TT 2-5-25 Digital Issue by Witherspoon Media Group

Morven Speaker Series

Takes Visitors to Landmark Houses . . . 5

HomeFront’s Week Of Hope Offers

Opportunities to Make a Difference 8

Jodi Picoult to be Interviewed For Podcast At Library Event 10

Born 111 Years Ago Today, William Burroughs Knocks On Our Door 15

Doing Some Soul Searching after Defeat

To Yale, PU Men’s Hoops

Rebounds with 69-49 Win Over Brown 25

Sparked by McNally’s Perimeter Shooting, Hun Girls’ Hoops Primed for Postseason Run 29

School Facilities Bond Referendum

In unofficial results from a Tuesday, January 28, special election, Princeton residents cast their ballots in favor of all three parts of a plan that will provide $89.1 million for renovation and expansion in the Princeton Public Schools (PPS).

“This outcome shows that voters understand that the continued success of Princeton Public Schools is vital to the community,” said Interim Superintendent of Schools Kathie Foster. “With these improvements, our district can prepare for growth and prioritize the neighborhood elementary schools and innovative educational experiences that our community values.”

Expressing her gratitude for the Princeton voters’ support, PPS Board of Education (BOE) President Dafna Kendal wrote in a February 3 email, “The passage of the three referendum questions will allow us to address capacity issues at several of the schools, ensure the HVAC systems at PHS (Princeton High School) are functioning safely and efficiently, and plan for future student enrollment growth.”

She continued, “The approval of the referendum is the culmination of a more than six-year process by the Board and administration to plan for rising enrollment and accommodate changes in teaching and learning. The addition of 23 classrooms and the expansion of common areas will ensure that the district has sufficient capacity to welcome all students for years to come.”

Kendal also noted that the community will benefit from $19.9 million in state debt service aid to help pay for these improvements.

With all votes counted except for provisional and a few more mail-in ballots, the tally on Question 1, calling for expansion and renovation at Community Park Elementary and the installation of new HVAC systems at PHS at a cost of $37.9M, was 2,075 (61.7 percent ) Yes and 1,317 (38.83 percent) No.

On Question 2, proposing expansion and renovation at Princeton Middle School and the creation of more classroom space at PHS at a cost of $38.3M, there were 1,973 (58.32 percent) Yes votes and 1,410 (41.68 percent) No votes.

On Question 3, voters approved expansion and renovations at Littlebrook Elementary at a cost of $12.9M, with 1,890

Tech Industry Leaders Join PU, NJ in AI Hub

Princeton University and the state of New Jersey will be joined by two corporate tech giants, Microsoft and CoreWeave, in the creation of a “state-of-the-art” NJ AI Hub, “a collaborative ecosystem that integrates world-class research, innovation, education, and workforce development,” according to an announcement last Friday by Gov. Phil Murphy.

The Hub will be located in space provided by Princeton University at 619 Alexander Road in West Windsor and, the governor’s press release stated, “will help position New Jersey as a leading East Coast center for AI innovation.”

“The addition of Microsoft and CoreWeave as founding partners of the NJ AI Hub demonstrates how government, higher education, and the corporate sector are coming together to advance AI innovation and the regional innovation ecosystem — two of Princeton’s highest priorities,” said Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber. “I’m eager to see many of the state’s other excellent colleges and universities join this effort as its development continues.”

Murphy emphasized, “As the AI industry rapidly evolves, it’s imperative that we capitalize on this moment in New Jersey.

I’m incredibly proud of this partnership with the top leaders in the industry and higher education, which further establishes our state as a hub for cutting edge AI innovation and talent. AI’s economic and innovation potential is vast, giving us the chance to take our state to new heights. This partnership will not only solidify New Jersey’s position as a global technology leader, it will also attract high-paying, sustainable jobs for our residents, allowing for a stronger and more prosperous future for our state.”

Last Friday’s announcement follows Murphy’s proclamation 13 months ago in his State-of-the-State address of an “AI Moonshot,” with New Jersey becoming a base for AI-powered discoveries creating new jobs and economic opportunities. Murphy and Eisgruber announced plans for an AI Hub in 2023, and last April the University and the state held a NJ AI Summit, gathering more than 600 academic, business, and government leaders at Princeton University to start

Michelle Pirone Lambros Announces Campaign for Third Term on Council

Michelle Pirone Lambros is running for reelection to Princeton Council, on which she has served since 2020. The primary election is June 10, and the general election takes place on November 4.

Two seats on Council are up for grabs: One held by Lambros; the other by Council President Mia Sacks. While Sacks has yet to formally announce her candidacy, she will be running for reelection, she said Tuesday.

A native of Princeton, Lambros has

served as Council’s liaison to Experience Princeton, the Pedestrian Bicycle Advisory Committee, and the Recreation Committee. She chairs the Princeton Public Art Ad Hoc Committee, the Communications Committee, and the Infrastructure and Operations Committee. She is also the Fire Commissioner and serves on the Finance Committee, among others. In an official statement, Lambros said that she wants to build on the foundation of work she has accomplished while in

TREASURE HUNT:

lovers

works

the Friends of the Lawrence

(Photo by Thomas Hedges)

William Nemon Heard is a singer, songwriter, producer, author, ordained Christian minister, worship consultant, workshop clinician, pastoral counselor, and entrepreneur. His voice has been heard in many parts of the world through the mediums of television, radio, and the digital realm.

Princeton Theological Seminary alumnus (’04, ’05) William Heard will sing the music of Black Church musicians including Albert Tindley, Lillian Bouknight, Margaret Douroux, Isaiah Jones, and Andraé Crouch. Heard will be joined by accompanists Don Corey Washington and Mina Choi as well as the Association of Black Seminarians’ Gospel Choir, under the direction of Otis Byrd, Jr., and the Princeton Seminary Chapel Choir, under the direction of Martin Tel.

Congratulations to our 2025 Tribute Honorees

Join us in celebrating extraordinary individuals who are making a lasting impact in our community. The YWCA Princeton’s 41st Tribute to Women will honor these eight remarkable individuals who have made significant contributions across various fields, inspiring others through their eptional leadership and unwavering dedication.

ATIYA WEISS

CHANTILLE KENNEDY, M.S.ED., M.PHIL.ED Executive Director, The Burke Foundation

BRENDA WHITAKER Director of the Solutions Center, Homefront

Middle School G Counselor, The Hu

JENNIFER WEISBERG MILLNER, ESQ.

Shareholder & Chair of Family Law & Divorce Group, Stark & Stark

YWCA Princeton is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.

JACK MORRISON CHERYL TOWNS BSN RN Founder, Red Queen Foundation

President, JM Group Chief Community Care n Health Team

COUNCILWOMAN TESKA T. FRISBY

Councilwoman, West Ward in Trenton

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Chinese New Year Celebration at MarketFair

The Year of the Snake Chinese New Year was marked on Saturday, January 25 at Princeton MarketFair.

The WULA Academy, in partnership with the World Wise Learning Academy and sponsored by Wanglei International Fencing Club, Cavegolf, and All Blue Chinese Cuisine, together with the Huaxia Chinese school at Plainsboro and various local community members, hosted the celebration to note the arrival of the Year of the Snake. The afternoon event featured a diverse array of performances, food, giveaways, and interactive activities for all ages.

West Windsor Mayor Hemant Marathe and Plainsboro Deputy Mayor David Bander attended the ceremony. During their speeches, they wished everyone a Happy Lunar New Year and expressed their support and appreciation of the Chinese community in the area.

Bander later talked about his son’s attendance in the Plainsboro Chinese Immersion program, praising the program for its efficiency in teaching students Chinese. Marathe also mentioned Mandarin as a second language option for middle school students in the West Windsor school district. Both

mayors were appreciative of the effort the WULA Academy and other organizations put in to create such a vibrant event to share Chinese culture with the community.

The celebration kicked off with a traditional dragon dance by the children. Following the dance, the New Jersey Peking Opera Society took the stage with a percussion performance using traditional Chinese instruments. Additional vocal, instrumental, and dance performances were part of the afternoon, designed to share and promote Chinese traditions with the wider New Jersey community.

Topics In Brief A Community Bulletin

Leighton Listens: Councilman Leighton Newlin holds one-on-one conversations about issues impacting Princeton from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on February 5 at Arlee’s Raw Blends, 14.5 Witherspoon Street; on February 12 at LiLLiPiEs Bakery, Princeton Shopping Center; February 19 at Say Cheese, 183D Nassau Street; and February 26 at Blue Bears, Princeton Shopping Center.

Food Pantry: Arm in Arm’s mobile food pantry is at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch of Mercer County Library System, 2751 Brunswick Pike, on Monday afternoons from 2-4 p.m. Fresh produce, eggs, milk, frozen proteins, and quality baked goods as well as canned and boxed items and personal care items are available for those in need, and different social services agencies are on site. Mcl.org.

Sustainable Princeton “Lending Library” : Sustainable Princeton offers residents and nonprofits in Princeton the opportunity to borrow sustainable home items such as electric landscape equipment, induction cooktops, and repair tools, for free, for up to two weeks. Visit sustainableprinceton.org for more information.

Sourland “Stew Crew”: On February 7 and 17 at 9 a.m., help maintain planted sites, remove invasive plants, and fix fences in the Sourlands. No experience is necessary. RSVP at Stewards@sourland.org.

Volunteer Land Stewards Wanted: Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS) seeks volunteers for a stewardship session on Wednesday, February 19 from 1-3 p.m. at the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve. Help restore forest areas, remove invasive plants, and plant native trees and shrubs. Register at fopos.org/ events-programs.

Skating Safety: The Department of Recreation posts daily guidelines about skating on Community Park North Pond, Smoyer Pond, and Lake Carnegie. If any are safe to skate on, a white flag will be raised. Only skate during daylight hours and never skate alone. Visit princetonrecreation.com.

YEAR OF THE SNAKE: Several organizations from the Chinese community welcomed the New Year with a colorful party at MarketFair on Saturday, January 25.

MORVEN GOES MODERN: Mid-century, that is. Philip Johnson’s

Glass House in New Canaan, Conn., is among four featured in the annual upcoming “Grand Homes & Gardens” series.

Morven Speaker Series Takes Visitors To Landmark Houses from the Last Century

Over the past five years, staff at Morven Museum & Garden who plan the annual Grand Homes & Gardens lecture series have surveyed audiences about what subjects, and eras, they might like to learn about in the future. More often than not, requests are for the mid-

century modern period of architecture and design.

Morven has responded. This year’s series, starting February 26 at 6:30 p.m., is “The Quality of Doing: Mid-Century Modern Grand Homes & Gardens.” Led by four scholars, three of whom will be in person and one via Zoom (all lectures are offered in hybrid format), the series takes viewers from Philip Johnson’s iconic Glass House in Connecticut to the experimental Case Study Houses in southern California.

In between are Mies van der Rohe’s Edith Farnsworth House in Plano, IL, and Louis Kahn’s Toby and Steven Korman House in Fort Washington, Pa.

TOPICS

Of the Town

“It’s exciting to respond to what people want to see us do,” said Greer Luce, Morven’s curator of education and public programs and the series coordinator. “It’s also a good chance for us to connect to that period in our history, which isn’t often a focus.”

First on the schedule is the property closest to Princeton. Philadelphia-based architect Louis Kahn completed the Toby and Steven Korman House just a few months before he died in 1973. Known for his great institutional and monumental buildings throughout the world, Kahn also designed many different kinds of dwellings. Speaking about him on February 26 is William Whitaker, director and chief curator of the architectural archives at the University of Pennsylvania’s Stuart Weitzman School of Design; he is also the author of The Houses of Louis Kahn.

Next on March 5 is “Architecting Nature: Philip Johnson, David Whitney and the Evolution of the Glass House Estate, 1946-2024.” Johnson designed the house in a fairly traditional layout, except for one thing — it has no walls. The house is described as being best understood as a pavilion for viewing the surrounding landscape. It is considered iconic because of its innovative use of materials and integration into the landscape. Leading the discussion will be Maureen Cassidy Geiger,

art historian and author of The Philip Johnson Glass House: An Architect in the Garden.

“Reclaiming the Edith Farnsworth House” is March 13, with Nora Wendl, associate professor of architecture at the University of New Mexico and author of Almost Nothing: Reclaiming Edith Farnsworth as lecturer. Considered one of Mies van der Rohe’s most significant works, the house “embodies a certain aesthetic culmination in his experiment with this building type,” according to the website for the house. “Second, the house is perhaps the fullest expression of modernist ideals that had begun in Europe, but Continued on Next Page

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Landmark Houses

Continued from Preceding Page which were consummated in Plano, Illinois.”

The final program on March 20 is “Celebrating the Experimental: The Case Study Houses,” led by art historian and curator Elizabeth A.T. Smith, who wrote Case Study Houses: 19451966 . Arts & Architecture magazine spearheaded the program by commissioning eight nationally known architects to create contemporary single-family homes within a specified budget.

“One of the things I’m most excited about is the speakers themselves,” said Luce. “We have a great lineup of people who are at the top of their game in the history of architecture field. Each has written books about these homes, and they come from different perspectives — some from history, and some considering landscape and gardens.”

Morven began the series in 2019 as a kind of “armchair travel” opportunity during the cold months of the year. The series took off a year later, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when it was offered online. It continues in a hybrid format today.

A key part of the experience is the refreshments served at each gathering. “They are tailored to the time period being discussed, or a person involved. It might be an architect’s favorite cocktail, or something like that. It makes you feel like you are part of that time,” said Greer.

A forum for the expression of opinions about local and national issues.

Question of the Week:

“What did you find here today?” (Asked Sunday at the Friends of the Lawrence Library Book Sale at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch of the Mercer County Library System) (Photos by Thomas Hedges)

The series continues to be the most popular lecture program that Morven offers.

“I think people love the opportunity to hear about these places that might be far away, or bring them somewhere interesting in the middle of winter,” Luce said. “And I feel we’ve done a pretty good job to bring in speakers who tell really great stories about these places. They’re telling you about the people. You’re not just hearing someone drone on.”

Lectures take place in Morven’s Stockton Education Center, on the campus at 55 Stockton Street. For tickets and more information, visit morven.org.

—Anne Levin

Each Friday afternoon, we send a roundup of the week’s top stories, breaking news, and upcoming events,

“I like to travel, so I look for travel books. Although today it’s totally different — it’s books with famous quotations.”

—Krish Sundar, Hamilton

mom.”

—Eddie Fogdall, Lawrence Township

I’m a high school English teacher, and I found some books to build up my high school library.”

—Marina McLaughlin, Lawrence Township

“My background is psychology, so I like self-help books. I also like biographies. I found this biography about Katharine Drexel, who was a nun who became a saint and belonged to the Drexel family.”

—Twinkle Manjuran, Lawrence Township

continued

the planning for the future of AI in New Jersey.

Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith gave the keynote address, and CoreWeave Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Brian Venturo was a featured speaker.

Microsoft, CoreWeave, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) are partners with Princeton University in the newly created NJ AI Hub, and together they expect to invest more than $72 million to support the longterm success of the Hub, including up to $25 million of non-binding commitment from the NJEDA.

The four partners have designated research and development, commercializing and accelerating innovation, and strengthening AI education and workforce development as three priorities,

“pillars of programming,” at the NJ AI Hub.

In research and development the Hub will be helping companies to apply AI in their businesses and engage New Jersey’s research universities on AI research and to host events to connect companies with AI research and potential collaborators.

In commercializing and accelerating innovation, the Hub will operate an AI accelerator to “help facilitate the growth of the early stage AI ecosystem in New Jersey,” according to the press release. The accelerator will host and support startup ventures, and those startups will have access to the Hub’s corporate partners for mentoring and networking.

To strengthen AI education and workforce development, the Hub will work closely with the state’s higher education community.

“The Hub will coordinate efforts to build the state’s pool of AI talent,” the press

release states. “Ongoing collaboration with employers will ensure that education and training programs are providing trainees with industry-recognized credentials and in-demand skills for the workforce.”

“New Jersey has long been at the forefront of American innovation and AI is the next chapter of this journey,” said Smith, as quoted in the governor’s press release. “By leveraging the strengths of the private sector, Princeton, and the state of New Jersey, our goal is to build a thriving regional AI economy that not only drives economic growth, but sets a new standard for research, development, and workforce development.”

“This collaboration represents the best of what private-public partnerships can achieve, bringing together the brightest minds from government, academia, the business community, and our team of experts to foster

groundbreaking AI innovation in New Jersey,” said Venturo. “Together we’re advancing the future of technology while driving meaningful economic growth and strengthening New Jersey’s role as a leader in the global AI landscape. New Jersey is our home, and we’re excited to continue our partnership with the state by making it a leader in AI advancement.”

“AI is rapidly evolving and New Jersey is capitalizing on this moment to cement our place as a national leader in the industry,” said NJEDA CEO Tim Sullivan. “By bringing together world-class leaders like Princeton, Microsoft, and CoreWeave, Governor Murphy is building upon the Garden State’s longstanding legacy in innovation and helping advance cutting edge AI technologies. The opportunity presented by AI aligns with Governor Murphy’s vision for cultivating high-growth sectors with the goal of creating family-sustaining career opportunities. Showcasing New Jersey’s bustling innovation community, talent pool, and robust resources will help AI companies recognize the state’s value proposition for growing innovative companies of the future.”

Sullivan, as quoted by the ROI-NJ business media company, went on to highlight the importance of bringing highlevel corporate partners and Princeton University on board with the state in this venture.

“If you’re judged by the company you keep, Princeton, Microsoft, and CoreWeave would be about as good a trio as you can imagine,” said Sullivan. “This is a big deal for Jersey and a bigger opportunity for Jersey. These aren’t

folks who are in the charity business. These are corporate giants. And to have their validation of the governor’s strategy speaks volumes to the governor’s strategy.”

Sullivan went on, “To have Princeton engage at this level is extraordinary. I think if you look at the sweep of history, getting an institution of the caliber and the resources of Princeton to engage more deeply in the real economy is a game-changer. It sends an incredibly important signal of where the Jersey economy is going with their deeper engagement.”

—Donald Gilpin

WORLD-CLASS NJ AI HUB: Gov. Phil Murphy and Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber have announced that Microsoft and CoreWeave will join the state of New Jersey and Princeton University as founding partners in the NJ AI Hub to be located on Alexander Road in West Windsor. (Rendering courtesy of Janisak Biddle Architects)

HomeFront’s 2025 Week of Hope starts on February 10 and offers six days full of

and

events where

and

“During the Week of Hope, we invite the community to come visit or volunteer, create some community, explore the challenges we face, and learn how you can support what we are doing at HomeFront to make a difference,” said HomeFront CEO Sarah Steward.

“We continue to call it ‘Week of Hope’ since starting this event in 2017 because we know that when community members get involved, it truly is possible to bring hope and stability to local families impacted by poverty and homelessness,” she added. “Week of Hope reminds us of our togetherness in this community and the ability for each of us to bring about change.”

From 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Monday, February 10, and also 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, February 13, volunteers will be working at HomeFront’s FreeStore at 1000 Division Street in Trenton, helping to create a welcoming space where clients can shop for clothing, professional attire, household items, and more — all at no cost to them. Sorting incoming donations and organizing merchandise in the store will be among the activities for participants who sign on.

HomeFront’s Choice Market food pantry is looking for helpers on Monday from 9:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., Tuesday 1:45 to 6 p.m., and Thursday 9:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. at their 1880 Princeton Avenue campus in Lawrence Township. Volunteers will join the HomeFront team in creating a dignified shopping experience for clients at the Choice Market food pantry, working to assist clients, retrieving carts, and restocking shelves. Spanish and Haitian Creole speakers are especially encouraged to volunteer.

For supporters who are new to volunteering with HomeFront, on Monday February 10 from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. there will be an “engaging session to dive into our mission, core values, and the ins and outs of client-facing, and in-person volunteering,” a HomeFront flier states. All in-person volunteers are encouraged to attend.

Volunteers who would like to bake treats for children in the community should drop off the goodies by 2 p.m. on Tuesday, February 11 at 1880 Princeton Avenue in Lawrence Township. They will be included in meal deliveries to families temporarily living in motels. “Bring a smile to children currently experiencing homelessness by baking nut-free treats,” HomeFront urges. “Every sweet contribution makes a difference.” Treats should be individually wrapped.

On Tuesday and again on Thursday, from 2:30

to 5:30 p.m., volunteers will “Deliver Hope with Double Helpings,” joining the HomeFront Double Helpings team to deliver hot meals and essential supplies to individuals experiencing homelessness and living in area motels. HomeFront advises that volunteers must be 18 years old to participate and should sign up with the Volunteer Orientation on the HomeFront website to get started.

For those eager to learn about HomeFront’s more than 35 programs and their impact, there will be a private bus tour with Steward on Wednesday, February 12 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., starting from 1880 Princeton Avenue in Lawrence Township.

