TT 3-5-25 Digital Issue

Local Officials Seek Increased Participation Of Princeton Voters

Bird Flu Outbreak Prompts Health Department Guidance

Princeton Nursery School

Celebrates 96 Years 5

Microforest at Quarry Park Will Aid Town’s Biodiversity 8

Lives of Enslaved at Morven Featured in Updated Exhibit 11

Between the Oscars and Bryn Mawr: Casting a Book Sale Treasure 13

PU Presents Annual Competition Winners Concert 14

Theatre Intime, PU Players Stage Carrie 15

Winters Stars as PHS Girls’ Hoops Wins State Opener, Postseason Run Ends

With Loss to Franklin in Quarters 29

With Senior Captain Bruno Sparking Defense, PDS Girls’ Hockey Rolls Into State Semifinals 31

Voter turnout in Princeton was lower than many expected in the 2024 November election, and most New Jerseyans would agree that more people should participate in the democratic process by casting their ballots, but why numbers are down and what to do about it is a subject of widespread disagreement.

The question of voter turnout becomes particularly important in the context of New Jersey’s current campaign for a new governor, with 10 confirmed candidates, endorsements flowing in, primaries in June, and the General Election in November.

Mercer County Democratic Committee Chair Janice Mironov, who is also the mayor of East Windsor, declined to single out any particular town or county, but cited a number of factors that diminished participation in the 2024 election.

“Voter turnout does appear to have been down in many towns in Mercer County, and seemingly even more so in other counties across the state,” she said. “This was a complicated election year for many folks, and there were a variety of economic, national, and international matters on their minds and impacting their vote or non-vote, as the

Princeton Democratic Municipal Committee (PDMC) Chair Felicia Spitz pointed out that Princeton has more registered voters now than it had at the time of the 2016 election (22,407 v. 20,216), but that more ballots were cast in 2016 (13,189 v. 12,920). Princeton’s voter turnout percentage in 2024 was 57.66 percent, second lowest among 12 Mercer County

Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami

Avian influenza, better known as bird flu, has shown up in Princeton. The positive test of a deceased bald eagle, found near Prospect Avenue and Lake Carnegie in December 2024, was announced by the municipality on February 28.

According to the press release issued that day, there are no known exposures to humans or pets in Princeton. But the situation is being monitored.

“The Princeton Health Department is urging residents and poultry owners to take precautions following a recent outbreak of H5N1, or avian influenza,” reads the release. “H5N1 is a highly contagious airborne respiratory virus that spreads easily among birds through nasal and eye secretions, and manure. The New Jersey Department of Health continues to respond to the ongoing outbreak of the virus across the state.”

New Jersey cases reported in recent weeks include a feral cat in an unspecified location in Hunterdon County, Canada geese in Burlington and Monmouth counties, and dead geese found at the millpond and surrounding parks in Allentown borough. The parks are closed until further notice.

The bald eagle in Princeton had been

submitted for testing and was later identified as a presumptive positive case by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). The eagle is undergoing confirmatory testing at a federal infectious disease surveillance laboratory.

Ducks, chickens, and turkey are the species most frequently affected by avian influenza, along with some wild birds such as geese, shorebirds, ducks, and raptors. Dogs and cats who encounter the affected birds can also be susceptible.

While the transmission risk to humans is relatively low, the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that there have been several recent human cases among U.S dairy and poultry workers. The total number of confirmed cases in humans is 70.

The Princeton Health Department is asking residents to report deaths of wild or domestic birds, especially large groups of them, to the NJDEP hotline at (877) 927-6337.

Social Activist Tommy Parker to Be Honored by Princeton Council

In an effort led by Princeton Councilman Leighton Newlin, the governing body is planning to pay tribute to Thomas Alfred “Tommy” Parker with a proclamation at its meeting on March 10. Also planned in honor of the longtime Princeton resident is the declaration of March 19 — Parker’s 73rd birthday — as Tommy Parker Day. Known for his work on civil rights, his management and mentoring of Princeton’s American Legion Post 218 baseball team, his leadership of the Princeton Democratic Municipal Committee and

the Princeton Community Democratic Organization, and his years as president of Princeton’s Service Employees International Union Local 175 while employed by Princeton University, among other distinctions, Parker has been devoted to community service throughout his life. In recent years, Parker has suffered two strokes and the loss of his oldest son, Tuumaa. He lives on Leigh Avenue, in the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood where he grew up, with his wife, Joanne.

LOOKING SHARP: The Princeton Barber Shop was busy last Thursday as several customers stopped in for a haircut on a

PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY PRESENTS presents FRIDAY, APRIL 25 7 PM ET at

Tending Good Soil

a conversation with &

In his new book, Jeff Chu unpacks what he learned about creating “good soil,” both literally and figuratively, during his time on the farm — drawing lessons from the rhythms of growth, decay, and regeneration that define life on the land.

Join us for this exclusive conversation between Chu and Krista Tippett, host of On Being

Together, they’ll discuss the new book and why, at a time when we seem most drawn to the phones in our hands, we need to connect to the land.

JEFF CHU KRISTA TIPPETT

Saturday, March 22, 2025

On St Patrick’s Day enjoy the volcanic wines of Vinicola Sorrentino with the winery’s ambassador, Umberto Rusciano.

Vesuvius stands as the only active volcano on continental Europe, and its constant presence profoundly influences this land. Locals from the Vesuvian towns are said to inherently sense the power of this towering volcano that looms over them.

Vesuvius, with its continuous seismic activity, has created a fertile ground with unique flavors, making this region a place of extraordinary beauty and productivity. Indigenous varietals of Caprettone, Falanghina, Catalanesca, Piedirosso and Aglianico make up the winery’s lineup. Umberto will guide us through his volcanic wines with assaggini and snacks to be served.

TOWN TOPICS

Princeton’s Weekly Community Newspaper Since 1946

DONALD C. STUART, 1946-1981 DAN D. COYLE, 1946-1973 Founding Editors/Publishers DONALD C. STUART III, Editor/Publisher, 1981-2001

LAURIE PELLIChERO Editor BILL ALDEN,

Empowerment Summit Inspires Future Leaders

A free Young Adult Empowerment Summit is set for March 29 at Princeton Theological Seminary, 64 Mercer Street. Sponsored by Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church ( WSPC), the event will offer young adults an opportunity to engage in workshops, cultivate connections, and explore spiritual practices in a supportive and empowering environment.

Workshops on Self-Discovery, Building Community, Spiritual Practices, and Interfaith Dialogue will be offered. The keynote address is by the Rev. Danté Quick of First Baptist Church Lincoln Gardens. He is known for his message of faith, justice, and community empowerment.

In addition, the summit will include workshop leaders Martin Whitfield, who

works in sports, marketing, and community development; the Rev. Eric Dobson, who preaches sermons focused on love, equality, and justice; the Rev. Maureen Gerald, a counselor, coach, and spiritual director at PTS; and Toyi Ward, a screenwriter, producer, and author of books, blogs, movies, television, podcasts, and online media content.

A continental breakfast and catered lunch will be served. Additionally, a $200 cash prize will be awarded to the individual who brings the most guests, fostering an atmosphere of engagement and collaboration.

“The Young Adult Empowerment Summit is a vital space for the next generation to explore their identities, strengthen their communities, and embrace the power of faith in action. We are creating an environment where young adults can grow

and lead with purpose,” said the Rev. Dr. Kenneth Ngwa, pastor, WSPC.

“At a time when many young adults feel disconnected and are seeking meaningful ways to engage with their communities, we wanted to create a space for them to come together, discuss the issues that matter most, and explore ways to give back,” added Tracy Eskridge, elder at WSPC.

“Our goal is to inspire, uplift, and equip young adults with the tools they need to thrive. This is an opportunity to build lasting connections and strengthen our collective voice for change,” said Winston Delk, young adult organizer.

The summit is open to all young adults ages 18-30 eager to engage in meaningful dialogue and personal development. Visit witherspoonchurch.org for registration information.

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 March 5 at Mi Espana, Princeton Shopping Center; on March 12 at Maman, 43 Hulfish Street; on March 19 at Amazing Thai, 260 Nassau Street; and on March 26 at Jammin’ Crepes, 20 Nassau Street.

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

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

Volunteer Land Stewards Wanted: On Saturday, March 15, join Friends of Princeton Open Space to help with ecosystem restoration and invasive species removal at the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve. Sessions are 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-3 p.m. Register at fopos.org/events-programs.

MORVEN PLANT SALE: Morven Museum & Garden’s annual plant sale begins today and runs through April 7. Choose from a beautiful assortment of annuals, perennials, and edible plants selected by the organization’s horticulturalists. To order online, visit morven.org or call (609) 924-8144.

anniversary on Friday, along with the

Marilyn Yates, who will be 94, and

and students with

Princeton Nursery School Celebrates 96 Years — And Birthdays for Two of its Oldest Graduates

With a parade through the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood on Friday, March 7, carrying balloons and decorated signs, the 48 students of Princeton Nursery School (PNS) and their teachers will

be celebrating the birthdays of PNS’ oldest living alumnae, along with the 96th anniversary of the founding of the school.

First stop for the parade will be the home of Barbara Banks, who lives right behind the Leigh Avenue school, then the parade participants will continue down John Street to the home of Marilyn Yates.

TOPICS

Banks, who lives close enough to the school to hear the children on the playground, shared a few of her memories of her days at PNS with her granddaughter Ashley Hightower, who reported that Banks remembers her teacher Ms.Etta and Ms. Etta’s son, who lived at the school and were “the nicest people you would ever meet.”

attend.Parents could even send babies that she called “sleeping babies.”

According to Walden’s notes, Yates remembers Ms. Miller, Ms. Moss, and Ms. Eda, who was the cook. “We loved going to school each day to play with our friends and learn,” said Yates. “More importantly, the love of the community was everywhere. The friends that you made at nursery school also became your friends in the community. We grew up in a neighborhood where everyone knew one another and if you acted up you would get chastised by whoever noticed your ill behavior and then when you got home you would get in trouble again!”

She continued, “I remember several family and friends in our close-knit community,” mentioning the Owens, the Yancys, the. Moores, the Marshalls, the Fletchers, and the Youngs.”

After PNS, Yates attended the School for Colored Children on Quarry Street. Her grandfather was the first justice of the peace in Princeton, her step-grandmother was a hairdresser, her father Ralph Jerry Mitnaul owned a mechanic shop in Princeton, her Uncle Junius owned the barber shop on Quarry and John streets, and her aunt owned Lillie’s Beauty Salon on Quarry Street.

PNS as executive director in 2022, described Friday’s festivities as part of “a countdown to our 100-year celebration,” one of a number of small celebrations leading up to the 100-year anniversary in 2029.

“Here at Princeton Nursery School our mission has really stayed the same since we were founded in 1929,” she said. “At the time it was to support working mothers, working Black mothers in Witherspoon-Jackson who were supporting the larger Princeton community with their jobs in town and at the University.”

She continued, “They had this challenge of quality child care for their children, and we still have that challenge today, quality child care for working parents. It’s very hard to find, especially if you consider that an affordable childcare center does not always mean quality.”

Jahnke pointed out that the three parts of PNS’ mission include exceptional early childhood education, supportive family services, and making sure that the school is affordable for all.

Of the Town

At each home they will sing their school song (“I love you Princeton Nursery School”) and “Happy Birthday.” Friday’s celebration day is mid-way between the date of the school’s January 14 anniversary and the shared birthdays, 95 for Banks and 94 for Yates, coming up on June 1.

“Two phenomenal women,” wrote Yates’ daughter Paige Walden, and their friendship has continued since their days at PNS. “My fondest memory of growing up in the Princeton community and attending Princeton Nursery School on Leigh Avenue is meeting my best friend, Barbara Banks,” said Yates according to notes Walden took in a recent conversation with her mother. “Barbara and I have had the best friendship for over 90 years.”

The parade will continue to the Mary Moss Park on John and Lytle Streets. In 1992 the park was named for Moss, who was the nurse at PNS and also supervised the children on outings to the park.

“We have been really reconnecting with our Witherspoon-Jackson history here,” said PNS Executive Director K. Leanna Jahnke, “so we’re celebrating being here in WitherspoonJackson for 96 years, we’ll be connecting up with our alumnae at the homes of Ms. Banks and Ms. Yates, and we’ll stop at the park to recognize the connection with Ms. Mary Moss.”

Jahnke noted that enthusiasm for Friday’s events is running high. “I heard them practicing their songs,” she said. “Any time you mention birthday parties, they’re all on board.”

Banks also remembers that PNS was originally a two-story building, but smaller than it is today, and that additions were added later. She also remembers that there was no age requirement for children to

Yates worked for more than 35 years at Princeton University in the English Department, raised her family on Clay Street in public housing, and in 1989 purchased her first home with Affordable Housing on John Street.

Jahnke, who came to

“This year in particular we’ve worked with Shirley Satterfield and others here in Witherspoon-Jackson to recognize that the support Princeton Nursery School is providing families in Witherspoon-Jackson has positively impacted all of Princeton,” said Jahnke. “Our support really extends beyond our walls. As we near 100 years, there are so many alumni and so many legacies, grandparents and their grandchildren here,

birthdays

its oldest two alumnae,

Barbara Banks, who will be 95. Pictured above are PNS teachers

community partner Shirley Satterfield (seated) and PNS Executive

Leanna Jahnke (standing center). (Photo courtesy of Princeton Nursery School)

Princeton Nursery School

parents and their children here.”

About 90 percent of families at PNS get some financial assistance either through the state or through a sliding tuition rate adjusted based on their income. “We offer a tuition rate that meets them where they are,” said Jahnke. She went on to mention a new focus on generational change for PNS families “so that a family that grew up here in Witherspoon-Jackson can maybe see themselves in a different place than their grandparents were and breaking cycles of generational poverty and making sure that all families are able to thrive.”

She added, “We’re almost 100 years old. Princeton Nursery School is the jewel of Witherspoon-Jackson, so what we’re trying to do is make our jewel a little bit brighter so that everyone knows about us.”

—Donald Gilpin

Nassau Club Dinner

Honors James Kerney

James Regan Kerney, Princeton University Class of 1968, will be honored on Friday, March 14 at the Nassau Club by the Friendly Sons and Daughters of St. Patrick of Princeton as Irishman of the Year

Kerney recently retired after more than 30 years teaching at the Lawrenceville School, where he held the Odette and Edward Swan ’43 Distinguished Teaching Chair in History and Economics. He was also elected an honorary member of several classes at the school, and was a soughtafter speaker at class functions.

In attendance at the event will be Fintan O’Toole, who will receive the Gaelic Pen award, a tradition from earlier St. Patrick’s dinners in Princeton. Author of 25 books, O’Toole was the Leonard L. Milberg ’53 Visiting Professor in Irish Letters at the University for several years.

Question of the Week:

“What is your favorite Princeton restaurant?” (Asked in honor of Princeton Restaurant Week) (Photos by Thomas Hedges)

The Friendly Sons and Daughters of St. Patrick of Princeton have distributed nearly $200,000 to Irish charities and individuals over the years.

Past honorees of the event include Ed Farley, John F. McCarthy Jr., and John O’Gorman, along with former New Jersey governors Richard J. Hughes, William T. Cahill, and Brendan Byrne. While a student at the University, Kerney was an officer of Ivy Club, and sat on its board of governors for more than four decades.

For ticket information, email lincolnkerney@gmail. com or call (802) 295-9835.

JUNCTION BARBER SHOP

33 Princeton-Hightstown Rd Ellsworth’s Center (Near Train Station) 799-8554 Tues-Fri: 10am-6pm; Sat 8:30am-3:30pm

“Agricola. My favorite thing there is the short rib, which is out of this world. And they have this one dessert, the cinnamon bread pudding, that’s just insane.”

—Jake Pfeifer, Medford

—Ephraim Meles, Princeton

Becky: “Mamoun’s. I’m vegetarian and I love Middle Eastern food.”

Cara: “Also Mamoun’s, because I grew up eating it with my family.”

—Becky Grant and Cara Perez, West Windsor

“Blue Point Grill. The seafood is always fresh, and the oysters are great.”

—Sabrina Nandram, Hopewell

Bird Flu

continued from page one

“Those who work directly with poultry or are in close contact with dairy farms or poultry operations should follow biosecurity practices to protect their flocks and themselves,” the release reads.

The Princeton Health Department recommends staying informed by visiting nj.gov/H5N1. Avoid contact with wild birds, especially ducks and geese. Do not touch sick or dead wild or domestic birds. Report them to the NJDEP at (877) 927-6337. Also recommended is reporting dead or sick domestic birds or livestock to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture at (609) 6716400 or by emailing state. veterinarian@ag.nj.gov.

“Only consume pasteurized milk, and cook poultry, eggs, and beef to the appropriate temperature per the USDA Safe Internal Temperature chart,” the recommendations continue.

“Backyard poultry owners should keep birds indoors or in fully enclosed areas away from wild birds and their waste. Wash and sanitize hands before and after handling birds. Report any suspected avian flu to the Department of Agriculture immediately.”

Dogs and cats should be kept away from areas with lots of geese or their waste, and should not be fed raw meat, poultry, or unpasteurized milk. If a pet shows signs of illness, contact your veterinarian immediately to check for bird flu.

—Anne Levin

Tommy Parker

continued from page one

“He is home on Leigh Avenue being cared for by family, friends, and caretakers,” said Newlin, who has known Parker all his life. In addition to his own memories, he solicited those of others while preparing the proclamation in Parker’s honor.

“He coached little kids and built community. He worked with community engagement,” Newlin said. “He was a renaissance kind of guy. I liken him to somebody like Paul Robeson. Some might say that’s a stretch, but I don’t think it is. Because he has always been in the trenches, at ground zero, getting it done. He has always had continuity, commitment, dedication, and quite frankly some real chutzpah.”

Newlin was putting the finishing touches on the proclamation, which cites Parker’s “dedication to youth athletics continued through his participation in Little League Baseball, playing for the Giants in the YMCA League, the IBOE Elks Club in the Police Baseball Association, Matthews Construction in the YMCA Junior League, and CSquareC in the Princeton Softball League, where he distinguished himself as both a leader and competitor in baseball and football.”

It goes on, “Tommy continued his deep commitment to Princeton’s youth by coaching and mentoring in baseball and football, ensuring that the next generations of athletes had guidance, encouragement, and

opportunities to succeed both on and off the field.”

Asked to describe his friend, Newlin said, “He was a confidant. If you’ve got something to share and you want someone to hold onto it, you talk to Tommy. He is very balanced. He might not nod his head and agree with you though, if he thinks you’re not headed in the right direction.”

The proclamation also praises Parker as “a staunch advocate for worker rights, civil rights, and community empowerment” through his leadership of the union local “where he championed labor equity and fair treatment for Princeton University employees.”

