Princeton Middle School Graduates Explore Life in Ecuador.
5
Send Hunger Packing Princeton Prepares Sensory Garden 8
Next “Sustainable Minds” Session Explores 15-Minute Neighborhoods 11
Capping Historic Run for PU Olympians at Paris Games, Rowing Gold Medalist Mead Serves as U.S. Flag Bearer 20
Combining Depth, Strong Work Ethic, Focus on Fun, CP Bluefish Produce Another Dominant Campaign 21
More than 30 K-12 STEM teachers, representing school districts from across New Jersey, are participating in Princeton University’s QUEST program this summer, immersing themselves a rich variety of learning experiences in the world of science and mathematics..
QUEST is an acronym for “Questioning Underlies Effective Science Teaching,” and Jessica Monaghan, assistant director of STEM in the University’s Program of Teacher Preparation which organizes the QUEST programs, emphasized the power of questioning.
In her August 7 concluding remarks to the QUEST educators and scholars at the second of three week-long programs, she praised the level of engagement of the 10 area public school teachers who had completed last week’s program on hydrology. She noted, “What was so exciting to me as a learner is seeing how your questions evolved over the week.”
Members of the group submitted feedback each day, and, Monaghan observed, “It was so cool over the span of the week to see how the more you learned, the more re ned your questions and the things you were wondering became.”
QUEST, a program that has been evolving for more than 30 years, is designed to expand teachers’ knowledge of science and math, according to a University press release, and “provide insight into current teaching and learning best practices, boost educators’ con dence in STEM subjects, and offer a unique opportunity for self-directed learning through experiential and inquiry-based models.”
“I love it,” said New Brunswick middle school teacher Yolanda Gonzalez, at the end of her session “Beneath the Surface: Exploring the Hydrologic Cycle, Leveraging Technologies, and Envisioning our Collective Water Future.” “This is my third QUEST, and I love it because I engage in it as an adult learner, and that motivates me to want to engage in the classroom with my students.”
She continued, “As teachers we forget to engage in science as scientists. We focus on how to use science and make a lesson for our students. For me it’s fun coming here and learning more about something, and I love telling students
An ordinance officially finalizing the name of an advisory committee and the approval of resolutions related to issues including signage, sewer replacement, engineering services, and health services were among the topics at a brief meeting of Princeton Council on Monday evening, August 12.
The governing body voted unanimously in favor of the ordinance that changes the name of the “Advisory Committee on Affordable Housing, Human Services, and Racial, Social and Economic Equity” to “the Committee on Affordable Housing, Racial, Economic, Social Equity and Services,” also known as the CARES Advisory Committee. The name change refers to the consolidation early this year of the former Civil Rights Commission, Human Services Commission, and Affordable Housing Board into one entity.
Councilwoman Leticia Fraga credited the committee’s vice chair, Ari Meisel, with coming up with the all-inclusive new name, and praised the group’s work so far.
“Several of the members of the committee are very engaged,” she said. “We’re very excited about what they’re
working on, and what I know is going to be providing very positive results for our community.”
The consolidation, which was made in an effort to increase efficiency, was controversial. Councilman Leighton Newlin said that the subject was raised at a candidates’ forum last Saturday that was part of the Witherspoon-Jackson Joint Effort Princeton Safe Streets Summer Program.
“We had somebody that was actually on the panel that alluded to us — our
body, the mayor and Council, on January 22 — killing or getting rid of the Civil Rights Commission,” he said. “When I had the opportunity, after [Council President] Mia Sacks and [Councilman] David Cohen spoke so eloquently in their panel discussions to address it, I made it clear that this body, these people that sit in front of you, did not dismantle or kill or turn our backs on civil rights, human services, or affordable housing. What we did was identify a problem they were having that
Kopp’s Cycle, known as the oldest continually running bike store in the country, will be opening its doors on Friday, August 16, for the start of a new phase in its history that dates back to 1891.
Electric bikes (ebikes) will now make up about 60 percent of the inventory, and a new name, Pedego Princeton at Kopp’s, will re ect the priorities of the new owners and operators of the Spring Street shop, which has been shut down since
December 1, 2023, though bike repairs and a few sales have continued. Princeton Property Partners purchased the business and the property early this year, and has teamed up with Wendy Reilley, who will be running the new store, moving her Pedego Princeton operation from its temporary Wiggins Street location where it has sold electric bikes over the past three years.
Witherspoon-Jackson Joint Effort Princeton Safe Streets Summer Program, which concluded on Sunday. Participants share their favorite part of the event in this week’s Town Talk on page 6. (Photo
Hosted at The Farminary, Princeton Theological Seminary’s 21-acre sustainable farm, this series features different scholars, activists, and artists offering short talks or being interviewed over dinner. They are paired with a world-class chef who prepares the meal with a portion of the produce coming straight from the farm. Each event in the series will be capped at 25 people for a more intimate experience.
No big presentations. Just big ideas and delicious food.
Sept 5, 2024
Elaine James Water is Alive: The agency and power of our most precious resource
How do ancient texts help us think about real, living, fresh water? In the Hebrew Bible, fresh water is living water. Then, as now, it is our most vital, most threatened resource. How can we think more clearly, more cleanly, about water?
Elaine James is an associate professor of Old Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary. Guiding her research 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.
Featuring Chef Margo Carner
Chef Margo Carner is the Chef and Founder of Fridge2Table, providing personal chef and catering services
IN THE ANDES: Caminos Princeton, organized by two Community Park Elementary School aides, recently returned from an 11-day expedition to Ecuador, where rising Princeton ninth graders toured the country and spent five days living with Ecuadorian host families. The
Princeton contingent is seen here with their Ecuadorian host families.
“Travel and cultural exchange can change lives,” wrote Alessandra ClemensLores and Queta Alban, Community Park Elementary School aides in the Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program.
They proved that assertion again last month in leading 11 Princeton Middle
School (PMS) recent graduates on an 11-day expedition through Ecuador that included exploring the Ecuadorian rain forest, rafting on the Yanayacu River, crossing the Andes, touring the capital city Quito, and biking through the lava fields of the volcanic valley of Cotopaxi, as well as community service at a local school in the Amazon, immersion time with Ecuadorian host families, and a focus on social and ecological awareness.
Under the auspices of their Caminos Princeton organization (“a pathway to discovery through language and culture”), Clemens, an architect who was born and raised in Peru, and Alban, a marketing and business professional born and raised in Ecuador, also led a contingent of PMS students on an Ecuador excursion last summer.
They described their students’ “transformations” and observed the creation of many meaningful, lasting friendships. The Ecuadorian student hosts will be visiting Princeton in October, and the Princeton students are eager to reciprocate the hospitality and warm welcome they received.
“ Experiencing a new culture at a young age profoundly shaped them, fostering empathy and openmindedness,” said Clemens and Alban. “They learned to appreciate different cultures and improve their Spanish skills, boosting their confidence. Hands-on experiences in history, geography, and social studies enriched their learning. Interacting with diverse peers and Ecuadorian families developed their social skills and built lasting friendships.”
Parents of the young travelers shared their enthusiasm for the venture. “This trip was the perfect way to celebrate the district’s incredible DLI program and our daughter’s bilingual journey,’ wrote the mother of one student. “My husband and I are so grateful to Caminos Princeton for providing this life-changing opportunity for these students. We are absolutely thrilled to be able to host the Ecuadorian students in the fall!”
Another parent described the experience as “a game changer” for her daughter. Clemens and Alban discussed the benefits of spending five of the 11 days with an Ecuadorian family and the potential impact of this experience. “This immersion provides a valuable opportunity to practice Spanish in a real-world setting, significantly enhancing their language skills,” they wrote. “Additionally, the program fosters substantial personal growth through the challenges of living with a newly met family and communicating in a language they are still mastering.”
Immersion in nature was another aspect of the trip, and Clemens and Alban
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Continued from Preceding Page
noted how environmental responsibility was another significant benefit for their students. “Activities like rafting and learning about the impacts of illegal mining highlight the importance of caring for the environment, encouraging participants to be more mindful of global issues,” they wrote.
Caminos Princeton will be hosting an evening at the Princeton Public Library in November for families interested in learning more about the program and plans for next year.
—Donald Gilpin Princeton Students Awarded Grants by Dorothea’s House Dorothea’s House, the Italian American cultural center in Princeton, is supporting 26 college students with a total of $100,000 in scholarships in the 202425 academic year.
Since 1963, the Dorothea vanDyke McLane Association has awarded more than 800 scholarships. Current scholarship recipients are pursuing higher education within New Jersey and across the country. The most recent awardees for the future Class of 2028 will attend the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Delaware, the University of Michigan, Pratt Institute, Seton Hall University, Rider University, and Mercer County Community College.
The Dorothea van Dyke McLane Association scholarship program is open to all students who are permanent residents of Princeton and who are attending a two-year or four-year college in the United States. Awards are granted on the basis of achievement, character, motivation, and financial need, and are subject to renewal throughout the recipient’s undergraduate college career.
In addition, the association gives four special awards: the Frank Clark Award, to a student committed to community service; the Robert Immordino Award, to a student with a deep interest in history; the Anthony Cifelli Award, honoring a longtime board president and one of the original recipients of a Dorothea’s House scholarship; and the Borelli Award, established by Nicholas Borelli in honor of his parents, Donato and Mary Borelli, who emigrated to the U.S. in 1933.
Dorothea’s House is located at 120 John Street. For more information, visit dorotheashouse.org.
A forum for the expression of opinions about local and national issues.
“What was your favorite part of the clinic today?”
(Asked Saturday at the
“Where
Kopp’s Merges
continued from page one
Reilley has been working to prepare for the relaunch of the shop, assisted by her three adult sons as well as Jesus Tapia and Kevin “KJ” Chu, two longtime Kopp’s employees who will be carrying on the tradition and helping to lead the transition.
“It’s been wonderful,” said Reilley in describing the recent weeks’ preparations. “People are banging down the doors, and I’m optimistic about how things will actually go once the doors are actually open. Lots of people have said how much they loved coming to Kopp’s, and they’re really excited that we’re going to keep it going.”
Pedego Princeton at Kopp’s will offer sales, repairs, and rentals of both ebikes and traditional bicycles.
Kopp’s has been at its present Spring Street location since 1989. Before that it was located on Nassau Street, Chambers Street, John Street, and then Witherspoon Street.
Friday’s opening will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “We’ll answer any questions you have about bikes,” said Reilley. “We’ll have demos in the parking lot so you can get on a bike and see what it’s all about. Princeton is a fabulous place for this.”
Reilley described how she and her late husband were introduced to ebikes in 2018 on a family vacation trip to Bar Harbor, Maine. “My kids found the bike rental and we rented ebikes for the day, and we had the best day,”
she said. “They were Pedego bikes, and as soon as we got back to New Jersey we looked for a place where we could rent these wonderful bikes. Spring Lake was the only place.”
Reilley and her husband talked to Pedego about starting up a new Pedego store in New Jersey, but the time was not right until in 2020, when the whole family was working at home and one day Pedego called.
“‘We have an opening for a store in Haddonfield,’ they said. ‘Are you guys still interested in opening a store?’
And that was it,” Reilley recalled. “We said we’d love to do that — right in the middle of COVID — and it was fabulous. It was wonderful for the whole family to be working together, doing something that we absolutely loved. And that’s what made us say ‘yes’ when Pedego said they had another opportunity, in Princeton, in 2021.”
The Princeton store has always been limited, located in a small space that was intended to be temporary until they could move to a larger space, “and now we’re ready to go all in,” said Reilley, whose son is now running the Haddonfield Pedego store.
Princeton Tour Company owner Mimi Omiecinski, who may be looking to collaborate on a future project or two with Pedego Princeton at Kopp’s, expressed her enthusiasm for the relaunching enterprise. “I’m so excited Pedego Electric Bikes is rolling into Princeton, especially to the Kopp’s location,” she said. She continued, “Kopp’s
was the oldest running bicycle shop in America, and I’m sure this wonderful team and exceptional product will extend the historic legacy at 38 Spring Street. I’m flattered the new owners asked me to partner in offering some themed ebike rides. We can’t wait to cover more ground and show off Princeton more than ever before.”
—Donald Gilpin
33 Princeton-Hightstown Rd Ellsworth’s Center (Near Train Station) 799-8554
Tues-Fri: 10am-6pm; Sat 8:30am-3:30pm
Evergreen Forum Courses Announced for Fall
The Center for Modern Aging has announced fall courses for its Evergreen Forum series. A full list of courses is available at cmaprinceton.org/ evergreen-forum.
Courses are offered in such areas as literature, art, culture, government, politics, history, and science. Registration is first-come, first-served, and opens online on Tuesday, August 27 at 9:30 a.m. Most classes begin in September and October and meet once a week for two hours. Fees are $110 for six- to eight-week courses.
Senior Scholarships are available to those for whom the fee is a hardship. To apply, contact Johanna Peters, director of social services, at jpeters@cmaprinceton.org, or (609) 751.9699, ext. 111.
The Center for Modern Aging Princeton, formerly Princeton Senior Resource Center, is a community nonprofit where aging adults and their families find support, guidance, education, and social programs to help them navigate life transitions and continue to be active, healthy, and engaged in the community. For more information, visit cmaprinceton.org.
Mercer County Executive Dan Benson has announced the hiring of Maria Connolly as the new Mercer County planning director. Connolly succeeds Leslie Floyd, who retired in May after a 35year career with Mercer’s Planning Department.
Maria Connolly Connolly is a licensed professional planner who brings 21 years of experience as principal planner for the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA). At DCA, she worked closely with N.J. counties and municipalities to help them achieve their land use and planning goals. She has expertise in master plans, zoning, redevelopment, economic development, affordable housing, GIS systems, sustainability, transportation, electric vehicles and clean energy, development review and analysis, and
rule writing.
Connolly graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Arts and received a Master of City and Regional Planning (MCRP) from the E.J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. A native of Hoboken, she now lives in Lawrence Township with her husband and children, where she serves as the vice-chair of both the Township Planning Board and the Growth and Redevelopment Committee.
“Leslie Floyd left big shoes to fill, and I’m deeply grateful for her years of excellent service to Mercer County,” said Benson. “Fortunately, we’ve found an exceptional successor in Maria Connolly. Her experience and forwardthinking vision will carry our Planning Department into the future without missing a beat. Maria is a dedicated public servant and another top-notch addition to our team at Mercer County.”
The community garden within the grounds of the Princeton YMCA and YWCA is about to be joined by a second enclosure. Like its predecessor, the Send Hunger Packing Princeton (SHUPP) Sensory Garden will be welcoming to all. But while the original garden invites people to pick any produce and herbs that they need, this one has a different purpose.
The area is described in a release from SHUPP as “a restorative community garden designed to be accessible, inclusive, and safe.”
Ross Wishnick, the founder of the nonprofit, elaborated. “I was in Seattle, visiting my son, and I went to see the sensory garden there. I was impressed by the way it appeals to the five senses,” he said. “It was my thought that it would be nice to have one here in Princeton — a little bit of ‘feel good.’ Then, as I was talking to other people about it, I realized that this kind of garden is good for people who are on the spectrum. It’s calming. So we get a twofer — a
nice, comfortable place for everyone, but more than that.”
