Town Topics Newspaper, July 10, 2024. by Witherspoon Media Group

Kean University Launches Revitalization Project in Trenton

Bastille Day Celebrated With Talk on Joseph Bonaparte 8

Registration Open for ASP; “Advisor of the Year” Recognized at PMS

Council Introduces Ordinance for Seminary Properties

agenda packet from Monday’s meeting at princetonnj.gov.

MSNBC’s Steve Kornacki To Speak at PPL

Princeton Summer Chamber Concerts Presents Saxophone Quartet 18

Overcoming Back Injuries

To Make Olympic Debut, PU Grad Kallfelz Rowing for U.S. at Paris Games 23

Making Debut for Carnegie Mellon Men’s Tennis, Former PHS Tennis

Registration is open for the YWCA After-School Program (ASP) for the 2024-2025 school year at Community Park, Johnson Park, Littlebrook, and Riverside elementary schools, and also for students who attend Pre-K at Y locations.

The program is available for students from Pre-K through grade 5, with teachers from the Y providing services on school days from 3 to 6 p.m.

To secure a space in the program, parents are encouraged to register before mid-August. Applications are approved on a rst-come, rst-served basis with some schools lling up faster than others.

The ASP includes 30 minutes of outdoor play, weather permitting, and indoor activities such as gym time, crafting, storytelling, games, and dancing. Students will also be provided with homework help and a nutritious afternoon snack.

For more information, contact AfterSchool Program Manager Patricia Acosta pacosta@ywcaprinceton.org

Registration is available on the YWCA website at ywcaprinceton.org under “What We Do, Programs.”

In other Princeton Public Schools news, Princeton Middle School (PMS) design and engineering teacher Matthew Halfacre was recently named New Jersey Middle School “Advisor of the Year” by the national Technology Student Association (TSA).

Halfacre, who is one of the TSA Club advisors at PMS, works with his students in helping them to prepare for competition in STEM-related areas at the New Jersey State TSA conference.

This year 40 PMS students attended the conference held at The College of New Jersey, and Yochin Chang brought home rst place in microcontroller design; Angela Cao, Amelia Huang, and Fei-Fei Wang second place in biotechnology; Temu De Los Santos, Fransisco Vozone, and Daniel Wong second place in mechanical engineering; Amelia Huang, Aryahi Pimple, Jasmine Shah, Elena Shen, and Fei-Fei Wang second place in website design; Katy Burns, Julian Bird, and Ethan Robinson third place in construction challenge; and Milla Petrecca third place in children’s stories.

“I am proud of the creativity and the fortitude of our students,” said PMS Principal Jason Burr. “It is also an opportunity

At a meeting Monday evening, July 8, Princeton Council introduced an ordinance to adopt the redevelopment plan for properties at Princeton Theological Seminary. A public hearing on the plan, which calls for construction of 238 apartments, 20 percent of which would be designated affordable, is scheduled for the next meeting of Council on July 22.

As outlined in the 41-page proposal prepared by Kyle McManus Associates of Hopewell, the plan’s aims include utilizing smart growth principles “to achieve better planning outcomes for the community,” providing “higher density, compact development in close proximity to downtown and transit to reduce auto dependence and support greenhouse gas reductions consistent with the Princeton Climate Action Plan,” establishing a multi-family development within walking distance of downtown, providing better on-site stormwater management, and improved safety for drivers, among additional goals.

Since owner Jamie Herring of Herring Properties presented a concept plan at a public meeting last fall, there has been some opposition from a group called the Princeton Coalition for Responsible Development based on density, traffic, and other issues. A full reading of the redevelopment plan is available in the

In additional actions at the meeting, Council voted to adopt a budget of $454,163 for Experience Princeton, the town’s Special Improvement District. The budget, which is for the scal year 2024-25, was adopted by the Princeton Business Partnership, the legal entity for Experience Princeton, on June 4. Following a presentation by Executive Director Isaac Kremer, Councilwoman Michelle

“We have accomplished a great deal that is on the work plan, but there’s more to come,” she said. Councilmember Leighton Newlin said he would like to see more women-owned and minority-owned businesses in town. Councilwoman Eve Niedergang asked Kremer whether businesses that leave Princeton are given exit

Joint Effort 2024 Kicks Off August 2, Offers Celebration and Contemplation

Reflections on Paul Robeson, the Witherspoon-Jackson (W-J) neighborhood, and the future of Princeton, along with community gatherings and sports, will highlight this year’s Joint Effort Safe Streets Summer Program, starting on August 2 and continuing through August 11.

“It’s always important for the community to come together,” said Joint Effort (JE) founder and organizer John Bailey. “And it’s even more important now because we have lost our way. On the national level and on the local level we have lost our way.”

The annual program will include social,

athletic, and cultural events; the presentation of numerous awards; and three discussions with community leaders on hot topics facing Princeton.

Bailey noted the connection between “the chaos and contradiction and confusion in the world and the legacy of Robeson, a Princeton world citizen.” He explained, “The theme of the 2024 Joint Effort Princeton Witherspoon-Jackson Community Safe Streets Summer Program is ‘Re ections on Paul Robeson and the Witherspoon-Jackson Community.’” Robeson, In addition to his fame as a

FARM FRESH: A representative from Cedarville Farms in East Windsor assists a customer at the Trenton Farmers Market in Lawrence Township on Sunday. Founded in 1939, it is New Jersey’s oldest continuously run farmers market. Shoppers discuss their favorite summer produce in this week’s Town Talk on page 6.

(Photo by Grace Roberts)

Pirone Lambros, the liaison to the Princeton Business Partnership, noted that the organization has reached the two-year mark.

Volvo XC40

Baseball Game

Step Back in Time with Historic

Two vintage baseball teams will face each other on Saturday, August 3 beginning at 11 a.m. at Ely Field in Lambertville. The Logan Club of Lambertville and the Flemington Neshanocks will play a doubleheader using the rules and equipment from 1864 and 1866. A Lambertville team first took on a Flemington club 158 years ago.

“Lambertville Historical Society is excited to host

For more information on the two teams, visit their websites at loganclub.org and Neshanock.org. Each game is expected to last approximately 90 minutes. This family-friendly event is sponsored by the Lambertville Historical Society with the City of Lambertville. Admission is free, but donations to the historical society are welcome. Visit LambertvilleHistoricalSociety.org for more information.

Lambertville and Flemington re-create baseball games played as they were in 1864 and 1866. vintage baseball games for a second year. The fact that the 1866 game is a reenactment of an actual game that took place in Lambertville makes the event truly special,” said Lambertville Historical Society President Jeff Campbell. “Baseball played a central role in the social and cultural life of Lambertville during the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. These games may perhaps remind us that, at least in some ways, the past is not so different from the present.”

Leighton Listens: Councilman Leighton Newlin holds one-on-one conversations about issues impacting Princeton from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: On July 10 at the Carnevale Kiosk on Nassau Street next to 7-Eleven; July 17 at Ficus, 235A Nassau Street; July 24 at Godfrey Fitzgerald Salon, 15 Witherspoon Street; and July 31 at Hilton’s Princeton, 221 Witherspoon Street. All are welcome.

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

Photo Contest : Friends of Princeton Open Space holds the ninth annual Perspectives on Preservation Photo Contest with a submission deadline of September 8. Photos taken at the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Open Space area can be submitted by professionals and amateurs; they must have been taken during the past three years. Visit fopos.org for more information.

Donate Art Supplies : For a pop-up art supply thrift shop being held August 3 by West Windsor Arts and Propagate Studio, donate on July 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at West Windsor Arts, 952 Alexander Road. Visit westwindsorarts.org for a suggested list of items.

Backpack and School Supplies Drive : Donate for Princeton children from lowincome families so they can be ready for school in the fall. Bring book bags and school supplies by Friday, August 2, to the Human Services office at 1 Monument Drive. For questions, call (609) 688-2055 or email humanservices@princetonnj.gov.

BASEBALL BACK WHEN: The past will come alive on August 3 when teams from

A new project to revitalize a once-thriving section of Trenton has been launched by Kean University. The Coalport Neighborhood Revitalization Planning Project, focused on an area in the capital city’s North Ward, is funded by a

two-year $750,000 federal grant, and is led by the university’s John S. Watson Institute for Urban Policy and Research and Michael Graves College School of Public Architecture.

According to the Trenton Historical Society, the Coalport/North Clinton neighborhood includes the Ewing-Carroll district, with buildings constructed between 1865 and 1890. Houses in the area range from modest, three-story twins and rowhouses to several mansions. One significant industrial building that remains is the Maddock factory at 100 Carroll Street, which is occupied by the Trenton Rescue Mission.

As the project develops, teams from the two entities will engage with local residents of the neighborhood to gather input and guide the plan. Coalport “became distressed after factors such as redlining drove investment away from the area, leaving behind abandoned buildings and an underserved community,” reads a release from Kean University. “Along with addressing housing and economic opportunities for residents, the Coalport project aims to increase access to improved public spaces and build connections to adjacent communities for additional opportunities.”

TOPICS

Of the Town

Barbara George Johnson, Kean’s vice president of external affairs and urban policy and research, said the Coalport project adds to existing efforts by the university in the area.

“The area was separated from Downtown Trenton by the D&R Canal (now Route 1) and was regarded as a prime development site for residential and industrial interests,” reads the historical

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“Kean University’s John S. Watson Institute for Urban Policy and Research has a more than 30-year history of supporting families and businesses in Trenton, including working with community partners on a land preservation project that transformed an abandoned space into the Capital City Farm,” she said in an email. “The Coalport Neighborhood Revitalization Planning Project is the progression of the work already done, and encompasses the area around the Capital City Farm.”

Michael Graves College Dean David Mohney said the project is a major step forward for the School of Public Architecture’s mission of engaging with New Jersey communities, and will provide research opportunities for students. “We believe that this planning grant will lead to a series of built projects that affect the lives of the people of Trenton positively, creating a better, healthier environment, with better opportunities for housing and work,” he said.

section of Trenton. (Photo courtesy of Kean University)

society’s website. “The location of the railroad along the canal and the nearby passenger stations were viewed as enviable amenities. Between the years 1921 and 1964, the EwingCarroll district played host to students from Rider College, which was established at the corner of Carroll and East State streets and along upper North Clinton Avenue. The Ewing-Carroll district is a classic example of a ‘railroad age’ community developed when middle class workers and industry’s successful executives lived side-by-side in order to be near the place of their livelihoods.”

Among supporters of the Coalport project is U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, whose district includes Trenton. The project is funded by a congressional appropriation which Watson Coleman helped secure, and is directed through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“The Coalport Revitalization Planning Project is an investment shaped by the vision of those who live in the historic Trenton neighborhood,” she said. “This project prioritizes community input, historical context and social equity, and I am proud to support it. As the only appropriator from the New Jersey congressional delegation, I want to make sure that New Jerseyans’ tax dollars come right back to make a difference in our communities.”

Projects such as this are part of Kean’s mission, reflecting “the Watson Institute’s over 30-year commitment to supporting thriving, healthy families and businesses in the capital city, and we are proud to continue this critical work,” said Johnson. The project “focuses on creating a plan for redevelopment, which will be done through community involvement and engagement. However, the research conducted so far shows the need for new and renovated housing stock, new employment opportunities for residents, and better education and recreational opportunities. With the extensive Trenton 250 master plan as the foundation for all redevelopment in the city, the project team will work with members of the community to develop a plan with equity and revitalization at its core.”

The project is good news to Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora.

“This initiative marks a significant step toward transforming our Coalport neighborhood into a thriving, vibrant community,” he said. “By actively engaging our residents through community visioning, conducting thorough resource assessments, and developing innovative strategies for redevelopment, we are ensuring that the future of Coalport is shaped by those who know it best — its residents.”

—Anne Levin

well loved and well read since 1946

Question of the Week:

“What is your favorite summer produce?” (Asked at the Trenton Farmers Market in Lawrence Township) (Photos by Grace Roberts)

“Sweet corn!”

—Brian Millen, Ewing

“I’m going

go with a potato, because they’re very versatile. You can make so many summer dishes, and they’re best straight from the farm.”

—Cleome B., Los Angeles, Calif.

Annie: “I love sweet cherries. They’re such an easy treat and they always remind me of when I was little!” Emma: “Heirloom tomatoes. I love them in breakfasts, and they’re just so pretty.”

—Annie M. and Emma C., Lawrence Township

“Sweet corn — I wait all year for it! You can’t beat watermelon either.”

—Alan Maier, Laporte City, Iowa

Town Topics Luxury Living

“Advisor of the Year” continued from page one for students to visit a college campus and to connect with students from other schools and see their projects.”

Burr went on to praise Halfacre and the accomplishments of the TSA under his leadership. “His dedication has enabled many of our students to achieve much more than they ever thought possible, and we are very proud of the sophisticated technology projects created by the students in the club,” said Burr.

Halfacre described the experience of advising the club as “very rewarding,” and he commended the hard work of the students and of his coadvisor Randy Casey, who is the PMS robotics teacher.

Halfacre noted in particular the “critical life skills” developed by the students in the process of working on their projects: “reading the rules and directions for their competitions, being able to interpret and understand what they are expected to do, collaboration skills from working with their team members.”

He continued, “At the end of the season when we can see the students succeed in their work, it’s a great feeling. The students also sometimes have an opportunity to experience defeat and how to overcome those feelings and use them to motivate themselves for future years.”

The TSA Club is open to all grade levels at PMS and meets twice a week from January through March. The students spend club meetings working alone or in groups of various sizes to develop their projects, which usually involve building some sort of physical product, possibly a model or a book. They also have to create documentation that explains their work and thought processes.

—Donald Gilpin

Bastille Day to Be Celebrated With Talk

on Joseph Bonaparte

As the home of Napoleon’s brother Joseph Bonaparte, the Point Breeze estate in Bordentown has been a local point of interest since Bonaparte, the exiled King of Spain, lived there from 1816 to 1839. The 60-acre property, which once included some 2,200 acres, was preserved by D&R Greenway Land Trust, the State of New Jersey, and the City of Bordentown in 2020.

Relics found at the site during multiple architectural digs are the subject of a presentation in celebration of Bastille Day on Sunday, July 14 at 2 p.m. Richard Veit, professor of anthropology at Monmouth University, will talk about the history of the site and the artifacts he has unearthed. Some of them come from the days of Lenape hunters; others are more recent, from the last century.

Veit is a member of the Archaeological Society of New Jersey. At the Bastille Day event, he will weave together the stories of two digs that connect Point Breeze to France, through the Bonaparte family. In partnership with Divine Word Missionaries — which owned the property from 1941 to 2020 — and D&R Greenway, Veit led excavations around the site of Bonaparte’s first mansion and behind the gardener’s house. Some of the artifacts he has exhumed are on display at the Discovery Center, located in the former gardener’s house.

“I’m very excited to host Dr. Veit and learn the story behind his discoveries,” said

Melanie Mead, the manager at the Discovery Center, in a release. “This will be a special day when attendees can both hear about and see artifacts from Joseph Bonaparte’s first mansion that was destroyed by fire in 1820.”

As the story goes, Bonaparte fled Europe after his brother was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo, eventually making his way to New Jersey. After the first house burned down, Bonaparte is believed to have lived in his gardener’s house while the second mansion was being built. That house is now the site’s museum and Discovery Center.

That estate was “a small town for an exiled king,” reads a newsletter from D&R Greenway Land Trust at the time of the acquisition.