Despite his illness and the loss of his son, Parker “remains a beacon of resilience, perseverance, and love for his community,” the proclamation continues.

Newlin invites all who knew Parker to attend the Council meeting on Monday, March 10 at Witherspoon Hall, where reading of the proclamation is planned.

“However you knew him — as a friend, a competitor, and particularly if you played ball for him — we want you there,” Newlin said. “If you worked on a BCC (board, commission or committee) with him, we want you there. If you’re from the Witherspoon-Jackson community, we certainly want you there. And if you worked with him at the University, or were a member of the union, we want you there. Come a bring somebody with you. Tommy is a warrior.”

—Anne Levin

American Red Cross Marks Honorary Month

March is Red Cross Month, and the American Red Cross New Jersey Region asks people to join in the celebration by volunteering, learning lifesaving skills, giving blood or supporting disaster relief on Red Cross Giving Day, March 26.

“During Red Cross Month, we are proud to honor our volunteers who provide hope and urgent relief to families in need every day,” said Rosie Taravella, CEO, American Red Cross New Jersey Region. “These heroes are our neighbors who give blood, save lives with skills like first aid and CPR, offer support services to our military service members and their families, and provide care and comfort to families devastated by crises like home fires, hurricanes and wildfires. We honor our volunteers and ask you to join them and help make a difference.”

During March, several New Jersey locations and landmarks will be illuminated red to recognize Red Cross Month, including the Battleship New Jersey in Camden, the New Jersey State House dome, American Dream and the Dream Wheel in East Rutherford, Oceans Casino Resort in Atlantic City, and NJM Insurance Group signs at their locations throughout the state.

On Saturday, March 22, the Red Cross will hold Community Day in Delran from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Holy Cross Preparatory Academy. Visitors can learn about Red Cross services like Disaster Response, Blood Donation Services, Service to The

Armed Forces, and Lifesaving Skills Training (HandsOnly CPR). The free event joins several community partners together for a day of education and fun for the whole family.

The Red Cross is helping to bridge access to health care for blood donors by providing free A1C testing commonly used to screen for diabetes and prediabetes, on all successful blood, platelet and plasma donations in March.

More than 80 years ago, March was first proclaimed Red Cross Month in 1943 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to raise awareness about the organization and its humanitarian mission. March is designated as Red Cross Month to recognize how the American Red Cross helps people across the country and around the world through its workforce powered by more than 90 percent volunteers.

To find out about volunteering, giving blood, learning lifesaving skills, and financial donations, visit redcross.org.

Duke Farms Welcomes Conservation Leader

Duke Farms has named Hila Shamon as its new deputy executive director of science and conservation. In this role, Shamon will lead efforts to enhance biodiversity, implement natural climate solutions, and advance applied research to further the restoration of nature at the Hillsborough estate.

Shamon’s work will support the Doris Duke Foundation’s integrated efforts to advance ideas that foster a creative, equitable, and sustainable future.

With over 18 years of experience, Shamon is a leader in place-based conservation, restoration, and rewilding initiatives. Her extensive work has focused on the impact of land use, land cover changes, and climate change on ecosystems. Before joining Duke Farms, she directed the Smithsonian’s Great Plains Science Program at the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, where she designed and led interdisciplinary research on species recovery, large-scale grassland conservation, and applied ecology. Prior to that, she was the lead quantitative ecologist for Israel’s National Ecosystem Assessment Program (HaMaarag), where she developed and implemented long-term ecological monitoring frameworks to assess biodiversity trends in relation to environmental change and anthropogenic impacts. Previously, she worked as an ecologist at the Rothschild Foundation’s Ramat Hanadiv Nature Park, focusing on habitat management, species conservation, and ecological research to inform sustainable land stewardship.

Shamon has shared her expertise with diverse audiences through prominent platforms such as PBS, the BBC, and the Smithsonian. Her extensive body of work includes over 30 peer-reviewed papers on topics such as the impacts of climate change on mammal communities and the diversity of grassland birds.

Get the scoop from

Microforest at Quarry Park Will Aid Princeton’s Biodiversity

A traditional forest can take up to 100 years to mature. But a microforest — a diverse set of native plants and trees on a small plot of land, usually in an urban setting — can take as little as 15 years to reach full growth.

With that in mind, Princeton Council passed a resolution at its February 24 meeting authorizing submission of an application for a Sustainable Jersey grant of $10,000, to cover costs related to the town’s first such project. The 5,000-square-foot site is on an underutilized area of grass and invasive plants at Quarry Park, next to Princeton Housing Authority’s Lloyd Terrace at Spruce Circle affordable housing complex.

Partners in the project include the Princeton Recreation Commission, the Princeton Shade Tree Commission, the Princeton Environmental Commission, Sustainable Princeton, and the Princeton Housing Authority.

“We have determined the area, and which plants to use,” said Inga Reich, the municipality’s open space manager. “We are working with residents, students from Princeton University, and Princeton Middle School, for help with planting and maintenance. And volunteers from the neighborhood have started to remove ivy from the area.”

The town has funding set aside should the grant not come through, Reich said.

Microforests – also known as Miyawaki forests, or tiny, mini or pocket forests – were conceptualized in the 1970s in Japan by plant ecologist Akira Miyawaki. Trees of varying heights and shrubs are densely planted to create a fast-growing forest, which will mature quickly. Using what is known as the “Miyawaki Method,” a diverse set of plants and trees are put into a dense space.

The idea for planting a microforest in Princeton came from the Princeton Environmental Commission as a response to the loss of trees caused by development projects.

“Microforests encourage a lot of native plants in one area, which helps with biodiversity,” said Jenny Ludmer, program manager at Sustainable Princeton. “Many of these will be trees, which helps with stormwater control.”

In a letter to Council outlining the proposal, Reich said a combination of staff and volunteers will be used to completed preparation of the site followed by planting in the second half of this year.

“It will also provide a unique learning environment for school and university students. Princeton Public Schools,

Rutgers, and Princeton University have been solicited to assist in monitoring tree survival, changes in local biodiversity, and other environmental benefits as the microforest is established,” she wrote.

Ludmer said, “The idea is that when you put plants in a much denser space, the competition between them is stronger so they grow faster. It mimics what happens in a normal forest.”

According to the town’s website, the microforest will consist of many native tree and shrub species found in the remaining old-growth forests of the region — including red maple, white oak, American hornbeam, tulip poplar, blackgum, sweet pepperbush, nannyberry, and spicebush. Visitors will be able to walk a trail and rest on benches.

“The establishment of a microforest in Princeton is a positive step forward in our efforts to foster climate resiliency, promote biodiversity, slow stormwater runoff, and lessen the urban heat island effect,” wrote former Councilwoman Eve Niedergang on the town’s website. “In addition to its positive ecological benefits, it also presents an opportunity for collaboration between Princeton’s Environmental, Shade Tree and Recreation Commissions, Sustainable Princeton, and the local community. Finally, the location of the microforest adjacent to Princeton Housing Authority’s Spruce Circle fosters environmental justice and inclusion for all Princetonians.”

—Anne Levin

MCCC Horticulture Students Are Back at Flower Show

Students in Mercer County Community College’s (MCCC) Horticulture Program are participating in the Philadelphia Flower Show for the 12th time. Aiming for gold again this year, MCCC has previously earned four gold medals as well as the Chicago Horticultural Society Flower Show Medal and Special Achievement in the education category.

The show, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, runs through March 9. Now in its 196th year, it is the oldest and largest indoor horticultural event in the world. To correspond with this year’s theme “Gardens of Tomorrow,” MCCC students will present “Rooting for our Future,” a 700-square-foot display that incorporates urban agriculture, mini meadows, bioswales, fruit trees, and more.

Meant to be a multisensory experience that educates visitors about urban gardening, biodiversity, how to improve food insecurity, and more, students hope the public is inspired by the idea that even gardening in small spaces can create a big impact on the environment.

“We are always proud of the hard work and determination our students put into preparing for the Flower Show,” said Dr. Deborah E. Preston, MCCC president. “For months they work together to use the skills they learn in the classroom/ greenhouse and connect them to the real-world experience of working among some of the best and brightest professionals in the region. We couldn’t ask for a better learning experience.”

Students in the award-winning Ornamental Horticulture program prepare for the show through hands-on classes conducted in two greenhouses and surrounding gardens that teach them aesthetic design, how to care for at least 300 different woody and herbaceous plant specimens, produce and manage greenhouse crops, and practice pest management.

Last year, MCCC took home the gold medal in the “Education” category for its “Two Cities, One Garden” display as well as an additional medal and a special achievement.

“It is an honor to participate in the Flower Show,” said MCCC Horticulture and Plant Science Professor Amy Ricco. “It feels great to have had good success, grown, and stayed true to our goal of inspiring visitors, while at the same time, introducing our students to real-world application which is very helpful for them to see what careers are available and continue to make lasting contributions after leaving Mercer.”

Color Me Mine Princeton Celebrates Fifth Anniversary

On Saturday, March 15, Color Me Mine Princeton will mark its fifth anniversary at a celebration in its Princeton Shopping Center headquarters. Events begin at 10:30 a.m. with a ribbon cutting, followed by a studio tour. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., there will be painting, free craft and pottery stations, giveaways, face-painting, and local treats and coffee.

Five years ago, just six days after opening its doors for the first time, Color Me Mine Princeton faced an unprecedented challenge when COVID-19 forced the world into lockdown. As a first-time business owner and single mother of three, owner Krystal Bechtel had to quickly adapt, pivoting the studio’s operations to do take-home art instead of instudio painting.

Now, five years later, Color Me Mine Princeton is thriving in the Princeton Shopping Center.

“When the world turned upside down six days after we opened, I never imagined we’d make it to five months, let alone five years,” said Bechtel. “And yet we continue to thrive. This business is a testament to the support and strength of this community and its efforts to support local business owners. This milestone is not just ours; it belongs to everyone who helped us along the way.”

For more information, call (609) 581-9500.

CMAP Hosts Workshop On Medicare Changes

The Center for Modern Aging Princeton (CMAP) invites the community to a free hybrid workshop, “What to Know About Medicare Changes in 2025,” on Monday, March 10, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The session, available both in person at CMAP’s Nancy S. Klath Center for Lifelong Learning and via Zoom, will provide essential insights into the major Medicare updates taking effect in 2025 under the Inflation Reduction Act.

Medicare advisor Roderick Spann and CMAP social worker Audra Sbarra will discuss such changes as new out-of-pocket spending limits for prescription drugs, reduced vaccine copays for beneficiaries, updates to the Extra Help program and expanded benefits, and more. These changes mark a significant shift in how Medicare covers prescription drugs, impacting millions of beneficiaries. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and gain clarity on how these updates may affect their coverage and healthcare costs.

Registration is required for this free event. To reserve a spot and choose between attending in person or virtually, visit engage.cmaprinceton.org/component/events/ event/970.

a Princeton tradition!

GREEN THUMBS: A student in Mercer County Community College’s Horticulture program is busy at the Philadelphia Flower Show, where the college is known for earning gold medals.

This critically acclaimed comedy is "an intellectual joyride" - DC Theatre Scene

In present-day Princeton, an astrophysicist is discovering new planets while dreaming of starting a family. In 18th century Paris, Émilie du Châtelet — a brilliant physicist whose genius inspired the work of Voltaire and in uenced Einstein and his Theory of Relativity — is running out of time before her baby arrives. Across the ages, but under the same star- lled sky, their stories intertwine in this bright and funny play about life, the universe, and the legacy we leave behind.

March 19th – April 6 th

LEARN MORE & BUY TICKETS

Upcoming Events

Julia Fischer, violin & Jan Lisiecki, piano

Tue, Mar 25, 7:30PM

Internationally acclaimed violinist Julia Fischer and piano sensation Jan Lisiecki share a unique musical partnership that brings fresh and innovative interpretations to the stage, inspired by their mutual in uences and distinctive perspectives.

Program

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Violin Sonata No. 26 in B- at Major, K. 378

Ludwig van Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 5 in F Major, "Spring", Op. 24

Robert Schumann: Violin Sonata No. 2 in D minor, Op. 121

Twyla Tharp 60th Anniversary Tour

Thu, Apr 17, 7:30PM

By Karen Zacarías Directed by Sarah Rasmussen

Twyla Tharp's 60th Anniversary Tour marks six decades of innovation, re-invention, and excellence in dance. This legendary dance group – and their iconic namesake – will make a victory lap around the country highlighting a lifetime of signi cant works, from classical ballet to modern dance, in a must-see retrospective.

Stanley Clark

Sun, Jun 1, 7:30PM

A four-time GRAMMY winner and 2022 NEA Jazz Master, Clarke is a peerless innovator who rede ned the role of the bass in jazz.

Stella Cole

Thu, Jun 5, 7:30PM

With irresistible charm and a love for the Great American Songbook, Cole introduces audiences to the timeless magic of jazz.

Dianne Reeves

With Romero Lubambo Sat, Jun 7, 7:30PM

Five-time GRAMMY winner Dianne Reeves is the preeminent jazz vocalist of our time.Renowned for her virtuosity, improvisational brilliance, and seamless fusion of jazz and R&B, she made history as the rst artist to win the GRAMMY for Best Jazz Vocal Performance for three consecutive recordings.

DON’T MISS OUT! BUY YOUR TICKETS TODAY!

TICKET OFFICE: 609-258-2787

Photo credit: Lenne Klingaman and Kimberly Chatterjee | Harald Schrader Photography

Local Officials

continued from page one

Covello, emphasizing that she was expressing her personal opinions, not an official statement, commented on the low turnout in Princeton, which she said was in line with low turnout in New Jersey and generally throughout the country.

“It is a surprise to see a low turnout in Princeton, but I think it’s somewhat reflective of what took place nationally,” she said. “There was definitely a fall-off. There was an overall dropoff in turnout nationwide and statewide. New Jersey and the country had a lower turnout than four years ago.”

She went on to point out that the numbers for the Princeton University districts were among the lowest of any Princeton districts. Many attribute that phenomenon to inflated voter registration numbers at Princeton University and also possibly to Princeton students’ disappointment with both presidential candidates amidst campus demonstrations over the Israel-Gaza War.

Jean Durbin, former president of the Princeton Community Democratic Organization (PCDO) and current chair of programming, acknowledged that the November 2024 election was complicated and stated that this low turnout was similar to prior years when there was not a locally contested election on the ballot.

Durbin also mentioned that some people “were not excited about” Kamala Harris, as well as the Princeton Democrats’ focus on Pennsylvania rather than

Princeton. Two initiatives that could boost voter participation in the future, she suggested, are sameday voter registration and ranked-choice voting.

Princeton Republican Committee Chair Dudley Sipprelle claimed that Princeton’s percentage of registered voters who cast ballots is always significantly reduced by the University students who are double registered and much more likely to vote in their home districts rather than in Princeton. He noted that campus organizations often run big registration campaigns, but many of those registered don’t vote. He added that many students on the registration rolls have already graduated and moved away.

Looking ahead, Sipprelle expressed optimism, based on 2024 results, for the Republicans’ chances in upcoming elections. He pointed out that Donald Trump did much better than expected in Princeton and in New Jersey in 2024, and in the 2021 race for governor Jack Ciattarelli came surprisingly close to upsetting Gov. Phil Murphy.

“That augurs well given the fact that people are more likely to give Republican candidates a closer look,” said Sipprelle. “The election for governor is going to be hard fought, and it will be interesting to see the outcome. We have high hopes.”

There are currently six confirmed Democratic candidates and four confirmed Republican candidates for governor.

PCDO President Jeffrey Oakman agreed on the importance of this year’s

elections. He wrote in an email, “Especially with the governor’s race and the Assembly races in LD16, this is a critical election year in Princeton, and the PCDO is anxious to help boost voter turnout as much as we can. We will work hard over the coming months to make sure voters are informed and mobilized to support Democrats up and down the ballot.”

The PCDO hosted a gubernatorial candidate forum last month and will be holding its local endorsement meeting on March 16.

Spitz sees the local dropoff in voter turnout as a significant problem and is working on a survey under the auspices of the PDMC to help ascertain why some Princeton residents didn’t vote in the last election and what might motivate them to vote in the future.

“It’s gotten unpleasant and complicated,” she said. “When I look back 20-30 years, there wasn’t as much media coverage. There wasn’t this constant inundation of opinions and commentary. I wonder if people are just feeling ‘enough already,’ and distancing themselves from the entire process.”

She went on to comment on the possibility that voters need to be better informed. “Is part of this simply uninformed voters thinking, ‘I don’t like what I hear,’ or ‘I don’t like the mess I see’ or ‘I don’t like what my favorite podcaster said,’ and feeling like it’s too much work to conduct independent research in unbiased media sources to figure this out?” she wondered.

Noting that Princeton often falls behind the county average in General Election

turnout data, Spitz stated, “I genuinely want to understand. Princeton is a community that prides itself on engagement and participation. Voting is the first step in engagement and participation, and yet voters are not casting ballots.”

The PDMC survey is currently available on their website, and Spitz states that the PDMC will be launching a door-to-door survey canvass later in the month.

“There’s so much speculation, and that’s why we came up with the idea to do the survey,” she said. “We want to ask people and not add our speculation into the mix. We need to understand the voters’ issues and we have to connect them to the candidates who have a plan to address those issues.”

She added, “Franklin D.Roosevelt said, ‘The greatest threat to democracy is indifference.’ While that was some time ago, it’s relevant today. When everyone says I’m fed up and they don’t vote, terrible things happen, and we know this from history.”

Covello weighed in with an appeal for everybody to get involved and to vote. “We have a two-party system in this country, as imperfect as that may be,” she said. “So when people choose not to vote, then they really should not complain about the outcome. While there is no perfect candidate, it is so important for people to vote and participate in the process. And if people are unhappy with the two-party system, we should work together to change or improve it.”

Mironov promised that the Mercer County Democrats will be working hard to

expand voter turnout. “This is a critical year in New Jersey with the election of a new governor and coming in the midst of the daily events out of Washington, D.C.,” she said. “We are very focused on means to increase our voter registrations and to actively outreach and motivate voters.”

—Donald Gilpin

A Princeton tradition!

Morven, built in the 1750s, has been the home of many of New Jersey’s most prominent citizens, starting with Richard Stockton, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, followed by four more generations of Stocktons, Robert Wood Johnson Jr., and then five New Jersey governors as the state’s first Governor’s Mansion before becoming a museum in 2004.

But Morven has also been home to many people who are much less well known, who were enslaved by the Stockton family.

With the recent reopening of its permanent history exhibition,” Historic Morven: A Window Into America’s Past,” Morven Museum and Garden, located at 55 Stockton Street, has provided extensive research updates in three of the museum’s firstfloor galleries, and the lives of the enslaved residents of Morven are portrayed in much greater depth and detail. Morven’s “Window Into America’s Past” reveals a much more expansive and complex landscape than has been seen in the past.