Also on Wednesday, HomeFront’s Treasure Trove thrift store at 31 West Broad Street in Hopewell will be the venue for those artistically inclined who would like to spend an evening collaging, sipping, and learning about HomeFront. A donation of $25 per person is suggested, HomeFront said, for those who would like to “enjoy a relaxing time creating a Valentine for someone special in your life while supporting a great cause.” Participants must be 21 to attend.

Baking cupcakes and creating Valentine’s goodie bags for children and families staying at the HomeFront Family Campus are also on the agenda for Wednesday and Thursday. Volunteers should prepare

for any of the many educational and volunteer activities offered during the week.

their contributions at home, individually wrap them, and drop off the treats at 1880 Princeton Avenue in Lawrenceville by 2 p.m. on Thursday, February 13.

Also on Thursday, there is an opportunity to tour HomeFront’s 1880 Princeton Avenue location to see the Resource Network in action, learn about the food pantry, hygiene pantry, diaper resource center, upcoming drives, and to discover many different ways to get involved in supporting the HomeFront mission.

On Friday, those interested are invited to join Steward for a lunch during which she will speak about HomeFront’s “proactive approach to addressing homelessness.” The invitation urges, “Gain insight into our programs and services and understand the challenges our clients face every day as we work together to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness.”

The final event of the Week of Hope, a diaper wrapping activity, will take place on Saturday, February 15, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 1880 Princeton Avenue in Lawrence Township. HomeFront urges volunteers to make a difference by hosting a diaper drive, bringing the collected diapers to the donation center, and afterwards joining a lively diaper wrapping session to support families in need. Diapers can cost $70-$80 per month per child, and they’re not covered by food stamps.

HomeFront reports that during the past year 30,676 individuals came to HomeFront and were given shelter, food, and “life-changing assistance.” Families and individuals received 1,840,320 meals through free groceries from HomeFront food pantries. There were 168 families sheltered at the HomeFront Family Campus and in HomeFront’s FreshStart housing program. More than one million diapers were distributed through the Diaper Resource Center, an increase of 17 percent over last year. And 141 families settled in HomeFront’s permanent, affordable, serviceenriched housing.

Visit homefrontnj.org to learn more about HomeFront and the Week of Hope, and to sign up for any of the events noted above.

—Donald Gilpin

Town Seeks Comments On Local Transit Services

The municipality of Princeton has invited the community to provide feedback on local transit services by participating in the Community Transit Plan study, which is available through February 17 at surveymonkey.co/r/ princetontransit.

In addition, four pop-up events are planned to solicit comments: Thursday, February 6 from 2-4 p.m. at Princeton Public Library and from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the Princeton “Dinky” station; and Tuesday, February 11 from 2-2:30 p.m. at the Palmer Square kiosk; and 3:30-6:30 p.m. at the Princeton Shopping Center.

Princeton currently provides free bus service to several residential communities in the municipality. These routes link residents to downtown businesses, the Princeton Shopping Center, and a variety of cultural and social destinations. In anticipation of the addition of two new electric buses to its fleet, the municipality is conducting the survey to assess Princeton’s mobility needs.

The study will explore strategies to improve the

current bus service and identify opportunities to leverage other transit services offered in the community to encourage residents, visitors, and employees of local businesses to take transit options instead of driving.

“The purpose of the Princeton Community Transit Study is to create a comprehensive community transportation program that supports planned growth in the municipality by recommending incremental improvements to Princeton’s transit offerings that are more accessible, reliable, and convenient,” said the town’s Deputy Administrator Deanna Stockton.

Councilwoman Michelle Lambros added, “One of Council’s goals and priorities is to increase community access to safe, affordable, cost-effective, and low-carbon transportation. The Community Transit Plan survey aims to identify how our transit system can best service the needs of our community today and for years to come.”

Dates and times of the pop-up events are subject to weather conditions. Visit Princeton.civilspace.io/en/ projects/community-transitstudy.

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FEEDING THE COMMUNITY: Volunteers will be working with HomeFront team members in their Choice Market food pantry during HomeFront’s Week of Hope, February 10-15. Members of the community are invited to visit or volunteer

(Photo courtesy of HomeFront)

“RIVETING. An

2024 PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST A co-production with LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE

NOW thru February 9th

Upcoming Events

Noli Timere

in partnership with the Lewis Center for the Arts

Feb 7 – 8

Relaxed Performance Feb 8, 2:00PM

Witness the breathtaking aerial dance of Noli Timere, a collaboration between choreographer Rebecca Lazier and sculptor Janet Echelman, where dance meets engineering high above the stage.

Chief Adjuah (Formerly Christian Scott)

Thu, Feb 13, 7:30PM

A revolutionary force in jazz, renowned for his dynamic live performances and genre-defying blend of styles and cultures.

Mandy Patinkin In Concert: Being Alive

Fri, Feb 14, 7:30PM

WXPN Welcomes Meshell Ndegeocello - No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin

Sat, Feb 15, 7:30PM

GRAMMY Award-winning artist Meshell Ndegeocello brings her new album to life in an unforgettable live performance.

Czech National Symphony Orchestra

Steven Mercurio, Conductor

Sandy Cameron, Violin Soloist

Maxim Lando, Piano Soloist

Fri, Feb 21, 7:30PM

Celebrated for its vibrant interpretations and broad musical repertoire, the Czech National Symphony Orchestra brings the heart of Czech musical tradition to the stage under the baton of the esteemed conductor Steven Mercurio.

Bereishit

Dance Company

Thu, Feb 27, 7:30PM

Drawing from many sources, including martial arts and street dance, Bereishit Dance Company creates groundbreaking performances that take your breath away.

New

Orleans Songbook

a Jazz at Lincoln Center PRESENTS

Production featuring Luther Allison, Quiana Lynell and Milton Suggs

Fri, Feb 28, 7:30PM

Let the good times roll and celebrate the composers and inspired songs of the Crescent City, the historic epicenter of jazz.

Goodnight Moon and the Runaway Bunny

Sun, Mar 9, 11:00AM and 3:00PM

Rediscover the timeless charm of these cherished books, as award-winning puppetry transforms the characters and scenes into a visually stunning and emotionally resonant performance.

Don’t miss out! Buy your tickets today! WATCH THE TRAILER

Jodi Picoult to be Interviewed For Podcast at Library Event

When novelist Jodi Picoult sits down for a chat with Princeton University English Professor Sophie Gee at Princeton Public Library on February 13, the focus will be on William Shakespeare rather than Picoult’s own impressive output of some 29 bestselling books.

A graduate of Princeton’s Class of 1987, Picoult will be in town to take part in an episode of Gee’s podcast “The Secret Life of Books,” which Gee will be recording in the library’s Community Room.

The public is invited. While Picoult will not be signing copies of her latest book, By Any Other Name , she and Gee will be available

to answer questions at the conclusion of the podcast.

“She is one of our proudest exports,” Gee said of Picoult, who studied writing with former Princeton Professor Mary Morris. “I love Jodi’s writing. She’s a very authentic, talented, passionate writer. Bestseller fiction is sometimes not included in canonical writing. But I think it’s really important to look at bestsellers and what they are saying about the world.”

The podcast episode is titled “When a Woman Holds the Quill.” The Shakespeare angle refers to Picoult’s belief that a woman known as Emilia Lanier, rather than The Bard himself, wrote his plays. While Gee doesn’t necessarily

buy that theory, she thinks it is worth discussion.

“Her latest book, which I think is very accomplished, says that Shakespeare’s plays were actually written by a little-known Renaissance writer. She was a real person,” said Gee. “The book is about the idea that Shakespeare was a brilliant theatrical impresario, but he was not the creative genius that stands behind that incredible canon of plays.”

Gee has been on the Princeton faculty for two decades. She started “The Secret Life of Books” with her friend Jonty Claypole, the former director of arts at the BBC and a fellow native Australian. Every week, the two take an iconic book and look for “the hidden

story behind the story: who made it, their clandestine motives, the undeclared stakes, the scandalous backstory, and above all, the secret, mysterious meanings of books we thought we knew,” according to secretlifeofbooks.org.

“We both absolutely love reading, and books, and, especially, classics,” Gee said. “We both have degrees in English literature. We’ve both spent our professional lives working with classic literature in one way or another. We felt like there was space for them to be taught in a way that was fun and also rigorous, like a conversation among friends. We wanted to get classic literature out of the ivory tower.”

The partners came up with the title for the podcast before they knew exactly what it would be about. But they soon figured it out.

“We suddenly recognized that what we find compelling about the classics is that they have these hidden stories of history — weird stuff that was going on at the time,” Gee said.

The first episode, which was about Shakespeare’s Macbeth, included a discussion of the gunpowder plot in London in 1605, to blow up the king and whole court and completely disrupt English politics.

“That’s the thing about this project that has been so much more interesting than we realized,” said Gee. “All of these big themes and topics which you think of as being lost in the past — it’s amazing how much they are like situations happening right now.”

Gee plans to ask Picoult about her creative process. “I love the knowledge that she has to support the claim,” she said. “I love the research, and I love her understanding of 16th century literature and politics and women. The book is a totally not-put-downable story of a woman living by her talent and her wits.”

The event is on Thursday, February 13 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Registration is requested but not required. Those who register will be admitted first when the doors open at 1 p.m. The line for seating will begin at 12:30 p.m. Remaining seats will be filled at 1:20 p.m. on a firstcome, first-served basis. Visit princetonlibrary.org for more information.

—Anne Levin

New Jersey Realtors Names New CEO

After more than two and a half decades heading the largest trade association in New Jersey, Jarrod Grasso, of Lavallette, announced last week he was stepping down to accept a newly created position at the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Doug Tomson, of Hillsborough, who served as the former vice president of government affairs at New Jersey Realtors, and most recently was the CEO at the North Central Jersey Association of Realtors has been named as incoming CEO.

Grasso, who will be undertaking a newly created role, senior vice president of industry relations at the National Association of Realtors, had been with the association since 1999, first serving as the head of government affairs before becoming CEO.

“I am honored to join NAR in this pivotal new role and look forward to working alongside my association colleagues, our members, and other industry partners to demonstrate how together we can create meaningful solutions for Realtors,” said Grasso in a NAR press release announcing his new position. “By fostering strong relationships and addressing critical industry priorities, we can help members remain indispensable to their clients and communities.”

Tomson left New Jersey Realtors to become the CEO at the North Central Jersey Association of Realtors last year, where he has continued to help empower realtors to preserve, protect, and advance private property rights and homeownership while leading the association’s innovation and growth. He is a 2023 recipient of the Realtor Association Executive Certification — an industry standard for association executives.

New Board Members

At Housing Organization

Housing Initiatives of Princeton (HIP), which provides transitional housing and eviction prevention services in Central Jersey, has named three Princeton residents — Luis Estrada, Marisabel Fernandez, and Suki Wasserman — to its 15-member board.

Board Chair Tom Pinneo praised the intellect and humanity of the three new appointees, all passionately dedicated to HIP that began its life-transformational work 23 years ago.

Wasserman is a corporate market research professional, who has worked with Procter & Gamble, Bristol Myers, and Johnson & Johnson. As community engagement coordinator for HomeFront, Wasserman led the nonprofit’s legacy giving. Two years ago, Wasserman began grant writing for HIP and last year joined HIP’s development committee responsible for securing large grants and sponsorships.

Fernandez, a native of Puerto Rico, with an educational background in neurophysiology and health care, has focused her community work on fundraising for the YMCA, HomeFront, and 101:Fund. She also supports the community through Princeton Public Schools as an active parent and advocate for high quality education and programming that supports and celebrates the Hispanic/Latinx heritage.

Estrada, a native of Guatemala, is a 2021 Rutgers University graduate, currently working at Merrill Lynch as a financial services advisory client solutions specialist. His long-term career goal is to attend law school and acquire an expertise in immigration law. With an extensive community service record when a student at Princeton High School and then at Rutgers, Estrada is committed to the success of HIP’s mission, because several years ago he and his family were the beneficiary of HIP services.

A Princeton tradition!

These services include providing families who are homeless or not incomequalified for affordable housing with a path to securing a permanent home of their own. About 30 parents and children per year live in HIP’s transitional homes for 1-2 years, pay 30 percent of their incomes in rent, and receive wraparound services so they can graduate into an affordable home of their own.

HIP also provides funding to help over 300 children and adults per year avoid eviction. This program specifically targets local residents who have fallen behind in their rent because of a one-time emergency such as a job loss, car repair, or medical bill.

Visit housinginitiativesofprinceton.org for more information.

TOWN TOPICS is printed entirely on recycled paper.

School Facilities

continued from page one (55.90 percent) Yes votes and 1,491 (44.10 percent) No votes.

In the totals counted so far there have been 3,394 ballots cast (20.92 percent) out of 16,227 registered Princeton voters. Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello said that the County Board of Elections is meeting on February 11, and the final results will be officially certified on February 11 or 12.

The tax impact of the facilities bond on an average assessed home value of $853,136 is estimated at $532 annually.

Kendal pointed out that the BOE and district officials are currently working to finalize construction and renovation plans, but the goal is to have the additions ready by fall 2028, with some renovations being completed after that.

The environmental impact of the referendum projects is expected to be significant with the district’s consulting engineer estimating savings on energy and maintenance between $150,000 and $200,000 per year with new HVAC at PHS. The BOE Operations Committee was scheduled to interview two energy consultants on Wednesday, February 5, and hoping to move forward soon on the installation of solar panels for the schools.

Kendal went on to emphasize that the district is looking forward to welcoming new students, providing additional support for diverse learners in the new small instruction and flexible spaces, “and continuing the high level of programming that Princeton Public Schools is known for.”

—Donald Gilpin

PRESERVING AND CONSERVING: Farmer and educator Tomia MacQueen will talk about these two topics, along with community-building, at an event in Kingston.

Owner of Wildflower Farm To Speak at Annual Meeting Tomia MacQueen, the owner of Wildflower Farm in Pennington, will speak at the Annual Meeting for Friends of Princeton Nursery Lands on Thursday, February 20 at 7:30 p.m. The free event takes place in the Education Building of D&R Canal State Park headquarters, 145 Mapleton Road, Kingston.

MacQueen is an educator, farmer, and master gardener specializing in culturally relevant food. She grows organically-raised poultry and lamb with a focus on humane animal husbandry. Her certified organic farm also produces and preserves vegetables and seed varieties from around the world and is host to K-12, university, and adult educational classes and workshops focused on sustainability, homesteading, and small-scale farming, with conservation in mind. Her talk will begin further

Princeton’s First Tradition Worship Service

Sundays at 11am

16, guests who register for the Chocolate-Covered Workshops will learn how to temper, melt, mold, and paint chocolate treats. The event will be led by Kim Pietrak of Skip’s Candy Corner, a shop in Peddler’s Village, as well as Kandy Hughus from Kelly’s Kandy. Guests of all ages can register at peddlersvillage.com.

From February 14-16, guests can travel the Village Chocolate Trail to collect stickers that will entitle them to a Golden Ticket, each of which will reveal a prize. Prizes will include Peddler’s Village gift cards, shop merchandise, carousel rides at Giggleberry Fair, and overnight stays at the Golden Plough Inn, the on-site hotel at Peddler’s Village. Other chocolate-themed events include a Hewn Spirits Chocolate Tasting Flight February 13-16 and a Couples Date Night Cake Class at Sweet Occasions on February 13. Chamber of Commerce Plans

“Pitch Stop VII”

discussions for all interested in community building and possibilities for the preservation and conservation of the former Princeton Nurseries Seed House and adjacent area, such as community gardens, growing seeds and plants, local farmer support systems and local, regional, and international impact and partnerships through the preservation of heritage seeds and foods.

MacQueen is a board member for Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS) and for Northeast Organic Farming Association-New Jersey, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting organic agriculture through education, technical assistance and advocacy. She is also a farmer/ mentor for several community and university programs such as the Outdoor Equity Alliance Agri-hood program and the Princeton University Seed Farm.

The Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce is gearing up to host Pitch Stop VII, its shark-tank style pitch competition, on Thursday, February 13 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Grounds For Sculpture.

The event brings together startups, investors, and a business-savvy audience for an evening of ideas and innovation. This year, the Chamber’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Council has three exceptional startups to complete for the prize package: Blue Filter, a sustainable water purification system; Julia Technologies, a trauma care and robotic

assistance system; and Tangra, an immersive AIdriven workplace training platform.

Each finalist will deliver a pitch before a panel of investors and entrepreneurs. This year’s panel is made up of James Howard, executive director of the Black Inventors Hall of Fame; Shihab Kuran, president and CEO of Power Edison; and Sean O’Sullivan, managing general partner of Sean O’Sullvan Ventures.

The winning startup will take home a prize package valued at over $10,000. Pitch Stop VII is more than just a competition. It is a meeting ground for entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders looking to be inspired and make meaningful connections.

To register, visit princetonmercerchamber.org.

Police Blotter

Two Apprehended In Hulfish Shoplifting

On Wednesday, January 29, at approximately 5:54 p.m., the Princeton Police Department received multiple 911 calls reporting an active shoplifting incident at a commercial business on Hulfish Street. Witnesses described four suspects — two males and two females — dressed in dark clothing, according to a Princeton Police press release. The individuals reportedly entered the store, took merchandise, and placed it into bags before exiting. Patrol units responded and determined

In addition, she is a member of Governance for the Ujamaa Cooperative Farming Alliance, which seeks to increase the number of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) growers of culturally meaningful heirloom seeds, increasing diversity of farmers, and equitable practices in the seed industry. She has been a Master Gardener and an Edible Gardens Consultant for 16 years.

Visit fpnl.org for more information.

“Village of Chocolate”

At Peddler’s Village

Peddler’s Village in Lahaska, Pa., will be themed the “Village of Chocolate” in February, with chocolateinfused restaurant specials, culinary events, Valentine’s Day prix fixe menus, Chocolate-Covered Workshops on February 16, and a Village Chocolate Trail from February 14-16.

In addition to Valentine’s Day dining with special menus on February 14 and 15, three restaurants at Peddler’s Village — Earl’s New American, Hart’s Tavern, and the Cock ‘n’ Bull — will be hosting special chocolate-themed dinners in February. Reservations and tickets are required for all dining events.

that the suspects fled the scene in a gray Tesla.

Shortly after, 911 callers reported that a gray Tesla was involved in a motor vehicle crash on Olden Lane. Following the collision, it was believed that the five occupants abandoned the car and fled on foot. Within minutes, officers apprehended two of the suspects, an adult female and a juvenile, near the scene of the crash. Patrol units then began canvassing the area in an attempt to locate the other involved individuals.

The Mercer County Sheriff’s Office and the Hopewell Township Police Department provided assistance in the search, utilizing drones. Additionally, the West Windsor Township Police Department responded with a K-9 unit to aid in the search. Despite an extensive effort, the remaining suspects were not located.

The adult female was taken into custody and transported to the Princeton Police Department where she was processed and charged. She was also determined to have an active warrant for her arrest out of Bucks County, Pa. She was later transported to the Mercer County Correctional Center. The juvenile that was taken into custody was later released to their guardian. At this time, the total value of the stolen merchandise remains unknown. The vehicle involved, a gray four-door Tesla, was towed from the scene. This incident remains under investigation. Unless noted, individuals arrested were later released.

On Sunday, February

Princeton University Chapel

Preaching Sunday, February 9 is Rev. Dr. Brittany Longsdorf, Associate Dean of Religious Life and the Chapel, Princeton University.

University Chapel Choir with Nicole Aldrich, Director of Chapel Music and Chapel Choir, and with Eric Plutz, University Organist.

Michelle Pirone Lambros

“ensuring

Much of Lambros’ focus has been on economic growth and development. That, along with affordability and sustainability, are her three top priorities, according to her official statement. Regarding affordability, the focus is on “expanding housing options, eliminating exclusionary zoning, and implementing smart growth strategies to maintain Princeton’s socio-economic diversity,” she said.

opment Committee, I have already worked on meeting our affordable housing obligations of the third round and will continue planning for the fourth round.”

the new Graduate by Hilton Princeton hotel this past August, along with restaurants and retail spaces, as evidence of economic growth, and she plans to further those efforts.

Lambros’ efforts toward sustainability involve “investing in green infrastructure, improving public transportation with new electric buses, and enhancing recreational spaces for a healthier community.” She is committed to revitalizing Community Park South and Grover Park, “to support healthy lifestyles.”

The issue remains one of Princeton’s most challenging. “I will work to expand our housing stock by eliminating exclusionary zoning, promoting ‘missing middle’ housing options, and ensuring smart growth policies that do not increase the financial burden on taxpayers,” she said. “As part of the Council Redevel -

Economic development is about “ensuring a thriving local economy by supporting businesses, fostering innovation, and strengthening our commercial tax base to ease the residential tax burden.”

