Philadelphia, and more recently around New Jersey.

Bouza says, “A lifelong source of inspiration is the mood and atmosphere of Soviet-era animation and stop-motion, which permeated my Havana childhood.

Nighttime, the filigree of roots, and the interplay between branches and their shadow find their way regularly into my scenes.”

Student artist Emily Bechtel is showing her art in the Ficus Café downstairs. Bechtel is a West Windsor-Plainsboro South alumna. She has studied acrylic and watercolor art, and abstract art is her personal favorite. She is currently studying business management and in her spare time continues to learn and practice techniques both in painting and drawing. For more information, visit ficusbv.com.

Call for Art: Old Barracks Gallery Show

The Old Barracks Museum is celebrating Trenton artists and Trenton art in a monthlong gallery show hosted in the historic 18th century building. The museum will showcase both the art and artists of Trenton with works that best exemplify Trenton in both modern and historical context. The show will hang during upcoming

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events to allow the public to experience these works throughout the month.

The exhibit will run from April 7 to May 14. Deadline for art submissions is March 17.

Submission criteria: All artists must reside in Trenton and/or works must depict Trenton in either a modern or a historical context; all art must be wired to be hung by existing railing system in gallery spaces; works

Princeton’s First Tradition

must be two-dimensional (no three-dimensional work will be accepted); only individual artists (not collaborative projects) may apply. Visit barracks.org/arts-atthe-old-barracks for more details.

The “Trenton Makes” gallery show is part of a fundraising campaign to support the museum and its programming.

Worship Service

Sundays at 11am

Preaching Sunday, February 26, 2023, at 11am is Rev. Alison L. Boden, Ph.D. , Dean of Religious Life and of the Chapel. Music performed by the Princeton University Chapel Choir with Nicole Aldrich, Director of Chapel Music and of the University Chapel Choir, and with Eric Plutz, University Organist.

“FLAME”: This clayboard, acrylic, and cold wax work by Annelies van Dommelen is featured in “Winter’s Hearth,” a group exhibition on view through March 26 at Ficus Above, 235 Nassau Street. A reception is on Sunday, February 26 from 3-5 p.m.

“WINTER LIGHT”: This oil on paper work by Nancy Lloyd is part of “Winter’s Hearth,” on view through March 26 at Ficus Above, 235 Nassau Street. The exhibition also includes works by Annelies van Dommelen and Anabel Bouza. Student artist Emily Bechtel is showing her art in the Ficus Café downstairs.

ART AT OLD BARRACKS: The Old Barracks Museum in Trenton will host a month-long gallery show showcasing works that best exemplify Trenton in both modern and historical context. The deadline for art submissions is March 17.

Show at Plainsboro Library

A group show by the “Visual Artists of Princeton Manor” will open at the Plainsboro Public Library on March 1. Scheduled to run through April 1, the exhibition will feature 26 diverse works by serious amateur artists, all of whom are residents of Princeton Manor, an active adult community in Kendall Park.

The artists’ group, which numbers 25, used to hold regular shows at the Manor before the pandemic, according to Co-Chair Sadi Misrahi. During the pandemic it held “art crawls,” during which participating artists displayed their work outside their homes. There have been no group shows outside the Manor, although some members have shown their work individually. “We are very excited to be exhibiting together for the first time outside the community,” said Misrahi.

Exhibiting artists each chose two of their works for inclusion in the library show. Their choices ran the gamut from oil painting to Chinese water colors on rice paper. Co-chair Carol Mastroianni, the only mosaicist

On Saturday, March 4, visitors will have an opportunity to meet the artists at a special library event.

Plainsboro Public Library is located at 9 Van Doren Street, Plainsboro. For more information, call (609) 2752897.

Cranbury School Honors

National Youth Art Month

National Youth Art Month is celebrated each March.

Cranbury School will be celebrating youth art at the Gourgaud Gallery in Cranbury with an exhibition on view March 4 to March 29. An opening reception is on March 4 from 1 to 3 p.m.

Stacey Crannage, art teacher at the Cranbury School, has chosen art pieces from students in kindergarten through eighth grade to be showcased. Criteria for the displayed pieces to be included were technique, originality, and the student’s personality shining through. Student artwork will include paintings, drawings, and clay sculptures, among others.

Gourgaud Gallery is located

in Town Hall, 23A North Main Street, Cranbury, and is free and open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“MARNI’S EYES”: This mosaic by Carol Mastroianni is part of “Visual Artists of Princeton Manor,” on view at the Plainsboro Public Library March 1 through April 1. The exhibition features 26 works by amateur artists who are residents of Princeton Manor in Kendall Park. in the group, submitted two of her pieces. About 50 percent of the exhibition is devoted to art photography, while the remainder showcases various paint media, said Misrahi.

For more information, visit cranburyartscouncil.org.

Area Exhibits

Artists’ Gallery, 18 Bridge Street, Lambertville, has “Metamorphosis” through March 31. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. lambertvillearts.com.

Art on Hulfish, 11 Hulfish Street, has “You Belong Here: Place, People, and Purpose in Latinx Photography” through May 7. artmuseum.princeton.edu.

Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, has “Where Color Meets Memory” through March 11 and “Train of Thoughts” through April 15. artscouncilofprinceton. org.

D&R Greenway Land Trust Johnson Education Center, 1 Preservation Place, has “Land, Light, Spirit” through March 10 in the Marie L. Matthews Gallery. drgreenway.org.

Dupree Gallery, 10 North Union Street, Lambertville, has “Our Hisstory Month” through February 28. dupreegallery@ gmail.com.

Ellarslie, Trenton’s City Museum in Cadwalader Park, Parkside Avenue, has “Curated by Trenton” through February. ellarslie.

org.

Ficus Above, 235 Nassau Street, has “Winter’s Hearth” through March 26. A reception is on Sunday, February 26 from 3 to 5 p.m. ficusbv.com.

Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography, 14 Mercer Street, Hopewell, has “New Year, New Art Members Exhibition” through March 5. gallery14.org.

Gourgaud Gallery, 23AA North Main Street, Cranbury, has “Princeton High School Emerging Artists Showcase 2023” through February 26. cranburyartscouncil.org.

Grounds For Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, has “Nightforms: Infinite Wave” by

Klip Collective through April 2, among other exhibits. Timed tickets required. groundsforsculpture.org.

Historical Society of Princeton, Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road, has “Einstein Salon and Innovator’s Gallery,” “Princeton’s Portrait,” and other exhibits. Museum hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 12 to 4 p.m., Thursday to 7 p.m. princetonhistory.org

Michener Art Museum, 138 South Pine Street, Doylestown, Pa., has “(re)

Frame: Community Perspectives on the Michener Art Collection” through March 5, and “Walé Oyéjidé: Flight of the Dreamer” through April 23. michenerartmuseum.org

Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, has “Ma Bell: The Mother of Invention in New Jersey” through March 5 and the online exhibits “Slavery at Morven,” “Portrait of Place: Paintings, Drawings, and Prints of New Jersey, 1761–1898,” and others. morven.org.

The Nassau Club, 6 Mercer Street, has “Christine Seo: Princeton Solo Show” through June 4. An opening reception is on March 5 from 3 to 5 p.m. christineseo.com.

Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, has “Manifesting Love: Prints and Poetry” and “In Between Doodles” through March 25. princetonlibrary.org.

Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street, has screen prints by Ilanit Dotan Fuchs through March 7. “Eoin McInerney” is at the 254 Nassau Street location through March 7. smallworldcoffee.com.

West Windsor Arts Center, 952 Alexander Road, West Windsor, has “Manifesting Beloved Community” through March 4. westwindsorarts.org.

Tell them you saw their ad in

Spiritual Warrior

Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Bhakti Tirtha Swami (John E. Favors ‘72)

Spiritual Warrior

Friday, February 24, 2023

Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Bhakti Tirtha Swami (John E. Favors ‘72)

6pm – 8pm

Carl A. Fields Center Multipurpose Room

Spiritual Warrior

Spiritual Warrior

Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Bhakti Tirtha Swami (John E. Favors ‘72)

John E. Favors ‘72 was an early Black student leader and cofounder of the Third World Center (which was later renamed the Carl A. Fields Center). He went on to become one of the world’s first African American Hindu gurus, ordained as His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Swami. An acclaimed spiritual teacher, author, and community organizer, he passed away from cancer in 2005.

Join us in celebrating the life and legacy of this remarkable alum with a dinner and panel discussion, featuring his classmates, friends, and students. All are welcome, but spaces are limited. Registration is required at btswami.princeton.edu

Friday, February 24, 2023 6pm – 8pm Carl A. Fields Center Multipurpose Room

Friday, February 24, 2023

6pm – 8pm

Center Multipurpose Room

Carl A. Fields Center Multipurpose Room

Spiritual

Celebrating the Bhakti Tirtha

John E. Favors ‘72 was an early Black student leader and cofounder of the Third World Center (which was later renamed the Carl A. Fields Center). He went on to become one of the world’s first African American Hindu gurus, ordained as His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Swami. An acclaimed spiritual teacher, author, and community organizer, he passed away from cancer in 2005.

John E. Favors ‘72 was an early Black student leader and cofounder of the Third World Center (which was later renamed the Carl A. Fields Center). He went on to become one of the world’s first African American Hindu gurus, ordained as His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Swami. An acclaimed spiritual teacher, author, and community organizer, he passed away from cancer in 2005.

John E. Favors ‘72 was an early Black student leader and cofounder of the Third World Center (which was later renamed the Carl A. Fields Center). He went on to become one of the world’s first African American Hindu gurus, ordained as His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Swami. An acclaimed spiritual teacher, author, and community organizer, he passed away from cancer in 2005. Join us in celebrating the life and legacy of this remarkable alum with a dinner and panel discussion, featuring his classmates, friends, and students. All are welcome, but spaces are limited. Registration is required at btswami.princeton.edu

Join us in celebrating the life and legacy of this remarkable alum with a dinner and panel discussion, featuring his classmates, friends, and students. All are welcome, but spaces are limited.

Registration is required at btswami.princeton.edu

Join us in celebrating the life and legacy of this remarkable alum with a dinner and panel discussion, featuring his classmates, friends, and students. All are welcome, but spaces are limited. Registration is required at btswami.princeton.edu

“Visual Artists” Group

YOUTH ART AT GOURGAUD GALLERY: This work by Cranbury School student Isabella Brescia will be featured in a youth art exhibition on view March 4 to March 29 at Gourgaud Gallery in Cranbury. An opening reception is on March 4 from 1 to 3 p.m.