“This updated exhibition is the culmination of three years of work, and we are very pleased to present a fuller picture of the lives of people like Kate and Anthony, who were born into slavery at Morven,” said Morven Museum Deputy Director and Curator Elizabeth Allan. “We look forward to continuing research into these lives previously left out of the historical record.”

Research and archival consultant Sharece Blakney worked with Morven curators to uncover new

Morven

information about Morven’s enslaved residents from tax documents, wills, letters, ledgers, and census records found in the Somerset County Clerk’s Office, Princeton Theological Seminary, the New Jersey State Archives and the National Archives.

One of Blakney’s most remarkable discoveries was the names of 108 people enslaved by Commodore Robert Field Stockton and his wife Harriet on the sugar cane plantation they owned in Georgia during the time they lived at Morven. Blakney found the names of these people in deed books in Glynn County, Georgia, where they are recorded as transfers of property in the spring of 1827.

In two transactions, Stockton purchased the 108 people for a total of $31,200 and was also guaranteed, according to the deed, “the future issue and increase of the female slaves,” meaning he would own the children born to these enslaved women. These 108 names are included in the Morven exhibition, 39 of them children under the age of 10.

Visitors to the updated exhibition can explore the stories of Marcus Marsh, who was enslaved by Richard and Annis Stockton and later lived as a free man in Philadelphia; Sampson, who self-emancipated from Richard Stockton, the Duke; and Phillis and her son Anthony, born in 1806, both enslaved by Richard Stockton. Anthony would have grown up alongside the Stocktons’ three youngest children. Also revealed in the exhibit is a window into the life of Hannibal Simpson, who was manumitted by

Robert Field Stockton in 1829 and went on to live as a free man in West Windsor in a community of free Black people; Thomas Jewell, who was manumitted by Richard Stockton, the Duke, in 1823, after which he also lived in West Windsor and later in Princeton, where he was the head of his own household; and Kate or Catherine, born at Morven in 1804, manumitted by Robert Field Stockton, the Duke’s son, in 1829, along with other clues that are difficult to trace in piecing together her life’s story.

The Morven Museum updates represent 900 hours of grant and privately funded research by Blakney, who also helped write an interpretative plan for the new information. This research and its incorporation into Morven’s permanent exhibition was made possible by Fulton Bank, and the Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission through funding from the Mercer County Board of Commissioners and the New Jersey Historical Commission.

Allan points out that the research is ongoing, and that Morven plans to launch a new website this year with additional findings that are too extensive to fit on the walls of the museum.

“Morven also recently received its first grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities for the creation of an inclusive history gallery, which will allow more space for us to share new discoveries into the lives of those previously left out of our historical record,” Allan said.

—Donald Gilpin

exhibition “His-

Garden)

Annual Marchand Lecture

Features Joanne Ramos

Reflecting Princeton Mayor Phyllis Marchand’s interest in inspiring women to thrive as community leaders, the Phyllis Marchand 2025 Leadership Lecture on Monday, March 17 at 7 p.m. at Princeton Public Library presents a discussion on “The Transformative Role of Art in Times of Polarization.”

The topic relates to Joanne Ramos’ best-selling first novel The Farm, a fictional work about surrogate birth that explores the themes of ethics, exploitation, gender, race, religion, and class. Ramos will be in conversation with Samantha Skey, a digital media executive, currently the CEO for SHE Media.

Ramos, who was born in the Philippines and graduated from Princeton University Class of 1995, says the book can be read on different levels. On its surface, The Farm is a somewhat dystopian tale about the capitalistic imperative to build a luxury market for designer babies.

Going beneath the surface, Ramos said she wrote the book “because in many ways, and for much of my life, I straddled divides — of money, class, race, motherhood — and I had questions, so many questions. About meritocracy and fairness, motherhood, and money, and whether and how we can truly see each other across our differences. The Farm’s aim isn’t to proffer up answers, but to explore these questions and, hopefully, prompt readers to ask some hard questions, too.”

Skey, born and raised in

Princeton, is a speaker and presenter, one of a handful of female CEOs leading a U.S. media company. SHE Media positions itself as a “mission-driven digital media company created by and for women.”

The Marchand Lecture, dedicated to inspiring excellence in community-based leadership, is an annual library event held in honor of Phyllis Marchand, Princeton Township’s longest serving mayor and a leader and leadership mentor in the community for five decades. Marchand died in the spring of 2021, after serving on the Princeton Township Committee for 22 years, 14 of them as mayor.

In addition to her government service, she had leadership roles in several community non-profits including:

the D&R Greenway (she was chair of the D&R Greenway Board of Trustees at the time of her death); Princeton YWCA; McCarter Theatre; HomeFront; Planned Parenthood; the Coalition for Peace Action; the D&R Canal Commission; Princeton-Pettoranello Sister City Foundation; the New Jersey League of Municipalities; the Mercer Council for Alcohol and Drug Addiction; Corner House; the Jewish Center of Princeton; Cancer Care; the Princeton Garden Theatre; and the Lymphoma Research Foundation.

The event is timed to coincide with Women’s History Month. It will be available on the library’s YouTube channel within a week of the event. Visit princetonlibrary.libnet.info/ event/13066286.

LIVES OF THE ENSLAVED: Morven Museum and Garden recently reopened its

toric Morven: A Window Into America’s Past,” which has been updated with new information about individuals enslaved by the Stockton family. Research and archival consultant Sharece Blakney is shown leading a tour of the exhibition. (Photo courtesy of Morven Museum and

Library’s Einstein Book Talk Is Part of Pi Day Events

Family History of Cancer Yields Author’s Riveting, Meticulously Researched Book families.

Lawrence Ingrassia’s memoir, A Fatal Inheritance: How a Family Misfortune

Revealed a Deadly Medical Mystery, is described as a book that sits at the intersection of memoir and medical thriller. Ingrassia will speak about his family’s journey on Wednesday, March 12, from 7 to 8 p.m., at the Princeton Public Library.

The event, which is copresented by Labyrinth Books, also includes Arnold Levine, professor emeritus at the Institute for Advanced Study, and a book signing.

Weaving his own moving family story with a sweeping history of cancer research, Ingrassia “delivers an intimate, gripping tale,” according to the publisher (Henry Holt and Company, $29.99). Ingrassia lost his mother, two sisters, brother, and nephew to cancer — different cancers developing at different points throughout their lives. And while highly unusual, his family is not the only one to wonder whether their heartbreak is the result of unbelievable bad luck, or if there might be another explanation.

Ingrassia’s meticulous research takes readers from the 1960s, when Dr. Frederick Pei Li and Dr. Joseph Fraumeni Jr. first met, not yet knowing that they would help make a groundbreaking discovery that would affect cancer patients for decades to come, to the present, as Ingrassia and countless others continue to build upon Li and Fraumeni’s initial discoveries, and to understand what this means for their

In the face of seemingly unbearable loss, Ingrassia encourages readers to look toward the future, as gene sequencing, screening protocols, CRISPR gene editing, and other developing technologies may continue to extend lifespans and perhaps eventually offer cures.

The book was praised by author Walter Isaacson ( Einstein: His Life and Uni verse) , who called Inheritance rative” in which “Lawrence Ingrassia intertwines a deep ly personal and tearful story of unbearable family loss with an inspiring story of scientific discovery that revo lutionized the understanding and treatment of cancer.”

Ingrassia is a now-retired, award-winning journalist, who worked as a senior editor at the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Los Angeles Times. A Fatal one of 10 books on the long list for the prestigious National Book Critics Circle Award for 2024 nonfiction, and was lected for a number of best-ofthe-year lists including NPR’s Books We Love of 2024; Am azon’s Best Nonfiction Books of 2024; Kirkus Review’s Best Nonfiction; and BookPage Best Audiobooks of 2024.

Moderator Levine, fessor emeritus at the In stitute for Advanced Study, is a renowned has won numerous awards for his groundbreaking re search, including work on cancer genetics that helped deepen the understanding of hereditary syndromes.

in

Author Benyamin Cohen will be at the Princeton Public Library on Saturday, March 15, from 4 to 5 p.m., as part of Princeton’s Pi Day events. The author and journalist will discuss his book, The Einstein Effect: How the World’s Favorite Genius Got Into Our Cars, Our Bathrooms, and Our Minds, (Sourcebooks, $16.99) and why Einstein remains popular today.

Cohen is a senior writer at The Forward, America’s oldest Jewish newspaper, which had published several interviews with Albert Einstein. Cohen also manages the official social media accounts of Einstein. Cohen’s first book was called My Jesus Year: A Rabbi’s Son Wanders the Bible Belt in Search of His Own Faith , a memoir for which he received the Georgia Author of the Year award. It was named one of the best books of the year by Publishers Weekly. He is based in Morgantown, W. Va.

To learn more about Pi Day Princeton and see the complete schedule of events, visit Princetontourcompany. com. The library event is cosponsored by the Historical Society of Princeton.

Second Sunday Poetry

Reading at Princeton Makes Princeton Makes, a Princeton-based artist cooperative, and Ragged Sky Press, a local publisher focused on poetry, will host a Second Sunday Poetry Reading on Sunday, March 9 at 4 p.m. The readings will take place at the Princeton Makes store

The March event will feature poetry readings by members of the Madison Literary Society of Camden County College (MAD LIT), a 15-year-old student club dedicated to the appreciation and creation of literature. MAD LIT holds weekly meetings on a variety of literary topics, organizes periodic readings on a diversity of themes, and hosts biannual recitation contests for original student work. Keith O’Shaughnessy, a Second Sunday Poetry Reading organizer, is a full time member of the English department and has served as the MAD LIT’s faculty advisor since its inception.

MAD LIT’s readings will be followed by an open mic available to up to 10 audience members who would like to read their original poetry.

Princeton Makes is a cooperative comprised of 37 local artists who work across a range of artistic genres, including painting, drawing, stained glass, sculpture, textiles, and jewelry. Customers will be able to support local artists by shopping for a wide variety of art, including large paintings, prints, custom-made greeting cards, stained glass lamps and window hangings, jewelry in a variety of designs and patterns, and more.

Ragged Sky is a small, highly selective cooperative press that has historically focused on mature voices, overlooked poets, and women’s perspectives.

For more information, visit princetonmakes.com.

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

New Book on Bats is featured At Frenchtown Bookshop Event

The Frenchtown Bookshop celebrates Frenchtown’s Alyson Brokaw and the release of her new book about bats, The Weird and Wonderful World of Bats , on Wednesday, March 5, at 6:30 p.m., at the bookshop, 28 Bridge Street, in Frenchtown.

Brokaw’s fascination with bats began when she and her mom Pat would count the bats at their Frenchtownarea church. She earned her Ph.D. in biology at Texas A&M University and now is a sensory ecologist, bat

biologist, and a researcher at Lehigh University.

The Weird and Wonderful World of Bats (Timber Press) demystifies these often-misunderstood creatures, with 180 photographs and engaging explanations of how bats experience the world and how they co-exist with humans.

Princeton University Presents Annual Competition Winners Concert

The stage at Richardson Auditorium looked a bit like an instrument warehouse last Friday night, jam-packed with chairs, percussion, two harps, and several keyboard instruments in anticipation of Princeton University Orchestra’s winter concert. With all these possible players, there might have been a potential for sound cacophony, but the University Orchestra performed its annual “Concerto Concert” with clarity and melodic refinement while showing off the immense talents of two students. Conducted by Michael Pratt, Friday night’s performance (which was repeated Saturday night) showed freshman violist Jisang Kymm and sophomore pianist Sarah Yuan to be experienced well beyond their years in the Orchestra’s presentation of Alfred Schnittke’s Concerto for Viola and Orchestra and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor.

Schnittke’s 1985 three-movement Concerto for Viola and Orchestra diverged from the traditional concerto structure of alternating fast-slow-fast sections and reversed this order, with outer “Largo” movements bracketing a central “Allegro.”

In Friday’s performance, the concertos of Schnittke and Rachmaninoff bracketed short respites of Impressionistic delicacy. Inspired by the paintings of American artist James Whistler, Claude Debussy’s 1890s Nocturnes captured the slow-moving harmonies and pictorial orchestration prevalent in late 19th-century French music. The University Orchestra presented the first two Nocturnes, with “Nuages” (“Clouds”) rendering a picture of the sky through an exotic instrumental quality and crisp winds. Flutist Alessandro Troncoso’s solo was played cleanly, and Kade Jackson’s English horn solo added to the transparent atmosphere.

Like many of his Soviet contemporaries, Schnittke collaborated with the finest performers of his day, and the virtuosity and intensity of the Concerto reflected its tribute to a leading violist of the time. Viola soloist Jisang Kymm opened Schnittke’s work with introspection and attention to detail. Taking his time in the reflective texture, Kymm effortlessly executed the numerous double stops and insisted on the score’s dissonance against an unsettled orchestral accompaniment.

Kymm launched into the second movement with a ferocious start and nonstop passages against a cinematic instrumental backdrop, easily switching to more lyrical playing, punctuated by a six-note motive from the brass (Schnittke’s tribute to the name of the work’s premiering violist). Conductor Pratt kept the rhythm solid from the podium to lead the unbalanced waltz, emphasized by a series of decisive strokes from strings and brass. Clarinetist Caroline Johnson played a short but elegant duet with Kymm, and Kymm closed the movement with a sensitive cadenza. The closing “Largo” returned to a contemplative mood featuring dark strings and low brass. Pratt led the Orchestra though clean cadences, with sharp strikes of brass and percussion contrasting Kymm’s thoughtful playing, as the Concerto faded to nothing.

Rachmaninoff’s towering Piano No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 introduced pianist Sarah Yuan to the audience, although it was clear from the crowd’s enthusiastic reaction that she already has a following on campus. Yuan drew out the opening measures of the Concerto, developing the sound with keyboard “bells.” Her piano solo was answered by a dark orchestral theme which Yuan complemented with flowing piano passages. Rachmaninoff’s orchestration placed significant melodic material in the viola section, and the University Orchestra violas added to the lushness of the sound. Throughout the first movement “Moderato,” Yuan executed virtuosic piano lines cleanly, while Clara Conatser’s horn solo from the Orchestra was strong and lyrical.

The theme from the second movement “Adagio” has been used extensively in popular and film music, and both soloist and Orchestra brought out well the familiar melody. Yuan demonstrated an especially precise left hand within sweeping piano lines. The performers closed Rachmaninoff’s Concerto majestically, with a lush orchestral palette and ensemble and soloist uniformly building intensity. Yuan played the concluding coda with dexterity, as Orchestra and pianist were meticulous in the closing rhythms.

Princeton University Orchestra’s Concerto Competition is a challenge for both the student players, giving them a chance to take on something of a professional level, and the Orchestra members, who rise to the task of accompanying the winning soloists. But some of the most important winners in the Competition tradition may be the listeners who are fortunate enough to hear the results.

—By Nancy Plum

Princeton University Orchestra will present its next performances on Friday, April 18 and Saturday, April 19 at 7:30 at Richardson Auditorium. Together with the University Glee Club, the Orchestra will perform Maurice Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloé as part of the annual Stuart B. Mindlin Memorial Concerts. Ticket information can be obtained by visiting tickets.princeton.edu.

Bullied High School Senior Takes Deadly Revenge at Her Prom in “Carrie”; Theatre Intime, PUP Offer a Strong Staging of a Flawed but Worthy Musical

Stephen King’s novel Carrie (1974) portrays Carrie White, a bullied high school senior who is secluded and abused by her religiously overzealous, puritanical mother. Carrie discovers that she has telekinetic powers, with which she exacts vengeance on her classmates (and others) when she is humiliated by a cruel prank at her prom.

The plot is a dark and bitter inversion of the Cinderella story, with the archetypes easy to spot. Carrie obviously is a variation on Cinderella. Margaret, her mother, becomes the wicked stepmother, and the taunting classmates are the stepsisters. A sympathetic gym teacher becomes the fairy godmother, while another student, Tommy, reluctantly fills the role of the prince (despite being in love with Sue, another classmate).

Carrie was adapted into a 1976 film, with a screenplay by Lawrence D. Cohen. Subsequently the novel and film were adapted into a musical, for which Cohen wrote the libretto. Dean Pitchford (the screenwriter of Footloose , and the co-writer of several songs for Fame ) wrote the lyrics, with Michael Gore (Pitchford’s Fame collaborator) composing the music.

Cohen and his collaborators justly saw rich material for musical theater —particularly melodramatic and operatic musical theater, exemplified by Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979) — in King’s story. Unfortunately, Carrie: The Musical (1988) was beset by multiple problems, and closed on Broadway after five performances.

A 2012 Off-Broadway revival, with a heavily revised script and score, fared little better. That year a New Yorker article’s headline wondered, “Is Carrie the Worst Musical of All Time?”

This past weekend Princeton theatergoers had an opportunity to answer that question. Theatre Intime and Princeton University Players have presented Carrie: The Musical. The artful, talented production was directed by Chloe Webster, with musical direction by Jenia Marquez (assisted by Daniel Liu).

Is Carrie an example of an initially unsuccessful musical that has been redeemed by time (and revision)? Without the benefit of having seen either the Broadway or OffBroadway productions, but having seen Theatre Intime’s staging of the 2012 iteration, I cautiously suggest that the answer is both yes and no.

Yes, because of its exploration of themes that remain all too relevant. In a program note Webster observes “a strong anti-bullying message,” and adds, “in an age in which women’s bodies are increasingly policed and politicized, often using religion to do so … Carrie is a vital and topical story to tell.”

Satisfying character arcs and interactions also make the show stronger than its reputation suggests. Despite the romantic elements entailed by the prom, Carrie really is a triangle between the title character (portrayed in this production by Christie Davis) and two opposite

mentors: Margaret (Allison Silldorff), who aims to stop her daughter from becoming self-aware and autonomous as a young woman; and Ms. Gardner, the gym teacher (Kristen Tan) who attempts to empower Carrie.

Sadly, the “no” part of the answer comes from a set of still-remaining structural problems that become clear as the show unfolds. Certain characterizations are underdeveloped, unclear, or inconsistent; and a few scenes (unfortunately including the climax) are rushed.

The first act is relatively strong. Ably conducting a 10-piece orchestra that mixes electronic and acoustic instruments, Marquez cues the opening: an eerie, otherworldly drone that later accompanies Carrie’s discovery of her telekinesis powers.

The opening number, “In,” lets us hear the students sing about their emotional states of mind: “Am I stupid? Am I hopeless? I just pray every move I make is right.” Any sympathy we might feel is short-lived; Webster immediately establishes Carrie’s outsider status by having her classmates turn their backs on her.

