Town Topics Newspaper, August 16, 2023

Council Gives Go-Ahead To Pursue Establishment Of Public Art Master Plan

Members of Princeton Council took part in a work session Monday night about a proposal for a new public art master plan. James Steward, director of the Princeton University Art Museum, and Adam Welch, executive director of the Arts Council of Princeton, who have been working on the plan for several years, delivered the report at the Council meeting.

Steward chaired a public art committee created in 2018 under former Mayor Liz Lempert, but it lacked funding that would have allowed it to work proactively, he said. He and Welch suggested that a newly-formed committee could be funded by levying a 1 percent fee on the cost of commercial and commercial residential capital projects to be paid into a public art fund, with some exceptions including affordable housing, individual residential projects, and nonpro ts.

“This is the most prevalent model at play across the country,” said Steward, who cited municipalities in 27 states including Philadelphia, Pa.; New York, N.Y.; and Ann Arbor, Mich., as having such programs in place. The fee would only be for projects with budgets of $1 million or more.

Steward proposed that a ve-to-eightmember committee of local experts and stakeholders be on the committee, which would be appointed by resolution. A municipal staff member would be designated to take part, and the funding stream would be established by ordinance.

Councilwoman Michelle Pirone Lambros commented that the time is ripe for such an initiative. “There are a lot of construction projects happening. It seems like a golden moment, where we have the resources that are there, that hopefully we can leverage at this moment,” she said. “And then there’s the resources of James and Adam and others in the community. We’re so fortunate to have that kind of input. We have incredible heritage, history, and culture in our town. Bringing all this together, and being able to create placemaking and public art at this moment, seems to be a natural.”

Steward added that with the newly revamped art museum opening in 2025, and the strength of the Arts Council, “we can very much expect that the nation’s

New Leaders Take Reins at PDS and Hun

With September fast approaching, new heads are preparing to lead Princeton Day School (PDS) and the Hun School into the coming school year, while the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) continues its search for a new principal for Princeton High School (PHS).

On July 1, Kelley Nicholson-Flynn ofcially took over as head of PDS, succeeding Paul Stellato, who stepped down after 15 years at the helm.

“Each August, I still feel the familiar twinge that comes with a new school year — a mix of eagerness, hopefulness, and a dash of nervous excitement,” she wrote in an email. “So much is unknown at

every beginning, but I believe in embracing those uncertainties. This sense of being ‘all in’ is how I approached my new role, immersing myself in the culture of Princeton Day School and focusing on creating an experience for our students that puts them at the center of every decision made. In doing so, even just in these two short months, my belief in the work taking place at PDS has been deeply reinforced.”

Before coming to PDS Nicholson-Flynn was the assistant head of school for operations at Riverdale Country School in the Bronx, N.Y. Before that she was head of the upper school at Riverdale. She began her teaching career at the Lawrenceville

School in 1998, where she worked for 14 years in various roles, including science department chair, interdisciplinary program chair, and teaching and learning programs coordinator.

At the Hun School, Bart Bronk officially became head of school last month, succeeding Jon Brougham, who retired after 14 years as Hun’s head. Bronk came to Hun from his position as head of school at University Liggett School in Grosse Pointe, Mich., where he had served for 11 years, ve years as head.

“I have been so grateful for the warm welcome I’ve received in my rst month on campus,” Bronk wrote in an email.

Continued on Page 9

Construction Projects Continue in Numerous Sections of Princeton

The Princeton Municipal Engineering Department and the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) have recently provided updates on eight different construction projects taking place around town.

The NJDOT has reported that its Washington Road Bridge over the D&R Canal replacement project is progressing on schedule according to plan, and is expected to be completed in October.

There has been an increase in congestion on Route 1 since the project began on July 26, particularly, as expected, during the morning commute. Also, during the middle of the day, the NJDOT notes, there has been an increase in traffic on Harrison Street and Alexander Road, which are being used for the detour.

Multiple detour routes, provided by NJDOT, should help to minimize delays. NJDOT recommends that motorists on Route 1 northbound use the Alexander Road detour before Washington Road.

“Motorists should plan extra time when traveling in the area,” NJDOT advises.

The Engineering Department has announced that University Place and Dickinson Street will be closed to through traffic on Wednesday, August 16 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to remove trees that have become hazardous. Princeton University, the Princeton Public Works Department, and PSE&G will be working together during this time to remove ve large trees. Police officers will be directing traffic at the intersections at Nassau and University

Continued on Page 10

TO THE HOOP: Jaxson Carter of Ewing leaps for a basket Saturday morning at the Joint Effort and Bailey Basketball Academy Youth Hoops Clinic at Princeton High School. The free skills clinic was part of this year’s 10-day Joint Effort Safe Streets program, which concluded on Sunday. Participants discuss what they learned at the event in this week’s

COVID VACCINE CLINIC FOR AGES 55+

Wednesday, August 23, 1:00–3:00 p.m.

Princeton Senior Resource Center 101 Poor Farm Road, Building B, Princeton, NJ

Vaccine Information

• FREE COVID-19 bivalent boosters for adults ages fifty-five and up.

• The “bivalent” COVID booster released in September 2022 protects against the original COVID-19 virus AND newer types of the virus called Omicron BA.4 and BA.5

Registration

973-328-3344, ext. 1277 or 609-853-7600, ext. 1683

Registration is encouraged but walk-ins are welcome.

Miércoles, 23 de Agosto, 1:00–3:00 p.m.

Princeton Senior Resource Center 101 Poor Farm Road, Building B, Princeton, NJ

Información de vacunas

• Refuerzo bivalente COVID-19 GRATIS para personas de 55 años de edad o más

• La dosis de refuerzo bivalente, disponible desde septiembre de 2022, protege contra el COVID-19 original Y contra los tipos más recientes del virus, llamados Omicron BA.4 y BA.5

Para inscripcionese informacion

973-328-3344, ext. 1277 or 609-853-7600, ext. 1683

Se

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

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RECOGNIZING THE WINNERS: Princeton Community Housing (PCH) recently celebrated the achievements of this year’s NAHMA and JAHMA scholarship winners. Pictured, from left, are Michele Tuck-Ponder, Princeton Public Schools Board of Education; Edward Truscelli, PCH executive director; students and Princeton Community Village residents Isaiah Nazario and Htway Min; Sara Just, PCH trustee and chair of the Princeton Community Village Management Committee; and Dr. Bruce Johnson, administrator, Affordable Housing Management Association Scholarship Program.

Princeton Community Housing Honors Scholarship Winners

On Wednesday evening, August 9, Princeton Community Housing (PCH) hosted a hybrid celebration at the Princeton Senior Resource Center’s Klath Center for Lifelong Learning to recognize students residing at Princeton Community Village (PCV) and Griggs Farm who were winners of this year’s JAHMA and NAHMA Award Scholarships. PCH’s Princeton Community Village and the Griggs Farm units are members of JAHMA, the New Jersey Affordable Housing Management Association, and NAHMA, the National Affordable Housing Management Association, qualifying student residents to apply for scholarships through their national and state foundations.

The JAHMA and NAHMA Foundations were established to offer scholarships to outstanding students living at a JAHMA and NAHMA member “affiliated

properties.” Annual scholarships range from $1,500 through $4,500, and are offered to high school graduates, individuals holding a GED and planning to continue post-secondary studies, and other adults (including senior citizens) pursuing additional educational opportunities. For the past 16 consecutive years, residents from PCV have been awarded scholarships from the JAHMA and NAHMA Foundations.

The reception and program, emceed by trustee Sara Just, featured opening remarks by Executive Director Edward Truscelli, followed by keynote speaker Jamal Watson, the executive director of the Center for Advocacy and Philanthropy at Educational Testing Service (ETS). Watson directs ETS’s philanthropic and advocacy priorities and oversees ETS’s employee volunteer and engagement program. He is also committed to forging local and national partnerships with

those working to advance equity in education. An expert on the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, he is currently finishing up a biography of civil rights leader, the Reverend Al Sharpton, and a book about the student debt crisis.

This year’s scholarship recipients attend The College of New Jersey, Cornell University, Culinary Institute of America, Drew University, Kean University, Mercer County Community College, Rider University, and University of Hartford. The total amount awarded to students was $45,000.

Just shared that 96 students received scholarships nationwide last year, and eight of them were residents of Princeton Community Village. She pointed out that no other affordable housing development in the country has won more scholarships over the years — in fact, almost 9 percent of the scholarships awarded nationally were to PCV students in 2022.

Topics In Brief A Community Bulletin

Commemorative Bricks at Community Park Pool: To raise funds for its endowment fund and ongoing support to the Recreation Department Scholarship Program, the community can have a brick paver engraved to honor a loved one or share a positive message. The deadline is September 1. Visit princetonnj.gov or call (609) 921-9480.

Washington Road Closure: Until October, the road is closed at the D&R Canal while the bridge over the canal is removed and rebuilt. A detour using Nassau Street, Harrison Street, and Route 1 is in place. The towpath will largely be available during the closure.

Outdoor Dining: Princeton Council and staff want to hear opinions and suggestions from residents about the future of outdoor dining in town. Visit princetonnj.gov.

Blood Drive: At MarketFair on August 18 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass to complete pre-donation screening.

Volunteer for Womanspace: The organization, which provides emergency and follow-up services to those impacted by domestic and sexual violence, seeks community members to be trainees for the Womanspace Response Teams of Mercer County. Visit womanspace.org.

Versatility of The Princeton Singers Is on Display This Celebratory Season

With a repertory that spans aboriginal ritual music to medieval chant and beyond, The Princeton Singers has built a reputation for tackling just about any kind of vocal composition.

The coming season marks the 40th anniversary for the group, which was founded by John Bertalot, then the choirmaster and organist at Trinity Church. Also being celebrated is the 25th year of composer Steven Sametz’s

association with the group as artistic director.

“It’s our versatility,” said John Cloys, the organization’s executive director, in a phone conversation this week. “We can sing anything from chants to gospel to stuff specifically composed for the group. When you come to our concerts, there is something there for everyone.”

The ensemble has headlined at festivals in China, England, and in this country at the national conferences of Chorus America, the American Choral Directors Association, and the American Guild of Organists. But focus on the local community is also key. The group has collaborated with the Princeton University Art Museum for several years, creating a musical accompaniment to special exhibitions. Their Christmas concerts, including Dylan Thomas’ A Child’s Christmas in Wales, are regular parts of the local holiday season.