Mark Your Calendar Town Topics

Wednesday, February 22

7 p.m.: Virtual information session on Princeton’s 2023 environmental resource inventory, held by Princeton Environmental Commission. The public can ask questions and provide feedback. Princetonnj.gov.

7 p.m.: Talk based on Azzan Yadin-Israel’s book Temptation Transformed: How the Forbidden Fruit Became an Apple . At Douglass Student Center, 100 George Street, New Brunswick. Free. BildnerCenter. Rutgers.edu.

7 p.m.: Korey Garibaldi discusses his book Impermanent Blackness : The Making and Unmaking of Interracial Literary Culture in Modern America with Princeton University associate professor Kinohi Nishikawa. Live at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, and livestreamed on YouTube. Princetonlibrary.org.

7 p.m.: “East Windsor’s African American West Airport Road Community,” virtual talk by Charles (Cappy) Stults, president of the Hightstown-East Windsor Historical Society, on plans to erect interpretive signs along the road where African Americans first lived, built churches, and established businesses. Email hopeprogs@mcl.org to register.

7:30 p.m .: Screening of 32 short films by Princeton University students from courses taught by Moon Molson, Bent-Jorgen Perlmutt, and Tim Szetela. Free. At James Stewart Film Theater, 185 Nassau Street. Arts.princeton.edu.

8-10:30 p.m.: Princeton Country Dancers presents a contra dance at Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive. $15 (free for 35 and under). Sue Gola with Princeton Pickup Band led by Janet Mills. Princetoncountrydancers.org.

Thursday, February 23

10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Princeton Farmers Market at the Dinky train station lot. Local farms, baked goods, artisan foods, gifts, and more. Free parking.

3 p.m .: Concordia Chamber Players perform “Cello2Cello” at Trinity Church, 6587 Upper York Road, Solebury, Pa. Concordiaplayers.org.

3-5 p.m.: The film Judas and the Black Messiah is screened in room CM 108 on the campus of Mercer County Community College in West Windsor, followed by a chat. Mccc.edu.

5:30-8:30 p.m.: Princeton Mercer Chamber presents Pitch Stop V, Innovators and Entrepreneurs, at Grounds For Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton Township. Judges are Sean O’Sullivan of SOSV, Gia Fruscione of Princeton Alumni Angels, and Grace Hahn of Edison Partners. Princetonmercer.org.

6 p.m.: Cartoonist and author Patrick McDonnell talks about his book with the Dalai Lama, Heart to Heart: A Conversation on Love and Hope for Our Precious Planet , at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

7 p.m.: The Princeton Com munity Democratic Organiza tion (PCDO) will hold its annual candidate forum and endorse ment meeting in person. The meeting is open to all mem bers of the PCDO who have joined on or prior to February 9. More information is available at princetondems.org.

7:30 p.m.: Screening of 32 short films by Princeton Uni versity students from courses taught by Moon Molson, BentJorgen Perlmutt, and Tim Sze tela. Free. At James Stewart Film Theater, 185 Nassau Street. Arts.princeton.edu.

8 p.m.: “Disorder,” im mersive theatrical instal lation presented by Lewis Center for the Arts Program in Theater at the Wallace Theater, Lewis Arts com plex, Princeton University. Free; advance registration required. Arts.princeton.edu.

Friday, February 24

12-1 p.m.: Vigil for a Diplo matic Surge to Prevent Endless and Nuclear War in Ukraine, at Palmer Square by the Coalition for Peace Ac tion. RSVP by emailing jnew@ peacecoalition.org.

4:30 p.m.: Screening of documentary discussion with director Alison Millar, presented by Princeton University’s Fund for Irish Studies at James Stewart Film Theater, 185 Nassau Street. Free. Arts. princeton.edu.

6-7 p.m.: “365 Days of War,” an evening of student stories and music to commemorate one year of war in Ukraine, at Princeton University Chapel. Free and open to the public.

6:30 p.m.: Trenton Film Society shows Oscar-nominated short films in documentary, live-action, and animation categories at Mill Hill Playhouse, 205 East Front Street, Trenton. Trentonfilmsociety.org.

7:30 p.m.: Lost Girl by Kimberly Belflower is presented by the Lewis Center for the Arts Program in Theater at Drapkin Studio, Lewis Arts complex, Princeton University. Free. Arts.princeton.edu.

8 and 9 p.m.: “Disorder,” immersive theatrical installation presented by Lewis Center for the Arts Program in Theater at the Wallace Theater, Lewis Arts complex, Princeton University. Free; advance registration required. Arts.princeton.edu.

Saturday, February 25

10 a.m.: Read and Explore: Fur, Feathers, Fluff: Keeping Warm in Winter. At Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Children will read two stories and make a paper bag animal to take home. $12 includes activity. Registration required. Terhuneorchards.com.

10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Barracks Museum, 101 Bar racks Street, Trenton, hosts “Four Centuries of African American Soldiers.” Authen tic military artifacts, reenac tors, and military veterans sharing their stories. Free. Barracks.org.

12-5 p.m.: Winery Week end Music Series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Wine, s’mores, hot cocoa kits, light bites, and music from 1-4 p.m. Terhuneorchards.com.

1, 3:30 and 6 p.m.: Trenton Film Society shows Oscar-nominated short films in documentary, live-action, and animation categories at Mill Hill Playhouse, 205 East Front Street, Trenton. Trentonfilmsociety.org.

2 p.m.: Chinese Flower Festival at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Performance of a dragon dance, hands-on activities including calligraphy and other Chinese arts. Princetonlibrary.org.

2-3:30 p.m.: Winter walk in the Mapleton Preserve, focused on trees. Meet at Mapleton Preserve headquarters, 145 Mapleton Road, Kingston. Pre-registration required. Fpnl.org.

2 and 7:30 p.m.: Lost Girl by Kimberly Belflower is presented by the Lewis Center for the Arts Program in Theater at Drapkin Studio, Lewis Arts complex, Princeton University. Free. Arts.princeton.edu.

6 p.m.: The Princeton Singers present “De Profundis,” music for men’s voices from the Renaissance through today, at Trinity Church, 33 Mercer Street. $20-$25. Princetonsingers.org.

8 and 9 p.m.: “Disorder,” immersive theatrical installation presented by Lewis Center for the Arts Program in Theater at the Wallace Theater, Lewis Arts complex, Princeton University. Free; advance registration required. Arts.princeton.edu.

Sunday, February 26

10:45 a.m.: Book Brunch featuring Christie Tate discussing her memoir B.F.F with author Megan McCafferty at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

12-3 p.m.: Frost Fest at Palmer Square. Live ice carvings, caricature drawings, winter activities, DJ and igloo photo booth and more. palmersquare.com.

12-5 p.m.: Winery Weekend Music Series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Wine, s’mores, hot cocoa kits, light bites, and music from 1-4 p.m. Terhuneorchards.com.

12-4 p.m.: The Old Barracks Museum, 101 Barracks Street, Trenton, hosts “Four Centuries of African American Soldiers.” Authentic military artifacts, reenactors, and military veterans sharing their stories. Free. Barracks.org.

.: Free carillon concert at Cleveland Tower on the Princeton University graduate campus; listen from outside the tower. University Carilloneur Lisa Lonie and guest artists per -

3 p.m.: Film and disHello Bookstore Screening of the documentary about the importance of local bookstores at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

3-6 p.m.: Oxtail Fest at Put’s Tavern, sponsored by the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum, at the Antique Barn at Cashel, Hillsborough. Ssaamuseum. org/tickets.

4 p.m.: A Lenten Evening of Community at All Saints’ Church, 16 All Saints’ Road. Assemble bagged lunches for Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, join in a soup supper, and hear a Choral Compline sung by the All Saints’ Parish Choir.

Monday, February 27

Recycling

6-8 p.m.: Princeton Public Schools “State of the District” report at Princeton High School. Refreshments, entertainment, and school tours. Tara Doaty, founder of Sage Wellness Group, is keynote speaker. Carol Kelley, superintendent, is

FEBRUARY-MARCH

presenter. Free and open to the public. RSVP at bit.ly/ PPSStateofthedistrict.

Tuesday, February 28

11 a.m.-1 p.m.: At the closing ceremony of Mercer County Community College’s Black History Month observances, teacher and activist

Zellie Thomas will speak in the Student Center’s cafeteria, on the West Windsor campus. Also available through Zoom. Mccc.edu.

12:30 p.m .: The Princeton Bar Association presents “Urban Planning in a Suburban Setting: What Should Princeton’s New Master Plan Say?” with author/journalist Richard K. Rein and attorney Christopher Tarr. At Jasna Polana, 4519 Province Line Road. $60 for members; $75 non-members. To register, email Amelia Taylor at princetonbarassociation.com or call (609) 951-9520.

7 p.m.: Author and economic historian Ashoka Mody discusses his book India is Broken: A People Betrayed, Independence to Today, at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

Thursday, March 2

10 a.m.: Meeting of the 55-Plus Club of Princeton, at the Jewish Center

Princeton, 435 Nassau Street. Also available via Zoom. Rutgers history professor Jennifer Mittelstadt speaks on “The Real Fight for Academic Freedom.” To join online, visit princetonol. com/groups/55plus.

4:30 p.m.: Book talk: Queer Career: Sexuality and Work in Modern America by Margot Canaday, professor of history, at A17 Julius Romo Rabinowitz building, Princeton University. Free. Sf.princeton.edu.

7 p.m.: Felon: An American Washi Tale , at the Berlind Theatre at McCarter Theatre Center, 91 University Place. Solo theater show by Reginald Dwayne Betts. $12-$17 (free for Princeton University students). Arts. princeton.edu.

8 p.m.: Virtual Game Night sponsored by the Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Mercer County, with teams of six-10. Jfcsonline. org/2023GameNight.

Friday, March 3

7 p.m.: Felon: An American Washi Tale , at the Berlind Theatre at McCarter Theatre Center, 91 University Place. Solo theater show by Reginald Dwayne Betts. $12-$17 (free for Princeton University students). Arts. princeton.edu.

Variety of YWCA Princeton Summer Activities Available

for Young Children Through Age 12

This year the Summer Program will begin June 20, continuing through August 25. Girls and boys from age 2 and a half through 12 are eligible to participate, and the variety of activities will appeal to children of all ages, points out Haley Gorda, YWCA Princeton communications and marketing manager.