At school, Carrie is teased mercilessly when she menstruates without knowing what her body is doing. (Immediately, a blood motif is established.) Chris (Zoë Nadal) leads other girls — including Sue (Emma Schrier) and Norma (Faith Wangermann) — in throwing tampons at Carrie. Later, as punishment for this, Chris is banned from going to prom. To get revenge on Carrie she plans a cruel prank, in which she enlists the help of the dimwitted Billy (Jared Smith).

The title song, in which Carrie dreams of being addressed by her name instead

of the epithets hurled at her by her classmates, is nicely performed by Davis, who brings an attractive mezzo-soprano and a way of acting her songs that is sweetly earnest and plaintive, while mixing a hint of the character’s inner resentment at her treatment at the hands of those around her. In contrast to the generic pop style used for the students, Carrie generally is given more lyrical, theatrical music, further setting her apart from her classmates. At Carrie’s house Margaret appears to be watching a televangelist. The ensemble blends nicely in “Open Your Heart,” a subtle but wry satire on music that often accompanies religious TV shows. The host, Reverend Bliss (Kevin Edouard, who also plays Mr. Stephens, a teacher) is an example of a character that could be developed more fully; to what extent have Bliss’s sermons contributed to the extremity of Margaret’s views?

Silldorff and Davis play off of each other in some pithy duets: “And Eve Was Weak,” “I Remember How Those Boys Could Dance,” and “Stay Here Instead.” In delivering her part of these numbers, Silldorff tends to start quietly, letting intensity build in the middle. In a few places Margaret could have been a bit more powerful, but it is to the portrayal’s credit that we see the character’s vulnerability, caused by painful events in her past; we begin to understand, if not condone, her behavior.

Clara Bloom’s costumes reinforce Carrie’s initial codependence on Margaret (they wear the same red and white color scheme), and develop a thematic juxtaposition of red (blood) against white (purity). The suitably eerie, predominantly red lighting by Al Potter and Ben Goldston further reinforces the blood motif.

“CARRIE”: Theatre Intime and the Princeton University Players have staged “Carrie.” Directed by Chloe Webster; and music directed by Jenia Marquez, the musical was presented February 27-March 1 at the Hamilton Murray Theater. Above: Carrie (Christie Davis, center right), who is used to being an outsider, enjoys attending her prom with Tommy (David Getz, center left) — unaware that she is about to be the victim of a cruel prank (as evidenced by the bucket above her head) and humiliated in front of her onlooking classmates. (Photo by Elena Milliken)

For information about Theatre Intime’s upcoming productions visit theatreintime.org.

David Getz delivers an earnest rendition of Tommy’s “Dreamer in Disguise,” a song that represents a poem that Tommy writes and recites to a class, which moves Carrie. Davis and Tan’s voices are lovely in “Unsuspecting Hearts,” a duet that has one of Gore’s most attractive melodies. Gore and Pitchford also are quite adept at ensemble numbers that juxtapose characters’ opposing intentions. A fine example — nicely delivered by Schrier, Getz, Nadal, and Smit — is “Do Me A Favor,” in which Sue (out of sympathy and remorse) persuades Tommy to ask Carrie to the prom instead of her; while Chris manipulates Billy into helping set into motion her plans to humiliate Carrie at the prom.

The cast is ably rounded out by Rowan Johnson (Freddy); Franchesca Alejo (Helen); Violet Demos (Stokes); and Tal Naider (Frieda).

Carrie has a three-word problem that is common in musical theater: second act trouble. This becomes clear when the students open the act with the affable and chipper “A Night We’ll Never Forget,” which is a nice (if obvious) bit of foreshadowing, but inconsistent with “In” and the students’ portrayal in most of the first act. Additionally, there are scenes that do too little for the plot. An example is “You Shine,” a sweet duet for Tommy and Sue (nicely performed by Getz and Schrier) that could do more for the plot if, say, Carrie walked in on them and second-guessed Tommy’s intentions in asking her to the prom. As it is, the number is fundamentally about two secondary characters.

More seriously the climax of the show is so rushed that it is not entirely clear what happens. Carrie — in fulfillment of Chris’s scheme — having had a bucket of pig’s blood spilled on her just after she is crowned prom queen, snaps and uses her telekinetic powers to kill Chris and several others in the room. (Subsequently, in an epilogue, Carrie kills Margaret after the latter, having failed to control her, tries to stab her.)

Unfortunately, it looks like Carrie’s victims are merely placed in a trance. Because the scene is underwritten, a director needs to let the actors mime, more slowly and deliberately, what is happening. That said, Webster uses the space effectively. For a sequence in which Chris sneaks into the prom, Webster places her outside an indoor window of the auditorium, while Carrie (as part of Chris’s prank) is crowned. For that brief moment, Chris is the outsider—at least visually. (Elena Milliken’s set is artfully spare until the prom, when it is allowed to be a bit more lavish.)

It is either ironic or fitting that Carrie — a musical about a mother who inhibits her daughter’s emotional growth — presents engaging ideas and characters, but stumbles in their development. It is to be hoped that the show gets one more rewrite; because while the palpably well-received production at Princeton University reveals its flaws, it also amply demonstrates its considerable potential.

—Donald H. Sanborn III

Performing Arts

ELMO AND FRIENDS: “Sesame Street Live! Say Hello” comes to State Theatre New Jersey on Sunday, March 16 at 2 p.m.

Sesame Workshop Brings Show to New Brunswick State Theatre New Jersey presents “Sesame Street Live! Say Hello” on Sunday, March 16 at 2 p.m.

The live show will bring the beloved characters from the show Sesame Street to life in a brand-new interactive production.

Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Cookie Monster, and their friends sing, dance, and play alongside furry friends, all while the audience follows Elmo’s puppy, Tango, in a game of hide and seek.

“We are overjoyed and honored to be collaborating with Sesame Workshop to bring a brand-new

tour of ‘Sesame Street Live’ to stages across the U.S. and Canada,” said Round Room Live Founder and Co-President Stephen Shaw. “Round Room Live has a long history of exciting, innovative, and engaging productions, and we’re thrilled to combine our dedication to premium,

Sound Journey with Ruth Cunningham

unforgettable entertainment with the beloved characters of Sesame Street in an interactive musical adventure that will create memorable experiences for families of all ages.”

Sesame Workshop is the global impact nonprofit behind Sesame Street and much more. For over 50 years, the company has worked at the intersection of education, media, and research, creating experiences designed to enrich minds and expand hearts, all in the service of empowering each generation to build a better world.

State Theatre New Jersey is at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick. Visit stnj. org for tickets, which range from $29 to $69.

Folk Music Society Presents Poor Man’s Gambit Trio

On Friday, March 21 at 8 p.m., the Princeton Folk Music Society brings Poor Man’s Gambit, a Philadelphia-based Irish music band, to Christ Congregation Church, 50 Walnut Lane.

The multi-instrumentalist group includes Deirdre Lockman (fiddle and vocals), Corey Purcell (button accordion, cittern, bodhran, vocals, and dance), and Joseph Carmichael (guitar, whistle, flute, and vocals).

Lockman and Purcell are steeped in the traditional Irish culture of the Philadelphia area. Both started as step dancers in childhood. Lockman studied at the DeNogla Academy of

Choir in

Bethel University, St. Paul, Minnesota Thursday, March 13 at 7:30pm Princeton University Chapel Princeton University Chapel March 12 at 5:30pm Join Ruth Cunningham, founding member of Anonymous

Irish Dance in New Jersey, and both went on to dance competitively at national and international levels. In time, however, they found their true calling in Irish music.

Lockman began competing in fiddle competitions, and Purcell began teaching himself Irish-style button accordion. He studied with all-Ireland button accordion champion John Whelan. His musical interests expanded to include other instruments and voice.

Carmichael is known for his unique approach to Celtic and folk accompaniment. He was born into a musical family and began composing on his family’s computer before being drawn to Irish music as a teenager. Through his free-thinking, sometimes considered “jazzy” chords, and ability to draw from multiple styles, he has established a reputation as an accompanist. He recently released Desiderium, a debut solo album of his own compositions.

Tickets at the door are $25 ($20 for members). Visit princetonfollk.org for more information.

Irish Music Ensemble Celebrates Heritage

On Saturday, March 15 at 8 p.m ., State Theatre New Jersey presents Shamrock Tenors as part of the group’s North American tour. Tickets range from $39-$99. Based in Belfast, Shamrock Tenors features performers from both sides of the community across Northern Ireland, with vocalists and multi-instrumentalists from London’s West End and beyond. The show features some of Ireland’s most beloved classic songs in five-part harmony, including “Danny Boy,” “Whiskey in the Jar,” “The Parting Glass,” and “Wild Rover.”

2024 saw the Shamrock Tenors headline the BBC’s St. Patrick’s Day coverage across the entire U.K. and Ireland, with the launch of their debut concert special on BBC2 and BBC4. They sold out their West End debut at the Adelphi Theatre in London’s West End. Last year also saw the Shamrock Tenors headline their first-ever Irish national tour. They’ve traveled to over 30 countries as a group, including Irish festivals in the U.S. and sold-out shows in venues such as the Ulster Hall in Belfast and Birmingham Symphony Hall in England.

State Theatre New Jersey is at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick. Visit Stnj.org.

A Night

of Comedy

State Theatre

Theatre

Jersey and Stress Factory Comedy Club present “Comedy Night Live!” on Friday, March 7 at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $25-$35.

Lopes is the house comedian at the Stress Factory Comedy Club in Bridgeport, Conn., and the co-host of the “You Should Be Worried” podcast. He’s worked in stages at New York Comedy Club, Stress Factory NJ, Funny Bone Comedy Club, and has amassed over 25,000 followers across his social media.

Scolaro has appeared on Shameless, Abbott Elementary, Night Court , Dexter, Mad Men, Law And Order: SVU, Bones , Castle , Grey’s Anatomy, The Middle , Men Of A Certain Age , and Girl Meets World , and has also had recurring roles as Brian on A Million Little Things , Uncle Bill on Ten Year Old Tom, Doug on Sullivan and Son, Sergio on Kroll Show, Goblin on Wizards Of Waverly Place , and many roles on Life and Times of Tim He is known as Stuart, a regular cast member, on FOX’s Stacked, and Gordon on NBC’s Three Sisters Rosborough got her start in New York City appearing with the improv troupe Future Schlock, and in the Off-Broadway production of Gay Dracula . Her first stint on television was with Jon Stewart on Comedy Central’s Short Attention Span Theatre. She has been seen on Showtime, Comedy Central, and on BBC’s The World Stands Up Brand is the host of the evening and owner of The Stress Factory Comedy Clubs located in New Brunswick, and Fairfield County, Conn. State Theatre New Jersey is at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick. Visit stnj. org for tickets.

PHILLY AND IRISH: Poor Man’s Gambit is all about the traditional Irish culture of the Philadelphia area. The group comes to Christ Congregation Church on March 21.

DIRECT FROM BELFAST: The Shamrock Tenors Come to State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick on March 15.

Performers include Matt Lopes, Brian Scolaro, Patty Rosborough, and Vinnie Brand.

Matt Lopes

Brian Scolaro

S

TOMAT O PATCH 2025

Full-day Theater, Dance, Vocal Music, Visual Art, and Video summer programs in two sessions:

Session 1 - $1,175: Grades 8-12 minimum age 13 June 30 - July 24 — Monday through Friday (no class July 4)

Session 2 - $1,100: Grades 4-7 minimum age 10 July 28 - August 14 — Monday through Friday (no class July 4)

Tomato Patch Master Class in Acting: Grades 9-12 full-day theater intensive programs in two sessions:

Session 1: June 30 - July 25 — Monday through Friday (no class July 4)

Session 2: July 28 - August 15 — Monday through Friday

Saturday morning creative theater workshops exploring creativity, movement, improvisation, and all the fun elements of live theater and more September through May. For ages 4 to 12 CLASSES START IN SEPTEMBER 2025 – SIGN UP NOW! or projects@mccc.edu for questions.

GUIDE

SUMMER

FILM CAMP

Elements of Film

For rising 5th through 7th graders

July 7th - 11th 9am - 3pm

This 5-day camp will impart a discerning sense of storytelling and the visual arts that will not only serve budding filmmakers and content creators but any young person who wants to be a conscientious consumer of all media.

Intro to Filmmaking

For rising 6th through 8th graders

July 14th - 18th 9am - 3pm

In this program, we will dive into the essentials of filmmaking, using more advanced equipment and software than is utilized in the “Elements of Film” curriculum.

For more information visit:

princetongarden.org/filmcamp

e Princeton National Rowing Association & Mercer Rowing present:

LEARN TO ROW SUMMER CAMPS

Open to: Girls and Boys, 7th-12th Grade (Adult Learn To Row Programs also available)

Session 1: June 23-27 Session 3: July 7-11

Session 2: June 30-July 4 Session 4: July 14-18

Session 5: July 21-25

Caspersen Rowing Center Mercer Lake, West Windsor, NJ. For more information and to register: www.rowpnra.org/mercer-rowing/summer-camps email epaxton@rowpnra.org or call 609-799-7100 x3

SUMMER CAMP NEAR YOU!

Apple Montessori Schools summer camp offers the perfect blend of fun and learning! Camp at Apple balances traditional summer activities with Montessori academic instruction. This summer, Apple will be exploring eight weeks of animals past, present, and legendary with our One Wild Summer weekly themes! Campers will participate in hands-on STEAM activities, drama, music, art, sports, special events, and field trips, plus daily swim lessons with Red Cross certified instructors in our saltwater pool.

“Janet

“Creative Family Tree” on View at New Hope Colony

Janet Marsh Hunt, a painter and gifted printmaker, was a beloved gallerist and friend to artists for decades before her passing in 2023. As the managing partner at the Coryell Gallery in Lambertville, she mentored hundreds of artists. She was also descended from generations of prominent poets, painters, printmakers, and influential teachers at celebrated art schools.

The New Hope Colony Foundation for the Arts opens the exhibition “Janet Marsh Hunt’s Creative Family Tree,” on Saturday, March 8, from 1to 4 p.m., at 2594 River Road, New Hope, Pa. The exhibition can be seen on Saturdays and Sundays, from 1 to 4 p.m., through April 13. The exhibit follows these artists’ journeys from Paris to Lambertville, Haiti to Vermont, and beyond. They include Frederic Dorr

Steele (b.1873), an illustrator acclaimed for his work depicting Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories; Lambertville architect and painter William Hunt (b. 1918), who built numerous buildings in Bucks and Hunterdon counties, including the Solebury School, and was a major benefactor of the Hunterdon Medical Center; and Reginald Marsh (b. 1898), an Urban Realist painter and muralist who was renowned for his evocative compositions of street life from Depression Era New York through the 1940s.

Marsh is followed through New York City’s burlesque shows, along the Bowery, to the Coney Island sideshows and the brutal dance marathons of the Depression.

The exhibit also features an artist who fled to South Carolina from San Domingo (i.e., Haiti) at the time of the slave insurrection on that island in the 18th century.

The exhibit also follows the artists’ work at the Museum of Modern Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Art Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, and the New York Public Library.

Their friends included luminaries and legends such as Emerson, Oliver Wendall Holmes, Henry Luce, and band leader Paul Whiteman.

The mission of The New Hope Colony Foundation for the Arts is to acquire and reactivate the historic properties surrounding the Phillips’ Mill Historic District, and to develop the rich cultural traditions of the New Hope Colony. For more information, visit newhopecolony.org.

Gallery 14 in Hopewell

Features Guest Exhibitors

Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography in Hopewell has works by guest exhibitors Danielle Austen and Richard Armington, along with Gallery 14 members, March 8 through March 30. A Meet the Artists reception is on Sunday, March 9 from 1 to 3 p.m. Austen is an award-winning professional fine art photographer specializing in creating intimate portraits of the environment, with a particular emphasis on abstracts found within the landscape. She holds a BFA in fine arts from Cornell University and an MS in communication photography from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Her artistic endeavors include being chosen for seven artist-in-residency programs, six within the Na-

tional Parks. Over her 25year career, she has earned numerous awards in local, national, and international competitions. Her work has also been showcased in over four dozen national and international juried exhibitions and numerous group and solo exhibitions, notably at the Monmouth Museum. As an educator, Austen offers classes, workshops, and private consultations and presents on various topics to photographic societies throughout the region.

Armington presents “Through My Eyes: Balkan Vignettes.” He said, “We are all travelers on this planet. Each of us treads a singular path traveled by no one else. Our paths intermingle and at times we share moments with others, yet we each perceive these moments differently.

Every time the shutter is released I capture one of these moments. Each is a signpost along the path I travel.

‘Through my eyes; Balkan Vignettes’ is a bit of a walk through some of those moments in Slovenia and Croatia. They are not meant to be documentary, but rather observations along the way.” Gallery 14 is located at 14 Mercer Street in Hopewell and is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4p.m. Appointments can also be made to view the exhibition at other times by emailing galleryfourteen@yahoo. com.

Gallery 14 will be offering an ongoing series of exhibitions throughout the year featuring individual members as well as guest artists. For more information, visit gallery14.org.

“JOHN WILLIAM HUNT, 1946”: This portrait by John Folinsbee is part of

Marsh Hunt’s Creative Family Tree,” on view at the New Hope Colony Foundation for the Arts in New Hope, Pa., March 8 through April 13.

“GALVANIZE”: This photograph by Danielle Austen is part of a new exhibit on view at Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography in Hopewell March

1 to 3 p.m.

“A MIME IS A TERRIBLE THING TO WASTE”: This work by Richard Armington is featured in “Through My Eyes: Balkan Vignettes,” on view March 8 to March 30 at Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography in Hopewell.

Second

Annual Members Show, Sale at Phillips’ Mill

Members of the Phillips’ Mill Community Association in New Hope, Pa., will be in the spotlight at the Second Annual Mill Members Art Show and Sale. The exhibition will be open for two consecutive weekends, March 8 and 9, and March 15 and 16, from 12 to 4 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated.

The show will feature more than 500 works of art by over 170 artists, all members of Phillips’ Mill Community Association. An array of fine art and crafts will be represented in the non-juried show including paintings and sculpture, jewelry and textiles, mixed media, ceramics, photography, and works on paper.

Show chair Shawn Campbell, an award-winning ceramicist from Alexandria Township, said, “The overwhelmingly positive response to last year’s Mill Members Art Show and Sale compelled us to repeat it this year and make it even better. This year, we’ll be showing even more artwork and fine crafts by our members, and none of it has been shown here before. It’s really a celebration of our members’ creativity.”

Works by well-known community artists including

Robert Beck, Janine Dunn Wade, Dot Bunn, Helena van Emmerik-Finn, and Richard Lennox will fill both levels of the building with a portion of each sale going to the upkeep of the historic 18th-century former grist mill. An open house will kick off the event at the historic Mill on March 8 at 12 p.m.