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The collaborations with the museum have been ongoing since a concert in 2011 that was part of an exhibition of works by Titian and Van Dyke. “We sing music that corresponds to the exhibits,” said Cloys. “We can look at the exhibit and also hear it, making it a kind of immersive experience.”

The double anniversary season begins October 15 at 7 p.m. with “Inspirations,” a concert at Art on Hulfish (following concerts at Adelphi University and Lehigh University). Works by Josquin des Prez, Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms, Sametz, and Sidney Boquiren are on the program, described as “an exploration of how contemporary composers take their inspiration from chant, carnival songs, and spirituals.”

Next on December 16 is the annual Christmas concert, followed by “Valentines” on February 17, exploring the subject of love across the ages and the globe. The big anniversary celebration is scheduled for May 18, when the ensemble presents “The Best of the Princeton Singers.” All of these concerts take place at Trinity Church.

Bertalot founded The Princeton Singers as a small, independent ensemble based at Trinity Church, primarily to sing English cathedral music, English

madrigals, and folk songs.

After Bertalot retired and Sametz came on as artistic director, the group turned professional and the repertory was expanded.

“These are paid singers, typically 16 plus Steven,” Cloys said. “They come from all over the area, but mostly from New Jersey. They are men and women of all backgrounds. Some were music majors, some graduated from Westminster Choir College, some have sung with opera companies, and others with their churches. It’s a mix.”

The ensemble has served as choir in residence at the Lehigh University Summer Choral Composers Forum for the past two decades. Sametz, who is a professor of music at Lehigh, has composed a new work for The Princeton Singers for each of his 25 years of leadership.

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DOUBLE MILESTONE: This season, the Princeton Singers celebrates its 40th anniversary and 25th year under the direction of Conductor/Composer Steven Sametz.

The Princeton Singers

Continued

“Writing for the Singers is one of my great joys,” he said in a press release.

“Composing for The Princeton Singers is like writing for any of the true virtuoso choirs in the country — like Chanticleer, Cantus, or the Los Angeles Master Chorale: your imagination can run free and these incredibly talented singers will rise to the challenge.”

—Anne Levin

Trent House Presents Annual Reenactment

The Trent House Association presents the third annual reenactment of the days in late August/early September 1781 when thousands of soldiers and support personnel camped in and around Trenton. This free event is on Saturday, August 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Trent House Museum grounds at 15 Market Street, Trenton, across from the Hughes Justice Complex.

In June 1781, the Continental Army under General Washington and the allied French Army under Gen. Rochambeau began their march south from New York and Rhode Island, with the aim of laying siege to the British garrison in New York City. But by the time the two armies converged in Princeton in August 1781, plans had changed, and the goal became the defeat of British Gen. Cornwallis in Virginia. This required that the armies cross the Delaware River. The armies continued south to Trenton and set up an encampment there as they prepared to transport artillery by ferry and organized the bulk of the army and equipment for fording.

At 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., historian Robert Selig will give information talks on how this major military operation was planned and executed, and what made Trenton the best tactical site for crossing the Delaware. Selig is a historical consultant and a specialist on the role of French forces under the comte de Rochambeau during the American Revolutionary War. He serves as project historian to the National Park Service for the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail Project. Visit williamtrenthouse. org for more information.

Question of the Week: “What did you learn about basketball today?”

(Asked Saturday at the Joint Effort and Bailey Basketball Academy Youth Hoops Clinic at Princeton High School)

(Photos by Charles R. Plohn)

“I learned some basic cuts, and how to maneuver around defenders while being smart and thinking ahead of time.”

—Tahj McCrary, Ewing

Milo: “I’ve really improved in everything, but mainly my shooting. When I first started my shooting form wasn’t the best, but since I’ve been playing for Bailey I’ve gotten better.”

Kai: “Honestly, probably my confidence. Bailey helped me learn to use my body, and I’ve gotten so much better.”

—Milo and Kai Brosuk, Princeton

Jaxson: “I think I have improved on my dribbling, ball handling skills, and my spin moves.”

J.J.: “We worked on overall skills in basketball, like the basic change of directions and basic cuts. I’m also working specifically on my shooting form and technique.”

—Jaxson and J.J. Carter, Ewing

Jaylon: “I learned some new cutting abilities that I might use at the game tomorrow.”

Bryce: “I learned different cutting drills and playing with pace, and stuff like that.”

— Jaylon Carter and Bryce Williams, both of Lawrenceville

Jacob: “Skills, like how to develop your ball handling and shot.”

Josue: “I learned some new dribbling drills and techniques, and just working with Bailey has really helped my confidence. I really hope Bailey keeps doing this. It’s just a really great thing for the community.”

—Jacob Bailey and Josue Vasquez, both of Princeton

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK Safety First — Lifeguards at Community Park Pool

The Community Park Pool (CPP)— four pools actually — off Witherspoon Street in the heart of Princeton, with its expanse of greenery and blue water, with swimmers of all ages active in the pool or relaxing nearby, is an idyllic setting on a beautiful summer afternoon.

But Sofie Fitzgerald and Liam Gray, two of the pool’s head lifeguards, are on the job — along with a large contingent of fellow lifeguards — keeping close watch to ensure that the thousands of CPP patrons from Memorial Day through Labor Day can enjoy the beautiful setting without fears for the safety of all.

The number of young children drowning in the U.S. has been rising. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that more children ages 1-4 die from drowning than any other cause of death, and every year in the U.S. there are an estimated 4,000 drowning deaths, an average of 11 per day. But Fitzgerald and Gray are determined to not let that happen at CPP.

“We try to prevent emergencies before they happen,” said Gray. “We make sure that everybody who goes into deep water has passed the swim test. We have complimentary life jackets at the front desk that we give to younger or weaker swimmers. We do everything in our power to stop an emergency before it even happens.”

In his fourth summer lifeguarding at CPP, Gray, 18, who has worked as a lifeguard at several other pools in the area, described CPP as “the best and most organized pool I’ve worked at. We have more guards on the job than any other pool and more managers on site. And we have a better emergency action plan (EAP). This is the best one and the safest, easily.”

Fitzgerald, who is in her sixth summer as a lifeguard at CPP and has also served as a lifeguard at Connecticut College where she is a rising junior, noted the effective organizational structure

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at CPP and the emphasis on training. “In the lifeguard room the first aid equipment is very accessible,” she said.

“Everybody knows where everything is. Also, we practice our emergency action plan a lot. We do a good job of practicing it, and everybody knows it. And we have in-services, which everybody has to attend.”

Fitzgerald, 20, grew up in Lawrenceville and graduated from the Wilberforce School. She has been a swimmer from an early age, when she watched her older sisters lifeguard at a pool near their home. She’s on the swim team at Connecticut College and is majoring in economics.

Gray [who is my nephew] will be a sophomore this fall at the University of Pittsburgh, where he is majoring in mechanical engineering. He grew up in Robbinsville and graduated from Robbinsville High School, where he was captain of the swim team.

On Tuesday last week

Fitzgerald and Gray both completed their two-year recertification, which included swimming 300 meters, recovering a cinder block from 14 feet underwater at the bottom of the diving well, and reviewing a number of rescue techniques and extrications. They also had to retrain in CPR and complete detailed tests, on which they had to score at least 80 percent. They are both now officially certified until 2025.

During their break on a relatively peaceful Friday afternoon they talked in the community room overlooking the pools, describing a day in the life of a CPP lifeguard. Gray usually works on weekdays from 12 to 8 p.m., Fitzgerald from 12 to 4 p.m., as well as some mornings, and she conducts additional swimming lessons when needed.

As head lifeguards they need to make sure there are enough guards on duty, at least one for every 25 patrons. “First we check who’s working and we write the rotation accordingly,” said Gray. “We get a count of

how many people are in the pool, and that determines how many guards we’ll need watching the pool.”

“We have a minimum of six guards,” Fitzgerald added, “but we might add more depending on how crowded the pools get.” She pointed out that the main pool, because it’s so large, always needs at least two lifeguards on duty.

Gray continued, “Every time more than 25 people are in a given zone we add another guard to that area so that no guard is overworked and everybody can keep a close eye on who’s swimming in what areas.”

On a quiet day the lifeguards can rotate on and off duty every 30 minutes, but on busy days they might need to be on duty for as much as 90 minutes at a time.

When they’re on duty the main job is surveillance. “We’re looking around, making sure everybody is OK, but we also enforce the rules,” said Gray. “We make sure nobody’s diving into shallow water, make sure nobody’s running on the pool deck. There’s horseplay a lot of times — particularly with younger kids. They like to hold each other under the water, and they don’t realize how dangerous that can be. We try to stop people from doing anything like that.”

The lifeguards also enforce the life jacket rule, which requires that any life jackets in use must be Coast Guard-approved, wraparound jackets. Complimentary life jackets are available at the front desk for anyone who needs one.

“In addition,” Gray continued, “every two hours we test all the pools for chlorine and pH levels to make sure they’re high enough to kill germs, but not high enough to burn your eyes or bleach out your swimsuit.”

Guards generally will test the pools during their breaks.

“It’s a break, but you’re still on duty, just not actively watching the pool,” said Gray. “If somebody comes in and needs first aid, the guard on break would be in charge of that. Or if somebody comes in and asks for a swim test, the guards on break would administer that.”

“Also,” he continued, “if an EAP is activated the guards on break have jobs they are responsible for, like

On August 13, at 2:15 p.m., an individual reported that his vehicle was burglarized on East Merwick Court by an unknown person, and several items were stolen. The total value of the stolen property is $1,403.

On August 9, at 7:31 p.m., someone reported that an unknown individual stole his cellular phone while he was at a retail establishment on Nassau Street. The Detective Bureau is investigating.

On August 6, at 1:12 a.m., subsequent to a motor vehicle stop on Stockton Street, a 29-year-old male from Lawrenceville was placed under arrest for driving while intoxicated. He was transported to police headquarters where he was processed, charged, and released.