Full and Half Day

To Us

YWCA Princeton has a proud history. For more than a century, it has provided programs and activities for women and families. Established in 1922, it was originally located on Nassau Street, moving to its current site at 59 Paul Robeson Place in 1958. Since the 1970s, the YWCA Princeton has offered summer programs for children, including both indoor and outdoor activities.

Tara O’Shea has been associated with the YW since 1996, and has served as head of the Summer Program since 2005, as well as overseeing The Burke Foundation Early Childhood Center at the YW, and the Youth Program.

“We offer full- and half-day programs Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. or 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” says Gorda. “Families are asked to provide bagged lunches for their children, and we also offer healthy snacks consisting of a fruit or veggie, a cracker/cookie, and a water/juice option. If your child has an allergy, and you want to provide him or her their own snack, that is permissible, and we will keep your child’s snacks separate and safe for the week. Friday is Fun Day, and we serve ice pops in the afternoon.”

The Summer Program offers a weekly enrollment plan, and families may register by the week or for longer periods, she adds. The programs are organized according to age and category and by offering them on a weekly basis, children can select those that especially interest them, Gorda points out.

Also, she notes, “Sometimes families will be away on vacation for part of the summer. This way they can sign up just for one week, depending on their plans. Unlike with other camps’ and programs’ policies, they are not locked in for the entire summer. Our programs are a good way to help families find what their children are especially interested in. Also, families do not have to be members of the YW to participate.

“Our Summer Program includes activities to thoughtfully engage key

areas of development, including social, emotional, physical, and cognitive,” she continues. “It promotes learning, and encourages social skills, sharing, and respect for others.

“We have an inclusive and diverse staff, which is very experienced. Our staff members, who are referred to as ‘teachers’ or ‘Summer Program staff,’ are American Red Cross-, First Aid-, and CPR/AED-certified, and we work with the New Jersey Office of Licensing to determine and maintain appropriate child-to-staff ratios based on age groups. Our site has the capacity to serve 150 children, and we also have some activities off-site.”

Themed Activities

The weekly programs offer themed activities geared to specific ages. For example, Gorda explains, “EXPRESS YOURSELF and Robotics Enrichment are two different summer programs that are for children between ages 4 and 8. There may be some occasional overlap

SUMMER SESSIONS: “I am looking forward to hearing and seeing the teachers and children learning, discovering, and working together through play both inside and outside on the YWCA grounds.” Tara O’Shea is the director of The Burke Foundation Early Childhood Center at YWCA Princeton, the Youth Program, and also head of the YW Summer Program.

in activities, but in general, EXPRESS YOURSELF is definitely more art and creative project-focused, and Robotics is more science and technology-based.

“The hands-on educational approach engages young children to learn STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) concepts through play and creative self-expression.

“In EXPRESS YOURSELF Through Art, Music, and Dance, children will brainstorm and explore weekly themed activities and techniques in robotics. YWCA Princeton uses the KIBO curriculum by Kinderlabs, a research-based curriculum with 20 years of early child development research.”

Activities may include arts and crafts, experiments, puzzles, robotics, hula hoops, and reading aloud, adds O’Shea. Painting and activities with shapes (such as picking up small hoops on the lawn) are also included.

“Water Play activity refers to water balloon tosses, water relays, and play with sprinklers,” says Gorda. “The children do not use the YMCA swimming pool.”

Age Appropriate

“The Summer Childcare program is an extension of the year-long child care we offer at The Burke Foundation Early Childhood Center, where we provide child care for children ages 8 weeks to 6 years old,” continues Gorda.

“The Summer Childcare program, however, is specifically for children ages 2 and a half through 6. Although we do offer care for infants year-round, including in the summer.

“The Burke Foundation Early Childhood Center provides age appropriate activities for the children in an engaging and multicultural setting both inside at the classroom and outdoor environment. Weekly themes set the tone for a variety of activities including water fun, music and movement, arts and crafts, scientific discovery, and nature activities.”

Another important choice for families is the SAFE Kids Summer Program. In collaboration with Penn Medicine Princeton Health, it is designed for children 8 to 12 years old. The program includes hands-on activities and interactive presentations around such topics as cooking with kids (with emphasis on healthy snacks and meals to encourage eating and enjoying fruits and vegetables); empowerment for children; kids’ yoga; sun safety; personal safety in the children’s

environment (poison control, 9-1-1, first aid); and more.

Unlike the other programs, which run throughout the entire summer, this is a one-week program offered for three weeks: June 20-24, July 10-14, and August 21-25.

Other cooking-related activities, which are new this year, include Kids Can Cook: Breakfast, Lunch, Healthy Snacks. Led by a registered dietician, the children will learn to make simple, healthy breakfasts and prepare healthy lunches and snacks. At the end of the class, participants will sample their meals. In Kids Can Cook: Fresh Garden Veggies, a registered dietitian will lead an interactive session teaching children how fresh vegetables from the garden or seasonal veggies are not only healthy, but can be tasty too.

Ready For Action

Four to 8-year-olds can get ready for action with the Ready, Set, GO! program. Held off site, this program will foster and improve the kids’ gross motor skills in small group and entire group cooperative activities so they can move freely in their environment. Focusing on balance, coordination, etc., it will involve hands-on playing with frisbees, hula hoops, and other games.

Except for Ready, Set, GO!, before and after care is available for all of the programs held at the YW, reports Gorda. Before care is 7:30 to 9 a.m. and after care is from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Gorda, who has been with the YW for four years, is enthusiastic about YWCA Princeton generally and the upcoming summer program.

“I appreciate the impact of all the YWCA’s programs, and I feel very fortunate to meet all the people who benefit from our Summer Program. The social interaction is so important. Our programs are often when the child makes friends and acquires their social connections. There is also awareness and understanding about people from other countries. We have children whose parents are at Princeton University, and the U.S. is not their native country. The children learn about each other. This is a great benefit.”

To register, visit the website at ywcaprinceton.org/programs/ summer, beginning March 1 and call (609) 497-2100 ext. 334 for pricing and further information.

—Jean Stratton

Midfielder Vardaro Starts Senior Season With a Bang, Tallying 7 Points as PU Men’s Lax Tops Monmouth

For Alexander Vardaro, taking a gap year from Princeton University in 2020-21 resulted in some soul-searching and led him to change his perspective on things.

“It was pretty big for my mindset to understand what my priorities were in life and in lacrosse,” said Vardaro, a midfielder for the Princeton University men’s lacrosse team. “Going in that year after COVID, you think about how much time you really have here.”

The year away from school also allowed Vardaro to develop physically as he spent time in Park City, Utah with a group of teammates before they headed south to Texas.

“We were training every day, sometimes twice a day. I was in some of the best shape of my life there,” said Vardaro, reflecting on his experience in Utah where the players were working out in the mountains at an elevation of 6,890 feet. “We went down to Austin, Texas, after that. It was a different environment. We were basically on the college campus, so we got to see what that big rah-rah school is like com-

The team’s attack unit got a spark from sophomore Braedon Saris as he tallied six points in his first career start. Senior Alex Slusher chipped in one goal and two assists while sophomore Coulter Mackesy contributed four goals and two assists.

“To get his first start and go three goals and three assists, the guys are behind him,” said Madalon of Saris. “He came in and put in a lot of work over the fall and the offseason. He had a good summer in box lacrosse. He was coming in confident and he has done a nice job. Slusher and Mackesy are constants. They are doing a good job of bringing Braedon along and helping that chemistry.”

At the defensive end, the Tigers looked solid. “All in all, it was pretty good; we were happy with it,” said Madalon. “We would love some of those back. I am sure the goalies would love

one or two of those back but it was good defensive play. We are still learning and growing at this point of the season. Pace [Billings] coming out and taking the kid he was covering, No. 2 (Cade Stratton) who we felt was a heck of a player. [Ben] Finlay and [Colin] Mulshine did a good job at the pole position. Michael Bath got his first start, Luca Lazzaretto did a really nice job. As usual, our defensive midfield crew did a heck of a job.”

The team’s two veteran goalies, senior Griffen Rakower and junior Michael Gianforcaro, looked sharp as Rakower had six saves while Gianforcaro made five stops.

“We have two great goalies in terms of Rakower and Gianforcaro,” said Madalon. “Griffen settled in the first half nicely; Michael made some great saves in the second half.”

After hosting Manhattan

on February 21, Princeton, now ranked No. 3 nationally in the Inside Lacrosse Media Poll, will welcome powerhouse Maryland, who topped Princeton in a regular season meeting last season and then knocked the Tigers out of the NCAA tourney.

“Maryland is the defending national champs and the team that ended our season so it is always a great opportunity,” said Madalon, looking ahead to the February 25 clash.

Vardaro and his teammates are relishing the opportunity to have a rematch with the No. 9 Terps.

“It is a quick turnaround; we have some justice to pay,” said Vardaro. “Maryland is a terrific team, coach [John] Tillman runs a tight ship there. They are going to be playing us with their best ability and we are going to come after them.”

— Bill Alden

Allocco Stars as Princeton Men’s Hoops Tops Brown But Tigers Falter a Night Later, Losing to Yale in OT

Matt Allocco drew a tough assignment when the Princeton University men’s basketball team hosted Brown last Friday night.

With Brown having edged Princeton 72-70 on January 14 as Kino Lilly torched the Tigers with 26 points, junior guard Allocco was given the unenviable task of trying to contain Lilly in the rematch.

The wiry 6’4, 193-pound Allocco proved up to the challenge, sticking with Lilly all over the court and holding him to 10 points on 3-of-13 shooting as Princeton topped the Bears 78-67 before a crowd of 1,750 at Jadwin Gym.

“He is an unbelievable player. He is really good, but I know too that I am going to do my job and I am going to try my best,” said Allocco. “My team behind me was going to have my back. If you have that kind of support, you have got all of the con-

fidence in yourself. Any time you guard a player like him, you have got to be super disciplined and more than anything else you have got to play really hard.”

Allocco also did very well offensively against Brown for a second straight game, tallying 20 points after having scored a career-high 21 points in the previous meeting with the Bears.

“It is in the flow of things, it is just how the game goes sometimes,” said Allocco, who went 6-of-11 from the floor and 6-of-6 from the free throw line in the win on Friday. “It is not missing an opportunity and just to make the right play, whatever it is.”

The Tigers saw the matchup against Brown as an opportunity to bounce back from a disappointing 83-76 defeat at Dartmouth on February 11.

“It was huge, especially

after that performance, obviously it was a bad loss for us,” said Allocco. “Maybe in the big scheme of things we needed it to regroup. If we can play with the kind of toughness and competitiveness going forward that we had tonight, I think we are going to be pretty solid.”