The Phillips’ Mill Community Association, located at 2619 River Road, in New Hope, Pa., was founded in 1929 to feature the works of its founding members including first president William Lathrop, Daniel Garber, John Folinsbee, Mary Perkins Taylor, Morgan Colt, and Edward Redfield. The Mill Members Show and Sale pays homage to those earliest exhibitions and the artists who created the legacy of the still-thriving Bucks County, Pa., artistic community. For more information,, visit phillipsmill.org or call (215) 882-0582.

Area

Exhibits

Art@Bainbridge, 158 Nassau Street, has “Roberto Lugo: Orange and Black” 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 “Faces, Places, Unexpected Stories” through March 29. Artscouncilofprinceton. org.

Gallery 14 Fine Art Photogaphy, 14 Mercer Street, Hopewell, has works by guest exhibitors Danielle Austen and Richard Armington, along with Gallery 14 members, March 8 through March 30.

A Meet the Artists reception is on Sunday, March 9, from 1 to 3 p.m. Gallery14.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, “Mark Sfirri: The Flower Show” through May 5, and “Yesterday’s Dreams Are Real” through July 27. Michenerartmuseum.org . Milberg Gallery at Firestone Library, Princeton University, has “The Most Formidable Weapon Against Errors: The Sid Lapidus ’59 Collection & the Age of Reason” through June 8. Library.princeton.edu/ lapidus2025.

The Nassau Club, 6 Mercer Street, has “Held Together” through June 5. Catherinejmartzloff.com.

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

Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street, has warercolors by Andrani Choudhury through April 1. A reception is on Friday, March 7 from 6 to 8 p.m. Works by Chuck Wood are at the 254 Nassau Street location through April 1. 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 “GR8 Works Art Show” through April 5. Westwindsorarts.org.

2025 |

Alexander Hall

ART AT SMALL WORLD: Watercolor paintings by Indrani Choudhury are featured in a solo exhibition on view through April 1 at Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street. An art reception with refreshments is on Friday, March 7 from 6 to 8 p.m.

“BEST FRIENDS”: This painting by Richard Worzel is part of the Phillips’ Mill Community Association’s Second Annual Mill Members Art Show and Sale, on view March 8, 9, 15, and 16 from 12 to 4 p.m. at Phillips’ Mill in New Hope, Pa.

MARCH

Town Topics | Mark Your Calendar

Wednesday, March 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 Mi Espana, Princeton Shopping Center.

8 p.m.: “A Night of Comedy” at State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. $25-$35. With Matt Lopes, Brian Scolaro, Patty Rosborough and Vinnie Brand. Stnj.org.

Thursday, March 6

10 a.m.: The 55-Plus Club of Princeton meets at the Jewish Center, 435 Nassau Street, and online via Zoom. Sam Daley-Harris, founder of RESULTS & Civic Courage, speaks on “Learning to Make a Difference Between Elections.” Free with suggested donation of $5. Princetonol.com/ groups/55plus.

6 p.m.: Author Brianna Nofil discusses her book The Migrant’s Jail at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

6 p.m.: Eduardo Cadava and Sara NadalMelsio discuss the book Politically Red with Ruth Wilson Gilmore at Labyrinth

Books, 122 Nassau Street. Labyrinthbooks.com.

6 p.m.: Travel specialist Gary Lee Kraut speaks about “Paris Bistro Life” at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch of Mercer County Library System, 2751 Brunswick Pike. Mcl.org.

Friday, March 7

Trivia in the Winery at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. With DJ Iron Mike. Terhuneorchards.com.

7 p.m.: American Repertory Ballet presents Ethan Stiefel’s Spirit of the Highlands at New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. Nbpac.org.

Saturday, March 8

9:30-11 a.m.: Science on Saturday series at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Lyman Spitzer Building, 100 Stellarator Road; also online. Bonnie Fierstein speaks on “Schizophrenia: A Journey Beyond the Brain.” Followed by a Q&A. Pppl.gov.

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.-4 p.m.: Visit from the Horse Doctor at Howell Living History Farm, 70 Woodens Lane, Hopewell Township. Watch the seven horses get shots, worming medicine, dental exams, and hoof-trimming. Howellfarm.org.

10 a.m.: Read and Explore: Birds, Nesting and Birdhouses at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Story followed by each child making their own birdhouse, with nesting materials to take home. $12 per child. Terhuneorchards.com.

11 a.m.-3 p.m.: Sustainable Home Expo at Princeton High School. Contractors in home improvement, landscaping, electrification, and more are on hand to answer questions. Free. Sustainableprinceton.org.

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

1-3 p.m.: Clothing Swap at the Arts Council of Princeton , 102 Witherspoon Street. In partnership with Stylebook App. $10. Artscouncilofprinceton.org.

1:30 p.m.: “Behind the Scenes: Live Music Soundtrack Creation” at Princeton Public Library,

65 Witherspoon Street. The creative process behind composing for film. For all ages. Part of a lecture series by faculty from the New School for Music Study. Princetonlibrary.org.

2 and 7 p.m.: American Repertory Ballet presents Ethan Stiefel’s Spirit of the Highlands at New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. Nbpac.org.

Sunday, March 9

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

1 p.m.: Pruning demonstration at Terhune Orchards , 330 Cold Soil Road, with Reuwai Mount Hanewald. Free. Terhuneorchards.com.

2 p.m.: Children’s author Sara T. Behrman shares her book The Sea Hides a Seahorse at a special story time followed by activities and crafts at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

non-singing guests. Musical. amateurs@gmail.com.

Monday, March 10 Recycling

10 a.m.-12 p.m.: Free workshop, “What to Know About Medicare Changes in 2025,” hosted by the Center for Modern Aging at 101 Poor Farm Road and on Zoom. Free, registration required at cmaprinceton.org.

7 p.m.: The Ernest Schwiebert Chapter of Trout Unlimited meets at D&R Greenway, 1 Preservation Place, to learn about “Fishing the Early Season Hatches” from Henry Ramsey. (609) 658-6079.

7:30-8:30 p.m. A workshop on “What You Should Know About Plastic” is at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Presented by Princeton University Assistant Professor of Chemistry Erin Stache. Princetonlibrary.org.

Tuesday, March 11

2 p.m.: Queen Christina is screened at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, as part of the “HerStory” movie series. Free. Princetonlibrary.org.

at Light of the World Family Worship Church, 2400 South Broad Street, Hamilton Township. Opens with remarks by Assemblywoman Tennille R. McCoy; Q&A session, refreshments. For more information, email info@ workwellpartnership.org.

Friday, March 14

10 a.m.-8 p.m.: The Bryn Mawr-Wellesley Book Sale , Stuart Country Day School, 1200 Stuart Road. Free. Bandwbooks.com.

3:14 p.m.: Open Archive on Albert Einstein presented at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, by staff of the Historical Society of Princeton. Visitors encouraged to make observations and ask questions. Princetonhistory.org.

7 p.m.: Pi Day and Einstein Birthday Party Pub Crawl , for ages 21 and older. Register at princetonmimi@gmail.com.

Saturday, March 15

2 p.m .: American Repertory Ballet presents Ethan Stiefel’s Spirit of the Highlands at New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. Nbpac.org.

7 p.m.: McCarter Live at the Library presents “What is the Science of Love?” at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

Wednesday, March 12

3-5 p.m.: All-Ages Folk Dance at the Suzanne Patterson Building, 1 Monument Drive. Sponsored by Princeton Country Dancers and led by caller John Krumm with live music from the Mixed Age Dance Band. Princetoncountrydancers. org/all-ages-dance.

4 p.m.: Princeton Society of Musical Amateurs holds a choral reading of the Verdi Requiem , conducted by Alicia Brozovich, at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton, 50 Cherry Hill Road. Vocal scores provided. $10 for singers; free for students and

10 a.m.-5 p.m.: Opening day of the Bryn Mawr-Wellesley Book Sale, Stuart Country Day School, 1200 Stuart Road. $32. Bmandwbooks.com.

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 Maman, 43 Hulfish Street.

7 p.m.: Author Lawrence Ingrassia discusses his memoir A Fatal Inheritance: How a Family Misfortune Revealed a Deadly Medical Mystery with Arnold Levine at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

Thursday, March 13

10 a.m.-5 p.m.: The Bryn Mawr-Wellesley Book Sale , Stuart Country Day School, 1200 Stuart Road. Free. Bandwbooks.com.

5:30-7 p.m.: ART OF the Charcuterie Board , at the Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. Sara Bojarski of Urban Cookery, and Corkscrew Wine Shop are the presenters. $50 to raise funds for programming. Artscouncilofprinceton.org.

7 p.m.: King Kong (1933) is screened at the Garden Theatre, 160 Nassau Street, as part of the “Keeping the Score” film music series. Gardentheatre. org/score.

7 p.m.: Moving Forward: A Conversation About Life After Incarceration ,

9:30-11 a.m.: Science on Saturday series at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Lyman Spitzer Building, 100 Stellarator Road; also online. Yidian Liu speaks on “Developing Systems for Mitigating Aquatic Microplastic Pollution.” Followed by a Q&A. Pppl.gov. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.: The Bryn Mawr-Wellesley Book Sale , Stuart Country Day School, 1200 Stuart Road. Free. Bandwbooks.com.

10 a.m.-4 p.m.: 27 th Annual Craft Show presented by the Cranbury Education Foundation at The Cranbury School, 23 North Main Street, Cranbury. $5. Over 100 vendors.

10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Workhorse rides at Howell Living History Farm, 70 Woodens Lane. Kids 5-12 learn about draft, saddle, and carriage horses; take rides, and help with barn chores. Howellfarm.org.

10:30 a.m.: Einstein Story Time at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Part of Pi Day events. Princetontourcompany.com.

10:30 a.m.: Color Me Mine Princeton celebrates five years with a ribbon cutting, studio tour, and activities including painting, crafts, pottery-making, and more. At Princeton Shopping Center. (609) 581-9500.

11 a.m.: Einstein Lookalike Contest at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Part of Pi Day events. Princetontourcompany.com.

12 p.m.: Pi Recitation Contest at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Followed by the Pi-Rade. Princetontourcompay.com.

12-5 p.m.: Winery Weekend Music Series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Wine, light bites, hot cocoa kits, and music from 1-5 by Shamrock Shenanigans with Mike Tusay. Terhuneorchards.com.

S ports

With Dora Matching Her Program Assist Record,

PU Women’s Lax Cruises to 20-4 Win Over Hofstra

Haven Dora wears No.

7 for the Princeton University women’s lacrosse team and last week that number took on an added significance for the junior attacker.

On Wednesday, Dora tallied a program single-game record seven assists to help Princeton edge Delaware 1514. Three days later, Dora matched that feat, getting seven assists as the Tigers rolled to a 20-4 victory over Hofstra in improving to 3-1.

“I am really proud of that,” said Dora, reflecting on the record.“Every single game, I am trying to come out with a team win and if that is what it takes, I am going to keep assisting my teammate. Hopefully at some point. I can break it and get eight. I am looking forward to the rest of the season.”

In the win over Hofstra, Dora dished out six assists by halftime as 13th-ranked Princeton jumped out to 13-2 lead.

“Our offense steps up well for me to find those cutters so from behind the cage I can pretty much see all of the cutters,” said Dora. “I really wouldn’t be able to have assists without my teammates finishing the ball so it is a team thing.”

While McKenzie Blake and Jami MacDonald have been the go-to finishers for Princeton this year, a number of other players got into the act against Hofstra as Meg Morrisroe tallied four goals with Maggie Molnar, Sophie Whiteway, Nina Montes, and Grace Mulham scoring two apiece.

“We were able to open up some of the other girls which was great to just give us some more balanced offense,” said Dora, who also tallied a goal in the contest to go with her seven assists. “That is something really good heading into the rest of the season.”

Rolling to a blow-out win after starting the season with three nail-biters, the Tigers got to empty the bench against the Pride.

“It was really fun to see everyone get on the field,” said Dora. “Everyone comes to practice and works hard every single day so just to see that was really something special for the whole team.”

Over the years, Dora has worked hard to fine-tune her playmaking.

“I think just playing a bunch of team sports really allows me to work with people and work off of people,”

said Dora, a 5’3 native of Spring Lake who also played basketball and ran cross county in high school at Trinity Hall. “I think that is one of my strengths, just being able to work with my teammates. It is something I have been working on since a young age.”

Last summer, Dora strengthened her game by playing for Team USA in the U20 World Lacrosse Championships and starring as the Americans won a gold medal.

“It was a really good team with a lot of strong girls who are competitive and play at some of the best schools,” said Dora. “It helped me elevate my game just so I can come into this season just learning from them and bringing those things to this team that those coaches taught me. It is lot of really good experience that I think has been helping me so far this season.”

Forming a connection with senior attacker Blake has helped spark the Tiger offense.

“She is an awesome finisher, she really just sees the game well,” said Dora of Blake, who has tallied a team-high 17 goals so far this season. “We work a lot outside of practice, just talking about the things that we see in our units and against the other teams. That really helps us on the field. We are really good friends which helps, we have a good connection. It really makes a difference.”

With Princeton hosting Penn State on March 5, Dora and the Tigers will be looking to extend their three-game winning streak.

“Penn State is always a competitive game for us,” said Dora. “They are really hardworking girls so I think it is going to be a dogfight the entire time. We may be ranked above them but I don’t think that makes it any easier so I am excited for Wednesday.”

Princeton head coach Jenn Cook was excited by how her squad built on its strong start against Hofstra.

“I think Wednesday’s game was really just a good learning moment,” said Cook, noting that the Tigers jumped out to an 8-1 lead over Delaware before hanging on for the 15-14 win. “It shows us that we need to continue to execute our systems on both the defensive side and the attack side of the ball and be disciplined in running those the way we are able to.”

Princeton showed a lot of offensive balance in the victory over Hofstra.

“We had an incredibly spread offense today regarding sharing the ball,” said Cook. “Our offense does a good job of that anyway. Between Jami, Haven, and McKenzie, we are really difficult to match up on for opponents. If you are going to slide early to them, it is going to create opportunities for others. Our players really did a great job sharing the ball and taking advantage of that today. They have such good chemistry and they play so selfless and share the ball so well on the offensive side. That is what we do really, really well.”

Cook credited Dora with triggering the Tiger offense. “Haven is such a competitor,” said Cook of Dora, who now has five goals and 21 assists this season. “She just does such a good job making sure her teammates are open and getting them the ball in the right time to get them to finish. We always talk about what can you do with that feed when you catch it. She is just really having a great year.”

In Cook’s view, Dora’s great experience with U.S. team this summer has helped her raise her game.

“Any time you have an opportunity to play with different people on your team and also high level opponents it is always going to increase your lacrosse IQ,” said Cook. “It is obvious that she has that.”

The Princeton defense played at a high level in the win over the Pride, holding them to one goal in each quarter.

“Our D did a really great job of executing our game plan,” said Cook. “We changed our on-ball force which frustrated Hofstra. They are incredibly talented offensively. They have really good dodgers and are coached well. We forced in against Delaware and we were trying to face their main dodgers outside today. I thought we did a good job of controlling that in this game.”

The pair of junior Dylan Allen and senior co-captain Sam Whiting helped spearhead the defensive effort.

“Dylan did incredible; our goalies had big-time stops, Amelia [Hughes] was a wall in the cage,” said Cook. “Sam is an incredible leader for us on the defensive end, constantly sliding, making sure that we are organized and always just really good on her one-on-ones. Her and Dylan had phenomenal games for us.”

With the Tigers hosting Penn State on Wednesday and Harvard on March 8 in its Ivy League opener before playing at Rutgers on March 12, Cook is looking for her squad to build on its encouraging 3-1 start.

“We have a stretch now where we have a Big 10 opponent in Penn State and then we have our opening Ivy League game against Harvard and then another Big 10 opponent in Rutgers,” said Cook. “This February and early March stretch

definitely shows us areas that we need to improve upon game-to-game. I think that is how you get better, you have to play really great out-ofconference opponents. We are doing that and learning along the way.”

Dora, for her part, believes the Tigers will keep getting better and better.

“I think it is a good start, it definitely gives us confidence as we head into the rest of the season,” said Dora. “The

we just have to keep our heads up, practicing hard, and not being complacent at any time.”

SEVEN UP: Princeton University women’s lacrosse player Haven Dora, left, looks to unload the ball against Hofstra last Saturday. Junior attacker Dora dished out a program-record seven assists for a second straight game as the Tigers rolled to a 20-4 win over the Pride. No. 13 Princeton, now 3-1, hosts Penn State on March 5 and Harvard on March 8 in its Ivy League opener.

(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski) Ivy League is going to be competitive and those games are coming up so

—Bill Alden

PU Sports Roundup

PU Women’s Hockey Falls

To Colgate in ECACH Quarters

Rosie Klein scored the lone goal for the seventhseeded Princeton University women’s hockey team as it fell 2-1 at second-seeded Colgate last Saturday to get swept 2-0 in a best-of-three ECAC Hockey quarterfinal series.

On Friday, the Tigers started the series by losing 5-2 to the Raiders as Issy Wunder and Brooklyn Nimegeers tallied goals in a losing cause.

The Tigers ended the winter with an 18-12-2 record.

Princeton Men’s Track

Wins Ivy Indoor Heps

Joey Gant starred as the Princeton University men’s track team placed first at the Ivy League Heptagonal Indoor Track Championships last weekend at Ithaca, N.Y.

Junior Gant was named the Most Outstanding Track Performer at the meet after winning the 400 meters in a facility record of 47.13.

In the team standings, the Tigers piled up 189.5 points with Penn taking second at 104.5. It marked the 10th straight Indoor Heps crown for Princeton.

Other individual victors at the meet for the Tigers included Jackson Clarke in the 200 meters, Harrison Witt in the 1,000, Nicholas Bendtsen in the 5,000, Sam Rodman in the 800, Joe Licata in the shot put, and Greg Foster in the long jump.

Tiger Women’s Track Takes 1st in Ivy Indoor Heps

Georgina Scoot provided a highlight to help the Princeton University women’s track team finish first at the Ivy League Heptagonal Indoor Track Championships last weekend at Ithaca, N.Y.

Junior Scoot was named the Most Outstanding Field Performer after winning the triple jump and setting a new school indoor record with a best leap of 43’2.25.

In the team standings, Princeton had a winning score of 168, defeating second place Harvard by eight points.

Other individual victors in the meet for the Tigers included Julia Jongejeugd in the pentathlon, Angela McAuslan-Kelly in the weight throw, Alex Kelly in the long jump, Mena Scatchard in the mile and 3,000 meters, and Hannah Riggins in the 1,000.