KEEPING THE SWIMMERS SAFE: Community Park Pool Head Lifeguards Sofie Fitzgerald and Liam Gray. don’t realize that with the number of lifeguards we have, the odds are that at least one guard is looking at them at any given time, so it’s hard to get away with breaking the rules here.”

bringing the first aid equipment, the defibrillator, the backboards, just in case. You never know what you might need.”

He explained that a log book in the guard room includes every pool reading from the entire summer just in case there’s ever an emergency where an inspector might need the information. “We have on file chlorine levels, temperature, pH, and how many people were in each zone at any given time,” he said.

After writing out the guards’ schedule for the day, the head guards have to get the pool ready for whatever group of swimmers is expected. Lap swimmers need the lane lines in place, while public swim calls for all the lane lines to be removed

Throughout the month of July and part of June summer camps organized through the Princeton Recreation Department come to the pool. “We have tons and tons of kids coming through the door,” Gray said. “It can get a little chaotic, so that was a time we added more lifeguards.”

The biggest event of the summer was Princeton’s Community Night Out 2023 on August 1, when admission was free, more than 1,000 people came through the gates, and there were more than 200 people in the main pool alone. “Even in situations like that we keep the ratio at 25 patrons to one lifeguard,” Gray noted.

On Mondays, Fitzgerald explained, the lifeguards run a swim test for anyone who’s interested, with performance on the test determining which pool each kid is allowed to go into. If they can’t swim they are restricted to the family pool. Each child is given a rubber band of a certain color to indicate which pool they should be in. “We try to make sure everybody is in the area where they can swim safely,” said Gray.

Misbehaving kids can be a challenging aspect of the job. “We have a couple of repeat customers who like to bend the rules a bit,” he said. “You can tell when somebody’s up to no good because they always look around to see if a lifeguard is looking at them. They

Fitzgerald added, “It’s usually little boys. We know a few of them. They’re pretty well known by the staff.”

“They like wrestling and running around and flipping into the shallow end and diving in,” said Gray. Fitzgerald pointed out that kids also sometimes try to go off the diving board when they haven’t passed the swim test or go down the slide when they are not yet tall enough. The punishment is usually sitting at the edge of the pool for a few minutes, “until they’re remorseful,” Fitzgerald added.

When asked for advice they would give to parents and children who come to the CPP, Gray and Fitzgerald emphasized parental supervision of small children and understanding of the need for the swim tests.

“Some people, parents and kids, get a little frustrated with our swim tests,” said Fitzgerald. “They say it’s too challenging, but it’s the test we’re required to do by our managers and the facility.”

Gray emphasized, “It’s a safety hazard to have somebody who’s not a strong swimmer in water that’s 14 feet deep.”

He went on to urge parents to keep an eye on their younger children. “All the guards are trained well enough so that if there’s an emergency somebody will see it and we will act accordingly, but it stops your heart a bit when you see a little kid struggling in the pool with no parent around. It would make everybody’s job so much easier if there were more parent supervision.”

CPP Aquatics Director Mike Uchrin commented on the CPP lifeguards, a total staff of about 100. “They do a great job,” he said. “We could not be what we are to this community without the help of these seasonal employees, the teenagers and college kids who come out for us every summer. We’re really lucky to have a great group of kids working with us.”

—Donald Gilpin

On August 5, at 8:36 a.m., a resident of Princeton-Kingston Road reported that his vehicle was stolen from his driveway. The value of the vehicle and its contents total approximately $40,000. The Detective Bureau is investigating.

On August 5, at 9:41 a.m., a resident of Dempsey Avenue reported that two of his vehicles were burglarized while they were parked in the driveway and garage of his residence. Approximately $45 in property was stolen from the vehicles. The Detective Bureau is investigating.

On August 4, at 11:54 a.m., an Oakland Street resident reported that two ladders and six patio chairs were stolen from her shed. The value of the stolen items is approximately $520.

On August 3, at 7:33 p.m., subsequent to a motor vehicle stop on Lambert Drive, a 70-year-old male from Princeton was placed under arrest for driving while intoxicated. He was transported to police headquarters where he was processed, charged, and later released.

On August 1, at 3:05 p.m., an individual reported that his bicycle was stolen from the front of a retail establishment on North Harrison Street. The bicycle, a Pirate Black Co-op Cycles CTY electric model, is valued at $1,299.

Unless noted, individuals arrested were later released

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New Leaders continued from page one

“The kindness and sense of community for which Hun is so well known has been palpable in my many interactions with students, parents, colleagues, trustees, and friends of the school.”

Council continued from page one eyes will be on the visual arts’ energy of this community.”

Among the positive aspects of public art is the access it provides. “It is not confined to galleries and museums,” said Steward. “It brings streetscapes, plazas, and town buildings to life. It’s a great deal for civic engagement.”

Public art also provides opportunities for artists, is an investment in placemaking, and engenders community pride, he said, adding, “It connects citizens to their neighbors and shared history and makes cultural heritage a community asset.”

Meals on Wheels Gets $15,000 Grant

Meals on Wheels of Mercer County (MOWMC) has been awarded a grant in the amount of $15,000 from The Provident Bank Foundation to support their Fresh Fruit and Produce Program.

The organization was selected for the grant based on its ability to make nutritious foods accessible to homebound seniors, most of whom are on a limited income. Providing regular, nutritious home-delivered meals helps prevent malnutrition, hunger, and illness and allows the homebound elderly to remain at home, living independently and with dignity.

Jersey classrooms,” said Dougherty.

Data from the National Center for Education Statistics contends that fewer students are earning degrees in education. Also, 55 percent of educators say they are ready to retire earlier than anticipated, according to 2022 survey results by the National Education Association. Both of these factors, in addition to the pandemic, have contributed to the teacher shortage.

full-time or continuing their education. Every education major completes 875 hours of mediated field experiences or student teaching, always paired with a faculty mentor to guide their development.

To learn more about Rider’s elementary education — STEM studies major, visit rider.edu/elementaryed or contact Dougherty at sdougherty@rider.edu.

Housing Initiatives Holds

“3 by Three Rent Party”

apartments to its transitional housing program over the next three years.

He continued, “The experienced and dedicated administration, faculty, and staff is well prepared for the arrival of our some 700 students at the end of the month, and we are ready to deliver on the promise of the joyful and vigorous experience — in classrooms, on the stage, and on the athletics fields — that is central to Hun’s mission.”

Bronk went on to note that the Hun middle school is celebrating its 50th anniversary this school year with record enrollment and that the upper school is welcoming students from 22 countries and 13 states in September and looking forward to breaking ground next June on a new residence hall with sixty dorm rooms and 12 faculty apartments.

Council members and Mayor Mark Freda were in favor of further work on the plan, but asked some questions and offered suggestions. Councilman David Cohen asked what the criteria would be for selecting public art. “I think that to some extent, modern artists and architects have lost sight of the idea of accessibility, and have gone in a direction of making art off-putting and intentionally difficult to understand. But doing something that’s just popular leaves out a lot of richness.”

Steward said that bad public art exists in many places, and that’s why a committee would be needed to achieve a standard of excellence. “I’m a believer that good public art can be rewarding, challenging, engaging, and beautiful, but it requires real thought and the selection of just the right makers,” he said.

Councilman Leighton Newlin said that with Welch and Steward in charge, he trusts it would be done right. But he added what he called a precautionary note, “Whoever leads this effort has to be very conscious that the conglomeration of what we put out there is going to tell who we are and what we think; that we understand what story it is that we’re telling.”

With the program, MOWMC is able to provide fresh local fruits and vegetables which are disbursed to the volunteers to deliver to homebound seniors. The organization already has the infrastructure in place to make this program work. With this grant, 300 seniors will be provided with a bag of produce at least once a month.

According to MOWMC Interim CEO Beth Englezos, “Fresh fruit and vegetables are so important in a nutritious diet. They are the most requested items from our homebound senior population. Meals on Wheels of Mercer County provides nutritious meals and related services, allowing older adults to remain in their own homes and maintain their independence with dignity.”

“We are pleased to help further valuable initiatives put forth by local organizations who are working every day to strengthen the lives of residents in our communities,” said Samantha Plotino, executive director, The Provident Bank Foundation. “We will continue to provide support to these important organizations that have identified an immediate need in the community and for the individuals they serve.”

Visit mealsonwheelsmercer. org for more information.

New STEM Major Now Offered by Rider Univ.

Rider has participated in a number of efforts to strengthen the field of education. The University partnered with the 100Kin10 initiative that aimed to prepare 100,000 new STEM teachers over a 10-year period. While 100Kin10 hit that goal, the effort continues as Beyond100K, which hopes to end the STEM teacher shortage by 2043. This fall, Rider will also offer a $2,000 annual scholarship for eligible incoming first year and transfer undergraduate education majors to further support the next generation of teachers.

Rider education majors are highly prepared for their future careers with 100 percent of 2021-22 bachelor’s graduates employed

Housing Initiatives of Princeton (HIP) will hold the “3 by Three Rent Party” on Saturday, October 21 at 7 p.m. at The Watershed Institute, 31 Titus Mill Road, Hopewell. Billed as a casual party with a live band, food, and dancing, the “3 by Three” event references HIP’s goal of adding three new

“Rent Parties” first emerged in Harlem during the 1920s as a way of dealing with the increasing cost of living conditions, and with discrimination in housing. The need for community assistance grew after World War I. Millions of African Americans left economic deprivation in the South to pursue the American Dream in northern cities. When rent in these cities proved too costly, friends and neighbors would get together for food, music, and dancing. To gather the necessary funds, the hosts would pass the hat around, or charge a modest admission fee for entry. For more information, visit housinginitiativesof princeton.org.

As the search process continues for the new PHS principal, a search committee of more than 20 stakeholders has been formed, including employees, parents, and Board of Education observers. The district received applications from both internal and external candidates, and all applications have been carefully screened, according to a PPS statement.

“The next phase is to bring the candidates in for in-person interviews with the full search committee,” the statement continued. Interviews will be scheduled in late August, at which time another update will be provided.

Kathie Foster continues to serve as PHS interim principal, as she has since April.

—Donald Gilpin

Freda asked what kind of staff support would be needed, and expressed concern that the committee would be made up only of local experts. “It can’t be just experts in the field,” he said. He also questioned what the figure of 1 percent is based on. “Have we looked at what an anticipated budget would be per year? I’m in favor of the whole idea, I just want to flesh it out.”