She cited the opening of

Regarding civic engagement, Lambros said she will continue “advocating for policies that support a thriving, diverse, and inclusive Princeton.” The ongoing threat of deportation to undocumented residents is a concern.

“We’re looking right now at how to best protect our residents, and we’re very concerned. We want them to know that,” she said.

For more information, visit michelleforprinceton.com.

—Anne Levin

HISTORIC GARDEN: The landscape of Point Breeze, the former Bonaparte estate in Bordentown, is the subject of a talk on February 22.

Special Program Highlights Gardens at Point Breeze

On Saturday, February 22 at 2 p.m., Rebecca W. Flemer will share research from her work with historic gardens on landscaping and gardens of the 1820’s at a special program at the Discovery Center at Point Breeze, 101 East Park Street, Bordentown.

Some carriage trails, a few trees and the gardener’s cottage, now D&R Greenway Land Trust’s Discovery Center, are all that remain of Joseph Bonaparte’s landscape at Point Breeze which he developed between 1816 and his departure in 1839.

“This is the first in a series of fascinating talks that will be presented at the Discovery Center at Point Breeze in 2025,” said Linda Mead for D&R Greenway, the nonprofit which owns the Discovery Center and spearheaded the protection of the 60-acre Point Breeze land. “The goal of our educational center is to share stories of the landowners and the land, through the centuries, and inspire the public to care about preservation.”

The Caserta Palace in Naples and The Woodlands in Philadelphia are emblematic of the picturesque landscape that Bonaparte espoused in Point Breeze. Caserta’s English Garden, or Giardino Inglese, had been installed in 1806 when Joseph Bonaparte occupied the grounds as the King of Naples. The garden had been installed only a decade prior to his arrival and represented the height of horticultural fashion. It contained several American species, which must have seemed quite exotic to the Italian landscape. Later, in exile

in the United States, when Joseph Bonaparte’s mansion burned to the ground in 1820, he was offered the opportunity to purchase the Woodlands, the impressive estate of a wealthy landowner in Philadelphia, William Hamilton, who lived from 1745 to 1813. The house had fallen into disrepair and Bonaparte thought he could do better on his own property in Bordentown.

“Both of these places demonstrate Joseph Bonaparte’s taste for the Picturesque landscape, a particularly English idea of landscape design destined to influence the interaction of man and nature for over two centuries,” said Flemer, a historian specializing in historic and cultural landscapes. She holds leadership roles at several public gardens and focuses on preserving and interpreting historic landscapes.

The $20 admission fee supports the Discovery Center. Commemorative fleur de lis pins designed by Marsha Dowshen are available for a special one-time purchase of $10 each. RSVP in advance at www.drgreenway.org.

Clean Drinking Water For Mercer County

In light of both the recent independent third-party report and the ongoing documented struggles at Trenton Water Works, Mercer County is prepared to back a variety of possible solutions that will maintain public control of the utility while also ensuring all residents, no matter where they live in Mercer County, have access to clean drinking water, according to a recent press release.

“Mercer County is prepared to play any role asked of us by our mayors,

legislative delegation, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to accomplish this mission,” said County Executive Dan Benson. “As a former legislator, we know this will take everyone’s cooperation to achieve this goal.”

“No resident residing in Mercer County or in America for that matter, should have to question if their water is safe to drink,” said Commissioner Nina Melker.

“Although saddened to read this report, I am pleased that all partners involved realize that something must be done to modernize Trenton Water Works to meet the present day demands of the system,” said Commissioner Cathleen Lewis.

For more information, visit mercercounty.org.

Steward

Interns Sought For Summer Season Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS) is seeking two Land Steward Interns for the 2025 summer season. Working under the direction of the director of natural resources and stewardship, interns will assist with the dayto-day activities of managing the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Preserve in Princeton. Tasks include working within riparian and forest restoration project sites, and playing a key role in organizing and leading volunteer sessions and community events. These part-time paid internship opportunities run from approximately May 1 – August 30 (start and end dates are flexible), with a total commitment of 350 hours. The application deadline is February 28. Visit fopos. org/land-steward-internship for a full job description and application instructions.

Michelle Pirone Lambros

Town Topics

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Books

Talk on Escaping Enslavement by Water:

The Other Underground Railroad

The Trent House Association will host a talk by Timothy Walker, professor of history at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, based on his edited volume, Sailing to Freedom: Maritime Dimensions of the Underground Railroad. This free virtual talk will be given on Sunday, February 9, at 2 p.m., via Zoom at tinyurl. com/EscapeByWater.

Sailing to Freedom highlights little-known stories of freedom-seeking by sea and describes the less-understood maritime side of the Underground Railroad, which has been focused on overland escape routes from the antebellum South. Sailing to Freedom (University of Massachusetts Press,

$27.95 paperback) expands our understanding of how freedom was achieved by sea and what this journey looked like for untold numbers of African Americans. This talk will describe the importance of enslaved African Americans’ maritime and waterfront labor in southern ports, and how escapes were managed along the East Coast, moving from the Carolinas, Virginia, and Maryland to safe harbor in northern cities such as Philadelphia, New York, New Bedford, and Boston. With few exceptions, successful escapes from enslavement in the Deep South were achieved not overland, but by water.

Walker is a scholar of

maritime history, colonial overseas expansion, and trans-oceanic slave trading. Walker is a guest investigator of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, a contributing faculty member of the Munson Institute of Maritime Studies, affiliated faculty of the “Slavery North” initiative, and director of the National Endowment for the Humanities “Landmarks in American History” workshops series for middle- and high school teachers, titled “Sailing to Freedom: New Bedford and the Underground Railroad” (2011–2025).

The William Trent House Museum is a National Historic Landmark in the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area and on the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail and on the New Jersey Black Heritage Trail. The museum is located at 15 Market Street, Trenton, with free parking behind the museum property off William Trent Place. For more information visit williamtrenthouse.org.

Mohammed El-Kurd

Discusses “Perfect Victims”

Mohammed El-Kurd and Naomi Murakawa will be in conversation on Thursday, February 13 at 6 p.m., at Labyrinth Books, 122 Nassau Street, to discuss El-Kurd’s book, Perfect Victims and the Politics of Appeal, an affirmation of the Palestinian condition of resistance and refusal.

Called an “ode to the steadfastness of a nation,” the book shows Palestine as a microcosm of the world, “on fire, stubborn, fragmented, dignified,” according to the publisher (Haymarket Books, $17.95 paperback). “While a settler colonial state continues to inflict devastating violence, fundamental truths are deliberately obscured — the perpetrators are coddled while the victims are blamed and placed on trial. Why must Palestinians prove their humanity? And what are the implications of such an infuriatingly impossible task? “

Rather than asking the oppressed to perform a perfect victimhood, El-Kurd asks friends and foes alike to look Palestinians in the eye, forgoing both deference and condemnation. How we see Palestine reveals how we see each other; how we see everything else. “Masterfully combining candid testimony, history, and reportage, Perfect Victims presents a powerfully simple demand: dignity for the Palestinian.”

El-Kurd is a writer, poet, journalist, and organizer from East Jerusalem, and the Nation’s first-ever Palestine correspondent and editorat-large at Mondoweiss, the recipient of numerous honors and awards, and the author of the highly-acclaimed poetry collection Rifqa , which has been translated into several languages.

Murakawa is an associate professor of African American Studies at Princeton University. She studies the reproduction of racial inequality in 20th and 21st century American politics, with specialization in crime policy and the carceral state. She is the author of The First Civil Right: How Liberals Built Prison America, and her work has appeared in Law & Society Review, Theoretical Criminology, Du Bois Review, and several edited volumes. She has received fellowships from Columbia Law School’s Center for the Study of Law and Culture, as well as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Health Policy Research Program.

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Author Serene Khader Talks About “Faux Feminism” at Library Event

Author Serene Khader is joined by alma khasawnih to discuss Khader’s recently published book Faux Feminism: Why We Fall for White Feminism and How We Can Stop, on Tuesday, February 11 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. A book signing will follow.

The program is presented with support from the National Endowment for Humanities.

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After over 175 years, the feminist movement, now in its fourth wave, is at risk of collapsing on its eroding foundation, notes the publisher. In Faux Feminism (Beacon Press, $28.95), political philosopher Khader advocates for another feminism—one that doesn’t overwhelmingly serve white, affluent #girlbosses. Khader invites the reader to join her as she excavates the movement’s history and draws a blueprint for a more inclusive and resilient future.

Thankham Mathews is Guest at Williams Series National Book Award Winner Sarah Thankam Mathews, author of All This Could Be Different, will read with student readers in a session of The C.K. Williams Reading Series on Tuesday, February 11 at 6 p.m. at Labyrinth Books, 122 Nassau Street. Featured senior readers will be Cole Lindemann, Amalia Lopkin, Isabel Max, Charles Nuermberger, and Cassadie Royalty.

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Known as a “feminist myth buster,” Khader begins by deconstructing “faux feminisms” and through critical inquiry begets a new vision of feminism: one that tackles inequality at the societal, not individual, level and is ultimately rooted in community. She is a professor of philosophy at the CUNY Graduate Center and author of Decolonizing Universalism: A Transnational Feminist Ethic. She holds the Jay Newman Chair in Philosophy of Culture at Brooklyn College, and her work on global women’s issues has been published in outlets such as the New York Times. She lives in Brooklyn and has a website at serenekhader.com.

Khasawnih, is an assistant professor in the Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at The College of New Jersey. Her current monograph project examines ephemeral visual culture production of the 25 January Egyptian Revolution as a site of orienting and reorienting nationalism and citizenship debates. She is interested in transnational feminist geography and undoing the nation-state as a site of collectivity.

Mathews, author of All This Could be Different , reads from her work. The C.K. Williams Reading Series showcases seniors in Princeton University’s Program in Creative Writing with established writers as special guests.

Mathews has been published in Best American Short Stories and she is a recipient of fellowships from the Asian American Writers’ Workshop and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. In 2020, she founded the mutual aid group Bed-Stuy Strong. All This Could Be Different is her first novel. Mathews grew up between Oman and India, immigrating to the United States at 17.

The C.K. Williams Reading Series showcases senior thesis students of the Program in Creative Writing with established writers as special guests. This event is cosponsored by Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts and Labyrinth Books.

Sarah Thankham Mathews (Photo by Dondre Stuetly)

Born 111 Years Ago Today, William Burroughs Knocks on Our Door

Let the devil play it!

—Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

The finale from Schubert’s Wanderer Fantasy , based on his song “Der Wanderer,” has been described as “technically transcendental” with a “thunderous” conclusion. It was also infamously difficult to play, so deviously demanding that Schubert himself reportedly threw up his hands during a recital and yelled “Let the devil play it!”

I’m beginning this article on Schubert’s birthday, Friday January 31, looking ahead to the Wednesday, February 5 birthday of William Burroughs (1914-1997), who ventured into “Let the devil play it” territory when he linked the killing of his common-law wife Joan Vollmer to “the invader, the Ugly Spirit,” which “maneuvered me into a lifelong struggle, in which I have had no choice except to write my way out.” According to his introduction to Queer (Penguin 1985), Vollmer’s death during the drunken William Tell fiasco of September 6, 1951, opened the way to his breakthrough work Naked Lunch — if you believe him when he says he’d never have become a writer “but for Joan’s death.”

In a January 1965 Paris Review conversation reprinted in Writers at Work: The Third Series (Viking Compass), Burroughs frames the killing in the context of guns and gun violence in Mexico City, recalling it, as if offhandedly, “And I had that terrible accident with Joan Vollmer, my wife. I had a revolver that I was planning to sell to a friend. I was checking it over and it went off — killed her. A rumor started that I was trying to shoot a glass of champagne from her head, William Tell style. Absurd and false.”

He can’t say “I killed her” or even “it killed her.” Just “killed her.” The suggestion that “it just went off” is coming from a lifelong gun owner; witnesses at the scene not only agree about the William Tell scenario but remember Joan jesting just before the shot was fired: “I’m turning my head; you know I can’t stand the sight of blood.”

The Photograph

When I wrote about Joan Vollmer last month, I’d seen only two photographs of her: one resembling a college yearbook portrait, the other a snapshot by Allen Ginsberg in which she’s holding a bag of groceries; she appears conventionally attractive, with nothing in her expression to suggest someone capable of verbally

held forth and holding forth herself while he listened, attentively, according to Kerouac, who describes “a very deep companionship that none of us would ever be able to fathom.”

On his site realitystudio.org, Jed Birmingham includes a photo of Joan in death that ran in La Prensa and other Mexico City papers. What makes the image so wrenching is how pretty she looks; there’s even a hint of amusement in her expression, as if she’d actually been making that wisecrack about the sight of blood when the bullet hit her.

Found in Rome

In the summer of 1960 I bought a beat-up Olympia Press paperback mistitled The Naked Lunch at a street market in Rome, marked down to $1 because pages 85 to 90 had been ripped out. Burroughs probably wouldn’t mind. The textual violation fits with his interest in the “cut-up” technique he describes to the Paris Review, admitting that subsequent books like Nova Express and The Ticket That Exploded contain cut-up and folded-in texts from various authors, including Shakespeare, Joyce, Rimbaud, Kafka, Eliot, and Conrad.

The Missing Pages

As for the missing pages in my Naked Lunch , I just kept right on reading; no problem, because by then I considered the book little more than a collection of grossly amusing sketches I was already looking forward to sharing with my friends when I got home. When the U.S. edition appeared, I found that the missing section (no surprise) contained some of the most graphic episodes in a three-ring circus of sex, torture, and death. I figured I wasn’t missing much since I found most of it off-

“Ugly Spirit” was in evidence on every page of the savagely, brilliantly, unremittingly ugly tour de force that brought him fame, literary honor, and membership in the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Passages like these also helped get the book banned in Boston, brought to trial, and eventually judged “not obscene” by the Massachusetts Supreme Court. The truth is that in spite of the convoluted testimony for the defense by Norman Mailer, Allen Ginsberg, and others, Naked Lunch remains unapologetically obscene. The favored blurb on the covers of that and subsequent books by Burroughs is from Mailer (“The only American novelist living today who may conceivably be possessed by genius”). As Burroughs himself has said, what he was possessed by was “the Ugly Spirit” that accompanied the killing of his wife. And what must have truly impressed Mailer was that Burroughs had killed his wife and gotten away with it.

Before “Naked Lunch”

You get closer to the quiet painful truth of Burroughs and writing and death in “Lee’s Journal” from his pre- Naked Lunch collection Interzone (Penguin 1990). One passage begins, “Such a sharp depression.

I haven’t felt like this since the day Joan died...What am I trying to do in writing?

This novel is about transitions, larval forms, emergent telepathic faculty, attempts to control and stifle new forms.”

What a contrast in tone to the obscene vaudeville to come starring A.J., “Last of the Bigtime Spenders” and the inimitable Dr. Benway (“Did I ever tell you about the time I performed an appendectomy with a rusty sardine can?”).

On the next page, Burroughs is even more explicit about the connection between Joan’s death and his own writ -

of paper....This feeling of horror is always with me now. I had the same feeling the day Joan died; and once when I was a child, I looked out into the hall, and such a feeling of fear and despair came over me, for no outward reason, that I burst into tears. I was looking into the future then. I recognize the feeling, and what I saw had not yet been realized. I can only wait for it to happen. Is it some ghastly occurrence like Joan’s death, or simply deterioration and failure and final loneliness, a dead-end setup where there is no one I can contact? I am just a crazy old bore in a bar somewhere with my routines?”

“Word,” the third, final, and longest section of Interzone begins in the land of Naked Lunch, with a relatively tame preview of routines and cadenzas to come: “This book spill off the page in all directions, kaleidoscope of vistas, medley of tunes and street noise, farts and riot yipes and the slamming of steel shutters of commerce, screams of pain and pathos.”

Wait a minute. That cadenza has a familiar ring. Indeed, it reappears with minor adjustments a few pages from the end of Naked Lunch: The Restored Text (Grove Press 2001). Burroughs saved it to herald the end of his masterwork, as Schubert saved his Let-the-devil-play it cadenza for the last movement of the Wanderer Fantasy

Burroughs begins his endgame movement: “Now I, William Seward, will unlock my word hoard...” And in the end, what are Burroughs’s cut-ups but variations on Schubert’s call for a satanic virtuoso to provide a cadenza worthy of the unplayable passage he himself had composed? No wonder Franz Liszt, the consummate cadenza virtuoso of the age, was not only fascinated and influenced by the Wanderer Fantasy but created his own symphonic variation.

Three Voices

Among the testimonials reprinted in Naked Lunch: The Restored Text, three are especially worth quoting. Lou Reed: “William Burroughs was the person who broke the door down.” Hunter S. Thompson: “William was a Shootist. He shot like he wrote — with extreme precision and no fear.” And Marshall McLuhan: “It is amusing to read reviews of Burroughs that try to classify his books as nonbooks. It is a little like trying to criticize the sartorial and verbal manifestations of a man who is knocking on the door to explain that flames are leaping

Performing Arts

Dance and Net Sculpture

From

5-Year Collaboration

Noli Timere , which is Latin for “be not afraid,” is a world premiere spectacle coming to McCarter’s Berlind Theatre for three performances February 7 and 8. The production is the result of a five-year collaboration between choreographer and Princeton University Professor Rebecca Lazier and sculptor Janet Echelman.

Presented in partnership with the University’s Lewis Center for the Arts, this aerial performance fuses contemporary dance, avantgarde circus, and large-scale sculpture “to explore the fragile interconnectedness of our world,” according to a press release. Set to an original score by French Canadian composer Jorane, the piece features eight mul tidisciplinary performers soaring up to 25 feet in the air within the net sculpture.

“As the performers inter act with the sculpture, both the choreography and the structure transform in real time, creating a mesmeriz ing experience that reflects the instability and beauty of our shared ecosystem,” the release continues.

Performances are Friday, February 7 at 7:30 p.m., with a post-show conversa tion; and Saturday, February 8 (relaxed performance) and 7:30 p.m. McCarter Theatre is at 91 University Place. Visit mccarter.org or call (609) 258-2787 for tickets

Grammy-winning Conductor Named to Rider Position

Donald Nally ’87 has been named director of choral studies for Westminster Choir College of Rider University. The three-time Grammy Award winner joined the full-time faculty this fall as conductor of the Westminster Choir and the Westminster Symphonic Choir and head of the graduate conducting program.

In his new role, he will guide undergraduate and graduate students and help set the trajectory for the College’s choral ensembles. He will continue to work with graduate conducting students in the Master of Music program. Nally studied with Joseph Flummerfelt

and earned his Master of Music degree from Westminster Choir College.

“Graduates of Westminster Choir College are unusually connected through a shared experience of highlevel music-making and extraordinary community,” he said. “Few have the privilege and honor to serve as the leader of the program we all loved; the responsibility is both daunting and exhilarating. My work on campus with the choirs has been, not surprisingly, inspiring and joyful, and I look forward to a thoughtful dialogue with students, colleagues, administration and alumni in finding the right direction for Westminster as we explore historical music as well as

music of today — music that will help shape the future of our art.”

An international leader in choral music, Nally has commissioned nearly 200 works and produced 36 recordings with his ensemble, The Crossing. The group has earned 10 Grammy nominations with three wins. The Crossing is dedicated to new music, exploring and expanding the ways of writing, singing and listening to choral music.

Nally, who holds the title of John W. Beattie Chair of Music Emeritus at Northwestern University, is a frequent guest artist at universities, including Yale, Harvard, Rice, the University of Chicago, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Indiana University and Boston Conservatory. In 2019, Rider University awarded Nally an honorary Doctorate of Humanities.

Nally has also held distinguished tenures as chorus master for the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Welsh National Opera, Opera Philadelphia and Il Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto, Italy. He has prepared choruses for numerous internationally recognized conductors with the Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic and Los Angeles Philharmonic. This season, he will do so for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Boston Symphony Orchestra. His 72-chapter series Rising w/ The Crossing , a response to the coronavirus pandemic, has been preserved by the National Archives of the Library of Congress as a cultural artifact; another pandemic project, Carols after a Plague, is currently being added to the National Archives as well.

College of Rider University.

THE DRYDEN ENSEMBLE

A 26-Course Feast: Baroque Lute Duets with Daniel Swenberg and Dušan Balarin

Unitarian Universalist Congregation

50 Cherry Hill Road, Princeton located just off Hwy. 206

Sunday, February 16 at 4 pm

Admission is free

The fiery string quartet by Beethoven was inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Many may remember when the Takács Quartet performed all the Beethoven string quartets on our series in 2017; they are exceptional interpreters of his work.

The introspective string quartet Sir Stephen wrote for the Takács Quartet is a reflection of his brilliance as a composer and a testament to the Quartet’s range and collaborative spirit.” Tickets are $30-$50 ($10 students). Visit puc.princeton.edu/admit-all or call (609) 258-2800.

