Town Topics Newspaper, June 28, 2023

New Tree Inventory Map Has Benefits For Area Residents

A red maple on North Road, an American elm on University Place – these are among more than 18,000 trees in Princeton now included on a publicly accessed map with information about their size and location. What’s more, the municipal arborist has a maintenance record on each one, and can use data to aid decisions about tree removal, planting, and planning.

Princeton’s Street Tree Inventory on 18,167 trees, to be exact, can now be viewed at princetonnj.treekeepersoftware.com. It also shows stumps and vacant tree pits — 19,000 locations in all. Why does it matter? The bene ts are many, according to Princeton Arborist Taylor Sapudar, who explained that a municipal street tree inventory gives the arborist and his staff the data-based tools with which to keep the area’s trees diverse and growing.

Residents can learn what trees they have in front of their houses, and they can learn the environmental bene ts of the trees and how to care for them, said Sapudar, who is a New Jersey licensed tree expert and certi ed arborist.

The inventory is the result of a grant, which the Princeton Department of Infrastructure and Operation applied for last summer from the Department of Environmental Protection New Jersey Forest Service. The $50,000 “Resiliency” grant was approved, and the inventory was undertaken by the Davey Resource Group last November through this past winter, said Sapudar. Davey Resource Group is a research arm of Davey Tree Expert Company.

The map indicates the total yearly ecological bene ts (based on Davey’s calculations) as about $1.5 million; as well as greenhouse gas bene ts, water bene ts, energy bene ts, air quality, and property bene ts.

Sapudar pointed out that some of the municipal benefits of a street tree inventory are safety, as the inventory will warn of the potential for tree failure due to pests or disease; data-based decisionmaking, informing spending decisions based on the urgency of removing dead or decayed trees; and support for budgeting and establishing a scope or timetable of tree work.

Additionally, Sapudar pointed out,

July 4 is Celebrated with Area Events

July Fourth is an important date in Princeton, not only as the day in 1776 that the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress, but also as the day in 1783 when Princeton received a letter from the Congress designating it as the home of the new government.

While the Declaration is celebrated, usually with reworks, at least one event recognizes Princeton’s special place in history, until Congress adjourned on November 4, 1783.

Morven Museum and Garden holds its Fourth of July Jubilee on Tuesday, July 4 from noon to 3 p.m. at the historic home at 55 Stockton Street, acknowledging that in 1783, “Morven hosted Congressional delegates celebrating Independence Day.” And, 240 years later, “the museum continues this tradition, utilizing our role as the home of a signer of the Declaration of Independence (and as New Jersey’s rst governor’s mansion) to engage the public in activities that explore our shared history and what it means to be an active citizen,” said Morven staff, referring to signer Richard Stockton.

Morven Jubilee activities include live music with Ragtime Relics, food from Hotpanada and Kona Ice; face painting

with Maya B., the Face Paint Fairy; a scavenger hunt; open archives; garden tours; exhibitions; arts and crafts; and family games.

Attendees can visit stations hosted by the Paul Robeson House of Princeton, the Historical Society of Princeton, YWCA Princeton, League of Women Voters of the Greater Princeton Area, Revolution NJ, and the Princeton Public Library.

A traveling exhibition about Paul Robeson, “A Prologue to the Chapters that

Follow: Princeton and Paul Robeson,” will be on view.

The exhibition — developed as a partnership between the Historical Society of Princeton, the Witherspoon-Jackson Historical and Cultural Society, the Paul Robeson House of Princeton, and the Princeton Public Library to mark the 125th anniversary of his birth — uses Robeson’s own words to examine Robeson’s relationship with Princeton and its evolution throughout his life,” said Greer Luce,

Council Votes to Approve Resolution To Continue Consulting on Master Plan

At its meeting Monday night, Princeton Council introduced two ordinances and approved several resolutions, including one that authorizes a supplemental professional services agreement with the architecture rm Clarke Caton Hintz for additional services related to the reworking of the town’s master plan.

The town’s municipal staff and a steering committee have been working on revamping the master plan for over a year. The resolution calls for $50,000 to be allotted to the Trenton rm to continue the process. Council President Mia Sacks expressed appreciation to Municipal Planner

Justin Lesko “who has moved mountains to make this happen in an incredibly short time,” also recognizing Municipal Administrator Bernie Hvozdovic. Reworking of the plan is still on track to wrap up by the end of this year, “which is nothing short of miraculous,” Sacks said.

Council voted to authorize a professional services agreement with dentist Lehka Tull for a community block grant dental care program, now in its second year. The grant funds dental care and screening for low- and moderate-income Princeton residents.

Continued on Page 10

FIREFLY FUN: Games, crafts, live music, pony rides, and other activities were featured on Sunday as Terhune Orchards welcomed summertime with its annual Firefly Festival. Attendees share their favorite summer activities in this week’s Town Talk on Page 6.

(Photo by Grace Roberts)

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held at Monument Hall last week. From left, Larry Spruill, member of the Human Services Commission; Fern Spruill, chair of the Civil Rights Commission; and Councilman Leighton Newlin joined in the effort. (Photo courtesy of Princeton Symphony Orchestra staff) Azhaneet Blackwell, Constance Hurtt, and Dana Steele of the Trenton Children’s Chorus as they led attendees in the singing of “Lift Every Voice and Sing ”

First Juneteenth Flag-Raising Held at Monument Hall

Several local officials and a diverse group of community members gathered on Monday, June 19 at 1 Monument Hall for Princeton’s inaugural Juneteenth flag-raising ceremony honoring the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans, and celebrating Black culture.

Councilwoman Leticia Fraga was master of ceremonies, and introduced keynote speaker Councilman Leighton Newlin.

“Juneteenth, therefore, represents not just the celebration of a single day but the triumph of a collective movement for human dignity and equality,” he said.

“It stands as a testament to the indomitable spirit of a people who endured unimaginable hardships and emerged with their heads held high, ready to forge a new path toward a more inclusive and just society.”

Music was provided by the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, which arranged for violist Kennedy Dixon to accompany singers

Fern Spruill, chair of the Civil Rights Commission, spoke briefly before joining Newlin and Larry Spruill, a member of the Human Services Commission, in raising the Juneteenth flag. Municipal administrator Bernard Hvozdovic Jr. offered closing remarks and confirmed that the municipality would make the Juneteenth flagraising an annual event.

Among the attendees were Mayor Mark Freda, Council President Mia Sacks, Councilmember Eve Niedergang, and Councilmember Michelle Pirone Lambros.

The flag raising was the first in a series of events programmed in tandem with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra’s Princeton Festival in celebration of Juneteenth. The Festival’s “Beyond Freedom” exhibit, curated by Arts Against Racism founder Rhinold Lamar Ponder, opened later in the

afternoon at Morven Museum & Garden’s Stockton Education Center, followed by an evening performance of songs by Black composers sung by Met Opera star Will Liverman in the Festival’s performance pavilion.

Town Seeks Feedback On Nassau Streetscape

The municipality has embarked on a project to revitalize the streetscape and improve the pedestrian experience on the north side of Nassau Street. As part of this initiative, the town is considering how to better accommodate all modes of transportation including bicycles and e-scooters. If all goes as planned, this project will begin construction in late 2024 or early 2025. Princeton is seeking community feedback on Nassau Street Streetscape concept design plans. An open house was recently held to inform the public on plans so far. To provide feedback, members of the public can take a short survey through July 10. Visit princetonnj.gov for more information.

Topics In Brief A Community Bulletin

Call for Land Stewards: Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS) holds morning or afternoon summer volunteer sessions through August under the guidance of FOPOS’ director of natural resources and stewardship to assist with various conservation projects at Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve. Weekday and weekend sessions available. Visit fopos.org/getinvolved

Donate Blood: The American Red Cross seeks blood donors this month at its office at 707 Alexander Road, and also at Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center, as well as locations in Hamilton, Pennington, and Cranbury. Visit RedCrossBlood.org/June for details.

HONORING THE EMANCIPATION: Princeton’s inaugural Juneteenth flag-raising ceremony was

Trail last Saturday to raise funds for the Rescue Mission of Trenton.

Recovering Addict Runs to Raise Funds For Programs at Rescue Mission of Trenton

After some stints in rehab and numerous arrests, Allen Collins knew his drug addiction had spun out of control. It wasn’t until he discovered his true passion — fitness — that things began to fall into place.

Collins is now a disciplined athlete and entrepreneur, and he owns three nutrition supplement stores. He also finds time to volunteer as a faculty member of the Rescue Mission of Trenton’s New Direction program, an intensive course that helps those in recovery realize their potential and, as Collins has, make a new life for themselves.

TOPICS Of the Town

The Rescue Mission, which feeds the hungry, houses those who are homeless, and provides support for recovery from addiction, is the beneficiary of a fundraising 72-mile run that Collins did this past Saturday — in 24 hours — along New Jersey’s segment of the Appalachian Trail. Starting at the New York border near Greenwood Lake, and finishing at the Delaware Water Gap National Park, he finished the grueling run 30 minutes earlier than expected. His fundraising goal was $100,000. As of Tuesday morning, the run had raised $60,000. Donations are still being accepted.

“I’m undertaking this challenge because I’ve been so impressed by the transformational changes I’ve seen in people in recovery at The Mission,” he said in a press release.

In a phone call Monday, a rested and recovered Collins reflected on the run. “I had an amazing crew,” he said. “Four good friends of mine loaded a pickup truck with food, water, and dry clothes, and met me at certain sections of the trail. It rained, so I had to change shoes and socks a few times, but those were the only times I sat down. I didn’t rest, though I walked a bit at certain sections. Three of my crew ran with me, so I didn’t run one step by myself.”

Originally from Ocean County, Collins now lives in Vernon, a mile from the Appalachian Trail. Drugs became part of his life when he was a teenager. “When I was 18 years old, I went to rehab for the first time, and the last time I was in rehab was 11 years later,” he said. “During that time,

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I was arrested several times each year. My life had spun completely out of control. I kept getting high to avoid feeling the stuff I had bottled up. As a result, I was nothing but angry, often on the verge of rage.”

Following counseling, meetings, and journaling, Collins finally reached the crucial decision to save himself. His first legitimate job once he completed treatment was working at a gym for minimum wage. He found that he loved being around people who were focused on staying healthy. After a short while, he was promoted to the post of training manager.

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Rescue Mission

Continued from Preceding Page

These days, Collins follows a strict routine, starting with a cold plunge each morning, followed by lifting weights or going for a run in the mountains behind his home.

Building habits through discipline has been the key to his recovery. As he told his students at the Rescue Mission, “It takes an enormous amount of discipline to steal the money you need to feed a heroin habit. Now I’m using that same drive and discipline and to see opportunities that are positive. I’m here to tell you that if you can hustle enough to support a drug habit, you just have to turn that discipline and drive around to create positive results for yourself.”

Collins was never a client at the Rescue Mission, but his brother-in-law was. “That’s how he got clean,” Collins said. “He became a presenter at the New Direction program, and he asked me to do it. I didn’t want to — I fought tooth and nail, because I didn’t feel comfortable talking in front of people. But he convinced me, and I have done five presentations since then.”

The stories Collins has heard from clients at the Mission inspired him to come up with the fundraising run. “I knew I had to do something more,” he said. “They thought I was completely crazy when I suggested the run, but somehow it all worked out.”

Visit rescuemissionoftrenton.org/atrun to donate.

—Anne Levin

Runaway Slave Ads Subject of Discussion

The Trent House Association presents a talk by Shawn Carney and Michael Daubert on what can be learned from newspaper advertisements for the return of enslaved people who escaped from slavery. The talk will be given on Sunday, July 16 at 2 p.m. in the Trent House Visitor Center at 15 Market Street, Trenton, across from the Hughes Justice Complex.

Many enslaved people took their freedom by running away. Seeking what they considered their valuable property, enslavers took out newspaper advertisements with promised rewards for capture and return of runaways. In addition to revealing much about the practice of enslavement, these documents often provide information about the escaping person that is not recorded elsewhere. The talk will consider what they can tell us about slavery as an institution, and how they can be used to help illuminate the humanity of those seeking freedom.

Carney, Trent House Museum administrator, and Daubert, a recent graduate of The College of New Jersey, will describe their work exploring these questions with examples of advertisements for people seeking freedom from their enslavement.

This is a free program, but pre-registration is encouraged at tinyurl.com/ TalkJuly16. Free parking is available at the rear of the Museum property.

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

Question of the Week:

“What are your favorite summer activities?”

(Asked Sunday at the Firefly Festival at Terhune Orchards)

“Going to the movies, going shopping, and just hanging out with friends.”

—Danae Reid, Ewing

“Right now it’s just showing my daughter, she’s 2, the beauty of the world. We love to go out in the woods and explore; that’s been my favorite thing to do. It’s a lot more quiet than the boardwalk.”

“Recently my favorite summer activity would be riding mountain bikes through trails.”

“Definitely going out with my cousins — we go for hikes in the woods and things like that. Having picnics up on Goat Hill; I’m a big nature gal, so anything that has to do with being outside in the summer.”

Andrea: “We like going to the boardwalk at night, getting ice cream and pizza as a family. Coming to the farm of course, and picking corn and strawberries. We love making s’mores and having a bonfire!”

Emily: “I like going swimming, and I like doing chalk outside. Going to summer camps, too.”

—Andrea and Emily Marchione, East Windsor

Princeton University Concerts Scores

Renowned Couple for Healing with Music Series

When Princeton University Concerts (PUC) approached songwriter/composer/ bandleader Jon Batiste and his wife, author/artist Suleika Jaouad, about opening the coming season’s Healing with Music series, “it was definitely a ‘cross your fingers’ moment,” said PUC Director Marna Seltzer. “And it was a

complete jaw-drop when they said yes.”

The couple will appear on Wednesday, November 15 at Richardson Auditorium. Batiste, 36, is known for his work as a pianist, singer, and television personality who played with his band on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert from 2015-2022.

Jaouad, 34, wrote the bestseller Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted, and an interactive New York Times column about her experiences dealing with a rare form of leukemia, diagnosed just after she graduated from Princeton University in 2010. They met at band camp when he was

15 and she was 13, and married last year, the day before she underwent a bone marrow transplant.

“This is a huge deal. But it’s also a cooperative deal,” said Seltzer about snagging the couple for the series. “This is not a Jon Batiste concert. It’s an event focused on the two of them and the experience they have had in healing with music.”

Jaouad played bass in the Princeton University Orchestra. “She is someone we’ve been interested in having on the series since we started (last September),” Seltzer said. “Her book is devastating, but it’s also inspirational. She is now an expert in healing and bringing communities together. She’s so artistic, a painter as well as a writer. We wanted to highlight her story. And of course, we knew she was married to Jon Batiste.”

Batiste is a graduate of The Juilliard School, where he now serves on the board. He was recently appointed by President Biden to the Presidential Committee on the Arts and Humanities. “We knew he was committed to arts education, and of course he gets a huge exposure to classical music through his work at Juilliard,” Seltzer said.

The couple’s story is a natural fit for launching the next season of the PUC series. “We have considered and talked a lot about the effect of a major health crisis on caregivers or

MUSIC’S RESTORATIVE ROLE: To open the coming season of Princeton University Concerts’ Healing with Music series, musician Jon Batiste and author Suleika Jaouad will talk about how his music helped her cope during her hospitalization for leukemia.

family members, as well as the person going through the crisis,” Seltzer added. “Of all the stories we’ve highlighted, this one is the most dramatic. I think he has played a huge role in her healing. I’ve seen it quoted in other places that when she has been in the hospital for long stretches, he has found ways to make music in the hospital, and has talked about what a musicless place a hospital is. There are amazing descriptions of him going in and playing for patients. He brought his band to visit the oncology ward.”

The focus of the couple’s appearance will be on their relationship, and the effect music has had on her recovery. “This is part of their life’s work,” said Seltzer. “It’s not just a thing they’re going through. I think they said yes to us because this is near and dear to their life’s work.”

Seltzer is hoping the appearance will lead to a continuing relationship with the couple. “I think there is a deep well of things we can continue to do together,” she said. “I think this type of event just resonated with them. It’s something they care about. It’s not a commercial event, which a lot of his events are.”

The concert is currently available through subscription packages, or for Princeton University Student Early Bird Ticket buyers. Visit concerts.princeton.edu.