Princeton Battlefield Society Names “Heroes of Princeton” On the 248th anniversary of New Jersey signing the Declaration of Independence, the Princeton Battlefield Society (PBS) announced it has honored Willis Mercer, seventh generation descendant of General Hugh Mercer, as the first member of its new “Heroes of Princeton” program.

PBS created “Heroes of Princeton” to honor the Americans who fought at the Battle of Princeton nearly 250 years ago. This Honor Roll will encourage patriotic Americans as well as descendants of these brave soldiers to recognize their service in one of the most critical victories of the Revolutionary War.

Under Gen. George Washington, 4500 Americans defeated the British at the Battle of Princeton on January 3, 1777. The successful battle is considered a pivotal moment in the fight for American independence.

On July 8, at 11:43 a.m., a person reported that an unknown individual stole an item from his vehicle while it was parked on State Road. The stolen item, an Atlas air compressor, was valued at $22,000. There were no suspects at press time.

On July 6, at 5:31 p.m., subsequent to the investigation of a burglary to a vehicle on Princeton-Kingston Road, a 19-year-old male from Irvington was located by the South Brunswick Police Department, and turned over to the Princeton Police Department. He was placed under arrest, charged accordingly, and transported to the Mercer County Correctional Center.

“We want to strengthen the link between the heroism of those men in 1777 and the present,” said PBS President Benjamin Strong. “In a TikTok age, when things don’t matter if they weren’t captured on a phone, our job is to make sure people understand what happened here and why it matters. One of the ways to do that is to renew the ties between the men who fought and today’s Americans by learning about the Battle of Princeton. Our shared Revolutionary War history is brought to life by this type of program.”

In the Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, Veit wrote that “Joseph Bonaparte’s Point Breeze estate was one of the finest country houses in the Delaware Valley. Although only traces of the original Point Breeze mansions in Bordentown, New Jersey, remain, extensive archaeological deposits survive to reveal their grandeur during Bonaparte’s American sojourn.”

In the D&R Greenway newsletter, historian Patricia Tyson Stroud called the Bordentown years the happiest of Bonaparte’s life. “Throughout the Point Breeze years, Joseph hosted politicians, diplomats, artists, famous authors, and naturalists at his Point Breeze estate. Everyone from former President John Quincy Adams to the Marquis de Lafayette to Mexican revolutionaries visited Joseph Bonaparte and solicited his counsel.”

Veit has been conducting architectural digs around Point Breeze for more than a dozen years. “From those first digs, he has found amazing things,” said Linda Mead, D&R Greenway’s president and CEO. “There are pieces of marble from a mantlepiece. There are some old bottles, because Joseph was known to be a bit of a wino. There are various shards, and a tile we found around the gardener’s house. There are quite a few native American artifacts as well.”

Point Breeze has been a revelation to visitors, many of whom live locally but were unaware of its existence. “People are fascinated,” added Mead. “We had a talk there about the Delaware River last Saturday, and 65 people attended. Everybody is just enthralled with the whole thing. The history is just so interesting.”

The property is located on Park Street at Bordentown City’s gateway. Admission to the Bastille Day event is free; registration and a $10 donation is appreciated. Visit drgreeway.org for more information.

—Anne Levin

PBS honored its first “Hero of Princeton,” on April 25, when it recognized Mercer at a wine tasting event featuring wines from Mercer Estates, the Mercer family vineyards in Washington state.

Gen. Mercer, who was immortalized by John Trumbull’s painting, led the first Americans onto the battlefield and was mortally wounded by the British in the battle. Approximately 10 towns, as well Mercer County and the Mercer Oak — which is featured on the seals of the county and as well as the town of Princeton — were named after Hugh Mercer.

“We think of this as one of the first steps we will take to mark the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Princeton on January 3, 2027,” Strong said. “We will continue to announce new 250th events going forward. In the meantime, anyone who is interested in honoring a Patriot soldier who fought at Princeton, including those whose ancestors fought at Princeton, is encouraged to join us by signing up as we honor the sacrifice and courage of Washington’s army on that critical day.”

The historic Princeton Battlefield is located at 500 Mercer Street. Visit pbs1777. org for more information.

On July 5, at 9:09 a.m., two unknown suspects shoplifted $386.91 worth of merchandise from a retail establishment on North Harrison Street. The same unknown suspects were allegedly involved in two previous shoplifting incidents in May and June, according to Princeton Police. They are described as a female in her mid 30s, of medium build, with black shoulderlength hair and tattoos on her left hand, left wrist, and right thigh; and a male in his late 30s with an average build.

On June 27, at 11:46 a.m., police responded to Palmer Square West on a report of a shoplifting. The caller reported that three unknown suspects shoplifted several items from a retail store, which resulted in a monetary loss of approximately $5,815. The incident was captured on video surveillance and showed three suspects taking the items. They are described as a 5’9, 35-year-old male; a 5’5 35-year-old female, and a 5’6, 25-year-old female.

On June 26, at 9:22 p.m., police responded to a Nassau Street business on a report of a male who threatened an individual with a knife. The suspect then damaged a window pane in the front of the store. Subsequent investigation identified the person involved to be a 38-year-old homeless male, who was arrested, transported to police headquarters, and processed accordingly. He was then transported to the Mercer County Correctional Center.

On June 25, at 12:23 p.m., a person on McCosh Circle reported that an unknown suspect used his identity to withdraw funds from his bank account. The suspect forged one withdrawal slip and cashed two altered checks which totaled a monetary loss of $8,000.

A Princeton tradition!

On June 25, subsequent to a motor vehicle crash investigation, the driver of one of the vehicles involved – a 56-year-old male from Newark – was found to have operated his vehicle while intoxicated. He was arrested, transported to police headquarters, and processed accordingly. He was issued several motor vehicle summonses and then released.

Unless noted, individuals arrested were later released.

Richard Veit

Matthew Halfacre

By Charle s D ic ke ns

Photo by Frank Wojciechowski.

MSNBC’s Steve Kornacki, Elections Expert, Will Speak at

Steve Kornacki, NBC News and MSNBC national political correspondent, will be part of a conversation at the Princeton Public Library (PPL) on Thursday, July 11, at 7 p.m. A celebrity on election nights with his magic board, a large interactive screen that presents election data at his command, Kornacki is a timely visitor to Princeton at this particularly volatile juncture in U.S. politics.

Kornacki will be talking with John Mooney, founding editor of NJ Spotlight, in the hour-long event hosted by Ingrid Reed, policy analyst and former director of the New Jersey Project at Rutgers’ Eagleton Institute of Politics, who worked with and mentored Kornacki when he spent three years in New Jersey reporting on state politics for a website and co-hosting a weekly show on News 12 New Jersey.

“Steve has visited the Princeton Public Library for the past few years and has drawn a large crowd each time,” Reed wrote in an email. “I expect him to do

Public Library on Thursday

that again because he is an insightful person whose career began in New Jersey, and he can provide unique perspectives on our state in relation to national issues.”

At press time Kornacki and the other participants had decided that the conversation would focus on “the 2024 election year issues as related to New Jersey with Steve’s national perspective as well,” but they had not narrowed down the specific topics.

Presumably the agenda will include the troubled Democratic Party and its dilemma in the face of President Biden’s determination to continue his campaign, as well as New Jersey’s race for U.S. Senate between Democrat Andy Kim, Republican Curtis Bashaw, and, as long as he continues to run despite several federal indictments, Independent Bob Menendez.

In posts on X (formerly Twitter), Kornacki noted on July 2, “There’d be no real parallel for Biden exiting at this point. He’s the presumptive WH nominee (meaning:

won needed delegates in primaries) and no one in that position has withdrawn in the modern era. For that matter, no major party WH nominee has ever dropped out.”

He went on to mention, “Comparisons would be made to LBJ in ’68, but he never formally entered the race; just announced that he wouldn’t run.”

Kornacki, who provides real-time analysis of voting patterns, exit polls, and electoral data for MSNBC’s election coverage, was the host of “Up with Steve Kornacki” and co-host of MSNBC’s The Cycle.

He also wrote for the New York Observer, covered Congress for Roll Call, and has written for the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, New York Daily News, New York Post, Boston Globe, Daily Beast, and Capital New York.

Kornacki is the author of The Red and the Blue: The 1990s and the Birth of Political Tribalism and the host of “The Revolution,” a podcast series about the rise of Newt Gingrich.

FOURTH OF JULY JUBILEE: Attendees took part in an array of festivities at the annual July 4 event hosted by Morven Museum & Garden on Thursday. This

included activities connecting Juneteenth and July 4th to help people better understand

past and help shape the future. (Photo courtesy of Morven Museum & Garden)

health care services.

Three “Health Care Heroes” From St. Peter’s Hospital

On Tuesday, June 25 at the Palace at Somerset, the publication NJBIZ presented its 2024 Health Care Heroes Awards with three of Saint Peter’s University Hospital’s professionals as recipients. The NJBIZ Health Care Heroes awards were created to recognize excellence, promote innovation, and honor the efforts of individuals and organizations making a significant impact on the quality of health care in New Jersey.

He grew up in Groton, Mass., and graduated from Boston University.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for Thursday’s 7 p.m. event, and it will also be livestreamed. Previous Kornacki visits to PPL have reportedly been standing-room only. The conversation is presented in partnership with Princeton Adult School. Visit princetonlibrary.org for more information.

—Donald Gilpin

North Witherspoon Street is undergoing a beautification project this summer but is open for business! Visit Hiltons Princeton today for their excellence in tailored clothing, their collection of the latest designer styles and their focus on fewer, better things. Also, be sure to visit the many other Witherspoon Street businesses while you’re there.

The awards spotlight exceptional achievements across 11 categories. Recognized from Saint Peter’s were Dr. Nayan Kothari as 2024 Education Hero, Pamela Harmon as 2024 Innovation Hero, and Avril Keldo as 2024 Health Care Professional.

Kothari is chief academic officer, emeritus chairman, and program director of the hospital’s Department of Medicine. He is responsible for establishing the Simulation Center for Interprofessional Learning at Saint Peter’s. The Simulation Center provides hands-on training of complex procedures and newly introduced protocols to physicians and other health care providers in a supervised environment. He is the first person outside of the U.K. to receive the Presidential Medal for Excellence in Medical Education from The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, and is a member of the board of The Society of Bedside Medicine, a global community dedicated to bedside teaching and improving physical examinations and diagnostic skills. He is also past governor of the New Jersey Southern Region of the American College of Physicians (ACP), the national organization of internists and the largest medical specialty organization working to support the physician-patient relationship and the profession of internal medicine.

Harmon is director of the Women and Children’s Division, Respiratory Care Department and the Center for Sleep and Breathing Disorders; and administrative director of the Mary V. O’Shea Birth Center. She is a self-directed visionary responsible for advancing maternal care at Saint Peter’s. Helping to launch the state’s first nationally accredited hospital-owned, midwiferyled Birth Center, she continues her work by mentoring other hospitals planning to open birth centers as a member of the National Board of Birth Centers. She is also a board member of The Council of Women’s and Infants’ Specialty Hospitals (CWISH), a collaborative of 14 maternity hospitals that promotes best practices, supporting programs and national policies for women’s and infants’

Keldo is the director of professional practice and clinical education and research at the Nayan K. Kothari MD Simulation Center for Interprofessional Learning and Medical Library. She is committed to mentoring fellow nurses and an advocate for higher education in nursing. Keldo plays a pivotal role in doing so by delivering an optimum clinical experience in nurse recruitment and retention, promoting workshops focused on acute care skills, and advocating for hands-on training in the Simulation Center for Interprofessional Learning. Keldo is cognizant of the need for nurse mentors and is an advocate for the recruiting nurse mentors for new nurses transitioning to practice.

Womanspace Gets Grant From Starbucks Foundation

The Starbucks Foundation’s Neighborhood Grants program has awarded Womanspace a $2,000 grant. This grant award is thanks to a local Starbucks partner (employee) nomination who recognized the organization’s impactful work in the Mercer County area, focusing on providing critical services and support to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Through this program, The Starbucks Foundation invites Starbucks partners and alumni to nominate a local organization in their community. Since 2019, more than 13,000 grants have been awarded to local organizations, amounting to more than $20 million. Womanspace was recently selected from among 33,000 nominations submitted by Starbucks partners earlier this year.

Womanspace provides comprehensive services to individuals and families impacted by domestic and sexual violence, including 24/7 hotlines, emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, and prevention education. The mission is to prevent abuse, protect families, and change lives through empowerment and a safety net of supportive services. This grant will support Womanspace’s ongoing initiatives, such as the Safe House, Transitional Housing, and Crisis Intervention Services, ensuring survivors receive the help they need to rebuild their lives.

“We are deeply honored to receive this grant from The Starbucks Foundation,” said Nathalie S. Nelson, Womanspace CEO and president. “This support will enable us to continue offering life-saving services to those in need and strengthen our community’s response to domestic violence and sexual assault. We are grateful for the recognition and the opportunity to further our mission.”

Environmental Champions Recognized at Gala Event

The New Jersey League of Convservation Voters (LCV) hosted its 10th annual Gala on Monday, June 10. The event sold a total of nearly 500 tickets and raised a total of more than $355,000, breaking last year’s record of $328,000.

“We are extremely grateful to our supporters who attended the New Jersey LCV Gala and helped us achieve these milestones in attendance and donations. Their generosity enables us to continue our work to bring about healthier communities and economic prosperity for all,” said Ed Potosnak, executive director, New Jersey LCV. “By educating the public and holding our elected officials accountable, we can make a real difference in fighting for 100 percent clean electricity by 2035, creating goodpaying union jobs in the green economy, cleaning up our air, and mitigating the impacts of climate change.”

Every year, the New Jersey LCV recognizes environmental champions. At this year’s Gala, a total of four different awards were given to those who deserved to be honored for their efforts and leadership. The Emerald Award for those dedicated to protecting New Jersey’s air, water, and open spaces went to Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, New Jersey Senate President Nick Scutari, and Atlantic City Councilman Kaleem Shabazz.

The Changemaker Award, for those making a true difference across New Jersey’s environment and communities, went to Renata Barens of the Outdoor Equity Alliance, and Wyatt Earp, international representative representing the IBEW Third District. The Founders Award, for those who exhibit leadership and devotion towards New Jersey LCV’s success, was given to Julia Somers of the New Jersey Highlands Coalition, Cindy Ehrenclou of Raritan Headwaters Association, and Carleton Montgomery of the Pinelands Preservation Alliance. The Sustainability Award, for businesses and institutions who help in the fight for the environment, went to Commvault and Martha Delehanty. New Jersey League of Conservation Voters is a non-partisan organization whose mission is to elect environmental champions, hold public officials accountable, and support laws which protect the environment and improve the quality of people’s lives. For more information, visit njlcv.org.

Pictured: Nick and Jennifer Hilton, Par Tha Hniang, Catherine Hilton-Page, Dean Harrison, Rob Rencarge.

HILTONS

Witherspoon St.

year’s theme, Civic Season,

the

Council continued from page one interviews about why they have closed. Kremer said that generally speaking, there are more businesses opening than closing.

Council approved a resolution awarding contracts to Ciel Power, LLC and Green Home Solutions, for home energy assessment services in residential units.

“These kinds of programs are the absolute easiest ways for us as a community to reduce our carbon footprint,” said Councilman David Cohen. “It’s been difficult to get people to take advantage of the programs. This idea of having a couple of approved providers has been shown to have more uptake in the community, and it makes perfect sense to me that it would do that. I’m really pleased to see us moving in this direction.”

Niedergang agreed.

“There are so many sketchy providers in this realm,” she said. “To have Princeton saying this is a legitimate provider, is really important.”