Planning Director Justin Lesko said he thinks the idea is worthwhile, and will look at it further. Municipal Administrator Bernie Hvozdovic said he would need to evaluate how much time a designated staff member of the committee would be able to devote.

Council members agreed to tell Steward and Welch to continue advancing the idea. A full description of the plan is available on the agenda from the meeting on princetonnj.gov.

—Anne Levin

This fall, Rider University will offer a new major in elementary education — STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) studies. The major prepares students for certification as elementary and middle school teachers of math and science. In addition to field work at the elementary school level, students in the program will spend one semester in a middle school math or science classroom.

“Through this new major, we hope to make a meaningful impact in the number of STEM teachers, especially those in New Jersey,” said Susan Dougherty, chair of the Department of Teacher Education. “Students in this program will not only have academic preparation in STEM topics, but plenty of real-world experience before starting their professional careers.”

Building a pipeline of qualified teachers, particularly those in the fields, is critical as the U.S. faces a nationwide teacher shortage.

“We anticipate needing greater numbers of educators who are passionate about math, science, technology and engineering, and are well-prepared to teach those subjects into New

Kelley NicholsonFlynn

Bart Bronk

Construction continued from page one

Place, Dickinson and University, and Mercer and Alexander during this time, and parking on University Place and Dickinson Street will be prohibited. Princeton University will be replanting trees along the street at a later date.

Structural work has been completed at the Graduate Hotel, the Engineering Department reports, with the sidewalks on Nassau Street nearly complete and mostly open. The last work area at the corner of Chambers and Nassau is currently under construction, with Chambers Street subject to periodic closures for delivery of materials and for PSE&G to install transformers in

underground vaults for the hotel. Bank Street may also be closed at times while the parking lot behind 12 Nassau Street is repaired and resurfaced.

The Witherspoon Street Improvements Project is continuing with storm sewer and sidewalk construction. Traffic will alternate in one lane through the construction area on Witherspoon between Leigh Avenue and Green Street.

The annual resurfacing program will be starting up again on August 21 with construction of sidewalk curb ramps on Hutchinson Drive and Farrand Road, and in the Spring Street parking garage demolition work is beginning this week with up to 100 spaces unavailable for parking on the

Button Society Hosts Show and Competition

On Saturday September 9,, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the New Jersey State Button Society (NJSBS) will host its Fall Show and Competition, “Button Beginnings – and Black Glass!” at the Union Fire Company and Rescue Squad, 1396 River Road in Titusville.

society. “Button collectors are very generous with their knowledge,” she said. “Buy what you love, do not worry if it’s a good investment – it may or may not be as trends change. But if it makes you happy, smile, your heart race – but hopefully not too much, then that’s the button you want.”

The show is open to the general public. Admission and parking are free. Call (609) 468-2195 or email ButtonsInNewJersey@gmail.com.

Edison Nursing School

Names Associate Dean Lorraine M. Chewey has been appointed associate dean for Undergraduate Programs at the W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing and Health Professions at Thomas Edison State University.

still be in progress on North Harrison Street near Terhune Road, resulting in road closures and detours.

Assistant Municipal Engineer Jim Purcell emphasized the Engineering Department’s commitment to keeping the Princeton public informed of the impact of the numerous ongoing construction projects.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION: The Graduate Hotel at Nassau and Chambers streets, seen under construction in the background here, is just one of a number of construction projects underway in Princeton, many causing road closures, detours, and delays. (Mueller Communications) upper levels of the garage. Also in progress this week is a gas modernization project. Waters & Bugbee, PSE&G’s contractor, is replacing gas mains on Moore Street and Walnut Lane with anticipated completion by Friday, August 18. They will also be working on Boudinot Street and Morven Place. Some roads will be closed and detours will be in place, the Engineering Department notes.

In addition, ongoing underground utility work may

“It’s challenging to coordinate all of the construction,” he said in a press release. “Things change day-to-day depending on weather or availability of materials and personnel. Our staff, particularly Tiffany Smith and Ian Baker, stay in touch with construction managers daily. Still, once in a while construction crews will show up without notifying us, and we jump into action to keep the public notified.”

The Engineering Department encourages the public to sign up for Nixle alerts to receive up-to-date information by email or text about road closures and detours. Visit local.nixle.com/register to set up alerts. Sign up for the Princeton Weekly Newsletter to learn about construction updates at princetonnj.gov/728/Mayor-and-Council-Newsletter.

—Donald Gilpin

Speakers are Annie Fra zier, past president of the National Button Society and the Pennsylvania State But ton Society, where she is also a judging chair; Kelly Dobrinsky; and JoAnn Taylor.

Several members will share their stories of what first sparked their interest in the hobby and turned them into collectors. The show will feature antique black glass buttons specially curated from the extensive collection of Ruth Berry, as well as examples of other prize-winning trays in the black glass category. Those who wish to learn more about their own buttons are invited to bring up to a dozen samplings from their old button boxes or jars. The program will begin at 1 p.m. and at 2 p.m. volunteers will be available to help identify button materials.

An interest in auctions and selling antiques first introduced Frazier to buttons. It was after buying a pizza box full of antique buttons to sell that she began her research to learn more about their value.

“First I sorted through what was left, making two piles — one to keep and one to sell,” she said. “And my keep pile was much bigger than my sell pile. I was smitten. There were quite a few pretty small carved pearl buttons in the pile that intrigued me, and to this day, pearls are still my favorite type of button.”

After several years of selling, Frazier and her husband quit their jobs to do something they loved and became full-time button dealers, working at shows throughout the U.S. Their individual collections have since evolved into separate “his and hers” button rooms.

As for new collectors, Frazier suggests they first join a local club and the state

In her new role, she will work closely with Ruth WittmannPrice, dean of the school, in strategic planning, growth and delivery of academic curricula that bolster the university’s commitment to expanding its undergraduate nursing and health professions programs. Her official start date was July 31.

“Dr. Chewey is a visionary academic leader who has successfully spearheaded and grown nationally recognized nurse certification and health sciences programs,” noted Wittmann-Price. “We look forward to her bringing her expertise in instructional design and program development, expansion, and assessment to her new role at the University.”

Most recently, Chewey served as an associate professor and coordinator of the Graduate School Nurse Certification Program for the Health Sciences and Nursing departments in the College of Professional Studies at New Jersey City University. In this role, she oversaw all aspects of an online graduate program, including course development and alignment of course and programmatic learning outcomes to licensing and nursing accreditation processes.

As a tenured faculty member, Chewey was active in program promotion, marketing, scheduling, and advisement endeavors. She also served on numerous related steering committees, executive boards and professional associations. She has contributed to an array of refereed articles, book chapters, and scholarly manuals in addition to serving as a presenter and panelist at national conferences.

She has been inducted as a fellow in the National Association of School Nurses (FNASN) and the New York Academy of Medicine (FNYAM). She has also received numerous professional honors and awards including a Nursing Education Excellence award from the Teachers College Nursing Education Alumni Association and the Johnson & Johnson School Health Leadership Program’s Outstanding Educator award.

Annie Frazier

Lorraine M. Chewey

“Swap Till You Drop” is Tagline For Sustainable Princeton Event

Sustainable Princeton has two goals in mind for the August 26 “Swap Party” being held at Monument Hall: keeping “gently loved” household items out of the landfill, and encouraging residents from its STAR Neighborhoods program to interact with one another.

The Saturday afternoon event from 2-4 p.m., the first of its kind in Princeton, takes its cue from similar get-togethers held in other towns. Participants must bring at least one item to swap. Categories include home, appliances, landscape equipment, books, games, fitness equipment, and more.

“Becca Goldman, our operational coordinator, had attended parties like this before,” said Lisa Nicolaison, Sustainable Princeton’s project manager. “So it was her idea. We thought it would be an event we could do with our STAR Neighborhoods program, and we’re putting our own little spin on it.”

Through the STAR program, residents of Princeton neighborhoods participate in sustainability projects that strengthen their communities while reducing their carbon footprint, and inspire others to follow suit. Three neighborhoods have taken on the challenge so far.

“This is an opportunity for the different STAR neighborhoods to get together and meet each other,” Nicolaison said. “While they often do things in their own neighborhoods, this brings them together at one event.”

While the STAR neighborhoods are a focus of the event, it is not limited to them. “Yes, the idea was to bring them together,” said

Nicolaison. “But this is also open to the wider community. Anyone can come. And we’re hoping it will encourage people to start their own STAR neighborhoods.”

Ultimately, the event is an opportunity for people to swap out household items that are still in good condition, while reducing waste.

“We already have a number of folks signed up, saying what they’re bringing,” said Nicolaison. “We’ve heard about fitness stuff, a stairstepper, hula hoop, office supplies, kitchenware, and a bread machine. A few folks aren’t sure, but we’ll follow up to give them ideas.”

One caveat: no clothing, shoes, or accessories. “Anything not claimed by the end of the day will be donated or found a new home,” said Nicolaison. “With clothing, it’s just a little more difficult to do.”

Everything to be swapped must be in new or gently used condition. Registration is necessary to ensure enough tables, chairs, and refreshments. Visit sustainableprinceton.org.

The website explains what a swap party has to do with sustainability: “Swapping items gives them a longer life and keeps them out of the landfill,” it reads. “Reusing a previously owned item within our community has virtually zero carbon impact, whereas manufacturing and shipping new items is a massive source of emissions. Meeting and knowing your neighbors helps build community resiliency (which is critical during extreme weather events from climate change).”

—Anne Levin

New Baby Boutique For NICU Parents

The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick, a member of Saint Peter’s Healthcare System, has opened the Bless U Baby Boutique, a shop stocked with donated items and gifts for parents of babies who have been admitted to the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). In partnership with Saint Peter’s Foundation, the shop, located across from the NICU, is filled with new toys, books, outfits, hats, blankets, and personal care items. All the items are given to parents free of charge.

The idea for the boutique came from by Dolly Allen, director of Adult Emergency Services at Saint Peter’s University Hospital, while she was in her previous role as nurse manager of the hospital’s NICU.