Currently under development and sponsored by the Friends of the SHUPP Sensory Garden, the enclosure will have scented flowers, plants, and herbs. The entrance is designed to be through a small pergola. Wishnick wants it to be “whimsical and fun,” he said. Wooden faces screwed onto the trees, low-tone wind chimes, and pinwheels are also being considered. Features are to include sitting areas, gliding chairs, and a bench. Small groups can be accommodated in the area, which will be open and sunny.
“Plant collections include native and nonnative plants arranged to provide a sensory-rich and immersive experience,” reads the SHUPP release. “The garden includes edible plants and herbs as well as other sensory-stimulating plants, and plants that support bird and butterfly pollinators, which are important for protection of our food supply.”
Founded a decade ago,
SHUPP provides food to children in the public school system, stocks local pantries, and runs more than 10 community gardens throughout Princeton. The organization also teaches people how to grow their own food and runs a free farmers market at the YMCA and YWCA.
Construction on the sensory garden is underway. But the real work will begin on August 28 and 29, when Princeton University sends some 40 entering freshmen to assist with the project. The students will help install 3-inch-in-diameter logs that will stand vertically along the pathway. They will also put in soil and help clean up SHUPP’s other garden at the site.
All of this requires financial support. While the Bank of Princeton, of which Wishnick is a vice chairman, has provided some assistance, more is needed. “It’s not a ton of money. But we’ve got to buy plants, signs, the pergola, and that kind of thing,” he said. To help, email info@ shupprinceton.org.
“The garden welcomes and supports people of all ages and abilities,” reads the SHUPP release. “It encourages the community to come together to celebrate our shared humanity.”
—Anne Levin
Womanspace
Womanspace, Inc. is seeking community members to train as volunteers for the Response Teams of Mercer County. These teams consist of highly trained and dedicated volunteers who meet with victim-survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence during their moments of crisis. The commitment and expertise of these advocates are essential in providing victim-survivors with the support and resources they critically need.
Town Topics Ad — 08/14/24
Volunteer Response Team
advocates provide compassionate support and tangible resources to victim-survivors at diffi cult times. In cases of domestic violence, advocates meet victims at the police department, while in cases of sexual assault, advocates meet victims at the hospital. Advocates serve as unconditional champions of victim-survivors and offer information on resources for future self-advocacy. The goal is to empower victim-survivors to make informed decisions that are best for their lives and families.
1/4-page color ad 5.125" wide X 8" high for $220
TOWN TOPICS is printed entirely on recycled paper.
In 2023, Womanspace received 6,777 calls to its hotlines, and 364 victims received crisis assistance from a trained advocate. Domestic and sexual violence remain significant issues in Mercer County, as they are nationwide. Statistics show that sexual assault affects
1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men during their lifetimes. These numbers underscore the critical need for dedicated volunteers who can offer support in times of crisis.
Anne Mavis, a Response Teams advocate since 2019, said of her experience, “Supporting a survivor and watching them step into their empowerment is a gift. It is a privilege and an honor to sit with them, listen to their stories, and provide them with resources that can help guide them.”
Applications are now being accepted, with the deadline to apply on September 24. Training begins on October 10.
For questions, email responseteamstraining@womanspace.org or call Varonda Kendrick at (609) 394-0136 ext. 210.
September 6October 6, 2024
Based on the New Regency Productions Motion Picture "Empire Records " written by Carol Heikkinen
Music & Lyrics by Zoe Sarnak
Book by Carol Heikkinen
Directed by Trip Cullman
Choreographed by Ellenore Scott
Michael Feinstein in Because of YouMy Tribute to Tony Bennett
featuring the Carnegie Hall Ensemble
Fri, Sep 20, 7:30PM
Joined by the dynamic Carnegie Hall Ensemble, Michael Feinstein celebrates the unparalleled legacy of his late friend Tony Bennett with heartfelt renditions of Bennett’s greatest hits.
Sat, Sep 28, 7:30PM
Experience the vibrancy and passion of Ballet Hispánico, a leader in Latinx culture and dance for over 50 years.
Thu, Oct 3, 7:00PM
Humorist, and Princeton favorite, David Sedaris returns to McCarter following the release of his newest books, A Carnival of Snackery and Pretty Ugly
Fri, Oct 4, 7:00PM
Create magical memories with the whole family. This interactive performance and screening features live music by Banda de la Casita, bringing Disney’s beloved lm to life.
Sun, Oct 6, 6:00PM
The most awarded female artist in Latin GRAMMY history, Natalia’s work re ects both her deep cultural heritage and innovative spirit. In this performance, Natalia will play solo guitar on stage and share stories.
Council continued from page one they were not doing the job we intended them to do, that they were working in silos. And we sought to correct that, and thereby develop the CARES committee.”
Council voted to hire consultants LRK Inc. for development of a new signage ordinance, something that has been in the planning stages for nearly a decade. The agreement is not to exceed $55,000. Sacks thanked architect Josh Zinder for his work laying the foundation on the issue over the past few years.
“We’re so fortunate in Princeton that we have professionals who command respect all around the state for their work, and in this case, Josh Zinder has saved the town a lot of money by doing the bulk of the work. Now, LRK is just going to connect the dots,” she said.
Zinder said his office did an in-depth review of the issue, including a study that eventually led to the creation of the sign ordinance. “The conclusion was to hire a consultant to complete the work that could not be done on a reduced-fee basis or pro-bono basis,” he said. “I am pleased to see that the town is taking this critical issue to the business community and to the architectural landscape seriously, and hiring Looney Ricks Kiss [LRK] to update our ordinances to
reflect the town we live in today and not the landscape of 1973 and ’74, which is when the ordinances were originally created.”
Among the other resolutions was a grant from the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) of no more than $143,000 for the Terhune Road Pedestrian Improvements Project. Also approved was a decrease of $11,000 to Capital Health System for the 2024 Healthy Child/Well Baby Clinic, for a new amount not to exceed $24,000. The decrease is possible because of the recent establishment of Zufall Health Center at Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center, which extends eligibility to include individuals under the age of 19 regardless of their immigration status, which was not the situation in the past.
Council voted for a resolution approving the 2024 Community Development Block Grant program annual action plan, and authorized a third extension to an agreement with Rider University for public parking on the campus of Westminster Choir College. The extension is through June 30, 2025.
The next public meeting of Council is scheduled for August 26 at 7 p.m. Visit princetonnj.gov for more information.
—Anne Levin
URBAN
TOUR: The Watershed Institute’s Jim Waltman led a contingent of K-12 educators and Princeton University-affiliated experts on a hydrology tour of Princeton last week as part of the University’s QUEST program for STEM teachers.
continued from page one that I came here and learned more.”
Gonzalez reflected on how she can most effectively bring her experience from last week back to her sixth-grade science classroom this fall. “We were gathering data outside, using tools to measure the temperature of the ground,” she explained. “And I’m thinking about how I can go into my classroom and do something very similar, also bringing the science into our own neighborhoods. There are water cycle-related topics in our curriculum this year. I’m definitely going to be able to integrate what I’ve learned into that.”
Mieko Inghilleri, a STEM teacher at Fisher Middle School in Ewing, is looking forward to using what she learned during her week in QUEST to help develop the
STEM curriculum at Fisher.
“I’m hoping to supplement what they’re learning with more hands-on, communitybased, real-life, project-based learning opportunities,” she said. Inghilleri has already contacted the Watershed Institute to organize a field trip for her students in the fall.
“I want to help students engage in their local community,” she said. “A lot of times students know that there are things to be fixed in the world around them. They know that climate change is a big issue, but they wonder how they can do anything about it. Helping them connect these big issues to something in their local community, like protecting their watershed, makes it more real for them. I can help them foster that ‘I’m a steward of the environment’ concept.”
She continued, “I also love that I have all these Princeton connections, local grassroots, nonprofits, and all sorts of resources that other teachers have shared. It’s a really good professional learning community to be a part of.”
During the course of the program last week on different approaches to hydrology and science communication, teachers worked with sand tanks and other physical and conceptual models, engaged in kinesthetic activities to understand water movement, analyzed and interpreted hydrographs, observed online simulations, and took an urban hydrology tour in Princeton led by the Watershed institute’s Jim Waltman. They were also introduced to machine learning concepts and to the use of drones in hydrology.
The week’s program was designed to “deepen their understanding of the critical role water plays in our world and the urgency of effective water management,” according to the QUEST program description. “By the end of the week, the description continues, “participants will not only possess a comprehensive understanding of the hydrologic cycle, but also be equipped with practical tools and knowledge to inspire the next generation of environmentally conscious citizens through their educational endeavors.”
Rising Rents are Topic Of Annual “Rent Party” Housing Initiatives of Princeton (HIP) will host its annual Rent Party fundraiser on Saturday, October 5, from 7 to 10 p.m. at Springdale Golf Club. The organization has helped local families facing eviction issues for the past 22 years.
In their closing “shareout” discussion, teachers were unanimously enthusiastic about their week-long immersion. They praised the program organizers and the experts who had led the sessions each day. They expressed their enjoyment of the environment where they felt comfortable sharing questions and ideas, and engaging in real scientific research.
“I love being a learner again and putting myself in the students’ position,” said veteran Hopewell Valley High School science teacher Cindi Glover.
Reed Maxwell, Princeton University professor of civil and environmental engineering at the High Meadows Environmental Institute who was one of the program organizers, emphasized that ongoing partnerships are an important part of the program. “We love to think of ways that we can continue to foster these partnerships, keep in touch, and think of more ways to collaborate.”
The QUEST hydrology program during the week of August 5-9 was the second of three programs this summer. The final program, “Climate Change: Exploring Solutions to a Complex Problem,” will take place during the week of August 19-23. The first QUEST program of the summer, “FISHAIR: Dive Into Form and Function with Machine Learning,” ran from July 21 to 26.
The QUEST program and its participants embody the beliefs expressed by Princeton University President Emeritus and Professor of Molecular Biology and Public Affairs
Shirley Tilghman, who once wrote, “A critical key to our future prosperity lies in the quality of U.S. science education — from kindergarten to postgraduate training. Thinking freshly and creatively about the most effective ways to convey to students the fascinating properties of the natural world is not simply crucial to our future, but I predict that it will make our teaching a great deal more satisfying in the long run.”
—Donald Gilpin
Tell them you saw their ad in
This year’s theme is “Light the Way Home” and, much like guests at the original rent parties of 1920s Harlem, participants will partake of food, music, a silent auction, and more, all in service to neighbors in need. This year’s Rent Party will also honor local realtor Heidi A. Hartmann for her generosity, integrity, and unwavering dedication to making Princeton a more inclusive community.
“As a realtor, I’ve come to understand the profound impact that having a home has on one’s safety, security, and sanity,” said Hartmann. “In my eyes, everyone deserves the dignity of a place to call home. There should never be homelessness here and I am committed to and appreciative of HIP for reflecting those values.”
As the New Jersey housing shortage persists, local homelessness and evictions are on the rise. HIP has responded by helping 75 families with eviction prevention funds in 2023, double the number from the previous year, so that they could remain in their homes or secure a new home. At the same time, HIP’s nine transitional homes provide a bridge for homeless families to permanent, affordable housing. HIP has added one new property a year for the past six years to meet the rising need.
“Despite state efforts to address rising rents and limited housing stock, the demand for affordable housing continues to outpace supply, leaving many of our neighbors vulnerable,” said HIP Executive Director Lori Troilo. “By supporting families with eviction prevention funds and transitional housing, HIP is helping to stem that tide and have a long-lasting impact on people’s lives.”
HIP was founded after a Princeton Trinity Church parishioner discovered a person secretly living in the church. She was not a congregant but she had nowhere else to go, and the church had a shower and was a warm place to sleep. Princeton’s local congregations pulled together to respond. Among other assistance, they identified a permanent, affordable apartment for her on Harrison Street. HIP was formally established from these beginnings as an organized way for “neighbors to help neighbors” remain in our community and thrive. Today, HIP continues its legacy of service through generous support from businesses, individuals, religious congregations, partner agencies, and foundations. This work would be impossible without the support of HIP’s many sponsors. The organization will be highlighting all of its sponsors over the next few weeks, but would especially like to recognize Etsuko and Dan Chamby, and Randi and Joel Cutler, for their considerable charity this year. For additional information about the event or HIP, email lori@housinginitiativesofprinceton.org.
The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) and the Historical Society of Princeton (HSP) will host the inaugural Princeton Community Chili Cook-Off from 12-3 p.m. on Sunday, September 22 at Updike Farmstead. Home cooks and professional chefs will put their skills to the test as attendees sample their creations before casting votes to determine the winner.
Signed on to participate on the professional side are local eateries including Mediterra Restaurant and Taverna, Princeton Soup and Sandwich, Winberie’s Restaurant and Pub, and Jammin’ Crepes. Registration for both restaurants and amateurs is available on artscouncilofprinceton.org and is due by August 14.
Community collaboration is at the heart of the Cook-Off. SAVE animal shelter will join in, accompanied by their adoptable dogs. Beer will be provided by local brewery River Horse Brewing Company, and Sprouts will offer fresh-cut local flowers for a build-your-own-bouquet experience, both available for purchase. Lawn games and familyfriendly activities will be held.
ACP Executive Director Adam Welch said he “can think of few finer ways to come together as a community than over food and creativity. In this first Princeton Community Chili Cook-Off, we’ll feature amateurs vs. professionals, side by side, in a tasty partnership with our friends at the HSP. Come out to support the nonprofits, chill with your neighbors, and awaken your senses.”
Sarah Taggart, HSP executive director, said, “HSP is very excited to collaborate with the Arts Council on this celebration of local talent and culture, as well as share our historic Updike Farmstead with the Princeton community.”
This event raises funds for the Arts Council’s and Historical Society’s year-round cultural programs. Updike
Farm is at 354 Quaker Road. To reserve tickets, visit artscouncilofprinceton.org.
Lawrence Hopewell Trail Awarded Design Grant
The Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corporation (LHTC) has been granted $148,505 by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission to design the Cleveland Road section, the final segment of the 20-mile Lawrence Hopewell Trail.
With four other projects already underway, the LHTC aims to complete the trail loop by the end of 2026.
The Cleveland Road segment in Hopewell Township will stretch for about a half mile, linking segments in Hopewell and Lawrence townships. This project will improve safety for all trail users by creating a multi-use path separated from vehicle traffic on Cleveland Road suitable for walkers, runners, and bicyclists.
As ongoing projects advance on either side, the LHT will extend from the Mount Rose Preserve on Carter Road to the existing connection on Province Line Road.
The LHTC will work with the property owner and the two municipalities to develop a Request for Proposal (RFP) for publication in the fall of 2024. Bid requirements include ensuring a cohesive design that enhances the LHT user experience and connectivity. Preliminary designs are on file.
The goal is to complete the Cleveland Road design phase by early 2025, followed by regulatory review and construction. If sufficient funding is secured, construction of the Cleveland Road segment could be completed by late 2025 or early 2026. The LHTC has a long history of working collaboratively to develop the LHT with multiple community interests and partners.