Lift Every Voice

Organ Music of Black Composers

Eric Plutz, University Organist & Timberdale Brass Friday, February 22 at 7:30pm Princeton University Chapel

Pianist Stephen Hough

Appears with Quartet

In a concert sponsored by Princeton University Concerts (PUC), the Takács String Quartet and pianist Sir Stephen Hough will come to Richardson Auditorium to perform a program of music by Beethoven, Brahams, and Hough on Thursday, February 20 at 7:30 p.m.

This will be Hough’s longawaited PUC debut and the Takács String Quartet’s 10th PUC concert. The program features Beethoven’s String Quartet in F Major, Op. 18, No. 1; Brahms’ Quintet in F Minor for Piano and Strings, Op. 34; and Hough’s Les Six Rencontres , which he wrote specifically for the Takács Quartet. Part of the ensemble’s 50th anniversary season, the artists are bringing this program only to PUC and to The Royal Conservatory in Toronto.

“We look forward to presenting these incredible musicians in combined forces,” said PUC Director Marna Seltzer. “Welcoming the Takács Quartet back to Princeton is always a joy, and we are absolutely thrilled this performance is bringing the legendary Sir Stephen Hough to our series as both pianist and composer. Their program is just as momentous as their partnership.

“The Brahms Piano Quintet, Op. 34, one of my all-time favorite pieces of chamber music, is often referred to as the pinnacle of Brahms’ chamber music.

After Noon

Thursdays at 12:30pm

AERIAL PERFORMANCE: At McCarter Theatre, a world premiere by choreographer Rebecca Lazier and sculptor Janet Echelman is on, and above, the stage February 7 and 8.

CHORAL CONDUCTOR: Donald Nally is now the head of choral studies for Westminster Choir

(Photo by Charles Grove)

AND MORE: J.B. Priestley’s

“Dangerous Corner”

At ActorsNET Theater

ActorsNET presents J. B. Priestley’s thought-provoking drama Dangerous Corner, running through February 16 at the Heritage Center in Morrisville, Pa.

Described as “a masterful exploration of time, truth, and the consequences of our choices,” the drama, which is one of Priestley’s “time plays,” invites audiences on a journey of revelation and intrigue.

“This ‘time play’ focuses on the fact that all our actions and choices have a ripple effect on those around us, like tossing a stone into a pond,” said Director Cat Milone. “Sometimes, if the stone lands differently, even ever-soslightly, the impact could ripple out in an entirely different way and change the course of our lives and those around us. I think that’s something we can all relate to. Everyone has a moment in their lives where they think, ‘if only this one small thing had been different, I might not be where I am today.’“

The play is set in the 1930s. After dinner one evening at Robert and Freda’s country estate, a

group of friends/colleagues are enjoying some cocktails and one another’s company when a chance remark from one of their number sparks a realization that begins to slowly unravel a twisted web of secrets and lies, proving that not everything is as it seems, not everyone is who they are pretending to be, and nothing could ever possibly be the same amongst this group again. Or could it? At the very moment that this group reaches its breaking point, Priestley flips the script and takes them back to the moment they first approached that dangerous corner and affords them the opportunity to choose a different path. But when the weight of the truth is this heavy, one has to wonder if those winding twists and perilous turns won’t keep popping up until, in the end, the truth simply has nowhere left to hide.

The Heritage Center Theatre is located at 635 North Delmorr Avenue, near the Calhoun Street Bridge. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Doors open half an hour before show time. There will be an additional 2 p.m. matinee Saturday,

February 8 in addition to the regularly scheduled evening performance . Visit Actorsnetbucks.org for tickets.

Soprano Renée Fleming To Sing with Symphony

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) has announced that soprano Renée Fleming will perform at the 2025 Princeton Festival on Saturday, June 7 in a concert led by music director Rossen Milanov.

Fleming’s appearance is part of the annual festival’s opening weekend. This year’s event, on the grounds of Morven Museum and Garden, runs June 6-21.

“Renée Fleming is an extraordinary artist, beloved by audiences around the world,” said PSO Executive Director Marc Uys. “It is a singular honor to present her at the Princeton Festival. Hearing her voice in the intimate setting of our Festival pavilion, surrounded by the beautiful gardens and summer evening sky, will be pure magic.”

Fleming has performed on the stages of the world’s greatest opera houses and concert halls. Honored with five Grammy awards and the US National Medal of Arts, she has sung for occasions ranging from the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony to the Super Bowl.

An anonymous, longtime supporter of the festival has put forth a challenge match. From now until March 15, new and increased donations to the Princeton Festival will be matched dollarfor-dollar up to $50,000, allowing donors to double their impact. Gifts at any level are welcome.

The festival includes three weekends of opera, concerts, and dance, with additional music-filled evenings and ancillary events during the week. The complete performance lineup will be posted online, with tickets going on sale Wednesday, February 19, at 10 a.m. by phone at (609) 497-0200, and online at princeton symphony.org/festival.

Taylor Swift Tribute

Comes to New Brunswick

State Theatre New Jersey presents “Are Your Ready For It? A Taylor Experience Starring Traci Marie,” paying tribute to Taylor Swift’s iconic Eras Tour on Friday, February 14 at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $25-$49.

The show features a live band tribute to the most successful tour in music history. Swift has been ranked by Billboard as one of the greatest artists of all time, alongside other legends like the Beatles, Michael Jackson, and Madonna. Swift has proven herself as a music icon, being the first and only artist to win a Grammy for Album of the Year four years in a row.

In 2023, Swift began the Eras Tour in the U.S. Since

then, the tour has become a billion-dollar global phenomenon, and the highest grossing tour in history. Traci Marie stars as Swift in the show, with choreography, multimedia visuals, costume changes, and audience participation. Marie has opened for national touring artists like Tony Orlando, The Righteous Brothers, Chubby Checker, and others. She’s performed with Felix Cavaliere of the Rascals, and Dennis Tufano of the Buckinghams fame. This former “Miss Congeniality” winner is also currently nominated for Tribute Artist of the Year (2024) for the Josie Music Awards.

State Theatre New Jersey is at 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. Visit Stnj.org for more information.

INTRIGUE

“Dangerous Corner” is on stage at ActorsNET in Morrisville, Pa., through February 16. Pictured are actors Nicholas Pecht and Alyssa Capel.

Renée Fleming (Photo by Andrew Eccles)

CALLING ALL SWIFTIES: Traci Marie stars in a live show that pays tribute to Taylor Swift’s recent tour, at State Theatre New Jersey on February 14.

Town Topics Mark Your Calendar

Wednesday, February 12 | 4-6 pm | Tickets: $39

Hora Feliz:

Hora Feliz: The Alpine Wines of Pfitscher

The Alpine Wines of Pfitscher

Hora Feliz: The Alpine Wines of Pfitscher

Hora Feliz:

The Alpine Wines of Pfitscher

Since its establishment in 1861 in the historic center of Montan, the Pfitscher winery has remained a stalwart in South Tyrol’s viticulture. Then in 2011, the family took a bold step forward, embracing modernity and sustainability with the construction of a state-of-the-art winery amidst the lush vineyards. Today, two generations of Pfitschers work harmoniously, infusing their wines with a sense of purity and simplicity. With vineyards situated at high altitudes, these wines benefit from a cool climate, resulting in remarkable expression, finesse, and a distinct identity. Come and experience the exceptional wines that bear the Pfitscher name. For tickets: mediterrarestaurant.com/events/

29 Hulfish Street, Princeton

For tickets: mediterrarestaurant.com/events/

29 Hulfish Street, Princeton

“I’ll Make Me a World” Exhibit Coming to GFS

This spring, Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) in Hamilton will present “Clifford Ward: I’ll Make Me a World,” an exhibition guest curated by Noah Smalls, in the Museum Building from May 18 through January 11, 2026. Spanning over a decade of creative work, much of which was created at Clifford Ward’s studio on the GFS campus, this exhibition presents a rich tapestry of themes and concepts in his expansive practice. Ward is inspired by a diverse array of cultural influences, including contributions from the African diaspora, Australian Aboriginal people, and Native American and Maori cultures.

His work often explores

geometry, Cubism, mythology, and anthropomorphism.

Together, these myriad influences, themes and concepts transcend temporal and geographical confines, resonating with the collective human experience.

“We’re delighted to showcase an extensive body of work from an artist with whom we have a longstanding relationship,” said Kathleen Greene, chief audience officer at Grounds For Sculpture. “The diverse cultural narratives woven into Ward’s wide-ranging artistic practice will be relatable to both existing and new audiences, including those of our nearby collaborator, Artworks Trenton.”

This exhibition offers an opportunity for a unique collaboration between Grounds

For Sculpture and Artworks Trenton, which is showing “Clifford Ward: I’ll Make Me a World, Prologue,” through April 12.

For more information, visit groundsforsculpture.org and artworksttrenton.org.

“Held Together” Solo Exhibit at Nassau Club

“Held Together” featuring works by local artist Catherine J. Martzloff, is on view at the Nassau Club, 6 Mercer Street, through June 5. The exhibition explores themes of resilience, renewal, and the beauty found in piecing life’s fragments back together.

“Held Together” features still lifes and reassembled compositions, blending vibrant hues with familiar objects — pitchers, bowls, and vessels — transformed through layered brushstrokes and unexpected color pairings. These paintings honor the quiet strength required to mend life’s pieces and celebrate the potential for fresh beginnings.

“Each work in this collection reflects the gentle strength we find in moments of healing and growth,” said Martzloff. “I hope these pieces inspire a sense of connection, possibility, and the

FLOWER SHOW”: This work by local

gether,” her

exhibition on

June 5. An opening reception is on Sunday, February 16 from 3 to 5 p.m. beauty of reimagining our own stories.”

Martzloff lives in Cranbury. As an artist, she is known for her evocative use of color. With a focus on still life and reimagined forms, her work celebrates the vibrancy and resilience of everyday life.

An opening reception is on Sunday, February 16 from 3 to 5 p.m. Those who wish to view the show at another time are asked to contact the Nassau Club at (609) 9240850 to ensure that the exhibit space is not in use and is available for viewing.

For more information, visit catherinejmartzloff.com.

Call for Artists: Mural Project in Trenton Isles, Inc., a community development and environmental organization, has announced a request for proposals (RFP) for artists to design and complete an innovative mural project in Trenton’s Old Trenton Neighborhood. The project aims to transform a vacant lot at Perry and Montgomery streets into an engaging community space through public art.

The selected artist or team will create a mural on a 20foot wide by 8-foot-high freestanding structure. The project, budgeted between $2,500-$3,000, emphasizes community engagement and seeks to uplift the neighborhood through creative expression.

“This mural project represents our ongoing commitment to revitalizing Trenton’s neighborhoods through arts and community engagement,” said Tyquan Benton, project manager at Isles. “We’re looking for artists who can not only create compelling visual art but also engage with community members in the creative process.”

The submission deadline is February 7 by 5 p.m. Award

notification is February 21. The project completion deadline is May 2.

Interested artists must submit proposals including concept designs, professional references, relevant experience, and a detailed plan for community engagement. Isles will provide a primed surface and can assist in facilitating community participation. Complete submission requirements and project specifications are available by emailing Tyquan Benton at tbenton@isles.org or creektocanalcreative.org. Artists are encouraged to visit the site before submitting proposals.

Aubrey to Give Talk at Trenton City Museum

The life and loves of noted ninth century beauty Annette Savage will be the topic of a talk on Saturday, February 9, 2 to 4 p.m., at the Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie. Titled “Le Jeu de l’Amour,” the program, led by journalist and writer Dan Aubrey, will explore how Napoleon’s brother and former King of Spain, Joseph Bonaparte, and his American mistress, Annette Savage, found passion and pain in the Trenton and Bordentown region of New Jersey.

Savage was 18 when she met Bonaparte. He had fled Europe following Napoleon’s defeat and arrived in her native Philadelphia. The year was 1818. Savage accompanied Bonaparte when he moved to the Trenton/Bordentown region to build his Point Breeze mansion and estate.

The couple became the parents of two daughters. The eldest, Pauline, was killed in an accident in 1823 and is buried at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in downtown Trenton. She was later recognized as a member of French royalty. Although Bonaparte ended the romantic liaison with Savage, he continued to support

and communicate with her until his death in 1844. Savage died in 1865. Aubrey will lead the program that looks at Savage from a historic perspective. Aubrey is the former arts editor of U.S. 1 newspaper, a past writer for the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and New Jersey State Museum, and a member of the Trenton Museum Society exhibition committee.

Admission for the talk is $5 (free for Trenton Museum Society members). Learn more and sign up in advance at ellarslie. org/Aubrey or call (609) 9891191.

The Trenton City Museum is housed in Ellarslie Mansion, an 1848 Italianate Villa in the heart of Trenton’s Cadwalader Park, which was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. The building is owned by the City of Trenton and operated by the nonprofit Trenton Museum Society. The museum’s programming explores and celebrates Trenton’s history and culture; showcases contemporary art, artists, and performers; and offers community events, classes, and workshops for all ages.

Museum and museum store hours are open Thursday through Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. There is no admission fee, but donations in support of the museum’s mission and programs are welcomed. For more information, visit ellarslie.org.

“I’LL MAKE ME A WORLD”: Works by Clifford Ward are coming to Grounds For Sculpture in Hamilton May 18 through January 11, 2026. A “Prologue” exhibition is on view at Artworks Trenton now through April 12.

“THE

artist Catherine J. Martzloff is featured in “Held To-

solo

view at the Nassau Club through

Dan Aubrey

Works by Margaret Koval

At ArtWRKD Gallery in Pa. ArtWRKD Gallery in Newtown, Pa., presents “The Uncanny Valley of Everyday Life,” artist Margaret Koval’s debut solo exhibition with the gallery, February 7 through February 23. This series of new paintings offers an exploration of the disquieting and surreal landscape of contemporary America, presenting an arresting gaze into the deep strangeness of where we live now. The disquiet starts with the

paintings themselves, which both depict and embody the show’s title. Executed with oils on high-grade burlap, their physical presence tricks the eye into seeing textiles — tapestries, needlepoints, or thread-worn rugs. Paint is slathered onto the back of the canvas and forced through the open-weave material. What extrudes out the front appears as loops of yarn, colored threads, or sometimes like the rematerialized pixels of the digital photographs which are the

source material for much of Koval’s imagery. This slippage between media is intentionally uncanny — and in service of her overall vision: there is no terra firma here. Pedestrians can liquify into oozing paint, yet remain recognizably human. Streetlights don’t illuminate so much as they drip onto cars and bushes. Neighborhood homes loom with menacing appeal while roads and parks appear as liminal spaces, aglow in unnatural, night-for-day

lighting. And through it all, a sense of voyeurism reigns — underscored by the highangle perspective of surveillance cameras or the obscured viewpoint of hidden watchers.

While faintly unsettling, the overall effect simultaneously stirs visual delight. Koval often leans on the cinematographic toolkit she developed as a documentary filmmaker for the framing and lighting of her pieces. But her painterliness is no less on view. Her strands of rich, tertiary colors sometimes hover over surfaces stained in complementary or analogous hues to create optically complex and deeply beguiling paintings. At times, they can vibrate like a flickering video screen. At other times, they feel as comforting as a home-sewn sampler on grandma’s wall — or as oldworld as a Persian carpet.

Koval splits her time between Princeton and London, England. She earned her master’s degree from the City & Guilds of London Art School in 2010, following studies at the Byam Shaw School of Art (now Central Saint Martins) and the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, Calif.

In addition to her artistic practice, Koval has an accomplished career as a multimedia producer, documentary filmmaker, and Emmy-winning broadcast journalist. Her independent films, supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, have aired nationally on PBS.

ArtWRKD Gallery is at 128 South State Street in Newtown, Pa. For more information, visit artwrkd.com.

Area Exhibits

Art@Bainbridge, 158 Nassau Street, has “Roberto Lugo: Orange and Black” February 15 through July 6. Artmuseum.princeton.edu.

Artists’ Gallery, 18 Bridge Street, Lambertville, has “Gallery Group Show” through April 6. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Lambertvillearts.com.

Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, has “Exploring, Expanding the Connections: The Work of Ben Jones” and “Intuitive Nature: Karen Schoenitz” through February 22. Artscouncilof princeton.org.

D&R Greenway Johnson Education Center, 1 Preservation Place, has “When the Land Calls” through February 28 in the Marie L. Matthews Gallery. drgreenway.org.

Gourgaud Gallery, 23-A North Main Street, Cranbury, has works by Kathleen Maguire Morolda through February 28. Cranburyartscouncil.org.

Green Building Center, 67 Bridge Street, Lambertville, has “Trio” through March 3. Greenbuilding center.com.

Grounds For Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, has “Members’ Musings: Light as Material” through February 23, among other exhibits. Groundsfor sculpture.org.

Historical Society of Princeton, Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road, has “Princeton Reflected: Stories from HSP’s Collection” and

“Einstein Salon and Innovator’s Gallery.” Museum hours are Thursday through Sunday, 12 to 4 p.m. Princetonhistory.org

Mercer Museum, 84 South Pine Street, Doylestown, Pa., has “The Doan Gang: Outlaws of the Revolution” through December 31, 2026. Mercermuseum.org.

Michener Art Museum, 138 South Pine Street, Doylestown, Pa., has “Charlotte Schatz: Industrial Strength” through March 9 and “Mark Sfirri: The Flower Show” through May 5. Michenerartmuseum.org

Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, has “Morven Revealed: Untold Stories from New Jersey’s Most Historic Home,” through March 2. Morven.org.

The Nassau Club, 6 Mercer Street, has “Held Together” through June 5. An opening reception is on February 16 from 3 to 5 p.m. Catherinejmartzloff.com.

Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, has “Underwater Symphony” through March 15. Princetonlibrary.org.

Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street, has photography by Taaha Siddiqui through March 4. Wildlife photography by Rebecca Deporte is at the 254 Nassau Street location through March 4. Smallworldcoffee.com. Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie, 299 Parkside Avenue, Trenton, has “Charles David Viera: Selected Works 2006-2025” through March 30. Ellarslie.org.

West Windsor Arts, 952 Alexander Road, West Windsor, has “Manifesting Beloved Community” through March 1. Westwindsorarts.org.

MARCH 1-7, 2025

Town Topics | Mark Your Calendar

Wednesday, February 5

11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Leighton Listens. Councilman Leighton Newlin is available to discuss issues impacting Princeton with members of the public at Arlee’s Raw Blends, 14.5 Witherspoon Street.

11 a.m.-2 p.m.: Mobile Office Hours: Constituent Services: Representatives from the offices of Rep. Bonnie Watson-Coleman, Sen. Andrew Zwicker, and New Jersey Assembly members Michelle Drulis and Roy Freiman are in the lobby of Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, to provide constituent assistance with federal services. Princetonlibrary.org.

12:30-1:30 p.m.: Live Music Meditation with guitarist Raphael Reuillatre at Richardson Auditorium. Free. Meditation led by Matthew Weiner, Associate Dean in Princeton University’s Office of Religious Life. Free. Puc.princeton.edu.

3 p.m.: On the Waterfront is screened at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

6 p.m.: Launch of Dear Yusef: Essays, Letters, and Poems, for and about One Mr. Komunyakaa at Labyrinth Books,

122 Nassau Street. Readings and a conversation between Komunyakaa and poet Terrance Hayes. Free. Presented by the Lewis Center for the Arts. Arts. princeton.edu.

6 and 9 p.m.: Guitarist Raphael Reuillatre performs at Richardson Auditorium; audiences are seated on stage. Works by Bach, Couperin, Piazzolla, and other composers. $40 ($10 students). Puc.princeton.edu.

7 p.m.: PSO Soundtracks: Amadeus and the Myth of Mozart. Chris Collier of the Garden Theatre and Michael Pratt of Princeton University Orchestra unravel Mozart’s legacy and myth through the famous film. Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

7 p.m.: “December 1776 and a New Jersey Free Black Man: Jacob Francis,” virtual presentation sponsored by the Lawrence Headquarters Branch of Mercer County Library System. Mcl.org.

Thursday, February 6

10 a.m.: The 55-Plus Club of Princeton meets via Zoom. Bruce Fein of The Litchfield Group of Washington and a resident scholar at the Turkish Coalition of American will speak on

“Has the Constitution Been Taken Off Life Support?” Free (suggested $5 donation). Princetonol.com/ groups/55plus.

6 p.m.: Presentation: “Ladder of Heaven” by Wendy Laura Belcher , presenting the “Princeton Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Egyptian Miracles of Mary Project,” a resource for stories about and images of the Virgin Mary in these African countries. At Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

7 p.m.: Amadeus is screened at the Princeton Garden Theatre, 160 Nassau Street. In partnership with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming all-Mozart concerts. A brief ensemble performance precedes the film. Princetongardentheatre.org.

7:30 p.m.: “Themes and Journeys of Artists and Filmmakers in New Jersey,” short films from the Thomas Edison Film Festival collection, at James Stewart Film Theater, 185 Nassau Street. Free.