Princeton head coach Mitch Henderson credited Allocco with playing some tough defense in the win over Brown.

“I thought Matt was unbelievable on Lilly, he has been lighting everybody up,” said Henderson. “Matt trailed him out everywhere, Lilly has been really tough cover for everybody in the league. Matt was just so disciplined. Lilly finished with 10 points but 3-for-13 shooting. He has been really killing people and they really draw strength from that. I thought that was the key to the game.”

Princeton produced a strong defensive effort collectively against the Bears holding them to 21 of 56 shooting (37.5 percent) from the floor, including 2 of 16 from 3-point range.

“This is what we wanted to be, a lockdown defensive team,” said Henderson. “We have the potential to be that, but we have to be locked in all of the way around. Tonight we got a terrific performance. I have been pulling my hair out, it has been really frustrating.”

Coming into the game Friday, Henderson sensed that the Tigers were primed for a good performance.

“We had a really difficult loss at Dartmouth last Saturday and then on Monday we had our best practice of the season, led by Mush (Allocco) and the seniors,” said Henderson. “That doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to win tonight because you are also preparing for Yale, but it brought us together.”

With Senior Standout Walton Setting Positive Tone, PU Men’s Hockey Aiming to Gain Home Ice for Playoffs

Pito Walton was determined to take an evenkeeled approach as he took the ice at Hobey Baker Rink last Saturday night for his final regular season home game for the Princeton University men’s hockey team.

“I was trying to keep the emotions level throughout the game and stuff, obviously you can get caught up in it sometimes,” said Princeton senior defenseman and captain Walton. “I think ultimately it was not looking at it as the last game here, hoping that we can secure a couple of wins next weekend and be right back here for playoffs.”

The Tigers didn’t get the win against Yale in the finale, falling 4-0 despite outshooting the Bulldogs 40-25.

“It is just hockey, sometimes it just doesn’t go your way,” said Walton, a 6’2, 192-pound native of Peapack, who starred at the Lawrenceville School before coming up the road to Princeton. “We had a lot of good spurts out there but you have to put the puck in the back of the net to win games and unfortunately we didn’t do that tonight.”

Drawing on his experience, Walton wasn’t about to let the frustrating defeat get to him.

performer on the blue line and team captain, Walton takes it upon himself to help keep his younger teammates focused.

“Being the only senior defenseman, that is one area where I really try to lead,” said Walton. “On the back end, we have a lot of really young, talented guys who can really be great here and they sometimes look to me. At the end of the day, I just tell them to trust themselves because they have the abilities to be really great.”

Princeton head coach Ron Fogarty felt that his team looked good in the loss to Yale but was snakebit.

“It just wasn’t our night, we had three bars (hitting three pipes with shots) and a breakaway,” said Fogarty, whose team started the weekend by edging Brown 3-2 on Friday night. “I feel for the senior group, it was their last regular season game here. It is one of those things, you do a lot of things. It is college hockey, it is tough to win and it just wasn’t our night.”

In assessing the setback, Fogarty pointed to one specific area of the game.

“We have to win special teams, I think that is a big thing; you have to win special teams, especially down the stretch,” said Fogarty.

We want to make sure that it is ingrained in our culture that we expect home ice.”

Fogarty credited his senior group — which includes Liam Gorman, Matt Hayami, Spencer Kersten, and Aidan Porter in addition to Walton — with playing a key role in creating a positive culture around the program.

“They are tremendous leaders, they have done a tremendous job this year bringing the younger guys along,” said Fogarty. “We are expected to finish 12th because of what we returned and the perception of what we were bringing in. Everyone in this room knew we could be better. I feel for them because they have really bought into everything and have done a tremendous job with the eight young players. I know the guys want it really bad. We talk about legacy and the next 100 years; we got done the first 100 years with Hobey. They are going to be really missed but they are going to be deeply remembered for what they have done here.”

GOING TO THE MATT: Princeton University men’s basketball player Matt Allocco looks to make a pass in a game earlier this season. Last Friday, junior guard Allocco scored 20 points and played lockdown defense on Brown star Kino Lilly as the Tigers topped the Bears 78-67. A night later against Yale, Allocco scored 13 points but it wasn’t enough as Princeton squandered a 19-point second half lead and fell 93-83 to the Bulldogs in overtime. The Tigers, now 17-8 overall and 8-4 Ivy League and in a three-way tie for first place in the league standings with Yale and Penn, play at Harvard on February 25. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Allocco was hoping that Princeton would keep things together against Yale on Saturday.

“It is going to be an unbelievable challenge,” said Allocco. “On your home court against a really good team, you wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Unfortunately for Princeton, it was Yale that was up for the challenge on Saturday as the Tigers squandered a 19-point second half lead (63-44 with 7:59 left in regulation) and fell 93-83 to the Bulldogs in overtime.

Princeton, now 17-8 overall and 8-4 Ivy League, dropped into a three-way tie for first place in the league standings with Yale and Penn, just ahead of Cornell and Brown who are both 6-6 in league play. The top four teams in the regular season standings will qualify for the upcoming Ivy postseason tourney which will be hosted by the Tigers.

Henderson, for his part, realizes that Princeton is looking at a tense stretch drive in Ivy play.

“All of the coaches are doing a great job, everybody is pretty even,” said Henderson, whose team will look to get back on the winning track as it plays at Harvard on February 25. “It is going to come down to a few plays in every game. I would imagine as a spectator it is a lot of fun to watch.”

— Bill Alden

“I think mentally as you get older, you realize you can make an impact every single game,” said Walton, who has produced the best offensive season in his Princeton career, tallying 20 points on six goals and 14 assists this winter after totaling 16 points in his two prior seasons. “It is about taking that game into your hands, putting your best foot forward every game. You can’t get too down on yourself when you make a bad play. It is about responding. I think that is one area where I have really grown.”

Over the course of the winter, the Tigers, now 1215 overall and 8-12 ECAC Hockey, have displayed resilience collectively as they were undeterred by a shaky 2-6 start.

“I think a big part of it is how we respond to adversity,” said Walton of the Tigers, who are currently in seventh place in the ECACH standings and in position to host a first-round playoff game as the teams in places five through eight in the final standings earn home ice while the teams in the top four get a bye into the quarterfinals. “I am really proud of the guys — not getting in a rut, not getting too down on themselves, and staying positive.”

With Princeton playing at RPI on February 24 and at Union on February 25, Walton is positive about the Tigers’ prospects as they head north.

“We have to win a couple of games this weekend; it is a good test for playoff hockey too,” said Walton. “We are really hopeful and excited. I think practice this week is huge — staying focused, staying dialed in on the details. That has been an emphasis all year, not taking things for granted and not going through the motions.”

As a battle-tested

“We lost the special teams last night and we lost it tonight, they scored a power play goal and we didn’t. We have got to get the power play going. It is an area of practicing and attention for this week.”

Getting home ice for the first-round playoff game is a big focus for the Tigers.

“It would be important, 38 percent of our team being first year players,” said Fogarty. “You want to have expectations when you come to this program that you can get home ice for the playoffs and eventually we want to be in the top four of the conference. We are in a little bit of a rebuild here with a lot of young guys. Next year we are bringing in seven, so we will have over 50 percent freshmen and sophomores.

In Fogarty’s view, Walton is leaving a special legacy. “He has been a leader, he has been doing well offensively too,” said Fogarty. “When you start winning, you have players who are very impactful on and off the ice. You start to recruit players who resemble what that person brought to the program. So we are recruiting character players to this program. I think Tyler Rubin could be like a Pito Walton, he has been under Pito’s wing, watching it. Pito is someone who has earned his leadership. He worked really hard this summer. He has been someone who is very well respected in the hockey community in New Jersey and in college hockey.”

Walton, for his part, is hoping for another college game in New Jersey.

“I think it would be awesome, it is something we have worked for the whole year,” said Walton, reflecting on possibly getting a playoff game at Hobey Baker Rink. “Obviously we wanted to get a bye, but I think we are in a good spot.”

— Bill Alden

PLAYOFF PUSH: Princeton University men’s hockey player Pito Walton controls the puck in a game earlier this season. Senior defenseman and captain Walton has starred as the Tigers have risen to seventh place in the ECAC Hockey standings, putting them in position to earn home ice for the first round of the ECAC Hockey playoffs. Princeton went 1-1 last weekend in its final regular season action at Hobey Baker Rink this season, edging Brown 3-2 on Friday before falling 4-0 to Yale a night later. The Tigers, now 12-15 overall and 8-12 ECACH, play at RPI on February 24 and at Union on February 25 to wrap up regular season action.

(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Sophomore Montes Sparks Attack with Career Day, But PU

Women’s Lax Falls to Virginia in Opener

Nina Montes is confident that the Princeton University women’s lacrosse team will bounce back from its season-opening loss.

Despite a team-high six points from sophomore attacker Montes, including two goals to help stake the Tigers to a 4-0 lead in the first 4:01 of the game, Princeton could not hold off No. 13 Virginia in a 20-11 loss last Saturday at Class of 1952 Stadium.

“Moving forward we know what we need to work on,” said Montes reflecting on the contest which marked the first game for new Tiger head coach Jenn Cook. “And we’re going to really work hard in practice to make sure we can really execute next week and going forward. It’s our first game so we saw what we’re capable of, and we know that we’re capable of even more. It’s just looking forward to having a really good season.”

Princeton will play at Temple on February 25, then play at Rutgers on March 1 before opening Ivy League play against Yale on March 4, which was picked second in the media poll behind Princeton. The Tigers are hoping they can solidify their start in that stretch.

The start Saturday was not the problem. Princeton took a 1-0 lead on freshman Jami MacDonald’s first collegiate shot one minute into play. Montes scored her first goal of the season 27 seconds later, and Kari Buonanno fired in her first goal two minutes later. When Montes scored with 10:59 left in the first quarter, Princeton looked to be in midseason form.

“Our attack was definitely in its flow, and our defense was doing really well,” said Montes. “Everyone was really executing our game plan from our coaches. The leadership from our upperclassmen was going well. We were doing incredible.”

Montes assisted MacDonald’s second goal of the game as the Tigers held a 5-4 lead after the first quarter. Virginia, though, began to dominate in one of the most critical areas for women’s lacrosse — draw control — in the second and third quarters. Virginia had a 7-2 edge in the second quarter that enabled them to retain plenty of possession and set up a 15-8 shot advantage that paid off with a 10-7 halftime lead.