“We are immensely grateful to the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission for this
Since holding its first “Sustainable Minds” presentation virtually two years ago, the nonprofit Sustainable Princeton has presented experts on such topics as stormwater management, community solar, and zeroenergy buildings. Next in the series, on Wednesday, September 11 at 7 p.m., is “15-Minute Neighborhoods,” which the public can attend live in Princeton Public Library’s Community Room, or online.
Planner Jon A. Carnegie and policy analyst Alex Ambrose will discuss how living within 15 minutes of social services, parks, gathering places, and various amenities creates a more sustainable, resilient, healthy, and equitable neighborhood — the way many towns used to be. Carnegie, the executive director of the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University, recently lead a two-year study of the concept. Ambrose is a transportation and climate policy analyst.
“For this round of events, we were really interested in having topics that are related to Princeton’s Climate Action Plan,” said Sustainable Princeton Executive Director Christine Symington. “We have a vision for the community that is relevant to many of the actions in this study.”
and location-efficient, which is a long way of saying that you should be able to meet most of your daily needs within 15 minutes of walking or transportation,” she said.
Carnegie’s report, “15-Minute Neighborhoods: A Pathway to Creating Healthier, More Just, Resilient, & Sustainable Communities in New Jersey,” describes case studies that were done in Newark, Cherry Hill, and Bridgeton. “In each location, the teams worked with local leaders to identify ways to simultaneously reduce greenhouse gas emissions, make it easier to travel, improve health, increase transportation system efficiency, improve the resilience of communities and infrastructure, and ensure equitable mobility and access for residents,” reads the report.
grant, showing their continuing commitment to our project,” said David Sandahl, board chair of the LHTC. “Thanks to their support, an inspired idea has evolved as a treasured community asset that benefits thousands each year.”
Visit lhtrail.org or contact info@ lhtrail.org for more information.
Princeton Medical Institute Offers Memory Screenings
Princeton Medical Institute will be hosting a day of summer fun for the community, providing free barbecue, summer games, and free memory screenings on Saturday, August 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Princeton Medical Institute, 256 Bunn Drive, Suite 6.
Participants can sample barbecue and healthy food options while learning more about their brain health from the Princeton research team.
Memory screenings are a quick and easy way to check brain function and are especially important for those aged 50-80. These screenings are crucial for the early detection of cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia, as it can significantly improve the management and treatment of these conditions, leading to better planning and an improved quality of life.
Attendees will also have the chance to learn more about brain health and memory loss conditions. Experts from Princeton Medical Institute will be available to provide valuable information and answer any questions about maintaining cognitive health as people age.
Princeton Medical Institute is part of the Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation network of clinical trial sites, GAP-Net. This network includes top academic and private research sites dedicated to advancing medical research for Alzheimer’s and other brain health issues.
For more information, call (609) 921-6050 or email tbelleface@gminstitutes.com.
Symington and her colleagues were familiar with the concept, though it has gone by various names. “We refer to it in the Climate Action Plan as transit-oriented
Sustainable Minds presentations have been popular with residents of the community. Sessions on stormwater management and green building techniques have been especially well attended, attracting up to 100 attendees. The series is co-sponsored by Princeton Public Library.
“The topics are often related to the Climate Action Plan, and people are very interested in that,” said Symington. “The presentation will examine opportunities that could make Princeton a 15-minute neighborhood.” Registration is necessary. Visit princetonlibrary.org.
—Anne Levin
The concept gained visibility during the pandemic. “Fifteen-minute neighborhoods provide residents with easy access to parks, schools, gathering places, social services, places to buy healthy fresh food, and other amenities within a comfortable walk or bike ride,” the report says. “Thriving 15-minute neighborhoods rely on not just desired destinations within a 15-minute walk or bike ride, but also a safe, convenient, and climateresilient network of walkways, bicycle facilities, and the other amenities such as traffic-calming, green infrastructure, lighting, and street furniture necessary to encourage people to drive less.”
North Witherspoon Street is undergoing a beautification project this summer but is open for business! Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, the Arts Council of Princeton is the perfect place to learn about and create art. Sign up for a class or attend an event today! Also, be sure to visit the other Witherspoon Street businesses while you’re there!
The views of the letters do not necessarily reflect the views of Town Topics.
To the Editor:
Wow! Congratulations and thank you!
On Friday morning, August 9, at 6:45 a.m., we called the Princeton Police to report that a very large branch of an old maple tree had fallen and blocked the entire street in front of our house from curb to curb.
By 8 a.m. the only trace of the branch and many leaves remaining in the public right of way and neighboring properties was a bit of sawdust from the cutting of very large logs.
One hour and a quarter — an impressive job by Taylor Sapudar, Princeton’s arborist, and his specialized tree crew. A nice example of the benefits that we get for our tax dollars. When we told the story to some friends, they all said that wouldn’t happen in their towns.
ALICE AND JOE SMALL Hawthorne Avenue
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.
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Letters to the Editor may be submitted, preferably by email, to editor@towntopics.com, or by post to Town Topics, PO Box 125, Kingston, N.J. 08528. Letters submitted via mail must have a valid signature.
Addy McBean is a math whiz and a problem solver. She “loves anything and everything to do with numbers, from counting her dog’s tail wags to guessing how many books are scattered by her mom’s bed or how many stars are in the sky,” according to the book jacket of Addy McBean, Numbers Queen
Addy is one of latest characters created by Princeton author Margery Cuyler, who was inspired to write about a female math whiz after visiting a second-grade classroom and seeing how creatively math is taught today.
Addy McBean, Numbers Queen , released on July 23, is the latest of Cuyler’s
books, and the first in a planned chapter book series for ages 7 and 8, published by Aladdin Quix, an imprint in the children’s publishing division at Simon & Schuster, A chapter book, said Cuyler, fills the gap between a picture book and novels for children over the age of 8.
In the tale, Addy is dismayed to be paired with Willard Gluck for a math project, but she learns that one can’t go by first impressions.
“I thought it would be cool to create a female math ace,” said Cuyler. “Her mathematical acumen makes her feel in control, since she likes things to be locked down.”
The math concept empha-
sized in the book is shapes, but she continued, “it is really a story about how you shouldn’t jump to conclusions about people and that there are some things in life that you can’t control.”
Other books in the series will focus on the concepts of time, measurement, and graphs.
As Addy and Willard brainstorm ideas for their class project, “readers are treated to information about 3D shapes and the solar system — and Addy realizes she may have underestimated her new partner,” as noted in a review in Publishers Weekly. “Supportive parents and teachers as well as sympathetic classmates provide a gentle balance to Addy’s high energy. Language detailing numerical concepts peppers the action, and Addy’s relatable experiences will keep readers engaged, whether or not they enjoy math.”
originally published by Scholastic and later reissued with new illustrations by Cuyler’s sister, Juliana McIntyre Fenn, a renowned local artist.
After graduating from Sarah Lawrence College, Cuyler worked in the publishing industry, fi rst as an assistant editor at Atlantic Monthly Press in Boston, which published books in partnership with Little, Brown. As her career progressed, she eventually held executive positions at Henry Holt/Macmillan, Amazon, Golden Books Family Entertainment, and Holiday House. She started writing for children after reading to a group of youngsters as part of a college class.
“I can easily get in touch with my 5-year-old self,” she said. “It’s very helpful if you know how old you are inside.” She works with different illustrators, and had worked previously with Addy McBean illustrator Stacy Curtis, of whom she said, “He really nailed Addy’s character.”
Cuyler, who will be autographing books at the Princeton Public Library’s Children’s Book Festival on October 5, has written 60 published children’s books, including Bonaparte Falls Apart, Skeleton Hiccups , 100th Day Worries , and That’s Good! That’s Bad! She is especially known for her holiday tales and for stories that take place in the classroom.
The children’s book market, she noted, “has been transformed by the internet. With federal and state money shrinking for libraries and with bookstores having closed during the pandemic, social media has become an important tool for selling books. The way books are marketed has increasingly shifted to the author who posts book news on Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms and electronically connects to children’s book enthusiasts and advocates all over the world.”
Some of her books were inspired by growing up in Princeton. She lived in the oldest house in town — The Barracks on Edgehill Street — and with four siblings and, later, four cousins who moved in when their mother died, life was never dull. Cuyler’s imagination was stimulated when they wrote stories, put on plays, and even staged a neighborhood circus. Her father, Lewis B. Cuyler, a banking executive, was interested in history and served as president of the Historical Society of Princeton.
The rumor that Cuyler’s house was haunted inspired another chapter book, The Battlefield Ghost, which was
But Cuyler maintains that the children’s market has held up well in the publishing industry, despite these challenges.
Being an author for children takes a special skill. “It’s important as a picture-book and chapter-book writer to be a visual thinker,” she said. “To write in a way that the artist will get excited. That’s a key component for writing a story for younger kids.
“It’s a privilege to write for young readers,” she added, “because a good children’s book helps build the interiority of a child. A strong story nourishes a child’s soul.”
Addy McBean, Numbers Queen is available at local booksellers and on amazon. com.
—Wendy Greenberg
The long strange trip of this column includes a world-famous 34-year-old singer songwriter from West Reading, Pa.; a 79-year-old film director from Düsseldorf, Westphalia, born August 14, 1945; and a Scottish king slain in battle against his first cousin and rival Macbeth on or around August 14, 1040 — but then Shakespeare had a more productive fate in mind for King Duncan when he wrote Macbeth
Who’s Afraid?
When the news aired about the terrorist shutdown of Taylor Swift’s Vienna concerts that led to thousands of disappointed Swifties singing her music in the streets of Vienna, I put the Tortured Poets Department into my car’s CD player. I was thinking of the 22 fans killed by terrorists at the May 2017 Ariana Grande concert in Manchester as Swift let it all out, “So I leap from the gallows and I levitate down your street, crash the party like a record scratch as I scream — ‘Who’s afraid of little old me?’ And you should be , you should be, you should be !” To paraphrase the song rocking my car, “If you wanted her dead, you should’ve just said so because nothing makes her feel more alive.”
Saved by Rock ‘n’ Roll
As for Wim Wenders, whose “life was saved by rock ‘n’ roll,” it’s safe to say that the director of The American Friend , Paris Texas , Wings of Desire , and, more recently, Perfect Days , will never make a film of Macbeth. Imagine Macbeth sharpening his sword while singing “Too Much on My Mind,” as Bruno Ganz does in The American Friend. Ray Davies’s thoughtful little song, with its plaintive message — “It seems there’s more to life than just to live it” — would be weirdly out of place in a play shaped by witchcraft and hosted by Lady Macbeth (“The raven himself is hoarse that croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan under my battlements”).
Wenders in Princeton
In late February 2001, when Wenders spoke to a full house at the James Stewart Theatre in Princeton, he was 55, and seemed younger, a warm, personable, unassuming presence. When a baby made a noise, he said, “Patting might help.” When someone sneezed, he said “Bless you.” Speaking about “the importance of place,” he recalled taking long walks in Berlin and wanting to make a film about it; he spoke of apartment buildings, a lighted window, shadows moving behind it, a woman leaning out. “I want to know everything about this place. How these people live, how they have fun, what they
worry about, how they eat, drink, sleep.”
One way of knowing was to invent the angels brooding over Berlin in Wings of Desire (1987). Flash forward to 2023 and Wenders does something less ambitious but no less cinematic in Perfect Days while driving around Tokyo listening to Patti Smith, Otis Redding, Van Morrison, and Lou Reed with Hirayama, a public toilet cleaner endearingly played by Koji Yakusho.
Converting Highsmith
My first encounter with Wenders took place on a rainy night in October 1977, when I drove to the Montgomery Center Theatre to see The American Friend Writing about the experience 30 years later, I noted that it was “still raining, but it wasn’t the same rain any more, nor was it the same parking lot, nor the same street lights, nor the same night. Even my car had changed. It was gleaming like a vision.” Everything I saw that night had been transformed by Wenders and his cinematographer Robbie Müller.
However, when Wenders added comradely warmth to the friendship between Ganz’s Jonathan Zimmerman and Dennis Hopper’s Tom Ripley, the change didn’t go down well with Patricia Highsmith, the author of the thriller that The American Friend was loosely based on. Although Wenders charmed her into giving him the rights to Ripley’s Game about a rock and roll Ripley who quotes Bob Dylan and brags that he’s “bringing the Beatles back to Hamburg.” In a 1976 interview conducted as he was about to begin fi lming, Wenders admits, “I didn’t particularly like the Ripley in the novel. I couldn’t relate to him, he’s so strange .... And Highsmith’s idea of the completely amoral person just doesn’t interest me that much.” Although Highsmith’s initial response to the fi nished fi lm was negative, when she saw it later at a public screening, she was, according Wenders in a 1988 article, “full of praise for Dennis Hopper, whom she had fl at-out rejected the fi rst time. She now wrote that my fi lm had captured the essence of the Ripley character better than any other fi lms.”
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Wenders and Macbeth
After thinking it over between paragraphs, I realize that Wenders actually could make a film of Macbeth. After all, he’s no stranger to murder, having filmed a particularly shocking one in The Goalie’s Anxiety at the Penalty Kick (1972) and several in The American Friend , capped by a wildly exciting sequence in which Ripley and Jonathan execute two American gangsters and throw their bodies off a moving train. Wenders’s difficulty relating to Ripley is understandable; the wonder of Shakespeare’s dark tragedy is the way he makes you identify with Macbeth. The most relatable of directors, Wenders also has an appreciation for the power of amplified music that would attune him to the “sound and fury” surrounding and speaking through a character at the mercy of his imagination.
Having written at length last week about the word “weird” without mentioning its most famous literary source, I’ve tracked it down in Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 3. When the witches hear “A drum. a drum! Macbe th doth
A few days prior to the May 1849 Astor Place riots described at length in the Library of America anthology Shakespeare in America , Herman Melville and Washington Irving signed a petition addressed to the Scottish actor William Macready, whose performance of Macbeth at the Opera House had been savaged by the hisses, threats, and cat-calls from supporters of his American rival, Edwin Forrest, who was across town playing the same role at a less elegant venue. When Macready refused to be driven from the stage, rotten eggs and coins and chairs were thrown, and the police finally had to stop the show. Macready had planned to take the next boat home until he received the petition, which requested that he reconsider his decision, and assured him “that the good sense and respect for order, prevailing in this community, will sustain you on the subsequent nights of your performances.” Macready said okay, another performance was announced, and the city geared up for a riot. Though the chief of police had 900 policemen at his disposal, 22 people were killed. In the context of this weird and wayward column, I should mention that the same number were killed by the explosion at the 2017 Ariana Grande concert.
Writing 10 years ago on the occasion of Shakespeare’s 450th birthday, I wondered
ONE-RING SPECTACLE: Cirque de Paris performs in a tent at Princeton MarketFair starting August 22. Among the major attractions is Reinaldo Monteiro, who performs his “Rola-Bola” act balancing boards stacked on cylinders.