“I have seen that the parents of unwell or premature babies often get cheated out of the best part of being new parents. They sometimes don’t have the opportunity to have baby showers, and holding their babies is sometimes delayed because of illness,” said Allen. “The Bless U Baby Boutique offers a first-in-class experience for NICU parents and siblings, providing a sense of normalcy during a very challenging time. Families with a baby in the NICU are often caught off guard by their baby’s early arrival. This has left them little to no time to shop for those essential items needed to care for their baby at home.”

In addition to the donated item parents can select, they can also choose a pair of booties or mittens. Every family is also given a set of rosary beads. Through the boutique, parents who have other children at home can shop for a toy to bring home to the baby’s sibling, helping them realize their importance in their growing family.

To make a monetary donation in support of the NICU or the Bless U Baby Boutique, visit saintpetershcs. com/DonateNICU.

Tavern Night Returns to Old Barracks Museum

On Friday, September 8 at 7 p.m., the Old Barracks will host Tavern Night, offering hors d’oeuvres and an open beer and wine bar in the atmosphere of a recreated 18th century tavern.

Participants can play games and learn dance steps to the most popular songs with ladies and gentlemen from the period as well as modern guests. The fundraiser supports educational initiatives for thousands of New Jersey students through such programs as “Meet the Past” field trips, virtual tours, Saturday living history programming, and more.

As a touchstone for Colonial and revolutionary history in New Jersey, the Old Barracks Museum brings the world of Colonial America to life through interpretive programs, exhibits, and preservation so that visitors can appreciate New Jersey’s history, the diverse people who made it, and why it matters.

Tickets are $70 ($60 for members). They must be purchased at barracks.org/ tavern-night.html. No one under age 21 is admitted.

Fall Programming Set For Morven Museum

Morven’s fall programming begins on Saturday, September 9 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. with Afternoon Tea Service with The Secret Tea Room overlooking Morven’s historic gardens. This program is for adults and children ages 13 and up. Seatings are 90 minutes each and limited to 20 people. Pre-registration is required. Tickets are $80 general admission and $75 for Morven members. A 10 percent gratuity for the server is included in tea pricing.

On Sunday, September 10 at 2 p.m., Love Your Leaves will be presented by Morven and Sustainable Princeton. This free interactive workshop is focused on managing fall yard cleanup in a

sustainable way. The afternoon will include a hybrid talk with Morven Horticulturist and Master Gardener Louise Senior on how to use piles of leaves to care for yards and gardens this fall, a Leaf Corral DIY Workshop with Sustainable Princeton, leaf-inspired crafts for the whole family, and a raffle to win an all-electric leaf blower/vacuum.

Offered weekly from Friday, September 15 through Friday, October 6, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., is a workshop on creating an artist journal based on Morven’s garden with the Arts Council of Princeton. Participants will learn how to use three different mediums in drawing and developing a collection of sketches, paintings, and collages. This class will be led by American artist and author Dressler Smith. Tickets are $235 general admission and $195 for Arts Council of Princeton members. Morven members can email Greer Luce, curator of education and public programs, at gluce@morven.org if interested in registering with the member discount.

On Sunday, September 17 at 2p.m., Morven docent and educator Joseph Wroblewski leads “Annis Boudinot Stockton: The Poet and the General,” an illustrated talk exploring Stockton’s background, how she achieved prominence as one of America’s leading poets, her patriotism, and the interactions she, the poet, had with George Washington, the general. Before the talk at 12:30 p.m., there will be an optional tour of Morven’s first floor exhibition with Wroblewski. The talk is

offered in-person only in the museum’s Stockton Education Center. Tickets are $5 general admission and free for Morven members and members of the Washington Crossing American Revolution Round Table.

On Wednesday, September 20 at 6:30 p.m., “Keeping Time: New Jersey Musical Clocks,” is an evening featuring the popular music of 18th and 19th century New Jersey tall case clocks seen in Morven’s newest exhibition, “Striking Beauty: New Jersey Tall Case Clocks, 1730–1830.” The Practitioners of Musick explore the history and design of these musical timepieces accompanied by members of the vocal ensemble Mostly Motets performing the melodies discussed. Tickets are $35 general admission, $25 for Morven members and students. Tickets include a visit to the exhibition prior to the program. Light refreshments will be provided. For more information, visit morven.org.

Removing “Settled in 1683” from Welcome Signs is a Form of Education Suppression

To the Editor:

I would like to express my outrage over the words “Settled in 1683” being removed from the “Welcome to Princeton” signs. There are new policies worth adding to the town government’s administration and there are current policies worth changing or removing from the town government’s administration. “Settled in 1683” is, without a doubt, not one of them.

Most of us, no doubt, would not have any idea this happened recently unless we read news articles. I catch changes on signs (speed limits) or weird signs that my friends don’t notice.

Then why should I care one iota about the phrase, “Settled in 1683”? How weird to raise that question. Those signs are meant to mark historical milestones. The original settlers were just that: original settlers. I don’t care if they were Lenni Lenape or any other tribe. I believe that the removal of the notation of the milestone is a form of education suppression. The state of Florida is feeling the effect of education suppression.

The town of Princeton wants to suppress education to bring memory back to a time that can never exist again.

Culturally speaking, we have moved on from the Renaissance. There have been the Industrial Revolution, and our revolutions for freedom, civil rights, equal rights for voting and equal pay, and sexual identity.

Let us practice the creed of Ethical Culture and Baha’i: the oneness of humanity. Let us put the lyrics of Kenny Chesney (“Get Along”) and the Zac Brown Band (“We’re All in the Same Boat”) into effect not just today, but every day. Let us learn about the first occupants of New Jersey, but not to suppress the European settlement of towns, a mere 340 years ago.

DAN RAPPOPORT Copperwood

Community Should Educate Themselves About Dinky Plans and Make Views Known

To the Editor:

As a young adult who is about to embark on college, careers, and more, the state of our environment worries me and I constantly look for policies that can support a more eco-friendly future. Public transportation in our towns and cities is a huge part of this as they lessen emissions while providing access to numerous people. That is why I am glad to see that NJ Transit has plans to revitalize the Dinky and could be including buses in that equation.

They are currently considering two plans. One that replaces the old Dinky cars with electric trains that run on 30 minute timetables. This is their Alternative 4 plan. The other plan, Alternative 1, is one where the Dinky cars are replaced with electric light rail, electric buses that can get people to and from the different stations, and there is a possibility of bike and pedestrian lanes alongside the corridor. The trains would also be running on a 15-30 minute schedule and the buses would be running on a 10-15 minute schedule. These plans could potentially be extremely valuable to our community by reducing car usage and increasing accessibility from West Windsor to Princeton, which could in turn boost commerce.

However, instead of truly funding the upgrade of the Dinky and ensuring car-free and accessible alternatives, NJ Transit has largely done nothing. This is a crucial moment for action and I call on the people in Princeton to

educate themselves about these plans (at njtransit.com/ princetontransitway) and make their views known. We must understand what the future of the Dinky could and should be, and advocate for it.

THARA ELLSWORTH Glenview Drive

The writer will be soon attending George Washington University and is a participant in Leaders Across the World (leadersacrosstheworld.org).

Ranked Choice Voting Would Provide More Choice for New Jersey Voters

To the Editor:

Why should Princeton want to use Ranked Choice Voting? Our District 16 Senator, Andrew Zwicker, believes that Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is an election reform that would provide more choice for New Jersey voters. He is one of the primary sponsors of the Municipal and School Board Voting Options Act, S3369.

This bill will provide municipalities with the legal power to implement RCV in local (municipal and School Board) elections anywhere in New Jersey if the municipality’s residents vote to do so. I have spoken with Princeton voters who suggest that RCV is unnecessary in Princeton because we so often have minimal competition among our candidates. This is, unfortunately, true. An added advantage of RCV is that it is likely to attract more candidates for office, giving us more choice, when potential candidates see that RCV is likely to give them a better chance to be elected.

Fortunately, in our upcoming School Board election we have five candidates for three seats. I find myself wishing that we could use RCV because I, and others I’ve spoken to, would not feel the need to do strategic voting which basically limits who we vote for. But wishing does not make it so. To have the choice of using RCV, we need to urge our legislators to pass S3369 (and A5039).

Learn more about RCV in New Jersey at Voterchoicenj. org and if you decide that having the choice to use RCV in NJ would provide the election reform we need, take action.

SUSAN COLBY

RepresentUs New Jersey Chapter Bunn Drive

Letters to the Editor Policy

Town Topics welcomes letters to the Editor, preferably on subjects related to Princeton. Letters must have a valid street address (only the street name will be printed with the writer’s name). Priority will be given to letters that are received for publication no later than Monday noon for publication in that week’s Wednesday edition. Letters must be no longer than 500 words and have no more than four signatures.

All letters are subject to editing and to available space.

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

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

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

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

Books

Cookbook Author Offers Taste Of Dining in the Gilded Age

Food writer, librarian, and historian Becky Libourel Diamond will speak about dining in the Gilded Age at the Princeton Public Library Community Room on Thursday, September 7, at 7 p.m., and will sign copies of The Gilded Age Cookbook: Recipes and Stories from America’s Golden Era.

The extravagance and excessiveness of the American Gilded Age (1868 to 1900) is of interest to food lovers, and has ties to modern popular culture through books, films, and television shows such as Julian Fellowes’ TV series Gilded Age on HBO.

The Gilded Age Cookbook (Globe Pequot $34.95) transports the reader back in time to lavish banquet tables set with white linen tablecloths, delicate china, and sparkling crystal glasses. Cuisine featuring rich soups, juicy roasts, and luscious desserts come to life through historic images and artistic photography. Gilded Age details and entertaining stories of celebrities from the era — the

Vanderbilts, Astors, Goelets, and Rockefellers — are melded with historic menus and recipes updated for modern kitchens.

Diamond combines writing and research as a food writer, librarian, and historian. Her previous book, The Thousand Dollar Dinner, tells the story of a 19th-century Top Chefstyle competition between Philadelphia restauranteur James Parkinson and the Delmonico family of New York — a luxurious 17-course feast that helped launch fine restaurant dining in America as we know it today. She is also the author of Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America’s Cooking School , about a successful 19th-century pastry chef who also ran an innovative cooking school for young women — a Philadelphia first.

For more information, visit princetonlibrary.libnet.info/ event/8939760. The Community Room is wheelchairaccessible with an available assistive listening system.