In the third quarter, it got worse for the Tigers. Virginia had an 8-1 draw control advantage, a 15-2 shot advantage, and by the time that Montes scored to start the fourth quarter, Princeton trailed 18-8.

“It was definitely a momentum shift and we were never able to shift the momentum back,” said Montes. “The third quarter was a little bit rough.”

Montes tied her careerhigh with six points on four goals and two assists. She is part of an offense that returned eight of its nine leading scorers from a year ago and added highly regarded MacDonald to the mix. MacDonald, Buonanno, and sophomore attack McKen -

zie Blake all had two goals apiece. Grace Tauckus had a goal and an assist.

“I think the attack is coming together really well,” said Montes. “I’m really excited for this season. We have a lot of great returners and great additions from our freshmen. I think we’re going to do really well. Our leadership from our upperclassmen has been absolutely incredible and we’ve had great leaders like Grace Tauckus and Kate Mulham who are definitely helping us all get accustomed to everything. I know that we’re going to have a really great season.”

The Princeton defense has been overhauled since last year after graduation losses. Freshman goalie Amelia Hughes made 11 saves before giving way to sophomore Tia Reaman for the final five minutes. The defense faced a big challenge in a Virginia team that already had two games this season before playing Princeton. Montes is part of the attack that pushes the Princeton defense every day in practice.

“Our defense has been working really hard,” said Montes. “We have some great senior leaders and I know that they’re going to do absolutely incredible this year. It’s been nice to play against them because they hold us accountable as an attack and they help us find new ways to get around defenders on other teams. It’s really nice having them to practice on. They keep us humble.”

Montes remains an eager learner. After a solid first year, she continued to work to be a bigger threat this season.

“Our coaches always give us incredible feedback on what exactly in our game we need to improve so we can achieve our highest level of playing,” said Montes. “I know our coaches and my teammates have helped me so much. Anything that I do is a testament to all the hard work that our team has done. It reflects so well on my team and the hard work

that our entire team is doing.”

Montes proved last year that she had the potential to excel at the college level. She seems already to have been thrust into a bigger role which could mean bigger expectations.

“I don’t like to look at it as pressure from other people,” said Montes. “I just like to look at it as I’m showing up for my teammates and coaches and doing the best I can in each and every moment.”

The Chicago resident has been doing that since her arrival. She scored in her collegiate debut last year and finished with 18 goals and five assists in her first season. She had goals in 10 of her final 13 games.

“I feel like everyone will say it’s a little bit of a transition when you switch from high school lacrosse to college lacrosse,” said Montes, who played at St. Ignatius High. “I know I had really great leaders on my team and teammates that were so helpful. I love our coaches, who were so incredible in helping each and every one of us make that transition. It was just exciting to play.”

Montes calls herself grateful for the experience she got last year. The 5’2 attacker was able to make an impact, and brought those lessons into this season.

“This year, I feel more confident in my role,” said Montes, who was a midfielder in high school. “Having a season under my belt I feel a lot more confident in my abilities and knowing what I need to execute to help our team succeed.”

Montes did not score in last year’s 14-10 win over Temple, but she remembers playing the Owls. The Tigers will go on the road to face Temple this time.

“They’re definitely a really gritty team so I know it’ll be a tough competition,” said Montes. “I’m really confident in our coaches and my team and I think we can definitely succeed and do what we need to do this coming Saturday.”

Montes will be ready if that means that the Tigers need scoring out of her. She is looking to help the team pick up a win with any contribution that she can make. Saturday was a big scoring game for her, something she credits to her teammates and coaches. Montes is surrounded by plenty of other scoring options that she expects will have their big scoring days as well.

“I think every game is different,” said Montes. “Every team has a different defense.

I know that all of my teammates are definitely going to have their moments when they shine. We’re going to have a lot of different games where a lot of different people have four or five goals. I’m really excited to see what everyone on my team does this year.”

Princeton was excited about the way that it started its season opener, but a big focus is going to be sustaining that effort all the way to the finish. The Tigers are preparing to take those

steps for their next contest.

“The biggest takeaway is knowing how important momentum shifts are and really executing our game plan at all times,” said Montes. “Seeing what happened on Saturday and what we need to focus on for this coming season is definitely a huge takeaway. It’ll definitely help us in the coming season to really implement what we need to exactly do to succeed.”

—Justin Feil

ROUGH START: Princeton University women’s lacrosse player Nina Montes looks to unload the ball as Princeton hosted Virginia last Saturday in its season opener. Sophomore attacker Montes tallied four goals and two assists in the contest, but it wasn’t nearly enough as No. 13 Virginia prevailed 20-11. No. 17 Princeton plays at Temple on February 25. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

PU Women’s Hoops

Routs Yale 68-42

Sparked by a big performance from Kaitlyn Chen, the Princeton University women’s basketball team defeated Yale 68-42 last Saturday. Junior guard Chen tallied a season-high 25 points to help the Tigers improve to 19-5 overall and 10-2 Ivy League.

Princeton, which is locked in a first-place tie with Columbia atop the Ivy League standings and has clinched a spot in the league’s postseason tournament, hosts Harvard on February 24 in their regular season home finale.

PU Women’s Hockey Falls at St. Lawrence

Maggie Connors scored the lone goal for the Princeton University women’s hockey team as it fell 3-1 at St. Lawrence last Saturday.

Princeton, who ended the regular season at 14-131 overall and 10-12 ECAC Hockey, will next be in action when it competes in the ECACH playoffs where it is seeded seventh and will play at second-seeded Colgate in a best-of-three quarterfinal series starting on February 24.

Princeton Wrestling

Defeats Bucknell

Quincy Monday provided a highlight as the Princeton University wrestling team defeated Bucknell 22-12 last Friday in its final dual of the regular season.

Senior star Monday produced a major decision

at 165 pounds, defeating Chase Barlow 15-4 to help the Tigers improve to 4-11. Other victors in the match for Princeton included Nick Kayal at 125, Marshall Keller at 149, Ty Whalen at 157, Kole Mulhauser at 174, Nate Dugan at 184, and Travis Stefanik at 285.

Princeton will return to action when it competes in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Championships from March 4-5 in Philadelphia.

PU Women’s Squash Takes 3rd at CSA Championships

Andrea Toth came through with a clutch win to help the third-seeded Princeton University women’s squash team edge fifth-seeded Virginia 5-4 in the third place match at the College Squash Association (CSA) Howe Cup Team Championships last Sunday in Philadelphia.

Senior Toth edged Maria Moya 3-2 (12-14, 3-11, 114, 13-11, 11-1) at No. 2 in a pivotal victory as the Tigers ended the winter at 11-3 in dual match competition.

A day earlier, the Tigers had fallen 7-2 to No. 2 Harvard in the Howe Cup semifinals.

Princeton will be wrapping up the season by competing in the CSA Individual Championships from March 3-5 in Philadelphia.

Tiger Men’s Squash Defeats Navy

Producing a dominant performance, the No. 4 Princeton University men’s squash team defeated Navy 9-0 last Saturday in its regular season finale.

The Tigers posted seven 3-0 wins in the match as they improved to 11-2.

In upcoming action, Princeton will be competing in the College Squash Association (CSA) Team Championships from February 24-26 in Hartford, Conn.

PU Men’s Volleyball Falls to Penn State

Nyherowo Omene starred in a losing cause as the Princeton University men’s volleyball team fell 3-0 at No. 3 Penn State last Saturday. Sophomore stat Omene had a match-high 11 kills, but it wasn’t enough as the Nittany Lions prevailed 2516, 25-21, 25-17.

Princeton, now 4-8 overall and 1-2 Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA), hosts Harvard for a pair of matches on February 24 and 25.

ALL HANDS ON DECK: Members of the Princeton University women’s swimming team celebrate last Saturday after they placed first in the Ivy League Championships at DeNunzio Pool. The Tigers piled up 1,480 points in winning the program’s 24th Ivy title with Harvard scoring 1,254 to take second. Tiger senior Nikki Venema earned the second High Point Swimmer of the Meet award of her career, also winning it at the 2020 Ivy championships. Venema took first

Senior Star Garlock’s OT Goal Makes the Difference

As PHS Boys’ Hockey Edges HoVal 3-2 in MCT Final

For Ethan Garlock, helping the Princeton High boys’ hockey team win a Mercer County Tournament title has been a goal of his for years.

“For a lot of the seniors, we had older brothers and we would come to this game countless times as a kid in the stands,” said PHS senior forward and captain Garlock. “We knew that once we were seniors, we were going to play in the game and take control and come out on top. We worked for this moment all of our lives.”

Last Wednesday evening, Garlock and his teammates got that chances as secondseeded PHS faced fourthseeded Hopewell Valley in the MCT title game before a packed house at the Mercer County Skating Center. The Tigers brought some extra motivation into the contest, having lost 7-2 to Notre Dame in the MCT final last winter.

“We had that game on rewind today, we were getting psyched,” said Garlock. “We knew coming into this game

there was no such thing as satisfaction; we would have to work until that final buzzer.”

PHS had to work hard in the final as Hopewell goalie Blake Echternacht produced an amazing performance, turning away a barrage of Princeton shots as the foes battled to a 2-2 tie through regulation.

“I have to give props to their goalie, he stood on his head,” said Garlock. “He gave us his best game and we were going to give ours, and we knew that is better. We were a little startled at first, we had to keep our composure. We had to keep faith, knowing that we were going to get it past him and come out on top.”

Ultimately the Tigers came out on top as Garlock scored a goal with 5:31 left in the first overtime period, blasting a shot over Echternacht’s shoulder into the back of the net to give PHS a hardearned 3-2 triumph and its first county crown since 2020.

Although Garlock had been stymied all night long, he never lost faith that he could break through.

“I knew when I didn’t capitalize on my chances, there is always another one,” said Garlock. “I kept looking forward to that next one and stopped worrying about the one before.”

On the winning goal, Garlock took a chance with a long one-timer, believing the shot could result in a point-blank rebound even if it didn’t get past the goalie.

“I saw Cooper Zullo on the right, I knew I had to put that far pad and if it didn’t go in, he was going to get that and stuff it in,” recalled Garlock. “I had full faith in that play, I knew that it was going to be a tough shot to save. I heard the crowd — I knew it went in and I started celebrating with my brothers. I am really proud of the way that our boys and me kept our composure.”

Tallying three other goals and three assists in the MCT in addition to the game

winner in the final, Garlock was named the tournament MVP.

“It feels great, I think that anybody could have gotten that,” said Garlock, reflecting on the honor. “Everybody deserved it; I was lucky enough to get that goal and win it.”