Christine Symington, executive director of Sustainable Princeton, thanked Council and Municipal Engineer/ Deputy Administrator Deanna Stockton for working with the organization on the initiative. Plans are underway for outreach efforts to encourage the public to sign up for the audits.

“As David said, it is one of the most proven ways to get people to follow through with energy efficiency upgrades to their homes,” Symington said. “The built environment is the greatest source of emissions, so the more we can do to have our homeowners make their homes more energy efficient, the more we will be able to meet our greenhouse gas reduction goals.”

Council voted in favor of an ordinance for a revised Green Development Checklist and Information Statement. The ordinance was created after a year of work between municipal staff and the Princeton Environmental Commission. It is a required component of an application for major site plan or major subdivision approval.

“This is hopefully a big improvement over the last one, and hopefully it will lead to improved results as developers think about the environmental consequences of acts they’re taking,” said Niedergang. Newlin called it “a tour de force checklist that any developer has to go through and check off the boxes.”

Cohen added, “As someone who has served on the Planning Board for quite a while, this checklist is really valuable. It helps us to separate the developers who are greenwashing from those who are really sincere and knowledgeable about what they’re doing.”

—Anne Levin

Joint Effort 2024 continued from page one concert singer, actor, and professional athlete, was also widely acclaimed and criticized for his political activism and his support for civil rights and other controversial causes. He was investigated by the FBI and the House Un-American Activities Committee during the McCarthy era in the 1950s.

“So the theme of this Joint Effort is taking a look at Robeson’s life as it related to the Witherspoon-Jackson community, as it related to Princeton,” said Bailey, who grew up in Princeton and is now a leader for social equity, a political consultant, and community organizer based in Denver, Colo.

“Robeson’s a good focal point to celebrate, to recognize and educate, and then to start talking about what’s next and what we can do now,” Bailey added. “This continuing effort every year is an effort to bring folks together in town to reflect on the African American community, focusing particularly this year on Robeson.” One topic on the agenda for the August 10 discussion will be “Robeson, Reparations, and DEI: The National Pushback.”

This year’s celebration will be held at various different locations in Princeton, and each day of the program will highlight the history of W-J and an important Black personality, including Ruth Parker, Donald Johnson, Frank Wells, Doris Burrell, Laura Wooten, and John Young.

A kick-off reception and W-J Community Salute to Our Ancestors will get the

festivities rolling at 5 p.m. on Friday, August 2 at Studio Hillier on Witherspoon Street. The following day there will be a fish fry and community meet and greet at 1 p.m. at the Elks Lodge on Birch Avenue, then on Sunday August 4 a Gospel Music Festival at 5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Princeton on Green Street.

On Tuesday, August 6 JE will feature a discussion on the future of Princeton at 6 p.m. at the Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) on Witherspoon Street, to be followed on Wednesday, also at the ACP, by a preliminary 5 p.m. reception, then a discussion on Paul Robeson, as well as the Chip Fisher Memorial Art Exhibit and the presentation of scholarship and community awards.

On the busy agenda of the final weekend of JE, there will be a candidate forum and panel discussion on social equity and community benefits in Princeton on Saturday, August 10 at 10 a.m. at the First Baptist Church; a youth basketball clinic at 10 a.m. at the Community Park Basketball court; a Community Block Festival from 1 to 7 p.m. at the Princeton YMCA Pavilion on Paul Robeson Place; and a community meet and greet at 7:30 p.m. at the Elks Lodge on Birch Avenue.

The Sunday, August 11 closing day of JE will include the Pete Young Sr. Memorial Basketball Games from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Community Park basketball courts, followed by a final meet and greet at 6 p.m. at the Birch Avenue Elks Lodge.

The honorees to be

recognized during the 10 days of JE include Mercer County Executive Dan Benson, County Commissioner Sam Frisby, Princeton Councilwoman Eve Niedergang, Studio Hillier Principal Bob Hillier (a Town Topics shareholder), Police Chief Jon Bucchere, Recreation Department Administrator Stacie Ryan, Franklin Toga Bank CEO Terry McEwen, Lance Liverman, Tommy Parker, and Princeton Housing Authority Board Chair Felicia Spitz.

In addition there will be special Paul Robeson W-J Community Honors Awards presented to the Witherspoon-Jackson Historical and Cultural Society, the Paul Robeson House of Princeton, and the Arts Council of Princeton, as well as 15 scholarships for local students.

“Every community needs a Joint Effort Safe Streets,” said Bailey. “Every community needs the ability to reflect on where it’s been so it can have a better handle

on where it currently is and the potential to look at where it’s going.” Bailey described JE as “an opportunity to look back at some of the discrepancies, some of the challenges and choices, as well as some of the opportunities African Americans have had in Princeton, be it housing, racism, merging to become one Princeton, the relationship between Princeton University and the town, or trying to figure out growth.” He continued, “Princeton is a microcosm of what the rest of the country could look like. It’s also a laboratory. I can say that Princeton is moving forward, yet we have a long way to go, like other municipalities in the country that are trying to be progressive. There are challenges, choices, and opportunities for us to grow. That’s what I’m building on, that we as a community will grow, and I hope that we’ll have a significant impact on our young people.”

—Donald Gilpin

Our Journeys Memory Support Program is designed to serve those living with Alzheimer’s disease or other related forms of dementia in a modern & bright environment that encourages joy in daily living.

Our Program Philosophy is to meet each resident where they are in their memory journey and to modify as needed to maintain the highest level of function, participation, and quality of life.

Our

Our Program Philosophy is to meet each resident where they are in their memory journey and to modify as needed to maintain the highest level of function, participation, and quality of life.

Philosophy

and to modify as

participation, and quality of life.

The views of the letters do not necessarily reflect the views of Town Topics.

Morven Museum & Garden Thanks Supporters of Fourth of July Jubilee

On Thursday, July 4, our Fourth of July Jubilee theme was Civic Season, a national program of activities helping us to us better understand our past and shape the future.

On behalf of Morven Museum & Garden, we thank the outstanding group of community partners who shared our vision of adding this important educational component to the celebratory activities: Historical Society of Princeton, Paul Robeson House of Princeton, People & Stories/Gente y Cuentos, Princeton Academy of Art, Princeton Public Library, RevolutionNJ, YWCA Princeton, and the Witherspoon-Jackson Historical and Cultural Society.

What a joy to see the grounds at Morven hopping with a large and lively group of more than 1,200 people of all ages enjoying music, hands-on activities, food, and fun. One of the highlights for young attendees was taking a turn at signing the Declaration of Independence.

At Morven, we are committed to lifelong learning, research, and sharing knowledge with visitors. Our spaces are intended to serve as a community gathering place, resource, and catalyst for understanding our shared history, and thanks to everyone who attended on July 4, we did just that. Thank you to our generous sponsors, Baxter Construction, Blue Sky Green Earth, and Fulton Bank, without whom this event would not have been possible.

RHONDA DIMASCIO Executive Director, Morven Museum & Garden Stockton Street

Trend of Demolishing Historic Buildings In Town’s Historic Areas Must Be Stopped

To the Editor:

The worrisome trend of demolishing historic buildings within Princeton’s designated historic areas has been accelerating. A few recent examples in the Mercer Hill Historic District include the demolition of all siding and windows of an 1830s vintage home next door to the Barracks on Edgehill Street, and the demolition of all siding and replacement of windows of a historic home at 44 Mercer Street — a notable gateway to Princeton on the corner of Alexander and Mercer Streets.

This trend must be stopped to preserve Princeton’s outstanding and unique historic legacy. What protections do we have against rampant and uncontrolled development in these special, protected areas? Firstly we have the Princeton Historic Preservation Ordinance. On Page 2 of the Ordinance, demolition is defined as: “to partially or completely take down a structure or a part thereof.” In my reading of this statement, removing the entire historic skin of a building certainly constitutes taking down “a part thereof” of the building. According to the Ordinance, demolition of structures in historic-designated districts: “shall be approved only if the structure cannot be put to reasonable use and its preservation will impose a financial hardship on the applicant.” In the above 2 examples, the buildings were in useful condition and there was no issue of financial hardship. And yet the destruction went forward.

The Ordinance provides a second level of protection of historic structures by requiring that preservation plans only be approved according to a specific set of guiding principles. The first principle listed in section 10B-386 (3) (b) (i) is: “existing materials, if they are the original materials of the original structure or remodeling which is being restored, should be maintained and repaired rather than replaced.” Again, in the two examples cited above, both occurring within the last six months, the siding was in good or repairable condition, yet the historic fabric was lost to a landfill.

We can and must do better.

To address this concern, on June 17 a meeting was held between the Mercer Hill Historic District Association and the Princeton Historic Preservation Commission (HPC). In the meeting, an in-depth review of the circumstances

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.

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

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.

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surrounding the loss of these two precious buildings was conducted, and various members of the HPC expressed support for a “reset” of the town’s collective efforts to maintain and enhance Princeton’s unique heritage, a return to strict adherence to the Ordinance, and an investigation into how rampant demolition of the historic fabric within historic districts can be rapidly brought under control.

I am encouraged that we have a positive groundswell of support within the Town government to protect our valuable heritage and I graciously thank all HPC and town Council members in advance for their help in righting the ship.

Many current applications before the HPC should apply for demolition, and this could not be a more urgent topic.

ROB ROBERTSON Mercer Street

Historical Integrity of Steadman Houses on Alexander Street Needs to Be Preserved

To the Editor:

On Monday, July 15, at 4 p.m. the Princeton Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) will hear applications from the Princeton Theological Seminary (PTS) to strip the historic fabric from five houses located on their campus at the intersection of Alexander and Mercer streets, specifically numbers 15-17, 19, 25-27, 29, and 31 Alexander Street. A sixth house, at 44 Mercer Street, has already been stripped of its historic siding and windows, the result of an administrative waiver granted in error. Four of the Alexander Street houses are the work of Charles Steadman, Princeton’s noted 19th century architect and builder. Together with the Steadmans and related period houses on the opposite side of Alexander Street, this grouping is at the core of the Mercer Hill Historic District and are key contributors to it, forming an iconic, character-defining gateway to Princeton.

In its applications filed last Friday, July 5, PTS seeks HPC approval to replace the historic clapboard siding, window trim, and shutters with synthetic materials, including

HardiePlank, a fiber cement siding, and Boral, a composite material made of polymers and coal-fired power plant waste, or fly ash. All windows are to be replaced rather than repaired. HPC ‘s decisions are governed by Princeton’s Historic Preservation Ordinance and guided by the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. The first principle of the Ordinance is to maintain and repair the original fabric of a historic building. PTS’s plan would violate this fundamental principle. The existing original clapboard and window trim on the elevations of these houses that are visible from the public right of way — and so subject to HPC review — appear to be in good condition notwithstanding their age and should not end up as landfill.

The importance of the Steadman houses on Alexander Street has long been recognized by historians, architects, city planners, and the public at large. In her highly regarded Princeton Architecture: A Pictorial History of Town and Campus, Connie Greiff cited the four Steadmans owned by PTS and part of this application (numbers 19, 25, 29, and 31 Alexander Street) as among Steadman’s best work. She described the unified grouping of houses as “a remarkable survival of an early nineteenth-century middle class neighborhood … the whole complex could serve as a model to today’s developers, a visual dissertation on how to achieve variety … these Alexander Street houses have a certain monumentality, derived from their compact cubic shape combined with solid, well-ordered classical detail and proportion.” (p. 93). Indeed, a photo of this streetscape, representing the town, graces the cover of her book.

The Mercer Hill Historic District Association strongly opposes PTS’s plan to destroy the historic character of the Alexander Street houses. We urge the HPC to enforce the provisions of the Historic Preservation Ordinance and deny these applications. We encourage all to attend the July 15 hearing in support of our position.

NORA W. KERR President, Mercer Hill Historic District Association Mercer Street

Trauma Therapist to Discuss New Book at Frenchtown Bookshop

Trauma therapist Charity

O’Reilly, author of You Will Get Through This: A Mental Health First-Aid Kit, will be at the Frenchtown Bookshop on Wednesday July 10, at 6:30 p.m.

She will celebrate the release of You Will Get Through This (The Experiment, $18.95), co-authored with psychologists Julie Radico and Nicole Helverson. The book is a home health guide for taking charge of your and your family’s mental health, including responding to and coping with depression, anxiety, PTSD, panic disorder, and insomnia. The three mental-health professionals help identify and understand common mentalhealth problems and give a road to wellness, including

how and when to find help.

O’Reilly is a licensed professional counselor specializing in trauma therapy. She provides intensive trauma therapy for trauma survivors and trains and consults with therapists on traumainformed practice. She is certified in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TFCBT), and trauma processing yoga.

Trent House Hosts Author Talk On Life of William Trent’s Son

The Trent House Association will host a book talk on the life of William Trent, the son and namesake of the man whose house is now the William Trent House Museum.

William Trent Place.

his childhood to his death in 1784, documenting his ambitious enterprises, his time as a factor or agent for a powerful land speculating company, and his connections with better-known Americans such as Benjamin Franklin and George Washington. The book also tells of Trent’s relationship with Native Americans, from his role in giving them blankets from smallpox victims during the French and Indian

War to his reputation for effective communication in his “frame of speech to the Indians, in their style.”

The William Trent House Museum is a National Historic Landmark in the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area and on the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail. For more information, visit williamtrenthouse.org.

MCPC_Town-Topics-Ad-OUTLINED.pdf 1 7/2/24 5:08 PM

The event is free, and refreshments will be served courtesy of the author. The bookshop is located at 28 Bridge Street, Frenchtown and can be reached at (908) 628-9297. A link to purchase the book is at frenchtownbookshop.com/ events.

Historian Jason Cherry, a longtime research consultant with the William Trent House Museum , will give the free talk on Saturday, July 20 at 2 p.m. at the Trent House Museum Visitor Center in Trenton, and also virtually at tinyurl.com/ TalkJuly20. Cherry will be signing copies of his newest book, William Trent, Factor of Ambition (Sunbury Press, $34.95 paperback) and displaying articles from Trent’s life, before his talk, at 12:30 p.m. The museum is located at 15 Market Street in Trenton, across from the Hughes Justice Complex. Free parking and the museum entrance are at the rear of the property off

William Trent, the founder of Trenton, had five sons. The youngest, also called William, was still a child when his father died suddenly on Christmas Day 1724. After an apprenticeship in Philadelphia, Trent followed in his father’s footsteps in business, trading with Native Americans for furs. But unlike his father, he was also a military man, commissioned by the royal governor of Virginia to assemble a force to defend British trading interests against French competition in Ohio territory. This period of the younger Trent’s life was documented in Pittsburgh’s Lost Outpost: Captain Trent’s Fort , also by Jason Cherry, who is a reenactor of that militia group.

William Trent, Factor of Ambition , is an in-depth account of Trent’s life from

Featuring gifts that are distinctly Princeton

NEW PRODUCTS FROM HAMILTON JEWELERS

Fireﬂies and Fireworks: Thoreau, Whitman, and D.H. Lawrence

I do not propose to write an ode to dejection, but to brag as lustily as chanticleer in the morning, standing on his roost, if only to wake my neighbors up.

—Henry David Thoreau, from Walden

Late the other night, I saw an insect moving with difficulty across the damp white surface of the kitchen sink. A closer look revealed that it was a firefly, laboring, going nowhere, disoriented, too weak to blink its light, so I offered it a ride on a brand-new green scouring pad, opened the door to the deck, and watched it blink its light and take flight. Only when it met an answering light and the two were in orbit did I read the news of the day into the moment. And since this rendezvous occurred on the night of July 4, a week after the debacle of the debate and the subsequent media feeding frenzy, a pair of innocent fireflies became Biden and Harris.