PU Men’s Swimming Wins Ivy Championships

Mitchell Schott and Aidan Wang led the way as the Princeton University men’s swimming team placed first in the Ivy League Championships last weekend in Providence, R.I.

Junior Schott was named the High Point Swimmer of the Meet after winning the 200-yard individual medley, 200 butterfly and 200 freestyle along with being part of the quartet that won the 800 freestyle relay. For the second season in a row, sophomore Wang was named High Point Diver of the Meet after winning on 3-meter and finishing second on 1-meter. In the team standings,

Princeton scored 1,330 points with Harvard coming in second with 1262.5. It marked the Tigers’ first Ivy title since 2016.

Princeton Men’s Hockey Edges No. 19 Clarkson in OT Sparked by Nick Marciano, the Princeton University men’s hockey team defeated No. 19 Clarkson 4-3 in overtime last Saturday.

Junior defenseman Marciano scored two power play goals, including the gamewinner 0:37 into overtime, to record his first career multi-goal game. A day earlier, Marciano contributed an assist to help the Tigers start the weekend by topping St. Lawrence 4-2. He was later named the ECAC Hockey Defender of the Week.

The Tigers, now 12-14-3 overall, will be starting action in the ECACH playoffs where they are seeded ninth and will play at eighth-seeded Brown on March 7 in a single-elimination opening round contest.

Princeton Baseball Notches 1st Victory

Caden Shapiro, Jake Bold, and Tommy Goggins provided some clutch hitting as the Princeton University baseball

team defeated Wake Forest 7-6 last Sunday in Winston Salem, N.C. to earn its first win of the

Shapiro, Bold, and Goggins each contributed two RBIs in the win for the Tigers, now 1-7.

Princeton heads south against next weekend as it plays a three-game set against VCU from March 7-9 in Richmond, Va.

PU Women’s Basketball

Tops Harvard, Dartmouth Skye Belker had a big weekend as the Princeton University women’s basketball team defeated Harvard 70-58 last Friday and then topped Dartmouth 67-55 a day later.

Sophomore guard Belker scored 14 points in the win over the Crimson and then poured in a career-high 25 points in the victory over the Big Green.

The Tigers, now 20-6 overall and 11-2 Ivy League, will wrap up regular season action by playing at Penn on March 8.

PU Men’s Basketball Routed at Cornell

Xaivian Lee scored 14 points and Caden Pierce added 12 but it wasn’t nearly enough as the Princeton University men’s basketball team fell 102-70 to Cornell last Sunday in Ithaca, N.Y.

The Tigers, who began the weekend by defeating Columbia 73-68 on Friday, fell to 18-10 overall and 7-6 Ivy League with the loss to the Big Red.

Princeton hosts Penn on March 8 in its regular season finale, looking to clinch a spot in the upcoming Ivy Madness postseason tournament.

Princeton

Softball Goes 1-4 at Texas A&M Event

Facing some high-powered competition, the Princeton University softball team went 1-4 at the Texas A&M tournament last week in College Station, Texas.

On Thursday, Princeton started the event by falling 5-0 to No. 5 Texas A&M. In action on Friday, the Tigers lost 12-0 to No. 13 Texas Tech and 12-4 to Texas State.

Wrapping up the competition on Saturday, Princeton lost 5-3 to Idaho State before defeating George Washington 10-5. In the win over GW, Lauren Sablone and Sophia Zhang sparked the batting attack as Sablone went 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBIs while Zhang went 2-for-4 with a homer, two runs, and two RBIs.

The Tigers, now 3-6, head west to play a doubleheader at San Jose State on March 9 and a doubleheader at Santa Clara on March 10.

Tiger Men’s Volleyball Falls 3-0 to Lincoln Memorial Nyherowo Omene starred in a losing cause as the Princeton University men’s volleyball team fell 3-0 to No. 18 Lincoln Memorial last Saturday.

Senior Omene contributed 10 kills and added three blocks but it wasn’t enough as Lincoln Memorial prevailed 25-14, 26-24, 25-23. The Tigers, now 6-6 overall, play at No. 14 UC San Diego on March 10.

CAROLINA DREAMING: Princeton University men’s lacrosse player Chad Palumbo heads upfield in recent action. Last Sunday, junior midfielder Palumbo scored four goals to help No. 8 Princeton edge No. 4 North Carolina 14-12 in Chapel Hill, N.C. Two days earlier, Princeton started its Carolina swing by edging No. 7 Duke 15-14 in Durham as senior star attacker Coulter Mackesy tallied four goals and one assist, including the 200th point of his career. Princeton, now 3-1 and ranked No. 4 by Inside Lacrosse, hosts Rutgers on March 8. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Winters Stars as PHS Girls’ Hoops Wins State Opener, Postseason

Run Ends with Loss to Franklin

Anna Winters went scoreless in the first quarter as the Princeton High girls’ basketball team fell behind 10-7 to Trenton Central last Thursday in the first round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey Group 4 tournament.

In the second quarter, junior guard Winters and fourth-seeded PHS got into a groove, outscoring the 13thseeded Tornadoes 22-3 to seize control of the contest.

“We really just turned it up, we already beat this team and we knew what they were doing,” said Winters, who scored nine points in the quarter. “They are crazy athletic and aggressive. In the second quarter we really turned it up. I am really glad. I was confident, I was driving and I was shooting.”

Bringing a 50-26 lead into the fourth quarter, the Tigers had to weather a storm by the Tornadoes to hold on for a 61-54 win.

“We practiced what we were going to do against their pressure,” said Winters, who finished with a gamehigh 25 points in the win. “I think we were ready to the extent of that. We played well, we played hard. We put up a lot of points today too.”

Winters made some deft passes to help classmate Katie Sharkey enjoy a big game as she chipped in 20 points.

“I love playing with Katie,” said Winters. “I love finding her for all of her threes. We are playing AAU this year so I am really excited.”

Last month, Winters enjoyed an exciting moment as she hit the 1,000-point career mark in a 49-39 win over Montgomery on February 8.

“It is a great feeling,” said Winters. “In the beginning of my freshman year, I was hoping I could score 100 points. Now I am here scoring 1,000.”

PHS head coach Joe Smiegocki had a good feeling about his squad as it started the sectional with a home game.

“It is nice to play at home any time in the state tournament, it means you got a nice seed and now we get a second one,” said Smiegocki.

In earning that second home game with the win over Trenton, the Tigers broke the game open with their second quarter surge.

“We just played great defense, we rebounded, we ran the fast break,” says Smiegocki, reflecting on that stretch of the contest.

“We played great as a team, we shared the ball.”

PHS also showed patience as it dealt with the stifling defense employed by the Tornadoes.

“Trenton is very good on the ball and the first pass, if you make two or three passes then things can become positive and that is what we did,” said Smiegocki. “We made two or three passes and the shots fell because they were wide open. It worked out perfectly. I just look at it as a team effort.”

in Quarters

Smiegocki credited Winters with hitting some big shots. “Anna played great, she played hard and went to the basket,” said Smiegocki. “They were being aggressive on her and she was aggressive right back. She made the plays that counted.”

While the Tigers went on to lose 65-34 to fifth-seeded Franklin last Monday in the quarterfinal round of the tourney, Smiegocki likes the way the squad progressed in his first season at the helm of the program.

“We are starting to play better as a team, we have finally turned the corner where some of the pieces that we were missing early

in the season are starting to kick in,” said Smiegocki, whose team ended the winter with a 19-10 record. “It is a growing process here, I just like the way we are starting to improve as a team.”

In reflecting on the first state tournament win for PHS since it topped Trenton 66-51 in the Central Jersey Group 4 quarters in the 2018-19 campaign, Winters saw the triumph last Thursday as a breakthrough moment.

“It feels really good. This is our first time winning in the states since I have been here,” said Winters. “It is really important to us to see how we progress as a team, just seeing from getting blown out by 30 in our first year in states to now.”

—Bill Alden

DRIVING FORCE: Princeton High girls’ basketball player Anna Winters drives to the hoop last Thursday as fourth-seeded PHS defeated 13th-seeded Trenton Central 61-54 in the first round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey Group 4 tournament. Junior guard Winters scored a game-high 25 points in the win. The Tigers went on to lose 65-34 to fifth-seeded Franklin last Monday in the quarterfinal round of the tourney to end the winter with a 19-10 record. (Photo

by Frank Wojciechowski)

PHS Boys’ Hockey Battles Hard in Postseason Losses, Future Looks

Promising with Core of Young Talent

Knotted in a 2-2 stalemate with the West Windsor-Plainsboro hockey coop after two periods in the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) Tournament quarterfinal round, the Princeton High boys’ hockey team raised its game.

Outscoring West Windsor 4-0 in the third period, PHS prevailed 6-2 in the February 5 contest to book a spot in the CVC semis.

“They skated hard, it was a good effort,” said PHS head coach Rik Johnson, reflecting on the win. “It was good, they got down to work, they realized it was a do-or-die situation.”

While fifth-seeded PHS worked hard against topseeded and eventual champion Hopewell Valley in the semi, it fell 4-1.

“We were there for a little bit, it seemed like the tires were getting flat after a while,” said Johnson. “Hopewell Valley was really, really sound this season. They were fundamentally sound, it has been impressive.”

In the first round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) South Public sectional tournament, 16thseeded PHS ran into another impressive team as it lost 9-3 to top-seeded Bridgewater-Raritan on February 24.

“We got a little loose, they were very top heavy,” said Johnson, whose team posted a final record of 7-12. “They had three guys who could easily score but we were hanging with them. We had so many opportunities, loose pucks and just missing the net kind of stuff. I think if we had half of those in the back of the net, we easily could have doubled our total.”

Although PHS didn’t take advantage of its chances in the finale, it has the opportunity to do a lot of good things going forward.

“I see a good future, we have got a ton of young guys,” said Johnson. “I would say half of the lineup was mostly young guys in top six offensive, top four defensive roles. That bodes well.”

The team’s core of juniors — Anders Hedin (11 goals, 8 assists in 2024-25), Ryan Garlock (5 goals, 13 assists), and Liam Campbell (5 goals, 6 assists) — played well this winter.

“Anders made big jump,” said Johnson. “I made a little adjustment halfway through the year; I had Anders with Ryan pretty much the entire season and then we brought Jacob Rotenberg up. Jacob really helped, he complements Anders’s style and Anders did a good job. Liam was part time because of club but next year he will be back full time. That will be awesome.”

Sophomore Rotenberg (8 goals, 5 assists) got better and better as the season went on.

“Jacob did great, he was jumping on loose pucks,” said Johnson. “There was a point there in the season, it just looked like he had a feel for it. He was definitely dialed in.”

The Tigers boasted a superb group of freshmen in Babtiste Demurge (6 goals, 8 assists), PJ Ross (1 goal, 2 assists), Samuel Gibb (1 goal, 7 assists), Abe Arshan (4 goals, 3 assists), and Dylan Hagt (1 goal, 6 assists).

could be on the second line.”

Senior star forward and captain Beatty (14 goals, 10 assists) ended up as the team’s top scorer.

“Jack was very sound and he was a good leader,” said Johnson.

saves), helped shore up the PHS defense.

care of Princeton’s

“Baptiste was on the top line with Brendan Beatty there, he started off real hot,” said Johnson. “PJ and Sam were basically the second pair on defense the entire season, you can’t ask for more than that. Abe was kind of a plug and play. He could be on the top line, he

“At one point in the season, I just said to him I need Brendan Beatty to be Brendan Beatty and he started running over people,” said Johnson of Beatty, who also stars in lacrosse and is a University of Vermont lax commit. “He took the message and just went on a tear. He really did.”

The squad’s other captains, Jack Zimet (2 goals, 4 assists) and Wyatt Arshan (1 goal, 5 assists), provided production and leadership.

“He was a good guy in the locker room. Cliff (assistant coach Cliff Higgins) and I saw that very early on. I remember Jack as a sophomore and Cliff saying to me this guy is going to be a captain at some point. He was very solid. Wyatt gave leadership and he had that ability to just be that plug and play. We could say we need you on defense today or we need you on offense today.”

Two other seniors, Ed Zhao (1 goal, 5 assists) and goalie Noah Vitulli (350

“Ed was very solid defensively; unfortunately he was a part timer because he played club,” said Johnson. “Noah got better and better over the course of the three years. He was thrust into a tough spot. He had flashes, he definitely would focus.”

Although Johnson would have liked to see PHS get more wins this winter, he liked the effort he got from his players.

“It was a good season,” said Johnson. “I always tell them if you left it all on the ice, you can feel good.”

—Bill Alden

ON THE STICK: Princeton High boys’ hockey player Brendan Beatty, left, goes after the puck in recent action. Last week, senior star and captain Beatty scored two goals as 16th-seeded PHS fell 9-3 to top-seeded Bridgewater-Raritan first round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) South Public sectional tournament. The loss left the Tigers with a final record of 7-12.

(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

With Senior Captain Bruno Sparking Defense, PDS Girls’ Hockey Rolls Into State Semifinals

Aerin Bruno’s right shoulder was heavily taped but she smiled through the pain after helping the Princeton Day School girls’ hockey team defeat Summit 5-0 last Friday in the quarterfinal round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Girls’ Ice Hockey State Tournament.

With PDS having been seeded No. 1 in the tourney and getting a first-round bye, Bruno and her teammates were chomping at the bit to finally get going in the competition.

“We were a little antsy to get at it; we have been practicing all week long and have been excited,” said senior defender and team captain Bruno. “There is always pressure being the No. 1 seed but I think we are ready for it. We have been accustomed to that mindset. The past few years we have been on an upward trajectory. It really was a stepping stone, we feel like we are finally at the top.”

Bruno’s grit in overcoming her balky shoulder exemplifies the toughness the Panthers have displayed this winter as they have been shorthanded for much of the season due to injury.

“I had shoulder surgery last year so I have had an ongoing issue,” said Bruno. “It was getting better but then I had a small injury again. I am just pushing through, everyone is going through their own things.”

In the win over Summit, PDS pushed through a sluggish start to score three unanswered goals in the last 6:49 of the first period and never looked back.

“It was a slow start but I feel once we get into it, we get that momentum going,” said Bruno. “It was scoring from everyone. Even people who didn’t get on the scoresheet were helping out.”

The Panthers, who improved to 12-2-1 with the win, will face fourth-seeded Morristown-Beard in the state semis on March 5 at the Codey Arena in West Orange with the victor to advance to the state final on March 10 at the Prudential Center in Newark. As it heads into that clash, PDS will draw extra motivation from a tough 4-3 loss to Immaculate Heart in the 2024 state semis.

“We have a big new group that is coming up,” said Bruno. “We have told them the stories, we have told them what is going on. It definitely stings but I think we are

going to grow from that and continue working on it.”

In serving as team captain, Bruno has worked hard to develop her leadership approach.

“It has definitely been a growing experience, I feel like I have learned from each captain every year,” said Bruno. “Being an assistant last year was a good learning experience. It is knowing that there are different types of leadership, there is not one right way to be a captain. I am not the leading scorer out here, I am on defense.”

Bruno has applied these lessons in leading the PDS defensive unit.

“We have a small core, we have been working well together,” said Bruno, who has been joined by the Dandy sisters, sophomore Samantha and junior Brynn, and junior Mariana Lee along the blue line. “Communication is a big part of it. It is good, just getting to know each other. We have been working with each other for a while. They are sisters, they know each other well. Forming those bonds with each other is very helpful and key to it.”

The play of junior transfer Kelly Stevens between the pipes has been a big help for the Panthers.

“Kelly is spectacular, she is an amazing, phenomenal goalie,” said Bruno. “I see her going places, she keeps us in this every single game. I don’t think there has been one game where she has been off.”

Having gone 1-1-1 against perennial nemesis Morristown-Beard this season, Bruno and her teammates are looking forward to round four with the Crimson.

“In my freshman year, we played them in the state final in the Prudential Center so it is a full circle moment,” said Bruno. “They are always a strong team so we are not going to take them lightly. It is definitely an exciting time, we always get riled up for this game.”

The Panthers are excited about the chance to make a return trip to the Prudential Center.

“We definitely talk about it, the motto is ‘Road to the Rock,’ we are very excited about it,” said Bruno. “We were there freshman year but there are a lot of people

who haven’t been there. It is a very exciting chance, it was a great honor to get there. We are definitely hyped up about it.”

PDS co-head coach Jade Meier believed that PDS would be hyped up to start their state tourney run as it hosted Summit.

“We were certainly excited after getting the No. 1 seed, we definitely weren’t expecting that,” said Meier. “The power points weren’t really there, we won the toughest conference so that led to the ultimate decision. I think we just take each game as it comes. It is just trying our best each day in practice, moving forward, and doing our best.”

Getting the 3-0 lead on goals by Layla Sosner, Sam Dandy, and Grace Ulrich got the Panthers moving in the right direction.

“Any time we get a lead it is exciting, in most of our games we have had a lead,” said Meier. “It is harder when you are coming from behind.”

In pulling away to the 5-0 triumph, PDS displayed offensive balance as Sosner added a second goal and Brynn Dandy also found the back of the net. Della Gilligan and Eibhleann Knox each chipped in three assists.

“Our scoring and goals come from all of our players,” said Meier. “We have some girls who are contributing a little more but all of our girls get on the board. That is good to see, they all work together.”

Meier credited Bruno with spearheading the defensive effort.

“Aerin is the ultimate leader,” said Bruno. “She is doing whatever she needs to do to help the team, whether that is blocking shots, grinding in the d-zone and even just being vocal on the bench. She is always positive, it is awesome to see.”

The Panthers have gotten some impressive work in goal from Stevens.

“Kelly has been awesome, she was just named the athlete of the season for the school,” said Meier. “She has a .934 save percentage. She ultimately saved our program. Bridget [Milligan] graduated last year and we didn’t really have a goalie that had come through. She was a great addition.”

this season. Last Friday,

defensive effort as top-seeded PDS defeated eight-seeded Summit 5-0 in the quarterfinal round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Girls’ Ice Hockey State Tournament. The Panthers, now 12-2-1, will face fourth-seeded Morristown-Beard in the state semis on March 5 at the Codey Arena in West Orange with the victor to advance to the state final on March 10 at the Prudential Center

Meier knows that MoBeard presents a great challenge in the state semifinal matchup.

“I think we just need to come in really mentally strong,” said Meier. “Any time we get down by a goal, it is really, really hard to stay focused. It is a long game so we have time on our side. We just need to stay mentally focused and come out straight from the beginning ready to go.”

In reflecting on the team’s superb season, Meier points to its special camaraderie.

“I think they have good relationships with each other, they are all sisters,” said Meier. “It gets a little bit insane on the bench at times but I think it is all for the best. They all want to win.”

Bruno, for her part, believes that unity has helped the Panthers persevere through the adversity it has faced this winter.