—Anne Levin

Free Weekly Tours Of Princeton Airport

Since 1985, the operators of Princeton Airport have opened their doors to visitors to let them see and experience the daily operations of the airfield. This summer, Princeton Airport invites the public to free tours during the months of July and August every Tuesday morning starting at 10:30 a.m. The tours will address the past 112 years of the airport’s history and explore the present day-to-day operations and facilities, as well as take a glimpse into its future. As a privately owned public use facility, Princeton Airport provides many services including flight training for careers, business, or pleasure in both airplanes and helicopters; sales and services of new and used airplanes; private helicopter charter; and indoor and outdoor parking of aircraft. The public will have the opportunity to walk around and view some of the different aircraft based at the field. A visit into the maintenance hangar will show the public how and why the aircraft must comply with the Federal Aviation Regulations. During the tour, visitors may be invited to sit inside an airplane to observe and start to understand how the controls work. The tours take approximately 40 minutes, and are free and open to the public. Groups are more than welcome.

Tours will not be conducted during inclement weather. Princeton Airport is located at 41 Airpark Road in Montgomery Township off Route 206. Visit princetonairport. com for more information.

Princeton University Graduate Among

Those Who Perished on Submersible

Among the five people who died as a result of a widely-covered deep ocean tragedy last week was a Princeton University alumnus whose family had ties to the University.

R. Stockton Rush III had been missing after his submersible craft, The Titan, did not resurface from a June 18 underwater trip to see the wreckage of the Titanic off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.

On June 22, the U.S. Coast Guard announced that all five passengers had apparently died after debris found on the ocean floor near the Titanic wreck indicated the craft had suffered a catastrophic implosion. Rush was co-founder and CEO of the company behind the expedition, OceanGate Expeditions, based in Everett, Wash.

Nathalie Nelson Appointed To Board of Father Center

Princeton University confirmed Rush’s class year as 1984, and his undergraduate major, mechanical and aerospace engineering.

The Daily Princetonian stated that family alumni include Rush’s father, Richard Stockton Rush Jr. ’53; grandfather, Richard S. Rush ’27; and his wife, Wendy Rush ’84. Rush is also descended from Princeton alumni Richard Stockton, Class of 1748, and Benjamin Rush, Class of 1760 — both of whom

signed the Declaration of Independence.

The New York Times noted that Rush’s wife Wendy is descended from Isidor and Ida Strauss, both of whom were passengers on the Titanic and died when the ship sank on April 15, 1912. They were among 1,500 who died on the ship. It is said 700 survived.

In its coverage of the missing submersible, and subsequent obituaries, the New York Times reported that after graduation from Princeton, Rush moved to Seattle as a flight-test engineer at McDonnell Douglas. He earned a degree from University of California at Berkeley Haas School of Business.

The Times stated that Rush, 61 when he died, was believed to be the world’s youngest jet transport-rated pilot at age 19. In 2012, he was a founder of the OceanGate Foundation, a nonprofit organization that encouraged technological development to further marine science, history, and archaeology.

While the international media has questioned the safety of the vessel, Princeton Alumni Weekly (PAW) published a story this week titled “Big Dreams and Daring Marked the Life of Stockton Rush, ’84.”

In the article, which is online, classmates, including his freshman roommate, fondly remember the classmate they called ‘Tock,’ and expressed admiration for his pursuing his dreams, his love of adventure, and his caring for others.

“History shows us that exploration and innovation are inherently risky and dangerous,” a group of alumni wrote in a statement to PAW. They signed it “Proud and Grieving Friends of Tock.”

—Wendy Greenberg

Womanspace President and CEO Nathalie Nelson was recently appointed to the board of trustees of The Father Center of New Jersey, a Trenton-based nonprofit organization with a mission to provide career counseling and workforce development programs to support men in meeting the responsibilities of fatherhood.

“I am honored and eager to contribute to the growth and evolution of The Father Center, an organization that appreciates the vital role of all fathers in healthy families and communities,” said Nelson.

Nelson has been with Womanspace for over 10 years, where she also served as the director of human resources and operations. Her areas of expertise include finance, compliance, operations, technology, and human resources.

Nelson participated in Haiti’s post-earthquake recovery efforts, and served as a CCD teacher and soup kitchen volunteer. She is currently vice president of the East Amwell Township School PTO, chair of the Parks and Recreation Committee, and a member of the township’s Planning Board. She holds a master’s degree in public administration and a certificate in non-profit financial management, both from Rutgers University.

Founded in 1977, Womanspace serves the greater Mercer County area and the state of New Jersey by providing a comprehensive array of emergency and follow-up services to individuals and families impacted by domestic and sexual violence.

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SHOWING

THEIR PRIDE: More than 4,000 marchers and supporters were in downtown Princeton on June 17 for the annual Princeton Pride Parade, organized by the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice (BRCSJ). An afterparty followed at the Princeton Family YMCA field on Paul Robeson Place.

Rustin Center Hosts Pride Parade, Party

More than 4,000 people marched in solidarity through the WitherspoonJackson neighborhood and danced in celebration at the Princeton Family YMCA on Saturday, June 17 for the annual Princeton Pride Parade and Afterparty, hosted by the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice (BRCSJ).

After local musician Olive Joseph sang “I Will Survive” as introduced by Mike HotPence, the crowd heard remarks from Sesame Street’s Alan Muraoka, transgender heroes Gavin Grimm and Rebekah Bruesehoff, Congressperson Andy Kim, Princeton Mayor Mark Freda, Sen. Andrew Zwicker, first openly gay Mayor of Maplewood Dean Dafis, and Bayard Rustin’s partner Walter Naegle, as well as drag queens “Miss Stonewall Inn” Cissy Walken and Carrie Dragshaw among many others.

Muraoka said, “It was a distinct honor to be a cogrand marshal this year, and it was so wonderful to

interact the many families who were on the parade route. It is always a thrill for me to see the recognition in the eyes of the parents, and to go and take a picture with them and to hear how Sesame Street has influenced their lives and the lives or their children. It’s one of my favorite things.”

Bruesehoff said, “It was an honor to be flag bearer for BRCSJ Pride. It’s so important at this moment in history that transgender young people are lifted up in the wholeness of who we are. Being able to lead in this way that was filled with both joy and visibility was really special.

“These opportunities to gather as a community are everything right now. We need community. We need solidarity. We need hope. And that’s what being together in such a beautiful, joy-filled way gives us. Whoever you are, whatever you’re facing, you’re not alone.”

“Every Pride is someone’s first Pride, not only our

queer youth but folks across the spectrum of age as well as identity and gender (or lack thereof),” said Robt Seda-Schreiber, BRCSJ chief activist. “We hold that idea and this feeling sacrosanct as we organize this extraordinary event and it pushes all of us here at BRCSJ headquarters to create a day that is as meaningful as it is fabulous, as empowering as it is entertaining.”

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R. Stockton Rush III

JULY 6 - Blawenburg Band

JULY 13 - The Eric Mintel Quartet

JULY 20 - School of Rock Princeton

JULY 27 - Danny Tobias & Friends

AUGUST 3 - Michelle Lordi and The Matthew Parrish Trio

AUGUST 10 - The Amazin Grace and GLB

New Tree Inventory continued from page one a detailed inventory report will allow the arborist and shade tree commission to solicit cost proposals, and offer guidance. Since diversity helps ensure that too many trees are not subject to devastation from a single pest or disease, the inventory is important in that it offers a picture of the diversity of tree species in Princeton.

The inventory does not include every tree in Princeton, Sapudar said, and is limited in that it does not include some open spaces and rural areas. But there is plenty of information.

The site inventory shows photos of each tree, as well as the name and the diameter of breast height (DBH), a measurement of size. This is helpful, said Sapudar, because in an area where there are a lot of mature trees, the municipality would consider monitoring and planning to replant newer trees. Multistem trees are indicated, which is important to assess line of sight. And indications of where stumps exist help in plans to grind, which Princeton does in-house.

If a resident thinks a tree needs maintenance work, said Sapudar, the municipality keeps a maintenance log.

The next step, he said, is to continue to add trees, “when staff time permits. It’s beneficial for all involved.”

Sapudar has been the Princeton municipal arborist since April 2018. He attended Mercer County Community College for ornamental horticulture, Rutgers University for environmental planning, and he recently finished graduate work in urban forestry from Oregon State University. He has worked at a nationally known tree care company and for an engineering firm that worked directly with the New York City Parks Department, where he worked on the Bloomberg Million Street Tree Campaign. He estimates that he has been involved with the planting of more than 5,000 trees.

For residents who want to learn more about trees, Sapudar also publishes “Treemendous Facts” and a Tree of the Month, both on the municipal website at princetonnj.gov. These monthly posts are a joint effort between Sapudar and members of the Princeton Shade Tree Commission, who work on the posts with him, he said.

Of New Jersey’s 564 municipalities, Princeton is among the few with a fulltime arborist, a full-time open space manager, and trained municipal tree crew. “We’re in good hands,” said Sapudar.

—Wendy Greenberg

Council Votes

continued from page one

Among the other resolutions was a shared services agreement between the town and the Mercer County Improvement Authority for curbside collection of recyclables, from January 2024 through the end of December 2028. The new agreement “comes at a very significant rate increase as we’ve been experiencing with all aspects of our waste,” said Councilwoman Eve Niedergang, citing a rise of 82 to 84 percent. “The cost for getting rid of things has just continued to go up. As a community and a nation, we have to think of better alternatives.”

Ordinances were introduced related to the property management policy for the Lanwin II property, which will preserve 153 acres of undeveloped land in Princeton, bordering Hopewell Township and Montgomery; and the leasing of 14 Clearview Avenue to the Housing Initiatives of Princeton Charitable Trust, to be used as part of the nonprofit’s transitional housing program. Both ordinances will be the subject of public hearings at the July 10 Council meeting.

Council issued a proclamation commending the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice for “proving itself to be an inspiration and meaningful organization that serves as a necessary and essential community activist hub, education bridge, and dedicated safe space for LGBTQIA youth, intersectional families, and all our marginalized individuals and groups, connecting diverse and disparate communities, both locally and nationally in their fight for equal rights and recognition.”

Robt Seda-Schreiber, chief activist for the organization, thanked Niedergang, Councilman Leighton Newlin, Mayor Mark Freda, and the Princeton Police Department for their continuing support. “There is a tremendous community here in Princeton,” he said. “The majority of folks are doing their best. We want to be here for you as you have been here for us.”

The next Council meeting is July 10.

—Anne Levin

Police Blotter

On June 18, at 2:18 p.m., subsequent to the report of a shoplifting that had just occurred, a 41-year-old Princeton male was placed under arrest after he was found to have taken $53.98 worth of merchandise from a North Harrison Street retail establishment. He was transported to Princeton Police Headquarters where he was processed and released.

On June 17, at 3:06 p.m., an individual reported that his bicycle and lock were stolen after he secured it to a bicycle rack on Nassau Street. The bicycle and lock are valued at approximately $10,000.

On June 16, at 7:13 a.m., someone reported that an unknown individual, or individuals, entered his vehicle while was parked on a lot on Princeton-Kingston Road, and stole approximately $1,720 worth of property. The Detective Bureau is investigating.

On June 13, at 11:45 a.m., an individual reported that he engaged in a verbal dispute with an unknown male, and, during the course of the event that took place on Redding Circle, the male spat saliva in his face and fled the area.

On June 12, at 7:45 p.m., individuals reported that their vehicles were burglarized while they were at a private establishment on Pretty Brook Road. The unknown suspect or suspects entered the vehicles by breaking a window, and then stole an unknown amount of property. The Detective Bureau is investigating.

On June 12, at 9:52 p.m., subsequent to a motor vehicle stop on Bayard Lane, a 32-year-old male from Belle Meadwas placed under arrest for Driving While Intoxicated. He was transported to police headquarters where he was processed, charged, and released.

Unless otherwise noted, individuals arrested were later released.

July 4

continued from page one curator of education and public programs at Morven.

“Morven’s 2023 Fourth of July Jubilee will explore community and civic engagement through the lens of our shared local and national history,” added Luce. “We’re excited to partner with some fantastic community organizations to offer activities, crafts, and learning opportunities for the whole family.”

The Jubilee is a “goodweather-only event,” and interested attendees are asked to check the Morven website (Morven.org) if rain is forecast. Limited parking is available in the municipal lot at 1 Monument Drive, as well as street parking and other municipal lots. Morven’s parking lot will not be open for this event, which is sponsored by Baxter Construction.

Across the Delaware River in Doylestown, Pa., Fonthill Castle’s annual Fourth of July daytime community event returns to the scenic grounds of this National Historic Landmark site on Tuesday, July 4, from noon to 4 p.m., at the former home of Henry Chapman Mercer, 25 East Court Street.

The family-friendly event takes place on the outdoor grounds where guests can enjoy food, games, crafts, entertainment, and live music. Highlights will include wheelbarrow and sack races, live musicians, and food trucks, as well as antique bicycles, historic town ball (a precursor to baseball), and other activities. Children kick off the event by participating in the Decorated Bicycle Parade at 12:30 p.m., pedaling down the site’s famed tree-lined driveway on pre-decorated bicycles.

Event attendees can listen to music for all ages by the Ring the Rafters Quartet, the Delaware Valley Saxophone Quartet, and Doylestown favorite Mukamuri, as well as family performer Lolly Hopwood. The PA Wheelmen will be on hand for their annual Antique Bike Demonstration, and musician and folklorist Darcy Fair will provide a story time. Guests have the opportunity to purchase food.

Tickets to Fonthill Castle’s Fourth of July event are $5 for adults, $1 for youth (ages 6-17), and free for children 5 and under. Tickets are available online at mercermuseum.org/july4, and will be available at the door for cash only.

Not all area events are being held on the July 4 date. Four days after the

adoption of the Declaration of Independence, Trenton hosted the first public reading of the document outside of Philadelphia, on July 8, 1776 in front of what was then the Hunterdon County Courthouse (before Mercer County existed). This year, the Trenton Kiwanis Club will reenact that first public reading on Friday, July 7, at noon, 272 years after the first reading. The location is 23 South Warren Street, which is the same site where it was first read.

A group of civic leaders and citizens, led by Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora, will each read a portion of the document, as well as the names of the signers from each of the original 13 colonies. The program is co-sponsored by the City of Trenton Department of Recreation, Natural Resources, and Culture. It is free and open to the public.

The reading is part of Trenton’s Liberty Weekend, a celebration of Trenton’s role in American history, that includes planned tours of the Old Barracks, Trent House, State House, and other historic sites. On Sunday, July 9 at 2 p.m., historian Tom Frascella offers the program “Italians in Colonial America,” with an emphasis on Phillip Mazzei, a wine and olive oil maker and a confidante of Washington and Jefferson, at the Trent House, 15 Market Street. For more information, or changes due to inclement weather, call (609) 208-9991 or see the Kiwanis Club of Trenton on Facebook.

The Princeton Public Library is co-hosting an online reading of writer and orator Frederick Douglass’ essay, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” on Wednesday, July 5, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Community members will read an amended version of the speech, which was given on July 5, 1852, in Rochester, N.Y., to the Rochester Ladies Anti-Slavery Society.

To register, use the form on princetonlibrary.org, under Events.

Organizing partners include, in addition to the library, Nassau Presbyterian Church and Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church Joint Mission Committee, Not In Our Town Princeton, Paul Robeson House of Princeton, McCarter Theatre, and Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton.

What would the Fourth of July be without fireworks?

The area has no shortage of these sparkling sky shows, including the following: East Windsor: The festivities are on Saturday, July 1

(rain date is July 3) at Etra Lake Park, with entertainment starting at 6 p.m. The fireworks display will begin around 9:30 p.m. For more information, visit east-windsor.nj.us/events.

Ewing Township: The Independence Day Celebration at the TCNJ Campus, Green Lane soccer fields is on Friday, June 30, starting at 6 p.m. (rain date is July 2). Entertainment is planned before the fireworks begin around 9 p.m. For more information, see the Ewing Township Police Department page on Facebook.

Hamilton: Fireworks are on Friday, June 30 at 9:30 p.m. (rain date is July 2) at Veterans Park, Kuser Road entrance. A concert by The Heartbeats starts at 6 p.m. For more information, visit hamiltonnj.com/fireworks.