What can I say? Such things happen when nature intrudes on an Independence Day column about two heroes of the holiday, Henry David Thoreau, who began his two-year-long stay at Walden Pond on July 4, 1845, and Walt Whitman, who published Leaves of Grass on July 4, 1855.

Washington’s Bells

Flash forward to July 4, 1863 and Whitman is in Washington. It’s the day after the Battle of Gettysburg, and the weather’s “very fine, warm, but from a smart rain last night, fresh enough, and no dust, which is a great relief for this city.” As Walt walks down Pennsylvania Avenue, he sees “a big flaring placard on the bulletin board of a newspaper office” announcing the Union Army’s “Glorious Victory!” Armed with “several bottles of blackberry and cherry syrup, good and strong, but innocent,” he visits the Armory Hospital, telling the soldiers the news and giving them all “a good drink of the syrups with ice water, quite refreshing — prepar’d it all myself, and serv’d it around.” Meanwhile Washington’s bells are ringing “their sundown peals for Fourth of July,” with “the usual fusilades of boys’ pistols, crackers, and guns.”

Before Walden

On July 4, 1840, two decades before the outbreak of the Civil War and five years before he moved into the cabin at Walden

Pond, Thoreau wakes up at 4 a.m. to find a light infantry unit encamped nearby, the band playing “an old Scotch air with bugle and drum and fife” that “seems like the morning hymn of creation.”

On July 4, 1852, two years before the publication of Walden; or Life in the Woods , Thoreau is up at 3 a. m. to “see the lilies open.” He hears “an occasional crowing of cocks in distant barns, as has been their habit for how many thousand years. It was so when I was young, and it will be so when I am old.” In the epigraph under the image of a cabin on Walden’s title page, Thoreau proposes to “brag as lustily as chanticleer in the morning, standing on his roost, if only to wake my neighbors up.”

This pre-dawn outing with Thoreau rouses thoughts of Princeton professor Will Howarth, who died last June 6 after spending a lifetime with Thoreau, tracking down his papers, walking his trails, and reading the full journal from which these passages are taken — a journal that “runs longer than two million words (many still unpublished),” and that Howarth says is “the great untold secret of American letters.” Seven years ago Howarth was our “chanticleer in the morning” sounding the wake-up call that “Our times have never needed the shock of Thoreau more,” with a government “eager to kill all measures of natural protection in the name of corporate profit,” and “civil liberties and free speech under attack,” including Thoreau himself, when “the barriers to reading him as a voice of resistance — or reading him at all — are multiplying swiftly.”

mother on Classon Avenue in Brooklyn. According to a March 21, 2018 posting on historynet.com, the only time the two men seriously disagreed was when Whitman announced that his poems “spoke for America” and Thoreau said that he didn’t think much of America or of politics, touching off “a debate about the common man.”

Nevertheless, the two parted as friends, Whitman giving Thoreau a copy of the second edition of Leaves of Grass , which contained 20 new poems. While Thoreau found “two or three” of the new poems disturbingly “sensual” (“It is as if the beasts spoke”), he was impressed with the rest of the book — and its author. “Since I have seen him, I find that I am not disturbed by any brag or egoism in his book. He may turn out the least of a braggart of all, having a better right to be confident. He is a great fellow.”

In 1888, 26 years after Thoreau died, Whitman told a friend, “Thoreau belongs to America, to the transcendental, to the protesters. He was a force…. His dying does not seem to have hurt him a bit: every year has added to his fame. One thing about Thoreau keeps him very near to me. I refer to his lawlessness, his dissent, his going his own road.”

Calling D.H. Lawrence I can’t help it. I tried to keep him out of the column. He has no right to be here. You want lawlessness, dissent, going your own road? Then bring on Thoreau’s kindred spirit from across the pond. Glowworms won’t cut it this election year. We need some Lawrentian fireworks, not fireflies.

chapter of his mad masterpiece, Studies in Classic American Literature. Although few can equal Lawrence when it comes to mooning about nature, no way is he mooning about luminous insects as he dances merrily and savagely all around and up and down on the greatness of Whitman (“a great moralist” and “a very great poet”), at one point even putting Walt behind the wheel of “an automobile with a very fierce headlight, along the track of a fixed idea, through the darkness of this world. And he saw everything that way. Just as a motorist does in the night.”

“ONE DIRECTION! toots Walt in the car ... ONE DIRECTION! whoops America, and sets off also in an automobile.” “ONE IDENTITY! chants democratic En Masse, pelting behind in motor-cars, oblivious of the corpses under the wheels.” Has anyone had more sheer fun with America than the red fox of Nottingham? “God save me,” he says, “I feel like creeping down a rabbit-hole, to get away from all these automobiles rushing down the ONE IDENTITY track to the goal of ALLNESS.” Down the rabbit-hole indeed, for it was on July 4, 1862, a year before the Battle of Gettysburg, that Lewis Carroll told Alice Liddell the story that became Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

And the great thing about being down the rabbit-hole is you can let your fancy free, as Thoreau did in his journal for June 14, 1851, when he watched a firefly crawl “up to the top of a grasshead,” exhibiting “its light,” as “instantly another sailed in to it, showing its light also,” except that Thoreau’s presence “made them extinguish their lights. The latter retreated, and the former crawled slowly down the stem. It appeared to me that the first was a female who thus revealed her place to the male, who was also making known his neighborhood as he hovered about, both showing their lights that they might come together.” Then this firefly flight: “It was like a mistress who had climbed to the turrets of her castle and exhibited there a blazing taper for a signal, while her lover had displayed his light on the plain.”

TA Meeting in Brooklyn

When Thoreau and Whitman met in November 1856, Whitman was living with his

“What a funny world that fellow sees!” Lawrence says of Walt Whitman in the last

he last word goes to Nathaniel Hawthorne, born 220 years ago on July 4, 1804: “A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities.”

—Stuart Mitchner

Town Topics Hot for Summer 2024

ART OF Mixology with 3BR Distillery • July 31

ART OF Matcha with Ooika • Aug 1

ART OF Vintage Jewelry with H1912 • Sept 12

ART OF Hell’s Kitchen Tony Winning! • Oct 23

ART OF Thriving in a Toxic World with Melissa Klepacki • Nov 7

Tickets: artscouncilofprinceton org

Princeton Summer Chamber Concerts Presents Imaginative Saxophone Quartet

Audiences usually identify the saxophone with such jazz and blues superstars as Charlie Parker and John Coltrane, but New Century Saxophone Quartet has shattered that image. For more than 30 years, this ensemble has shown that four saxophones can well match the pitch and dynamic range of a string quartet, amassing an impressive repertory for this combination of instruments along the way. The four members of New Century Saxophone Quartet brought their combination of “skillful artistry and down-home fun” to Richardson Auditorium last Tuesday night as part of the 57th season of the Princeton University Summer Chamber Concerts series. Performing music spanning more than 270 years, the Quartet well demonstrated the saxophone’s abilities to emerge from smoky jazz clubs to the forefront of the classical concert stage.

Saxophone players Michael Stephenson (soprano), Chris Hemingway (alto), Stephen Pollock (tenor), and Drew Hays (baritone) have commissioned a number of works for their unique ensemble, as well as playing transcriptions of pieces composed for other instrumentation. The Quartet began Tuesday night’s concert with settings of three pieces representing the pinnacle of counterpoint: Johann Sebastian Bach’s The Art of the Fugue Considered one of the greatest musical works ever created, Bach’s collection of fugues and canons developed one principal subject to show all the possibilities of 18th-century counterpoint. New Century Saxophone Quartet performed Contrapuncti Nos. 1, 9 and 10, with the opening themes cleanly introduced by alto saxophonist Hemingway. Stephenson’s soprano sax, rarely heard in symphonic settings, displayed a timbre similar to an oboe as the ensemble conveyed a relaxed tempo to bring out Bach’s intricate counterpoint.

Throughout the three short Bach Contrapuncti, fugal entries were clean, as the Quartet toyed imaginatively with cadences in tempos a bit slower than one might hear if these pieces were played on a keyboard. The Quartet players displayed the most virtuosic technique in Contrapunctus No. 9, with Hays’ baritone saxophone reaching into an especially low register.

The New Century musicians moved quickly from the 18th to the 21st century with three contemporary works for saxophone ensemble. The two movements of Jun Nagao’s 2002 Quatuor

de Saxophones were contrasting in character, with the homophonic “Aspirer” showing a well-blended sound. The movement titled “Chercher” lived up to its definition of “to seek” with a frantic quality, as if the players were uniformly searching for something. This movement was especially notable for the clean duets in thirds between instruments.

The Quartet reached full volume in a movement from John Mackey’s 2012 Unquiet Spirits , an impressionistic work which proved not to be so quiet when all four Quartet members unleashed the dynamic range of the music. Some of the Quartet’s most innovative playing came in Paul Harvey’s arrangement of three fiddle tunes by 18th-century Scottish poet Robert Burns, whose compositional skills have been under-recognized. “My Wife’s a Winsome Wee Thing” came across in a sea shanty style, with soprano saxophonist Stephenson providing a sweet discant to the melody. Stephenson was also featured in the lyrical “My Love is Like a Red, Red, Rose,” which built the instrumental palette elegantly, beginning with the soprano sax and gradually adding the others. The Quartet concluded this set with a jaunty setting of “Bannocks O’Bearmeal,” with Stephenson eliciting an impressive bagpipe sound from the soprano saxophone.

Among the many transcriptions in New Century Quartet’s repertory are no doubt works originally conceived for string quartet. Antonin Dvorák’s String Quartet No. 12 in F Major dates from the composer’s time in the U.S., with a fresh American sound and folk-like melodic material. These traits transferred well to Quartet’s rendition of an arrangement of this work for saxophones. Dvorák knew the instrument from its roots in early American jazz, and Michael Stephenson’s free and open soprano saxophone melody in the “Finale” was especially representative of Dvorák’s affinity for America and its musical traditions.

Closing the concert with selections from Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story , New Century Saxophone Quartet showed the lyrical side of the ensemble, as well as refined dynamic shading. Alto saxophonist Hemingway showed another side of the instrument with a pitch-bending and rousing gospel encore — definitely something Princeton audiences do not hear every day and an educational moment in itself.

—Nancy Plum

Princeton Summer Chamber Concerts will conclude the 2024 season on Monday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Richardson Auditorium with a performance by the Balourdet Quartet. Featured in this concert will be music of Mozart, Beethoven and Canadian American composer Karim Al-Zand. Tickets are free and are available online through the Chamber Concerts website at princetonsummerchamberconcerts.org

The first exhibition Gilded Age sculptors most recognizable

The first exhibition exploring the legacies of Gilded Age sculptors who created our Nation’s most recognizable monuments.

The first exhibition exploring the legacies of Gilded Age sculptors who created our Nation’s

first exhibition exploring the legacies of Gilded Age sculptors who created our Nation’s most recognizable monuments.

The first exhibition exploring the legacies Gilded Age sculptors who created our Nation’s most recognizable monuments.

Monuments

Monuments and Myths: The and Daniel Chester French is of Arts, Chesterwood, a Preservation, and the Saint-Gaudens Saint-Gaudens National Historic panying publication has been American Art. Support for provided by the Gladys Krieble

National Historic Park.

Major support for the accompanying publication has been provided by the Wyeth Foundation for American Art. Support for the exhibition and the publication has been provided by the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation.

The Michener Art Museum presentation of Monuments and Myths: The America of Sculptors Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Daniel Chester French has been generously supported by the Bucks County Tourism Grant Program, Worth & Company, Inc., Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation, and the Michener Art Museum’s 35th Anniversary Initiative.

The first exhibition exploring the legacies Gilded Age sculptors who created our most recognizable monuments.

Monuments and Myths: The America of Sculptors Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Daniel Chester French is co-organized by the American Federation of Arts, Chesterwood, a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Saint-Gaudens Memorial in partnership with Saint-Gaudens National Historic Park. Major support for the accom panying publication has been provided by the Wyeth Foundation American Art. Support for the exhibtion and the publication has been provided by the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation. The Michener Art Museum presentation of Monuments and Myths: America of Sculptors Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Daniel Chester French has been generously supported by the Bucks County Tourism Grant Program, Worth & Company, Inc., Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation, the Michener Art Museum’s 35th Anniversary Initiative.

Abraham Lincoln, model, 1909–12, cast 1912. Bronze, H. 37½ inches. Chesterwood, Stockbridge, MA. Gift of Daniel Chester French Foundation, NT 69.38.251. Courtesy American Federation of Arts. Photo by Bruce Schwarz.

The Michener Art Museum America of Sculptors Augustus has been generously supported Program, Worth & Company, the Michener Art Museum’s

Stockbridge, MA. NT 69.38.251. Courtesy American Federation of

Monuments and Myths: The America of Sculptors Augustus and Daniel Chester French is co-organized by the American of Arts, Chesterwood, a site of the National Trust Preservation, and the Saint-Gaudens Memorial in partnership Saint-Gaudens National Historic Park. Major support for panying publication has been provided by the Wyeth Foundation American Art. Support for the exhibtion and the publication provided by the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation. The Michener Art Museum presentation of Monuments America of Sculptors Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Daniel has been generously supported by the Bucks County Tourism Program, Worth & Company, Inc., Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation, the Michener Art Museum’s 35th Anniversary Initiative. Daniel Chester French (1850–1931), Abraham Lincoln, model, 1909–12, cast H. 37½ inches. Chesterwood, Stockbridge, MA. Gift of Daniel Chester French NT 69.38.251. Courtesy American Federation of Arts. Photo by Bruce

Lassen Volcanic National Park, Calif.

Performing Arts

on July 13 at 8 p.m.

(Photo

Final

Chamber Concert Of Summer Season

Blue Curtain Concert Series Returns with Two Concerts

Blue Curtain, a Princeton summer tradition, returns to Pettoranello Gardens

Amphitheater with two free concerts in July. The first concert has been moved from Pettoranello Gardens to the Princeton High School

Performing Arts Center at Franklin Avenue and Walnut Lane in anticipation of extreme heat.

Grammy Award-winner Dobet Gnahoré appears on Saturday, July 13 at 8 p.m.

Hailing from Coté d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Gnahoré is known for her vocal and dance talents as well as her color style sense. She appeals to fans of Angelique Kidjo, Rokia Traoré, Fatoumata Diawara, Oumou Sangaré and other divas of African music. She is currently on tour with concert stops in New York City, Berkeley, Ca.; Vancouver, Canada; and Princeton to support her newest album Zouzou

The series continues on Saturday, July 20 at 7 p.m. with a night of Brazilian Jazz by Nanny & Dani Asiss. Rooted in Afro-Brazilian traditions, singer and percussion master Nanny Assis has performed with such artists as Vinicius Cantauria, Eumeir Deodato and John Patitucci, and is a master of the many styles of Brazilian music, including samba, the music of Bahia, Brazilian Jazz, and other popular and folkloric sounds from his homeland.

He will be joined by his son, Dani Assis, winner of the 2024 Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition. Opening will be the Ampersand Jazz Quartet, featuring bassist Kai Gibson, a 2017 Princeton High School and 2021 Berklee College of Music graduate.

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.

“The Last Five Years” at Princeton Summer Theater Princeton Summer Theater’s season continues this summer with Jason Robert Brown’s musical The Last Five Years. The show runs through July 21 at Princeton University’s Hamilton Murray Theater.