Cirque de Paris
Debuts at MarketFair
Cirque de Paris presented by Anouchka Bouglione makes its Princeton area debut under the Big Top at MarketFair, 3535 U.S.1, from August 22 through September 1. The cast includes aerialists, jugglers, tightwire dancers, a twirling hula hooper, and clowns. Beyond the ring, audience members of all ages can get involved at a pre-show and intermission with activities and treats.
“When presented with the opportunity to host Cirque de Paris at MarketFair, we were both intrigued and thrilled to be the first city in New Jersey to offer these spectacular shows,” said Anthony Palino, general manager of MarketFair. “We’re proud to present this one-of-a-kind experience to our community, marking a notable and exciting chapter for MarketFair.”
Producer Anouchka Bouglione, the seventh generation of France’s circus family, melds the European circus style with her family’s signature French touch in her debut show. After years of serving as the artistic manager, show producer, concessions manager, and an artist in Cirque Alexandre Bouglione under her father, she realized her dream in January of 2023 by launching her produc -
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JUDITH BUDWIG
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tion. After touring Europe, she decided to introduce Cirque Bouglione to a new continent.
The cast includes members of the Bouglione-Monteiro family and from around the globe. A performer and producer, Bouglione enters the ring with a hula hoop performance as she continuously gyrates while adding hoops, building to more than 25 spinning rings. Her husband, Reinaldo Monteiro, performs a Rola-Bola act where he balances on boards stacked on cylinders, at one point climbing to eight cylinders high. Daughter Selena does foot juggling, while son Noah paints the stage with light and envelopes the audience with sound.
Tickets are on sale at cirquedeparis.com.
Fiesta Latina Events Set
For Mercer County Park
Mercer County’s 2nd Annual Fiesta Latina, which celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month, will take place Saturday and Sunday, September 7 and 8, in Mercer County Park’s Festival Grounds. The event will feature live music, craft vendors, children’s activities, and more.
“Mercer County is enriched by our diversity, and the Latino community forms an integral part of our county and our culture,” said Mercer County Executive Dan Benson. “I’m thrilled for the Fiesta Latina to return this year. Open to all, this
Cell: 609-933-7886 | Office: 609-921-2600 judith.budwig@foxroach.com
Westrick Music Academy (WMA) has received two grants: a $99,870 grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (NJSCA), and $9,100 from the I. Trumbull Wood Estate Fund of the Mercer County Community Fund.
“We are deeply honored and immensely grateful for the generous grants from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and the Mercer County Community Fund,” said Lorraine Goodman, executive director of WMA. “This funding will have a transformative impact on our ability to nurture a lifelong love of music in a supportive and joyous environment. It ensures that we can continue to offer unparalleled opportunities for personal growth, selfexpression, and musical excellence to a diverse group of young musicians.”
is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy lively music, dance, food, and fun.”
Hours of the festival are 12-7 p.m. both days. On Saturday, Grammy Award nominee and musician Toño Rosario will take the stage along with the salsa group Puerto Rican Power. The day’s celebration will be hosted by comedian Joey Vega, supplemented by a blend of sounds from DJ Ralph Mercado. On Sunday, the music stylings of cumbia, merengue, mariachi, and more will be heard. Headlining will be three-time Grammy salsa and Latin jazz composer and performer Jeremy Bosch, accompanied by Jose Tabares’ All Star Band.
“The Mercer County Division of Culture & Heritage (MCDC&H) is excited to collaborate with The Trenton Puerto Rican Community and Friends Organization, The Guatemalan Civic Association, and the other Hispanic groups taking part in this year’s commemoration,” said Idamis P. Margicin, division chief of MCDC&H. “Thank you to Mercer County Executive Dan Benson, and the Board of Commissioners, for supporting us to bring this collaborative celebration of Hispanic culture to life.”
Tickets for the Fiesta Latina can be purchased on eventbrite.com or at the door at the festival. Tickets purchased presale will cost $15 per day, or $25 for both days. Day-of tickets will cost $20 each day or $35 for both days. Parking is free for all attendees.
“The Trenton Puerto Rican Community and Friend Organization thanks Mercer County Executive Dan Benson and the whole Board of Commissioners for their support for this great family event,” said the organization’s President Krystal DeLeon. “We look forward to celebrating with family, friends, and the community at Fiesta Latina.”
For more information, contact MCDC&H by phone at (609) 278-2712 or by email at cultureandheritage@ mercercounty.org.
The unprecedented $99,870 grant from NJSCA is the largest single grant WMA has ever received from the state. This funding will support various operational needs, including music director salaries, guest artist and pianist fees, musical performance costs, and other essential operating expenses.
“The investment made in our state’s artists and organizations has a direct positive impact on New Jersey residents, families, businesses, and communities,” said New Jersey Lt. Gov. Tahesha L. Way, who oversees the Council in her role as secretary of state. “ It’s an honor to work closely with the Council to help our state’s creative industries thrive and to ensure New Jersey’s diverse constituencies can access the many benefits of the arts.”
“The grants voted on reflect the Council’s commitment to listening to field needs and then taking action,” said Allison Tratner, executive director of NJSCA. “This historic grant to Westrick Music Academy signals a mark of progress for the Council and our sector. We are extremely grateful to the Murphy administration for the ongoing support of New Jersey’s vital arts community.”
The $9,100 grant from the I. Trumbull Wood Estate Fund of the Mercer County Community Fund will also support WMA’s general operations, contributing significantly to the sustainability and growth of its music education and choir programs.
WMA is currently auditioning new singers. Visit westrickmusic.org for information.
American Repertory Ballet (ARB) has announced its 2024-2025 season, a celebration of classic repertoire alongside new works.
A founding resident company of the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC), ARB presents three programs of dance at its home venue with “Wonderment” in October 2024, the world premiere of Spirit of the Highlands in March 2025, and “Pasión” in May
2025. The Nutcracker will return for the holiday season in November and December 2024 in Princeton, Red Bank, Trenton, and New Brunswick.
“Our 2024-2025 season has American Repertory Ballet going to the next level and then some,” said Stiefel, who curated each program. “From superlative, existing works by preeminent choreographers like Lar Lubovitch, Antony Tudor, and Stephanie Martinez, to new creations by Luis Napoles and myself, the company’s notable versatility and artistry will be on full display. Whether one has a fondness for the full-length classics such as The Nutcracker and Spirit of the Highlands ( La Sylphide ), or one relishes innovative, shorter works thoughtfully selected for our dancers and audiences, there is no doubt that each ARB experience promises to captivate and delight.”
“Wonderment” is a program of four diverse dance works. Featured on the bill will be Tudor’s Little Improvisations , a “[depiction of] two children playing in an attic on a rainy day,” per AntonyTudor.org archives, and Lubovitch’s Something About Night , set to choral music by Franz Schubert. Also featured will be the renowned Swan Lake “Black Swan Pas and Coda,” and the world premiere of a new ballet choreographed by Stiefel inspired by prolific baroque composer, conductor, and ballet dancer Jean Baptiste Lully, and one of his protégés, Marin Marais. The program is at NBPAC October 18-20.
Performances of The Nutcracker are November 29-December 1 at McCarter Theatre, December 7 and 8 at the Two River Theatre in Red Bank, December 14 at Patriots Theater at the War Memorial in Trenton, and December 20-22 at State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick.
The world premiere of Stiefel’s Spirit of the Highlands is March 7-9. An adaptation of the well-known Bournonville ballet La
Sylphide , the new work reimagines the tale of a Scotsman’s romantic pursuit of a mystical forest spirit. Stiefel traces his mother’s family roots back to the Scottish Highland Clan Munro. “Pasión” is a mixed bill of new and familiar works, presented at NBPAC May 9-11. An excerpt from the classic ballet Paquita shares the program with more contemporary ballets by Martinez and Napoles.
The company also announces new roles and transitions. Stiefel moves into the newly created role of The Nora C. Orphanides Artist in Residence, focusing on the creation of new work and the continued artistic and technical development of company dancers. Gillian Murphy continues in her role as artistic associate while performing as a principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre. Samantha Dunster, former assistant artistic director of Philadelphia Ballet, joins ARB’s leadership team as the organization’s first-ever director of artistic operations.
“It is truly an honor to be joining American Repertory Ballet this season,” says Dunster, who will be managing daily operations and coordinating guest artist collaborations. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the diverse, dedicated, and talented dancers of ARB. I am also incredibly excited to be working with Ethan Stiefel and Gillian Murphy alongside Executive Director Julie Diana Hench and School Director Aydmara Cabrera. Their strength, intelligence, and passion are truly inspirational. Together, we will continue to share our love for dance and creativity with the New Jersey community and beyond. This season promises to be an exciting one for ARB, including the premiere of Ethan Stiefel’s Spirit Of The Highlands. His love and passion for this art form radiate through every company dancer, and I am thrilled to be here to help them shine.”
Visit arballet.org for more information.
“RITA’S DISHES”: This oil painting by Jeanne Chesterton is part of the 10th annual Points of View Art Show, on view August 23, 25, and 25 at the Saw Mill at Prallsville Mill in Stockton. An opening reception is on Friday, August 23 from 5 to 8 p.m.
Points of View Art Show Marks 10 Years
The first Points of View Art Show was in September 2014. Ten years later, Jeanne Chesterton and Ilene Rubin will host their 10th Points of View Art Show beginning with a reception on August 23 from 5 to 8 p.m. The show continues Saturday, August 24 and Sunday, August 25 from 12 to 5 p.m. each day at the
Saw Mill at Prallsville Mill, 33 Risler Street in Stockton.
Showcasing their art this year will be Chesterton and Rubin, along with artists Cheryl Bomba, Jill LeClair, Mike Mann, and Beth Schoenleber. All art is for sale.
Chesterton and Rubin have found that joining talent with location to exhibit and sell art has become successful and rewarding. The
art complements each other while all are vastly different. All the artists are well known, award-winning, and bring a unique voice and interpretation to the visual art community.
There is something for everyone with little to no overlap of style or range. It’s a unique blend with a wide price range.
Chesterton creates still life paintings reminiscent of classic realism. She is especially drawn to common, everyday objects which bear the beauty marks of age and wear. The patinas of tarnished metals and discolored enamelware, worn surfaces and damaged edges are of special interest. Staging the tableau is important
and often requires many changes in order to achieve visual harmony. The interplay of line, shapes, color, and pattern should suggest a dialogue among the principals, which in turn invites the viewer to participate.
Rubin is a self-taught, award-winning artist who works primarily in oils but also uses pastels, pencils, and watercolor in a painterly representational style. Influences range from Caravaggio to Monet and Corot, and she admits she has learned something revelatory from every artist who has preceded her and every teacher she’s had. She is most moved by the everchanging landscape and captures each one in such a way that the viewer can step into it and spend moments immersed in a place filled with the environment that feels so familiar yet timeless.
For more information, contact JeanneChesterton@gmail.com or Ilene@ IleneRubin.com.
Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) has been awarded a $288,890 grant by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (NJSCA). This new level of annual support, which can be anticipated for three years, will enable GFS to maximize its role as a leading cultural institution in New Jersey. This funding will help support general operations, and bolster Grounds For Sculpture’s mission to be more accessible to a diverse array of New Jerseyans while presenting a strong calendar of programming, which includes arts, wellness, and horticultural experiences.
“We are honored to be among the cultural organizations that the State Council on the Arts has awarded this generous operational funding,” said Gary Schneider, executive director of Grounds For Sculpture. “The incredible support the state has contributed to the arts not only provides us vital resources to fulfill our mission, but also helps expand our offerings to engage with a broader, more diverse community.”
The New Jersey State Council on the Arts awarded more than $30 million in grants to support approximately 900 arts organizations, projects, and artists throughout the state on July 30. The grants were approved at the Council’s 58th Annual Meeting in Trenton, which featured a special musical performance by Hector Morales, a 2024 Arts Council Heritage Fellow.
“The investment made in our state’s artists and organizations has a direct, positive impact on New Jersey residents, families, businesses, and communities,” said Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way, who oversees the Council in her role as secretary of state. “It’s an honor to work closely with the Council to help our state’s creative industries thrive, and to ensure New Jersey’s diverse constituencies can access the many benefits of the arts.”
Located in Hamilton, Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) is a 42-acre notfor-profit sculpture park, arboretum, and museum, founded by the late Seward Johnson Jr. Featuring over 300 contemporary sculptures by renowned and emerging artists in a beckoning, ever-changing landscape, Grounds For Sculpture combines art and nature to surprise, inspire, and engage visitors from all backgrounds in the artist’s act of invention. In addition to its permanent collection, Grounds For Sculpture offers exhibitions in six indoor galleries, alongside experiential art, horticulture, and wellness programs for all ages. For more information, visit groundsfor sculpture.org.
well loved and well read since 1946
members, have funded the award for an Interior Scene since 2014. Diana Resek was art show co-chair in 2010 and 2011. Kathy and Ted Fernberger, also longtime members and Mill supporters, have sponsored the Crystal Springs Farm Award for numerous years “to recognize someone whose work is in the vein of the Pennsylvania Impressionists,” said Kathy Fernberger. Mary and Herbert Flamer introduced a new award in 2021 and continue to support it, now named the African American Art Award for a work depicting African American life, history, and/or culture. Mary Flamer served as art show chair in 2022 and 2023.
Named awards are established with a minimum donation of $500 in consultation with the art committee. Last year, a group of Lumberville residents sponsored an award In Memory of Bill Tinsman who passed away in August. The award was for “an image that captured the beauty of the area he sought to preserve” given by the Lumberville Founder’s Day Committee.
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 “Surroundings” through September 1. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Lambertvillearts.com.
Art on Hulfish, 11 Hulfish Street, has “Under a Southern Star: Identity and Environment in Australian Photography” August 17 through January 5. Artmuseum.princeton.edu.
Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, has “Witherspoon-Jackson Gateway Exhibition” through September 1. Artscouncilofprinceton.org.
Gourgaud Gallery, 23-A North Main Street, Cranbury, has an exhibit by the Creative Collective Art Group through August 29. Cranburyartscouncil.org.
Grounds For Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, has “Philotechnic Transformation” through August 25, “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
New Hope Colony Foundation for the Arts, 2594 River Road, New Hope, Pa., has “Timeless Art” through September 8. Newhopecolony.org.
Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street, has “Summer Bodies: Five Perspectives” through September 3. Paintings by Shane Daly are at the 254 Nassau Street location through September 3. Smallworldcoffee.com.
Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, has travel photography by Jeffrey Edward Tryon, Town Topics art director, along with work by Kevin Frankenfield Photography and Joseph F. Hendrickson in the Red Barn through August 31. Terhuneorchards.com.
Honors and Awards at Phillips’ Mill Art Show
Honors and awards have been a component of the annual “Juried Art Show at Phillips’ Mill” for decades, recognizing some of the finest work by area artists, as well as honoring people important to the Phillips’ Mill Community Association and its patrons. This year’s show, the “95th Juried Art Show at Phillips’ Mill,” will be held at the historic Mill and online September 21 through October 27, and will feature a wide variety of awards. Art lovers interested in establishing new awards for this year’s show can do so now through August 25.