8 p.m.: So Percussion performs works by students in an Advanced Composition Workshop at Princeton University’s Taplin Auditorium, Fine Hall. Free. Music. princeton.edu.

Friday, February 7

4:30 p.m.: Conversation with members of Ireland’s Abbey Theatre at James Stewart Film Theater, 185 Nassau Street. Presented by the Fund for Irish Studies at Princeton University. Free. Arts. princeton.edu.

5-8 p.m.: Trivia in the Winery, at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. With DJ Iron Mike. No cover charge. Terhuneorchards.com

7 p.m.: The Clean House , a play by Sarah Ruhl, at Kelsey Theatre, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. $20-$22. Kelsey.mccc.edu.

7 p.m.: “Meet Hannah Till,” live performance in honor of Black History Month at Mt. Zion AME Church, 189 Hollow Road, Skillman. Presented by the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum. $5. Ssaamuseum.org/ Hannah-till.

7:30 p.m. Noli Timere, a collaboration of choreographer Rebecca Lazier and sculptor Janet Echelman, at McCarter’s Berlind Theatre, 91 University Place. Followed by a post-show conversation with members of creativeX. Mccarter.org.

9:30 a.m.: Free walk along the Lawrence Hopewell Trail ; 20-mile walk covers 2-3 miles. For meeting point and route, visit lhtrail.org.

10 a.m.-12 p.m.: Sowing Seeds with FOPOS Join Friends of Princeton Open Space for a workshop at Mountain Lakes House, 57 Mountain Avenue. Help sow native seeds for spring. Fopos.org/events-programs.

12-5 p.m.: Wine and Chocolate Trail Weekend at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Wine, light bites, hot cocoa kits, and music from 1-4 p.m. by Brian Bortnick. Terhuneorchards.com.

10 a.m.-1 p.m.: “Meet Hannah Till,” reenactor Leslie Bramlett will be present in costume at the open house in honor of Black History Month at Mt. Zion AME Church, 189 Hollow Road, Skillman. Presented by the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum. Free. Ssaamuseum.org.

2 p.m.: Relaxed performance of Noli Timere , a collaboration of choreographer Rebecca Lazier and sculptor Janet Echelman, at McCarter’s Berlind Theatre, 91 University Place. Mccarter.org.

FEBRUARY

Monday February 10

Recycling

4:30 p.m.: Film Screening and discussion: The Chang Dai-chien Story, presented by the Tan Center for East Asian Art at Princeton University Computer Science Building 104. Arts. princeton.edu.

7 p.m.: “DIY Fly Fishing the Western Rivers,” program of the Ernest Schwiebert Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Andrew and Nancy Moy will talk about fly fishing the Western rivers from the Bow in Calgary to the Muskego in Michigan. At the D&R Greenway Land Trust, 1 Preservation Place.

Tuesday, February 11 10 a.m.: Community Leader Storytime at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Free. Princetonlibrary.org.

4:30 p.m.: Atelier@ Large: Conversations on Art-making in a Vexed Era, with Rosanne Cash, Peter Gizzi, RaMell Ross and John Leventhal; moderated by Paul Muldoon, at Richardson Auditorium. Presented by Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts’ Princeton Atelier. Free. Arts. princeton.edu.

8 p.m.: The Simon & Garfunkel Story is at the State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. $39-$79. Stnj.org.

3 p.m.: “A Black History Month Celebration: Songs of Hope, Unity, and Courage.” The Trenton Children’s Chorus and Trenton Musicmakers Chamber Orchestra perform at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

Saturday, February 8 9:30-11 a.m.: Science on Saturday series at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Lyman Spitzer Building, 100 Stellarator Road; also online. Corey Toler-Franklin speaks on “Quantum-level Spectral Analysis and Deep Learning for Life Science and Biomedical Research.” Followed by a Q&A. Pppl.gov.

7:30 p.m .: Noli Timere, a collaboration of choreographer Rebecca Lazier and sculptor Janet Echelman, at McCarter’s Berlind Theatre, 91 University Place. Mccarter.org.

8 p.m.: The Princeton Symphony Orchestra performs an all-Mozart program with guest pianist Orli Shaham; conducted by Gerard Korsten. At Richardson Auditorium. Princetonsymphony.org.

Sunday, February 9

11 a.m.-1 p.m.: Rocky Hill Cooperative Nursery School Open House, 15 Montgomery Avenue, Rocky Hill. Explore classroom and take a free Music Together class. Rhcns.org.

12-5 p.m.: Wine and Chocolate Trail Weekend at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Wine, light bites, hot cocoa kits, and music from 1-4 p.m. by Jerry Steele. Terhuneorchards.com.

1 and 4 p.m .: James and the Giant Peach is at Kelsey Theatre, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. $18-$22. Kelsey.mccc.edu.

4 p.m.: The Princeton Symphony Orchestra performs an all-Mozart program with guest pianist Orli Shaham; conducted by Gerard Korsten. At Richardson Auditorium. Princetonsymphony.org.

6 p.m.: The C.K. Williams Reading Series Presents: Sarah Thankam Mathews and Student Readers, at Labyrinth Books, 122 Nassau Street. The author reads from her work along with several creative writing seniors from Princeton University. Labyrinthbooks.com.

7 p.m.: Serene Khader is joined by alma khasawnih to discuss her book Faux Feminism: Why We Fall for White Feminism and How We Can Stop followed by a book signing. At Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

7 p.m.: Livestock Exchange performs at the CoLab in the Lewis Arts Complex at Princeton University. Long-standing concert series focused on improvised music. Free. Arts. princeton.edu.

Wednesday, February 12 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Leighton Listens. Councilman Leighton Newlin is available to discuss issues impacting Princeton with members of the public at LiLLiPieS Bakery, Princeton Shopping Center, 301 North Harrison Street.

3 p.m.: The Apartment is screened at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

7 p.m.: “The African American’s Deep Connection to Land,” virtual presentation by Donnetta Bishop Johnson, former executive director of the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum. Sponsored by the Lawrence Headquarters branch of Mercer County Library System. Mcl.org.

Children of All Ages, Including Tots and Toddlers, Come To Goldfish Swim School – Princeton

It’s never too soon to get into the water!

That is the underlying principle of Goldfish Swim School — Princeton, which teaches children from 4 months to 12 years old to swim.

The sooner children get into the water, the better. This helps them to overcome any fear they may have, points out BillieJo Goudy, general manager and safety coordinator of Goldfish Swim School – Princeton, located at 311 Nassau Park Boulevard, Unit 5.

IT’S NEW To Us

“The goal is to get them comfortable in the water and not be afraid,” she explains. “This is so important. According to the CDC, drowning is the No. 1 cause of accidental death for children under 5 years old, and it is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death in children ages 5 to 14. Formal swim lessons can reduce the risk of kids’ drowning by up to 88 percent.”

Founded by Jenny and Chris McCuiston more than 20 years ago, Goldfish Swim School is headquartered in

Birmingham, Mich. A franchise operation, it now has more than 160 locations in 34 states and Canada.

Water Safety

The organization’s mission is “to build awareness surrounding water safety, demonstrate Goldfish’s unique proprietary Science of SwimPlay curriculum, and speak out about drowning prevention.”

The Nassau Park Boulevard state-of-the-art facility opened in March 2024, and is attracting children of all ages, reports Goudy. “The youngest are 4 months old, and our typical students are 2 years old to 6. Twenty percent of our children are under the age of 2. A parent or guardian will be in the water with the very youngest children, so they feel very safe.

“Initially, we teach them to roll over on their back and float. They learn proper breathing techniques, and by the age of 2, they are swimming, and by ages 4 to 5 they know the different strokes, including freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly.”

Classes are 30 minutes once a week, with one instructor for four students.

Instructors are typically high school or college students, and thoroughly qualified, emphasizes Goudy.

“They all receive 40 hours of instruction, training in the International Lifeguard Training Program, are Lifeguard, CPR, AED certified, and hold Supplemental Oxygen Administration Certification. They also all receive regular ongoing training.

“In addition, our instructors really like children, and are very patient and supportive. The children become very attached to the instructors, and we try to keep the student with the same instructor if we can.”

“Bubbles the Goldfish”

Goldfish Swim School –Princeton also provides outreach programs, she adds. “We offer free water safety programs where we go to pre-schools and talk about water safety, life jackets, swimming with an adult, and we bring our special mascot Bubbles the Goldfish!”

While many children are learning to swim at very young ages today, others learn later in their life. Even some of the 10 to 12 yearolds who come to Goldfish are beginners; others at that age are coming to improve their existing skills and technique.

The organization has created a special “play-based” step-by-step swim lesson curriculum, ensuring that it meets the developmental

needs of children at every experience level. Each lesson is crafted with safety as the top priority, emphasizing a nurturing environment where children can thrive and focus on learning while having fun.

As the mission statement emphasizes, “Our top priority is to instill discipline, trust, athleticism, and focus through dynamic swimming lessons. Our instructors know how to build confidence and self-esteem. Our smaller class size allows us to optimize progress, boost confidence, and increase safety.”

A fun atmosphere is clearly evident in the colorful and spacious facility. A camaraderie among the staff increases the overall friendly and welcoming ambiance.

“We have awards for the kids with different color ribbons, when they move on to a new level. This adds to the fun and the confidence building,” says Goudy.

Kid-Friendly

The setting includes showers, private changing rooms, swimsuit dryers, and kidfriendly hair-drying stations. Merchandise, including swimsuits, sweatshirts, and more, is also available.

In keeping with its focus on safety and high quality instruction, Goldfish Swim School has partnered with world champion swimmer,

Swim School – Princeton. “The water in the pool is salt-generated into chlorine, and this is gentler on the skin. Nex-Gen chlorine generators produce liquid chlorine from salt,” says BillieJo Goudy, general manager and safety coordinator.

Lifelong Skill

BillieJo Goudy is very proud of the company’s success in the 11 months it has been open in Princeton. “We have students from all over the Princeton area, as well as Trenton, Hamilton, and Robbinsville. We have as many as 1,000 clients each week.”

She has been with the Princeton location since it opened, and with the Gold fish Swim School organiza tion for nine years.

long as they wish.

ington, Pennsylvania, loca tion as a swim instructor, and fell in love with it. Then I became assistant manager and safety coordinator for three years. I love watching the children progress each week, transforming from timid first-time swimmers into confident individuals who enjoy being safe in and

around the water. Swimming is so important because it is a lifelong skill. It provides great exercise and is so enjoyable.

“We also have a great staff here. We are really like a family, and we have great communication. We have created an inviting and safe place where kids can overcome their fears, learn to swim, respect the water, and have lots of fun while doing it. Come join us. Discover Goldfish Swim School and give your kids the confidence to dive in!”

Classes are available Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or further information, call (609) 228-9119. Visit the website at goldfishswimschool.com.

—Jean Stratton

TAKING A DIP: This young swimmer is developing her aquatic skills under the careful guidance of an experienced instructor at the Goldfish

S ports

Overcoming Gauntlet of Tough Foes to Make History,

PU Women’s Squash Star Zein

Wins CSA Individual

Title

It was still early in the season and early in her career, but Zeina Zein captured her first women’s College Squash Association (CSA) individual national championship last week.

The Princeton University sophomore from Alexandria, Egypt, avenged a pair of earlier losses to become the first Tiger champion since 2001 when Julia Beaver ’01 won the last of her three national titles. Zein’s Princeton teammates made the trip up from school to see her finish off Stanford’s Riya Navani in three games — 16-14, 11-4, 11-8 — at Grand Central Station in New York on January 28.

“I’m overwhelmed with emotions,” said Zein. “It was a really nice moment to be able to lift this trophy. And having my teammates, my coaches there too, made it even better and extra special.”

Reaching the final wasn’t easy for Zein, who was the fourth seed entering the tournament that was moved from the end of the season to midseason this year. In the quarterfinals, she had to get by Saran Nghiem, the Harvard player who had ended Zein’s 2024 CSA tournament in the semifinals in five grueling games on her way to the national title. Zein did so in three games. “Beating, her, it was a

huge accomplishment for me and the girl I played in the semis was one that I’ve lost to twice before, and even a week before this tournament,” said Zein. “I was a bit more stressed and nervous.”

In the semifinals the next day, it was Cornell’s Yee Xin Yang who stood in her way. Zein had lost to Yang just 10 days before in the regular season in a tough four-game match, but in the national semifinal Zein won in three straight games.

In the final, Zein took on the Stanford star and after a tense first game that went back and forth, Zein pulled away for the title.

“I have to think it could possibly be her best ever performance,” said Princeton coach Gail Ramsay, for whom the national individual championship trophy is named the Ramsay Cup as she won the national title in all four years of her collegiate career at Penn State. “She had some real tough matches against great players who play at a pretty high level and she really played great.”

The finals match was tense in the first game. It tested Zein’s resilience when she fell behind, 10-6, just one point away from losing the game. She rallied all the way to take the lead and was on the brink of closing out Navani three times be -

fore finally securing the first game.

“I think I had a quite slow start in the first game,” said Zein. “I knew that I was a bit more nervous since it’s like if you win this match, you clinch the title, or you’re going to be the runner up. So obviously there’s more pressure and stress. I didn’t play my A game at the very beginning and I had a bit of a slow start, I wasn’t able to hit my targets much and I feel like throughout the game whenever I was even down, I was focusing on trying to make it as long as possible so that you get into the mood and into the game and try to accomplish your game plan.”

Zein’s comeback helped reinforce that strategy. She remained positive through the ups and downs of the first game. From there, she won the next two without as much tension.

“Of course, winning my second year as a sophomore is a huge accomplishment,” said Zein. “I wanted to reach the finals. I wasn’t really looking to clinching the title. I just tried to take it step by step and in each match I tried to just give it my everything and try to play my best squash and work hard. And whether it pays off or I lose, it’s a lesson to learn.”

The quarterfinal win gave her a jolt of confidence early. Avenging last year’s

tournament loss showed her a path to winning. She had to change her approach after losing last year to get by Nghiem.

“I did play differently,” said Zein. “I feel like I had a game plan of focusing more on my targets rather than overhitting my shots and my length, and I feel this helped me throughout the whole tournament. I just focused on my targets, used my physicality much, much smarter, and used less energy.”

She came back each day to get a step closer to the ultimate. She delivered in her second deep trip in the tournament after advancing to her first title game.

“This is a huge win for her and obviously it’s great to have her representing Princeton,” said Ramsay. “I did recruit her thinking she could potentially be a national individual champ and help us find a way to possibly win a team championship. There’s lots of elements in there.”

Zein has been more comfortable at Princeton this year. It’s a long way from her home in Egypt, and the demands of school and changes in practice format took time to adjust to.

“Last year was really, really difficult of course,” said Zein. “I’m an international student, so adapting and adjusting here, making friends and all that was very, very stressful. And trying to also keep up with my squash, trying to keep my performance up and trying to train as much was like impossible because of academics as well.”

She has since found a strong group of friends, acclimated to the academic demands, and learned to utilize the gaps in her busy schedule to find time for extra training for squash. She is more focused on the court and has been able to improve there since last year.

“It’s her consistency,” said Ramsay. “Being able to hit her targets shot to shot and also especially her ability to adjust. If she’s a little bit off, like she makes a narrow on a cross court, she hits it wider the next time, compensates and really gets back on.”

Having her squash teammates has helped her in every aspect at Princeton. And she credited them with helping her win the title.

“My team is so amazing,” said Zein. “I’m really, really grateful to be part of this team and I don’t think I would wish to be a part of any other team. They’ve always believed in me. They always make sure I’m fine. They support me. They came all the way from Princeton to my final and just having them there, having them around made everything so much easier. It just feels like I have another home here, another family here that I can feel safe with and depend on.”

Zein can hope to have the similar success of another Egyptian who thrived at Princeton. Yasser El Halaby was a four-time champion on the men’s side. Zein was only 16 months old when he won his last title in 2006. She is making a name for herself now.

“For an individual sport athlete to come into a team environment when you’re not used to it, it’s an adjustment,” said Ramsay.

“I was really impressed with her humbleness and graciousness when she came in. She’s smart and she didn’t say too much. She listens well, and she really figured out what her role is.”

Zein has adjusted to the nuances of training in college. Training was much more individualized at home, and she had more time for it growing up. But she’s found a new joy in the team aspect of training at Princeton.

“It’s so much better to have a group training, just to be there surrounded by your friends,” said Zein. “You all

have the same goal. You’re all training hard to accomplish the same goal to win team nationals and the Ivy title as well. I would say I love training here.”

The training has paid off. With an individual title accomplished, she can pour her energy into helping the team chase its goals before starting to think about defending her own crown next year. The top-ranked Tigers split the weekend, winning 9-0 at No. 13 Dartmouth on Saturday but falling to No. 3 Harvard on Sunday, 6-3, as they moved to 8-1 overall and 4-1 Ivy League.

“Obviously winning this title made me gain so much more confidence in myself and I would say I still have the exact same goals of helping my team win the Ivy championship and the national title,” said Zein. “And I will try my best to win every single match to contribute to the team now.”

The team championships would add to an already incredible season. Princeton lost to Trinity last year in the team finals, and like Zein did individually, they are hoping they can flip the results this year. They already defeated Trinity in the regular season. Princeton will host fifthranked Stanford on Friday and finish Ivy play at No. 4 Penn. Then they will gear up for a chance to go all the way in the Ivy and national tournaments.

“We have a huge chance to win that,” said Zein. “We’ve always dreamt of winning.” —Justin Feil

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT: Princeton University women’s squash star Zeina Zein, left, enjoys the moment with Princeton head coach Gail Ramsay after she won the College Squash Association (CSA) individual national championship last week in New York City. Sophomore Zein topped Stanford’s Riya Navani 3-0 (16-14, 11-4, 11-8) in the final which took place on January 28 at Grand Central Station. Zein is the first Tiger individual champion since 2001, when Julia Beaver ’01 won the last of her three national titles. The national individual championship trophy is named the Ramsay Cup after coach Ramsay who won the national title in all four years of her collegiate career at Penn State. (Photo provided courtesy of Princeton Athletics)

Doing Some Soul Searching after Defeat to Yale, PU Men’s Hoops Rebounds

Having been outclassed in a 77-70 loss to Yale last Friday night, the Princeton University men’s basketball team did some soul searching as it prepared to host Brown a day later.

“Yale is a good team but we felt we didn’t play nearly the way we can play,” said Princeton junior forward Caden Pierce. “Obviously we needed to come out tonight and play the way we know we can play.”

Having developed a bad habit of falling behind early, the Tigers played well from the opening tip-off against Brown, jumping out to a 3723 halftime lead and weathering a 10-0 second half run from the Bears to pull away to a 69-49 win before a crowd of 4,506 at Jadwin Gym.

In Pierce’s view, defensive intensity made the difference for the Tigers.

“I thought defensively, especially, we were really good tonight, holding them to 49 points,” added Pierce, reflecting on the victory which improved Princeton to 15-6 overall and 4-2 Ivy League. “Blake [Peters] was outstanding on [Kino] Lilly but it was our whole team as well defensively. I am really pleased with our defense tonight.”

Princeton head coach Mitch Henderson liked the way his team bounced back against Brown in the wake of the loss to Yale.

“It was a really long 24 hours but really like months,” said Henderson. “It was a really difficult loss last night. They were better than us and tonight looked like us, felt like us. I am really pleased with the result.”

Henderson was pleased with how his Princeton started against Brown as it got out to a 30-16 lead.

“Good players make good coaches, tonight we were locked in for the first time in a long time,” said Henderson. “We were focused in on the details. It felt to me like us. I don’t know where it has been.”

The Tigers got good contributions from a number of players in the win as CJ Happy (7 points, 2 steals), Jackson Hicke (9 points, 6 rebounds), Blake Peters (14 points, 2 steals), and Jack Stanton (6 points) each stepped up.

“I thought CJ with the minutes that he played, he gave us a physical presence,” said Henderson. “I thought Jackson Hicke coming into the game was terrific and then Blake on Lilly, that is a really tough cover. Jack [Stanton] breathes fire,

with 69-49 Win Over Brown

he has moxie pouring out of him He has got to play. He is absolutely fearless.”

Pierce concurred, lauding the play of the team’s sup porting cast.

“CJ, Jackson, Jack, it is huge,” said Pierce, who posted a double-double in the win with 13 points and 10 rebounds. “Jack Stanton specifically, I say he is the energizer bunny. He came in tonight, he is flying around. That is just a carryover from last night. We saw what he did last night (scoring 17 points off the bench) when the game wasn’t going our way. Everybody who came in was ready to play today and it showed. We had huge con tributions from the bench and we need to keep that going forward.”

Happy, who got his first career start against Brown, was thrilled to contribute.