The musical tells the story of a five-year relationship between Jamie, a rising novelist, and Cathy, a struggling actress. With a storytelling twist — his tale moves forward, hers backward — the show explores love and ambition. The actors Julien Alam and Kate Short are both graduates of Princeton’s Class of 2023. Alam, an actor based in New York, has worked on both stage and screen, including everything from Shakespeare to sitcoms. He earned a B.A. at Princeton, where he studied English, theater, classics, and humanistic studies, and is currently pursuing an MFA at NYU. He recently appeared at the Brooklyn Comedy Collective, Under St. Marks, and will be performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival later this summer.

Short is an actor-musician, also based in New York. She has played her original music on tour across the U.K., and recently at Heaven Can Wait and Rockwood Music Hall in New York. Recent credits include the Soprano in Ghost Quartet, Jane in Pride and Prejudice , and Pat Nixon/ Robin Bush in First Daughter Suite. She received her bachelor’s degree in comparative literature from Princeton.

Founded in 1968, Princeton Summer Theater is a professional summer stock theater

Residential Cleaning

Renata Z. Yunque,

company. Notable alumni include Tony Award-winning actress Bebe Neuwirth, Tony Award-winning producer Geoff Rich, Drama Desk Award-winning playwright Winnie Holzman, and Hollywood actor William Hootkins. Performances are Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $35. Visit princetonsummertheater.org/tickets.

The Balourdet Quartet will be the final concert of Princeton University Summer Chamber Concerts’ 57th Season in Richardson Auditorium on the Princeton University campus on Monday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m. They will offer works by Mozart, Al-Zand, and Beethoven. Princeton University’s own Ruth Ochs will once again provide commentary.

The Balourdet Quartet earned the 2024 Avery Fisher Career Grant, as well as Chamber Music America’s 2024 Cleveland Quartet Award . With more than 70 concerts per season, they are currently the Graduate

Quartet in Residence at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, and are recent graduates of the New England Conservatory’s Professional String Quartet Program.

The Balourdet journey began in 2018 at the Taos School of Music, where violinists Justin DeFilippis, Angela Bae, and cellist Russell Houston first bonded as friends over long evenings of chamber music and extravagant meals created by chef Antoine Balourdet. It was the friendships, a shared passion for music and food, and gratitude for the role the festival played in the formation of the quartet, which inspired the

members to name the ensemble in Balourdet’s honor. Soon thereafter, they joined with violist Benjamin Zannoni and the Balourdet Quartet was formed. After having been together for only one year at Rice University, and a summer at the Aspen Music Festival, they took second prize at the Nielsen International String Quartet Competition, and were selected as the only quartet admitted to Boston’s historic New England Conservatory Professional String Quartet Program under the tutelage of Cleveland Quartet cellist Paul Katz. Visit princetonsummerchamberconcerts.org for more information.

Sunday, June 2

Summer at the Chapel

Sunday, July 21

David Buschman

Worship Begins at 10am

Chaplain, Athletes in Action

David Buschman Chaplain, Athletes in Action

Sunday, June 9

Sunday, June 2

Sunday, June 9

David Buschman

Eli Henry Princeton Theological Seminary

Chaplain, Athletes in Action

Sunday, June 16

Sunday, June 9

Jessica Campbell

Eli Henry Princeton Theological Seminary

Associate Pastor at First Methodist Church of Moorestown

Tiffany S. Murphy Pastor, Parkside United Methodist

Sunday, July 28

Associate Pastor at First Methodist Church of Moorestown

Sunday, June 23

Denise Carrell

Sunday, June 16

PHD Coordinator at

Jessica Campbell

Sunday, June 30

Ali DeLeo

Sunday, July 21

Ali DeLeo

Pastor, Swarthmore United Methodist Church in Swarthmore,

Tiffany S. Murphy

Pastor, Swarthmore United Methodist Church in Swarthmore,

Pastor, Parkside United Methodist

Sunday, August 4

Byron E. Brought

Sunday, July 28

Pastor, Bel Air United Methodist Church in Bel Air, MD

Ali DeLeo

Pastor, Bel Air United Methodist Church in Bel Air, MD

Sunday, August 11

Andrew Cooney

Pastor, Swarthmore United Methodist Church in Swarthmore,

Sunday, August 4 Byron E. Brought

Pastor, Bethany United Methodist Church in Ellicott City, MD

Sunday, August 11 Andrew Cooney Pastor, Bethany United Methodist Church in Ellicott City, MD

Sunday, August 18

Associate Pastor at First Methodist Church of Moorestown

Rachael McConnell

Sunday, June 23

Pastor, First Presbyterian Church in Duncanville, TX

Rachael McConnell Pastor, First Presbyterian Church in Duncanville, TX

Denise Carrell

Sunday, July 7

PHD Coordinator at

Regina D. Langley

African Methodist Episcopal Church

Itinerant Elder

Sunday, June 30

Rachael

African Methodist Episcopal Church Itinerant Elder

Sunday, July 14

Shannon Daley-Harris

Associate Dean of Auburn Theological Seminary

Sunday, July 7

Associate Dean of Auburn Theological Seminary

Regina D. Langley African Methodist

Melissa Rudolph Lead Pastor, North Carroll Cooperative Parish of the United Methodist Church

Melissa Rudolph Lead Pastor, North Carroll

Sunday, August 25

H. Fitzgerald Robertson, II Student, Princeton Theological

Sunday, August 25 H. Fitzgerald Robertson, II Student, Princeton Theological

FROM THE IVORY COAST: Grammy award-winner Dobet Gnahoré performs

at the Princeton High School Performing Arts Center in the first of two Blue Curtain concerts this summer.

by Lumar Studio

STRING SESSION: Members of the Balourdet Quartet will perform a free concert at Richardson Auditorium on July 15 at 7:30 p.m.

Arts Council Unveils New Mural on Spring Street Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) recently unveiled a new community mural in downtown Princeton titled NJ Fresh . Designed and painted by artist Soﬁ a Schreiber, the illustration-style public art piece can be found on Spring Street on the side of Village Silver.

For her mural, Schreiber was inspired by the vibrancy and variety of fresh fruit abundant in New Jersey in the summertime. She said she was also thinking about

Wayne Thiebaud’s delicious looking paintings and Eric Carle’s equally scrumptious illustrations in one of her favorite children’s books, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Schreiber grew up in Princeton and is an aspiring illustrator and writer studying at Rhode Island School of Design. Her work often documents the natural world through a whimsical and imaginative lens. Last summer, she collaborated with Jen Carson of LiLLiPiES Bakery to illustrate her ﬁrst children’s book, Pie for My

Birthday, which is available for purchase at LiLLiPiES and Labyrinth Books.

“We’ve known Sofia for ages as an amazing talent, and many community members would recognize her from behind the counter at LiLLiPiES,” said Maria Evans, ACP artistic director. “So when we approached Sofia for a mural and her idea was ‘pie,’ we said ‘yes!’”

To support this endeavor, LiLLiPiES will contribute proceeds from sales of their Pie of the Month to ACP community programs.

Jeff Mermelstein and Clifford Prince King

Thursday, July 18, 5:30 p.m.

Art on Hulfish or stream it live

Photographers Jeff Mermelstein and Clifford Prince King visit the exhibition “Don’t we touch each other just to prove we are still here?”: Photography & Touch to discuss the theme of intimacy in their works on view and in their everyday practice. Moderated by Janna Israel, Mellon Curator of Academic Engagement. Reception to follow.

through August 25. An opening reception is on Friday, July 12 beginning at 6:30 p.m.

NJ Fresh is the Arts Council’s 13th Spring Street mural and the latest of ACP’s growing public art presence in and around Princeton. Also on view are Continuum by Illia Barger at Terra Momo Bread Company, Journey by Marlon “7oveChild” Davila on the corner of John Street and Leigh Avenue, asphalt murals at the ACP and Lawrenceville Elementary School, and the Bring on the Joy, LOVE, and Kindness murals at Princeton Shopping Center.

Schreiber’s work will be on view on Spring Street until this fall, when a new mural will take its place. Interested artists can propose a mural concept on the Arts Council’s website.

Learn more about the Arts Council’s public art projects and free community programming at artscouncilof princeton.org.

GFS Exhibition Features Artists from TASK, A-Team

Now through August 25, Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) is featuring an indoor art exhibition curated by the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) and the Trenton Community A-Team (TCAT). Entitled “Philotechnic Transformation,” the exhibition at GFS spotlights the positive effect that creating art can have on people’s lives. Each piece represents a broad palette of concepts, emotions and inspirations and offers the viewer a glimpse into the individual artist’s life and creative process. The exhibition is located in GFS’ Education Gallery, which can be found in the Seward Johnson Center for the Arts. To view the exhibition, visitors can purchase tickets on the GFS website at groundsforsculpture.org.

An opening reception for the exhibition will be held this Friday, July 12, beginning at 6:30 p.m. There is no cost to attend the reception.

In addition to viewing the exhibition, guests will enjoy light refreshments, acoustic music, and poetry readings.

In addition to serving some 10,000 meals each week, TASK offers a multitude of programs and services aimed at enhancing self-sufﬁciency and improving quality of life for Trenton area residents. For many years, the creative arts program at TASK has been a connection point for people, enriching lives through visual, written, and performing arts. These weekly sessions serve as a vital outlet for self-expression and an opportunity for artists of all experience levels to develop their skills. Every Tuesday, TASK partners with TCAT to provide space and materials for individuals to connect and create.

“We are delighted to feature the work of these talented artists this summer at Grounds For Sculpture,” said Julio Badel, director of education and community engagement at GFS. “Their

artwork showcases the importance of self-expression and the transformative power of art, both of which are vital to the artists’ connectedness to themselves and their communities.”

TASK, TCAT, and GFS have been partnering together since 2022. With help from The Dina Wind Art Foundation, GFS has offered TASK artists the opportunity to participate in high-level art classes at no cost. This program has given space for the artists to develop their technical skills and creative expression.

“This exhibition is a wonderful opportunity for our artists,” says Frank Lettieri, Jr., creative arts specialist for TASK. “Grounds For Sculpture is a world-class cultural destination that displays works from around the world. We are excited that the TASK and TCAT artists will be able to share their talents in such an inspiring place.”

Grounds for Sculpture is located at 80 Sculptors Way in Hamilton. For more information, visit groundsforsculpture.org.

“NJ FRESH”: The Arts Council of Princeton recently unveiled a new Spring Street mural by Soﬁa Schreiber in collaboration with LiLLiPiES Bakery. It is the Arts Council’s 13th mural at that location. (Photo Courtesy of Arts Council of Princeton)

“INNER CITY”: This work by Emery Williams is part of “Philotechnic Transformation,” on view in the Education Gallery at Grounds For Sculpture in Hamilton

“Harmonies” Exhibit Now

At David Scott Gallery

David Scott Gallery, in the offices of Berkshire Hathaway at 253 Nassau Street, presents “Harmonies,” a solo exhibition of paintings by Aida Birritteri, through August 18. An artist reception will be held on Thursday, July 11 from 5 to 7 p.m.

“This exhibition showcases Birritteri’s exquisite use of color, as well as her ability to move seamlessly between representation and abstraction in a variety of mediums, said curator David Scott. “Her skilled hand is evident in the gesture of her brushstrokes, boldly and intuitively marking her textured surfaces.”

The artist wrote: “I create works on paper, canvas pad, and gessoed masonite. The mediums I use are watercolor, ink, gouache, and acrylic. I search within myself and see colors and shapes. I follow the paint as I work. Every color harmony has music that vibrates within the soul of both the artist and the viewer. These lyrical interpretations of sound reach out to an audience like a song. My inspiration comes through meditation and spiritual connections to the sounds of wildlife and water found at the South Branch of the Raritan River, which runs along walking trails of Hunterdon County.”

Cuban born, Birritteri immigrated to the U.S. in 1968 at the age of 3. She grew up in Elizabeth, where her family settled. From a young age, Birritteri loved to draw and began to paint as an undergraduate while attending Rutgers Mason

Gross School of the Arts. She flourished in the art school environment and was considered a true “painter’s painter” by her peers, receiving a BFA degree in 1990.

Throughout her career, Birritteri’s work has been exhibited in numerous regional, national, and international juried shows in the tri-state area and abroad. She was recently selected for and exhibited at the juried “International Works on Paper 2024” exhibition held at the Long Beach Island Foundation of Art and Science, as well as the 47th International Watermedia Exhibition at WASH-H in Houston, Texas, where she received a Merit award.

Birritteri has given workshops and demos for the Garden State Watercolor Society and Warren County Arts, and has taught classes and given workshops at AOY Art Center in Yardley, Pa. Her memberships to artist organizations include the National Association of Women Artists and Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie, among several others.

Birritteri paints in her home garage studio in High Bridge, where she has lived with her husband since 1997, having raised two daughters.

Follow the gallery on Instagram @davidscottgallery. bhhsfoxroach.

MUGA Group Art Show At Green Building Center

Six local artists, known collectively as the MUGA Group, have been evolving their stylistically diverse talents in tandem for more

than a decade. They now have a new art show on view at the Green Building Center, 67 Bridge Street, Lambertville, through December 31. An opening reception is on Saturday, July 13 from 5 to 8 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

The name of the Group (pronounced moo-gah) is derived from a Zen term meaning literally “no self” – i.e., to let go of one’s conscious mind and allow nature to flow through unimpeded. The goal of this technique is for the artist to explore and create in the present moment, with no attachment to any future outcome.

MUGA Group artists whose work will be featured in the show are JoAnn Goodwin, Armor Keller, Kay King, Leslie Ross Stephens, Patricia Tieman, and Janine Wade.

Meeting periodically to share information, critique each other’s work, and exhibit together, MUGA Group members have been dedicated to fostering growth in one another. Each artist brings a unique style to the table, ranging from abstract experimental acrylic works, to dreamy oils on linen, to bucolic pastel landscapes.

The MUGA Group’s diverse creations create an intriguing mix of styles that enhance one another when shown together.

Green Building Center hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 12 to 4 p.m. on Sundays. The exhibit will change over time as the artists plan to rotate in new works periodically over the course of the show.

The MUGA Group show marks the next chapter in the Green Building Center’s ongoing support for the local arts community. Work by the MUGA Group will be displayed in the Center’s showroom, gallery and offices. More information about the show can be found on the Green Building Center and Simply Sustainable LLC social media pages including Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin, or email info@ greenbuildingcenter.com.

Area Exhibits

Art@Bainbridge, 158 Nassau Street, has “Denison Baniwa: Under the Skin of History” through September 1. Artmuseum.princeton.edu. Artists’ Gallery, 18 Bridge Street, Lambertville, has “Captured Moments” through August 4. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Lambertvillearts.com.

Art on Hulfish, 11 Hulfish Street, has “Don’t we touch each other just to prove we are still here?: Photography and Touch” through August 4. Artmuseum.princeton.edu.

Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, has “WitherspoonJackson Gateway Exhibition” through September 1. Artscouncilofprinceton.org.

David Scott Gallery, in the offices of Berkshire Hathaway, 253 Nassau Street, has “Harmonies,” a solo exhibition of paintings by Aida Birritteri, through Au -

gust 18. An artist reception is on Thursday, July 11 from 5 to 7 p.m. For more information, email davidscottfineart@gmail.com.

Ficus Bon Vivant, 235 Nassau Street, has “Capture the Rhythm” through January 12. Ficusbv.com.

Gourgaud Gallery, 23-A North Main Street, Cranbury, has an exhibit by the Creative Collective Art Group through August 29. A reception is on July 14 from 1 to 3 p.m. Cranburyartscouncil.org.