In addition to an Honored Artist and Signature Image artist, who are selected by the art show committee, a full roster of awards for works juried into the show are bestowed each year. Which works will receive these awards is determined by the art show’s panel of jurors and are funded by patrons of the show, indi -
viduals, businesses, and sometimes families who enjoy supporting the Mill, the show, and the artists in this unique way.
Last year, 20 awards totaling $12,000 were presented at the opening preview reception for patrons and artists, a festive event held annually the evening before the show opens to the public. Three Patrons’ Awards of $1,000 each are presented: one for painting; another for drawing, pastel or printmaking; and a third for sculpture. These are financed by the contributors who answer the fundraising call for support of this historic art exhibition each year. An additional Phillips’ Mill Community Association sculpture award is financed by the Mill Board of Directors.
The balance of the awards — some long running, others changing year to year — are funded by individuals interested in sponsoring a named award. Diana and Jim Resek, longtime
Memorial awards, of which there are several, are a meaningful way to honor someone special while supporting the historic juried art show. Supporting a particular subject matter or style of artwork –– painting, drawing, watercolor, portraiture, ceramics, sculpture, printmaking, etc. –– allows patrons to celebrate and encourage the type of work to which they are drawn.
Anyone interested in establishing an award and contributing to an artist’s sense of accomplishment at this year’s “95th Juried Art Show at Phillips’ Mill” should contact Dennis Riley, art show chair, by August 25 at artshow@phillipsmill.org.
Phillips’ Mill Community Association is at 2619 River Road in New Hope, Pa. For more information, call (215) 862-0582 or visit phillipsmill.org.
D&R Greenway Land Trust, 1 Preservation Place, has “Along the Delaware River & Crosswicks Creek” in the Johnson Education Center through September 27. Drgreenway.org.
David Scott Gallery, in the offices of Berkshire Hathaway, 253 Nassau Street, has “Harmonies,” a solo exhibition of paintings by Aida Birritteri, through August 18. For more information, email davidscottfineart@ gmail.com.
Ficus Bon Vivant, 235 Nassau Street, has “Capture the Rhythm” through January 12. Ficusbv.com.
Green Building Center, 67 Bridge Street, Lambertville, has an art show by the MUGA Group through December 31. Greenbuildingcenter. com.
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.
Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie, Cadwalader Park, Trenton, has “Ellarslie Open 41” through September 29. Ellarslie.org. West Windsor Arts, 952 Alexander Road, West Windsor, has “Throwback Summer” through September 7. Westwindsorarts.org.
Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers, 71 George Street, New Brunswick, has “Michelle V. Agins: Storyteller” through December 8. Zimmerli.rutgers.edu.
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Mon-Fri 10-6; Sat 10-5; Sun 12-5
Wednesday, August 14
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 Hinds Plaza. This is a special session including Mayor Mark Freda. All are welcome.
Thursday, August 15
9-11 a.m.: Friends of Princeton Open Space holds a land stewardship volunteer event at Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Preserve, 30 Mountain Avenue, to help with critical trail work, riparian and forest restoration, and invasive species removal. Fopos.org.
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.
10-11 a.m .: “Cook Talks with Chef Wayne,” at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch of Mercer County Library System, 2751 Brunswick Pike. Chef Wayne Hoekstra discusses knife-handling techniques and skills. Mcl.org.
8 p.m .: Trivia Nights in the Winery, at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. With DJ Iron Mike. Terhuneorchards.com.
Friday, August 16
5-8 p.m.: Sunset Sips & Sounds at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Winery and Barn Door Café are open. Music by Mike & Laura. Terhuneorchards.com.
6:30 p.m .: American Soul performance as part of the Mercer County 2024 Summer Concert series, at Mercer County Festival grounds, Mercer County Park, West Windsor. $5. Mercercounty.org.
7 p.m .: Roxey Ballet hosts the River Dance Festival, with works by choreographers from across the nation, at Mill Ballet, 46 North Sugan Road, New Hope, Pa. Roxeyballet.org.
8 p.m .: “OUR HOUSE: The Music of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young” is at State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. $29-$59. Stnj.org.
Saturday, August 17
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.-4 p.m .: Community Yard Sale at YWCA Princeton, 59 Paul Robeson Place. Clothing, household goods, toys, and more. Rain date August 18. To become a vendor, call (609) 4972100 ext. 316.
10 a.m.-4 p.m .: Canning Day at Howell Living History Farm, 70 Woodens Lane, Hopewell Township. Help “put up” summer produce for fall and winter months. Howellfarm.org.
10 a.m .: Mid-Day Toastmasters meets at Hickory Corner Branch Library, 138 Hickory Corner Road, East Windsor, or by Zoom at tinyurl.com/ zoomwithmidday.4139. Toastmastersclubs.org.
10 a.m.-2 p.m .: Princeton Medical Institute hosts a day of free memory screenings and barbecue at 256 Bunn Drive, Suite 6. For more information, call (609) 921-6050 or email tbelleface@gminstitutes.com.
12-2 p.m .: Summer Music Series on the Green at Palmer Square, music by Strictly 60s. Palmersquare. com.
1-4 p.m .: 1950s Ice Cream Demonstration, at the Nelson House, on the Delaware River, Washington Crossing State Park, New Jersey side. Free. Small samples will be
available. (609) 737-2515.
2-5 p.m .: Winery Weekend Music Series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Music by On the Fly. Light fare available; farm store is open. Terhuneorchards.com.
4 p.m .: Roxey Ballet hosts the River Dance Festival, with works by choreographers from across the nation, at Mill Ballet, 46 North Sugan Road, New Hope, Pa. Roxeyballet.org.
Sunday, August 18
11 a.m.-4 p.m .: Summer Market in the courtyard, Princeton Shopping Center, North Harrison Street. Unique maker’s market.
12-5 p.m .: Winery Weekend Music Series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Music by Kara & Corey. Light fare available; farm store is open. Terhuneorchards.com.
1 p.m .: Carillon concert by Princeton Carillon Studio members at the Princeton University Graduate Tower; listen from the lawn outside. Free, held rain or shine. Gradschool.princeton.edu.
3 p.m.: Roxey Ballet hosts the River Dance Festival, with works by choreographers from across the nation, at Mill Ballet, 46 North Sugan Road, New Hope, Pa. Roxeyballet.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.
Monday, August 19
7:30 p.m.: Voices Chorale NJ holds free Summer Sing and auditions at Music Together, 225 Pennington-Hopewell Road. The open sing features selections from the 2024-25 repertoire; scores provided and refreshments served. Voiceschoralenj.org.
Tuesday, August 20 9:30 and 11 a.m .: Read & Pick Program: Farm
Animals, at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Hands-on program for parents and kids preschool to age 8, followed by stories. $12 includes craft activity. Pre-registration required. Terhuneorchards.com.
Wednesday, August 21
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 Studio Hillier, 190 Witherspoon Street.
6 p.m.: Princeton Public Library’s Board of Trustees meets at the library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.
Thursday, August 22
9-11 a.m.: Friends of Princeton Open Space holds a land stewardship volunteer event at Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Preserve, 30 Mountain Avenue, to help with critical trail work, riparian and forest restoration, and invasive species removal. Fopos.org.
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.
Friday, August 23
5-8 p.m.: Sunset Sips & Sounds at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Winery and Barn Door Café are open. Music by Kindred Spirit Duo. Terhuneorchards.com.
6:30 p.m .: All About Joel and Yellow Brick Road, a tribute to Elton John, at the Mercer County 2024 Summer Concert series, Mercer County Festival grounds, Mercer County Park, West Windsor. $5. Mercercounty.org.
Saturday, August 24
9 a.m.-1 p.m.: West Windsor Farmers Market at Vaughn lot, Princeton Junction train station. Fresh produce and much more. Wwcfm.org.
Library System, 2751 Brunswick Pike. Beatles dance party followed by Beatlesthemed crafts and photo booth. For children of all ages, with a caregiver. Mcl. org.
2-5 p.m .: Winery Weekend Music Series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Music by Jerry Steele. Light fare available; farm store is open. Terhuneorchards.com.
Sunday, August 25
1 p.m.: Carillon concert by Robin Austin at the Princeton University Graduate Tower; listen from the lawn outside. Free, held rain or shine. Gradschool.princeton.edu.
2-5 p.m .: Winery Weekend Music Series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Music by Audio Pilot Duo. Light fare available; farm store is open. Terhuneorchards.com.
3 p.m .: Concert on the Green at Palmer Square: WomenRock! Celebrates female rock pioneers across the decades. Six vocalists backed by Princeton-area musicians. 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.
Monday, August 26
Recycling
5-7 p.m.: Dress for Success presents Women’s Equality Day power walk and celebration event, at 3131 Princeton Pike Building 4, Lawrence Township. Vendors, DJ, exercise demonstrations, face painting, free Starbucks iced coffee, 50/50 raffle, free pizza, boutique sale, and more. Moving meditation at 5:30 p.m.; yoga at 6 p.m. Centralnj.dressforsuccess.org.
7 p.m.: “Grant Castner, Trenton Photographer: The Delaware River and Canals, 1890-1920.” Talk on Zoom presented by Mercer County Library System. Visit mcl. org to register
Tuesday, August 27
10 a.m.-4 p.m .: “Fiddlin’ on the Farm,” annual fiddle contest at Howell Living History Farm, 70 Woodens Lane, Hopewell Township. Fiddlers, guitarists, mandolinists and more play on porches, under trees, and on the lawn. HowellFarm.org.
10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Reenactment of 1781 encampment in Trenton by Washington and Rochambeau’s armies, at the Trent House, 15 Market Street, Trenton. Free program of activities and talks. Williamtrenthouse.org.
12-2 p.m .: Summer Music Series on the Green at Palmer Square. Music by Living Proof. Palmersquare.com.
2 p.m .: “Beatles Bash,” at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch of Mercer County
9:30 and 11 a.m .: Read & Pick Program: Apples. Hands-on program for parents and kids pre-school to age 8, followed by stories. $12 includes craft activity. Pre-registration required. Terhuneorchards.com.
10:30 a.m.: The Healing with Music Book Group discusses the memoir The Pianist from Syria at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org. 11:30 a.m.: Mid-Day Toastmasters meet via Zoom at tinyurl.com/zoomwithmidday.
6:30 p.m .: McCarter Live at the Library. McCarter Theatre Center Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen and Director of Presented Programming Paula Abreu discuss the upcoming season in the Newsroom of Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.
She may not need a map, but Haven Dora is quite the explorer.
Dora was in Italy on the Princeton University women’s lacrosse team’s overseas trip last fall, just months after traveling to London. Now lacrosse will take her to Hong Kong, China, to compete for Team USA in the Women’s U20 Championships from August 15-24.
“It’s really exciting,” said Dora, who will be a junior at Princeton this fall. “I’m honored to be on the team and represent the USA. I think it’ll be really fun to be able to play with a lot of the players that we play against in college and that I’ve played with growing up. I think it’ll be a really awesome experience to go over to Hong Kong and compete against all the other countries.”
Dora is representing the U.S. for the first time. She might not have gotten there if it hadn’t been for exploring another option on the lacrosse field. After returning from a torn ACL suffered as a high school senior, Dora played some midfield in her first season with Princeton before assistant coach Kerrin Maurer suggesting she try low attack and played her behind the goal.
“I just really thrived,” said Dora, a native of Spring Lake. “That was clear that that had kind of become a new role for me that I just did really well in. I’d say field vision is one of my strengths as a player and just being in that spot down low, it was really able to show.”
Dora tried out as a midfielder when she was a part of the USA Lacrosse National Development Team Program. But over the last year and a half, she has made a name for herself on the attack for Princeton. She led the Tigers with 40 assists in 2024 and also scored 29 goals on a team-high 54.7 percent shooting as Princeton went 11-7 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
“I think playing obviously midfield my whole life helped me become the player that I am,” said Dora. “I don’t think I’d be where I am without that. I think it’s just a continued development over time and I’m really happy where I am now. It’s just I’m playing a different game than I was playing.”
The Trinity Hall product has retained her fitness from the midfield – she placed eighth in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public B state cross country championship in 2020 — and adjusted her offensive skills to playing behind the cage to become a top attacker.
“I think obviously speed is one of my strengths and dodging, and so being able to do that up top was something that I always kind of defaulted to,” said Dora. “Obviously I was a feeder, but not as much as I am now from behind the cage, and so I think just overall I can still dodge down low. But that comes from all the experience that I have as a midfielder up top. I think it’s just built off of what I used to do.”
Dora has continued to prove herself at the national level. She is the lone Ivy League player to make the final 22-player U.S. roster. She was the only Ivy Leaguer even invited to the selection camp in June before the team was pared from 32 to 22.
“I think it’s just really special because I don’t think a lot of people give the Ivy League credit in women’s lacrosse,” said Dora. “I’m able to show that the Ivy League really is a tough division and we’re able to really compete with everyone. And so this is just kind of one small step in showing people that.”
Dora had to overcome a number of hurdles in recent years, not just an Ivy stigma. She tore her ACL in the first scrimmage of her senior year at Trinity Hall, and it cost her the final scholastic spring season. She missed fall workouts at Princeton that calendar year as well, and that could have set her back. She was catching up when she was asked to switch positions. She adapted quickly and this year raised her level further while advancing through the Team USA tryouts as an underdog.
“Despite having the season that I did, I think I still kind of went into it thinking I was an underdog and that I was going to have to work even harder because of where I go to school,” said Dora. “You’re competing against these girls that go to Boston College, Northwestern, the top Division I lacrosse schools and I definitely felt like an underdog. I think it makes me work harder though just to show these people that I’m just as good.”
The first selection camp was more than a year ago. Dora was in Italy with Princeton when the first selection then played in the Fall Classic in Baltimore. But she was invited back to join the final 32 when they met again in June.
“I kind of just went into it coming off of a really good sophomore season, so I was confident in myself that I was going to be able to compete with these girls,” said Dora. “But I knew at the end of the day that everyone was good, and if I didn’t make it, it didn’t necessarily mean that I wasn’t like a good player. It just meant that my role wasn’t really needed on the team. So going into it, I was just going to try to play against these girls, compete hard and just show what kind of assets I bring as a player. And it ended up working in my favor. So I’m excited to play with them again.”
Dora is more accustomed to playing against some of her teammates. They have been meeting ahead of the Worlds to try to foster cohesiveness. The team was
together in Maryland in June and at Northwestern in July. They head to Stanford before leaving for Hong Kong. They have been able to come together quickly on the field.
“I haven’t really played with any of these girls, but there are a couple BC girls, a couple Northwestern girls, some girls that play together in college now, so that definitely helps in building team chemistry,” said Dora. “All the girls are good and we all know how to play with other people. And we have really high IQ’s so just putting us together on the field, like making sure the right combos are out there, is really important for team chemistry. But everyone is a great player. And so just putting a bunch of great players together doesn’t take a lot of practice before we can really read each other and play as one cohesive unit.”
Dora and the team are adjusting to the international rules that have two fewer players on the field. The offense has more space to operate with just 6v6 at the offensive end and no 8-meter arc. Dora is hoping she can be just as effective for the team in the quarterbacking role as she’s been at Princeton, just with a new set of teammates.