“It has really been about fostering community,” said Bruno. “We had like seven players in a game against Pingry, so that was pretty brutal; it was just getting through that and understanding that we are all going through the same thing. We are all working for the same thing so it is being there together and going through it together.”

—Bill Alden

RARE AIR: Princeton Day School girls’ hockey player Aerin Bruno surveys the action in a game earlier

senior defender and team captain Bruno helped spark a superb

in Newark. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Stuart Hoops Pulls Upset in Non-Public Tourney Debut, Loss to Wildwood Catholic in Quarters Can’t Dim Progress

As the Stuart Country Day School basketball team geared up to make its debut in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) NonPublic tournament, Tony Bowman was encouraged by the way his squad was coming together down the stretch.

Playing at Kent Place in its regular season finale on February 25, Stuart rolled to a 54-30 win.

“I think that is the best they have played all year,” said Stuart head coach Bowman. “They listened very well, that was probably our best defensive game.”

Building on that performance, the 11th-seeded Tartans upset sixth-seeded Calvary Christian (Old Bridge) 50-33 last Friday in the first round of the NJSIAA South Jersey NonPublic B tournament.

In prepping for the state opener, Bowman aimed to get his squad to focus on its game not the opponent.

“You know how coaches look at tape and find different ways to beat the other team but I think the best thing for us is to worry about ourselves,” said Bowman. “It is playing within our means, playing our good offense, and playing better defense.”

Jumping out to a 14-5 lead heading in the second quarter, Stuart set the tone against Calvary Christian.

“We start out strong be -

cause our defense starts out strong,” said Bowman. “That 14-5 lead was basically just straight defense.”

Heading into the postseason, Bowman fine-tuned his defensive tactics to give the Tartans more looks at that end of the court.

“Playoff time changes everything,” said Bowman.

“We were mainly doing a diamond, now we do a 1-22, a man set, and a little bit of a 3-2. It is playoff time, you have to change it up. Everybody has tape, everybody knows who can do what. The only thing I can basically do is change the defense.”

Freshman guard Lia States stepped up in playoff time, scoring 18 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in the win over Calvary Christian.

“It took time to get her where she is at today — we didn’t start her in the beginning,” said Bowman. “She gradually got into the starting lineup and over time has gotten better and better. She is taking criticism well. She is a strong player who looks to be aggressive on offense. I move her everywhere. Sometimes I put her at the top of the zone sometimes, I put her at the bottom of the zone. She is quick to respond.”

Lia’s older sister, junior forward Taylor, has produced a very strong campaign.

“Taylor has her best games against the better

talent, she has done well,” said Bowman of Taylor who contributed 12 points and 17 rebounds in the state opener. “I am very pleased with her. If she does well, we do well.”

Bowman has been pleased by the play of senior guard Annarose Bourgoin St. Maurice.

“I am ecstatic and happy about her progression in the way she leads, looking to shoot, and keeping the offense strong,” said Bowman, who got six points and four rebounds from Bourgoin St. Maurice against Calvary Christian.

While Stuart ended up losing 78-43 to third-seeded Wildwood Catholic last Monday in the quarterfinal round of the tournament, Bowman believes getting the win in its Non-Public debut bodes well for the future.

“It meant a lot, it is the first time we have been in the Non-Public tournament,” said Bowman, whose squad ended the winter with a 6-15 record. “We are going to start doing it on a regular basis. In the last two years, I only had six or seven kids; it is hard to move on with not enough kids. Now we have got 12 or 13 with a mix of juniors, seniors, and freshmen so it gives us the ability to play different people at different levels. If Stuart basketball is going to be strong, we have to be able to play everybody.”

—Bill Alden

STATE OF PLAY: Stuart Country Day School basketball player Lia States, center, heads to the basket in recent action. Last Friday, freshman guard States scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to help 11th-seeded Stuart upset sixth-seeded Calvary Christian 50-33 in the first round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) South Jersey Non-Public B tournament. On Monday, Stuart fell 78-43 to third-seeded Wildwood Catholic in the quarterfinal round of the tournament. The Tartans ended the winter with a 6-15 record. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Boys’ Basketball : Running into a buzz saw, 11thseeded PDS fell 76-39 to sixth-seeded Wildwood Catholic last Friday in the first round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) South Jersey Non-Public B tournament. The Panthers ended the season with an 11-11 record.

Girls’ Basketball: Nica Martin scored 11 points for 14th-seeded PDS as it lost 72-26 to third-seeded Red Bank Catholic last Friday in the first round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) South Jersey NonPublic A tournament. The Panthers finished the winter with a 13-10 record.

Boys’ Hockey : Wyatt Ewanchyna scored the lone goal for sixth-seeded PDS as it got edged 2-1 in overtime last Thursday by thirdseeded Don Bosco Prep in the quarterfinal round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public State tournament. The Panthers concluded the season with a 10-9-1 mark.

Tigers placed fourth in the 200 free relay.

Boys’ Track : Sean Wilton came up big as he competed in the shot put last Sunday at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Indoor Track Meet of Champions held in Staten Island, N.Y. Senior standout and Brown University commit Wilton placed third with a personal record and program-best throw of 62’2.25.

Girls’ Track : Kajol Karra starred for PHS as it took part in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Indoor Track Meet of Champions held last Sunday in Staten Island, N.Y. Junior Karra placed seventh in the 3,200-meter run in 10:47.55. Senior Phoenix Roth took 20th in the 1,600 while the 4x800 relay finished eighth.

Wrestling : Blase Mele and Forest Rose excelled last weekend as they competed at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Region 5 Tournament at Franklin High. Senior and Princeton University commit Mele took second at 144 pounds while freshman Rose placed fourth at 106. Both Mele and Rose qualified for the NJSIAA State Wrestling Championships which start on March 6 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Mele finished sixth at 138 pounds at the 2024 state tourney, becoming only the third wrestler in Tiger history to place at the event.

Local Sports PHS

Girls’ Swimming : Annie Flanagan provided a highlight as PHS competed last weekend in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Swimming Meet of Champions held at the Gloucester Tech pool. Junior Flanagan placed eighth in the 50-yard freestyle at the meet. The

Dillon Youth Hoops Playoff Results In semifinal playoff action last weekend in the

Girls’ Grades 3-5 Division of the Dillon Youth Basketball League, top-seeded Pizza Den posted a 20-14 win over fourth-seeded Milk & Cookies. Bronte Scholes and Liv Nygaard each tallied eight points for the victors while Jaya Verma scored 10 points for Milk & Cookies. Sixth-seeded PBA 130 edged second-seeded Homestead Princeton 26-23. Theresa Houshmand-Oregaard netted 16 points to lead the way for PBA 130. Sienna Devlin had 13 points for Homestead.

In the Girls’ Grades 6-8 Division semis, top-seeded PBA 130 defeated fourthseeded Sportworld 27-18. Allegra Shank scored nine points in the win while Sienna Houshmand-Oregaard tallied 14 points for Sportworld. Second-seeded Pizza Den topped third-seeded Homestead Princeton 22-12 as Laura Pepek scored 10 points to lead the way for the victors. Izzy Gustus had eight points for Homestead. I n the Boys’ Grades 3-4 Division semifinal round, fourth-seeded Dean of Chess upset No. 1 Lependorf & Silverstein, P.C. 36-25. Leo Cronan scored 20 points for Dean of Chess while Ravi Klinger had six points in a losing cause. Second-seeded Ivy Inn posted a 25-18 win over third-seeded Built By Me. Miquel Pijoan-Hidalgo tallied seven points in the victory while Noah Ahn chipped in nine points for Built By Me.

In the Boys’ Grades 5- 6 Division semis, top-seeded J. Majeski Foundation rolled to a 42-23 win over fourthseeded Princeton Pettoranello Foundation. Aidyn Shah scored 14 points in the win while Baldwin Walton tallied 12 points for Princeton Pettoranello. Second-seeded Meeting House edged thirdseeded Mason Griffin & Pierson, PC. Logan Aguila

tallied 19 points for Meeting House while Bartholomew Gore scored 19 points in a losing cause.

In the Boys’ Grades 7-8 Division semis, top-seeded Locomotion posted a 3424 win over fourth-seeded K9 Resorts of Hamilton. Ai’Bree Green scored 16 points to lead the way for Locomotion. Nathan Stock tallied 16 points for K9 Resorts. Third-seeded Princeton Honda nipped secondseeded Back Nine Golf. Asa Collins scored 17 points for the victors while Alex Spies contributed 17 points for Back Nine Golf.

The finals for all divisions will take place on March 8 at the Hun School.

Stuart County Day School

Holding Flag Football Camp

The Stuart Country Day School is holding a flag football camp for girls in grades 3-8 on Fridays from March 28 to May 23 at the school’s Upper Fields on Great Road. The flag football camp is designed to introduce beginners and those with some experience to the

fundamentals of flag football in a fun and positive environment. Players will develop both their technical skills and their understanding of the game through a series of fun games and activities and will also be encouraged to implement offensive and defensive plays.

Lower School parent, Greg Barker, will be running this program. The cost is $75 and the camp is open to the public. For more information, log onto stuartschool. org/flagfootball.

Wilberforce Swimmer Yanovsky Competes in Meet of Champions

Making history last weekend, Wilberforce School junior Vasily Yanovsky became the first athlete to ever compete for the school in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Swimming Meet of Champions.

Yanovsky placed 22nd in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:00.09 at the competition which was held at the Gloucester Tech pool. Yanovsky came into the meet seeded 35th in the event.

Princeton 5K Race Slated for March 22

The Princeton 5K race is returning on March 22 for its 16th year.

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

The race starts in front of the Princeton Middle School at 217 Walnut Lane at 8:30 a.m. In addition to the 5K, there is a 300-meter kids dash for children under 10.

To register and get more information on the event, log onto https://runsignup. com/Race/NJ/Princeton/ PrincetonNJ5K. Registration is also available in-person on race day.

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

may cover the cost of an at-home aide, allowing your loved one to remain at home.

FINISHING KICK: Princeton High boys’ swimmer David Brophy heads to a win in the 100-yard butterfly earlier this season. Last weekend, senior star and Colgate University commit Brophy wrapped up his PHS career by placing fifth in both 200-yard freestyle and 100 fly in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Swimming Meet of Champions held at the Gloucester Tech pool. Senior standout and Bowdoin College commit David Xu took sixth in the 200 individual medley. The Tigers also excelled in the relays, placing third in the 200 medley relay and fourth in the 400 free relay. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Array of Rock Climbing, Yoga, and Gym Options Are All Featured At The Gravity Vault Princeton

“

It’s a chance to flirt with adventure; an opportunity to break from the ordinary; a really meaningful alternative to a tired fitness format.”

Sound intriguing?

Not to keep you in suspense: it is rock climbing!

Michael Morand, co-owner of The Gravity Vault Princeton, is an enthusiastic advocate of this challenging and exciting activity, and wants to share its benefits and advantages with everyone.

IT’S NEW To Us

Just opened last December in the Plainsboro Plaza at 10 Schalks Crossing Road in Plainsboro, the 17,500-square-foot facility offers a complete range of indoor climbing opportunities, as well as yoga classes and a fully-equipped gym.

Experienced Climbers

Both Morand and coowner Shan Jiang are experienced climbers.

“As a climber, I was looking for something that offered more innovative opportunities,” explains Jiang. “There was really no climbing facility that offered what I wanted.”

She looked into The Gravity Vault franchise opportunity, and liked what she found. Established in 2005 in New Jersey, it now offers 14 locations in New Jersey and California, with more to come in New York, Virginia, and Texas.

“This is a young industry, but it is growing in popularity, especially in the last 10

years,” says Morand. “It really became popular during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, and people began looking for a place to try it out, and others, who were experienced, for a place to train.”

“Its benefits are two-fold,” points out Jiang. ‘Climbing is very challenging. It takes you out of your comfort zone. It provides both great physical and mental exercise because it takes real concentration and focus. It is also a way to make friends when you climb together. In addition, it’s a great chance for kids to gain confidence and be with others.”

In fact, children can start as young as 5 years old, she reports. Special kids’ programs and classes are gaining popularity.

Entire Family

“It really is for everyone, the entire family,” adds Morand. “We have kids 8, 9, and 10, and teens, as well as climbers in their 60s and 70s coming, and everyone in between, including lots of people in their 20s and 30s. And we have people at all levels and abilities, from beginners to advanced.

“It’s just a great opportunity on so many levels,” he continues. “It offers great exercise, builds core strength, leg and hand strength, and as Shan said, it is a terrific mental workout. You have to plan ahead, know how to balance, figure out which way to move. You have to have a very clear goal. When you are concentrating like this, it gets rid of distractions. You forget worrying about that ‘to do’ list.”

Indoor rock climbing features structures that are bolted with colorful holds for the climber’s hands and feet. The Gravity Vault

offers two basic styles of rock climbing: one, bouldering, and two, rope climbing.

As Morand explains, “Bouldering involves climbing on 14- to 16-foot walls over 14-inch padded floors, and it requires power, balance, and problem-solving. Rope climbing involves 30 to 40 foot walls with a rope and harness, requiring additional endurance and focus over a longer climb. The rope climbing walls include top rope, lead, speed, and kids’ themed climbing walls, with more than 70 stations, including eight auto-belays. Our ropes are incredibly strong. They will hold 1,000 pounds.”

Belaying is the act of managing the rope for the person who is climbing, he says. This can be done with a person or automatically with a device.

The overall Gravity Vault environment is very colorful. The “routes” on the wall and the hand holes are all color coordinated, and the routes are changed frequently, points out Morand. “We change the climbing routes to keep it interesting and new. It’s like choreographing a dance routine and movement. There are different levels and challenges for different skill levels and abilities.”

Careful Attention

“Additional climbing features at the site include a 12-by-12-foot adjustable Kilter board, spray wall, keyhole arch, crack routes, and an interactive boulder wall,” he adds.

Also, safety rules emphasizing climbing awareness, responsibility, and careful attention are prominently displayed.

Other opportunities, such as four yoga classes (all

styles and degrees of intensity) and HIIT (high intensity interval training) classes are held weekly. Yoga and party rooms, and lockers and bathrooms with showers, are all available.

CLIMBING HIGH: “We believe that new heights can always be reached not only on our walls, but in all parts of life. The best way to achieve these heights is to be together.” This mission statement of The Gravity Vault Princeton emphasizes its focus on meeting challenges vigorously, with skill and dedication, thus accomplishing a rewarding and meaningful result. Shown is the indoor rope climbing wall at the company’s Plainsboro Plaza location. points out Morand. “The location was designed as a ‘third place,’ where people can connect and foster community. A ‘third place’ is a location other than work or home, where people can get together, make friends, and establish connections.

There is also a pro shop with a variety of items, such as climbing shoes, harnesses, chalk bags, and other gear and supplies.

Classes include one-onone or group instruction, and a six-week children’s program in which they attend once a week is a big attraction.

Birthday parties have become very popular, and in addition to the celebrating, the participants have a chance to climb under the guidance of instructors.

“Third Place”

Offering an inclusive setting and experience for all who come is a major priority,

”We need this. There is loneliness today, with individuals working from home, not getting together with others. People are really looking for a chance to be together. We really especially see this on Wednes day nights, when we offer specials, and when they’re not climbing, as many as 50 people will be sitting around and talking.

in the facility.

“We definitely emphasize inclusion in every way we can. We want people to feel that this is their place, their ‘go to’ place, almost a home away from home. We want everyone to feel they can come here, that they are accepted.

“I especially enjoy this sense of community, both with the climbers and with our staff. We have an amaz ing staff of 20 instructors, route setters, and leaders who work tirelessly to cre ate this first-rate climbing experience.”

He is very encouraged by the enthusiastic response to The Gravity Vault in such a short time. There are already regular climb ers, coming once a week, or even several times a week, he reports.

“We typically have 700 people a week, and they are all ages and coming from all over the Princeton area. They also like the Plainsboro Plaza location, with its variety of stores and businesses, and convenient parking.”

The Gravity Vault offers several ways to participate in the climbing program, he adds. Day passes and membership plans are avail able, and walk-ins are also welcome.

Complete Access

An adult day pass is $28, and membership plans (one, three, and six month or an nual) start at $115 for one month. A summer camp pro gram will also be offered.

And as Morand points out, “If you have a membership, you have complete access to our gym, so you don’t really

“The challenge is how best to educate people about indoor climbing,” he continues. “We want people to know it is for everyone. Some people may think it is too difficult, even dangerous. Some may be afraid of heights. We help them to overcome their hesitancy or fear. And once they try it, they find out how much fun it is. How exciting and exhilarating!

“The opportunity to chalk up your hands, and pull on colorful holds on an indoor wall, will provide an accessible and thrilling way to seek adventure.”

The Gravity Vault is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. For further information, call (609) 228-9745. Visit the website at gravityvault.com/locations/princeton-nj.

—Jean Stratton

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Obituaries

Alan Rauch, 70, of Princeton passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Astoria, Queens, NY, on July 18, 1954, the youngest child of Grace and Julius Rauch. At a young age the family moved to Hollis Hills, Queens, and Alan was proud to call that home. Alan graduated from Martin Van Buren High School and later SUNY New Paltz with a BA in Biology. He then went on to obtain a Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ. After completing a residency at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (formerly Middlesex County Hospital), Alan established a solo dental practice in Somerset, NJ, where he treated patients for 40 years. Alan was beloved by his many patients, known for his kindness, generosity, and most of all skill as a “painless dentist.” Over the years Alan became active in the RV Tucker Gold Foil Study Group and passionate about the use of gold as a restorative dental material. In 2007, while still maintaining his private practice, Alan joined the faculty of Penn Dental Medicine as a Clinical Assistant Professor and held that position until 2021. His love of teaching was apparent to the many former students who continued to reach out long after their graduation.

In 1983 Alan met his future wife, Julie Bien, on a blind date set up by his brother-in-law Mark Sonnenshein. After a whirlwind courtship, Alan and Julie married on February 25, 1984. The couple welcomed their first child Rebecca in 1986, and she was quickly joined by brother Benjamin and sister Sarah. The family moved to Princeton from South Brunswick in 1990 and Alan resided there until the time of his death. Alan loved family life and was active for several years as a Little League coach for his son’s team. At Alan’s urging,

lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation (give.myotonic.org/ campaign/622795/donate) or to the charity of choice.