Lawrenceville: The annual Independence Day Fireworks will be held at Rider University on Friday, June 30 (rain date is July 1). Food trucks, a live band, and children’s entertainment will begin around 6 p.m. The fireworks will start around 9:30 pm. The free event is sponsored by Lawrence Township Recreation. Visit lawrencetwp.com/departments/recreation for more information.

Montgomery Township: Fireworks are on Thursday, June 29 at Montgomery High School. Games and vendor tables open at 6 p.m., and fireworks begin at dusk. Picnic blankets are encouraged. Those coming to the event should enter the high school parking lot at the northern entrance along Route 601 (Belle Mead-Blawenburg Road), drop off only in the designated area, and exit through the rear of the parking onto Route 602 (Skillman Road). Carpooling is strongly encouraged. Parking passes for the fireworks can be purchased at the Otto Kaufman Community Center for $20, although the township predicts they will sell out quickly. For more information, visit montgomerynj.gov.

Trenton: The Trenton Thunder offer fireworks on July 4 after the game, and Saturday, July 8 after the game, at the Trenton Thunder Ballpark, Arm and Hammer Boulevard. For more information, visit mlbdraftleague.com/Trenton.

West Windsor: Fireworks at the L.E.A.D. Fest State Fair at Mercer County Park occur on June 30, July 3, July 4, and July 8, after 9:30 p.m. Admission to the Fair is $5 during the week and $8 on the weekend. For more information, go to theleadfest.com.

—Wendy Greenberg

Rider Furniture

Zoning Board to Consider Variance for Coffee Roasting Again at Zoom Meeting

To the Editor:

For the fourth time, the Board of Zoning Adjustment will consider a variance to allow a proposed coffee processing (roasting) facility at 300 Witherspoon.

The applicant wishes to roast and sell roasted bean coffee at multiple owned locations and wholesale to customers in the area. Current zoning prohibits food processing and/ or manufacturing of any products for sale off-premise in the B1 “mixed residential/retail/office” zone and, in fact, all other sections of Princeton.

At the previous three hearings, the applicant has had unlimited time and presented its case in full, three separate times. Tonight, June 28, the Board has promised that community members will be heard first on the agenda, beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom (only). The link is available at princetonnj.gov in the calendar section of the website.

At the May hearing two critical new developments made tonight’s hearing especially important. First, the applicant acknowledged that the large size of their proposed roaster is such that their operation will require an Air Quality Permit from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, due to the potential for CDC-identified hazardous, noxious emissions associated with coffee roasting.

Currently, NJDEP permits mandate a thermal oxidizer (afterburner) so that there are “no visible emissions” and “no odor beyond the property line.” A worthy goal for both the roaster and the cooling tray.

However, the applicant abandoned its previously stated intention to mitigate emissions with a thermal oxidizerafterburner, instead, proposing a water-based system that, according to company testimony and sales literature, may be less (maybe much less) effective than the previously proposed afterburner in removing smoke, fumes, and odors capable of causing substantial detriment to air quality on site and beyond the property line. This sudden switch is greatly concerning to the close-in neighbors, of which I am one.

Remember that in March, the applicant testified that their retail coffee shop will be established whether or not the zoning variance is granted.

For that reason, the concerned neighbors believe the variance is not necessary and should not be granted. “Coffee shop yes, roasting no” would seem to be a reasonable way for the Board to protect air quality in WitherspoonJackson/Community Park.

Earlier in June, all Princetonians experienced the physical and mental discomforts that come from breathing unclean air with no ability to control the situation. Can you not see why, to the close-in neighbors, our fresh air is a critical “quality of life” issue?

We hope every Princetonian concerned with air quality will make time to attend tonight’s meeting, hear the

arguments from the public, and, if they wish, express an opinion on this matter.

OWEN LEACH Witherspoon Street

New Coffee Roastery Would Be Change For Witherspoon-Jackson Neighborhood

To the Editor:

I understand why my neighbors in the WitherspoonJackson community are concerned about Sakrid Coffee’s proposed roasting operations at 300 Witherspoon Street, which will be discussed at the town Zoning Board meeting on Wednesday, June 28. Folks fear that local coffee roasting will negatively impact their families’ health and daily lives.

My neighbors have expressed worries that roasting will make Witherspoon-Jackson into an industrial park. If you believe that a coffee shop roasting small batches of beans for a few hours a week will produce a Dickensian miasma over the neighborhood, consider how unbearable it would be inside the shop. No one would linger over their latte in a shop housing a roasting operation that is the epicenter of foul-smelling air and choking dust. Sakrid would quickly go out of business.

Sakrid’s business depends on creating great experiences. Most of a coffee shop’s profit margins come from brewed drinks sold to customers, not roasting beans. If Sakrid wanted to build an industrial-scale roasting empire, there are far cheaper rents outside of Princeton. They are seeking the variance to roast at 300 Witherspoon because it allows them to consolidate their operations and emit less carbon in transport. Coffee roasting is not the core of Sakrid’s business and if it had major environmental impact on the neighborhood, it would be to their own detriment. Sakrid’s new roastery will certainly be a change for the neighborhood — more people visiting, lingering, talking. Not all change is bad.

BEN REINHARDT Birch Avenue

Hoping Public Gets Time to Speak At June 28 Zoning Board Meeting

To the Editor:

Tonight, Wednesday, June 28 at 7:30 p.m., the Zoom meeting of the Zoning Board will once again concern itself with Sakrid Coffee’s variance request to roast coffee on a retail-wholesale basis next to an elementary school in a high-density neighborhood.

This will be the fourth time the members of the Zoning Board have heard presentations by Sakrid. At the previous Zoning Board meeting on May 24, as reported in the Town Topics [“Zoning Board Carries Coffee Roasting Decision to June 28 Meeting,” page 1, May 31], the abundance of testimony by those experts representing Sakrid left time for only a few of the more than 50 members of the public on Zoom to offer their comments on this controversial variance request. Let’s hope the public gets time to speak at the June 28 meeting.

PETER GOBLE Witherspoon Street

Middle of the Night

Can’t Find Your Town Topics!

Take a stroll down to our previous office at 4 Mercer Street or come to our new location, 4438 Routh 27 North in Kingston, where you can purchase a copy for 75 cents (3 quarters required) from our coin-operated newspaper boxes, 24 hours a day/7 days a week.

Letters to the Editor Policy

Town Topics welcomes letters to the Editor, preferably on subjects related to Princeton. Letters must have a valid street address (only the street name will be printed with the writer’s name). Priority will be given to letters that are received for publication no later than Monday noon for publication in that week’s Wednesday edition.

Letters must be no longer than 500 words and have no more than four signatures.

All letters are subject to editing and to available space.

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

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

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

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

Books

Amish farms, along Valley Forge stream beds, atop a New Jersey trash mound, across New York Harbor, and finally to his ultimate destination: the Ramble, where a tangle of pathways converges in Central Park.

He chronicles the experience in American Ramble (Mariner Books, $32.50), which filmmaker Ken Burns described as “a near perfect book, an exquisitely seen and felt memoir of an American journey.”

For his Princeton audience, King will share local stories, including walking the Delaware Canal Path, crossing the river in the same location as George Washington, encountering the myth of the Mercer Oak, and experiencing Grover’s house in Grovers Mill.

King is a longtime Washington, D.C., resident and former national political reporter and editor at the Wall Street Journal. He is the founder and editor of Gotham Canoe, an online publication devoted to the outdoors. For more information, visit princetonlibrary.org.

“American Ramble” Memoir is Topic of Library Author Program

Author Neil King Jr. will discuss and sign copies of his recently released memoir, American Ramble: A Walk of Memory and Renewal, which chronicles his journey on foot from Washington, D.C., to New York City.

The event will take place on Tuesday, July 11 from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Princeton Public Library Community

Room, and is co-sponsored by the Historical Society of Princeton.

In 2021, at a time of both national and personal upheaval, King started a 330-mile walk from Washington, D.C., to New York City. The 26-day journey took him through historic battlefields and cemeteries, over the Mason-Dixon line, past Quaker and

Princeton Native Darrow Authors Mystery Novel

The Wild Rose Press has released Murder for Liar by Princeton native Verlin Darrow. Murder for Liar has been published simultaneously in trade paper ($17.99) and eBook ($3.99) editions.

Award-winning novelist Darrow’s newest mystery places private investigatorturned-psychotherapist Tom Dashiel in a Santa Cruz office when George Arundel

enters. Working to treat the enigmatic Arundel, Dashiel soon realizes he has been tasked to treat a client unlike any he’s ever encountered. How Arundel may be related to the uncanny coincidences encountered by Dashiel, and his possible connection to the escalating spate of unsolved murders plaguing the typically calm but always colorful Santa Cruz community, results in Dashiel’s discovery that “truth is stranger than

fiction, but the real danger is not knowing which is which,” according to the publisher.

Darrow is a psychotherapist who lives with his psychotherapist wife in the woods near the Monterey Bay in northern California.

Expecting To Be Misunderstood — Thoughts on Will Howarth (1940-2023)

You will pardon some obscurities, for there are more secrets in my trade than in most men’s...

—Henry David Thoreau, from Walden

Thoreau scholar William Howarth quotes those words in his June 5, 2017 American Scholar essay “Reading Thoreau at 200.” When I learned of his death two weeks ago, I felt as if I’d lost a friend, although we’d met only once in person, at a party in Princeton some 30 years ago. While I can’t remember what we actually discussed, we most likely talked about family names, politics, Princeton, writers and writing, and of course Thoreau. One thing I surely mentioned was my long ago visit to Thoreau’s grave in Concord, where the only word on his gravestone is HENRY, no secrets, no obscurities, just the name, as if he’d died on familiar terms with the planet.

Naming Names

During a July 2017 email exchange, Howarth said that that his was “a locational name, meaning the field on a hilltop where we drive flocks in summer, dooming me to a life of teaching and preaching. My name was misspelled and torturously mispronounced throughout my youth. My family said How-worth, as in How much is it Worth? The Midwest corruption was often Hoe-worth. But I’ve always had a theory that expecting to be misunderstood is good training for a writer.”

That last thought, tossed off casually in an email, could have come from Thoreau himself, or from John McPhee, Howarth’s friend and colleague in the Princeton English Department and the subject of his introduction to The John McPhee Reader (1976). In the University’s June 20 memorial tribute to Howarth, McPhee recalls that “Will was a towpath running companion,” adding with characteristic geological panache, “We joked that he came from the mid-continent, the stable interior craton, where nothing much had happened in a billion years.” Howarth told me he’d grown up in Minnesota and Illinois, but was “planted in the East by circumstance.” He’d once dreamed of “retiring to Wisconsin and living in a Prairie-style house, until the alt-right destroyed everything green or rad in the state.”

Sounding the Alarm

Although Trump had only been in office half a year when “Thoreau at 200” was published, Howarth was sounding the alarm: “Our times have never needed the shock of Thoreau more. We face a government eager to kill all measures of natural protection in the name of corporate profit. Elected officials openly bray that environmentalism ‘is the greatest threat to freedom.’ On federal, state, and local levels, civil liberties and free speech are under severe attack. Thoreau is too; the barriers to reading him as a voice of

resistance — or reading him at all — are multiplying swiftly.”

An example of what Howarth’s getting at is “Pond Scum,” a 2015 New Yorker piece by Kathryn Schulz, in Howarth’s words, “the Kellyanne Conway of Thoreau commentary.” While I still find it hard to believe that the famously circumspect New Yorker editors permitted so Trumpish a title, Schulz’s hatchet job provoked a stirring response from Howarth: “I have spent a lifetime with Thoreau.

I neither love nor hate him, but I know him well. I tracked down his papers, lived in Concord, walked his trails, repeated his journeys, and read, twice, the full journal.” Even one journey through 47 manuscript volumes, or 7,000 pages, would be an epic accomplishment, and this journal “runs longer than two million words (many still unpublished),” and is, says Howarth, “the great untold secret of American letters.”

Reading Spiderwebs

“Will was one of the 10 or so people in the world who could read Thoreau’s handwriting,” according to McPhee, who compared it to “damaged spiderwebs,” which fits with the content of a journal made up of field notes, wherein Thoreau, in Howarth’s words, was “turning ground-truth into literature. He finds a riverbank hollow of frost crystals, and replicates exactly how they look, at a distance and then closer, imagining how they formed..... He watches snowflakes land on his coat sleeve: ‘And they all sing, melting as they sing, of the mysteries of the number six.’ “

The singing snowflakes are reminders of Howarth’s interest in Thoreau’s “real theme, the life of secrets, of learning from writing.”

Pen Names and Secrets

In the context of secrets, I’m thinking of pen names and my decision not to complete the sentence Howarth thought important enough to quote in full at the top of a July 12, 2017 email headed “Secrets” and that I left incomplete at the top

of this essay. After asking the reader to pardon “some obscurities, for there are more secrets in my trade than in most men’s,” Thoreau goes on to admit that the secrets are “yet not voluntarily kept, but inseparable from its very nature.” Which means that secrets are inseparable from the very nature of the writing trade?

After another look at the email in question, I see that I left out the gist of Howarth’s response to my column on Thoreau’s bicentenary: “Thanks again for a tribute that the man in Concord would have enjoyed.” That’s a compliment to be cherished, so why hide it? As for the whys and wherefores of pen names, if you look up “William Howarth” in the Princeton Public Library’s online catalogue, you will be directed to Dana Hand, the author of Deep Creek (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2010), a book actually co-written by Will Howarth and his wife Anne Matthews.

“Deep Creek” I began Deep Creek when I needed to come up for air during my reading of Cormac McCarthy’s unforgivingly intense novel Blood Meridian. Deep Creek is based on the 1887 massacre of Chinese miners in Hell’s Canyon, on the Snake River border between Oregon and Idaho territory. Blood Meridian improvises on atrocities that took place on the Texas-Mexico border in the 1850s.

Reading Deep Creek, which was named one of the 10 best novels of 2010 by the Washington Post, it’s tempting to identify the authors with the couple at the center of the novel, Joe Vincent, the lawman hired to investigate the case, and Grace Sundown, described in the liner notes as “a métis mountain guide with too many secrets.” I found Grace the novel’s most appealing character: at home in rough terrain, intelligent, capable, well-spoken, attractive if not beautiful, and above all a sympathetic female of the sort rarely if ever found in McCarthy’s work, at least not until Alicia Western in The Passenger Stella Maris

Although Deep Creek offered a temporary reprieve from the weighty “greatness” of Blood Meridian , there are passages in it as graphic as anything to be found among McCarthy’s “legions of horribles.” If anything, the details of violation are more disturbing because there is actually room for the reader in the scene. Rather than a teeming delirium of violence, you’re observing, with a clarity worthy of Thoreau in the field, “faces that had fallen prey to carcass beetles and maggots” with “corpse wax forming on the cheek fat.... All three decaying throats had been slit.” Thoreau also comes to mind in passages like the one about “souvenirs” found by two Chinese boys while exploring the “alpine meadows above camp.... A double handful of hazelnuts. An obsidian arrowhead. A horned toad, inedible but lucky. A magpie feather, luckier still.”

If your couple of choice is Joe and Grace, you’re most intensely with them when they’re at risk, as when Blue Evans, the handsome blonde monster who orchestrated the massacre, seems about to gouge Joe’s eyeball out of its socket, or when, having escaped justice, he physically accosts Grace in Portland, his face “inches away. She could smell ginseng on his breath.... A fine straight nose, a sculptured, curling mouth. No one had said he was this handsome.” As she jerks away, he flings up his free arm “like a man hailing a hansom cab” to beckon the police, who arrest her for soliciting, in case you forgot that in 1887 America this admirable woman is treated as a half breed prostitute.

Princeton’s Howarth

In one of his July 2017 emails, Howarth mentioned teaching a freshman course on film noir and invited me to visit sometime “and see what the class of 2021 thinks of Bogart and Bergman.” Of course the man who quoted Thoreau on “secrets” and “obscurities” would teach a course on film noir. This also explains the reference in Deep Creek to a series of London murders during the same period: “harlot after harlot fund dead in the slums, throats slit, bodies torn open, organs cut away.... Papers called the killer Jack the Ripper.”