Grounds For Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, has “Slow Motion” through September 1 and “That’s Worth Celebrating: The Life and Work of the Johnson Family” through the end of 2024, among other exhibits. Groundsforsculpture.org.

Historical Society of Princeton, Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road, has “Princeton Reflected: Stories from HSP’s Collection” and “Einstein Salon and Innovator’s Gallery.” Museum hours are Thursday through Sunday, 12 to 4 p.m. Princetonhistory.org

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

Michener Art Museum, 138 South Pine Street, Doylestown, Pa., has “George R. Anthonisen: Meditations on the Human Condition” through October 13 and “Monuments and Myths: The American Sculptors Augustus SaintGaudens and Daniel Chester

French” through January 5. Michenerartmuseum.org

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

New Hope Arts, 2 Stockton Avenue, New Hope, Pa., has “Structures and Constructions in Fiber” through August 18. Newhopearts. org.

Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, has “Whispers of Time: Exploring Select Iranian Architectural Gems” in the Reading Room through July 21. Princetonlibrary. org.

Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street, has photography by Qasim Zia through August 6. Paintings by Sylvia Hemenetz are at the 254 Nassau Street location through August 6. Smallworldcoffee.com.

Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie, Cadwalader Park, Trenton, has “Ellarslie Open 41” July 14 through September 29. A public reception is on Sunday, July 14 from 1 to 4 p.m.Ellarslie. org.

West Windsor Arts, 952 Alexander Road, West Windsor, has “2024 Faculty & Student Show” through July 13. Westwindsorarts.org.

Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers, 71 George Street, New Brunswick, has “George Segal: Themes and Variations” through July 31 and “Michelle V. Agins: Storyteller” through December 8. Zimmerli.rutgers.edu.

“HARMONIES”: Paintings by Aida Birritteri are on view at David Scott Gallery, in the offices of Berkshire Hathaway at 253 Nassau Street, through August 18. An artist reception is on Thursday, July 11 from 5 to 7 p.m.

Town Topics | Mark Your Calendar

Wednesday, July 10

11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: “Leighton Listens.” Princeton Councilman Leighton Newlin is on hand to discuss current events with members of the public at Carnevale Kiosk, Nassau Street across from Small World Coffee and next to 7-Eleven.

2 p.m.: The movie The Motorcycle Diaries is screened at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Biopic about Che Guevara. Free. Princetonlibrary.org.

6:30 p.m.: Summer Reading Soirée with Ann Hood and Laura Spence-Ash at Morven Museum &Garden, 55 Stockton Street. Register through princetonlibrary.org.

Thursday, July 11

10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Princeton Farmers Market is at Hinds Plaza. More than 30 vendors with local organic produce, pasture-raised meat and eggs, cheeses, fresh flowers, knife-sharpening, jewelry, and more. Live music. SNAP/EBT cards and matches accepted up to $10 a day. Princetonfarmersmarket.com.

JULY

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

6-8:30 p.m.: BYOB Charm Bracelets, at the Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. $45. Artscouncilofprinceton.org.

7:15 p.m.: Black Voices Book Group via Google Meet, presented by Princeton Public Library. Discussion of James McBride’s book The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store . Princetonlibrary.org.

7:30 p.m.: Rowe performs folk and rock with a classical flair at Hopewell United Methodist Church, 20 Blackwell Avenue, Hopewell. $16 general admission, $7 for seniors and children. Rowemusicofficial. com.

8 p.m.: Princeton Summer Theater presents The Last Five Years , a musical, at Hamilton Murray Theater of the Princeton University campus. $35. Princetonsummertheater.org/tickets.

Friday, July 12

5-8 p.m.: Sunset Sips & Sounds at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Winery and Barn Door Café

6 p.m.: Ranger Nouveau performs at the Summer Concert Series on the Green at Princeton Shopping Center, North Harrison Street. Free. Princetonshoppingcenter.com.

are open. Music by ALBO. Terhuneorchards.com.

7 p.m.: Movie Night on the Green at Palmer Square, screening Honey I Shrunk the Kids . Princetonlibrary. org.

8 p.m.: Princeton Summer Theater presents The Last Five Years , a musical, at Hamilton Murray Theater of the Princeton University campus. $35. Princetonsummertheater.org/tickets.

Saturday, July 13

9 a.m.-1 p.m.: West Windsor Farmers Market at Vaughn lot, Princeton Junction train station. Fresh produce and much more. Wwcfm.org.

10 a.m.-5 p.m.: Blueberry Bash at Terhune Orchards, Cold Soil Road. Pick-your-own blueberry patch, country music, puppet theater, homemade blueberry items, children’s activities, and more. Terhuneorchards.com.

9-11 a.m.: Chestnut Care Team volunteer session at Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve, 57 Mountain Avenue. Help Friends of Princeton Open Space recover the American Chestnut Leaf Sculpture created by artist Susan Hoenig. Fopos.org.

10 a.m.: Walking tour of Frenchtown led by Rick

SUMMER FUN ON THE FARM

Epstein. $20. Benefits Hunterdon County Historical Society. To register, email rickepstein@yahoo.com

2 and 8 p.m.: Princeton Summer Theater presents The Last Five Years , a musical, at Hamilton Murray Theater of the Princeton University campus. $35. Princetonsummertheater. org/tickets.

3-8:30 p.m.: Sourland Mountain Festival at Unionville Vineyards, 9 Rocktown Road, Ringoes. Live music, food from local businesses, family-friendly activities, benefiting the Sourland Conservancy. Sourlandmountainfest.com/tickets.

5-7:30 p.m.: “Free Summer Music and More,” at Nassau Park Pavilion, 510 Nassau Park Boulevard. El Noordzo performs instrumental, psychedelic, Afro-Cuban surf-jazz interpretations of classic rock, punk, and alternative songs. Joined by cellist Dan Kassel; art activities for all ages. Rain date July 14. Westwindsorarts.org.

7 p.m.: Piano recital by Gonzalo Aguilar at Kingston Presbyterian Church, 4565 Route 27, Kingston. Works by Bach, Gershwin, Rachmaninoff, and three Peruvian composers. Free. Light refreshments.

8 p.m.: The Moody Blues’ John Lodge performs at State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. $29-$59. Stnj.org.

8 p.m.: Blue Curtain presents Dobet Gnahore, performer from the Ivory Coast, at Princeton High School Performing Arts Center. Franklin Avenue and Walnut Lane. Email info@ bluecurtain.org for more information.

Sunday, July 14

10 a.m.-5 p.m.: Blueberry Bash at Terhune Orchards, Cold Soil Road. Pick-your-own blueberry patch, country music, puppet theater, homemade blueberry items, children’s activities, and more.

Terhuneorchards.com.

12-3 p.m.: Bastille Day Picnic at Princeton Country Club, Wheeler Way. Hosted by the Alliance Francaise of Princeton. Games, music, conversation in French and English. Bring a picnic lunch. Beverages, dessert, and paper products provided. $20 members, $25 nonmembers, children under 12 free. Allianceprinceton.com.

1 p.m.: Carillon concert by David Hunsberger at the Princeton University Graduate Tower; listen from the lawn outside. Free, held rain or shine. Gradschool.princeton.edu.

2 p.m.: Princeton Summer Theater presents The Last Five Years , a musical, at Hamilton Murray Theater of the Princeton University campus. $35. Princetonsummertheater.org/tickets.

4 p.m.: A concert by Loose Bricks at Hinds Plaza, with covers of classic rock songs from the ’60s-’80s. Princetonlibrary.org.

4 p.m.: Gathering in solidarity with the October 7 hostages, and a call for their release. Organized by a grassroots group of Israelis in Princeton. At Hinds Plaza.

8:30-9:45 p.m.: Eastern Screech Owl Walk at Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve, Mountain Avenue. Led by South Jersey Wildlife Tours. $15. Fopos.org.

Monday, July 15

Recycling

7:30 p.m.: The Balourdet Quartet performs as part of Princeton University Summer Chamber Concerts at Richardson Auditorium. Free. Tickets.princeton.edu.

Wednesday, July 17

11 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.: Summer Cream Tea service with The Secret Tea Room at Morven, 55 Stockton Street. Includes an optional tour of the museum with a docent. Morven.org.

11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: “Leighton Listens.” Princeton Councilman Leighton Newlin is on hand to discuss current events with members of the public at Ficus restaurant, 235A Nassau Street.

2 p.m.: The movie Hunt for the Wilderpeople is screened at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Free. New Zealand adventure comedy-drama. Princetonlibrary.org.

6 p.m.: Princeton Public Library’s Board of Trustees meets at the library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

Thursday, July 18

10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Princeton Farmers Market is at Hinds Plaza. More than 30 vendors with local organic produce, pasture-raised meat and eggs, cheeses, fresh flowers, knifesharpening, jewelry, and more. Live music. SNAP/ EBT cards and matches accepted up to $10 a day. Princetonfarmersmarket. com.

11 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.: Summer Cream Tea service with The Secret Tea Room at Morven, 55 Stockton Street. Includes and optional tour of the museum with a docent. Morven.org.

5:30 p.m.: Artist conversation between photographers Jeff Mermelstein and Clifford Prince King at Art on Hulfish, 11 Hulfish Street, or streamed live. Moderated by Janna Israel; reception to follow. Artmuseum.princeton.edu.

6 p.m.: Kindred Spirit performs at the Summer Concert Series on the Green at Princeton Shopping Center, North Harrison Street. Free. Princetonshoppingcenter.com.

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

6:30-7:30 p.m.: The trio Rhythm N’ Sound perform at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch of Mercer County Library System, 2751 Brunswick Pike. Music from the ’40s-’80s. Free; advance registration appreciated at mcl.org.

7-8 p.m.: Drum Circle hosted by the Cranbury Arts Council, at Cranbury Barn Park, 3 Cranbury Neck Road. Led by musicians from Stibo Music. Register at cranburyartscouncil.org.

7:30 p.m.: Art Talk on Zoom: Iranian Architectural Gems. Farzaneh Tahmasbi discusses the exhibit “Whispers of Time: Exploring Select Iranian Architectural Gems” currently on display at Princeton Public Library. Register at princetonlibrary.org.

8 p.m.: Princeton Summer Theater presents The Last Five Years , a musical, at Hamilton Murray Theater of the Princeton University campus. $35. Princetonsummertheater.org/tickets.

Friday, July 19

5-8 p.m.: Sunset Sips & Sounds at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Winery and Barn Door Café are open. Music by Mark Miklos. Terhuneorchards. com.

7-8:30 p.m.: West Windsor Arts holds an opening reception for “Throwback Summer,” an exhibition about summers past. Food, drinks, and activities. Free. At 952 Alexander Road. Westwindsorarts.org.

8 p.m.: Princeton Summer Theater presents The Last Five Years , a musical, at Hamilton Murray Theater of the Princeton University campus. $35. Princetonsummertheater.org/tickets.

Saturday, July 20

9 a.m.-1 p.m.: West Windsor Farmers Market at Vaughn lot, Princeton Junction train station. Fresh produce and much more. Wwcfm.org. 10 a.m .: Mid-Day Toastmasters meets at the Hickory Corner Library, 138 Hickory Corner Road, East Windsor. Also available via Zoom. 4139.toastmastersclubs.org.

S ports

Overcoming

Back Injuries

to

Make Olympic Debut, PU Grad Kallfelz Rowing for U.S. at Paris Games

Emily Kallfelz had a great excuse to miss Princeton University Reunions in this May.

The 2019 Princeton graduate was in Lucerne, Switzerland, securing a spot in the U.S. women’s 4 boat to row in the Paris 2024 Olympics, no small achievement given her ups and downs over the last five years.

After emerging from her Princeton crew career with a bright future, a serious injury caused her to miss rowing during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics qualifying cycle and after a slow, patient build and switching rowing disciplines, Kallfelz has made the U.S. team for her first Olympic Games.

“It definitely makes it mean more knowing all that I went through,” said Kallfelz, 27. “I sometimes look back at my training and my notes and say, ‘Oh my gosh, wow.’ It really has been quite a journey. That definitely makes it a little bit more meaningful to me at least.”

Kallfelz was on top of the world when she graduated from Princeton. She was named the USRowing U-23 Female Athlete of the Year for the second year in a row and was one year away from trying to make the U.S. Olympic team for the first time. But almost as soon as the calendar hit 2020 — even before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world — Kallfelz was shut down when she tore discs in her lower back.

“Just overused injuries that I didn’t appropriately take time away to heal from,” said Kallfelz. “It was actually during the last Olympics cycle that I ended up having to take about a year and a half off.”

Kallfelz couldn’t row from January 2020 until November 2021. It was demoralizing for Kallfelz, who had taken up the sport at the urging of her parents, both former rowers, in high school and been an instant sensation. Her high school didn’t have a team, but she represented her family and herself well as she won the Head of the Charles in the single sculls and set a course record in 2014, then in 2015 won the Youth Nationals in both singles and doubles, winning doubles with her sister, Eliza. Her strong support at home helped her get a solid foundation in the sport.

“I was lucky that I also had my dad around and he was coaching me,” said Kallfelz. “I pretty much learned how to row on the erg (ergometer rowing machine). He would sit next to me on the erg in our attic for like 90 minutes every morning and just coach me every single stroke. And so once I got into a boat, it was less of like taking the training wheels off in a lot of ways.”

Kallfelz also sailed and swam, but her rowing numbers put her immediately on the radar of college coaches and she took her talents to Princeton. She blossomed into a two-time All-American, four-time All-Ivy League rower, and three-time member of Ivy championship Tiger teams. Her final two years, she was the U-23 US Rowing Athlete

of the Year, and at that point seemed to be on track for her first Olympics in 2020.

“I was training with Gevvie Stone (a former Princeton standout) and Cicely Madden (former Brown star) and all these quite amazing athletes,” said Kallfelz. “It was a bit of a shock, I would say, to suddenly be like, ‘this is not actually going to reached because I can’t be doing this for right now.’”

Kallfelz was severely limited in what she could do during the time that her back healed. The world wasn’t doing much due to the pandemic, but she was doing even less.

“There were periods of time where I couldn’t even walk for more than 30 minutes without being in a ton of pain,” said Kallfelz.

Returning to rowing was always in the back of her mind, but the level to which she could return was in question. It depended which doctors or physical therapists she asked.

“Some of them were saying, you could probably come back. Others were saying, it’s pretty unlikely that you’re going to be able to row at a high a high level again,” said Kallfelz. “At that point I was working pretty much full-time and then the rest of my time was spent doing PT. I would work with a physical therapist in Boston about three times a week, and I’d be doing about four hours of PT on my own every day.”

Kallfelz’s focus was on movement therapy and trying to rebuild her strength. She had to retrain the muscle groups so integral to stabilizing her spine — obviously of major importance if she was to row again.

“The mindset was just trying to not have too many expectations for myself,” said Kallfelz. “I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to, even if things went really well, be able to actually, like, row.”

And the way she looked when she resumed her training, she still wasn’t too sure. She started biking and it was slow. She watched video of herself rowing in her return, and she had to fight off comparing herself too much to her old self.

“I looked like a novice out there, like ‘What is happening? This is terrible,’” said Kallfelz. “And just getting back into erging incredibly slowly. And just having to face the fact that I’m not where I want to be and there is a huge gap between where I am and where I want to be. That’s kind of a brutal reality to step into.”

Two months after she started rowing, however, Kallfelz got a boost of confidence. After pulling 2,000and 6,000-meter times that were more than 10 seconds slower than her personal bests, she came in second in the B final of a USRowing trials race. At that point, she was still doing long, low intensity workouts on the bike and just her higher intensity workouts in the boat and so the result had her thinking more optimistically.