“It’s just being able to balance my style with their style,” said Dora. “And so obviously sometimes I’ll play behind, and sometimes I’ll bump up a little bit. But that’s something I’m kind of used to. Towards the end of the season coach Mauer was having me move around a little bit, and so I was able to get some experience playing above the goal line extended. There’s a lot of good shooters and cutters and so I kind of have a similar role where I’m looking for those girls coming down the middle for a goal. I think I primarily have a feeding role, but because there’s so much more space with the 6v6, I’m able to take it 1v1 a few more times than I would at Princeton.”
With Team USA counting on its offense to be effective in the World Championships, Dora believes she can play a key role in helping to set up others and score as well.
“I think it’s really essential that we work with our teammates,” said Dora. “It’s a lot of, especially how we’re setting it up, we’re doing a lot of 2v2 game so picks and cutting. And growing up I played a lot of basketball with a lot of picks and cutting and so it kind of translates well for me. Working with each other, obviously there’s more space for individual play, but for team success it’s playing with one
49 assists in the 2024 campaign for the Tigers, will be competing for Team USA in the Women’s U20 Championships from August 15-24 in Hong Kong, China.
another and focusing on that two-man game.”
Playing two years of college lacrosse gives her another advantage over some younger players. She is accustomed to the high level of play that the U.S. will face. Among the teams that will challenge the U.S. is Canada, which features her Princeton teammate Jami MacDonald.
“Jami going and playing as well, against each other, gives us both a lot of experience in preparation for going into junior year,” said Dora. “I think both of us like really just work off each other extremely well. And so both of us having this experience in August and
then going in junior year and continuing to play with each other and off of each other will just be really, really helpful for the team and kind of bump up the attack that we have at Princeton.”
The United States is the topranked team in the world and wouldn’t face Canada until knockout play. The U.S. is in Pool A along with China, Germany, Israel and Puerto Rico.
“It’s just going in and just playing with each other competing and hopefully the results turn out in our favor and we stay at the top and that’s the ultimate goal,” said Dora. “And so I think going into this with a lot of training
camps together, the team just gets stronger and more cohesive every single time we meet. Going into it, we have a really good outlook on how it’s going to end.”
It’s already been quite a year plus for Dora. She has been on the move on the lacrosse field and as a world traveler. She will combine the two as she heads abroad again, this time as a part of Team USA in pursuit of a world title in Hong Kong.
“I’m excited to go explore and see what else is out there in the world,” said Dora. “I think it’ll be a ton of fun.”
—Justin Feil
Capping a historic run at the Paris 2024 Olympics for current and former Princeton University athletes, U.S. rowing star and gold medalist in the men’s four, Nick Mead ’17, served as one of the two flag bearers for Team USA at the Closing Ceremony of the Games last Sunday.
Mead was joined by ninetime Olympic gold medalist women’s swimming star Katie Ledecky leading Team USA into Stade de France to close out a memorable Games.
Mead and Ledecky were chosen by a vote of fellow Team USA athletes through a process led by the Team USA Athletes’ Commission, which serves as the representative group and voice of Team USA Athletes. They are the first duo to share the honor of leading the delegation into the Closing Ceremony, which serves as the official close to the Olympic Games.
The pair walked into the Stade de France on Sunday evening, smiling broadly and clutching the flag together.
“It is an incredible honor to be selected as the flag bearer, and to represent the United States and the sport of rowing, which has never had an American flag bearer in the history of the Olympics,” said Mead reflecting on the honor. “To share this privilege with Katie makes it all the more special. My experience at the Paris Games has been the dream of a lifetime and I’m filled with immense pride, gratitude, and joy. I also wish to thank the city of Paris, and the entire country of France, for hosting an incredible Games.
I’ll cherish these memories forever.”
Mead got freshly shorn as he prepared to have the eyes of millions on him at the Closing Ceremony.
“I did get the haircut,” said Mead in an interview with NBC as he walked into the stadium with Ledecky.
“I went to the barber in the Olympic Village and they were very, very good to me.”
With Mead’s competition ending on August 1, he got the chance to attend events
and hang around the village.
“It has been amazing to see people,” said Mead, who had competed in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. “It has been really cool to meet all of these other athletes after Tokyo and not being able to mingle with all of the other great athletes. It has been an incredible experience.”
Mead enjoyed an incredible moment when, riding in bow, he helped the team of Justin Best, Michael Grady, and Liam Corrigan take first in men’s four at the Vairessur-Marne Nautical Stadium course. The gold marked the first for Team USA in the event since the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome.
The foursome, which has rowed together for the last two years, was motivated by their almost-podium finishes at the Tokyo Games where Mead, Corrigan and Best were all part of the men’s eight that finished fourth, and Grady placed fifth in men’s four.
Mead’s gold medal marked the 35th for a Princetonian at an Olympic Games. Mead
USA at the Closing
swimming star Katie Ledecky.
became the first Princeton men’s rower to win an Olympic gold medal since Chris Ahrens won gold in the eight with the U.S. in 2004, and he is the third Princeton men’s rower overall to win a gold medal.
PU Women’s Golf Star Rao Makes U.S. Amateur Quarters
Athletic), Middle Tennessee (Conference USA), Ohio (Mid-American), Portland (West Coast), Texas State (Sun Belt), and Wright State ( Horizon League).
In addition to Mead’s gold medal, former women’s open rowing star Hannah Scott ’21 also won gold as she helped Great Britain win the A final in the women’s quad sculls on July 31. Rising Princeton junior fencing standout Maia Weintraub earned the third gold medal for Tiger athletes as she helped the U.S. women’s foil team win its competition.
Former Princeton rowing star Tom George ’18 added to the Tiger medal haul as he competed for the Great Britain men’s pair that took second in their A final. Croatia won the gold with a time of 6:23.66 with the British earning silver as they came in at 6:24.11.
On Saturday, former Princeton University women’s water polo star goalie Ashleigh Johnson ’17 was looking to add another medal to go with her two golds as the U.S. faced the Netherlands in the bronze medal game. But Johnson and rising Tiger junior Jovana Sekulic came up short in the quest for the podium as the U.S. fell 11-10 to the Netherlands. Johnson recorded 10 saves in the defeat while Sekulic saw 13 minutes of action in the contest.
Johnson had won gold for the U.S at the Rio Olympics in 2016 and the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. It was the Olympic debut for Sekulic.
On August 6, former Princeton distance running standout Lizzie Bird ’17, competing for Great Britain, took seventh in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Stade de France in Paris, clocking a time of 9:04.35. Bird set a Great Britain national record with the time. Her mark was 15.33 seconds and two places better than her Tokyo finish three years ago in her Olympic
Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi won the gold medal in the event, clocking an Olympicrecord time of 8:52.76 while Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai earned silver in 8:53.34 and Kenya’s Faith Cherotich took bronze in 8:55.15.
—Bill Alden
Princeton University women’s golfer Catherine Rao advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2024 U.S. Women’s Amateur last week at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla.
Rising junior Rao fired an 8-over 150 to tie for 45th in two rounds of stroke play to qualify for the Round of 64 match play.
Rao then started her dramatic run to the quarters of match play last Wednesday. She defeated Megan Schofill 2 and 1 in the Round of 64, edged Latanna Stone 1 up in the Round of 32 and then topped Bailey Shoemaker 3 and 2 in the Round of 16. She fell to eventual champion Rianne Milaxi 2 and 1 in the quarterfinals on Friday.
Another Tiger women’s golfer, rising senior Victoria Liu, also competed in the event. She carded a +15 157 in stroke play to miss the cut for match play.
Tiger Men’s Basketball to Play in Myrtle Beach Event
The Princeton University men’s basketball team has announced that it will be one of eight teams to compete in the 2024 Myrtle Beach Invitational.
The 2024 Myrtle Beach Invitational will be played November 21, 22, and 24 at the HTC Center on the campus of Coastal Carolina University in Conway, S.C. All games will be broadcast across the ESPN platforms.
The other teams that will playing in the sixth annual event include Bradley ( Missouri Valley), South Florida ( American
Previously, the Tigers confirmed that they will be playing in the 2024 Deborah Heart and Lung Center Jersey Jam, which will take place on November 8 at CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton.
This year’s Jersey Jam will feature a doubleheader with Princeton playing Duquesne and Monmouth facing Temple. The Tigers defeated Rutgers 68-61 in the first Deborah Heart and Lung Center Jersey Jam last November to open their 2023-24 season. That victory proved to be a harbinger of things to come as Princeton went 24-5 overall and 12-2 Ivy League in earning the regular season league title. Appearing in postseason play for a third straight year, the Tigers fell 84-77 to UNLV in the first round of the NIT to end its campaign.
PU Football Alums Compete In NFL Preseason Games
A trio of former Princeton University star receivers — Andrei Iosivas ’23, Stephen Carlson ’19, and Jesper Horsted ’19 — saw action last week in NFL preseason contests.
Iosivas made one reception for 23 yards for the Cincinnati Bengals as they fell 17-14 to Tampa Bay on Saturday. Carlson had three catches for 18 yards for the Chicago Bears as they defeated Buffalo 33-6 last Saturday, while Horsted made one catch for one yard for the Carolina Panthers as they lost 17-3 to New England last Thursday.
Kelsey Schwimmer saw a greater intensity around the Community Park Bluefish swim team this summer than in the past.
“One of the things that stood out to me was how much participation and involvement we had,” said Bluefish co-head coach Schwimmer. “It is always pretty high, but we were seeing huge turnouts at our morning practices. Usually that first hour is a little less well attended because it is earlier, but it was full every single day. I think that really just goes to show how hard our coaching staff was working and how much the kids were enjoying it and excited to come out and swim and be with their friends.”
That hard work paid dividends as the Bluefish enjoyed another exciting campaign, going 4-0 in dual meet competition and then placing first in the team standings at the PrincetonArea Swimming and Diving Association (PASDA) championship meet. The Bluefish piled up 3,862.50 points at the championships with Ben Franklin Swim Team taking second with 1,786.
The squad has won 44 straight dual meets and is undefeated over the last 10 years. It has now won the PASDA meet for 10 straight times as well.
In reflecting on the program’s dominance, co-head coach Mike Uchrin pointed to the team’s depth and work ethic.
“We had a great meet at the PASDA championships; we had a really high level of participation from our team which was fantastic,” said Uchrin, noting that the team boasted 250 swimmers this summer. “A lot of kids came and a lot of kids really showed their stuff. There were a lot of fast times and a lot of records. It was the culmination of an entire season worth of hard work and it came together in a really great way.”
Several Bluefish swimmers produced some great stuff at the PASDA championships as they were named as meet MVPs. Among the boys, David Brophy was the 18U MVP with Nathan Ricciardi earning the honor for the 12U boys. Annie Flanagan and Sabine Ristad were the co-MVPs for the 18U girls, while Alexis Julian was the choice for the 12U girls and Alicia Ben got the honor for the 8U girls.
In Uchrin’s view, the support system of parents and coaches has been crucial to the program’s success.
“We are fortunate to have the support that we have as far as numbers go and the community buying into it,” added Uchrin, whose coaching staff includes many Bluefish veterans. “The other
thing has been the coaching. We have so many great coaches, most of them are former Bluefish who have put in years of time. I am looking at people like Cami Davis and Piper Dubow, they are really the embodiment of what the program is about as well as all of the other coaches. That is why we are able to keep this streak going and keep the kids involved and having fun.”
Two of the two’s youngest kids, Zeeon Zang and Sam Spross, came up big for the boys’ six-and-under group at the PASDA meet. Zang placed second in both the 25-yard freestyle and 25 backstroke while Spross took third in the 25 free and sixth in the 25 back.
“Zeeon was showing up every day working hard, he actually ended up swimming with the 10-and-unders in practice,” said Schwimmer. “He was really excited to get out there and help put whatever he could in relays. It was the same for Sam, he was coming every single day. He was so dedicated. He actually swam up, he got 12th overall in the 8U 50 butterfly going against seven and 8-year-olds.”
As for the 6U girls, Rose Goodrich excelled, taking seventh in the 25 back and eighth in the 25 free.
“Rose really blew us away,” said Schwimmer. “She worked so hard and showed up with a smile every single day. We were so proud of her.”
Manning Xia starred for the 8U boys, placing first in the 100 individual medley and second in the 25 butterfly. Jack O’Dowd also performed well, finishing second in the 25 back and third in the 25 breaststroke while Ryan Costello took 10th in the 25 free.
“Manning is one of those kids who we have been able to rely on, he has been awesome,” said Schwimmer, who also got a good meet from Reid Goodrich as he came in fourth in the 25 breast and sixth in the 25 fly. “Ryan and Jack are both excellent swimmers. They have been great with the team, they have been really cheering for their friends. Their improvement has been off the charts this summer.”
Alicia Ben dominated in the 8U girls, taking first in the 25 fly and 25 breast. In addition, she broke a team breast record that had been set in 1977.
“Alicia was one of those kids who was always ready to swim, you know she is going to put in her best effort,” said Schwimmer, who got a first place finish from Claudia Defoe in the 25 free. “She really gave it her all. She got the MVP, she set records in almost every stroke. She put everything
she could into her swimming.”
As for the 10U boys, Nicholas Weihe placed fourth in the 25 fly and ninth in the 100 IM while Theodore Cotter finished first in the 25 breast and Jax Cherian finished third in the 25 back.
“Nicholas has been so consistent and so determined this summer to improve,” said Schwimmer. “When he comes, he is working hard and trying to drop seconds. Theodore has got an older brother and a younger brother and that family has been so helpful all summer. The boys are just so excited to be here, they are so ready to help out and cheer. Jax came to every single practice this summer. He has worked so hard to make sure that his strokes were better and to drop seconds. He has been part of the backbone of the team.”
Carlin Markey posted a big win for the 10U girls, taking first in the 25 back with Aurelie Bachner coming in second. Peyton Shoop placed second in the 25 free, fourth in 25 free, and fifth in the 100 IM with Ida Zlotchew taking fifth in the 25 breast and sixth in the 100 IM.
“It was really unique this summer for our 10-andunder girls because there was such a huge amount of depth,” said Schwimmer. “We didn’t just have one swimmer who stood out for everything, we had a huge amount of girls who were placing left and right and were dropping time and pushing each other to do better. The girls were just such great supporters of one another and were working hard all summer. We were really proud of them.”
Nathan Ricciardi stood out for the 12U boys, placing first in the 100 IM and 50 back. Jay Kumar took fourth in the 50 breast and sixth in the 100 IM while James Cotter finished fourth in both the 50 free and 50 breast and Huxley Shoop came in fifth in the 50 free.
“Nathan ended up being the MVP; he was on the free relay with Jay Kumar, James Cotter, and Huxley Shoop and they won by nine seconds,” said Uchrin. “It was really impressive stuff out of Nathan. That group had a lot of fun, they are very team-oriented.”
As for the 12U girls, Alexis Julian took first in both 50 free and 50 fly with Adelyn Ben coming in second in both the 50 back and 50 fly, Oceana Hsieh finishing first in the 50 breast and second in the 100 IM, and Clementine Nieman taking fifth in the 100 IM.