Sabry Joseph Mackoul

Sabry Joseph Mackoul, 84, reposed in the hope of the Resurrection on February 25, 2025, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. A 40-year resident of Princeton, Sabry leaves behind a legacy of kindness, wisdom, and generosity, and many circles of people who loved him, admired him, and will miss him deeply.

his parents Theodore and Nellie Mackoul in an Orthodox home, visited by bishops and patriarchs over many years. Sabry served in many church advisory and leadership roles, and at the time of his passing was a parishioner at St. Mary’s Antiochian Orthodox parish in Bay Ridge, New York. Sabry leaves bereft his wife of 42 years Anne Glynn Mackoul, and his two daughters Candice Marie Mackoul (Ryan Flanagan) and Stephanie Anne Mackoul, as well as his sister Kathleen Mackoul Haselmann (Ralph Haselmann), his brother Theodore Ramsey Mackoul, many sisters and brothersin-law, nephews, nieces, cousins and friends, one of whom described him as “a man with a heart so big, so generous and so full of life” who will be sorely missed.

Nicholas T. Ryan of Princeton, New Jersey, and Downey, California, the eldest son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Francis Joseph Ryan of the Bronx, New York, and Princeton, New Jersey, passed away February 28, 2025.

the family traveled to many American national parks on their summer vacations. Alan loved the New York Yankees and accumulated a large baseball card collection. He was also an avid Lionel train enthusiast and spent many hours perfecting a home train layout. Over the years Alan used his carpentry skills on many types of home improvements and masonry jobs, with his crowning achievement being the Rauch family treehouse. Alan was very proud of his three children and never tired of hearing about their accomplishments. When the role of grandfather became his, Alan truly came into his own and reveled in spending time with Hannah, Emily, and Neil.

Alan is survived by his wife of 41 years, Julie Bien Rauch; his children Rebecca Rauch Hart (Benjamin Hart), Benjamin Rauch (Melissa Rauch) and Sarah Rauch; grandchildren Hannah Hart, Emily Hart, and Neil Rauch; sister Linda Sonnenshein; brother David Rauch (Evelyn Rauch); brothers-inlaw Jeffrey Bien (Heather), Joseph Bien (Juel), David Bien (Maggie) and Andrew Bien (Betty); many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews; as well as a vast number of friends who supported him over the years. When Alan was diagnosed with a severe medical condition in 2021, several friends, Michael Mann, George Lane, and Robert Twomey, made sure that he continued to live life. Alan is predeceased by his parents Julius and Grace Esther (Katz) Rauch, and brotherin-law Mark Sonnenshein.

A Visitation will be held from 10:30 to 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 6, 2025, at The Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue in Princeton, NJ. A Funeral Service will follow at 11 a.m. A graveside service for immediate family will be held at the Princeton Cemetery. Friends are encouraged to join the family for a luncheon reception at the Nassau Inn, Princeton, at 12:30 p.m. In

Sabry Mackoul began his career in banking as a teller for United Jersey Bank, was selected for a management training program, and through his career rose to the upper echelons of bank management, at different times heading the retail and the commercial divisions and serving as president and CEO of United Jersey Bank, prior to a series of mergers and acquisitions. At the time of his retirement, Sabry was Senior Executive Vice President and member of the management team of Summit Bancorp, Summit Bank. He served on many professional and advisory boards, including as Chairman of the New Jersey Bankers Association. A Veteran of the Air Force reserve, Sabry was called to active duty and served through the Pueblo crisis.

Those who knew Sabry will know of his love for the game of golf. He was a longtime member of Trenton Country Club and also, after retirement, of the PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens. His love for the game led him to introduce many family members to golfing and to his vast collection of cast-off clubs. He took great joy playing with his daughter Stephanie and other family members in the annual St. Mary’s parish and Pennington School Alumni golf tournaments. His competitive nature and skill were legendary; younger golfers knew not ever to count out Sabry and his teammates. Sabry, aka “the assassin,” was a formidable force in tournaments.

Patriarch of the family, Sabry’s deep attachment to the Christian Orthodox faith was the foundation of his character, inspirational to the generations that follow him. He was raised by

Condolences were received on Monday, March 3, 2025 at Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton, NJ. The Orthodox funeral was served on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at Mother of God Orthodox Church, 904 Cherry Hill Road, Skillman, followed by interment at Sts. Peter and Paul Cemetery, 1166 Millstone River Road, Hillsborough, NJ.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations in Sabry’s memory be made to either St. Mary’s Orthodox Church, 8005 Ridge Boulevard, Brooklyn, NY 11209, or Mother of God Orthodox Church, 904 Cherry Hill Road, Princeton, NJ 08540 or the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 7023, Merrifield, VA 22116.

He is predeceased by his former spouse, Michele M. Ryan of Princeton, New Jersey. He leaves behind daughter Kelly K. Ryan of Princeton, New Jersey; son Richard T. Ryan of Princeton, New Jersey; granddaughter Alexa Trani of Princeton, New Jersey; grandson Nicolas Trani of Toms River, New Jersey; nephew Christopher D. Ryan of Princeton, New Jersey, currently Brookeville, Maryland, and his spouse Rachel L. Ryan of Baltimore, Maryland, currently Brookeville, Maryland; grand nieces Katherine L. Ryan and Emma Lynn Ryan of Brookeville, Maryland; grandnephew Joshua D. Ryan of Brookeville, Maryland; and brother Geoffrey T. Ryan of Florida.

Nicholas T. Ryan from the Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon in 1972, and Wichita State University, Kansas in 1979, and served in the United States Army from December 1976 – December 1979. Mr. Ryan was a Physical Education and English teacher with the Los Angeles Unified School District in Los Angeles, California, from 1987 to 2019.He retired in June of 2019. Additionally, Mr. Ryan worked for Cooper and Schafer Roofing and Sheetmetal Company in Princeton, New Jersey, for a number of years.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Little Sisters of the Poor, 2100 S. Western Avenue, San Pedro, California 90732. A Funeral Mass will be on March 6, 2025, 8:45 am. at Saint Dominic Savio in Bellflower, with interment following at Riverside National Cemetery at 11:15 a.m.

Continued on Next Page

Mr. Ryan was a member of the Princeton High School Class of 1968. He graduated

IS ON

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

TOWN TOPICS is printed entirely on recycled paper.

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

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

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

We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection.

We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you. ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL

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

We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection. We encourage you to make an appointment,

ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL

ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL

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

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.

options available to you.

ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL

ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL

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

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

ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL

Alan Rauch

Elizabeth Elferink Cayer

May 30, 1930 – January 6, 2025

Elizabeth (“Betsy”) Elferink Cayer, 94, of Princeton, NJ, passed away at her home on January 6, 2025. She was born in Rochester, NY, on May 30, 1930, the eldest child of Dutch immigrants John Henry Elferink and Jellina Anna (Van Niel) Elferink. Betsy grew up in Rochester, where she attended local public schools as well as the Eastman School of Music Preparatory Department, where she studied piano, harp, cello, theory, and music history. She received her A.B. (with honors) from Vassar College in 1952 and her A.M. in English from Harvard University in 1955.

While at Harvard, Betsy met and married David A. Cayer, a fellow member of the Graduate Student Council, in 1953. Betsy later taught English at the Winsor School and Beaver Country Day School in the Boston area. Shortly after their daughter Susan’s birth

in 1958, they moved to New Brunswick, NJ, where Dave started his career as an assistant professor of political science (and later a university administrator in many roles) at Rutgers University, while Betsy continued graduate study at Rutgers.

Starting in 1965, Betsy taught English at the Hartridge School, an independent K-12 school for girls in Plainfield, NJ, where her talent for school administration led to her appointment as principal from 1968 to 1976. She then guided Hartridge through a school merger with a local independent school for boys, becoming the associate head of the newly formed WardlawHartridge School. (A second merger also occurred from the two schools’ affiliation: Betsy and Dave’s daughter Susan met her future husband, Robert Stout, during their high school years at the not-quite-yet-joined schools!)

Betsy later continued her career in education administration at the New Jersey Department of Higher Education, with roles in the offices of Senior Institutions, Academic Programs, Academic Affairs, and State University and Professional Schools. Subsequently, she managed a federal grant program for Bloomfield College. She also worked as an independent educational consultant until her retirement in 2005.

As a committed volunteer, Betsy served over the years as a board member for the Wardlaw- Hartridge School, Rutgers Preparatory School

(where she became board president), and the White Mountain School. She also founded and managed the Plainfield/Westfield YWCA chapter of the TWIN Program, designed to honor and advance women in business and industry.

After 44 years in Plainfield, Betsy and Dave moved to the senior community of Princeton Windrows, where they were both active participants. Betsy served on multiple committees, including Finance, Transportation, and Buildings and Roads. One of her favorite roles was as a writer, copy editor, assistant editor, and ultimately, associate managing editor of the quarterly community magazine Windows on Windrows She also found meaning and connection in the Great Books and Great Decisions discussion groups. She and Dave co-taught classes on a favorite playwright, George Bernard Shaw, both at Windrows and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute of Rutgers University (OLLI-RU).

Betsy and Dave shared a love of the arts, going regularly to classical and jazz concerts, ballet, theater, opera, and museums. They particularly enjoyed arts-related travel, with a special place in their hearts for their annual trek to the George Bernard Shaw Festival and International Shaw Society Symposium in Niagara-onthe-Lake, Ontario.

Betsy’s husband Dave passed away in November 2017. She is survived by her siblings Barbara Greenstein of Princeton, NJ, Dorothy

Maples of Williamsport, PA, and George Elferink of West Orange, NJ; her daughter Susan Cayer (Robert Stout) of Madison, CT; grandchildren Amanda Stout (Kenzie Blondin) and Zachary Stout; and multiple nieces, nephews, and cousins. Betsy was incredibly loved and will be dearly missed by her family, friends, colleagues, and the many students whose lives she touched.

A celebration of life will take place at a later date. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute of Rutgers University (olliru. rutgers.edu/donate) or to the Elizabeth E. Cayer Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund at the WardlawHartridge School (whschool. org/endowment).

Edith Neimark

Edith Neimark, 96, of Princeton Windrows, died on February 25, 2025.

Professor Emeritis of Rutgers University, and founder and longtime coordinator of the Graduate Program in Developmental Psychology, before becoming Chair of the Douglass College Psychology Department. She also taught at Tulane, Goucher, NYU, and the UNM, Albuquerque.

Edith is the proud author of Adventures in Thinking , as well as several edited books, chapters, and research articles on problem solving, memory, and formal operations thought. She was a fellow of AAAS, APA, APS, NY Acad. Sci., SRCD, and Sigma Xi.

Edith served as President of the Jewish Historical Society of Central Jersey and LWV Princeton. She was an amateur artist, and she was also involved with 55+ and CWW House 3.

She is survived by a nephew, David Bloom and his wife Amy of

A private graveside service was held on Thursday, February 27, 2025, at the Temple Beth-El Cemetery. Arrangements under the direction of the MatherHodge Funeral Home.

Princeton’s First Tradition Worship Service

Sundays at 11am

University

DIRECTORY OF RELIGIOUS SERVICES

8:00 am: Holy Communion Rite I

am: Holy Communion Rite II 5:00 pm: Choral Evensong or Choral Compline

Rev. Paul Jeanes III, Rector

Rev. Canon Dr. Kara Slade, Assoc. Rector

33 Mercer St. Princeton • 609-924-2277 www.trinityprinceton.org

Kingston Presbyterian Church 2025 Lenten Season Schedule

Begin Lent with Us, Wednesday March 5th Ash Wednesday, Ashes to Go 7-8am & 12-1pm with Pastor Sharyl Dixon at the Kingston Deli, Main St. (Route 27), Kingston, NJ 7pm ~ Ash Wednesday Service ~ Parish House.

KPC’s Lenten Sermon Series Sundays at 11am.

“What’s Love Got To Do With It? March 9, 16, 23 and 30, April 6. Lenten Bible Study, Wednesdays at 7pm on Zoom starting March 12. Call 609-921-8895 for Zoom Link.

Sunday April 13, Palm Sunday 9:30am ~ Potluck Breakfast & Sunday School 11am ~ Worship Online & In-person

4565 Route 27, Kingston, NJ | kingstonpresnj@gmail.com 609-921-8895 | https://kingstonpresbyterian.org

Mt. Airy, MD, and their son Derek.

Princeton University Chapel All are welcome.

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

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

Town Topics CLASSIFIEDS

YARD SALE + TOWN TOPICS CLASSIFIED = GREAT WEEKEND!

Put an ad in the TOWN TOPICS

to let everyone know! Call (609) 924-2200 ext. 10; classifieds@towntopics.com

DEADLINE: Tues before 12 noon tf

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

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. tf

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 tf HOME REPAIR

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

OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE IN PRINCETON FOR RENT TO LOCALLY FOCUSED NONPROFIT AND ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

Mountain Lakes House in the Mountain Lakes Preserve. Two second floor rooms, 370 square feet - $800 per month. Rent supports the preservation of the house and The Friends of Princeton Open Space. Parking and Wi-Fi included. (609) 216-1431 or email Tazelaar001@gmail.com. 03-05

SOFA FOR SALE by ‘Wesley Hall’. 80” long, 40” deep. Purchased at Artee Fabrics Home. $1,650 or B/O. (609) 731-4111. 03-05

COMPANION/CAREGIVER:

Compassionate and caring certified nurse’s aide available for live in/live out. I also have a driver’s license. Excellent references. Call Cindy at (609) 531-6021 or (856) 325-0989. 03-12

FOR RENT IN HOPEWELL: Beautiful, light-filled, one-bedroom apartment available on March 15. For a link to more information, text: “Hopewell Apartment” to (609) 865-7041. 03-05

HAIR & NAIL SALON FOR SALE Located downtown Princeton Please contact g.admiral99@gmail.com. 03-19

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

TOWN TOPICS CLASSIFIEDS GET TOP RESULTS! Whether it’s selling furniture, finding a lost pet, or having a garage sale, TOWN TOPICS is the way to go! We deliver to ALL of Princeton as well as surrounding areas. (609) 924-2200 ext. 10; classifieds@towntopics.com

ESTATE LIQUIDATION SERVICE:

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

WE BUY CARS

Belle Mead Garage (908) 359-8131

Ask for Chris

JOIN CARNEGIE LAKE ROWING ASSOCIATION (CLRA) FOR BEGINNER (NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED) INDOOR ROWING LESSONS and training on ergs and tanks at the Princeton Boathouse with professional coaching. 1.5 hour sessions running now on Sunday 4 pm and Wednesday 5:30 am through the end of March. Free guest membership to try (then $125/year membership) plus $6/ session. No commitment required. Other sessions for experienced rowers are also available. For more information: info@clra.com.

03-05

APPLYING TO COLLEGE OR GRAD SCHOOL? Work with the highly experienced Princeton Writing Coach to learn how best to stand out from the competition and navigate the application process. Contact the Coach now for a free consultation. (908) 420-1070. princetonwritingcoach@gmail.com. https://princetonwritingcoach.com.

03-26

ANTIQUE PINE CHEST, turnof-Century, 76” high, 40” wide, 17” deep. $450 or B/O. (609) 731-4111. 03-05

WHAT’S A GREAT GIFT FOR A FORMER PRINCETONIAN?

A Gift Subscription!

Call (609) 924-2200, ext 10 circulation@towntopics.com

tf YARD SALE + TOWN TOPICS CLASSIFIED = GREAT WEEKEND!

Put an ad in the TOWN TOPICS to let everyone know! Call (609) 924-2200 ext. 10; classifieds@towntopics.com

DEADLINE: Tues before 12 noon tf

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

Email:

gmail.com Text (only): (609) 356-9201 Office: (609) 216-7936 Princeton References • Green Company HIC #13VH07549500 tf HOME REPAIR SPECIALIST: Interior/exterior repairs, carpentry, trim, rotted wood, power washing, painting, deck work, sheet rock/ spackle, gutter & roofing repairs. Punch list is my specialty. 40 years experience. Licensed & insured. Call Creative Woodcraft (609) 586-2130 tf 24/7 PROFESSIONAL NURSES AND AIDES

Personal care, nutrition, social activities, support, respite care & family relief. Live-in and live-out in the greater Princeton and other NJ areas. Personal Home Care of Hillsborough (609) 216-5000 or (908) 306-0985 tf

KARINA’S HOUSECLEANING:

Full service inside. Honest and reliable lady with references. Weekly, biweekly or monthly. Call for estimate. (609) 858-8259. 03-12

TK PAINTING: Interior, exterior. Power-washing, wallpaper removal, plaster repair, deck staining. Renovation of kitchen cabinets. Front door & window refinishing. Excellent references. Free estimates. Call (609) 947-3917. 07-30

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

OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE IN PRINCETON FOR RENT TO LOCALLY FOCUSED NONPROFIT AND ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS Mountain Lakes House in the Mountain Lakes Preserve. Two second floor rooms, 370

The Power of “Coming Soon” Advertising in Home Sales

In real estate, timing and exposure can make all the difference. “Coming Soon” advertising where a home is marketed before it officially hits the market offers key advantages for both sellers and buyers.

For sellers, this strategy builds anticipation and demand before showings even begin. By generating early buzz, a home can attract eager buyers who may be willing to submit strong offers quickly. This approach can also help gauge interest, allowing sellers to adjust pricing or marketing strategies if needed.

For buyers, “Coming Soon” listings provide a sneak peek at potential homes, giving them a head start in a competitive market. Serious buyers can prepare offers in advance, increasing their chances of securing the property.

However, sellers should ensure their agent follows local regulations, as some areas restrict pre market advertising. When used effectively, “Coming Soon” marketing can maximize exposure, drive demand, and create a sense of exclusivity that benefits all parties in- volved.

15 Hodge Road Princeton, NJ | $5,750,000

Maura Mills: 609.947.5757 callawayhenderson.com/id/MFCZ2N

272 Carter Road Lawrence Township, NJ | $4,250,000

Susan A. Cook: 609.577.9959 callawayhenderson.com/id/K5BBW8

Introducing: 124 Spruce Street Princeton, NJ | $2,380,000 Maura Mills: 609.947.5757 callawayhenderson.com/id/H8DYXF

Introducing: 132 Victoria Mews Princeton, NJ | $1,879,000

Martha Moseley: 609.529.0421 callawayhenderson.com/id/F6K36Y

Introducing: 240 Library Place Princeton, NJ | $3,750,000 Maura Mills: 609.947.5757 callawayhenderson.com/id/4ZG8ZZ Introducing: 606 Snowden Lane

Introducing: 22 Paul Robeson Place Princeton, NJ | $2,200,000

Mark Davies: 215.248.2727 callawayhenderson.com/id/E7H3L2

Introducing: 141 Fairway Drive Princeton, NJ | $1,300,000 Stephen Thomas: 609.306.4030 callawayhenderson.com/id/3XGTMW

Introducing: 37 Cleveland Lane Princeton, NJ | $1,995,000 Jane Henderson Kenyon: 609.828.1450 callawayhenderson.com/id/NEF2M2

Introducing: 6 Nelson Ridge Road Hopewell Township, NJ | $1,050,000 Deborah W. (“Debbie”) Lane: 609.306.3442 callawayhenderson.com/id/LWHMWY