You get a nice sense of Howorth’s campus presence from his colleague Susan Wolfson, quoted in the impressive memorial statement from Princeton’s Office of Communications: “His office was a commodious one on the first floor [of Firestone Library], with high leaded glass windows facing the Chapel, and comfy chairs. It seemed he was always there, late into the evening, working away, but Will’s office was also, in the absence of any faculty lounge, something of a de facto hospitality suite, where everyone felt welcome to come by for conversation, for counsel, or just a cheery greeting.”

—Stuart Mitchner

Princeton Festival Presents Contemporary Theatrical Oratorio

The story of San Francisco supervisor Harvey Milk is one of the most tragic in American politics. Known as “The Mayor of Castro Street,” Milk was the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California and was assassinated (along with the city’s mayor) in November 1978 by Dan White, a former supervisor who had been refused reinstatement to office. The aftermath of the untimely deaths of these individuals changed the face of San Francisco politics, and White’s subsequent suicide created a trinity of loss of both life and potential.

If Harvey Milk’s rise and fall seem operatic, conductor, composer, and lyricist Andrew Lippa has created a musical celebration of the politician’s legacy in I Am Harvey Milk, a semi-staged theatrical oratorio presented this past weekend by Princeton Festival. Staged at the Morven Museum & Garden performance pavilion and conducted by the composer, the 16-movement work featured four soloists, Princeton Symphony Orchestra, and Princeton Festival Men’s Chorus. I Am Harvey Milk came about in 2012 from a commission by a number of choral ensembles, including the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, and premiered with Lippa as Harvey Milk on June 26, 2013, the same day the U.S. Supreme Court declared legislation affecting same-sex marriage unconstitutional. Last Friday night’s performance (the production was repeated Saturday night) marked both the world premiere of Lippa’s revised version of the score and his debut conducting the piece.

The libretto, also by Lippa, captured scenes from Milk’s life, often with the assumption that the audience knew the story. Friday night’s audience seemed not only to be very familiar with the historical events, but was also well acquainted with both Lippa as a Broadway composer and some of the actors onstage.

The four lead performers in Friday night’s production brought a wide range of theatrical, recording, and television experience to the Morven stage. Twelveyear-old Benjamin Pajak, a veteran of New York Broadway productions, played Harvey Milk as a young boy, with awardwinning actor Adam Kantor as the adult Harvey. A Speaker, portrayed by Stacey Stevenson, provided commentary on the times by such historical figures as Anita Bryant, minister Phil Snider, and Dan White offering justification for his actions.

Veteran theater performer Scarlett Strallen sang the roles of several women in Milk’s life, ranging from his mother to an influential teacher.

As a young Harvey, Pajak was clearly comfortable onstage, with a voice that could easily be heard in the back of the house, even over a full orchestral sound. He could easily hold his own vocally with Kantor as the adult Harvey, and the two voices created a strong and appealing vocal combination. Kantor communicated well with the audience, showing a great deal of personality in his portrayal, particularly capturing the impact of a moment in describing the signing of key legislation in Milk’s tenure as city supervisor.

Among her vocal selections, soprano Strallen performed an especially eloquent soliloquy, gracefully accompanied by pianist Paul Staroba and flutist Scott Kemsley. The register for Strallen’s vocal lines was often quite high, but she had no trouble maneuvering the range and succeeded in serving as a calming influence in the onstage action. As the Speaker, Stevenson conveyed a range of commentary from diverse political stances and characters. Two key readings were her portrayal of Dan White explaining his actions and the character of California politician John Briggs, who unsuccessfully attempted to legislate removal of gay and lesbian school employees from their jobs in California.

Lippa also assigned social commentary to the 40-member Princeton Festival Men’s Chorus, prepared by Vinroy D. Brown Jr. The chorus showed clear diction and a well-blended sound, particularly when singing a cappella. Five chorus members — Carlos Encinias, Noah Zachary, Hansel Tan, Derrick Cobey, and Javier Ignacio — provided high-energy solos in the scene describing the Milk’s home base of the Castro neighborhood, most notably Cobey, who seemed to have his own following in the audience. Playing from the stage rather than a pit, Princeton Symphony Orchestra effectively brought out Lippa’s rich orchestration and imaginative instrumental effects.

Harvey Milk died more than 40 years ago, yet his story is as far-reaching and contemporary today as it was in 1978. Princeton Festival has presented a piece which might be more Broadway than opera, yet has the same impact and power as the most complex works from the operatic repertory.

—Nancy Plum

JIMMY BOSCH SALSA MASTERS

PART OF THE JIMMY BOSCH TRIBUTE WORLD TOUR, CELEBRATING 50 YEARS IN SALSA AND LATIN JAZZ

JUAN CARMONA

INNOVATIVE FLAMENCO GUITAR VIRTUOSO

RUFUS REID & EXPEDITION

LEGENDARY JAZZ BASSIST, AND HIS QUINTET

INFORMATION:

Princeton’s First Tradition Worship Service

Sundays at 10am

Co-sponsored by the Princeton Recreation Department

Princeton University Chapel

Open to all.

Preaching Sunday, July 2, 2023, at 10am is Jessica Campbell, First United Methodist Church in Moorestown, NJ. Music performed by University organist, Eric Plutz.

Artwork by Nicole Steacy

Performing Arts

Trombonist Jimmy Bosch opens the Blue Curtain series of concerts at Pettoranello Gardens on July 8.

Salsa, Flamenco, and More

At Pettoranello Gardens

Blue Curtain, a Princeton summer tradition, returns to Pettoranello Gardens Amphitheater with three free concerts in July. These are free, family-friendly events presenting renowned musicians. Concerts begin at 8 p.m. The amphitheater is located at Route 206 and Mountain Avenue.

First, on July 8, is Jimmy Bosch Salsa Masters. This concert is part of the Jimmy Bosch Tribute World Tour, celebrating 50 years in salsa and Latin jazz. Also known as “El Trombon Criollo,” Bosch is a jazz and salsa music trombonist, composer and bandleader of Puerto Rican descent, and was born in New Jersey. Among the artists with whom he has played are Rubén Blades, Mark Anthony, Eddie Palmieri, Celia Cruz, and Ray Baretto.

On July 15, flamenco guitar virtuoso Juan Carmona and his band perform music that might be found in the bars of Andalusian Spain. Considered one of the greatest living flamenco guitarists, Carmona is known to be deeply connected to his Andalusian roots while also being an innovator. He has been nominated five times for Latin Grammy Best Flamenco Album of the Year. The series concludes on July 22 with jazz bassist Rufus Reid & Expedition. In addition to leading his own groups — duos, trios, quartets, and quintets —

Reid has accompanied numerous jazz artists such as Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz, and Kenny Barron. For this concert, Reid will be joined by his quartet, featuring Roxy Coss on saxophone, Kenneth Salters on drums, Roberta Piket on piano, and Freddie Hendrix on trumpet. Blue Curtain, co-sponsored by the Princeton Recreation Department, is a nonprofit dedicated to presenting the highest quality of culturally diverse music and dance to the audiences in the Princeton area. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. Email info@bluecurtain.org for more information. In case of rain or extreme heat, the shows will move to Princeton High School Performing Arts Center at Franklin Avenue and Walnut Lane.

McCarter Theatre Names

New Executive Director McCarter Theatre Center has announced that Martin Miller, who led the Obie Award-winning TheatreSquared in Fayetteville, Ark., through a major transformation over more than a decade as its leader, has been named executive director.

Miller, a Princeton resident, was executive director/ producer at TheatreSquared for 13 years. He is credited with guiding the company from three plays on a startup budget to more than 400 performances and $7.5 million in revenue each year.

He produced 135 plays and new play workshops, and led fundraising, design, and construction for the company’s two-venue, permanent home — winner of six national and international architectural awards. He has directly raised $44 million for the company, while working with teams to expand audiences more than twentyfold.

and Princeton is a special place,” said Miller. “It’s a singular privilege to partner with Sarah Rasmussen, the board, the talented staff, and most importantly, with this community to help launch its exciting next stage. You can feel the energy and excitement for what’s possible when you walk in the door. Here, there’s an incredible legacy to build on — and immeasurable potential for growth.”

Miller begins his tenure on September 7. He will report to the board of directors and work closely with Rasmussen, who will continue to oversee all aspects of artistic direction. According to a press release, he will “help envision and operationalize McCarter’s strategic plan; guide finances, fundraising, and business strategy; build audiences while opening new avenues to access; forge and strengthen relationships across the Princeton community and throughout the region; advance the company’s core commitments to equity and inclusion; and serve as a tireless supporter and mentor to the staff.”

Miller’s wife, Elizabeth Margulis, is a professor at Princeton University, and his three children attend Princeton Public Schools.

Presbyterian Church, 61 Nassau Street. No tickets are needed. Other concerts will be the Poulenc Trio on Wednesday, July 19 and the Dali Quartet on Friday, July 28.

faculties of Princeton University and Lafayette College. For more information, visit princetonsummerchamberconcerts.org or call (609) 570-8404.

Historical Society Presents

“Grand Illusion” at Garden

“The building blocks of leading a vibrant theater company are crafting ambitious strategic plans and delivering on them; building audiences and keeping and expanding them; raising funds and spending them wisely — all to support the creation of ever-more exciting artistic work,” said W. Rochelle Calhoun, president of McCarter Theatre Center’s Board of Trustees, who also chaired the company’s search committee. “Martin has proven his ability to do all this and more. We are thrilled to add his deep experience to our leadership team.”

“I’m excited to partner with Martin as we thoughtfully connect with audiences and grow this beloved institution. We share a commitment to world class artistry that sparks the imagination and creates a center for conversation, community, and belonging,” said Rasmussen. “We are thrilled to align Martin’s track record of getting big ideas off the ground with McCarter’s strategic plans — including our signature collaborations with Princeton University and community partners.”

Summer Chamber Concerts

Continue with Guitar Duo

Newman and Oltman’s concert tours have taken them to venues across five continents. They have collaborated with such diverse artists as composer/conductor Marvin Hamlisch and the Pittsburgh Symphony Pops, mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, fi ddler Eileen Ivers, pianist Clarice Assad, violinist Tim Fain, and the ETHEL, Calder, and Turtle Island string quartets.

The film Grand Illusion will be presented on Wednesday, July 19 at 7 p.m. at the Garden Theatre, 160 Nassau Street, in collaboration with the Historical Society of Princeton (HSP).

Jean Renoir’s anti-war film is considered to be one of the masterpieces of cinema. Jean Gabin and Pierre Fresnay star as French soldiers grappling with their own class difference after being captured and held in a World War I German prison camp. Also starring Erich von Stroheim as German Captain von Rauffenstein, this film reportedly brought J. Robert Oppenheimer to tears when he and his wife Kitty saw it at the Princeton Garden during its initial release.

Tomato Patch 2023

Summer Workshops

“McCarter is one of the great American arts centers

The 56th season of the Princeton University Summer Chamber Concerts continues with the Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo at Nassau Presbyterian Church on Thursday, July 6 at 7:30 p.m. The duo will perform works by de Falla, Brouwer, Bellinati, Albéniz, and other composers. Due to repairs in Richardson Auditorium this summer, the remainder of the series will be held at Nassau

Highlights of recent and upcoming performances include the world premiere of Concierto Buenos Aires, composed for the Duo by Nuevo Tango Master Daniel Binelli with l’Orchestre de l’Opéra de Reims in France. Newman and Oltman have built a unique repertoire of works for two guitars by leading and emerging composers such as Paul Moravec, Augusta Read Thomas, Lowell Liebermann, Dušan Bogdanovi , Arthur Kampela, and Roberto Sierra.

The duo has served as Ensemble-in-Residence at New York’s Mannes College The New School of Music since 1987. Newman, a graduate of Mannes College of Music, currently serves on the guitar and chamber music faculty. Oltman serves on the

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This screening will be introduced by Eve Mandel, HSP director of programs and outreach. An Oppenheimerthemed walking tour will be offered this summer in conjunction with the July 21 release of the Christopher Nolan film Oppenheimer

Tickets to the screening are $7.75-$13.50. For more information, visit princetonhistory.org.

Tomato Patch 2023

Summer Workshops

2023 Summer Workshops

MUSICAL PARTNERS: Michael Newman, left, and Laura Oltman, present a varied program on Thursday, July 6 at Nassau Presbyterian Church.

MUSIC AL FRESCO:

Martin Miller

her

Meadow Lakes Resident

Showcases Portrait Collection

Meadow Lakes resident Betsy Ashton is exhibiting her art in “Portraits of Immigrants: Unknown Faces, Untold Stories,” on view at the community through the end of July.

Through the exhibit, Ashton introduces viewers to the lives of people she has met from different countries who have immigrated and now live in the United States. The portraits depict real people with real lives that come from a variety of different cultures.

The inspiration for the art exhibit came to Ashton during the 2016 presidential elections when she was hearing rhetoric about immigrants that was not accurate and was filled with hate. It inspired her to learn more about the life experiences of immigrants she had met and befriended while living in New York City.

“The real reason I created this exhibit was to say, ‘let’s just foster kindness and understanding instead of slinging around hate,’” said Ashton. “The things I was hearing about immigrants were inaccurate, so I decided to interview the people I see and interact with daily.”

Ashton used the journalistic skills she developed

during her career as a CBS News correspondent to interview the people in her portraits. She wrote the accompanying bibliographical captions for each one. When the viewing public experiences her paintings, Ashton wants them to better understand who these people are, what sacrifices they made to come to this country, and all their contributions to our society.

Ashton’s portraits have been displayed in art exhibits and collections around the world. Her official portrait of former Ambassador Philip Lader resides in the collection of the U.S. Embassy in London, and her portrait of actor Hal Holbrook is in the Hall of Fame collection of The Players in New York City. Her portrait of author Louise Erdrich is displayed in the collection of the Kenyon Review at Kenyon College.

Meadow Lakes is at 300 Meadow Lakes Avenue in East Windsor.

Phillips’ Mill Juried Art Show Prospectus Available

The Phillips’ Mill Art Committee has announced that the prospectus for the 94th Juried Art Show is now available on the mill’s website at phillipsmill.org.

The prestigious art exhibition will grace the walls of

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. After registering online, all artwork must be delivered to the Mill for in-person jurying in early September. Information about receiving days and all other pertinent dates and details can be found in the prospectus.

All submitting artists are invited to the Opening Night Preview and Reception for Patrons and Artists, which kicks off the festivities this year on Friday, September 22 at 5 p.m., the evening before the show opens to the public.

Additional details about the show, its history, this year’s jurors, patron support opportunities, and the various events related to the art show can be found at phillipsmill.org.

“Out There” Photo Exhibit

the historic grist mill in New Hope, Pa., from September 23 through October 29. The show will be juried in person by a group of academically distinguished artists from leading arts institutions including the Barnes Foundation, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and Tyler School of Art and Architecture. The jurors are Syd Carpenter, Al Gury, Curlee Raven Holton, Lauren Sandler, and TK Smith.

Artists who live (or have a studio) within a 25-mile radius of Phillips’ Mill are invited to register their submissions online beginning July 30 through August 27.

“We encourage and heartily welcome submissions from all artists — from the highly established to the emerging beginner, from the widely shown to the underrepresented, and from all ethnicities, backgrounds, and beliefs,” said Mary Flamer, co-chair of this year’s show. Submission categories, as always, include framed work, sculpture, and unframed pieces for portfolio display.

All registration must be completed online via Smarter Entry, a link to which can be found on the Mill’s website. A “Concierge Day” to assist artists with online registration will be held at the Mill on August 15 from

At Gallery 14 in Hopewell Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography in Hopewell now features the works of artists David Ackerman, Barbara Warren, and Bennett Povlow in “Out There.” The exhibit is on view through July 16, with a Meet the Artists reception on Saturday, July 8 from 1 to 3 p.m. Ackerman’s exhibit, “The Long View,” looks at how, under the blazing sun of the desert Southwest, Utah reveals eons of building up and tearing down with dazzling colors, patterns, and shapes. Under inky black skies of the dry desert night, the same landscapes reveal longer views past the horizon to the distant universe.

In her exhibit “Pairs,” Warren notes that “each of us has our own way of seeing that shows through in our photography. The images

in these pairs were taken many years and many miles apart, but exhibit similar compositions, themes, and/ or moods. All of them reflect a bit of how I see the world.”