In assessing the team’s run to the title, Garlock sees its upbeat mentality as a key to success.

“I think it is mostly our energy on the bench and off the bench,” said Garlock of the Tigers who improved to 14-6-1 with victory. “Even if we are down by three going into the third, we always have positive energy. We always build each other up. We just get working and we put everything else aside. We just focus on our game.”

Garlock and his five fellow seniors on the squad have built some deep bonds over the years.

“When there is a lot of seniors, from freshman year and up, we really do become brothers through blood sweat and tears,” said Garlock, whose classmates in the squad included Julian Drezner, Gabe Silverstein, Nico Vitaro, and Andrew Benevento in addition to fellow captain Zullo. “We fight for each other and that four-year connection never goes away.”

PHS head coach Rik Johnson knew his team was in for a fight against HoVal even though it had topped the Bulldogs twice in regular season play.

“We knew they were coming in here hard,” said Johnson. “It was the two final teams in the tournament — you don’t get there by luck.”

HoVal goalie Echternacht certainly made things hard for the Tigers as he ended the night with 57 saves.

“Their goalie played lights out,” said Johnson, who got goals from Charles Ross and T.T. Zhao as his team built leads of 1-0 and 2-1 before HoVal knotted the game at 2-2 with 6:32 left in regulation to force overtime. “We came at him a few times and he was good.”

Going into OT, Johnson was looking for the Tigers to come out hard.

“We had to establish momentum going into that period,” said Johnson. “We were going to have to buckle down and get to work.”

Johnson was not surprised to see Garlock notch the winning tally. “Goal scorers score, it is very good for him,” said Johnson.

PHS got a very good game from its goalie, sophomore Noah Vitulli, who made 21 saves in the victory.

“Noah made some very nice saves, it is hard for him because he doesn’t get a lot of practice time,” said Johnson. “He is always playing a game more than he gets to practice. He has improved by leaps and bounds. He kept us in the game tonight.”

In Johnson’s view, the squad’s special camaraderie has kept it on track.

“I think the biggest thing is that they are good kids and they all get along,” said Johnson. “They go to dinner together, they are all a great group off the ice.”

With PHS starting action in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Public A state tournament this week, where it is seeded 10th and will play at seventh-seeded Passaic Tech in a first-round contest on February 23, Johnson believes the Tigers can build on their MCT performance.

“It is a good win, we have to learn from this and keep working,” said Johnson. “You build off your positives; don’t get too heady but don’t get too low either. That is where I come in, to keep them focused.”

Garlock, for his part, is confident that PHS will make a good showing in states.

“This was one of our main goals, and now we have to look ahead to states,” said Garlock. “We have to start working hard to try to make a run in states.”

—Bill Alden

OVERJOYED: Princeton High boys’ hockey player Ethan Garlock celebrates after scoring a goal last week in the Mercer County Tournament. Last Wednesday, senior forward and captain Garlock scored the winning goal in overtime as second-seeded PHS edged fourthseeded Hopewell Valley 3-2 in the MCT title game. The Tigers, who improved to 14-6-1 as they earned the program’s first county crown since 2020, will start play in the state tournament this week. PHS is seeded 10th in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Public A state tourney and will play at seventh-seeded Passaic Tech in a first-round contest on February 23. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Junior Standout Weber Making Up for Lost Time, Helping PHS Girls’ Swimming Win Sectional Title

Courtney Weber got off to a late start this winter in her junior season with the Princeton High girls’ swim team.

While PHS got its 2022-23 campaign underway in early December, Weber didn’t join the squad until a month later due to illness and injury.

“I had a really bad shoulder injury and last year I had also broken my ankle so it was a combination of things,” said Weber. “The doctors said you should not swim, you are not cleared from COVID, you hurt your shoulder, you hurt your ankle.”

Once cleared, Weber felt a comfort level right away as she got back into the pool with the Tigers.

“I missed my teammates so much and I think a lot of them had missed me; it was just so fun to all be back together,” said Weber. “I bring a lot of positivity because I love to dance and sing with my teammates. They were all super happy to have me back. Nobody was mad and I think everybody felt bad that I was injured.”

Weber made a positive impact upon her return, picking up wins as PHS wrapped up an undefeated regular season campaign and then routed Colts Neck 137-33 in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey, Group B sectional semis on February 13.

Last Thursday, as topseeded PHS faced thirdseeded Manasquan in the

sectional final at the Neptune Aquatics Center, Weber and her teammates were primed for a big effort.

“We were super pumped because we saw the boys last year and we were, ‘We want to be there, we can make it there,’” said Weber.

“A lot of us know the people on Manasquan, so we were excited to race them. We thought it would be so fun. We just came together as a team and we fought for it. Coach Mis said no matter if we are winning by a little bit, we always have to keep pushing because you never know because somebody could DQ’ed.”

The Tigers got off to an exciting start at the meet, winning the 200 medley relay as Weber produced a dominant breaststroke leg that broke open the race.

“They earned this spot here just as much as we did,” said Weber. “We just wanted to make them a little scared, show them what we are made of and that we could really push them.

The Tigers kept pushing from there, pulling away to a 111-59 win over the Big Blue Warriors as they improved to 12-0. PHS was slated to face Shawnee in the Group B state semis on February 21 with the victor advancing to the state final on February 25 at the Gloucester County Institute of Technology pool.

Weber helped the Tigers set the tone early in the meet, placing first in the

200 individual medley in a time of 2:09.18 with senior teammate Beatrice Cai com ing in second (2:14.01).

“That was super fun, es pecially after the 200 free when we got out-touched,” said Weber. “Beatrice and me looked at each other and said we are going to win this, this is our race to win. We have been teammates for a while, we used to swim on X-Cel together. We have trained together for years and we knew if we took it out on that fly leg we could come out on top.”

Later in the meet, Weber earned her second win of the day, finishing first in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.54).

“I was super ready for that; after watching them swim the 500 free, that couldn’t be me, it looked so hard,” said Weber. “We have got to get a good win in here. I took out the first 50 strong, just trying to stay with everyone, and then I went for it.”

In the wake of the dominant victory by the Tigers in the sectional final, Weber believes the squad can stay with anyone in the Group B final four.

“We are all so excited and we are ready to move on,” said Weber. “We think we can go all the way.”

Weber is excited about how things have come together for the squad this winter.

“I think we just all love swimming so much and love racing with each other and

as a team,” said Weber. “We always try to make it super fun. We feed off each other’s energy. Our seniors this year are great, they take the lead in everything and they make sure that everyone knows what is going on.”

PHS head coach Carly Misiewicz sensed that her swimmers were bringing plenty of energy into the sectional final.

“The girls were definitely really excited, seeing what we have done this year, we knew what we were capable of,” said Misiewicz. “We just wanted to do everything possible to reach that next level and come out successful which we did today.”

In reaching that higher level, PHS got wins from junior Kyleigh Tangen in the 50 free (24.51) and 100 free (53.04), Cai in the 100 butterfly (59.44), and junior Jesse Wang in the 100 backstroke (1:00.77).

In starting the meet with a win in the 200 medley relay, PHS showed that it meant business.

“That was my message to them,” said Misiewicz, whose team also placed first in both the 200 free and 400 free relays. “I said be aggressive from as soon as that buzzer goes off until that last person hits the wall in the 400 free relay, and they did it.”

Weber’s aggressiveness has given PHS a big lift. “She 100 percent had a big day; we were glad to have

her back and glad that she was cleared,” said Misiewicz. “She had a lot of different health issues going on and to have her back is great. The plan was that she was going to be with us all year but there are things that are out of your control. We are glad that everything worked out. She is moving in the right direction. She is mentally in a good place and in a good place physically. She is right where she needs to be.”

Senior star Cai produced a very good performance in the meet.

“Beatrice was tremendous; she is just such a stellar athlete,” said Misiewicz. “Whether it is the 200 free, the 200 IM, 100 free, 100 fly, 100 backstroke, 500 free — no questions asked, ‘whatever you want me to do,’ and that is it.”

In addition to winning the 100 back, Wang came up with a stellar effort on the 500 free as she fell just 1.6 seconds short of the win, surging to second over the last half of the race.

“She did well in that 500, I told her if you had five more yards, you could have won,” said Misiewicz. “The way that she came back, the way that she held on, she was aware of everything that was going on in the pool.”

With PHS earning its first sectional crown since 2015, Misiewicz is hoping her team can keep its season going this week as it heads into

the Group B semis.

“It has been eight years since our last one so it was nice to make it this far and to accomplish that goal,” said Misiewicz. “One thing I said to them on the bus was we don’t want our season to end tonight, we are not ready for it to end. We are ready to keep on keeping on.”

Misiewicz appreciates how her team can keep up its intensity while having fun at the same time.

“They never cease to amaze me, they are always going to give 110 percent, no matter what,” said Misiewicz. “I thought we swam great on Monday, and today was even better. I am just so proud of them. They are such a good group of girls. They are so fun, they all genuinely get along with each other and they all mesh well. They are truly that definition of a team.”

Weber, for her part, is grateful for getting the chance to finally be part of that group.

“I am so happy I was able to come back, I would have been super sad if I had to miss the whole season,” said Weber. “I am so happy to be back. This is insane for us. We saw our section change and we thought ‘we have got this’ because we were in an arguably harder section last year.”

—Bill Alden

HOLDING COURT: Princeton High girls’ swimmer Courtney Weber heads to a win in a breaststroke race this winter. Last Thursday, junior standout Weber placed first in the 200-yard individual medley and 100 breast to help top-seeded PHS defeat third-seeded Manasquan 111-59 in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey, Group B sectional finals at the Neptune Aquatics Center. The Tigers, who improved to 12-0 with the win, were slated to face Shawnee in the Group B semis on February 21 with the victor advancing to the state final on February 25 at the Gloucester County Institute of Technology pool. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

PHS Boys’ Swimming Competes Hard From Start to Finish But Gets Edged by Powerhouse Chatham in Sectional Final

Last winter, the Princeton High boys’ swim team rolled to an undefeated regular season, winning the Mercer County championship meet and the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey, Group B sectional title on the way to facing powerhouse Chatham in the state final.

The Cougars proved to be a roadblock to a perfect campaign for PHS as they posted a 97-73 win over the Tigers.

This season, PHS went undefeated in regular season meets and won a

second straight county crown and found Chatham waiting for it last Friday night at the Raritan Bay YMCA in the NJSIAA North Jersey 2, Group B sectional final.