“The 12-and-under group for the girls was incredible, you could do an entire article on the 12-and-under girls,” said Uchrin. “If you look at the 12-and-under 50 fly, they took first, second, third, and fourth (Julian followed by Ben, Sophia Huang, and Joviale Wu). These are girls that are really dedicated to our program. They have been together since they were 8-and-under and now they have kept moving up together. The relays that they won for the 11-12 girls are the same relays they have been swimming since they were 8 years old.”
Natan Wysocki led the way for the 14U boys, excelling in both the free and back as well as the relays.
“Natan won 50 free which was great, he took second at 50 backstroke,” said Uchrin, noting that Max Wang also starred in the 14U age group, taking seventh in the 50 back and ninth in the 50 free. “His relay (which also included Wang, Bryce Capone, and Maxwell Barone) won the free relay by 20 seconds, which is pretty unheard of in PASDA. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a relay win by that margin. They really came together and worked hard on that.”
Charlotte Flanagan produced some good work for the 14U girls, taking second in the 50 back.
“Charlotte Flanagan was great last year for us and repeated it again for us this year,” said Uchrin. “The girls placed second in the free relay. That group was not our largest group but there was a really strong core there. The girls were really positive in supporting each other.”
The pair of David Brophy and Kentaro Bauer spearheaded the 18U boys. Brophy won both the 50 free and 50 fly while Bauer
took first in the 50 breast and second in the 100 IM.
Shawn Elwood placed eighth in the 50 free.
“David flies through the water, he glides over the water,” said Uchrin. “He had a great stroke. He broke the PASDA record in his 50 fly at the meet. He has been dominant for us all season. Kentaro did great, he coached for us as well. He is a great guy as far as team spirit and also really works hard and it shows. At the PASDA championships both of his swims, the IM and the breast, were team records so that is impressive stuff.”
Uchrin was also impressed with the efforts he got from others in that age group.
“I work directly with the 18-and-under group and Shawn Elwood, Braedyn Capone, and Mark Lackner are diehard Bluefish,” added Uchrin. “They have been with us their whole lives. They really embody what this program is about so I am really proud of how they have done and their efforts all season.”
Sabine Ristad and Annie Flanagan sparked the 18U girls’ group as Ristad took first in both the 50 fly and 100 IM while Flanagan won both the 50 free and 50 back. In addition, Zoe Bitterman placed second in the 50 fly and fourth in 100 IM.
“They are a fierce group of competitors,” said Uchrin. “You look at Annie, she is a
speedster. You have got Sabine who was just crushing her 50 fly. Also performing really well was Zoe Bitterman; she has been with the Bluefish forever. She was fantastic for us, she has such great team spirit and positivity with the other girls. The relay of Annie, Zoe, Sabine and Kyleigh [Tangen] broke both the team and league record in their free relays. I am really proud of that group even beyond just Annie, Sabine, Zoe, and Kyleigh. We had a number of really positive and great participants with people like Sophie Robertson, Natasha Gold and Charlotte Quick. These are girls that have been with the team for a long time and they continue to give it their all.”
Reflecting on the summer, Uchrin credited the team’s swimmers and families with giving their all throughout the season.
“Last summer was tough, summer conditions-wise. It was cold and then it was smoky,” said Uchrin. “That was a difficult summer across the entire league, a lot of kids really struggled to get going. It didn’t really get warm until early July. To see our families come back at full force this summer and have really great participation really speaks to the buy-in from the community. We so appreciate that.”
—Bill Alden
Adriana Salzano emerged as a star right away during freshmen season for the Princeton Day School girls’ soccer team in 2020, scoring a team-high nine goals as the Panthers went 10-1 in a season curtailed by COVID-19 concerns.
This fall, Salzano is aiming to be a major contributor from the outset as she starts her career with the Monmouth University women’s soccer team.
“I definitely want to come in there and make an impact as early as possible just like I did in my freshman year in high school,” said Salzano, who started preseason training earlier this month as the Hawks prepare for their season opener at Temple on August 15. “I went into PDS, I had a goal to start and help the team in any way that I could. That is my same goal for Monmouth. Another big one is that I want to be the CAA (Coastal Athletic Association) Rookie of the Year. I know it is a big one to reach for but if I work hard, there is no limit to that.”
Salzano helped PDS make history this past fall as it won the first New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public A title in program history, topping Mount St. Dominic 2-0 in the final.
In Salzano’s view, a 2-1 regular season loss to Notre Dame in early October proved to be a turning point for the squad which featured a number of freshmen and sophomores.
“That loss told us either you are going to go down from here or you are going to fight back, bounce back and go up,” said Salzano. “We chose to go up. I told the team the amount of potential that this group has this season is like nothing I have seen before. It is just a confidence thing. It is Chris [head coach Chris Pettit] putting his trust in them and saying I know you have got this and those younger players getting the approval from the seniors and the upperclassmen. The chemistry was in the group, that is what really boosted their confidence and that is what made them so comfortable on the field. It made them able to perform and do what they did.”
After tough losses in Mercer County Tournament and Prep state tourney, PDS saved its best for last in the Non-Public tourney, topping Donovan Catholic, Mount St, Mary, St. John Vianney, and Trinity Hall on the way to the title game.
“Going into that final game I just remember as I got off the bus I was reading a note on my phone from my grandfather who passed away a couple of years ago,” recalled Salzano. “He said, ‘I am never going to be able to get to see you at that age’ and whatever. Reading that was like I want to go out there and I want to do this for him. I want to make this such a memorable night.”
For Salzano, it was a perfect memory to culminate her time with the PDS program.
“I would definitely say it all fell into place in my high school soccer career, I don’t think I would ask for it to be any different,” said Salzano, who tallied 17 goals and four assists last fall as PDS went 17-2-3. “My soccer career at PDS has definitely been an unforgettable one with all of the memories I have made with the girls, winning games and winning championships. That is something that I will never, ever forget.”
While Salzano gave her all to PDS, she had been eyeing a college career since she was a grade schooler.
“Ever since I found out that playing sports in college was a thing, I want to say I was 6, 7 years old,” said Salzano, “I knew I wanted to play at the Division I level at such a young age. I have relatives who have played in college, I have had pro athletes in my family. I wanted to carry on that legacy of being a Division I athlete, the first one in my immediate family but another one coming from Salzanos.”
As her recruiting process began before her junior year, Salzano suddenly had lot of options at the next level.
“When June 15 hit, a lot of schools reached out to me, from the north, from the south, from the East Coast and the West Coast,” said Salzano. “It is a great feeling but then you just got into junior year and you are like,
‘Oh my God, I am about to choose a college.’ There is a lot that goes into it, the program, the location, the campus, the coach, the team, the history behind the program.”
While Salzano considered such schools as Michigan, Alabama, and Richmond, she ended up deciding that going to Monmouth and remaining in the Garden State was the best fit for her.
“In the end of my process, I said to myself, ‘I want to stay close to home,’” said Salzano. “For me, I just see a pull with Monmouth with the campus, the coaches, and the history of the program. Kylee Flynn became the head coach last season and she is making it a powerhouse program. She is a wonderful coach.”
As Salzano started preparing for college, she took up a new sport this spring, joining the PDS lacrosse team.
“I learned new skills,” said Salzano, who had starred for the Panther softball team before the program was discontinued this spring. “There were literally no subs, there were games where I didn’t come out. We ran fitness every day and what I loved about it was that some of the fitness tests that Lucia [Marcozzi] had us do were the exact same that Monmouth does in their preseason.”
In addition, Salzano played club soccer for PDS South into the middle of May and then did a conditioning program run by the club’s director of coaching.
As Salzano went through the summer, she honed in on Monmouth’s fitness program.
“We have an app that we all downloaded in May, we are on day 70 of the packet,” said Salzano. “We have been training with conditioning, ball work, and lifts. We lift twice a week. I don’t think I have taken an off day although I have rested.”
When Salzano isn’t training, she has been bonding with her new teammates.
“We all stay in touch,” said Salzano. “We do have a group chat and individually we all snap each other. As for the class that I am going in with, we are all definitely
in program
close already. We all met at soccer games at Monmouth in the fall.”
As for her individual role this fall, Salzano is ready to play wherever the team needs her.
“They are thinking in the midfield area so center attacking midfielder or center defensive midfielder,” said Salzano. “I am probably one of the tallest on the team, I am 5’10. Kylee said your height can definitely be used at times when we are in a game and we are trying to hold a lead at center back. She said that would be another spot for you too.
I have played back there before. I am familiar with any one of those three spots.”
While Salzano is heading into an unfamiliar situation as she adjusts to college on and off the field, she sees herself in a good spot.
“I am just really excited to get there, start playing, and improve at things,” said Salzano. “This is the first time I will be away from home for a while, that is something I am thinking about in the back of my mind. It is going to be good that I am surrounded by people all the time.”
—Bill Alden
A dream is coming true for Pasquale Carusone this week as he starts preseason training for his freshman season with University of Rochester men’s soccer team.
For Carusone, who starred last fall as the Princeton High boys’ soccer team won the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 4 state championship, his rise up the ladder in the sport has been motivated by the goal of someday being a college player.
“I feel like playing in college is really important for me,” said Carusone, noting that he started shooting for that when he got into the game as a youngster. “When I played the sport, it was always to move to the next level. I started at PSA (Princeton Soccer Academy) and then my dad said if you want to take it to the next level, you should go to PDA (Players Development Academy). I moved to PDA and worked my way up to the MLS Next team. That was probably the best spot to get recruited at. I got my looks and stuff like that.”
Carusone looked at both Division I and D-III college programs and decided that the latter was a better fit, and Rochester came into the picture when one of the school’s coaches saw him in a tournament.
“I got interest when I went out to a playoff game out in Texas for MLS Next and one of the assistant coaches reached out,” said Carusone, who concentrated on club soccer for the first three years
of high school and didn’t play for PHS. “We set up a call and talked about it. He said we really like you and invited me to the campus. It was right before senior year. I visited for their first game of the season and they showed me around. I committed about a month after.”
Having committed, Carusone decided to join the Tiger squad for his senior season and was welcomed with open arms.
“Everyone showed love to me, they had been asking me to play for a while,” said Carusone. “I had no plan on playing high school because I was playing high level MLS but then I realized I am committed, why not have a good senior year.”
Carusone ended up having a very good senior year, scoring a team-high 28 goals as PHS went 22-2 on the way to the state title.
“I never let it get to my head or anything like that because obviously soccer is a team game,” said Carusone, reflecting on emerging as the team’s go-to scorer. “I would never have been able to score without my teammates. That is what led us to the state championship. Being the top goal scorer is kind of fun.”
While losing 2-1 to powerhouse Pennington in the Mercer County Tournament final was no fun for the Tigers, it helped spark their Group 4 run.
“It showed us that we can’t just beat every team — we need to play at the top of our capabilities,” said Carusone.
“They were a really good team, the best team in the country arguably.”
Producing its best soccer of the season, PHS outscored foes 18-2 in five state tournament games leading up to the championship game against Kearny.
“I just remember blowing teams out at the end,” said Carusone. “We played some really good teams.”
In defeating Kearny 3-2 in the state final, the Tigers had to overcome a 2-1 halftime deficit to win their first Group title since 2012.
“Coming back in the second half just showed how much fight and hunger that we have to win,” said Carusone, who scored the game-tying goal early in the second half. “We just knew going into the second half that we didn’t come all of this way to lose in the final. We wanted to win and finish the story.”
For Carusone, joining the Tigers for one year led to him enjoying a storybook season.
“It definitely was the perfect ending for my senior year, 100 percent,” said Carusone. “I got to play really high level soccer, fun soccer, and enjoy it with all of my friends. On top of that, we ended up with a ring.”
This summer, Carusone has focused on raising his fitness level and game as he prepares to make the jump to college.
“We get these workout packets, I have been doing a lot of that because I have to stay fit,” said Carusone, who will be heading to Rochester
win the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 4 state championship. Carusone is heading to the University of Rochester this week to start preseason train for his freshman campaign with Yellowjacket men’s soccer team.
this week as preseason practice starts on August 16. “I have joined coach Walsh (PHS head coach Ryan Walsh) in one of the summer leagues that he plays in. It is always fun to get some minutes in there.”
Due to social media contact and spending some time in Rochester this summer, Carusone is already developing a comfort level with his new team.
“We do have a group chat
with the freshman kids and GroupMe stuff with everybody,” said Carusone. “I worked a summer camp at Rochester — that gave me a better feel for the campus. On the first day, it was like, ‘Wow I am really going to college.’
As the days went on, the kids were so inviting. I felt like I belonged. I got to play soccer with my buddies who I am going to be playing with.”
As Carusone hits the field this week, he is determined to
prove that he belongs on the field for the Yellowjackets.
“I am definitely looking to work my way into the team and see what I can do for them,” said Carusone. “I got recruited as a nine and 11 as a striker and left winger. Those are like my two main positions. I played striker in high school. I played striker for club but also winger at times. It is important to be versatile.”
—Bill Alden
Thank you to our customers for voting us Best
Since [1950] Conte’s has become a Princeton destination; a great old-school bar that also happens to serve some of New Jersey’s best pizza, thin-crusted and bubbly. The restaurant hasn’t changed much since then; even the tables are the same. It’s a simple, no-frills space, but if you visit during peak times, be prepared to wait well over an hour for a table.
We could not have reached this accomplishment without our dedicated employees and customers. Thank you from the owners of Conte’s Serving the Princeton community for over 80 years, and we will continue to serve you another 80 years and more.
years, and we will continue to serve you another 80 years and more.
Tim Miller
Tim Miller passed away peacefully on June 27, 2024, surrounded by family in his happy place near the beach in Delaware.
Tim was known for his incredible talent in woodworking and construction, coaching girls’ softball, the gift of cooking, and his love for his family.
He fought a courageous battle with throat cancer,
overcoming treatment that left him with incredible difficulties and poor quality of life, but he continued to persevere and still enjoyed time with friends and family and especially cooking for everyone.
Throughout his life Tim especially enjoyed music, watching the Food Network, building, mentoring young girls’ softball, and took great pride in his development of good sportsmanship. He loved being a father and was so proud of his daughters. He fought so hard to try to be there for every important moment in their lives.
Tim was predeceased by his parents Bob and Sherry Miller.
He is survived by his loving wife, Cindy; his daughters, Taylor Wagner (Brad) and Barrett Miller; his granddaughter, Emerson Wagner; his brother, Randy Miller (Zina) and their children, Tatiana and Tad. Jeanne Dollar (Ed), JP Crosson (Stephanie) and their children, Ryan Dollar and
Wells Tree & Landscape, Inc
609-430-1195 Wellstree.com
Taking care of Princeton’s trees
Local family owned business for over 40 years
Charlie Crosson, as well as many friends who will miss him dearly.
Tim did not want a service, but he would like to be remembered with a story, laughs, and a raised beer. For all who knew him this should make you smile!
He will always be in our hearts and never forgotten.
Please visit Tim’s Life Memorial at parsellfuneralhomes.com.