“I was definitely excited but I don’t think much has changed, I need to stay in my role and just keep doing the same things,” said Hap py. “I am not going to go out there and do anything crazy. I try to play my role and do what I need to do to make us look like Princeton basketball and play the way we did today.”

After being involved in a number of desperate rallies and nail-biters this winter, Pierce and his teammates enjoyed the drama-free win.

“That was the first time in a long time, we felt like we were having fun playing,” said Pierce. “The game was going our way. We set the tone early on.”

Henderson, for his part, is hoping the loss to Yale and the way Tigers responded against Brown will get his team on a roll.

“I love the split, you always want to get two,” said Henderson, whose team plays at Penn on February 7. “Last night was a turning point for our program and for us. You always want it to be a straight line. It was a real eye-opener. We had guys that didn’t play a whole lot that got a comeback in that game and a lot of guys on the bench were cheering those guys on. To see that trickle into today and have an effect, I think it is what our fans wanted to see. We were certainly looking for it all season. I am pleased and there is no going back for us. We have to keep going.”

—Bill Alden

JAM SESSION: Princeton University men’s basketball player Caden Pierce jams the ball home in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, junior forward Pierce produced a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds as Princeton defeated Brown 69-49. The Tigers, now 15-6 overall and 4-2 Ivy League, play at Penn on February 7.

(Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)

Junior O’Leary Provides Playmaking, Finishing

As PU Women’s Hockey Tops Dartmouth 3-2 in OT

Emerson O’Leary has emerged as a key playmaker for the Princeton University women’s hockey team.

Skating on a line with Issy Wunder and Mackenzie Alexander, junior forward O’Leary was second on the team in assists with 22 coming into last Friday’s game against Dartmouth.

“I love it, it is so fun playing on a line with them,” said O’Leary. “We all play our role really well. We all do what it takes to work together. If that means I am more getting the puck in the corner and pass it to someone else, whatever it takes to win, I am on board with it.”

As the Tigers hosted the Big Green at Hobey Baker Rink, O’Leary displayed her passing excellence, setting up goals by Katherine Khramtsov and Issy Wunder to help Princeton rally from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits and force overtime.

“I don’t think that we got nearly enough shots in the first half of that first period,” said O’Leary. “Honestly, my mindset was get it on net and good things will happen and they did.”

In overtime, O’Leary went from playmaker to finisher, taking a pass from Sarah Paul and slotting the puck into the back of the net to give Princeton a 3-2 win.

“I saw the girl on the other team fall down, we got a 3-on-1 somehow,” said O’Leary. “Sarah Paul had it going down the left side and I was honestly like Sarah Paul shoot the puck please. She

slid it back and somehow I picked my head up and found the back of the net.”

In the view of O’Leary, the victory exemplified the team’s resilience this winter.

“I think in years past, we wouldn’t have the same mindset as this group does this year,” said O’Leary. “We all have the collective energy that we are going to battle hard. We all have the same mindset that we are in it to win it. I think that takes everyone buying in and everyone working as one.”

Princeton head coach Cara Morey sensed that her team was going to knot the game in the third period as it outshot the Big Green 17-10 in the frame.

“I felt fairly confident that if we kept playing well, it is going to have to go in,” said Morey. “I thought we were playing fine. There were times where we were playing hurried instead of like playing fast but not hurrying. Sometimes we were just throwing pucks when I thought we could have been a little calmer with it. I figured it would come, I just hoped the clock wouldn’t run out.”

Morey was pleased to see O’Leary come through with the game-winning goal.

“She was working her butt off today,” said Morey. “Emerson has an un-glorious role where she is doing most of the work and moving the puck. I was pretty happy and surprised that Paulie passed it and we finished. That goalie (Michaela Hesová) is very good, she is going to be hard

to play against for the next three years. I am surprised it went through her. Emmie’s release is hard to read.”

Noting that the ECAC Hockey has developed parity across the board, Morey knows that each league game is going to be hard.

“There are no gimmes any more, they know that,” said Morey. “I keep trying to say put it in the frame. When I played we didn’t have this league, you would have four or five teams that you get ready for. We are in a playoff mindset right now. It doesn’t matter who we are up against, we are going to try to find ways to win a game. I don’t think they took Dartmouth lightly at all, it is just that every game is hard.”

Morey is looking for her team to play hard from the opening face-off.

“I think when you playing with desperation, it looks different,” said Morey, whose team defeated Harvard 2-0 last Saturday to improve to 16-8-1 overall and 10-7-1 ECAC Hockey, and plays at Clarkson on February 7 and at St. Lawrence on February 8. “They started playing with desperation in the third and they are going to have come out with that mindset at the drop of the puck.”

O’Leary is hoping that the Tigers can bottle that desperate mindset going forward.

“If we play like we did in the third period, I don’t think we will have a problem with Harvard or any other team in our league,” said O’Leary.

—Bill Alden

Princeton Charter School is a free, K-8 public school. We encourage you to learn more about us in order to see whether Charter is the right option for your family.

2023

Blue Ribbon

National Blue Ribbon School

2023 National Blue Ribbon School; one of nine schools in NJ to win this award.

Admissions Information Session Sunday, February 9, 2025 11:00 AM via Zoom and 1:00 PM in person

Virtual Open House: Saturday, November 18, 2023 at 11:00 AM – Zoom Link on website

In-person Open House: Saturday, November 18, 2023 at 1:00 PM – Gym, 100 Bunn Drive

Virtual Open House: Saturday, November 18, 2023 at 11:00 AM – Zoom Link on website In-person Open House: Saturday, November 18, 2023 at 1:00 PM – Gym, 100 Bunn Drive

There will be a short informational presentation with an opportunity to speak with teachers, parents and students, followed by a tour of the campus and classrooms.

We welcome all applicants from Princeton.

Students are admitted to Charter based on a random lottery. Students who qualify for a weighted lottery based on family income will have their names entered into the lottery twice. Apply:

Students are admitted to Charter based on a random lottery. Students who qualify for a weighted lottery based on family income will have their names entered into the lottery twice.

PU Sports Roundup

PU Women’s Hoops Defeats Brown

Sparked by Fadima Tall, the Princeton University women’s basketball team defeated Brown 60-47 last Saturday.

Sophomore guard/forward Tall scored a careerhigh 18 points to help the Tigers improve to 15-5 overall and 6-1 Ivy League.

Princeton hosts Penn on February 8.

Princeton Wrestling Sweeps Brown, Harvard

Improving to 3-0 in Ivy League action, the Princeton University wrestling swept duals against Brown and Harvard last Sunday, defeating the Bears 36-7 and then routing the Crimson 44-0.

Combined, the Tigers earned eight tech falls and a pin across the two dual meets, also throwing five major decisions into the mix across 19 matches wrestled.

Princeton, now 8-6 overall, has a dual at Cornell on February 8.

Tiger Men’s Volleyball Defeats FDU 3-0

Sparked by Nyherowo Omene, the Princeton University men’s volleyball team defeated FDU 3-0 last Friday.

Senior star Omene piled up 13 kills and six service aces to help the Tigers prevail 25-22, 25-17, 25-10. Princeton, now 3-3, hosts LIU on February 7.

Princeton Men’s Squash Sweeps Dartmouth, Harvard

Remaining undefeated, the second-ranked Princeton University men’s squash posted a 2-0 weekend, topping No. 11 Dartmouth 8-1 on Saturday and then edging No. 6 Harvard 5-4 a day later.

Senior Gordon Lam provided the clinching victory in the nail-biter with Harvard, posting at 3-0 win (11-8, 112, 11-4) at No. 9.

Princeton, now 9-0 overall and 5-0 Ivy League, plays at No. 1 Penn on February 9 in a match that will decide the league title.

PU Men’s Swimming Wins HYP Meet

Mitchell Schott starred as the Princeton University men’s swimming team placed first in the annual HYP meet last weekend in New Haven, Conn.

The Tigers topped Harvard 188.5-158.5 and defeated Yale 197.5-154.5.

Princeton swept the HYP meet for the first time since 2016 and clinched the Ivy League dual meet championship in the process.

Junior star Schott, for his part, placed first in both the 200-yard freestyle and 200 butterfly.

Princeton will be heading south next weekend to compete in the Cavalier Invitational on February 8 in Charlottesville, Va.

PU Women’s Swimming Goes 1-1 at HYP Event

Sparked by Eleanor Sun, the Princeton University women’s swimming team went 1-1 in the annual HYP meet last weekend in New Haven, Conn.

Princeton defeated Yale 178-121, while Harvard edged Princeton 156-143 and defeated Yale 170-129. Sophomore standout Sun won both the 200-yard butterfly and the 200 individual medley races.

The Tigers are next in action when they take part in the PU Winter Open from February 7-8 in Boston, Mass.

Princeton Women’s Track Excels at Penn State Event

Mena Scatchard had a big weekend as the Princeton University women’s track team competed in the Penn State National Open in University Park, Pa., last Friday and Saturday.

On Friday, senior star Scatchard placed second in the 800 meters in a program-record time of 2:03.26. A day later, Scatchard together with Adelaide Asante, Peyton Leigh, and Hannah Riggins combined to help the distance medley relay team place first, setting a program record of 11:04.51.

The Tigers will be competing in the Penn Collegiate Invitational on February 8 in Philadelphia.

Princeton Men’s Lacrosse Has 4 on Preseason All-America

Princeton University men’s lacrosse senior star attackman Coulter Mackesy was named last week as a preseason first-team All-American by Inside Lacrosse. Mackesy was one of four Tigers who were chosen as Colin Mulshine, a senior defenseman, was a third-team selection, while sophomore attackman Nate Kabiri and junior face-off man Andrew

McMeekin were honorable mention picks. Mackesy set the program record for goals in a season with 55 as a sophomore in 2023 and then had 40 more last year (along with 24 assists), giving him 123 goals as he enters the 2025 season. The Princeton career record of 163 was set by Jesse Hubbard in 1998.

Mulshine was a first-team All-Ivy League selection last year, when he established himself as one of the best cover defenders in the country. Kabiri, for his part, tallied

Experience Exceptional Senior Living at

32 goals and a team-best 25 assists in his debut campaign last spring, leaving him second all-time among Princeton freshmen in goals and points (57). McMeekin won more than 55 percent of his face-offs in 2024 and set a program record 132 ground balls while earning Most Outstanding Player

honors at the Ivy League tournament. Princeton opens the 2025 season at Penn State on February 15. The Tigers, ranked in the top five nationally in every preseason poll, will be looking to make their fourth straight trip to the NCAA tournament.

GREEN WAVE: Princeton University men’s hockey player Brendan Gorman, left, goes after the puck in a game earlier in his career. Last Saturday, senior forward Gorman tallied a goal and an assist to help Princeton defeat No. 19 Dartmouth 3-1. The win over the Big Green marked the fourth straight win for the Tigers. Princeton, now 10-10-1 overall and 5-8-1 ECAC Hockey, will look to keep on the winning track as they host Clarkson on February 7 and St. Lawrence on February 8.

(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Relishing his Senior Day for PHS Boys’ Hoops, Petrone

Gives His All as Tigers Lose to Sayreville

As Travis Petrone was honored last Saturday afternoon during the Senior Day ceremony for the Princeton High boys’ basketball team, his thoughts turned to elementary school.

“Senior Day was awesome, it is one of the last times I will ever get to go on the basketball court with my childhood friends Jonny Feldman and Griffin Ettenberg,” said senior guard Petrone. “I have been friends with them and playing basketball with them since the first grade. It is awesome to start a varsity game with them.”

Petrone and his teammates knew they faced an awesome challenge taking on Sayreville who brought a 15-2 record into the contest.

“That was a very good team, I could tell they were well coached,” said Petrone. “I heard they have a 1,000 point scorer.”

After falling behind the Bombers 20-10 in the first quarter, PHS produced a very good effort in the second quarter, battling Sayreville to a 16-16 standstill, sparked by 13 points from junior star Michael Bess Jr.

“We came out battling in the second quarter,” said Petrone. “Michael just gets things done. We came out as a team, there was a lot of energy from the bench,”

That energy proved to not be enough for the Tigers as they fell 69-46 to Sayreville, dropping to 2-16.

Petrone, who ended up with four points and a teamhigh four assists in the loss, was looking to do whatever he could to keep the Tigers in the game.

“Last year was my first year on varsity, I was more of a role player off the bench,” said Petrone. “I used to be a point guard and then I started playing a bigger position, getting rebounds, doing what coach said. This year I transitioned back into more of a point guard, passing the ball around. I just play the role that coach needs me to play.”

For Petrone, who also stars for the PHS football and basketball teams, serving as a captain along with Bess is a role he enjoys.

“Being captain is awesome, I try to lead by example; I feel like I have been doing a pretty good job,” said Petrone. “I feel like the guys look up to me a lot. As a three-sport athlete I just try to keep a bond with all of the guys, even with the tough season, but we are all having fun.”

Over his Tiger career, Petrone has had a lot of fun juggling three sports.

“It has been very tough, but I love every second of it,” said Petrone. “I never stop loving all three sports. I am very excited for baseball.”

PHS head coach Pat Noone was excited to see his seniors honored last Saturday.

“These six guys have come in and battled, some aren’t getting the minutes that they want but they come every day,” said Noone, whose senior group also includes Owen Kelly, Graham Harrison, and William Ponder in addition to Petrone, Ettenberg, and Feldman.

“You could see how much they mean to the program,

SENIOR MOMENT: Princeton High boys’ basketball player Travis Petrone looks to pass the ball in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, Petrone tallied four points and had four assists on his Senior Day as PHS fell 69-46 to Sayreville. The Tigers, who moved to 2-16 with the loss, are starting play in the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) Tournament this week where they were seeded 12th and slated to play at fifth-seeded Ewing in a first round contest in February 4. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

to the team, and how good guys they are by how big the crowd was today. In that fourth quarter, that was a lot of excitement. The crowd was going wild. It is a good sign of where our program is. They pull for the guys that are playing and the guys pull hard for them. That shows what kind of character and good guys they are.”

Noone credited Petrone with bringing the guys together. “Travis has been unbelievable, I have known him since sixth grade when I coached middle school baseball,” said Noone. “He is a great leader and great allaround player. He is such a high character kid. It is so good having him around — he keeps everyone together. We will be missing him, but he made such an impact on the program that is going to go on for a long time.”

While the record this winter has been disappointing, Noone is seeing progress down the stretch.

“I think we have really started playing good in the last two weeks,” said Noone. “We are a younger team so I think more reps has really helped. They are starting to click a little bit. We played Ewing good the other day. We have been playing this way, we can’t get over the hump. It just seems like there are humps. You have to make some winning plays, we just fall a little short.”

Junior standout Bess, who scored 29 points against Sayreville, has played very well all season.

“Michael is unbelievable, I am pushing hard because I think he is first team All CVC (Colonial Valley Conference),” said Noone. “Unfortunately with our record, it is going to be a little bit of a fight. I am going to fight like crazy to get him in because he deserves it. He does it against everybody, he doesn’t back down. He does everything. As you can see the kids also love him too. That is a good sign, he is really high character guy. The future is bright for him.”

With the Tigers starting play in the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) Tournament this week where they are seeded 12th and slated to play at fifth-seeded Ewing in a first-round contest in February 4, Noone believes his squad will put up a good fight in the postseason.

“It is like every other day that we have been here, it is the process — go into practice and we just work our tails off,” said Noone.“We don’t change much around here, we are going to go through the three offensive keys and the three defensive keys. We are going to practice like crazy, we are going to work hard where the chips fall, they fall. We are going to be prepared and we are going to play hard. Even though the score didn’t show it, we played hard tonight. That is a big thing.”

Petrone, for his part, is confident that the Tigers will play hard to the end.

“The mindset is to come in and work hard every day,” said Petrone. “I know our coaches aren’t quitting on us and we aren’t quitting on them. We are going to give 100 percent effort, no matter what our record is. We are ready to upset anybody, we are ready to come to play.”

—Bill Alden

Coming Up Big in her Last Season for PHS Girls’ Hockey, Speir Stars as Tigers Advance to Annis Cup Semifinals

Standing just off the ice at Hobey Baker Rink, Cassie Speir was overcome with emotion last week as she reflected on playing her final regular season game in the building for the Princeton High girls’ hockey team.

“My sister is a sophomore and she became the team manager because we are really close, I am going to miss her a lot next year,” said Speir with her voice cracking and tears coming to her eyes. “It is an amazing rink and I am so lucky to play here.”

As PHS hosted Cranford in the January 28 contest, Speir was unlucky in the early going as she was held scoreless through the first two periods, banging some pucks off the post as PHS trailed 3-1.

“I was off a bit, hitting the posts was hard,” said Speir. “That is always a tough one when you are so close.”

In the third period, Speir cashed in her chances, picking up a goal and an assist in a 14-second span as the Tigers narrowed the gap to 4-3.

“We were just really thinking about how far we have come as a team,” said Speir. “The last time we played this team, we got mercy-ruled (losing 12-2 on December 6). We weren’t focused on the fact that we were losing. We were just really enjoying the last period.”

While PHS ended up losing 6-3, Speir enjoyed connecting with sophomore standout Taylor Davidson as they skated together on several shifts in the third period.

“It was good to play with Taylor, I don’t get to play with her much,” said Speir. “We were really moving, we were on tonight. We both play for a travel program (the Tiger Lilies), we are not on the same team. We have gotten pretty close driving to practice together. We never play together and it was really nice to get that chance to play with her. She is such an amazing player, she feeds me the best passes.”

Over her four years with the PHS program, Speir has developed maturity and versatility.

“I don’t get as upset or frustrated when the pucks just aren’t going on or I am hitting the post,” said Speir. “It has been good getting the experience of playing defense, I play offense on my travel team. It has been really good for me to learn that side of the game, it has made me a better player overall.”

The best part of the Tiger experience for Speir is the bonds she has developed with her teammates.

“It is lifelong friendships; my amazing fellow captains are my best friends who I love playing with and am going to miss so much,” said Speir, referring to Maya Hagt and Sabrina Hull. “From that sophomore season having no wins to here, it has been really fun to see how our team has grown. I want to keep introducing new players to the game. It is great to see people get excited about hockey.”

PHS head coach Christian Herzog was excited by the way his players got out of the gate against Cranford.

“That first period was the best 15 minutes of hockey I have seen all season, it was a 1-1 tie,” said Herzog. “I am very proud of them. In the first period, they played extremely well. Our goaltender Madison [Tepper-Decarlo] played very well. She was coming out and making some big saves. It was good to see her get some confidence. This is the most effort I have seen collectively from this team all season.”

Although Herzog typically splits up his top scorers, Speir (16 goals, 4 assists) and Davidson (15 goals), he enjoyed putting them together against Cranford.

“The chemistry between Cassie and Taylor when they are paired together is really good,” said Herzog.

Herzog credits Speir with leaving a special legacy for the program.

“It was good to see her not get frustrated, sometimes she will hit two or three posts in a game and you can just see it on her face,” said Herzog of Speir, who tallied two goals and an assist as PHS defeated Newark East Side 4-0 last Monday in the quarterfinal round of the Annis Cup. “It is keep trying and keep trying, she has been very patient. I have nothing but good things to say about Cassie, we are going to be sad to see her go.”

Speir and her fellow seniors have done a lot of good things on and off the ice for the program.

“It has been a real emotional period, they have all

brought some dynamic that has benefitted the team,” said Herzog, whose squad improved to 4-6 with the win over Newark East Side and will play at Madison in the Annis Cup semis on February 6. “I had a little conversation with the seniors before the game tonight and true to their nature, they are already thinking about next year’s team, even though they are not going to be on it, and what kind of enduring things and traditions can they leave behind. It is going to be a difficult year to see that many players leave, not even just from the talent aspect, but just the personalities.”

Herzog is heartened by how far the Tigers have come this year.

“We have come a long way since the first game of the season and it is good to see the girls have a little more confidence,” said Herzog. “We talked about playing Cranford and a few of them said that was the team that smoked us in the first game. I said, ”Ladies, you have come a long way from where you were, each of you individually. Even the strongest players have worked on something, whether it be patience or trying to set people up. They have worked really hard, so I am really proud of them.”

Speir, for her part, was confident that the Tigers would keep working hard as they got into Annis Cup action. “I think we will come out hard,” said Speir. “We want to win.”

—Bill Alden

SPEARHEADING SUCCESS: Princeton High girls’ hockey player Cassie Speir controls the puck in recent action. Last Monday, senior star Speir tallied two goals and an assist as PHS defeated Newark East Side 4-0 in the quarterfinal round of the Annis Cup. The Tigers, who improved to 4-6 with the win, will play at Madison in the Annis Cup semis on February 6. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

With Senior Star Seydi Posting a Double-Double, PDS Boys’ Hoops Tops Steinert in Tune-Up for CVC

Helping the Princeton Day School boys’ basketball outscore Steinert 18-0 in the second quarter last Thursday evening gave Abdoulaye Seydi a sense of how good the Panthers can be.