The Tigers were primed for the rematch with the Cougars, who brought a 12-0 record into the showdown.

“We knew what they had depth-wise and what were up against based on last year,” said PHS head coach Carly Misiewicz. “The mindset was we can do anything we set our minds to. If anything, it was let’s learn from last year and figure out how we can

be better and improve and just bring it to them from start to finish. We went in with such a great mentality and such a good headspace. We were ready to compete.”

While PHS improved from last year, winning six of the 11 events in the meet, it wasn’t quite enough as the Tigers fell 90-80.

Although the result stung, Misiewicz had no qualms about the effort she got from her swimmers.

“We were tied at one point, we were down by two at multiple points,” said Misiewicz, whose team ended the winter with a 13-1 record. “We were very much in the entire meet to the point that we had Chatham on their heels and scared a little bit. We gave it our all — there is no way we could have swam any faster. We tweaked some things in the

initial lineup that I sent out. It 100 percent worked out in our favor — it was exactly what we needed to do.”

Senior star Daniel Baytin swam very fast, taking first in both the 50-yard freestyle (21.83) and the 100 breaststroke (57.93).

“The times, they speak for themselves as to his speed and what he is capable of as an athlete. But as an individual, as a leader and a captain, the kids really look up to him,” said Misiewicz.

“It has been great watching him over the last four years, the way he has grown as an athlete but also as just a teammate and a leader.”

Another senior, Julian Velazquez, came up big, winning the 100 free (50.35).

“His winning the 100 free was huge, and then for us to go 2-3-4 in the 200 free was another thing that got us right back into things, closer and closer,” said Misiewicz. “Julian is just such a great competitor. He brings so much insight into how

he thinks we can match up against the other teams.”

Sophomore David Xu displayed his competitive fire, taking first in the 200 individual medley (1:56.95) and the 500 free (4:54.54).

“For David and Jaiden (his twin brother) to go 1-3 in the IM and then he and David Brophy to go 1-2 in the 500 was huge,” said Misiewicz.

The Tigers ended the meet on a high note, placing first in the 400 free relay in a time of 3:19.13.

“That truly speaks volumes to who they are as competitors and athletes to just not give up,” said Misiewicz. “We kept it competitive. We didn’t just let them walk all over us in the last relay.”

In the view of Misiewicz, a special team chemistry has fueled that competitive fire.

“You can truly and genuinely see how proud they are of each other and how much they work together as a team and how much they are

genuinely all friends with each other,” said Miseiwicz.

“You can’t force friendships, especially with high school kids. To see them all hanging out on the weekends and really just all being there for each other from start to finish, it is all you could ever ask.”

Boasting a stellar group of sophomore stars, Misiewicz believes that her squad can be a force again next winter.

“You are excited to see the growth from last year and the growth that is going to happen in the next couple of months and who we may get in as well as freshmen,” said Misiewicz. “If last year taught us anything, it was stay hungry. Granted things didn’t end the way we would have wanted our season to end this year, but we closed the gap significantly from last year to this year. We swam our hearts out from start to finish, and we competed. Every single person on that team stepped up in the exact role that they needed to be.”

—Bill Alden

The Listeners

FINAL LAP: Princeton High boys’ swimmer Julian Velazquez displays his butterfly form in a meet this winter. Last Friday, senior star Velazquez placed first in the 100-yard freestyle to provide a highlight as PHS fell 90-80 to Chatham in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) North Jersey 2, Group B sectional final. The defeat left the Tigers with a final

Princeton University Glee Club

The Walter L. Nollner Memorial Concert

Hun

Boys’ Basketball: Running into a buzz saw, Hun fell 86-51 to the Patrick School last Saturday. Dan Vessey scored nine points for the Raiders, who moved to 14-12. Three days earlier fifth-seeded Hun edged fourth-seeded Lawrenceville 68-66 in the opening round of the Prep A state on a buzzer beater by Anthony Aririguzoh. In upcoming action, Hun will continue play in the Prep A tourney where it was slated to face top-seeded St. Benedict’s in a semifinal contest on February 21 with the victor advancing to the final on February 23.

Girls’ Basketball : Featuring a balanced attack, Hun rolled to a 65-24 win over the Peddie School last Wednesday in the opening round of the Prep A state tournament. Sasha Moise scored 14 points in the win while Emily O’Dwyer and Addison McNally each tallied 12 as the Raiders improved to 11-12. In upcoming action, Hun will continue play in the Prep A tourney where it was slated to play at Gill St. Bernard’s in a semifinal contest on February 21 with victor advancing to the final on February 23.

Boys’ Hockey : Brendan Marino and Justin Laplante each scored two goals as Hun defeated Princeton Day School 5-2 last Thursday. The Raiders, who improved to 11-12 with the win, will be facing LaSalle College High School (Pa.) in the Atlantic Prep Athletic Conference (APAC) semifinals at the Hatfield Ice Arena on February 22.

Lawrenceville

Boys’ Basketball : Getting edged on a buzzer beater, fourth-seeded Lawrenceville lost 68-66 to

fifth-seeded Hun School in the first round of the Prep A state tournament last Wednesday. The defeat left the Big Red with a final record of 9-9.

Girls’ Basketball : Anna O’Keefe scored 19 points, but it wasn’t enough as Lawrenceville fell 51-41 to Phillips Exeter (N.H.) last Saturday in its season finale. The Big Red, who had previously lost 63-41 to St. Benedict’s in the quarterfinal round of the Prep A state tournament on February 14, ended the winter at 4-18.

where they are seeded fifth and will host 12th-seeded Morristown-Beard in a firstround contest on February 22.

defeated Princeton Restorative Dental 23-7.

Boys’ Basketball : Jaden Dublin had a strong game as PDS lost 67-58 to Robbinsville last Thursday. Senior guard Dublin tallied 14 points in the loss for the Panthers, who moved to 8-15. PDS will be starting action in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) South Jersey, Non-Public B sectional tournament this week where they are seeded 11th and will play at sixthseeded Gloucester Catholic in a first-round contest on February 22.

Girls’ Basketball : Mia Hartman tallied 22 points but it wasn’t enough as PDS fell 44-33 to WW/PSouth on February 14. The Panthers, now 2-19, will be starting play in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) South Jersey, NonPublic A sectional tournament this week where they are seeded 14th and will play at third-seeded Trinity Hall in a first-round contest on February 22.

Boys’ Hockey : Brady Logue and Cole Fenton scored the goals for PDS as it lost 5-2 to the Hun School last Thursday. The Panthers, who moved to 6-10-3 with the defeat, will be playing in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) NonPublic state tournament

PDS Stuart

STEPPING FORWARD: Princeton High girls’ basketball player Gabby Bannett dribbles past a foe in recent action. Last Friday, junior star forward Bannett contributed six points, seven rebounds, and three steals to help Princeton edge Steinert 41-39 in the final of the Mercer County Invitational. The Tigers, who improved to 13-11 with the win, will be starting play in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey, Group 4 sectional this week. PHS is seeded 12th in the tournament and was slated to play at fifth-seeded Jackson Memorial in a first-round contest on February 21 with victor advancing to the quarterfinals on February 23.

(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Boys’ Basketball : Corey Miller had a huge game to lead sixth-seeded Pennington to a 76-43 win over third-seeded Peddie in the opening round of the Prep A state tournament last Wednesday. Miller poured in 34 points to help the Red Hawks improve to 13-15. Pennington was slated to play at second-seeded Blair Academy on February 21 in the Prep A semis with the victor advancing to the title game on February 24.

Girls’ Basketball : Morgan Matthews starred in a losing cause as second-seeded Pennington fell 64-49 to top-seeded Newark Academy in the Prep B state title game last Friday. Matthews tallied 25 points for the Red Hawks, who ended their season with an 18-6 record.

Pennington PHS

Boys’ Basketball : Jahan Owusu, Jihad Wilder, and Remmick Granozio each scored 13 points but it wasn’t enough as PHS fell 61-60 in overtime to Hightstown in the final of the Mercer County Invitational last Thursday. The Tigers, now 10-12, will be starting play in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey, Group 4 sectional this week. PHS is seeded 14th in the tourney and was slated to play at thirdseeded North Brunswick in a first-round contest on February 21 with victor advancing to the quarterfinals on February 23

Wrestling : Cole Rose and Blaise Mele starred as PHS produced a solid performance at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) District 17 tournament last Saturday at Hunterdon Central. Rose took second at 113 pounds while Mele finished second at 132, helping PHS place fifth in the team standings at the competition. In addition, Martin Brophy took third at 138 and Christian Paul placed third at 150. The quartet advanced to the Region 5 tournament next weekend at Hunterdon Central.

PHS senior star and Iowa bound Ava Rose made history at the NJSIAA Central Region girls’ tournament last Sunday at East Brunswick. Rose took first at 114 pounds, becoming the firstever four-time girl regional champion in New Jersey.

Princeton 5K Race Slated for March 18

The Princeton 5K is returning on March 18 for its 14th year.

The event annually brings together athletes — young and old, big and small, fast and not as fast — to run or walk while supporting the Princeton High cross country and track programs.

The in-person race starts in front of Princeton Middle School at 217 Walnut Lane at 8:30 a.m. In 2023, the event will also include a 300-meter kids dash for all children under the age of 10.

Alternatively, there is a virtual option to participate between March 18-25. One can choose when and where to run (or walk) the 5K in that time period.

To register and get more information on the event, log onto r unsignup.com/ Race/Info/NJ/Princeton/ PrincetonNJ5K. T-shirts are guaranteed for those who register before February 27. Registration is also available in person on race day.

The Princeton 5K is the largest annual fundraiser for the Princeton High School Cross Country Track and Field Booster (PHSCCTF) a 501(c)(3). All donations directly support the PHS boys’ and girls’ cross-country and track teams.

Dillon Youth Hoops Recent Results

In action last weekend in the Boys’ 4th -5th grade division of the Dillon Youth Basketball League, Jefferson Plumbing edged Locomotion 25-23. Illan Spiegel led Jefferson with 15 points while Theodore Hogshire scored 12 points for Locomotion. Princeton Pettoranello topped Mason Griffin & Pierson 26-21. Makani Johnson scored 11 points to lead the way in the win while Alex Spies tallied 19 points for Mason Griffin. Malcolm Harris poured in 29 points to lead Majeski Foundation to a 41-23 win over Ivy Rehab. Reggie Wright III had 11 points for Ivy Rehab. Theo Henderson tallied 11 points for Proof Pizza as it

In the Boys’ 6th-7th grade division, Brian Suk scored 18 points for Corner House as it posted a 38-18 victory over Pizza Den. Ai’Bree Green scored a team-high 12 points for Pizza Den. PBA #130 defeated Milk & Cookies 31-16. Aaron Wang scored 11 points for PBA while Teddy Westrick had eight points for Milk & Cookies. Le Kiosk defeated Ivy Inn 26-15 as Joe Vales had 11 points in the victory. Asa Collins had 11 points for Ivy Inn.