VOTE NOW FOR YO u R FAVORITES !

What’s your favorite area restaurant? Do you have a landscaper that you love? Town Topics Newspaper is happy to announce that its 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards is now open for VOTING FOR THE B EST:

DINING

Al Fresco

Appetizers

Bagel

Bakery Bar

Burger

Breakfast Sandwich

Caterer

Cheese

Chocolatier

Deli

Farmers Market

Gluten-Free Option

Happy Hour

Ice Cream

Italian Restaurant

Lunch Break

Mexican Restaurant

Pizza

Plant-Based Dish

Seafood Restaurant

Soup

Sushi

Takeout Meals

Vegetarian Restaurant

Wings

FITNESS

Gym

HIIT Class

Physical Therapist

Pilates

Spin Class

Trainer

Yoga

Zumba

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Acupuncture

Barber Shop

Chiropractor

Cosmetic Dentistry

Dentist/Prosthodontist

Dermatologist

ENT

Hair Salon

Hair Color/Highlight Stylist Hospital

Massage

Med Spa/Botox

Nail Salon

Ob/Gyn

Optometrist/Ophthalmologist

Orthodontist

Orthopedist

Pharmacy

Plastic Surgeon

Podiatrist

Spa

Senior Care

Speciality Medicine

HOME & REAL ESTATE

Architect

Electrician

Furniture Store

Granite & Marble Store

Home Stager

HVAC

Interior Designer

Kitchen/Bath Designer

Landscape Designer

Nursery/Garden Center

Organic Lawn Care

Outdoor Furnishing Store

Painter

Plumber

Pool Services

Realtor

Roofing

Senior Living

Tree Service

KIDS

After-School Program

Camp

Child Care/Preschool

Children’s Gym

Children’s Dance Lessons

Children’s Martial Arts

Children’s Party Place

Children’s Photographer

Children’s Swim Lessons

Kid-Friendly Restaurant

Pediatrician

Toy Store

Tutoring

RETAIL

Antique Shop

Florist

Bike Shop

Men’s Shop

Pet Supply

Shoe Store

Speciality/Gift Store

Women’s Boutique

SERVICES

Accountant

Animal Boarding/Daycare

Attorney-Lawyer

Auto Detailing

Auto Shop/Mechanic

Car Service/Limo

Cleaners

Financial Advisor/Planner

Grocery Store

Pet Groomer

Pet Sitter/Dog Walker

Pet Training

Veterinarian

MISC.

Adult Classes

Arts Festival

Group Outing

Hidden Gem

Live Music Venue

New Business

Night Out

Summer Day Trip

DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES IS S E p TEM b ER 13

The winners will be announced in the October 4 and 11 editions of Town Topics Newspaper. Don’t miss your chance to vote for your favorite businesses or services!

The Readers’ Choice Awards is open for online voting now at towntopics.com, or mail to 4438 Route 27, P.O. Box 125, Kingston, NJ 08528. NO PHOTOCOPIES ACCEPTED. Must be on original newsprint.

Do you have a suggestion for Town Topics or Princeton Magazine? Submit your response here:

Would you like to sign up for a one-time reader survey? Y/N

If yes, submit your email address here:

BOOK REVIEW

Franz

You can no longer trust what you are watching.

—Andy Martino, from Cheated

Bring Franz Kafka into a discussion of sign stealing in baseball and the game’s over, all bets are off. Put the Student of Prague on the metaphorical mound with his killer stuff, and it’s pointless to talk about the morality of an elaborate cheating system like the one infamously employed by the Houston Astros in their 2017 championship season.

The author of the novel-length slow curve called The Castle is here because I neglected his 140th birthday on July 3 to write about the late Cormac McCarthy. After a brief appearance on the same stage with J. Robert Oppenheimer later that month (“Quantum Kafka”), he was here in spirit last week with his devoted fan David Lynch. I’m speaking now as a fan myself, living through the summer of my discontent with the St. Louis Cardinals. This is a team that’s won the National League’s Central Division 11 times since the year 2000, along with three pennants and two World Championships. In 2021 the won-lost record was 91-71, last year it was 93-69. As I write, the numbers are 53-66 and the Cards are in last place, 12 games out. Something is definitely wrong with this picture. And it’s got nothing to do with cheating, stolen signals, or the Georgia indictments. It’s because a front office playing fantasy baseball bet $87 million on a be-careful-what-you-wishfor All-Star catcher without taking into account problems that drastically disoriented and demoralized the pitching staff.

Possibilities Do Exist

From Franz Kafka’s diary, July 21, 1913: “Don’t despair, not even over the fact that you don’t despair. Just when everything seems over with, new forces come marching up, and precisely that means you are alive. And if they don’t then everything is over with here, once and for all.”

Nothing’s over with as long as I can flip ahead to February 26, 1922, an entry I’ve turned to so often that this portion of the Diaries (pages 223-343) has become detached from the body of my bedside copy. Written two years before Kafka’s death, the passage begins “possibilities exist in me, possibilities close at hand that I don’t yet know of “ and ends “This signifies a great many things: that possibilities do exist; it even signifies that a scoundrel can become an honest man, a man happy in his honesty.”

Crisis of Faith

I find a hint of what happened to the 2023 Cardinals in Andy Martino’s introduction to Cheated : The Inside Story of the Astros Scandal and a Colorful History of Sign Stealing (Doubleday 2021): “When fans learned of the Astros’ misdeeds, it led to a crisis of faith in the

Kafka and the Subterranean Redbird Blues

legitimacy of baseball itself. Once the competition isn’t happening on the field of play, but in a tunnel or computer monitor out of sight, the air goes out of the fan experience. You can no longer trust what you are watching.”

That last sentence resonates, whether you’re talking about cheating on the grand MAGA scale or in the use of a mechanical device to steal a catcher’s signs or the consequences of a catastrophic move by the Cardinal front office. Back when “cheater” was a playground term and the absolute worst thing you could call anybody, the owners had already violated my 12-yearold trust by merely discussing the possibility of trading away my idol Stan Musial. I should admit that over the years the front office rebuilt my faith with a procession of great players from Bob Gibson to Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina, both of whom retired last season.

Who’s Catching Kafka?

There’s the rub. If you’re going to play games of metaphorical make-believe, you have to ask yourself who but Kafka could catch Kafka? What would the prose equivalent of his most unhittable pitch look like?

If he threw you the first sentence of The Metamorphoses , could you catch it, hold it, pound your imaginary mitt and throw it back? Fortunately for future generations of readers, Franz had a catcher for the ages in his best friend Max Brod, who ignored his final, burn-everything call and saved his unpublished work, including the irreplaceable diaries, wherein he fires this high hard one on his “repugnance” for antitheses, from November 20, 1911:

“They are unexpected, but do not surprise, for they have always been there; if they were unconscious, it was at the very edge of consciousness. They make for thoroughness, fullness, completeness, but only like a figure on the ‘wheel of life,’ we have chased our little idea around the circle. They are as undifferentiated as they are different, they grow under one’s hand as though bloated by water, beginning with the prospect of infinity, they always

end up in the same medium size. They curl up, cannot be straightened out, are mere clues, are holes in wood, are immobile assaults, draw antitheses to themselves, as I have shown. If they would only draw all of them, and forever.”

Try putting your bat on that one. As a catcher, try keeping your eye on it as it zigs and zags toward you like the mother of all knuckleballs. As a reader, give your full attention to words that would have been lost had Brod obeyed the author’s dying wish. Is there any doubt that this convoluted passage was worth catching and saving and translating into English? Back in the real world of baseball, even pitchers who can call their own game need someone behind the plate they can trust, someone so attuned to their moods that it makes no difference whether the language is German or Czech or pidgin English, or Spanish, the first language of Yadier Molina.

A Dream Deal

Like most other Cardinals fans, I was delighted when the Cubs’ Willson Contreras signed a five-year contract with St. Louis last December. What a coup! Almost before you can mourn the loss of Molina, you’re landing an AllStar catcher, a proven slugger who has hit 20plus home runs each of the past four years. And what a thrill for Contreras, to step into the shoes of his hero, the Hall of Famebound Molina. A clutch hitter with power and a powerful arm who led all catchers in picking off baserunners, Molina was above all an inspired and inspirational handler of pitchers. Even as baseball statistics have become like coinage priced to put a value on seemingly every aspect of performance, I have yet to see a number that measures Molina’s greatness. Thirty-four games into the 2023 season the Cardinals were already in trouble, with a 10-24 record, the worst in the National League, plus they were enduring an eightgame losing streak. The pitching staff, ordinarily rated near the top, was 21st out of 25 in Major League baseball. Because Cardinal pitchers were uncomfortable

pitching to Contreras, he was forthwith diplomatically relieved of his catching duties to be used as a designated hitter or in the outfield. In effect, the owners had offered a fat, five-year contract to an individual whose story they had wishfully misread. Still, there’s every reason to hope that so gifted and exciting a player will make the necessary adjustments in time to lead the 2024 Cardinals back to the playoffs.

Coming to Amerika

It may be that the closest Kafka ever came to playing baseball was around 1912 when he was working on the unfinished novel that was eventually published as Amerika (New Directions 1946), a title chosen by Max Brod. In his preface, Klaus Mann suggests that while Kafka’s description of American life is “quite inaccurate,” the “picture as a whole has poetical truth.” To friends questioning his knowledge of America, he would say “I know the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, and I always admired Walt Whitman, and I like the Americans because they are healthy and optimistic.”

According to Brod’s afterword, Kafka “worked at the novel with unending delight, mostly in the evening and late into the night.” He was especially fond of the concluding chapter, “The Nature Theatre of Oklahoma,” which he used to read aloud to friends “with great effect.”

Brod recalls that the work was meant to “end on a note of reconciliation,” and that Kafka “used to hint smilingly, that within this ‘almost limitless’ theatre his young hero was going to find a profession, a stand-by, his freedom, even his old home and his parents, as if by some celestial witchery.”