Povlow, from Elkins Park, Pa., explores “Taos Pueblo and Greenbackville, VA,” where at first blush the ancient Taos Pueblo in New Mexico and the obscure fishing village of Greenbackville in northern Virginia have nothing in common. But

Barnard College

Berklee College of Music

Boston University

Bucknell University

Carnegie Mellon University

Cornell University (3)

Dartmouth College

Gap Year (3)

George Washington University (2)

Indiana University, Kelley School of Business

Loyola University (Chicago)

Marist College

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

New York University

New York University, Stern School of Business (2)

Northeastern University

Northwestern University

both are full of character and mystery in their own way. They each have their secrets. He invites viewers to be the judge.

Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography is located at 14 Mercer Street in Hopewell. It is open Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m., or by appointment with an email to galleryfourteen@yahoo. com. For more information, visit gallery14.org.

Pennsylvania State University

Princeton University (6)

Purdue University

Purdue University, College of Engineering

Rutgers University (2)

San Diego State University

Stanford University

The College of New Jersey

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2)

University of Belgrade, Law School

University of Texas, Austin

University of Virginia

University of Waterloo, Canada

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Wake Forest University

Washington University

Washington University in St. Louis

REAL PEOPLE, REAL LIVES: Meadow Lakes resident Betsy Ashton is shown with portraits from

exhibit “Portraits of Immigrants: Unknown Faces, Untold Stories,” on view at the East Windsor community through the end of July.

“ETCHED 1”: This photograph by Barbara Warren is featured in “Out There,” her joint exhibition with David Ackerman and Bennett Povlow, on view through July 16 at Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography in Hopewell. A reception is on July 8 from 1 to 3 p.m.

“TAOS PUEBLO”: This work by Bennett Povlow is part of “Out There,” his joint exhibit with David Ackerman and Barbara Warren, on view through July 16 at Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography in Hopewell.

The faculty and staff of Princeton Charter School (K-8) wish our alumni from the PCS Class of 2019 all the best as they embark on their next adventures.

“MASKED SELF-PORTRAIT”: This work by Agnes Golen was awarded Best in Show at the “Members Juried Exhibition” at the Center for Contemporary Art in Bedminster. The exhibition is on view through September 15.

“Members’ Juried Exhibition”

At Contemporary Art Center

The Center for Contemporary Art (The Center) in Bedminster now presents its “Members’ Juried Exhibition,” an opportunity for members to showcase their artwork in any and all media. The variety and range of entries reflect the diversity and creativity of The Center’s community of artists. There are 75 works of art by members in painting, printmaking, charcoal, ink, graphite, pastel, fiber,

photography, mixed media, ceramics, and more. The exhibition will be on view through September 15.

The juror for this year’s exhibition was Jessica Melillo, who said, “The submissions were eclectic and substantive, displaying great technique in various mediums. It was especially enjoyable to witness not only the wide range and variety of talent but also to get a glimpse of where each artist was on their individual journey.”

In 2021 Melillo launched Somerset Hills Art Collective (SHAC), showcasing local art-

ists exhibiting their love for the area through their work. She carefully oversees all aspects of the organization, while collaborating with others to advance arts and culture throughout New Jersey’s Somerset Hills.

The Best of Show Award was presented to Agnes Golen of Watchung for her fiber work, Masked Self-Portrait; the Solo Exhibition Award and Honorable Mention went to Barbara Wallace of Elizabeth for her sculpture, Line Dance . Additional Honorable Mentions were received by Vimala Arunachalam of

Plainsboro, Doris Ettlinger of Hampton, Carolyn Evans of Bedminster, Linda Lam of Bridgewater, and Sul Lee Lee of Fort Lee.

The Center for Contemporary Art is located at 2020 Burnt Mills Road in Bedminster. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, visit ccabedminster.org or call (908) 234-2345.

“THE Question” Photography Exhibition at Stonebridge

“THE Question,” a photography exhibition by longtime Princeton resident Larry Parsons, is on display through July 11 at Stonebridge at Montgomery. In the series, handcarved Chinese figures of a young boy and a water buffalo — as well as a host of household objects — guide viewers through a narrative sequence of answers to an important question: What is the meaning of life?

Parsons is a longtime businessman as well as an avocational photographer who worked many years in investment management in the Princeton area. While studying history at Wake Forest as an undergrad, he was taken by the images illustrating historical tales, and his pursuit of

photography began in earnest in the 1970s when his parents gave him a camera.

The story idea for this series came to Parsons almost a year ago, in what his wife Jean recounts was a brilliant surprise of clarity in the midst of his cognitive decline due to dementia. Thanks to the help of many friends and community members, ‘THE Question” is also being developed into a children’s book, written in both English and Chinese. Numbered among Parsons’ collaborators are his companion Hannah Chomiczewski, a recent Princeton graduate, and Jiayi Li, who graduated from Princeton Charter School this month and aided in translating the work into Chinese.

Stonebridge at Montgomery is located at 300 Hollinshead Spring Road in Skillman. Known as a continuing care retirement community (CCRC), it offers increasing levels of care, from independent living to assisted living, rehabilitation, skilled nursing, and memory care services. For more information, call (609) 683-8355.

Area Exhibits

Art@Bainbridge, 158 Nassau Street, has “Cycle of Creativity: Allison Saar and the Toni Morrison Papers” through July 9. artmuseum. princeton.edu.

Artists’ Gallery, 18 Bridge Street, Lambertville, has “Wishes in the Wind” through July 2 and “A World Reimagined” July 6 through August 6. A reception is on July 15 from 4 to 7 p.m. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. lambertvillearts.com.

Art on Hulfish, 11 Hulfish Street, has “Traces on the Landscape” through August 6. artmuseum. princeton.edu.

Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, has “Family Recollections” through July 22. artscouncilofprinceton.org.

D&R Greenway Land Trust Johnson Education Center, 1 Preservation Place, has “Migration: Movement for Survival” through September 24. drgreenway. org.

Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography, 14 Mercer Street, Hopewell, has “Out There” through July 16. A reception is on July 8 from 1 to 3 p.m. gallery14.org.

Gourgaud Gallery, 23-A North Main Street, Cranbury, has “Creative Collective Summer Exhibition” July 3 through July 28. A reception is on July 9 from 1 to 3 p.m. cranburyartscouncil.org.

Grounds For Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, has “Local Voices: Memories, Stories, and Portraits” and “Spiral Q: The Parade” through January 7 and “That’s Worth Celebrating: The Life and Work of the Johnson Family” through the end of 2024, among other exhibits. Timed tickets required. groundsforsculpture.org.

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

Michener Art Museum, 138 South Pine Street, Doylestown, Pa., has “MidCentury to Manga: The Modern Japanese Print in America” through July 30, “Alan Goldstein: Elemental” through September 4, and “Sarah Kaizar: Rare Air” through November 5. michenerartmuseum.org

Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, has “Striking Beauty” through February 18 and the online exhibits “Slavery at Morven,” “Portrait of Place: Paintings, Drawings, and Prints of New Jersey, 1761–1898,” and others. morven.org.

Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, has “Albert Einstein: Champion of Racial Justice and Equality” through August 1. princetonlibrary.org.

Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, Princeton University, has “Nobody Turn Us Around: The Freedom Rides and Selma to Montgomery Marches: Selections from the John Doar Papers” through March 31. Library. princeton.edu.

Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street, has art by Agata May’kowska through July 4. A reception is on Friday, June 30 from 5-7 p.m. Works by Aleksandr Berdnikov are at the 254 Nassau Street location through July 4. smallworldcoffee.com.

Trenton Free Public Library, 120 Academy Street, Trenton, has “First Friday Curators” through July 29. (609) 392-7188.

West Windsor Arts Center, 952 Alexander Road, West Windsor, has “Faculty and Student Show” through

westwindsorarts.org.

“THE QUESTION”: A photography exhibition by longtime Princeton resident Larry Parsons is on view through July 11 at Stonebridge at Montgomery in Skillman.

Mark Your Calendar TOWN TOPICS

Wednesday, June 28

6-8 p.m.: At the Ivy Inn, 248 Nassau Street, Andy Golden is guest bartender and East Coast Ambush performs during a fundraiser to benefit Housing Initiatives of Princeton. All tips go directly to the organization.

Thursday, June 29

10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Princeton Farmers’ Market is at Hinds Plaza. Organic produce, pasture-raised meat and eggs, bread, empanadas, pickles, flowers, and more. SNAP/EBT accepted on eligible purchases. Free parking for one hour in Spring Street Garage. Princetonfarmersmarket.com.

7 p.m.: In the Community Room of Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Helen O’Shea & Friends, with guests Small Town Strings, perform and evening of Americana music. Princetonlibrary.org.

8 p.m.: The film North by Northwest is screened at Blaire-Joline Courtyard, Mathey College, Princeton University. Free; bring a blanket or chair. Popcorn provided. Sponsored by the University Art Museum. Artmuseum.princeton.edu.

Friday, June 30

5-8 p.m.: Sunset Sips and Sounds at Terhune Orchards Vineyard and Winery, 330 Cold Soil Road. Music by Barbara Lin Band. Terhuneorchards.com.

7:30 p.m.: Princeton Symphonic Brass summer concert led by Lawrence Kursar at Community Middle School Auditorium, 95 Grovers Mill Road, Plainsboro. Americana, jazz, and light classical music. $5$20. Psbrass.square.site.

Saturday, July 1

9 a.m.-1 p.m.: West Windsor Farmers Market, Vaughn lot of the Princeton Junction train station. Fresh produce, seafood, poultry, pastured eggs, cheese, baked goods, and more. Entertainment by George & Eddie. Westwindsorfarmersmarket.org.

12-2 p.m.: Summer Music Series on the Palmer Square Green, with music by Underwater Airlines. Palmersquare.com.

12-5 p.m.: Winery Weekend Music Series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Music by Charlotte Kendrick and Dan Rowe from 2-5 p.m. Light fare available, no outside food or pets. Terhuneorchards.com.

4-7 p.m.: Celebration of the opening of the Flemington Borough Community Garden, at Tuccamirgan Park, 79 Bonnell Street. Picnic, arts and crafts, and more. For more information email flemingtonborocommunitygarden@gmail.com.

Sunday, July 2 12-5 p.m.: Winery Weekend Music Series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Music by On the Fly from 2-5 p.m. Light fare available, no outside food or pets. Terhuneorchards.com.

7 p.m.: Pianist Mikhail Voskresensky performs at Mayor Concert Hall, College of New Jersey, Route 31, Ewing Township. $10-$20. Johnperryacademy.org.

Monday, July 3 Recycling

Tuesday, July 4 12-3 p.m.: July Jubilee at Morven, 55 Stockton Street. Free family-friendly event with live music, food, open archives, garden tours, games, and more. Morven.org.

Wednesday, July 5 4-5 p.m.: “All Together Now” Ice Cream Social at Hopewell Train Station, 2 Railroad Place, Hopewell. Bring a nonperishable pantry item to support The Chubby’s Project. Open to all.

Thursday, July 6 10 a.m.-3 p.m.: eton Farmers’ Market is at Hinds Plaza. Organic produce, pasture-raised meat and eggs, bread, empanadas, pickles, flowers, and more. SNAP/EBT accepted on eligible purchases. Free parking for one hour in Spring Street Garage. Princetonfarmersmarket. com.

7:30 p.m.: Princeton University Summer Chamber Concerts presents the Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo performing music by De Falla, Albeniz, Brouwer, and others at Nassau Presbyterian Church, 61 Nassau Street. Free. Princetonsummerchamberconcerts.org.

Friday, July 7

1 p.m.: “What Goes Unseen: Reimagining the Legacy of J. Robert Oppenheimer,” virtual roundtable with speakers George Dyson, Graham Farmelo, Siobhan Roberts, and Alex Wellerstein, sponsored by the Institute for Advanced Study. Free. Registration required. Ias.edu.

5-8 p.m.: Sunset Sips and Sounds at Terhune Orchards Vineyard and Winery, 330 Cold Soil Road. Music by Joan Blume. Terhuneorchards.com.

Saturday, July 8

9 a.m.-1 p.m.: West Windsor Farmers Market, Vaughn lot of the Princeton Junction train station. Fresh produce, seafood, poultry, pastured eggs, cheese, baked goods, and more. Entertainment by Tanglewood. Westwindsorfarmersmarket.org.

10 a.m.-5 p.m.: Blueberry Bash at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Pick blueberries, see puppet shows, hear country music, children’s activities, homemade blueberry treats, and more. Terhuneorchards. com.

12-2 p.m.: Summer Music Series on the Palmer Square Green, with music by Ess Gees. Palmersquare.com.

8 p.m.: Jimmy Bosch Salsa Masters perform at Pettoranello Gardens Ampitheater, Route 206 and Mountain Avenue. Free. In case of rain or extreme heat, the show is at Princeton High School Performing Arts Center. Email info@bluecurtain.org for information.

Sunday, July 9

10 a.m.-5 p.m.: Blueberry Bash at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Pick blueberries, see puppet shows, hear country music, children’s activities, homemade blueberry treats, and more. Terhuneorchards.com.

2 p.m.: Thomas Frascella delivers a talk on Italians in Colonial America at the Trent House, 15 Market Street, Trenton. Free. Reserve at tinyurl.com/TalkJuly9.

4 p.m.: Love? Said the Commander presents indie folk music at Hinds Plaza. Princetonlibrary.org.

Tuesday, July 11 9:30 and 11 a.m.: Read & Pick: Blueberries, at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Hands-on farm activity for kids from preschool to age 8, with stories highlighting the fruit or farm. $12 per child including a container of berries. Terhuneorchards.com.

Wednesday, July 12

4 p.m.: Meeting of the Princeton Special Improvement District (Experience Princeton) Board of Directors, at the Nassau Inn, Palmer Square.

4-5 p.m.: Mad Science Fluttering Birds Workshop at Hopewell Train Station, 2 Railroad Place, Hopewell. Children 3-5 learn about birds and take home a bird warbler to practice bird songs at home. Redlibrary.org.

Thursday, July 13 10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Princeton Farmers’ Market is at Hinds Plaza. Organic produce, pasture-raised meat and eggs, bread, empanadas, pickles, flowers, and more. SNAP/EBT accepted on eligible purchases. Free parking for one hour in Spring Street Garage. Princetonfarmersmarket.com.

6-8 p.m.: Dueling Piano Night on the Palmer Square Green. Palmersquare.com.

8 p.m.: The film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is screened at Blaire-Joline Courtyard, Mathey College, Princeton University. Free; bring a blanket or chair. Popcorn provided. Sponsored by the University Art Museum. Artmuseum.princeton.edu.

Friday, July 14

2-4 p.m.: Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS) leads a nature walk around Mountain Lake, and its wetland ecosystem. Register at fopos.org/events-programs.

5-8 p.m.: Sunset Sips and Sounds at Terhune Orchards Vineyard and Winery, 330 Cold Soil Road. Music by Mark Miklos. Terhuneorchards.com.

8:15-10 p.m.: Movie Nights on the Palmer Square Green — Freaky Friday. Palmersquare.org.

Saturday, July 15

9 a.m.-1 p.m.: West Windsor Farmers Market, Vaughn lot of the Princeton Junction train station. Fresh produce, seafood, poultry, pastured eggs, cheese, baked goods, and more. Entertainment by Darla Rich Jazz. Westwindsorfarmersmarket.org.

12-2 p.m.: Summer Music Series on the Palmer Square Green, with music by KickStart. Palmersquare.

12-5 p.m.: Winery Weekend Music Series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Music by Brian Bortnick from 2-5 p.m. Light fare available, no outside food or pets. Terhuneorchards.com.

4 p.m.: “Midsummer Music in the Woods,” at Herrontown Woods, near the Veblen House. Acoustic music by Crown Acoustic and the Ragtime Relics; poetry read by Vivia Font. Princetonlibrary.org.

8 p.m.: Flamenco guitarist Juan Carmona performs at Pettoranello Gardens Amphitheater, Route 206 and Mountain Avenue. Free. In case of rain or extreme heat,

JUNE-JULY

the show is at Princeton High School Performing Arts Center. Email info@bluecurtain. org for information.

Sunday, July 16

12-3 p.m.: Alliance Francaise of Princeton Bastille Day picnic at Community Park South pavilion. Bring your own picnic; beverages provided. Door prizes, French conversation, boules. $15 for members, $20 non-members. Allianceprinceton.com.

12-5 p.m.: Winery Weekend Music Series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Music by kara & corey from 2-5 p.m. Light fare available, no outside food or pets. Terhuneorchards.com.