“I think it has just been a culmination of what we have been working toward this season, just focusing on defense and really trying to move without the ball,” said PDS senior forward Seydi. “Especially as we move towards playoffs and state tournaments, we really just want to elevate that level. I think that is what we did in the second quarter.”

Seydi elevated his game, starring in the paint with his rebounding and put-backs.

“I was really trying to get on the boards, it is something I have been working towards this season,” said Seydi. “It is also just finishing more, that is something I struggled with earlier in the season. I feel like today I was just in the right spots and my teammates really got me in the right places to get early layups. I really couldn’t do it without my teammates.”

The game tightened up as the Spartans outscored PDS 24-15 in the fourth quarter. The Panthers were able to close the deal as they held for a 58-46 win in improving to 8-7.

“We took care of business but at the end of the day there was no explanation for what we did in the fourth quarter,” said Seydi, who ended up posting a double-double in the contest with 12 points and 12 rebounds. “I think we still have to hold ourselves to that standard because what we do at the end of the game is going to lead us into our next game, especially when the CVC tournament starts. We just really want to keep up the intensity, We will take the win but we will be better next time.”

With PDS having gone 4-1 in its last five games, things are coming together for the Panthers.

“It is team camaraderie, I think that is something

that is undervalued,” said Seydi. “It is just wanting to win for each other and also when we move without the ball. We make the extra pass and that just leads to better shots.”

As his role has evolved, Seydi is looking for his shot more.

“When I first started playing varsity and getting heavy minutes sophomore year, I was mainly a defensive player,” said Seydi. “Last year, I was becoming more of a slasher getting to the paint, trying to get cutbacks.”

As PDS starts action in the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) tournament where they are seeded eighth and slated to host ninth-seeded Robbinsville in a first round contest on February 4, Seydi and the other senior on the squad, Adam Stewart, are looking to go out with a bang.

“We really haven’t won anything in our PDS careers yet, so we really just want to end off on a win and leave something for the school,” said Seydi. “I think our camaraderie as friends shows on the basketball court as we are willing to make that extra pass and lift each other.”

PDS head coach Eugene Burroughs credited his players with showing off their skill and intensity as they built a 31-9 halftime lead.

“In this game it was important to use our athleticism against Steinert,” said Burroughs. “We have been imposing a lot of pressure lately in our game so something we have been focusing on is transitioning into that. We are playing our 1-2-2 for longer stretches of time.”

As Steinert made its late charge, PDS handled the pressure.

“The game got a little closer and now it is can we still execute,” said Burroughs. “We have been in a lot of close games this year, so just to see when it gets a little tighter are we going to do what we need to do, be strong with the ball, make the right plays — that is what the CVC is as you get

towards playoff time.”

Burroughs liked the strong performance he got from Seydi against the Spartans.

“Abdoulaye has been doing a great job rebounding the basketball,” said Burroughs. “He got to the line, which was great. He had a couple of drives which was great for him. He has been doing a good job for us.”

Freshman guard Vincent Filis had some great moments against Stint, scoring a team-high 13 points.

“Vincent has been playing well, he had some freshman moments where he had some tough games here or there,” said Burroughs, noting that Filis also stars in baseball. “He can shoot the ball, he can put the ball on the floor, and he is aggressive. He has a great knack for anticipation — you saw him get a few steals. I think that is the baseball in him. His ability to anticipate and see things and react to things makes a difference for us.”

In reflecting on his team’s 4-1 stretch, Burroughs believes that the Panthers are finding a rhythm.

“It is just playing together, I think we are piecing it together,” said Burroughs. “My motto is always play the best basketball at the end of the year. I think we have been gearing towards that, trying to string together multiple wins. I think our team is meshing together a little better.”

While Burroughs is happy with how things are meshing, he acknowledges that the Panthers have plenty of room to grow.

“We still have some things we need to work on, that is the way it goes, we are moving in that direction,” said Burroughs. “Rebounding the ball is something we have to really focus on. We have height but we just have go and get the ball. The ball is bouncing and other teams are going for it and we are watching it. I think that is something that is going to be important for us as we move forward against teams that are aggressive and fighting in the CVC.”

Earning a home game in the CVC tournament is a step in the right direction for the program.

“Having a home game for us is big,” said Burroughs, whose team will also be competing in the Prep B state tourney, heading to Doane Academy on February 9 for a semifinal contest. “Hopefully we can get families and kids out for that game. It is, ‘Can we rise to that occasion and the emotion that comes with that?’ We are playing for something, it is not a playin game. We win, we go to the next round. We are talented enough to go to the next rounds and play that next team and compete.”

Seydi, for his part, is confident that the Panthers will rise to the occasion in postseason action.

Sparked by McNally’s Perimeter Shooting,

Hun Girls’ Hoops Primed for Postseason Run

Addi McNally came out firing as the Hun School girls’ basketball team hosted Stuart County Day School last Wednesday.

Sharp-shooting Hun junior guard McNally drained three 3-pointers in the first three minutes of the contest, helping the Raiders jump out to an 18-0 lead.

“I think it was a mindset for all of us,” said McNally. “We went in thinking we have to put everything into it. It got us to hit our shots.”

The Raiders hit some rough patches with sloppy play as they held off a feisty Stuart squad on the way to a 68-46 win.

“We turned the ball over a little too much,” said McNally, who ended up with 16 points in the win. “We need to improve when it comes to higher competition games.”

McNally’s mindset is to keep putting up shots. “I think my role is just being a 3-point shooter, any time I have my shot it is be ready,” said McNally. “I have gotten to be a lot better at defense and rebounding this year. I work a lot on balance on my shot and then ball-handling, and conditioning.”

Playing field hockey in the fall helps McNally gear up for hoops.

“I think helps me a lot with the transition to basketball season,” said McNally. “I think overall athletically, playing two sports has helped me in both sports like with plays and everything.”

Hun head coach Sean Costello liked the way his team started against Stuart.

“We can shoot the ball pretty well,” said Costello. “When given the opportunity in transition, we can knock them down. They tend to come in bunches. We did a good job of moving the basketball so they find the open shot. It started off really well for us, I think we hit six 3-pointers right at the beginning.”

Costello credited McNally with opening things up with her outside shooting.

“Addi has always been able to stretch the floor,” said McNally.

“I think what she has found is some constancy in that ability. She has really grown into it. Gabby does an extraordinary job finding Addi. When Addi gets going, she has had a game where she had six 3s, she has had a game where she had seven. When she gets going, she can get really hot. It helps that they are really good friends. it is alway fun to play with a friend. They have definitely developed a really strong chemistry, they find one another when they are open.”

it up quickly now. When teams decide to try to take her away, she is finding her teammates and they are able to knock shots down.”

The pair of senior forwards, CeeJay Thomas and Amira Pinkett, have given Hun a solid one-two punch. Thomas tallied 12 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Stuart while Pinkett contributed nine points and 10 rebounds.

“I think they have really fit into a role, they play really well off one another,” said Costello. “We move them around quite a bit. I think they are both really comfortable, playing in the interior, knocking down some shots., and going off the dribble. They have a good sense of what they are supposed to do and how to go about doing that.”

Costello acknowledged that things got a little sloppy for Hun after it built its early lead.

“We didn’t defend well throughout the game, they did some things that really gave us a problem,” said Costello. “Their No. 24 (Taylor States), I thought she just destroyed us in the interior. We didn’t rebound the ball particularly well and we turned it over. I always say we are going to score enough points eventually but what we need to do is defend, rebound the basketball and protect the

basketball. Those were our three main areas of focus and we didn’t execute today. I thought Stuart played really well, I think they outworked us on the glass.”

With Hun slated to host the Perkiomen School (Pa.) on February 4 before starting action in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) tournament next week, Costello is looking for his squad to be more focused on the fundamentals.

“We have some really big games coming up that we need to be dialed into,” said Costello. “It feels great, I think the program is in a really good place. We have worked really hard to get it to that. We are playing some good teams. Now it is the games that matter. Now it is those ones where the turnovers need to take care of themselves and where we need to rebound because one possession at the end of the game is the difference between winning and losing. We have been focusing on it, hopefully we can cash in when we need to. It has been a fun season so far.”

McNally, for her part, believes the Raiders can have a lot of fun in the postseason if they take care of things on the defensive end.

“For us it is all about our defense, it leads to our offense,” said McNally. “I think we can keep building from here.”

—Bill Alden

last Saturday to

slated to host the Perkiomen School

on February 4 before starting action in the Mid-Atlantic Prep

tournament next week.

Robbinsville in a first round contest on February. In addition, the Panthers will be competing in the Prep B state tourney, heading to Doane Academy on February 9 for a semifinal contest. (Photo

“I think the key is just focusing on defense,” said Seydi. “In our first half today, you saw that we got a lot of fast break points. It was being in the defensive gaps, just keeping our hands up. Ultimately it was good man and good help defense. It is the defense turning into offense.”

—Bill Alden

Junior guard D’Agostino produced another strong game for the Raiders against Stuart, tallying a game-high 31 points.

“Gabby is just very good,” said Costello, who got 36 points from D’Agostino last Saturday as Hun defeated Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) 65-52 to improve to 20-5.

“What you are seeing this year is her ability to pass the ball but she scored 35 on Sunday. She can fill

ADDING UP: Hun School girls’ basketball player Addi McNally dribbles upcourt in a game last season. Last Wednesday, junior guard McNally tallied 16 points to help Hun defeat Stuart County Day 68-46. The Raiders, who topped Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) 65-52

improve to 20-5, were

(Pa.)

League (MAPL)

(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

PRESSURE DEFENSE: Princeton Day School boys’ basketball player Abdoulaye Seydi, left, puts the pressure on an opponent in recent action. Last Thursday, senior forward Seydi posted a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds as PDS defeated Steinert 58-46. PDS, who improved to 8-7 with the win, is starting action in the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) tournament where they are seeded eighth and slated to host ninth-seeded

by Frank Wojciechowski)

Boys’ Basketball : Sage Mateo scored 23 points but it wasn’t enough as Hun fell 80-77 to Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) last Saturday. The Raiders, now 7-12, host Lawrenceville School on February 5, play at West Nottingham Academy (Md.) on February 8, and then host Phelps School (Pa.) on February 10.

Augustine scored 20 points to help the Red Hawks improve to 6-8. Pennington plays at Peddie on February 7 and then resumes action in the Prep B tourney by playing at Princeton Day School in a semifinal contest on February 9.

Hun Lawrenceville

Boys’ Hockey : Jake Beck triggered the offense as Hun defeated Red Bank Catholic 4-0 last Monday. Beck tallied a goal and an assist as the Raiders moved to 5-13-2. Hun hosts Malvern Prep (Pa.) on February 5, plays at St. Joseph’s Prep (Pa.) on February 7, and then starts action in the Atlantic Prep Athletic Conference (APAC) Playoffs by playing at Malvern Prep (Pa.) on February 10.

Pennington

Boys’ Basketball : Coming up short in a nail-biter, Pennington lost 57-53 to Thrive Charter last Friday. The Red Hawks, now 119, play at Lawrenceville School on February 7 and then host Pioneer Academy on February 10.

Girls’ Basketball: Sparked by Aryana Iyer, Lawrenceville edged Hunterdon Central 42-39 last Saturday. Iyer scored 13 points to help the Big Red improve to 4-16. Lawrenceville plays at Camden Prep on February 6 before hosting Seneca High on February 7.

as the Tigers improved to 13-6. PHS is starting play in the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) tournament this week where it is seeded second and slated to host 15th-seeded Nottingham in an opening round contest on February 4.

Boys’ Hockey : Ryan Garlock tallied a goal and an assist in a losing cause as PHS fell 6-3 to Notre Dame last Monday. The Tigers, who moved to 6-10 with the defeat, will be starting play in the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) tournament where they are seeded fourth and will be facing fifth-seeded West Windsor Co-op on February 5 in a quarterfinal contest at the Mercer County Skating Center.

Prep B state tournament last Sunday. The Tartans, who dropped to 3-11 with the loss, host Morristown-Beard on February 6 and Lawrence High on February 11.

Local Sports

Dillon Youth Hoops Recent

Results

scored nine points for National CSI.

Mercer Juniors Rowing Club Holding Open House Feb. 26

The Princeton National Rowing Association (PNRA)/Mercer Juniors rowing club is holding an open house on February 26 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Caspersen Rowing Center at 1 South Post Road in Princeton Junction.

The Mercer Juniors

program is a nationally competitive rowing club for athletes in grades 9-12. Recent graduates have attended top colleges and universities in the country and Mercer has been represented at the Junior World Championships for four straight years. Those interested in learning more about the open house and the program can log onto rowpnra.org or email coach Jamie Hamp at jhamp@rowpnra.org.

PHS PDS

Boys’ Hockey : Filip Kacmarsky tallied a goal and an assist as PDS fell 3-2 to Seton Hall Prep last Thursday. The Panthers, who moved to 6-7-1 with the loss, will be competing in the Gordon Conference tournament this week.

Wrestling : Producing a dominant performance, PHS went 3-0 in a quad last Saturday, defeating Burlington City 83-0, Ewing 76-6, and Lawrence 40-32. Tiger wrestlers who went 3-0 on the day included Forest Rose at 106 pounds, Josh Hannan at 113, Matthew Brophy at 120, Danny Monga at 126, Cole Rose at 132, Colin Fitzgerald at 138, Blase Mele at 150 and Noah Kassas (2-0 at 190, 1-0 at 215). The Tigers, now 8-9 in duals, have a tri-match at Manasquan on February 8.

Stuart

In action last weekend in the Girls’ Grade 3-5 Division of the Dillon Youth Basketball League, Pizza Den edged Homestead Princeton 20-18. Liv Nygaard scored 12 points for the victors while Parker Friedland had 12 points for Homestead. Elizabeth “Libby” Howes tallied 14 points for Tipple & Rose “Rosebuds” as they defeated PBA 130, 2616. Theresa HoushmandOregaard scored eight points for PBA. Milk and Cookies posted a 10-8 win over Princeton Orthopaedic Associates as Jaya Verma had six points in the win while Mini Kolli had four points in a losing cause.

In the Girls’ Grade 6-8 Division, Anika Heuck scored eight points to lead PBA 130 to a 21-10 win over Homestead Princeton. Maite Cattaneo scored six points for Homestead. Pizza Den topped Sportworld 21-9 as Claire McLeod and Jaya Verma contributed six points apiece for Pizza Den. Adeline Cole had five points for Sportworld.

In the Boys’ Grade 3-4 Division, Dean of Chess defeated At Earth’s End 3326 as Leo Cronan scored 21 points in the win while Evan Boyle scored 20 points for At Earth’s End. Lependorf & Silverstein, P.C. defeated Built By Me as Aiden Spies and Ravi Klinger had six points each. Ivy Inn edged Sportworld 25-24 in overtime. Henry Arns, Miquel Pijoan-Hidalgo, Paul Takavarasha, and Ayan Thier each chipped in four points in the victory. Liam Aguila scored 11 points for Sportworld. Luxe Property Group posted a 23-20 win over McCaffrey’s. Gus Calmeyn tallied nine points in the victory while Gabriel Weiss had eight points in a losing cause.

In the Boys’ Grade 5-6 Division, Princeton Pettoranello Foundation posted a 25-23 victory in overtime over PBA 130. Rohan Gregory scored eight points in the win while Ali Redjal had 13 points in the loss. J. Majeski Foundation topped Meeting House as Everett Cole led the way with 13 points. Christopher Pepek had five points for Meeting House. Bartholomew Gore had 21 points to lead Mason Griffin & Pierson, PC as it edged Ivy Rehab 32-30 in overtime. Nazir Rollins had 20 points for Ivy Rehab.

In the Boys’ Grade 7-8 Division, Locomotion topped K9 Resorts of Hamilton 29-23. Sam Carter tallied 11 points for Locomotion while Nathan Stock scored 12 points for K9 Resorts. Princeton Global defeated Princeton Honda 36-31. Kaayan Shah scored eight points in the victory while Ilan Spiegel tallied 11 points in the loss. Back Nine Golf posted a 40-34 win over National CSI as Alex Spies poured in 25 points for the victors. Simon Hancock

Sunday, junior point guard Martin scored eight points with six assists and four rebounds to help PDS edge Morristown-Beard 41-39 in the first round of the Prep B state tournament. The Panthers, who improved to 10-6 with the win, will be hosting Pennington in the Prep B

ON POINT: Princeton Day School girls’ basketball player Nica Martin heads to the hoop in a game earlier this season. Last

(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Obituaries

Edith (Edie) Esther Kelman Jeffrey b. October 10, 1932 d. February 1, 2025. Beloved mother, grandmother, mother-in-law, sister, aunt, and friend to many people near and far of all ages.

A remarkable woman, born in Boston, MA, daughter of immigrants (beloved Abraham and Miriam Kelman), Edith attended Brandeis University and later went back to school

Edith (Edie) Esther Kelman Jeffrey for her Master’s Degree in History from Princeton University. She met and married a Dorchester boy Richard C. Jeffrey, and traveled the world with him, starting a family in Palo Alto, CA, when he was an assistant professor of Philosophy at Stanford and then moving with two young children across the country to Princeton, NJ, where she lived for the rest of her life.

A political activist, Edith was blacklisted and lost an important job opportunity as a young woman based on her attendance at student political events. Community and community organizations were important to Edith. She was active in the League of Women Voters, Community Without Walls (House 2), and the Evergreen Forum and was a founding member and first president of Princeton Research Forum.

Edith was an intrepid traveler and experiencer of life, an artist, and a poet, she had a curiosity about and interest in all people, places, and things and was a lifelong learner. She was our family historian and story teller. After the untimely death of her beloved husband, our father Richard Jeffrey, she continued to live a rich, full, and active life in her community and beyond.

We are grateful to Edith’s many dear friends who enriched her life until the end, in particular for the love and companionship of Paul Benacerraf in her later years, a longtime family friend and honorary family member, who we sadly lost in January.

We were thankful to be able to carry out Edith’s wishes for end of life (her goals of care) in consultation with her doctor David Barile, to whom we are incredibly grateful. Our hearts are broken yet warmed by the love we all shared. She will live on in us forever.

Edith is survived by her son Daniel Jeffrey, daughter Pamela Jeffrey and her husband Sean O’Connor, granddaughters Sophie Jeffrey

O’Connor and her husband David Lonergan and Juliet Jeffrey O’Connor and her fiancé Ben Klein, sister Bernice Kelman, nephew Dan McCormack, and grandniece Heather McCormack. Edith loved all and was loved by all.

Finally, we are so grateful to Hannah Aryeetey for the care she provided, that enabled Edith to live independently in her own home despite her physical challenges. Hannah was a bright light in Edith’s life. Thank you Hannah.

Burial was held on February 3, 2025 at 1 p.m. at Princeton Cemetery.

A celebration of Edith’s life is being planned.

Arrangements are under the direction of MatherHodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

Carol M. Kahny

A significant amount of kindness and light went out of the world on January 27 when Carol Mary Kahny passed from it, leaving it a little colder and darker, but vastly better for her having been here.

Carol was born September 30, 1935 in Princeton, NJ, to Harry J. and Mary A. (O’Kane) Kahny. She was the fifth of six sisters, Helen, Margaret, Rosemary, Jean, and Mary Louise, each of whom preceded her in death.

She is survived by 20 nieces and nephews and their many children, all of whom she treasured and doted upon.

insisted his six daughters would each attend college, and each of them did, most of them to the Master level, including Carol. Over the years, as her parents, followed by her sisters, began to succumb to illness, Carol was their steadfast protector, even as her own vigor eventually began to decline.

Throughout her life, Carol shared an incredible relationship with her youngest sister, Mary Louise Sweeney. They traveled extensively and nurtured friendships with a few women that have endured through today. Mary Louise had one child, Meghan, and Carol was extremely involved in her upbringing, ultimately blessed to become a very hands-on Great Aunt to Meghan’s two children, interacting with them through the final day of her life.

As her health became more fragile, she lived with Mary Louise and her husband of more than 50 years, Edward. For the past several years, all three were lovingly supported and cared for by Meghan, her husband Bucky and their children. Mary Louise passed away just two weeks before Carol did, cementing forever in Heaven the close and loving bond they had always shared.

To the children and grandchildren of the Kahny family, there is little surprise that once her last sister passed away, Carol followed. Her work on Earth was done.

There will be a viewing on Thursday, February 6 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Kimble Funeral Home, 1 Hamilton Avenue, Princeton, NJ.

The funeral mass will be celebrated at St. Paul Parish, 216 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ, on Friday, February 7 at 10 a.m., with the burial immediately following in St. Paul Parish Cemetery.

All are cordially welcome to attend, as Carol would have wanted.