“The Strikeout Artist”

At first I thought I was seeing things. I’d been fantasizing Kafka as a pitcher and here for sale on Amazon was The Strikeout Artist (BlazeVox 2022), a novel by Joseph Bates with a flatteringly tweaked cover image of Kafka as a ballplayer. According to the preview, the narrator is Jerome “Stile” Jergens, “lifelong backstop of the New York Knight Errants,” the year is 1912, and his team is in the middle of a 61 game losing streak. The Knight Errants are part of a “Wild West ... traveling variety show” that seems to have elements in common with Kafka’s “Nature Theatre of Oklahoma.” Described as “a pallid, gangly youth from Prague,” Kafka speaks “immigrant’s English,” telling everyone he meets, “I am from the Kingdom of Bohemia. I am drafted here as a pitcher, though I am in fact a writer. I do not understand what I am doing here.” Carrying a briefcase full of papers “from bullpen to bullpen,” he was working on the novel that became Amerika —Stuart Mitchner

Performing Arts

this season, along with classical and contemporary

American Repertory Ballet

Announces 2023/2024 Season

American Repertory Ballet (ARB) has designed its 20232024 season to expand the company’s artistic boundaries and introduce new dance and music. The company opens with performances at New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC) October 13-15.

“ARB’s artists and programming together create exceptional experiences unlike the repertoire that others are presenting. We do this not simply to be different, but because this is how we as an organization believe that we can contribute to our communities and beyond, as well as towards the broader context of the art form,” said Stiefel. “We’ve placed an emphasis on showcasing new work and a dynamic range of talent while also exhibiting a true commitment to advancing classical ballet. Our 2023-2024 season will continue to further and freshly evolve both ourselves and our art.”

Elevate , a program of three new-fashioned ballet and contemporary works, opens the season at NBPAC. Included are a new creation by dance influencer and artist Stephanie Martinez; a world premiere by Philadelphia-based choreographer Meredith Rainey, featuring new music commissioned by Miranda Scripp; and the return of Stiefel’s Wood Work, set to modern renditions of Nordic folk tunes by the Danish String Quartet.

The Nutcracker is scheduled for performances at McCarter Theatre November 24-26, Two River Theatre in Red Bank December 1-3, Patriots Theater at the War Memorial in Trenton December 9, and State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick December 15-17. Excerpts from Swan Lake Act II and Sleeping Beauty Act III are on the

program at NBPAC, March 8-10, and the return of Stiefel’s one-act A Midsummer Night’s Dream is May 10-12, 2024 at the NBPAC.

Tickets go on sale August 21, 2023 at arballet.org.

Over 20 Choreographers At River Dance Festival Roxey Ballet will host the second annual River Dance Festival on August 18-20 at Mill Ballet in New Hope, Pa., featuring more than 20 choreographers and 80 dancers from across the nation.

The mission of the festival is to give artists a platform to present their work showcasing a variety of talent featuring BIPOC artists and select works based on social justice.

“I’m delighted to be able to offer this opportunity to both choreographers and the viewing public, said Artistic Director Mark Roxey. “A festival of this scale is a unique experience, with three days of performances featuring over 20 choreographers. We are thrilled to welcome these talented artists to our Delaware River towns to share their voices through dance on topics of racial equality, social justice, and cultural diversity.”

Featured choreographers and dancers include Seyong Kim, an associate professor of dance at Western Michigan University and a former Roxey Ballet Company member; Grace Marguerite Sellinger, who is interested in exploring the challenging parts of daily life through the choreographic process; and Lisa Botalico, who will be accompanied by visual artist Libby Ramage and a group of dancers.

Students from the Mill Ballet School’s three-week choreographic workshop will also be performing new choreography created specifically for the festival. Mill Ballet is located at 46 North Sugan Road in New Hope, Pa. Visit roxeyballet.org for tickets.

Varied Season Planned

For Capital Philharmonic

Six main events and four Musician’s Choice Chamber Music events have been announced by the Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey in celebration of the orchestra’s 10th season. Performances take place at Patriots Theatre at the War Memorial, Mill Hill Playhouse, the Roebling Machine Shop, and other locations in and around Trenton.

Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition with piano soloist Maja Rajkovic is at the War Memorial on October 21. Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat follows on December 2 at Mill Hill Playhouse.

On New Year’s Eve, the orchestra performs Richard Strauss’s Don Juan, a world premiere by John Dickson, and music by George Gershwin and Richard Rodgers, at the War Memorial.

On March 16, Stravinsky’s Petrushka is on the program, along with Seven O’Clock Shout by Valerie Coleman and Philip Glass’ Violin Concerto No. 1, at the War Memorial. The season continues April 4 with George Antheil’s Ballet Mecanique , at the Roebling Machine Shop. Other pieces on the program are by the orchestra’s Music Director Daniel Spalding, John Cage, Lou Harrison, and J.S. Bach. The final program of the season on May 12 is a special Mother’s Day concert at Patriots Theatre, featuring Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf and other works.

Chamber concerts are “From Handel to Habanera” on September 24 at Mill Hill Playhouse, “Harp Fortepiano and Strings” on November 5 at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, “Brass Quartet: Bach to Broadway and Beyond” on January 28 at St. Mary’s Byzantine Catholic Church, and “String and Piano: Schubert’s Trout Quintet” on April 28 at the 1867 Sanctuary in Ewing. Visit capitalphilharmonic. org for ticket information and details.

Classes are designed for all ages to build confidence, artistry, discipline, and foster students’ love of dance. Our world class faculty is dedicated to helping each student reach their full potential, with spacious studios, new state-of-the-art dance floors, and live music. The perfect environment to learn and grow!

A FRESH MIX: Ethan Stiefel’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” returns to American Repertory Ballet

works by several choreographers.

BANKS JENNIFER KOH WESTMINSTER SYMPHONIC CHOIR

“EVERYTHING’S FINE”: Artist Gwenn Seemel will discuss her work on Wednesday, August 16 at 7 p.m. in the Newsroom at Princeton Public Library. Her exhibit, “Everything’s Fine: Surreal Paintings About Mental Health,” is on view through October 15 in the library’s Reading Room.

Gwenn Seemel Artist Talk

At Princeton Public Library

Artist Gwenn Seemel, whose exhibit, “Everything’s Fine: Surreal Paintings About Mental Health,” is on view at Princeton Public Library, discusses her work on Wednesday, August 16 at 7 p.m. in the Newsroom.

artist

Thursday,

“The collection is called ‘Everything’s Fine’ because I want to make it clear that I know everything’s not,” Seemel said in her artist’s statement. “There’s the virus, whose long-term impact is still to be determined, as well as the ever scarier threats of global warming

and the daily trauma of systemic racism, misogyny, gun violence, and the unrelenting political divide. Amidst these pressures, I don’t want anyone to think they’re the only one struggling with anxiety or depression.”

Presented in partnership with the Mayors Wellness

Campaign community health initiative, the exhibit will be on view through October 15 in the Reading Room.

The Princeton Public Library is located at 50 Witherspoon Street. For more information, visit princetonlibrary.org.

Hopewell Harvest Fair Names Cover

Art Winner

The board of trustees of the Hopewell Harvest Fair has announced the winner of the annual Cover Art Contest. Nora Elliott, a rising 8th grader at Timberlane Middle School, submitted her watercolor painting which truly captures the spirit of the fair. Her work will be featured on the Hopewell Harvest Fair Almanac, which will be available locally in late August.

The Harvest Fair returns again to the grounds of Hopewell Elementary School on Saturday, September 23 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. It’s a local tradition, attracting fairgoers from all over the area to enjoy a day of oldfashioned fun, while raising funds for local nonprofits.

Lead Sponsors of the 2023 Hopewell Harvest Fair are Morehouse Engineering and Lakeland Bank. Sapphire Amusement sponsors include Capital Health, BeiGene USA, Hopewell Boro Auto Repair, Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart, TechNeed, and Union Line Garage.

The committee is bringing back the Harvest Moon Concert, a free live music event the night before the fair to kick off the celebration. This year’s Friday, September 22 event will be at Hopewell Borough’s Gazebo Park from 6-8 p.m., featur-

COVER ART WINNER: This watercolor by Nora Elliott, a rising 8th grader at Timberlane Middle School, will be featured on this year’s Hopewell Harvest Fair Almanac. The fair is on September 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the grounds of Hopewell Elementary School.

ing local band Castle Lane, and there will be food available for sale provided by the Hopewell Fire Department. This event is sponsored by the Morehouse Family honoring the Hopewell Fire Department and EMU.

The fair bolsters community spirit during the event as well as throughout the year, by providing scholarships for local students and

grants for nonprofit organizations. The Hopewell Harvest Fair Community Grant Program has dispersed more than $225,000 to local nonprofits including Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, local school PTOs, HomeFront, Womanspace, and many others. For more information about the fair, visit hopewellharvestfair.org or email i nfo@ hopewellharvestfair.org.

In paintings, sculptures, and works on paper, the artist Victor Ekpuk creates a visual language that celebrates the syncretism of multicultural societies and comments on contemporary issues. Join

design by Orvana

design by Orvana art by Robin Resch

Annual Points of View Art Show and Sale

The Ninth Annual Points of View Art Show and Sale, featuring five local artists, will be presented Thursday, August 24 through Monday, August 28. This year, the show will be located at The Saw Mill building on the grounds of the Prallsville Mill complex, located at 33 Risler Street in Stockton. Showcasing their art will be Jeanne Chesterton, Ilene Rubin, Sandy Askey-Adams, Susan Gilli, and Christine Seo. All the art is for sale.

The show opens on August 24 from 12-5 p.m. and continues through August 28 from 12-5 p.m. There will be a reception on Friday, August 25 from 5-8 p.m. Chesterton and Rubin have been creating the Points of View Art Show together in the Bucks County, Pa., area since 2014. All of this year’s award-winning artists bring a unique voice and interpretation to the visual art community. At the same time each individual offers an impressive body of work. There is something for everyone with little to no overlap of style or range.

For more information, email JeanneChesterton@ gmail.com or Ilene@ IleneRubin.com.

Liu Shiming Sculpture Exhibit at Rutgers’ Mason Gross Galleries

Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University has announced a retrospective exhibition of the renowned modern Chinese sculptor Liu Shiming, whose body of work engages the past and present, the epic, the mythological, and the everyday. The exhibition, “Liu Shiming: Life Gives Beauty Form,” features more than 80 sculptures made over Shiming’s 60-year career, including 27 works that are being exhibited for the first time in the United States.