3 p.m.: Einstein Alley Musicians Collaborative hosts an open mic event at Hinds Plaza. Princetonlibrary.org.

Monday, July 17 Recycling

Wednesday, July 19

6 p.m.: Princeton Public Library Board of Trustees meeting, in the Community Room unless otherwise noted. Princetonlibrary.org.

7 p.m.: The Historical Society of Princeton presents the film Grand Illusion at the Garden Theatre, 160 Nassau Street. $7.75-$13.50. Princetonhistory.org.

7:30 p.m.: Princeton University Summer Chamber Concerts presents the Poulenc Trio performing music for piano, oboe, and bassoon by Françaix, Fauré, Cuong, and Poulenc at Nassau Presbyterian Church, 61 Nassau Street. Free. Princetonsummerchamberconcerts.org.

Thursday, July 20

7:30-10 a.m.: Princeton Mercer Chamber presents the Trenton Economic Development Series: Arts, Entertainment, and Hospitality in the City of Trenton, at Cooper’s Riverview, 50 Riverview Executive Park, Route 29, Trenton. Panel discussion with representatives of arts and culture. Princetonmercer.org.

10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Princeton Farmers’ Market is at Hinds Plaza. Organic produce, pasture-raised meat and eggs, bread, empanadas, pickles, flowers, and more. SNAP/EBT accepted on eligible purchases. Free parking for one hour in Spring Street Garage. Princetonfarmersmarket.com.

4-5 p.m.: Cooking with Friends, at Hopewell Train Station, 2 Railroad Place. Sara Schoonover leads kids 4-8 and their grownups making fruit pizzas. Redlibrary.org.

Blueberry Bash

S ports

PHS Alumna Verlinde Overcomes Rib Injury To Help PU Lightweights Excel at IRAs, Henley

Nathalie Verlinde’s third year in the Princeton University lightweight women’s rowing program was another championship year.

The Princeton High alumna won a third title at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) national championship regatta on Mercer Lake in early June and reached the championship race in her first trip to the legendary Henley Women’s Regatta weeks later, but those triumphs were preceded by a period of uncertainty after she suffered her first serious injury in college. A stress fracture in her rib left some doubt about Verlinde’s ability to return to championship level, and it made the storybook ending to her junior year at Princeton even more meaningful.

“It was great,” said Verlinde, reflecting on her big spring. “It was the perfect comeback story. I think it was really emotional to be back on the water and contribute to this incredible year that the team has had.”

Verlinde first noticed some discomfort in her shoulder and rib area after returning from Princeton’s winter training camp in Florida. The pain lingered and eventually grew worse. Two days after the Tigers’ first scrimmage, she was diagnosed with the stress fracture that had a recovery time of about six weeks. A couple of days later, a teammate, Claire Brockman, also suffered a rib injury and the two were put on similar recovery plans that included a training plan filled with stationary biking.

“Our coach [Paul Rassam] was convinced we could make it back just in time for

nationals and up to shape,” said Verlinde. “Maybe three and half weeks before IRAs, we were back in boats for the first time all season. We had to win our seats back in racing lineups to make it to nationals and then once we were in the four together we only had about three weeks to get up to speed to be ready to race. The IRA race for lanes was kind of my first race of the season and that was pretty nerve-wracking.”

Verlinde had to shake off the rust after not rowing for weeks when she returned. That factor added to the challenge of returning from injury after she had healed.

“Certainly the motion is a little rusty, and our upper body muscles were less strong than usual because we’d been resting them so long,” said Verlinde. “But also a lot of preparation is clicking with a certain lineup and getting used to rowing with other people. Finding our rhythm together with the other two people in our boat was a tricky challenge.”

Verlinde felt more confident as the national championship regatta grew closer. The final preparations that the Tigers did gave her enough practice to get back on track, and she fell back too on prior years of training.

“A week before we went on the water, we did spend some time erging (working on the ergometer rowing machine) together, me and the other girl who was injured, so we could practice timing and syncing up and going through the motions of the stroke together,” said Verlinde. “It’s definitely a different game on the water, and a lot of building confidence is just being on

the water in every possible condition. It was scary not to have too much time to do that. But I think we had a lot of confidence in everything before our injury helping us and at least our biking was keeping us fit so it was just a matter of syncing up with everyone else.”

Verlinde went on to help the varsity four of Elena Every, Brockman, Emma Mirrer, and Bonnie Pushner beat MIT by less than one second in 7:28.74 in the grand final at the IRA regatta to earn gold. It was part of a sweep for the Tigers program, who also won the double sculls and the varsity eight.

“It was great to be able to contribute to a boat that hasn’t won a national championship in a really long time,” said Verlinde. “It’s still really competitive because teams like MIT stack their four and have really competitive athletes in the event. I think it worked out well to be in the four in the spring.”

Verlinde was in the varsity eight boat in each of her first two years when they won national titles. Her injury made returning to the top boat difficult, but she made the most of another opportunity that brought her another national crown. She focused on trying to make the four boat after rehabbing her rib injury.

“I was already fighting for a seat in the eight with another girl who’s about equally skilled and experienced,” said Verlinde. “I think coming back from injury, it made more sense for me to be in that four lineup. The eight had been doing spectacularly and been training together for a really long time. The four was still kind of in

flux and I had a natural spot there.”

Winning after missing so much time was extra meaningful for Verlinde. Her experience was an important component in bringing the four newfound success at nationals.

“I think the four has always been a really challenging event for us because you have to have a lot of depth to field the best eight in the country and also have the four be competitive with the top fours from other programs,” said Verlinde. “I was really proud of our boat for doing that and having us for the first time have every single boat win at IRAs. It was a great moment.”

The sweep by the Tigers showed the program’s unmatched depth at the national level. Verlinde has seen the program develop each year since she joined it out of PHS.

“The program has seen an incredible rebound, especially since COVID,” said Verlinde. “Our first COVID year, we only had 10 on the team. And in the past two years, we’ve brought a lot of people back from gap years and we’ve had a lot of new recruits come in and we have an incredibly strong team from the eight to the four to the double to the walk-ons who joined us. It’s really exciting to think that we’ve come this far in two years and hopefully we can keep it going. It’s great to be surrounded by so many people that are so committed to being really competitive and just enjoying the whole process.”

The reward for a great season was a trip to England earlier this month to compete in the Henley Women’s Regatta. There, Verlinde and Madeleine Polubinski advanced all the way to the finals in the women’s pair without coxswain and ended up taking second behind the Harvard-Radcliffe boat in the race for the Parkside Trophy.

“It was kind of a surprise,” said Verlinde of reaching the finals. “A bit of it was luck. A bit of it was having

the fitness that carried over from IRAs. I think it was fun to have a competitive lineup and show our best foot through most of the racing. I guess it speaks to the level of experience of this team too, because we were very well trained to take a boat we had almost never trained in and give it our best shot. It was cool to see we were competitive even with so little training.”

Put together in a pair, Verlinde and Polubinski had just a few days of training together. Meshing quickly was an achievement in itself.

“A pair has a whole new set of challenges; someone has to steer, which ended up being me,” said Verlinde. “And the boat is much more sensitive to small differences in techniques between people, so it was definitely a challenging transition. We just took it as a fun opportunity to travel somewhere new and compete against a whole new set of people and some old friends. We ended up racing Harvard. It was exciting. It was a fun way to end the season, but it felt more like a reward and a new adventure than a continuation and increase in fitness from IRAs. IRAs was really our peak and then we were just trying to hold that level of intensity going into Henleys.”

It was Verlinde’s first opportunity to compete at Henley. Princeton, like all NCAA sports, can take an international trip once every four years. It made sense coming off a strong season.

“It was a great experience,” said Verlinde. “It’s much more common to be involved in rowing in England and it’s a much bigger part of the culture. Seeing so many programs at every level, it also doesn’t end with collegiate rowing, we were racing against graduate students and there were people in their 20s that were still interested in rowing. There were a lot of spectators that come. Everyone wears blazers. There’s a whole spectacle to it too. It felt like a really fun event.”

Now, Verlinde is back at Princeton and collecting

data this summer for her thesis. The molecular biology major would like to pursue an advanced degree in neuroscience, but also has other options, including potentially another year of rowing if she goes to school overseas, for post-graduation. First, she is looking for a big senior year that includes a lot of unique tradition in the rowing program, like painting an inspirational message on the bridge they row under on Lake Carnegie.

“I’m excited to be the ones to do that in the spring as a senior class and just to take on a leadership role and welcome the freshmen,” said Verlinde. “Generally senior year is a milestone in that everything is your last time with it, but there isn’t anything very particular that I feel like I missed out on. I’ve had a really great experience so far and it feels like I’ve had a bit of everything. It’s hard to know what I’m missing because I’ve had it all.”

Verlinde expects another good group of freshmen to join the program and to help keep the Tigers strong. She has valued each year in the program, how it has pushed her to become a better rower, and the experiences that she has shared with teammates. She is looking to do her part to keep the Tigers at the top. Three national titles in three years can’t be beaten, especially with a third one coming after coming off a serious injury.

“It has been incredible,” said Verlinde. “And it’s funny to think back to my freshman year and I wasn’t even sure if I would keep rowing. I was a walk-on on to the team. I knew it was something I enjoyed, and being a part of this team has really brought a new level of commitment and love for this sport, and for the people. It’s been great to be a part of this community and see everyone so excited to race. It’s great to be a part of a program that knows how to bring athletes to the next level and also has a lot of fun. It’s been a good balance and a helpful part of my life.”

—Justin Feil

PAIR OF ACES: Princeton University women’s lightweight rowers Nathalie Verlinde, right, and Madeline Polubinski are all smiles after they took second in the women’s lightweight pair without coxswain at the Henley Women’s Regatta on the Thames River outside of London, England. Verlinde, a Princeton High alumna, worked through a rib injury this spring to help the Princeton varsity four take first at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) national championship regatta before heading to England for the Henley competition. (Photo provided by Nathalie Verlinde)

PU Sports Roundup

Tiger Lax Alums Star as U.S. Goes 4-0 in Pool Play

Princeton University men’s lacrosse alums Tom Schreiber ‘14 and Michael Sowers ‘20 helped Team USA go 4-0 in Pool A play at the 2023 World Lacrosse Men’s Championship in San Diego, Calif.

The U.S. squad defeated Canada 7-5 in its opener on June 21 with Sowers scoring one goal and Schreiber chipping in two assists. Two days later, the U.S. defeated Australia 12-3 with Sowers and Schreiber each scoring two goals. Last Saturday, Sowers tallied two goals and one assist as the U.S. edged the Haudenosaunee 9-7. On Sunday, the U.S. routed England 18-1 with Sowers contributing a goal.

In upcoming action, the U.S. will be playing in the quarterfinals on June 28 with the semis slated for June 29 and the gold medal game scheduled for July 1. PU Water Polo’s Johnson, Sekulic Help U.S. Win Gold

Princeton University women’s water polo alumna Ashleigh Johnson ‘17 and rising Tiger junior Jovana Sekulic helped the United States Women’s Water Polo Team win the 2023 World Aquatics World Cup Gold Medal last weekend in Long Beach, Calif.

On Friday, the United States defeated Israel in the quarterfinals, 16-6. Sekulic scored a goal while goalie Johnson had four saves in the cage. On Saturday, the United States topped Hungary, 16-10, in the semifinal with 15 stops from Johnson leading the way. In the gold medal contest, the United States earned a 12-11 decision over the Netherlands with Sekulic collecting a goal in the contest.

Johnson, an All-American selection every season she competed at Princeton, led the United States to the gold medal in women’s water polo at the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, becoming just the fifth Princeton athlete to ever win multiple gold medals.

Sekulic just wrapped a sophomore season that saw her earn All-American status after she led the team with 76 goals. She, along with Lindsey Lucas, were the first players in program history to be named the NCAA All-Tournament First-Team after scoring two goals in the Tigers’ two NCAA games. Sekulic was the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Player of the Year and first-team all-conference.

Princeton Women’s Rower Mirrer Makes U-23 Worlds Princeton University women’s lightweight rower Emma Mirrer has qualified for the U-23 World Championships by winning the single sculls event at the USRowing’s 2023 Under-19 and Under

23 National Team Trials at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Fla.

Rising sophomore Mirrer, a native of Providence, R.I., defeated Ruthie Lacy by nearly 19 seconds in winning the race in 7:58.71 over the 2,000-meter course.

This spring, Mirrer was on the Princeton varsity four that won gold at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) national championship regatta in early June, earning a 0.8-second decision over MIT in the grand final. That was one of three gold medals for Princeton as the program won a second straight team title.

The U-23 Worlds will take place from July 19-23 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Tiger Women’s

Hockey

Adds Samoskevich to Staff

Melissa Samoskevich, an International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Champion with Team USA, has joined the Princeton University women’s hockey staff as an assistant coach, the program recently announced.

Last season, Samoskevich finished her third year on a collegiate staff, serving as the director of player development and operations at her alma mater, Quinnipiac. The Bobcats went 30-10 in Samoskevich’s season on the bench, making the ECAC Hockey semifinals and earning an at-large NCAA tournament bid on the way to making the regional final.

“During my time at Quinnipiac, I saw up close how consistent Princeton is in getting talented players to join the program and then developing them through their college careers,” Samoskevich said. “Princeton was always a challenge to play against and Baker Rink was a fun venue to play in, so I’m looking forward to being on the Tiger bench and making Baker home.”

Previously, Samoskevich spent the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons at Penn State as an assistant coach under former Tiger head coach Jeff Kampersal ‘92, helping the Nittany Lions to an overall record of 3413-7 and 24-5-5 in College Hockey America over those two years.

Following her final season at Quinnipiac, Samoskevich was named to the U.S. team for the 2019 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Finland, playing in all seven games as the Americans put together an undefeated run to win the gold medal for the fifth consecutive tournament. Samoskevich had two goals during the poolplay round, one each against host Finland and Russia.

DRIVING TO DETROIT: Princeton University men’s basketball player Tosan Evbuomwan drives to the hoop in action this past winter. Last week, the recently graduated Evbuomwan signed a contract with the Detroit Pistons shortly after the 2023 NBA Draft. The 6’8, 219-pound Evbuomwan, a native of Newcastle, England, signed an Exhibit 10 contract which is a one-year, minimum-salary NBA deal. It allows the franchise to convert the contract to a two-way contract, should the change be made prior to the start of the regular season. Evbuomwan accumulated an impressive list of accolades in 2022-23 that included Ivy League Tournament Most Outstanding Player, All-Ivy First Team, and Academic All-Ivy. He helped Princeton advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time since the tourney was expanded to 64 teams. Evbuomwan was also the Ivy Player of the Year in 2021-22. In addition, Evbuomwan’s 161 assists in 2022-23 tied the program record for most assists in a season and his 323 career assists rank sixth on the Tigers’ all-time list. Evbuomwan also joined the 1,000-point club in 2022-23 and his 1,033 points rank No. 34 all-time in program history.

(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

part of the 2019-20 season in Sweden with Brynäs IF. Later that season, she returned to the U.S. to play first with the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) New England team and then with her home-state Connecticut Whale in the NWHL/PHF (Premier Hockey Federation, formerly the National Women’s Hockey League). Samoskevich has continued her tenure with the Whale through the team’s most recent season, which wrapped in March 2023.

During her undergraduate career at Quinnipiac, Samoskevich scored 54 goals, ranking third in program history at graduation, and 55 assists, good for fifth on the Bobcats’ list, for 109 points, fourth-most in program history. Samoskevich was an ECAC Hockey AllRookie selection in 2015-16 while helping the Bobcats to the ECACH tournament title.

A native of Newtown, Conn., Samoskevich prepped at Shattuck St. Mary’s before matriculating to Quinnipiac.

Legendary PU Track Coach Samara to Retire After 46 years

Legendary Princeton University men’s track coach Fred Samara announced his retirement this week after 46 seasons at the helm of the program.

The 73-year-old Samara has led the Tigers in multiple ways since 1977. Since then, he has coached his team to 51 Heptagonal team and 502 individual championships. He also coached 10 different Princeton Tigers to nine NCAA championships

and guided six of his athletes to the Olympics.

In 2017, Samara was inducted into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame, a candidacy bolstered by 18 career USTFCCCA Regional Coach of the Year honors.