“I’m not training as full out as I could,” said Kallfelz. “So hopefully I could be at some point and I wasn’t getting completely demolished, so maybe things are looking up.”

After so much time off from

training, the issue was more in her fitness. She worked to build that up as she resumed more regular training. She was pushing the envelope between regaining fitness as quickly as possible and trying not to reinjure herself. When she was starting, she was fortunate to get in 600 minutes of training in a week. Last month she was averaging 1,500 minutes per week. She had to closely monitor her back.

Kallfelz had thought differently before her injury. She was very outcome-oriented. She was “devastated and crushed” when she didn’t win the U23 single world championship in 2019 coming off third- and second-place finishes the two previous years. Silver wasn’t good enough.

“That was understandable to be upset about not winning, but I think I lost sight of the important parts of things a little bit,” said Kallfelz. “I was a little bit more focused on what I thought I should be able to do.”

Going through an injury that almost cost her her career changed her thinking and her approach to the sport. She is more process-oriented and focused on making incremental improvements — the same way she approached each day as she climbed back to being an Olympian.

“I do think I have a different mental approach to everything now and different mindset that I think has helped me and will it continue to help me more throughout the rest of my career,” said Kallfelz. “So maybe a little bit of a blessing in disguise if you can. If you can believe that.”

In the midst of her comeback, Kallfelz made another major change. She had raced a lot of singles where a rower is sculling with two oars each, then did four years of sweeping in an eight at Princeton. After returning from injury, she worked in a single a lot, was in a quad sculling again, and was in a pair rowing with Texas product Kait Knifton. She had placed 11th in the quadruple sculls at the 2023 World Rowing Championships. She was fifth in the double sculls and seventh in the quadruple sculls at the 2023 World Rowing Cup II, but after it the USRowing high performance coach suggested she return to sweeping.

“It was a huge transition back to sweeping, one that I don’t think is super common,” said Kallfelz. “You don’t really see a lot of flip flopping around last minute from scull going to sweep or vice versa, but the four has been tons of fun. I kind of forgot. I’ve been rowing a lot of singles by myself and kind of forget what it’s like to train with a group and the camaraderie and the entertainment and the energy makes things a lot more bearable. It’s a lot more fun.”

Knifton is also in the Olympic four boat as the stroke, Mary Mazzio-Manson is third seat, former Tiger star Kelsey Reelick ’14 is second seat, and Kallfelz is in bow. They qualified for the Olympics when they placed third at the World Rowing Cup II in Lucerne. Only Reelick was in last year’s four that placed fourth at the 2023

World Championships. With a retooled lineup, the U.S. is hoping for better in Paris. “We’re kind of new to the whole Olympic rowing thing and I think we all are pretty process-oriented,” said Kallfelz. “Honestly, we’re trying to just focus on right now slogging through training. There’s a lot of it and we’re just trying to focus on making each day a little bit better. That’s what we did at World Cup II. We decided that we just wanted to make each race just a little bit better than the one before it. So that’s kind of what’s pushing us now as well.”

Kallfelz may have missed reunions, but she has been back near her Princeton college roots

since March for training. The women’s team has been working out at Mercer Lake in preparation for the Olympics. It’s a full commitment. Kallfelz has worked in tech start-up companies, but quit her last job to focus on training. She now works part time with Broadridge Financial Solutions through a program with USRowing. She is balancing the work and training and looking forward to her first Olympics, and hoping it’s not her last.

“I would be shocked if I was done,” said Kallfelz. “I’m really enjoying it too much to want to be done right now. Whether I make it a whole four years is a whole other question. My back still isn’t

perfect, so that’s a factor.” Kallfelz is determined to make the most of every chance that she has. Paris is next. It has been a long road to get there, slower than she wanted, and she hasn’t forgotten her journey as she relishes her first trip to the Olympics.

“All of that slogging through work to get back to full intensity and thinking that I was actually not really ever going to be able to do that it, I think it does make it that much more satisfying,” said Kallfelz. Obviously the work isn’t over, because we have to go actually and hopefully do well.”

That would be quite a tale for the next reunions.

—Justin Feil

• Hypermobility disorders

• Female athlete triad syndrome

• Issues related to gender reassignment

GOOD KALL: Emily Kallfelz competes in the U.S. women’s 4 in action this spring. Kallfelz, a 2019 Princeton grad, will be making her debut in the Olympics later this month when she rows in the 2024 Paris Games. (Photo by Row2k, provided courtesy of USA Rowing)

PU Sports Roundup

PU Men’s Heavyweights

Win Title at Henley Regatta

Winning three races in three days, the Princeton University men’s heavyweight varsity 8 captured the Ladies’ Challenge Plate last Sunday at the Henley Royal Regatta on the Thames River in England.

The Tigers topped Cambridge University by nearly three boat lengths in the final on a windy afternoon on the course outside of London. The victory marked Princeton’s 10th Henley title all-time and first since the lightweights won the Temple Cup in 2009.

“What an awesome day to be a Tiger,” said Princeton head coach Greg Hughes after the win. “Today’s win in the Ladies’ Plate was the product of a lot of hard work from our entire team over the course of the last 12 months. I am incredibly proud of the way that our whole team raced this season, and I’m extreme grateful for the culture that our seniors have created for us to build upon in the season ahead.”

The Tiger varsity 8 included Connor Neill (coxswain),

Patrick Long (8-seat), Marco Misasi (7), Theo Bell (6), Marcus Chute (5), Hanno Brach (4), Nick Taylor (3), Patrick Shaw (2), and Zach Vachal (1).

The Princeton men’s heavyweight second varsity 8 also excelled at Henley as it reached the final of the Temple Challenge Cup where it fell to the Oxford Brookes on Sunday.

PU Women’s Lax Players Heading to U-20 Worlds

A pair of Princeton University women’s lacrosse players, rising juniors Jami MacDonald and Haven Dora, will be competing in the U20 World Championships in Hong Kong from August 15-24.

MacDonald will be playing for Canada while Dora will be playing for the U.S. at the competition.

MacDonald, a native of Georgetown, Ontario, Canada, has played in 34 games for the Tigers over her two seasons, tallying 97 points with 58 goals and 39 assists.

Dora, who hails from Spring Lake, has piled up 75 points on 32 goals and 43 assists in her time at Princeton.

The U.S. is ranked first among U20 teams with Canada right behind in second. The U.S. will be playing Group A along with China,

Germany, Israel, and Puerto Rico; Canada has been placed in Group B, which also includes Haudenosaunee, Korea, Chinese Taipei, and Wales.

Women’s Soccer Star Tordin Recalled to U.S. U20 Squad

As preparations continue for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup that begins in late August in Colombia, the U.S. U-20 program has recalled Princeton University women’s soccer rising junior star Pietra Tordin.

Tordin will be heading to Athens, Ga., for a July 8-16 camp, which will include two games against Mexico on July 13 and 16.

Forward/midfielder Tordin, a 5’6 native of Doral, Fla., has traveled internationally with the U.S. U20s, going to Colombia in February and scoring the lone goal in a win over host Colombia, and going to Germany in April. This will be Tordin’s third domestic camp with the U.S. U-20s, along with camps in January and May and June in California.

The training and games are in preparation for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia, set to run August 31-September 22.

Two years into her Princeton career, Tordin has ended a slew of accolades and is climbing up the program’s record lists. Tordin earned United Soccer Coaches third-team All-American honors, becoming the first sophomore-or-younger Tiger to do that since Diana Matheson ’08 in 2004. The 2022 Ivy League Rookie of the Year, Tordin added a first-team All-Ivy League honor this past season to her second-team All-Ivy recognition from her first season.

With 20 goals scored so far in her college career, Tordin currently stands 14th on Princeton’s career scoring list and is just the fifth player in program history to have at least 20 goals by the end of her sophomore season.

Princeton Men’s Track Sending 3 to U20 Meet

Three members of the Princeton University men’s track team — rising sophomores Xavier Donaldson, Jackson Clarke, and Zach Della Rocca — will be competing in the World U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, from August 27-31.

Donaldson won the Ivy League Heptagonal Outdoor title in the 400 meters this spring and competed at the USA U20 Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore. Building off of the energy of the historic Hayward Field, Donaldson took fifth in a personal best of 46.23 to earn his spot in Lima on the U.S. squad.

Clarke, the reigning 100 meter and 200 meter Outdoor Ivy Heps champion, is also set to compete in the World U20 Championships. Clarke will represent Guyana and will be looking to make an impact in the sprints.

Della Rocca, a former Princeton High standout, is set to represent Australia at the World U20 Championships. As the Ivy League record holder in the 60 meter dash, Della Rocca will also be looking to excel in the sprint events.

DEVELOPING SITUATION: Princeton University men’s hockey player Noah de la Durantaye heads up the ice in a 2022 game. Last week, rising senior defenseman de La

skated in a NHL Development Camp for the Vegas Golden Knights. Two other Princeton players, rising junior forward Brendan Gorman and rising sophomore goalie Arthur Smith, also took part in NHL camps. Gorman skated for the San Jose Sharks while Smith competed for the Philadelphia Flyers. Each Tiger player is making his second appearance at a NHL Development Camp as Gorman skated with Vegas in 2023 while de La Durantaye also skated for Golden Knights in 2022 and Smith skated with Tampa Bay in 2022 before his time at Princeton.

Durantaye

(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Making Debut for Carnegie Mellon Men’s Tennis, Former PHS Tennis Star Gu Fueled by Team Spirit

While Jonathan Gu struggled a bit individually as he started his college career with Carnegie Mellon University men’s tennis squad, he was buoyed by support from his teammates.

“I wasn’t playing too well in the fall, it was a new feeling playing college tennis and just being on a team environment,” said Gu, a former Princeton High standout who won the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) state singles title in 2022 and came in second a year later as a senior. “It is really different from high school where everybody is on a team but at the same time we all have our own responsibilities. In college, everybody is cheering as much as they can, everybody is really energized. In high school, it is more individual.”

As Gu adjusted to the college game, he faced high level individual players on a constant basis.

“Everybody in college is a good player, everybody is practicing 20 hours a week,” said Gu. “There is not really any easy matches.”

Gu found a groove as Carnegie Mellon headed into the spring portion of its schedule.

“Early on, I only played only one match because of an injury, I started playing a lot better after spring break,” said Gu, who posted a 9-7 overall record in singles and 1-3 in doubles. “Coach put me in a couple of challenge matches where

I proved I could come back to it.”

With the Tartans competing in the University Athletic Association (UAA), one of the top conferences in NCAA Division III tennis, Gu enjoyed the challenge of the hotly-contested dual matches against league foes.

“The dual matches are a lot of fun, you get to see six people playing singles at the same time,” said Gu. “There is a lot of energy and overall. It is really fun being part of a team and experiencing that.”

That team spirit helped put Gu to some memorable moments in his freshman campaign.

“The first time after spring break that I started, I clinched the match when we played Washington and Lee,” said Gu, who mainly played No. 5 singles for the Tartans. “In our conference tournament in our last match against NYU, I remember my third set. If we lost one more match, we would lose. I was in my third set and one of my teammates next to me was down 6-2 in the second set tiebreaker, he won the third and managed to come back. That gave me confidence to go win my third set.”

As the season went on, Gu gained more confidence in his game.

“I would say the number one thing was that my return got better,” said Gu. “Everybody in college serves at a high level, naturally the

more returns I get against good servers my return gets better as well. Also since I am playing more against really, really good opponents. I would say just my ability to be able to neutralize balls and get back into rallies got better.”

Working out with his teammates helped Gu get in better condition.

“This was the first time we tested benchmarks like broad jump, vertical, squats and bench press,” said Gu. “I never really went to the gym before. I saw major leaps, it is just the difference from the confidence of working out with the guys.”

Gu also made some major leaps in the classroom.

“I was trying to go more to the tech side so I thought that playing at CMU would be a great combination of the tennis and being able to get a great education,” said Gu, who is majoring in information systems. “I am learning a lot, I am taking a lot of computer science and math courses. I am also taking some humanities and general education classes as well.”

This summer, Gu is keeping on the court. “I am going to be playing with Cryan [tennis tournament]; I am also teaching tennis, it has been fun,” said Gu. “I am doing individual lessons right now. I am also playing tennis on my own, hitting with people. I have been hitting with my brother (former PHS star Jerry).”

Heading into his

sophomore season for the Tartans, Gu is hoping to build on the progress he made this spring.

“Hopefully I can get to my level straight off the bat last year; I was pretty nervous in the fall with the new environment,” said Gu. “But this year I am more experienced. It is getting back into it and playing at the level I know I can.”

With the high level of play produced by Gu and his fellow freshmen Raghav Jangbahadur and Daniel Kong this season, the future looks bright for the Tartans, who went 8-10 in dual match play in 2024.

“Our first singles, Raghav, won the ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association) regionals for the first time

at our school in over 15-20 years,” said Gu, who will be rooming with one of his classmates on the team with three others in the same dorm. “Daniel did really well. Next year we have an incoming freshman class where one of the players is like a 12 UTR ( Universal Tennis Rating ), he is ranked 30 in the country. He is a really good player and we have a couple of other people as well who are really good players. Hopefully we will be even better next year.”

—Bill Alden

•

• My primary care membership is a comprehensive healthcare solution.

•

• We will forge an enduring partnership which emphasizes preventative care.

• If you already see specialists, I will “quarterback” your care.

• You will have round-the-clock access.

• My practice is an excellent option for you

NET GAIN: Jonathan Gu prepares to hit a backhand in action this spring during his freshman season for the Carnegie Mellon University men’s tennis team. Former Princeton High star Gu posted a 9-7 overall record in singles and 1-3 in doubles during his debut campaign for the Tartans. (Photo provided courtesy of Carnegie Mellon University Athletics)

While Wilberforce Girls’ Track Lacked Numbers, Wolverines Accomplished

Although the Wilberforce School girls’ track team only had six runners this spring, that didn’t keep them from accomplishing a lot.

The Wilberforce girls took seventh out of 18 schools at the Mercer County Championships and then took third at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public B championship meet.

“Coach [Kristen] Yonkman and I always say we ask them to do so much and they do,” said Wilberforce head coach Lois Szeliga. “They really rise to the occasion. The girls really step up for each other. Each of them does the most to do the best for the team.”

Szeliga pointed to a sacrifice made by senior Maria Madigan as exemplifying that one-for-all, all-for-one mentality.

“For instance, Maria ran the 4x800 relay so we could score the points. She doesn’t usually run that, but she did so Laura Sallade could do the 1,600 meters right after it,” explained Szeliga of Madigan, who took third in the 400 at the Non-Public meet.

Szeliga’s daughter, sophomore Eve, scored a lot of points for the Wolverines in the Non-Public meet. Szeliga placed first in the 800 and second in the 400 and helped both the 4x400meter and 4x800 relays to victory.

“We asked her to do a lot, she really has matured so much not only as a runner but as a competitor and

Big Things This Spring

just being able to say I am the one who is going to step in and do what the coach is asking,” said Szeliga.

“She came in last year as a sprinter because she was a former soccer player. She has always been quick, but I thought that she really had a lot of potential in the 800. It is very different running in lanes versus running in what can be a very physical, fast race. She has been in races with falls. There is a lot going on and she wasn’t used to that because the sprints are all in lanes. She had to learn all of that and by the end of the season she really got the hang of it. In the Meet of Champions, she got the highest place we have ever had individually, coming in ninth. She just missed the podium.”