Extend condolences and share memories at The KimbleFuneralHome.com.

attend college in her youth, Jean earned her Associates Degree from Kingsborough Community College while in her 70s. She resided in New York City for most of her life, and had an additional residence in Bucks County, PA. She ultimately moved to Princeton to be closer to her family during her golden years. Jean was never one to have idle time on her hands, so following her retirement, she kept a busy social and philanthropic calendar to ensure she always had something to look forward to in the days ahead. She loved to play cards, especially bridge. Jean thoroughly enjoyed sharing her fondness for art and culture with her family and friends with regular outings to all of the local theaters, playhouses, and museums. As a founding member and benefactor of St. Anna’s Greek Orthodox Church in Flemington, NJ, her faith and heritage was her pride and joy. Jean also enjoyed being a volunteer Grand-Pal, reading books to kindergarten students at the Princeton Public Schools. She also loved to travel, with Greece being one of her top destinations.

Predeceased by her parents, Michael and Anna Manicatakis; her husband, Michael Procyk; her mother-in-law, Anna Procyk; her sister, Mary Manicatakis; and her nephew-in-law, Michael B. Zapantis. She is survived by her niece, Victoria Zapantis (Michael B. Zapantis); her greatnephew’s family, Michael J. Zapantis and Cortney T. Gray and their daughter, her great-great-niece, Olive Jean Zapantis (who bears her namesake); her great-nephew, Kristofer A. Zapantis; and her greatniece, Melanie N. Zapantis. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at St. Anna’s Greek Orthodox Church, 85 Voorhees Corner Road, Flemington, New Jersey.

Private interment will be held at St. Michael’s Cemetery, East Elmhurst, NY 11370.

Eugenia “Jean” Procyk

pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection. encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you.

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We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide

MEMORIAL

We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you. ITS EASIER

We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection. We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you. ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL

Jean Procyk, 92, of Princeton, passed away at home surrounded by her loving family on Wednesday, January 29, 2025.

Visitation for family and friends was held on Tuesday, February 4, 2025 at A.S. Cole Son & Company, 22 North Main Street, Cranbury, NJ.

Eugenia’s family is asking that in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Eugenia’s memory to St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church, (For donations by check, please note the memo for the Mortgage Fund), 85 Voorhees Corner Road, Flemington, NJ 08822. Donations can also be made on their website at stannagoc.org. (For the website donations, please mark the memorial request for the Mortgage Tray.)

ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL

Slight of body but large of heart, Carol had a calm, generous, easy-going per sonality and a thoughtful ness that everyone who interacted with her experi enced and benefited from. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Trenton State Teachers College, specializing in Kin dergarten-Primary grades, and taught in Lawrence Township. She received her Master of Science from Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York, and continued to teach in the Syracuse City School District, notably developing and running a ground-breaking program for children with special needs, as well as managing an after-school drama program for all ages. Everything she undertook when working with others was always done with patience and humor.

Saulfuneralhomes.com.

Obituaries Continued on Next Page

We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you.

We encourage you to make an appointment, with

process of monument selection. We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you.

ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL

We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you.

ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL

We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you.

ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL

We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you

ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE

ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL

If there is anything that could accurately showcase the selfless, beautiful soul that was Carol Kahny, it is the role of caretaker she calmly and easily undertook for every member of her family, from her grandmother to her parents to her sisters. The Kahny family was a significant part of early twentieth-century Princeton — Carol’s father was a city engineer who

Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Jean was a proud, deeply rooted New Yorker. She was a woman with a sharp mind and quick tongue and would deliver the classic zinger at the perfect time of a conversation. Jean lived her life to the fullest and did not let social parameters limit her ability to do so. As such, being a woman ahead of her time, Jean was employed with Metropolitan Life Insurance Company as their first female agent. She retired from MetLife after over 30 years of service. Knowledge and education was extremely important to Jean. Despite not having the opportunity to

John Tiebout, Jr.

When John Tiebout was born on August 6, 1925, he was welcomed by his parents, John Tiebout, Sr. and Irene Walmsley Lynch, and his sisters, Anna and Mary. Young John grew up in Larchmont, NY, and upon graduation from New Rochelle High School, enrolled in the Admiral Ballard Academy. He then enlisted in the U.S. Navy, beginning officer’s training school at Yale. John served as a Lieutenant JG on the LST 1020 in the Pacific during WWII. Upon his honorable discharge from the Navy, he returned to Yale to finish his studies, graduating with the Class of ’48.

Through mutual friends, he was introduced to Patricia Peck. Their 72-year marriage began in 1949. John worked at W & J Tiebout, a marine hardware business that had been established in 1853 by his ancestors in New York. John and Patty lived in Levittown, LI, where they welcomed their son, John Tiebout III, and daughter, Janet. After a move to Dobbs Ferry, NY, their daughter Mary was born.

In 1957, the family moved to Hastings-on-Hudson, where John’s long career of community service began. He joined the Riverview Manor Hose Co., #3, serving as Captain in the ’60s. At the same time, he served as Deacon at the South Presbyterian Church in Dobbs Ferry, and he was elected for two terms as a Trustee of the Village of Hastingson-Hudson.

Following the sale of W & J Tiebout, John worked for the Campbell Chain Co., first as a Territory Sales Manager. With his warm sense of humor and thoughtful interactions, he was loved by his customers and deeply appreciated by younger team members whom he mentored. In 1979, John and Patty moved to Seattle, WA, where John became the company’s Regional Sales Manager for the Pacific Northwest. While preparing to move back East, and having enjoyed the university community in Seattle, they chose to live in Princeton, moving here in 1982.

John continued to work for several more years, and when he retired he brought his warm and cheerful spirit to the Medical Center at Princeton (the old hospital) where he contributed 1,626 hours volunteering on the menus team. He also served as an usher at Nassau Presbyterian Church, and on the Board of the Newgrange School. He was a member of The Old Guard of Princeton.

John was a fan of the NY Yankees and was in the stands in October of 1956 when Don Larsen pitched that perfect game. Along

with watching his kids play sports, and hours of playing catch, John enjoyed boating, waterskiing, and playing paddle tennis. After he retired, he was able to join a group of friends at the Princeton Country Club. In golf, as in life, he followed this good advice: Try not to make too many unforced errors.

“Poppy” brought joy to his grandchildren, Jack and James Tiebout, Meredith and Christopher Hanson, and Johanna and Eli Evans. He enjoyed the company of his son- and daughtersin-law, Nato Evans, Wendy Satin and Barbara Johnson. His great-grandchildren, Finn, Eleanor, Thea, Henry, Penelope, and those to fol low, will delight in memories and stories about him.

The passing of John Tiebout leaves a great chasm in the lives of family members, neighbors, and friends, who loved John’s joy of living. If you knew John and wish to remember him, any act of warmth or kindness would honor his memory and brighten our world, and we would be most grateful.

with the pair married for over 50 years. During that time, Anna enjoyed her post as First Lady of Lindenhurst while Tom served as Lindenhurst Mayor, population 33,000, for 17 years. The couple welcomed a daughter, Jeanne, in 1950. Three years later in 1953 they welcomed a second daughter, Lynn.

Throughout his life John spent vacation time with his high school buddies, Jim Huntington, Howard Snider, Fred Yarrington and Ferris Conklin, and their families. Among his many friends in Hastings were “The Piggers,” a group connected to the firehouse, most of whom were Patty’s high school friends. They got together often, a couple of times to roast a pig, but most often to roast a hamburger while all the kids ran around in the backyard. Gatherings with John’s sisters and their families, the Vosburghs and Reismans, brimmed with laughter and love.

Patty was the love of John’s life, and when he began to show signs of dementia, she showed her great strength and devotion by doing all she could to help him at home. Following her death in 2022, at age 98, John was able to stay at home with the help and companionship of his three children. A bit of luck led to the discovery of Town Square, an adult activities center near Princeton. For nearly two years, John brought joy to the other members and to the staff, in particular, Shannon and Nicole, who, with unlimited goodness and humor, have created a delightful community of friends.

Many thanks to Ana for bringing her magnificent smile and caring heart every Sunday afternoon for almost three years. Deepest thanks to neighbors who have offered their friendship, who have offered their help, and then their sincere condolences. We’re grateful to Dr. John Sierocki, and members of his staff, especially Allyn, for decades of skillful and kind-hearted care.

On January 7, John watched the funeral service for President Jimmy Carter, hearing the beautiful Navy Hymn just moments before he died. A brief celebration of John and Patty’s lives was held at Rowayton Union Cemetery, in Connecticut, where members of the Navy Honor Guard played Taps and presented the flag. Arrangements were made by Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, and the family is grateful for their guidance. We would also like to thank members of the Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad and the Princeton Police Department, especially Patrolman Frank Pinelli, who provided assistance, information, and genuine humanity, somehow holding John’s beautiful spirit aloft in that moment. That was a gift.

Anna volunteered at Good Samaritan Hospital. She had a passion for food. Italian pastries on Sunday and delicious homemade meatballs were staples in their home on South 7th Street. Anna and Tom had a wide circle of friends of all ages.

In 1994 Anna and Tom moved to Kingston, New Jersey, to be closer to their daughters.

David Smith

David Smith, 86, a longtime resident of Princeton, New Jersey, passed away peacefully on December 28, 2024. Born in Palo Alto, CA, David was the second son of Earle Smith and Louise Silver. He was a devoted Son, a wonderful Brother, beloved Uncle, Cousin, and Great Friend, who will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

David’s early years were spent enjoying time with his mother, father, and brother in Palo Alto, and for several years in Bisbee AZ, where his father worked as a rancher. Back in Palo Alto he enjoyed working with the family at Smith’s Sport Shop. In his teens, he attended Palo Alto High School, and later went on to attend Stanford University. After graduating he became a Chemical Engineer at FMC Corporation. Throughout his career, he was highly respected for his knowledge, and problemsolving skills, always enjoying working with his fellow engineers.

David enjoyed many hobbies, spending time at the Wooley Camp, flyfishing on the Klamath and Eel rivers. He also enjoyed hunting, riding horses, and working the machinery at the ranch in Paso Robles with his brother Derry. Later he was a tennis enthusiast; he also enjoyed skiing at Dodge Ridge and trout fishing in Pinecrest, where he spent many summers. He enjoyed hiking in the redwoods, educational seminars, and dining with his great friends. He was also an avid traveler.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Earle and Louise; stepmothers Dottie and Dorothy; his brother Derry, his sister-in-law, Margaret. David is survived by his nephew Douglas, and cousins Suzy, Kalaine, and Vicky of Switzerland, as well as many dear friends.

David will be dearly missed by all who knew him, but his legacy will live on through his family and friends.

Anna Kost

Anna Kost of Kingston, New Jersey, passed away on January 28, four days before her 97th birthday.

Anna, was born in Lindenhurst, New York, to Jennie and Frank Frole on February, 2, 1928. She was 18 when she met Tom Kost in church while Tom was home on leave from the Navy. They were married six weeks later.

The short courtship turned into a long union

She enjoyed the occasional trip to Atlantic City and was known for her strong will and warm sense of humor. Her house was always pristine.

She is survived by her daughter Jeanne Kost Cook, son-in-law John Cook, and daughter Lynn Susan Kost. She is also survived by five grandchildren and their spouses, Emily Cook and Jonathon Smith, Hilary Cook and Mike Engström, Jack and Liz Cook, Robin and Jon McConaughy, and Mike and Meredith Cook, along with eight greatgrandchildren.

There will be a service for Anna on March 3 at 11 a.m. at Breslau Cemetery in Lindenhurst, where she will be laid to rest with Tom, followed by a reception at Belfast Gastropub.

Robert Kirby

Robert (Bob) Marvin Kirby, died pretty much as he always hoped to: efficiently and at home on January 13, 2025. He just did not quite reach 100 years but got pretty close at 96.

Now we will move forward and build on the smiles and good times he gave us.

Bob was an avid downhill skier, private pilot, sailor, software engineer, businessman, scuba diver, model airplane enthusiast, and kindly person (dogs and small children came right up to him).

He really learned to ski at Dartmouth when guys across the hall said “Hey, do you want to go skiing with us?”

With a week of experience using an illustrated book, he said “Sure!” and learned to keep up with them. They had been in the Army’s 10th Mountain Division during the war.

As a young man, he bought a small plane and learned to fly. As soon as he got his pilot certificate, folks at the airport joked “Now you can fly to the Caribbean.” He did, and on his way back, stopping for fuel, a guy said “You flew to the Caribbean in that!” and sold Bob a better airplane.

Bob was born in Phillipsburg, NJ, to Anna White Kirby and George Stanley Kirby on April 19, 1928 and was named Irwin Marvin Kirby. After several months, the family moved to New York City. Bob graduated from Bronx High School of Science in 1945. In the middle of his senior year, he was recruited into the Army where he served as a quartermaster in the last few months of WWII. While in the Army, he took courses at Clemson University and sometime after the Army discharge changed his first name to Robert. He entered Dartmouth College on the GI Bill as a sophomore in the class of 1950 and pursued a five-year program in engineering and business. After graduation he worked for some large companies, did coursework at Columbia, and then started his own company, Kirby Computers, later called Kirby Microprocessors. In the 1950s and ’60s, this was one of the first businesses that successfully harnessed the power of new-fandangled technology using building-size hardware that now fits on a chip inside a smartphone!

Bob married Dorothy Bierman in 1957 and they divorced in 1979. He partnered for 14 years with Virginia (Ginny) Haase of Edison, NJ, and became a father figure to Ginny‘s daughter Amy. Bob eventually partnered with Susana Schwarcz for 10 years until her death in 2011 and maintained a warm relationship with her family, including her son, Daniel and daughter Alicia Schwarcz and Alicia’s children, Liam, Tim, and Nicole.

Bob met his second wife (Marian) Brownlee McKee on the tennis courts and their first date was to fly a Cessna out of Princeton Airport.

They married four years later in September 2015. They had 14 adventurous and happy years together, including car camping across our continent and back.

People would often comment that they looked like newlyweds still, only to be told that they were, in fact, newlyweds. Even after 10 years, they could be seen dancing sweetly at a restaurant, town square, or just at home.

Bob was vivacious, athletic, curious, and tenacious, and had many interests: skiing at 91 years old, playing tennis until a month before his death, flying small airplanes, sailing his 34-foot Irwin, scuba diving, and traveling often to ski, to learn more Spanish or French in classes, and to see solar eclipses. He was an inspiration for many people in his life, in various ways. His zest for life, and disregard for the aging process was an attitude that Ann Taylor, Bob’s stepdaughter, and cousin Michelle Poulin aspire to.

Every year he drove to New England for Dartmouth class of 1950 annual reunions and to visit cousin Susan (Sue) Poulin and her husband Jim at Sebago Lake in Maine, often seeing their children Michelle Poulin with her son Rado, and Scott Poulin with wife Txiki (a Basque name) and son Ian.

Bob made sure to keep in touch with more distant cousins: Matt Spector and

wife Lisa Griffin Vincent, Claire Spector and partner Charles Sepos, Marcia Schertz and her son Peter. Bob was predeceased by his mother, Anna White Kirby, father George Stanley Kirby, first cousins Frederick W. Barten, Margaretta Barten Hommel, Debra Ann White Jackrel, his first wife Dorothy Bierman, and his partner Susana Schwarcz. He is survived by his wife (Marian) Brownlee McKee, her two children Ann Dilys Taylor and Ben Taylor, Susana’s daughter Alicia Schwarcz and her three children, Timothy, Liam, and Nicole, and Virginia Haase and her daughter Amy Haase, cousins Susan Poulin and family, and cousin Sanford White with his wife Vicki and their children Lawrence and Jared and grandchildren.

Very satisfactory funeral arrangements were made by Mather-Hodge/Star of David Funeral Home including good coordination with Riverside Cemetery in Saddlebrook, NJ, where Bob was buried alongside his mother Anna White Kirby, her brother J. Gerald White, and J. Gerald’s wife Augusta White.

Funeral and burial were held on January 15, 2025.

Memorial donations may be made to Friends of Herrontown Woods (herrontownwoods.org) or the charity of your choice.

Marcia F. Shissler

Marcia F. Shissler, of Princeton, NJ, former longtime Haddonfield resident, died on January 28, 2025, at age 84. She was predeceased by her husband, Dr. Ronald H. Shissler, Jr., and is survived by daughters Suzanne Roth and Janine Shissler; sons-in-law Lawrence Roth and David Bae; and three grandchildren, Ethan Roth, and Gus and Adelaide Bae. She is also survived by her brother, Neil Facchinetti of Storrs, CT. Marcia grew up in Lansdowne, PA. After graduating from Lansdowne Aldan High School, she went on to Ursinus College, where she met her husband Ronald. She worked for many years as a reading teacher in South Jersey, then returned to school to obtain a J.D. from Temple Law School. During their later years, she and Ronald enjoyed visiting their daughters in California and New York City, spending time with grandchildren, and keeping up with the Eagles, Phillies, and international tennis.

Services for Marcia will be private. In celebration of her life and in honor of her longtime interest in early childhood education, memorial donations may be made to the Center for Family Services, centerffs.org, 500 Pine Street, Camden, NJ 08103, in support of their Mosaic Early Learning programs.

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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.

JOE’S LANDSCAPING INC. OF PRINCETON

Property Maintenance and Specialty Jobs

Commercial/Residential

Over 45 Years of Experience • Fully Insured • Free Consultations Email: joeslandscapingprinceton@ gmail.com

Text (only): (609) 356-9201 Office: (609) 216-7936 Princeton References

• Green Company

HIC #13VH07549500

x802, www.nspapartment.com. 02-12

KARINA’S HOUSECLEANING: Full service inside. Honest and reliable lady with references. Weekly, biweekly or monthly. Call for estimate. (609) 858-8259.

03-12

07-30

TAILORING SERVICE, CLOTHING ALTERATIONS, DARNING AND MENDING, pants hemming and more. Please call Margarita at (609) 533-9130. Many years of experience.

02-19

PRINCETON CLEANING GROUP Commercial and residential cleaning services. Excellent referrals, affordable and reliable. Also offering carpet cleaning and shampooing. Call for free estimates: (609) 947-7664. 03-26

Cranbury

TT 2-5-25 Digital Issue

School Facilities Bond Referendum

Tech Industry Leaders Join PU, NJ in AI Hub

Michelle Pirone Lambros Announces Campaign for Third Term on Council

Congratulations to our 2025 Tribute Honorees

BIG GAME

TOWN TOPICS

Topics In Brief A Community Bulletin

Morven Speaker Series Takes Visitors To Landmark Houses from the Last Century

TOPICS

Of the Town

Landmark Houses

Question of the Week:

Town Seeks Comments On Local Transit Services

NOW thru February 9th

Upcoming Events

Bereishit

New

Jodi Picoult to be Interviewed For Podcast at Library Event

New Jersey Realtors Names New CEO

New Board Members

“Pitch Stop VII”

Police Blotter

Two Apprehended In Hulfish Shoplifting

Special Program Highlights Gardens at Point Breeze

Clean Drinking Water For Mercer County

Steward

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Valentine's Day Dinner

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Books

Talk on Escaping Enslavement by Water:

Rider Furniture

Author Serene Khader Talks About “Faux Feminism” at Library Event

Born 111 Years Ago Today, William Burroughs Knocks on Our Door

Performing Arts

Dance and Net Sculpture

5-Year Collaboration

Grammy-winning Conductor Named to Rider Position

THE DRYDEN ENSEMBLE

Lift Every Voice

Organ Music of Black Composers

Taylor Swift Tribute

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Hora Feliz:

Hora Feliz: The Alpine Wines of Pfitscher

The Alpine Wines of Pfitscher

Hora Feliz: The Alpine Wines of Pfitscher

Hora Feliz:

The Alpine Wines of Pfitscher

Aubrey to Give Talk at Trenton City Museum

Area Exhibits

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FEBRUARY

Children of All Ages, Including Tots and Toddlers, Come To Goldfish Swim School – Princeton

IT’S NEW To Us

Water Safety

Kid-Friendly

Lifelong Skill

S ports

Overcoming Gauntlet of Tough Foes to Make History,

PU Women’s Squash Star Zein

Wins CSA Individual

Title

Doing Some Soul Searching after Defeat to Yale, PU Men’s Hoops Rebounds

with 69-49 Win Over Brown

Junior O’Leary Provides Playmaking, Finishing

As PU Women’s Hockey Tops Dartmouth 3-2 in OT

PU Sports Roundup

Experience Exceptional Senior Living at

Relishing his Senior Day for PHS Boys’ Hoops, Petrone

Gives His All as Tigers Lose to Sayreville

Coming Up Big in her Last Season for PHS Girls’ Hockey, Speir Stars as Tigers Advance to Annis Cup Semifinals

With Senior Star Seydi Posting a Double-Double, PDS Boys’ Hoops Tops Steinert in Tune-Up for CVC

Sparked by McNally’s Perimeter Shooting,

Hun Girls’ Hoops Primed for Postseason Run

Hun Lawrenceville

Pennington

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