Samara, an Olympic decathlete himself in 1976, has coached more athletes and won more championships than any other coach in Princeton history. His legacy will be the combination of excelling both as a winning coach and an educator of the highest order.

“Words can’t adequately describe the level of excellence that Coach Samara has displayed during his 46 years at Princeton,” said Princeton Director of Athletics John Mack ’00, a former Tiger track star. “His championship success as a competitor is unrivaled in the history of the Ivy League, and his competitive fire is matched only by his passion for the student-athletes that he has coached. Coach has a unique gift for making track and field a team sport in a way that does not happen at other schools, as evidenced by the nearly five decades of dominance his teams have established in the sport. Coach has been a mentor to countless other coaches in the department, and his impact on the Princeton University community

will be felt for generations to come.”

A 13-time Ivy League Coach of the Year — eight from his work during the indoor season and five during outdoors — Samara has coached 101 NCAA AllAmericans.

Samara was the nation’s top-ranked high school decathlete in 1969 at Fort Hamilton High in Brooklyn. He competed collegiately at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a two-time All-American in sprints, long jump, pole vault, and the decathlon before graduating in 1973 and earning a place in the Penn Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998. He won the U.S. AAU decathlon and finished fifth at the World Championships in 1973, ranking No. 9 in the world in the decathlon in 1974 and No. 6 in 1975 while serving as captain of Team USA which set a world record at the U.S. vs. U.S.S.R. meet. In 1976, Samara competed in Montreal on the U.S. Olympic team.

Samara has also represented the United States as a coach at multiple international events during his coaching career, including stints as an assistant at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona as well as the 1987 World Championships, and serving as head coach at the 1995 Pan-American Games.

41 Leigh Avenue, Princeton www.tortugasmv.com

In addition to competing at the 2019 IIHF Worlds, Samoskevich also represented Team USA at two U18 Women’s World Championships.

In 2014 in Hungary, with Kampersal coaching the Americans, Samoskevich had a pair of assists during the pool-play round as the U.S. won silver, and in 2015 in Buffalo, the U.S. won gold with Samoskevich scoring six goals in the tourney, including a hat trick against Russia to close an unbeaten run through pool play and two goals in a semifinal win over the Czech Republic.

After graduating from Quinnipiac in 2019 with a history degree, Samoskevich began her professional career by playing

Former PHS Star Henderson Diversified Her Game, Helping Pomona-Pitzer Women’s Lax Make History

In 2022, Shoshi Henderson produced a recordbreaking freshman season for the Pomona-Pitzer College women’s lacrosse team.

Former Princeton High star Henderson piled up 132 points on 42 goals and 90 assists, setting program single-season marks in points and assists.

Coming into her sophomore campaign this spring, Henderson realized it would be hard to match the statistics she generated in her debut campaign and turned her focus to other goals.

“I had such an unexpectedly really great season my freshman year and wow, that was awesome,” said Henderson. “I decided to put that behind me. I am not ever going to recreate that, that is just never going to happen again. It was special, I will have those memories. I will have that experience, but I just want to keep making this team better and just contribute in any way that I can.”

While Henderson scored fewer points with this spring with 21 goals and 78 assists, she contributed in other ways as Pomona produced the best season in program history, going 21-2 and advancing to the NCAA Division III quarterfinals.

Diversifying her game, Henderson worked hard to become a factor on the Pomona ride, where an offensive player marks an opposing defensive player to try to get the ball and prevent a clear.

“I actually had a rough first two, three games where I was still doing stuff and assisting but my shot percentage was maybe 11 percent,” said Henderson, who had 26 caused turnovers this spring. “That is when I took a step back and focused on the team and on the ride. If I throw away the ball or miss a shot, I can control how much I work to get the ball back. Throughout the season, I really, really focused on that. As a team we all focused on that aspect. Our defense, our goalie, our middles, our attack — just everyone going after the ball.”

In addition, despite being an underclassman, Henderson stepped up as a leader.

“I had that experience so I was able to be a little bit more of a leader on the field especially with the freshmen and even upperclassmen on the field,” said Henderson. “On this team, it is very much that everybody is equal. It was just being as much of a leader on the field as I could and working with my teammates.”

With Pomona coming off an 18-1 season in 2022, Henderson was not surprised to see the Sagehens make history this spring.

“We all kind of collectively knew that this was the year; there are some teams that you are on where you can just sense it is a special group of people,” said Henderson. “I would say in high school, my sophomore year that was just a special group. When I think of high school lacrosse that it the team I think of. That is the kind of thing with this team. We had some super seniors, fifth years that came back who are just an incredible set of people and

players. Having them come back, you know it is going to be special. They just had so much experience under their belt. The freshmen are a great class and so was mine. Our coach (Sarah Queener) emphasized that we could do some really great things this year if everybody buys into it and works hard.”

Pomona served notice early that it was going to be a force in 2023, starting 6-0 and outscoring its foes 12726 in the process.

“Something that goes overlooked because of the scores was our defense,” said Henderson. “Our defense was just outstanding this year. We make turnovers, we make plenty of mistakes, and we are not scoring every possession. We trust the defense fully, just knowing that they are going to get the ball back and we are going to get another chance.”

While the Sagehens fell 14-6 to Wesleyan in midMarch to snap their winning streak, Henderson saw the setback as a key learning experience.

“Coming into the season, we knew that would be our hardest regular season game,” said Henderson. “We really wanted to win and I think we could have won. This is going to be an opportunity for us to see what we need to work on. It was, ‘OK, we lost, but what did we do well? In what regards were we able to keep up with them? What were the things we saw where we can grow?’ That was such a great opportunity because after that we had a lot of practice and that definitely helped us in the NCAAs. That wasn’t first time we were seeing a team of that caliber.”

Facing rival ClaremontMudd-Scripps in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) tournament final in early May, Pomona nearly stumbled as it pulled out a 13-12 win.

“You know it is always going to be a game because it is a rivalry and you are playing them for the seventh time in the past two years,” said Henderson. “They know us, we know them. In that game, we had a really great start and then let it go. A lot of us were playing not to lose instead of playing to win. It gave us a wakeup call. It was OK, we need to get our act together for the NCAAs. That kind of thing did teach us that we don’t want to play this way again. We want to play a full 60 minutes, that is how we want into postseason.”

The Sagehens played a full 60 minutes as they started their NCAA run with a 24-7 win over George Fox in a second round contest.

“That was one of our best games as a team,” said Henderson, who tallied one goal and four assists in the victory. “We just came out in this game firing all over the field; everybody that game was just on and ready. It was a great team win to know you are out there and this feels great. There are some wins where you feel, ‘oh, we survived,’ but that game was so fun.”

Pomona had a lot of fun in the Sweet 16, stifling Kenyon

11-3 to earn the program’s first-ever trip to the NCAA quarters.

“Our defense played out of their minds against Kenyon, in that game I was in awe of our defense,” said Henderson. “It was just stop after stop. You know it is going to be good when our defense starts with a 90-second violation on the shot clock right off the bat. In Kenyon’s first three possessions, we got turnovers because they held the ball too long. We came in thinking that it was going to be pretty evenly matched — they were ranked 21st and we were ranked 18th. We were all really excited to get to travel as a team to Ohio, it is just special to be together. The coaches call it free lacrosse, like most of the country is done right now. We were one of the 16 teams that still get to play, so it was just seeing it as a special moment with our seniors. We just played for them. It was, ‘let’s not let this be their last game.’”

The matchup against Franklin & Marshall in the NCAA quarters turned out to the be the last game for the Sagehens as they fell 18-13 on May 21 to end the season at 21-2.

“That was tough, we had played the day before and we really didn’t have that much time to prepare for them,” said Henderson, who had a goal and three assists in the loss. “At halftime, we were down 12-4 and it wasn’t looking good. We weren’t really getting shots and we were all down in the dumps. That is when our coaches said as we were rallying up, like next year, how do we want to feel about this game? We either want to make an insane comeback and

somehow win this game and go to the Final 4. Or we end up losing but we can be proud that we put in all of our effort. We did the absolute most that we could and at the end of the day, they just had a better day. We started the second half off so strong. It was, ‘wow, we can do this,’ but it ended up being a too little, too late.”

While the loss stung, it didn’t take away from what the Sagehens accomplished this spring.

“It was the best team we have ever had in program history,” said Henderson. “It was the highest rank that we have ever been — we ended up 12th in the final rankings. It is the farthest we have gone in the NCAA tournament. It was the most wins in a season.”

In reflecting on the qualities that made the group special, Henderson cited work ethic and chemistry.

“I think the leadership we did have with the fifth years and the overall commitment that everybody put in and had to our team,” said Henderson. “We all just loved

each other so much and we are each other’s best friends. I come to practice every single day and get to run around with my best friends. To me, that is why I just absolutely love this team and love lacrosse so much.”

That upbeat spirit carried over into the games. “I love our coaches, they just made it such a great environment to be a part of,” said Henderson. “We all just wanted to win for each other. Even if I am not playing great, I am going to give it my all because I am doing for everybody. I am not playing lacrosse for myself, I am playing for everybody else. I just want to win so badly for everybody else, that is when it is really special. That is not a lot of teams and I think that was our team.”

In the wake of Pomona’s success this spring, Henderson believes that the program can keep climbing up the ladder of Division III lacrosse.

“We went from the Sweet 16 to the Elite 8,” said Henderson. “Next year we want to get the Final 4 and senior year, we want to win.

This year was a big, big step. I think we are very set up to continue this success. We are losing a lot of people but I have no doubt that we will have an amazing season.”

This summer, Henderson is dedicated to further honing her skills to continue her growth as a player.

“At the end of the season, I really started focusing on my driving,” said Henderson, whose is also coaching club lacrosse with her younger sister, Sarah, a Princeton High lax standout. “I had some good goals at the end of the season that I was really proud of. I wanted to be a better one-vs-one attacker; I felt like I put in that work. Feeding gets pretty predictable. I want to make my game as well rounded as possible. So my shooting and my shot placement and my dodges toward the end of the season is what I was really focusing on. That is what I am going to pick up on from there. That is what I am working on in the offseason; it is exciting because I have always wanted to get better.”

—Bill Alden

PUTTING ON A SHOW: Shoshi Henderson heads upfield this spring in her sophomore season for the Pomona-Pitzer College women’s lacrosse team. Former Princeton High star Henderson tallied 21 goals and 78 assists to help Pomona produce the best season in program history as it went 21-2 and advanced to the NCAA Division III quarterfinals. (Photo provided courtesy of Pomona-Pitzer Athletics)

Competing Hard All Spring, Gaining Valuable Experience, PHS Boys’ Lacrosse Showed Progress, Excited for Future

Trailing Northern Highlands 11-5 at halftime in the first round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA North Jersey Group 3 tournament, the Princeton High boys’ lacrosse team could have thrown in the towel.

Instead, PHS battled back, outscoring the Highlanders 5-2 in the third quarter to turn the game into nail-biter.

While the rally fell short as the Tigers lost 14-12 in the May 26 contest to end the season at 9-8, PHS head coach Peter Stanton was proud of the way his players battled to the final whistle.

“The guys just didn’t want to go out like that, the guys didn’t want to get embarrassed,” said Stanton, a New Jersey Hall of Fame coach who returned to the helm of the program with Chip Casto on a sabbatical for the 2022-23 school year. “They are a tough Bergen County team — they are playing Don Bosco and Ridgewood and have competitive games against those teams. That team has an excellent goalie and an excellent defenseman. Scoring five goals on them in the first half was a big deal, but to come out and score five goals in the third quarter, we scared them. At the end of the game they were like, ‘let’s get this game over with.’”

Stanton believes that PHS can build on that second half surge going forward.

“Our guys are taking into the offseason that we won the second half of that game 7-3, that we can play defense, that we can score on a tough, athletic team,” said Stanton, who guided the Tigers to the Mercer County Tournament semis. “We can have those aspirations next year of winning the county tournament and competing for a state championship.”

The Tigers competed hard this spring, posting some impressive wins as it found itself in a number of nailbiters.

“We feel complete, we are proud that we beat some of the teams that we beat,” said Stanton, noting that PHS had eight one-goal games this year, going 4-4 in those tight contests. “We are proud to beat PDS (109 on April 29), they are a great team. Beating them in a tough, competitive rivalry game was something our boys consider a great

accomplishment. We beat Notre Dame (13-12 on April 11). The kids will be able to say we beat Notre Dame and PDS. We never felt out of a game. We always felt that we could claw our way back in a game, and conversely, we always felt that we had to play all 48 minutes.”

The team’s seniors, defender Leo George (3 goals in 2023), midfielder Pierson Swanke (8 goals, 1 assist), and midfielder Archer Ayers (11 goals, 8 assists), set a positive tone.

“Leo, Pierson, and Archer were there all four years,” said Stanton. “They set the bar for how hard you are supposed to work, they set the bar for unselfishness. Particularly Pierson and Archer offensively, they were not always the headlinegrabbing players but they made it possible for our team to do what we did. Leo was an All-CVC level player on defense. They can be proud of their season and their team.”

Junior attackman Patrick Kenah grabbed a lot of headlines this spring, tallying 111 points on 68 goals and 43 assists.

“The thing about Patrick is that he makes lacrosse look easy,” said Stanton. “I watch him do those things every day in practice and you just expect that he is going to score four or five goals and two or three assists. That is an average game for him. So much of his game is perception and decision-making, playing within himself. You rarely see him take a bad shot, you rarely see him force things. He is just a very composed player and is a great decision-maker.”

Sophomore midfielder Brendan Beatty, who scored 92 points on 41 goals and 51 assists, did some great things this spring.

“Brendan is one of the hardest workers I have ever been around,” asserted Stanton. “We had some kids that really grind, but any time we had a conditioning race or we wanted to really push kids in practice, he would always be first. I would be scratching my head, ‘you are one of the best players, you can get away with slacking off,’ and he never did. It was deeply, internally motivated because he loves to do that, he loves to compete. He is going to give every practice

rep 100 percent. He is a great teammate, he is extremely supportive. I think that is the thing with all of our guys, we work together really well.”

Boasting a core of returners including sophomore attackman Braden Barlag (28 goals, 6 assists), sophomore midfielder Matt Thomson (6 goals, 2 assists), junior goalie Rory Dobson (202 saves in 2023), junior midfielder Graham Baird (3 goals, 3 assists), freshman attackman Alex Famiglietti (16 goals, 4 assists), junior midfielder Jason Singer (27 goals, 13 assists), junior defender James Reynolds, and sophomore defender Jack Crotty in addition to Kenah and Beatty, PHS figures to be a force going forward.

“We are going to score goals in a lot of different ways,” said Stanton. “Our defense is going to be returning a lot and they learned a lot this year. They are going into the offseason prepared to work hard and to make the improvements that we need in order to achieve those goals next year.”

Stanton believes the Tigers have what it takes to turn the one-goal games it had this spring into big wins next year.

“I think the real objective is to not be in so many one-goal games, but to put a little bit more distance between us and similar competition,” said Stanton.

For Stanton, who had served as an assistant coach for the program since 2016 after guiding the Tigers from 1996 to 2015, leading the squad this spring went smoothly due to the way the players competed.

“It was a blast, it was so much fun,” said Stanton. “There wasn’t one time where I was like I wish these guys worked harder. There was never a moment where our kids didn’t do everything that we asked of them and more. When you are coaching a bunch of boys that really want to work hard and work together, it is an easy job.”

—Bill Alden

Since [1950] Conte’s has become a Princeton destination; a great old-school bar that also happens to serve some of New Jersey’s best pizza, thin-crusted and bubbly. The restaurant hasn’t changed much since then; even the tables are the same. It’s a simple, no-frills space, but if you visit during peak times, be prepared to wait well over an hour for a table.

this accomplishment without our dedicated employees and customers.

Thank you from the owners of Conte’s Serving the Princeton community for over 80 years, and we will continue to serve you another 80 years and more.

STICKING WITH IT: Princeton High boys’ lacrosse player Archer Ayers heads upfield in action this spring. Senior star midfielder Ayers tallied 11 goals and eight assists this season to help PHS go 9-8.

(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

After Making Impact at D-I Level for Rider Men’s Hoops, PHS Alum Blue Starring for LoyalTees in Summer League

After having starred for the Princeton High boys’ basketball team and Lincoln University, Zahrion Blue earned a shot to play at the Division I level this past winter as he joined the Rider University hoops program as a grad student.