Paul A. Cruser
Paul A. Cruser, Princeton, NJ, age 91, died July 29 at Princeton Medical Center.
Born in Pennington, NJ, November 20, 1932, to Fred and Elsie Cruser, Paul grew up in Princeton and graduated from Princeton High School. His undergraduate education at Ohio Wesleyan University was interrupted by two years of service in the U.S. Army. After completing his BA degree, Paul earned MA and PhD degrees in English literature at the University of Pennsylvania. He
taught at Penn and Drexel University before accepting a position at the College of New Jersey, where he taught literature and writing. He also served as the Associate to the Dean of Arts and Science and as Interim Dean, then returned to the English Department, happy to be teaching again. He retired in 1999 after 27 years at TCNJ.
Paul is survived by his wife of 20 years Karen Murray and his nieces Barbara Stalcup and Mary Skarzenski. Paul and Karen traveled abroad extensively: to Europe, South and Central America, India, Southeast Asia, Japan, China, Morocco, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa. Paul was such an animal lover that they took four African safaris. Back at home, he relished classical music, especially concerts at Princeton University and performances at the Metropolitan Opera.
Paul requested his services to be private.
Donations in Paul’s memory suggested to the World Wildlife Fund, the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or Princeton University Concerts.
Extend condolences and share memories at The KimbleFuneralHome.com.
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African Methodist Episcopal Church Itinerant Elder Sunday, June 9 Eli Henry Princeton Theological Seminary
Rachael McConnell Pastor, First Presbyterian Church in Duncanville, TX
Regina D. Langley
African Methodist Episcopal Church Itinerant Elder
Sunday, July 14
Sunday, July 14
Shannon Daley-Harris
Shannon Daley-Harris
Associate Dean of Auburn Theological Seminary
Associate Dean of Auburn Theological Seminary
Sunday, July 7
Regina D. Langley
Tiffany S. Murphy Pastor, Parkside United Methodist
Sunday, August 4
Sunday, August 4
Sunday, July 28
Byron E. Brought Pastor, Bel Air United Methodist Church in Bel Air, MD
Byron E. Brought Pastor, Bel Air United Methodist Church in Bel Air, MD
Sunday, August 11
Ali DeLeo Pastor, Swarthmore United Methodist Church in Swarthmore,
Sunday, August 11
Andrew Cooney Pastor, Bethany United Methodist Church in Ellicott City, MD
Sunday, August 4
Andrew Cooney Pastor, Bethany United Methodist Church in Ellicott City, MD
Sunday, August 18
Sunday, August 18
Melissa Rudolph Lead Pastor, North Carroll Cooperative Parish of the United Methodist Church
Melissa Rudolph Lead Pastor, North Carroll Cooperative Parish of the United Methodist Church
Sunday, August 25 H. Fitzgerald Robertson, II Student, Princeton Theological
Sunday, August 25 H. Fitzgerald Robertson, II Student, Princeton Theological
City, MD
Sunday, August 25
H. Fitzgerald Robertson, II Student, Princeton Theological
Everard K. Pinneo
Everard Kempshall Pinneo died on August 2, 2024 at his son Tom’s home in Princeton where he’d been living for the last year. He was born in Elizabeth, NJ, on January 16, 1927, graduated from the Pingry School in 1944, and earned a B.A. in Economics from Princeton University in 1950 as a member of the class of 1948 after serving in the U.S. Navy for two years.
Ev’s first job was at Owens-Corning Fiberglass selling insulation yarn to electrical cable manufacturers. “When the allure of that occupation began to run dry,” as Ev said himself, he pivoted to education. In 1955 he became Assistant Director and later Director of Admissions at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.
In 1960 he took on the role of Director of Admissions at the University of Pittsburgh. Those were exciting years not only professionally but personally as well, with his marriage to Katharine Anne Salter in 1962. Ev’s romance
with Pitt, though, ended in 1964. He and his admissions colleagues “drew the line over beefy football applications, some of whose talents were exceptional in all areas except reading, writing, adding, subtracting, and consecutive thinking. A call from the front office suggested that some things were sacred, but that I was not.”
Ev, Kay, and their newborn son Tom piled into their ’63 Volvo wagon and drove east to the Central Office of the State University of New York. For 15 years he traveled the SUNY system’s 67 campuses as Assistant Vice Chancellor participating actively in what he regarded as a remarkable vision to provide education at a modest price for all citizens of New York State.
From 1979 to 1992 Ev was director of the Princeton Educational Center at Blairstown, an adventurebased outdoor education center that he first knew as The Princeton Summer Camp when he served as its undergraduate director from 1948-1950. He maintained a nearly eight-decade-long affiliation with PBC, serving, in retirement, as a Trustee and then Honorary Trustee. He also served on and supported a variety of nonprofit organizations including the Trenton After School Program, Youth Concerns Committee, Corner House, Trinity Church Grants Committee, the Trigeminal Neuralgia Association, and the Southern Poverty Law Center as part of his vision of a world in which all people have access to “opportunities and health, a share of the abundance of
life, and the undying hope of peace and justice for all.”
In addition to his service to the community, he will be remembered for the way he would “tune in” to someone, give them his full attention, and leave them feeling heard and encouraged.
Ev is survived by his daughter Nell and grandson Martin of Pau, France, and son Tom, grandson Steven, and daughter-in-law Julie Pantelick of Princeton. Jackie Martin provided warmth, care, and companionship when Ev moved back to Princeton in the fall of 2023. Patrons of the library knew them as puzzle masters fueled by Halo Pub ice cream.
Nell, Martin, Tom, Steven, Julie, and Jackie made Ev’s casket from weathered barn planks as was his wish after seeing his son Tom do the same for his wife Kay. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Please consider honoring Ev’s memory with a gift to the PrincetonBlairstown Center.
We pride ourselves on being a small,
We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection. We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you.
With
We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection.
We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection. We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you.
We
we are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection. We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you.
ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL
you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you. ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL
We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection. We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you.
We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you.
We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection.
We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection. We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you.
We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through
We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we
ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL
ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL
We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection.
We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection. We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you.
We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection. We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you.
We pride ourselves on being a small, personal, and service oriented family business. With five generations of experience, we are here to help guide you through the difficult process of monument selection.
ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL
ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL
ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL
ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL
ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL
We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you
We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you
We encourage you to make an appointment, with no obligation, to discuss the many options available to you
ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL
ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL
ITS EASIER THAN YOU THINK TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEMORIAL
YARD SALE +
TOWN TOPICS CLASSIFIED = GREAT WEEKEND!
Put an ad in the TOWN TOPICS to let everyone know! Call (609) 924-2200 ext. 10; classifi eds@towntopics.com
DEADLINE: Tues before 12 noon tf HOME HEALTH AIDE: 25 years of experience. Available mornings to take care of your loved one, transport to appointments, run errands. I am well known in Princeton. Top care, excellent references. The best! Call (609) 356-2951 or (609) 751-1396. tf LOLIO’S WINDOW WASHING & POWER WASHING: Free estimate. Next day service. Fully insured. Gutter cleaning available. References available upon request. 30 years experience. (609) 271-8860. tf JOE’S LANDSCAPING INC. OF PRINCETON Property
CARING AND EXPERIENCED BABYSITTER
Available for part-time position
Excellent local references! (609) 216-5000 tf
HOUSECLEANING/HOUSE-
KEEPING: Professional cleaning service. Experienced, references, honest & responsible. Reasonable price. Basic English. Text Grace at (609) 672-0211 for a free estimate. 10-30
APPLYING TO COLLEGE, GRADUATE SCHOOL, OR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL?
Arrange a free consultation with the Princeton Writing Coach, a highly experienced and caring college teacher. Explore how to manage the admissions process and how to write outstanding essays. (908) 420-1070. princetonwritingcoach@gmail.com. https://princetonwritingcoach.com/. 08-21
STORAGE UNIT FOR RENT
10 minutes north of Princeton, in Skillman/Montgomery. 16x22, $280 discounted monthly rent. Available now. https://princetonstorage.homestead. com/ or call/text (609) 333-6932 09-11
Knotty pine bookcases a specialty! SKILLMAN FURNITURE CO. 609-924-1881
HIC #13VH07549500 tf
Interior/exterior repairs, carpentry, trim, rotted wood, power washing, painting, deck work, sheet rock/ spackle, gutter & roofing repairs. Punch list is my specialty. 40 years experience. Licensed & insured. Call Creative Woodcraft (609) 586-2130 tf EXPERIENCED AND PROFESSIONAL CAREGIVER
Available part-time
With excellent references in the greater Princeton area (609) 216-5000 tf FOX CLEANING (609) 547-9570
eqfoxcarpetcleaning@gmail.com
Licensed and insured
and
Elevated gardens • Slat tables Writing desks • Small furniture repair skillmanfurniture.com skillmanfurnitureco@gmail.com tf ROCKY HILL 2 BEDROOM APARTMENT
Dishwasher, laundry in basement. Off-street parking for 1 car. Security lease credit check. (609) 466-0852. $1800/month, available immediately. 08-28
I BUY ALL KINDS of old or pretty things: China, glass, silver, pottery, costume jewelry, evening bags, fancy linens, paintings, small furniture, etc. Local woman buyer. (609) 9217469. 10-11-24
BUYING: Antiques, paintings, Oriental rugs, coins, clocks, furniture, old toys, military, books, cameras, silver, costume & fine jewelry. Guitars & musical instruments. I buy single items to entire estates. Free appraisals. (609) 306-0613. 06-28-24
TOWN TOPICS CLASSIFIEDS GET TOP RESULTS!
Whether it’s selling furniture, finding a lost pet, or having a garage sale, TOWN TOPICS is the way to go! We deliver to ALL of Princeton as well as surrounding areas. (609) 924-2200 ext. 10; classifieds@towntopics.com
ESTATE LIQUIDATION SERVICE:
I will clean out attics, basements, garages & houses. Single items to entire estates. No job too big or small. In business over 35 years, serving all of Mercer County. Call (609) 306-0613. 06-28-24
WE BUY CARS
Belle Mead Garage (908) 359-8131
Ask for Chris tf
LARGE (16’-30’), BEAUTIFUL EVERGREENS
(Norway Spruce) locally grown in Princeton/Lawrenceville area and installed for your privacy barrier. Call Doug for pricing and sizes: (215) 852-5660
Americantreescapes.com 09-04
WHAT’S A GREAT GIFT FOR A FORMER PRINCETONIAN?
A Gift Subscription!
Call (609) 924-2200, ext 10 circulation@towntopics.com
tf YARD SALE +
TOWN TOPICS CLASSIFIED = GREAT WEEKEND!
Put an ad in the TOWN TOPICS to let everyone know!
Call (609) 924-2200 ext. 10; classifi eds@towntopics.com
DEADLINE: Tues before 12 noon
tf
HOME HEALTH AIDE: 25 years of experience. Available mornings to take care of your loved one, transport to appointments, run errands. I am well known in Princeton. Top care, excellent references. The best! Call (609) 356-2951 or (609) 751-1396.
tf
LOLIO’S WINDOW WASHING & POWER WASHING: Free estimate.
Next day service. Fully insured. Gutter cleaning available. References available upon request. 30 years experience. (609) 271-8860.
tf
JOE’S LANDSCAPING INC. OF PRINCETON
Property Maintenance and Specialty Jobs
Commercial/Residential
Over 45 Years of Experience
• Fully Insured • Free Consultations
Email: joeslandscapingprinceton@ gmail.com
Text (only): (609) 356-9201
Office: (609) 216-7936
Princeton References
• Green Company HIC #13VH07549500 tf
01-17-25
HOME REPAIR SPECIALIST:
Interior/exterior repairs, carpentry, trim, rotted wood, power washing, painting, deck work, sheet rock/ spackle, gutter & roofing repairs. Punch list is my specialty. 40 years experience. Licensed & insured. Call Creative Woodcraft (609) 586-2130
tf
EXPERIENCED AND PROFESSIONAL CAREGIVER
Available part-time
With excellent references in the greater Princeton area (609) 216-5000 tf FOX CLEANING (609) 547-9570
eqfoxcarpetcleaning@gmail.com
Licensed and insured
Residential and commercial
Carpet cleaning and upholestry
Pressure and soft washing • Area rugs
Strip and wax floors • Sanitizing
Water damage • Grout cleaning
01-17-25
CARING AND EXPERIENCED BABYSITTER
Available for part-time position
Excellent local references! (609) 216-5000 tf
HOUSECLEANING/HOUSE-
KEEPING: Professional cleaning service. Experienced, references, honest & responsible. Reasonable price. Basic English. Text Grace at (609) 672-0211 for a free estimate. 10-30
APPLYING TO COLLEGE, GRADUATE SCHOOL, OR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL?
Arrange a free consultation with the Princeton Writing Coach, a highly experienced and caring college teacher. Explore how to manage the admissions process and how to write outstanding essays. (908) 420-1070. princetonwritingcoach@gmail.com. https://princetonwritingcoach.com/. 08-21
STORAGE UNIT FOR RENT
10 minutes north of Princeton, in Skillman/Montgomery. 16x22, $280 discounted monthly rent. Available now. https://princetonstorage.homestead. com/ or call/text (609) 333-6932 09-11
Knotty pine bookcases a specialty! SKILLMAN FURNITURE CO. 609-924-1881
Elevated gardens • Slat tables Writing desks • Small furniture repair skillmanfurniture.com skillmanfurnitureco@gmail.com tf ROCKY HILL 2 BEDROOM APARTMENT
Dishwasher, laundry in basement. Off-street parking for 1 car. Security lease credit check. (609) 466-0852. $1800/month, available immediately. 08-28
I BUY ALL KINDS of old or pretty things: China, glass, silver, pottery, costume jewelry, evening bags, fancy linens, paintings, small furniture, etc. Local woman buyer. (609) 9217469. 10-11-24
Sharing the Road: The Importance of Driver Caution Around Cyclists
As more people embrace biking for health, sustainability, and convenience, the roads are becoming increasingly shared spaces. Drivers must exercise heightened caution when driving near cyclists to ensure everyone's safety. Bikers are more vulnerable to serious injuries in collisions, so drivers should maintain a safe distance, ideally at least three feet, when passing. It's crucial to always check mirrors and blind spots before turning or changing lanes, as cyclists can often be in hard to see areas. Slowing down in areas with high bike traffic, especially in urban environments, is also important. Additionally, drivers should be patient and refrain from honking, which can startle cyclists and lead to accidents. Mutual respect and awareness on the road can prevent tragic accidents, making the streets safer for everyone. Sharing the road responsibly isn't just courteous; it's a crucial part of keeping our communities safe.
OPEN HOUSE
Sunday, August 18
Noon — 2pm
Hillier designed, contemporary brick townhouse located in the heart of Princeton with lots of glass for spectacular light. Walking distance to Princeton University campus, McCarter Theater, and to Princeton’s shops, restaurants, cafes, parks and lake trails. Situated on a quiet private street, this residence offers driveway parking and a one car attached garage. Three bedrooms, 3.5 renovated bathrooms, updated kitchen, open concept loft-like living with a fireplace, private patio, completely maintenance free and ready for a quick close.
$1,325,000