Another sophomore, Sallade, also did a lot for the Wolverines this spring.

“Laura was huge for our team in the counties, second place in the 800 and fourth in the 1,600,” said Szeliga of Sallade, who won the 1,600 and placed third in the 800 at the Non-Public meet. “She scored a lot of points in the 4x400, the 1,600, and the 800 at the Non Public. Laura is coming off an injury in cross country, so for her to have PRs in both the 1600 and the 800 is so impressive. I think she is just going to continue to grow. She is hungry.”

Junior Gwen Mersereau has grown into a fierce competitor. She took eighth in both the 200 and 800 at the Non-Public meet and helped

the 4x400 and 4x800 relays to victory.

“Gwen is so mature, she is just a real leader in competition,” said Szeliga, whose crew of runners also included senior Anna-Luisa Jepson and sophomore Emily Prothero. “She always has a positive attitude. She does not show her nerves which has a very calming effect on the girls. They really trust her when she is in a relay and has the baton. The girls really trust her as a competitor because she really likes to race. Her racing mentality has really spilled over onto the team and has inspired the girls.”

The quartet of Sallade, Madigan, Mersereau, and Szeliga culminated the season by producing an inspirational performance on the national stage, taking 10th in 4x800 relay in mid-June at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor meet at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.

“That was amazing, they won their heat in 9:10 and got the No 3 time in New Jersey,” said Szeliga. “It is really a very impressive time, it is our school record. Each girl had to fight really hard for the win. That placed us 10th overall and top six is All-American. It is very elite, that is a great achievement. It’s all because the girls always step up to help each other.”

As for the Wilberforce boys’ senior star and Washington University commit Caleb Brox led the way as the Wolverines placed eighth

in the Non-Public B meet. Brox finished first in the 1,600 while junior Philip Schidlovsky placed second in the 800, and senior Andrew Pratt took third in the pole vault.

“The thing about Caleb was that he battled injury and got all of those titles,” said Szeliga of Brox, who placed first in both the 800 and 1,600 at the county meet. “He was so mature about how he handled everything. He was patient, he didn’t run some of the earlier races. Sometimes people push through but he was patient. He took care of himself and then he was

strong enough to do those races. He was able to persevere and he really matured as a competitor where he just raced to win. He had a lot of fun with that — he wasn’t racing the clock. We had a young boys’ team. Caleb was a great role model for what I think will be a strong team.”

The Wilberforce boys boast several strong returners led by Schidlovsky and a trio of freshmen in Micah Brox, Elias Edwards, and Henry Jepson. Brox took seventh in the 1,600 and 13th in the 800 at the NonPublic meet while Edwards placed ninth in the 1,600

and Jepson took eighth in the 3,200. The boys’ 4x400 relay placed sixth.

In the view of Szeliga, that group has the potential to accomplish a lot next spring.

“We have Philip, who grew so much as a runner this year, coming in second in the 800 and getting the school record in the 200,” said Szeliga. “He is just getting very strong. So between Philip and this crew of freshmen, I think we will have a real strong team next year. Caleb was a great leader for them.”

—Bill Alden

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FORCE FIELD: Members of the Wilberforce School girls’ track team 4x800 relay quartet are all smiles after they took 10th overall at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor meet last month at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. Pictured from left, are Laura Sallade, Maria Madigan, Gwen Mersereau, and Eve Szeliga.

(Photo provided by Lois Szeliga)

Princeton Little Leaguers Displayed Resilience,

Taking 2nd at District 12 Intermediate Tourney

When the Princeton Little League (PLL) team fell 17-11 to HTRBA in the first round of District 12 Intermediate 50/70 tournament, it looked like PLL might not last too long in the double-elimination tournament.

But Princeton manager Brett Shaver was encouraged by how his squad kept battling against the powerhouse HTRBA squad.

“It was a positive; we lost but it felt like it could have broken either direction,” said Shaver. “We hit the ball well, we also drew a lot of walks. There were a couple of turning points in the game that didn’t go our direction. They had a fantastic outfield — they made a lot of plays. They cut balls off and threw some runners out, but the boys never gave up. In the last inning you could hear them cheering. It was good momentum heading into the next game.”

PLL utilized that the momentum to top Lawrence 17-3 and Nottingham 8-5 to stay alive in the competition.

In the win over Lawrence, the PLL piled up the runs, allowing it to spread out the mound duties.

“We knew we could hit — the motto was to get up early and to put runs on the board so we could use a good pitching strategy with a lot of arms and keep them under the pitching limit,” said Shaver. “We were very effective with that; we had some two-out hits in that game which broke it open early. Asa Collins started for us, but we were able to work in multiple different pitchers. Everyone came in and threw strikes that game. We used a variety of pitchers from Asa to Nathan Bansal to Sawyer Zwick to Michael Shaver. They all did their job and we played good defense.”

Collins led the offense as well, going 4-for-4 with three doubles.

“I think he barreled every ball he looked at,” said

Shaver of Collins, who ended up hitting. 667 in the tournament. “We had 15 hits that game. Alex Spies scored twice, Alexander Reeder and Nathan had two hits. Michael had two hits with a big two-run RBI early.”

Against Nottingham, PLL pitched and fielded well and used some small ball to spark an opportunistic offense.

“That was a close game early; Matteo Mawson started that game for us — he is a high velocity pitcher,” said Shaver. “He was a little wild but worked through it. The key to that game was that Nathan Bansel came in and after seeing Matteo’s high velocity, Nathan just came in and changed speeds. He throws a lot of strikes; he kept them very off balance. We played fantastic defense that game. We made a lot of plays. We scored eight runs on five hits. We drew nine walks that game. It was small ball, moving guys up with 11 stolen bases.”

The win set up a showdown with Sunnybrae for a place in the final round against HTRBA. Utilizing a unique pitching plan, PLL was able to pull out a 4-3 win and book its spot in the final.

“We knew it would be a tough game coming in, we went back to Asa on the mound,” said Shaver.

“Asa threw fantastic. Under the Little League rules, you can re-enter pitchers. You can take a pitcher out and then put him back in. With three games coming out of the losing bracket, we were running on fumes on pitching. We had to strategically put a pitching plan together.”

That plan had Collins starting and Shaver coming on in relief. Collins then returned to the game and when he ran up his pitch count, Shaver came back to close the deal, getting two outs in the final inning with runners on second and third.

Once again, PLL employed some aggressive play to push across enough runs to earn the victory.

“We did a lot of small ball; we did bunting, we did early steals, and we did delayed steals,” said Shaver. “There were two key plays. Zephaniah Chambers, who is extremely fast, hit a ground ball to the first baseman that looked like a routine play and beat it out. Also, Reggie Wright put down a bunt and surprised the pitcher with his speed and beat that bunt out to get to first base. Those were two key guys that manufactured runs.”

Having fought their way through the losers bracket to make the final, the PLL players were ecstatic after the win over Sunnybrae.

“That was probably the highlight of the tournament, beating them,” said Shaver. “We were throwing our gloves into the air. When we got to the loser’s bracket in day one of five, the goal was let’s get to the championship and see what happens.”

In the final, PLL ended up having some bad things happen as it fell behind early to HTRBA and lost 13-7.

“We gave up six runs in the second inning and then we came back in the next half inning, scoring three runs with a lot of noise on the bench,” said Shaver. “There were some really good hits and drawing walks, being patient at the plate. We hung in there. We made it a ballgame until the last inning.”

While the loss stung, Shaver was proud of how his squad grew during the tournament.

“It was great to play five games together as a team, we just wished the season kept going,” said Shaver. “They were really coming together as a team and supporting one another. We are going to make mistakes and they picked each other up. They were very positive and very resilient. The biggest thing was to just enjoy playing baseball.”

—Bill Alden

Local Sports

Stuart Sports Camps Still Have Openings

Stuart Country Day School is holding three sports camps on its campus at 2100 Stuart Road in Princeton in July and there are still openings for the programs.

There will be a field hockey camp for players in grades 3-9 being held from July 15-19 with sessions running from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., a girls’ tennis camp for players in grades 5-9 being held from July 29-August 2 with sessions running from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and a girls’ basketball camp for players in grades 3-9 being held from July 22-26 with sessions running from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

For more information about the camps, log onto stuartschool.org and go to the Menu section in the upper right of the home page and hit the “Sports Camps for Girls” link under the Athletics section.

Princeton Little League 10s Fall in District 12 Final 4

Unable to get its bats going, the Princeton Little League 10-year-old AllStars fell 9-2 to Sunnybrae on July 2 in the final four of the District 12 tournament to get knocked out of the competition.

Princeton went 2-2 in the double-elimination tournament, edging Sunnybrae 4-3 in its opening game on June 29, falling 15-5 to eventual champions Nottingham on June 30 and then topping Robbinsville 14-8 to make it to the final four.

Post 218 Baseball Loses to Hamilton

Brett Pogoda, Nano Sarceno, and Ray Nault each got two hits but it wasn’t nearly enough as the Princeton Post 218 American Legion baseball team fell 9-1 to Hamilton Post 31 last Sunday.

Mike Prete drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the first inning to give Post 218 a 1-0 lead, but Hamilton responded with seven runs in the second inning and cruised to the win from there.

Princeton, who moved to 2-15 with the loss, hosts North Hamilton on July 10 and then plays at Lawrence Post 414 on July 13.

Joint Effort Safe Streets Program

Holding Hoops Clinic, Games

The Joint Effort Princeton Safe Streets Summer Program is sponsoring a youth basketball clinic on August 10 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Community Park basketball c ourts.

In addition, on August 11, Joint Effort Safe Streets will sponsor the Pete Young Sr. Memorial Games for Princeton-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 games start at 10 a.m. and end at 6 p.m. The rain sites for both programs will be the Princeton Middle School.

For more information on the Joint Effort Safe Streets hoops clinic or games, contact John Bailey at (720) 629-0964 or via or email: johnbailey062@gmail.com.

Bailey Basketball Academy Offering Summer Camp

The Bailey Basketball Academy (BBA) is offering one more 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 22-26 at the Princeton Middle School.

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

In addition, there will be “First Hoops” options for ages 5-8 (9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.). BBA also offers “Shot King” shooting instruction and small group player development daily sessions from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. running through August 16 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 .

PDS Alum Reed Makes Olympics With Puerto Rico Men’s Hoops

Former Princeton Day School boys’ basketball star and NBA player Davon Reed is heading to the Paris 2024 Olympics as a member of the Puerto Rico men’s hoops team that qualified for the Games over the weekend.

Reed, a 2013 PDS grad who scored a school record 2,102 points in his high school career and went on to star for the University of Miami, helped Puerto Rico defeat Lithuania 79-68 last Sunday in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament final in San Juan, Puerto Rico to secure the final spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

In the final, Reed, a 6’6, 220-pound guard, scored five points with three rebounds, and two steals. Reed averaged 4.5 points and 4.8 rebounds a game in the qualifying tournament along with providing the squad with some tough defense.

The win gave Puerto Rico its first appearance in the Olympic men’s basketball tournament since 2004. With the group stage set for the 2024 Olympics, Puerto Rico has been placed in Group C which features Serbia, South Sudan, and the United States. Reed, 29, was chosen by the Phoenix Suns in the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft after scoring 1,343 points in his Miami career. He played in 122 NBA games with the Suns, Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers through the 2022-23 season. Reed spent the 202324 season with the Memphis Grizzlies’ G League affiliate before moving on to play pro ball in Puerto Rico.

GOING TO THE MATT: Princeton Little League (PLL) player Matteo Mawson gets ready to take a swing during the District 12 Intermediate 50/70 tournament last month. Mawson hit .583 in the tourney to help Princeton take second in the tourney as it fell 13-7 to HTRBA in the final round.

Jewelry by Penelope Plum

Religion

Farminary at Princeton Seminary Continues Dinners, Discussions

The Farminary at Princeton Theological Seminary continues its First Thursday at the Farm series. The dinner series at Princeton Theological Seminary’s 21acre farm features speakers and intimate dinners designed to generate meaningful conversation.

The cost is $125 per person; those who buy 3-plus tickets get 15 percent off the total cost.

Upcoming Thursday, August 1 is “Seeds of Discord: Christianity, Democracy, and Our Present Crisis,” from 6 to 8 p.m., with Heath W. Carter, associate professor of American Christianity at Princeton Theological Seminary, where he teaches and writes about the intersection of Christianity and American public life. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University, a master’s degree from the University of Chicago Divinity School, and a Ph.D. in history from the University of Notre Dame. He came to Princeton from Valparaiso University, where he was on the faculty. He also served as the William S. Vaughn Visiting Fellow at Vanderbilt University. Carter is an editor-at-large for William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company and co-editor, with Kathryn Gin Lum and Mark Noll, of the press’s award-

are questions about how aesthetic practices shape religious experience and theological thought. She is particularly interested in ancient concepts of ecology, art and creativity, and gender.

where she collaborates to develop non-athropocentric multispecies ways of governing.

winning Library of Religious Biography series. He is coeditor, with Nancy Taylor, of the Journal of Presbyterian History.

Chef James Graham, a graduate of The New York Food and Hotel Management School, is the owner and executive chef of Jagrah’s Restaurant. Graham has worked for Top of the Sixes, The Chart House, Sodexo Services, American Express, Princeton University, and elsewhere. He has appeared as a contestant on the Food Network’s Chopped, and with his wife Stephanie launched “Dining with the Bishop” on multiple social media platforms in 2020.

On Thursday, September 5 from 6 to 8 p.m., Elaine T. James presents “A Fresh Take on Freshwater Crises: How the Old Testament Sheds New Light.”

She is associate professor of Old Testament, having joined the faculty in 2019. She is the author of An Invitation to Biblical Poetry (Oxford University Press, 2021) and Landscapes of the Song of Songs: Poetry and Place (Oxford University Press, 2017). Her work focuses on the literature of the Hebrew Bible, especially its poetry, examining its significance in ancient contexts and its legacies for the contemporary world. Guiding her research

James earned her Ph.D. and M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary. She previously served as associate professor of theology at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minn.

Chef Margo Carner is the chef and founder of Fridge2Table, providing personal chef and catering services.

The series continues on Thursday, October 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. with “Good Trouble: The Intersections of Religion, Microbiology, Ecology and Race,” offered by Aminah Al-Attas Bradford, an Arab American scholar of religion and Christian thought currently serving as a postdoctoral research fellow at North Carolina State University. From the lab, Bradford co-organizes an interdisciplinary, international group of scholars, artists and activists who explore “big ideas” through multiple lenses, including public health, industry, fermentation, human futures and climate change adaptation. She is currently writing a theology of human holobionts to reconfigure religious ways of knowing and reflecting the divine as symbiotic to cultivate ecological empathy and antiracist postures in the Eurowestern Church. Bradford is also the director of the Center for Wellbeing and Contemplative Practice and the college chaplain at Salem College and partners with the Berggruen Institute

Chef Gabby Aron is the chef and founder of Autumn Olive Food Works. She is a first-generation Sicilian Jewish American, born in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, N.Y., where vegetables were grown in urban backyards. She began her food career as a farmer in 2010 after learning the dangerous social and ecological impacts of industrial farming, and has worked as a farm hand, cook, teacher, CSA and farm store coordinator, microfarm manager, and event planner until founding her business Autumn Olive Food Works in 2016. Autumn Olive Food Works is a hyperlocal specialty catering, personal chef, and cooking class, and event business highlighting locally grown ingredients, global inspiration, and nostalgic reverence, in order to create meaningful and nourishing food experiences.

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