In the Boys’ 8th-10th grade division, the Nets defeated the Knicks 40-17 as Leone Westrick tallied 20 points.

In the Girls’ division, Ficus edged Delizioso Bakery+Kitchen 20-19 as Luciana Velez scored nine points in the victory. Ria Sheth tallied 10 points for Delizioso. Planted Plate

topped Woodwinds 18-16 as Chloe Hunt scored 10 points in the win. Renee Schemmann added six points for Woodwinds.

Recreation Department

Offering Summer Jobs

Applications for all Princeton Recreation Department 2023 seasonal and summer employment opportunities are now available on the department’s website.

Seasonal employment opportunities are available for the following positions: day camp counselor, day camp supervisor, teen travel camp counselor, Community Park Pool lifeguard/swim instructor, Community Park Pool customer service, and seasonal park maintenance.

Instructions on how to apply as well as job descriptions can be found at princetonrecreation.com under “Seasonal Employment.” All interested job seekers are encouraged to apply.

MIDDLE OF THE ACTION: Members of the Princeton Middle School boys’ basketball squad are all smiles as they recently posed for a team photo. Princeton produced a superb campaign this winter, going 20-3 and finishing second to Fisher Middle School in the Mercer County middle school basketball tournament. “The boys demonstrated dedication, hard work, courage through adversity, balance, poise, and commitment,” said head coach Jason Carter, reflecting on the qualities that led to the team’s success. Pictured in the front row, from left, are Ray McLaughlin, Jaxon Carter, and Raymond Buck. In the back row, from left, are coach Jason Carter, Henry Jamieson-Dove, Gavin Levine, Leone Westrick, Bram Reynolds, William Arns, Yusuf, Redjal, Langsdon Hinds, JJ Carter, Fletcher Harrison, Andrew Spies, and coach John McCann. (Photo by Rohan Viswanathan)

www.towntopics.com

THE FUND FOR

Basketball: Taylor States came up big as Stuart defeated Hamilton 40-31 last Wednesday. Freshman star States posted a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds to help the Tartans improve to 5-6.

SPRING 2023 LECTURE SERIE

FEBRUARY 24

S

Critically acclaimed filmmaker ALISON MILLAR, screens her 2021 award-winning documentay film, Lyra, an emotive, intimate portrait of the life and death of Belfast journalist Lyra Mckee. Introduced by Fintan O'Toole Free and open to the public

4:30 p.m.

James Stewart Film Theater

185 Nassau Street

For more information about these events and the Fund for Irish Studies visit fis.princeton.edu

a mailed subscription!

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HOME HEALTH AIDE: 25 years of experience. Available mornings to take care of your loved one, transport to appointments, run errands. I am well known in Princeton. Top care, excellent references. The best! Call (609) 356-2951 or (609) 751-1396. tf

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PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that Ridgeview Conservancy, a New Jersey nonprofit corporation, will be applying for funding from the State of New Jersey’s Green Acres Program to acquire, in partnership with Princeton Municipality and other nonprofit partners, a parcel of 90.62 acres located in northeast Princeton, along the border with Montgomery Township. This parcel is composed of the three lots designated on the Princeton Tax Map as: Block 1001, Lot 1, 1 Q0008; Lot 2, 2 Q0008; and Lot 14, 14 Q0009. The parcel is bounded by Herrontown Road to the south; by residential properties and an undeveloped lot on Herrontown Lane to the east; by Mount Lucas Road and residential properties along Mount Lucas Road to the west; and by four undeveloped lots in Montgomery Township to the north. Ridgeview Conservancy will also work with partners in Montgomery Township to preserve a contiguous parcel composed of three undeveloped lots, totaling 27.25 +/- acres, which extend to the north-east of the 90.62 acre parcel in Princeton. These are designated on the Montgomery Tax Map as: Block 37002, Lots 6.01 and Lot 5.01; and Block 37003, Lot 6.81. Ridgeview Conservancy’s application will be available at the organization’s website (www. ridgeviewconservancy.org); at its office (211 Ridgeview Road, Princeton, NJ 08540); and at the Green Acres office. The application will be available for public review and comment.

02-22

I BUY ALL KINDS of Old or Pretty

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10-11

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BUYING: Antiques, paintings, Oriental rugs, coins, clocks, furniture, old toys, military, books, cameras, silver, costume & fine jewelry. Guitars & musical instruments. I buy single items to entire estates. Free appraisals. (609) 306-0613. 06-28

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ESTATE LIQUIDATION SERVICE:

I will clean out attics, basements, garages & houses. Single items to entire estates. No job too big or small. In business over 35 years, serving all of Mercer County. Call (609) 306-0613. 06-28

WE BUY CARS Belle Mead Garage (908) 359-8131 Ask for Chris

EXPERIENCED ELDER CARE for your loved one. Compassionate caregiver with 16 years experience will assist with personal care, medication, meals, drive to medical appointments, shopping. Many local references. Call or text (609) 9779407.

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HOME REPAIR SPECIALIST:

Interior/exterior repairs, carpentry, trim, rotted wood, power washing, painting, deck work, sheet rock/ spackle, gutter & roofing repairs. Punch list is my specialty. 40 years experience. Licensed & insured. Call Creative Woodcraft (609) 586-2130 tf

EXPERIENCED AND PROFESSIONAL CAREGIVER

Available Part-Time

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HOME HEALTH AIDE: 25 years of experience. Available mornings to take care of your loved one, transport to appointments, run errands. I am well known in Princeton. Top care, excellent references. The best! Call (609) 356-2951 or (609) 751-1396.

LOLIO’S WINDOW WASHING & POWER WASHING: Free estimate. Next day service. Fully insured. Gutter cleaning available. References available upon request. 30 years experience. (609) 271-8860.

THE MAID PROFESSIONALS:

Leslie & Nora, cleaning experts. Residential & commercial. Free estimates. References upon request. (609) 2182279, (609) 323-7404. 03-29

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FOR RENT: ATTRACTIVE ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT, 342 Nassau Street, Princeton. Recently purchased, renovated and part of a small mixed use commercial/residential complex at corner of Nassau & Harrison Streets. Parking available “on site” with public bus service nearby. Separate entrance, gas appliances. Competitive rental/lease terms + electric. Call: (609) 2409900.

02-22

HOUSE FOR RENT: One-of-a-kind spacious dairy barn conversion with Princeton address, on private estate. Open floor plan, 3 BR, 2 bath, breathtaking 2nd floor versatile room. Fireplace, 2-car garage, central air. Includes lawn maintenance & snow removal. No pets, smoke free, $3,400. Available now. (609) 731-6904.

02-22

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(609) 924-2200 ext. 10; classifieds@towntopics.com

ESTATE LIQUIDATION

SERVICE:

I will clean out attics, basements, garages & houses. Single items to entire estates. No job too big or small. In business over 35 years, serving all of Mercer County. Call (609) 306-0613. 06-28

WE BUY CARS Belle Mead Garage (908) 359-8131

Ask for Chris

EXPERIENCED ELDER CARE for your loved one. Compassionate caregiver with 16 years experience will assist with personal care, medication, meals, drive to medical appointments, shopping. Many local references. Call or text (609) 9779407.

HOME HEALTH AIDE: 25 years of experience. Available mornings to take care of your loved one, transport to appointments,

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IN PRINCETON ANYMORE? Stay connected by receiving a mailed subscription! Call (609) 924-2200 ext 10; circulation@towntopics.com

Rider Furniture

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Mon-Fri 10-6; Sat 10-5; Sun 12-5

Spring Markets Are Expected to Heat Up

The Spring real estate market in New Jersey is expected to heat up quickly, with buyers ready to move forward in most areas as mortgage rates are stabilizing.

The average 30 year fixed mortgage rate is hovering around 6.8%. While current rates are not as low as they ’ve been in some recent years, the dip below 7% has prompted new interest from buyers as we head into the Spring home buying season.

Overall, home prices statewide rose by 2.4% in January, with a median selling price of $427,700, according to new data. In addition, inventories remain low across the state, as the number of homes for sale in New Jersey in January was down nearly 11% from last year. In much of Central New Jersey, including Mercer county, about one third of homes are selling above asking price.

Buyer demand is expected to be robust in the coming months, especially in the most competitive markets, as sales are still being completed at a pretty rapid pace. In the most desirable areas with low inventories, we are already seeing the return of bidding wars.

FOR RENT: ATTRACTIVE ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT, 342 Nassau Street, Princeton. Recently purchased, renovated and part of a small mixed use commercial/residential complex at corner of Nassau & Harrison Streets. Parking available “on site” with public bus service nearby. Separate entrance, gas appliances. Competitive rental/lease terms + electric. Call: (609) 2409900.

02-22

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that Ridgeview Conservancy, a New Jersey nonprofit corporation, will be applying for funding from the State of New Jersey’s Green Acres Program to acquire, in partnership with Princeton Municipality and other nonprofit partners, a parcel of 90.62 acres located in northeast Princeton, along the border with Montgomery Township. This parcel is composed of the three lots designated on the Princeton Tax Map as: Block 1001, Lot 1, 1 Q0008; Lot 2, 2 Q0008; and Lot 14, 14 Q0009. The parcel is bounded by Herrontown Road to the south; by residential properties and an undeveloped lot on Herrontown Lane to the east; by Mount Lucas Road and residential properties along Mount Lucas Road to the west; and by four undeveloped lots in Montgomery Township to the north. Ridgeview Conservancy will also work with partners in Montgomery Township to preserve a contiguous parcel composed of three undeveloped lots, totaling 27.25 +/- acres, which extend to the north-east of the 90.62 acre parcel in Princeton. These are designated on the Montgomery Tax Map as: Block 37002, Lots 6.01 and Lot 5.01; and Block 37003, Lot 6.81. Ridgeview Conservancy’s application will be available at the organization’s website (www. ridgeviewconservancy.org); at its office (211 Ridgeview Road, Princeton, NJ 08540); and at the Green Acres office. The application will be available for public

LABCORP DRUG

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02-22

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Sales Representative/Princeton Residential Specialist, MBA, ECO Broker