For Blue, getting the chance to play for the Broncs was special.

“I am just blessed to connect with Rider. My sister Briana actually graduated

from Rider,” said Blue, a 6’4, 190-pound guard. “It is a blessing, playing Division I basketball.”

While Blue was the goto scorer at PHS where he piled up 1,261 points and at Lincoln where he tallied 1,282 points, he realized that he would be taking a supporting role at Rider.

“I knew I wasn’t going to be the only scorer on the team,” said Blue. “I had to come off the bench and find my way

to score off the bench. It was a good, hard adjustment. A cool adjustment.”

Handling that adjustment, Blue made progress, ending up averaging 2.8 points and 2.4 rebounds in 30 games for the Broncs.

“It was just staying mentally ready, not letting me not playing get to me,” said Blue.

“It is just playing that competition every day and just going hard. We went hard at each other in practice, it was

competitive every day. It was just staying ready, staying in the gym, and working out.”

Blue ended the winter on a high note, starting on Senior Night against Iona on March 4 in an 80-78 loss and scoring a season-high 15 points and then getting 12 points in his second start as the Broncs fell 70-62 to St. Peter’s on March 8 in the quarterfinals of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) tournament.

“It felt good to start those games,” said Blue. “I came back to my regular self, it was so good.”

Last Wednesday, Blue had a good time playing for the LoyalTees squad in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League. Blue tallied 28 points to help LoyalTees top Jefferson Plumbing 85-73 in a game moved inside to the Princeton High gym due to inclement weather.

“I love playing in the PHS gym, it brings back good memories,” said Blue. “I am on the wall (in the list of the school’s 1,000-point

scorers). This is my home, I love it. I have a lot of memories.”

With LoyalTees coming off a 59-52 loss to Princeton Supply on June 19, Blue and his teammates were fired up to get back on the winning track.

“We were pretty hungry, we let one slip last game,” said Blue. “We were turning the ball over, missing free throws. We beat ourselves — we were ready to get back out there today.”

Up 47-42 at halftime, LoyalTees found itself clinging to a 56-52 lead before it went on a 13-0 run to break open the contest.

“We had to stop them from hitting threes,” said Blue. “They hit a lot of threes, we were hitting a lot of twos. It was picking it up and just playing hard on defense. That is all it was.”

As a mainstay of a LoyalTees squad that won summer hoops titles in 2018, 2019, and 2021, Blue relishes the chance to hit the court with his buddies.

“We love playing with each other,” said Blue, of the squad which features

such league stalwarts as Davon Black, Vince Anfield, Nick Davidson, and Terrance Bailey. “Everybody is unselfish, everybody is letting each other go. It is all good communication and good sportsmanship.”

Having lost in the summer league quarters last year as it went for a fourth straight league title, LoyalTees is determined to reclaim the championship this year.

“We are getting it this year,” said Blue, who scored 28 points with Darrell Johnson adding 35 as LoyalTees defeated SpeedPro 85-70 last Monday to improve to 3-1. “We let it slip away last year, we are coming for it this year.”

With Blue planning to play professionally overseas in Europe this winter, he is going to enjoy the ride this summer no matter what happens in the playoffs.

“It is cardio, getting my game better, and just having fun,” said Blue. “It is all about having fun. If you don’t have fun, you won’t like it.”

—Bill Alden

RIDING HIGH: Zahrion Blue goes to the hoop this past winter for the Rider University men’s basketball team. Former Princeton High boys’ hoops star and Lincoln University standout Blue averaged 2.8 points and 2.4 rebounds in 30 games for the Broncs as a grad student. This summer Blue has returned for another campaign with the LoyalTees squad in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League. Last Wednesday, Blue tallied 28 points to help LoyalTees top Jefferson Plumbing 85-73. On Monday, Blue scored 28 points again as LoyalTees defeated Speed Pro 85-70 to improve to 3-1. (Photo provided courtesy of Rider University Sports Communications)

Princeton Little League Team Clicking On All Cylinders As it Makes District 12 Intermediate 50/70 Final Round

As the Princeton Little League (PLL) team got ready to bat in the bottom of the second inning against Ewing last Sunday in a winner’s bracket game in the District 12 Intermediate 50/70 tournament, the Rolling Stones’ hit “Start Me Up” blared over the loudspeaker at the Farmview Fields.

With the foes locked in a 0-0 tie, PLL lived up to the lyrics of the Rolling Stones’ classic, scoring three runs in the frame to go up 3-0. The Princeton squad tacked on

two more runs in the third and a pair in the fourth on the way to a 7-3 victory and spot in the championship round of the double-elimination competition.

Princeton manager Rick Babich liked the way players throughout the batting order jump-started things.

“What I love about our lineup is that I have confidence in one through 11,” said Babich, whose team topped HTRBA 9-3 last Thursday to start play in the District 12 tourney. “Two

games in a row, James Powers and Jack Maguire at the bottom of our lineup have come up with clutch RBI hits. You know some teams have to worry when you say the bottom of the lineup; we don’t worry about it. We play small ball; what we are trying to do is play it smartly and really make good decisions. The maturity showed through, the focus showed through. I am really proud of them.”

On the mound, star pitcher Matthew Brophy has displayed his maturity, striking out six and giving up one run on the win over HTRBA and then striking out 10 in six innings against Ewing.

“His preparation for the game, his focus is really second to none on our team,” said Babich of Brophy. “I think that comes from being the more mature player on our team and having been here before on this stage and the workhorse that he has been. He came through for us today. He knows how to place his pitches, he knows how to mix his pitches. He brings confidence to the mound every time. It doesn’t matter if he starts 3-0 on a batter, he is not afraid to throw a breaking pitch. With Matthew on the mound, we know we are in the game to the very end. That is the leadership and the confidence he brings to everybody.”

The pitching of Noah Prete out of the bullpen is also a confidence builder for PLL as he struck out the side in the seventh inning to seal the deal in the win over Ewing.

“That is some of the best stuff he has had,” said Babich. “As you get to a higher level, the velocity only takes you so far. What Noah has learned to do in the last year is mix in off-speed and breaking pitches and it has served him so well. You could see the kids don’t know whether to load or sit back on it.”

LOCKED IN: Princeton Little League (PLL) player Matthew Brophy shows his focus as he waits for a pitch in the 2022 District 12 Intermediate 50/70 tournament. Brophy starred as PLL went on to win the tourney. Brophy’s hitting and pitching has helped the PLL squad reach the championship round of this year’s District 12 tournament. Brophy was the winning pitcher as Princeton topped HTRBA 9-3 last Thursday to start play in the tourney. On Sunday, Brophy starred on the mound and contributed a single as Princeton defeated Ewing 7-3 to reach the championship round of the double-elimination competition. PLL will face the victor of the elimination game between Ewing and Millstone-Roosevelt in the final round needing one win in two games to advance to the Section 3 Tournament at the Middletown.

Local Sports

Joint Effort Safe Streets Program Holding Hoops Clinic, Games

The Joint Effort Princeton Safe Streets Summer Program, in conjunction with the Princeton Recreation Department, Princeton Police Department, Princeton Public Schools, Bailey Basketball Academy (BBA), and PBA No. 130, is sponsoring a free youth basketball clinic on August 12 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Community Park basketball courts.

This program is a player development skills clinic for boys and girls age 8 and up. All clinic attendees should bring their own ball. The clinic will be led by Kamau Bailey, the director of BBA, a Philadelphia 76ers camp clinic, and former head coach of the Princeton Day School girls’ basketball team. It will be staffed by community volunteers and members of the Princeton Police Department.

In addition, on August 13, the Joint Effort Safe Streets will sponsor the Pete Young Sr. Memorial Games for Princeton and area youth. These annual games are held each year in the memory of Pete Young Sr., a Princeton businessman, community advocate, sports enthusiast, and supporter of youth and community programs who was beloved in the Witherspoon - Jackson Community. The nine games start at 10 a.m. and end at 7 p.m., and will include contests featuring youth players, high school boys and girls, and men.

The Joint Effort Clinic and Games are free and open to the public. There will be bags provided for clinic

participants and shirts will be provided for those playing in the games. The rain sites for both programs will be the Princeton Middle School.

For more information on Joint Effort Safe streets clinic or games, contact John Bailey at (720) 629-0964 or email johnbailey062@ gmail.com or Kamau Bailey at (917) 626-5785 or email at kamau.bailey@gmail.com.

NJ Wrestling Organization Holding Golf Event July 26

The New Jersey Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame is holding its 20th golf outing, a shotgun/ scramble, on July 26.

The event will take place, rain or shine, at Mercer Oaks Golf Club at 725 Village Road, West Windsor.

The goal of the chapter outing is to seek and raise contributions, donations, and gifts to provide wrestling camp and clinic scholarships to deserving youth who seek to improve and enhance their skills and love for the sport of amateur wrestling. As a result of those efforts, the chapter will also make contributions to selected veterans and relief organizations, as well as children’s hospitals.

The golf package includes brunch and registration (89:30 a.m.), green fees, cart, practice range, putting contest, locker, giveaways, prizes, and silent auction as well as dinner.

The cost for foursomes is $620, individuals $160, dinner-only $65, and raffles $20. Players 18-and-under must be accompanied by an adult player. Singles and pairs have to contact the golf chairman for arrangements. Foursomes are not required to do so. For more information, contact golf chairman Ken Bernabe at bernabekenjb@aol.com.

Tee, flag, and meal sponsorships are as follows: $300 brunch, $500 dinner, $20 flag, and $100 tee. Send sponsorships to Ed Glassheim, 1802 Kuser Road, Apt. 1, Hamilton, N.J. 08690.

Golf registration forms must be completed and mailed along with check made payable to NWHFNJ Golf to Ed Glassheim at his Hamilton address. One can also contact Glassheim at (609) 947-5885 or at glassheim@yahoo.com.

Bailey Basketball Academy

Offering Summer Programs

The Bailey Basketball Academy (BBA) is offering a week-long basketball camp this summer along with other specialty hoops programs.

BBA is led by former Princeton Day School girls’ hoops coach and Philadelphia 76ers camp director and clinician Kamau Bailey. The camp is slated for July 24-28 at the Princeton Middle School.

There are full day camps for ages 9-14 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and half day camps from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

In addition, there will be “First Hoops” options for ages 5-8 (9 a m -11:45 a m.). BBA will also offer (by reservation only) Shot King shooting instruction and small group player development daily sessions for players getting ready for middle school, high school, or club participation.

All players will be required to bring their own water, snacks, and/or lunch for the applicable programs. For more information, contact Kamau Bailey at (917) 626-5785 or at kamau.bailey@gmail.com. There are multiple player/sibling discounts available.

After having won the tour nament last year, the Princ eton players are thrilled to make a return trip to the championship round.

“It means a lot, they are excited,” said Babich, whose squad will face the victor of the elimination game be tween Ewing and MillstoneRoosevelt in the final round needing one win in two games to advance to the Section 3 Tournament at the Middletown.

“These teams are gunning for us, they know we are a strong team. We know that we are the defending cham pions. We know that every team that plays us is going to strategize. We are ready, we don’t care who we play. We just know we have the right people on the team.”

In Babich’s view, the squad has the right mental ity to earn a title repeat.

“They come here to play and they support each oth er,” said Babich. “They are selfless. When we are call ing a steal and they have to take a pitch and it is a strike, they know it is for the team.

A kid gets on and everyone wants to get a big hit, but if they score on an error or a pop up gets an RBI, they are still happy. To me, that selflessness is why they win together. I am confident with this group of guys. They are hardworking and it is just a good group of boys.”

—Bill Alden

SEEKING

(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

JUSTICE: Princeton Post 218 American Legion player Jai Justice follows through on a swing in recent action. Unable to get its bats going, Post 218 fell 14-0 to Hamilton Post 31 last Sunday. In upcoming action, Princeton, now 2-10, will play at Bordentown Post 26 on June 28 and at North Hamilton on June 29.

(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Popular Local Greek Restaurant Group Opens New Hopewell Eatery, Local BBQ

Tony Kanterakis, owner of Local Greek Restaurant Group, knows what works.

“Food brings people together, and that has always been our target in the Local Greek Family. That is what we want to keep doing by adding Local BBQ.”

restaurant would be a good way to make people happy.”

greens with cheddar cheese, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, and red onions.

and up to 30 or more outside.

Takeout, delivery, and catering are available, and dining hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.

IT’S NEW To Us

The addition of Local BBQ, which opened midMay at 21 East Broad Street in Hopewell, brings the number of his restaurants to five. He established the very popular Local Greek in Princeton in 2017, followed by Small Bites, also in Princeton, Local Greek in Lambertville, Local Greek Seafood in Hopewell, and now Local BBQ. Fans of barbecue — and there are many — will be thrilled!

Strong Tie

Although his previous career was in financial planning and medical services, the New Jersey native reports that he has a strong tie to the restaurant business.

“My mom has had a restaurant and bakery in Highland Park, and I started working there in 2005,” he reports. “I always liked Greek cooking, and I decided to change careers because I really enjoyed being out there with people and interacting with them. I thought opening a

With the success of each new establishment, he knew he had made the right decision. While the BBQ eatery is a departure from the Greek cuisine focus, it embraces the same emphasis on fresh quality ingredients and special recipes.

“Inspired by our chef and Restaurant Group Catering Director ‘Mama Sallly’ Kornegay’s BBQ special occasion lunches for the Local Greek family to enjoy a meal together, we are offering a unique BBQ experience,” he explains. “The Local Greek Restaurant Group team now brings southern hospitality and BBQ flavors to Hopewell.”

“Our BBQ is St. Louis style, with great homemade sauces. We have sandwiches and platters, ‘shareables,’ and salads, and everything has been popular. We already have repeat customers in the short time we have been open.”

The menu offers a variety of tempting choices, including “shareables” such as wings (12 pieces of BBQ), macaroni and cheese; chili; pulled pork fries, brisket fries topped with BBQ brisket and coleslaw; hushpuppies; and fried pickles.

BBQ Sandwiches

A garden salad (with mix of greens, cucumber, grape tomatoes, and red onions) is available, as is “smoke salad,” with choice of pulled pork, pulled chicken, or beef brisket on a bed of mixed

Sandwiches include BBQ pulled pork, BBQ pulled chicken, and BBQ beef brisket, all served with cornbread roll, coleslaw, and pickles. A fried chicken sandwich includes cornbread roll, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and pickles.

A BBQ burger and hot dog are also available.

Choices of platters offer something for every taste. All are served with cornbread or biscuit and one side of coleslaw, fries, vegetarian baked beans, green beans, or spicy noodles.

Among these are beef brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken, fried chicken, chili, half rack baby back ribs, and full rack baby back ribs.

Prices range from $6.95 to $34.95 for the full rack of baby back ribs. $12.95 is typical for sandwiches.

“Customers especially love our great homemade sauces, and there are so many kinds,” reports Kanterakis.

“We are getting people from all over the area, including Princeton, Lawrenceville, Lambertville, and of course, Hopewell. They are all ages, and include lots of families. They are commenting on the high quality of the food and also are enjoying our friendly, down-to-earth style.”

Inside and Outside

The setting is informal and relaxed, offering both inside and outside dining, with accommodations for 34 inside

Helping people enjoy being together over a delicious meal is Kanterakis’s pleasure and priority.

“We always want to make people feel welcome, and we want to be the neighborhood place for them to come for great food in a warm and welcoming atmosphere, where they can spend time being together and not be in a hurry. This is more important than ever today.

“I like seeing the smiles on our customers’ faces when they are here, and also our employees’ enjoyment. We have a great staff, and they are friendly and helpful to everyone.

“Another thing customers can count on,” he continues. “We are always working hard to improve, to make whatever we have even better. And we want even more people to come and experience our special BBQ and friendly style. Come join us!”

For more information, call (609) 309-5765, or visit localbbqhopewell.com.

BBQ BONUS: “The recipe is simple: freshly made food, local ingredients, and special homemade sauces. We are offering great BBQ, inspired by our chef, ‘Mama Sally,’ along with the well-known hospitality that characterizes Local

Greek,” explains Tony Kanterakis, owner of Local Greek Restaurant Group and the new Local BBQ in Hopewell. Shown is chef and catering director “Mama Sally” Kornegay.

—Jean Stratton

Gentle and compassionate. Call

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