The exhibition also features 12 drawings that illuminate Shiming’s approach to close observational study of the human form and everyday life. The retrospective will run through September 22, with a public reception on September 6 from 5 to 8 p.m.

As part of the public celebration on September 6, the Department of Art and Design is hosting a panel discussion from 5:30 to 7 p.m. examining Shiming’s work and legacy. Panelists include Rutgers University faculty Tamara Sears, associate professor of art history, School of Arts and Sciences; John Yau, poet and professor of critical studies in the Department of Art and Design; and Xiaojue Wang, associate professor, Chinese Literature, School of Arts and Sciences.

Shiming (1926–2010) was one of China’s first modern

sculptors, embracing a range of styles and approaches that expressed the dynamic traditions and philosophies of and through a changing country and world.

Shiming eventually decided to leave Beijing, where he had established his career, to move to the Henan countryside. During his time working there, he became deeply engaged with the lives of many of the rural farmers and villagers that he came to know, which inspired an appreciation for the experiences and forms of ordinary life and people that would become a central theme in his work throughout the remainder of his career.

Shiming later returned to Beijing to work at The National Museum of China, where he created replicas of historical Chinese artworks and artifacts. During this time, Shiming developed an appreciation of classical Chinese methods of sculpture that went on to inform his practice. Shiming sought to reinvent these techniques through a uniquely modernist lens, both in subject matter and approach.

“We are especially privileged to be part of this new partnership with the Liu Shiming Art Foundation, and to play host to a significant retrospective exhibition of Liu Shiming’s groundbreaking work,” said Sears. “As a major artist and educator,

Liu Shiming’s explorations of both European and Chinese sculptural languages, his engagement with both urban and rural folk traditions, and his deep sensitivity to the efforts and achievements of everyday laborers had a formative influence on the direction of artistic practice in the decades following the Chinese Revolution. We are excited by the opportunity to inspire a new generation of global artists and art historians through an immersion in his sculptural visions and an engagement with his role in capturing history.”

The works on view, many of which are seen for the first time outside of China, showcase a unique vision of sculpture at once highly specific to the cultural and artistic contexts in which they were made, while still informed by the historical traditions and practices that preceded them. Both humble and majestic, Shiming’s work continues to offer resonant and expansive forms for contemplation, connection, and identification.

For children, families, and would-be sculptors of all ages, an interactive clay room is set up inside the galleries where guests can try their own hand at sculpting in Shiming’s flexible, intuitive style.

Mason Gross Galleries are at 33 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick. The galleries’ summer hours (through September 2) are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free and open to the public. For more information, visit masongross.rutgers.edu.

Area Exhibits

Art@Bainbridge, 158 Nassau Street, has “Victor Ekpuk: Language and Lineage” through October 8. artmuseum.princeton.edu.

Artists’ Gallery, 18 Bridge Street, Lambertville, has “The Stories We Tell” through September 3. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. lambertvillearts.com.

Art on Hulfish, 11 Hulfish Street, has “Art About Art: Contemporary Photographers Look at Old Master Paintings” August 19 through November 5. artmuseum.princeton.edu.

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

Gourgaud Gallery, 23-A North Main Street, Cranbury, has “Nature Revisited” through August 31. cranburyartscouncil.org.

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

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

Michener Art Museum, 138 South Pine Street, Doylestown, Pa., has “Alan Goldstein: Elemental” through September 4 and “Sarah Kaizar: Rare Air” through November 5. michenerartmuseum.org

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

Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, has “Everything’s Fine: Surreal Paintings About Mental Health” through October 15 in the second floor Reading Room. An Art Talk by Gwenn Seemel is on August 16 at 7 p.m. princeton library.org.

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

Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street, has art by Jahnavi Zondervan through September 5. Works by Nicky Belletier are at the 254 Nassau Street location through September 5. smallworldcoffee.com.

Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie, Cadwalader Park, Trenton, has “Ellarslie Open 40” through September 30. ellarslie.org.

West Windsor Arts Center, 952 Alexander Road, West Windsor, has “Jump into Pictures” through August 26. westwindsorarts.org.

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“MUMS IN THE MIDST”: This work by Jeanne Chesterton is part of the Ninth Annual Points of View Art Show and Sale, on view August 24-28 at The Saw Mill building on the grounds of the Prallsville Mill in Stockton.

“VIEW FROM THE TERRACE”: This oil painting by Ilene Rubin is featured in the Ninth Annual Points of View Art Show and Sale, running August 24-28 at the Saw Mill building on the grounds of the Prallsville Mill in Stockton. A reception is on Friday, August 25 from 5-8 p.m.

“NEZHA”: Works by modern Chinese sculptor Liu Shiming are on view at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University in New Brunswick through September 22. A reception is on September 6 from 5 to 8 p.m.

Get the scoop from

Mark Your Calendar TOWN TOPICS

Wednesday, August 16

9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.: Meet the Human Services Department, in the lobby at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

4:30 p.m.: Brownie Girl Scout Dance Workshop at Morven , 55 Stockton Street. Sue Dupre, a caller with Princeton Country Dancers, teaches popular dances from the 18th and 19th centuries, and participants make up their own dances. Morven.org .

6 p.m.: Trenton Night: Instant Funk and Grace Little Band , at Mercer County Park festival grounds, West Windsor. Mercercountyorg/parks.

7 p.m.: Art Talk by Gwenn Seemel , whose exhibit is on view in the Reading Room at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Discussion and reception. Princetonlibrary.org.

7-8 p.m.: Meeting of the League of Women Voters of the Greater Princeton Area, at West Windsor Library, 333 North Post Road, Princeton Junction. Lwvprinceton.org.

Thursday, August 17

10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Princeton Farmers’ Market is at Hinds Plaza. Organic

produce, pasture-raised meat and eggs, bread, empanadas, pickles, flowers, and more.

SNAP/EBT accepted on eligible purchases. Free parking for one hour in Spring Street Garage. Princetonfarmersmarket.com.

12 p.m.: “Our Voices.” Teens who are native Spanish speakers and don’t speak or have limited English are invited to learn more about library services, meet friends, and participate in activities at Princeton Public Library’s Community Room, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

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

6:30 p.m.:

Verse, storytelling and poetic open mic at Pettoranello Gardens, nity Park North. Outdoor summer series. The theme is “Blessings in Disguise.” Those wishing to participate should arrive at p.m. Free. Artscouncilofprinceton.org.

8 p.m.: “Brit Floyd: 50 Years of Dark Side,” the State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. 39-$179. STNJ.org.

Friday, August 18

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

7 p.m.: Roxey Ballet presents 2nd Annual River Dance Festival at Mill Ballet, 46 North Sugan Road, New Hope, Pa. Works by more than 20 choreographers. Roxeyballet.org.

Saturday, August 19

9 a.m.: Forest Art Walk led by Friends of Princeton Open Space land steward intern Tina Kulick, at Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Preserve. Bring art supplies; some pencils and sketch paper will be provided. Fopos.org.

10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Picket Fence Art Show at Howell Living History Farm, 70 Woodens Lane, Hopewell Township. Children’s craft painting with the artists (11 a.m.-3 p.m.). Howellfarm.org.

11 a.m.: “Sing Along with Sarah” at Morven’s gardens, 55 Stockton Street. Singing, dancing, playing instruments, food and crafts for the whole family. Morven.org.

12-2 p.m.: Summer Music Series on the Palmer

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER

Square Green with Ant Palmersquare.com.

12 p.m.-5 p.m.: Brian Bortnick performs at Terhune Orchards’ Winery Weekend Music Se330 Cold Soil Road. Terhuneorchards.com.

2 p.m.: Chemistry for Kids, at Princeton Public Library’s STEAM studio, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princeton University chemistry graduate students give demonstrations and lead hands-on experiments for kids 8 and up. Princetonlibrary.org.

3-6 p.m.: Summer Community Fair at Slackwood Presbyterian Church, 2020 Brunswick Avenue, Lawrence Township. Free event with a petting zoo, bouncy house, music, games, prizes, food, crafts, face-painting, and raffle prizes from local businesses. Slackwoodchurch.org.

4 p.m.: Roxey Ballet presents 2nd Annual River Dance Festival at Mill Ballet, 46 North Sugan Road, New Hope, Pa. Works by more than 20 choreographers. Roxeyballet.org.

5 p.m.: The Judy Kang Experience brings chamber music with classical, pop, jazz, and more to Nassau Park Pavilion, West Windsor. Free. Judykang.com.

8 p.m.: Central Jersey Dance Society presents the No Name Dance, at Suzanne Patterson Center, 45 Stockton Street. Follows a hustle lesson from 7-8 p.m. by Donna Boyle, who serves as DJ for the dance with California Mix, East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing, Night Club 2-Step, Country 2-Step, and Hustle. $15 ($10 full time students with ID). Centraljerseydance.org.

Sunday, August 20 12 p.m.-5 p.m.: Sarah Teti performs at Terhune Orchards’ Winery Weekend Music Series, 330 Cold Soil Road. Terhuneorchards.com.

1 p.m.: Princeton Carillon Studio members play the Princeton University carillon at the Graduate School, 88 College Road West. Listen from outside, rain or shine. Free. Arts.princeton.edu.

3 p.m.: Roxey Ballet presents 2nd Annual River Dance Festival at Mill Ballet, 46 North Sugan Road, New Hope, Pa. Works by more than 20 choreographers. Roxeyballet.org.

4 p.m.: Java Jam at Princeton Makes Artist Co-op, Princeton Shopping Center. Lenora Kandiner plays traditional music from Sweden and other parts of the world on the nyckelharpa. Free. Princetonmakes.com.

Monday, August 21

7:30 p.m.: Voices Chorale free Open Summer Sing and Social, at Music Together, 225 Pennington Hopewell Road, Hopewell. Sing excerpts from upcoming repertoire including

Saint-Saens Christmas Oratorio. Sheet music and refreshments provided. Voiceschorale.org.

Tuesday, August 22

9:30 and 11 a.m.: Read & Pick: Farm Animals. Hands-on farm activity followed by stories for children aged from preschool to 8 years at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Craft activity with wool from Terhune sheep. Terhuneorchards.com.

Thursday, August 24

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

7 p.m.: McCarter Live at the Library, at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. McCarter Theatre Center associate artistic director Nicole A. Watson and her creative team explore the upcoming production of Bulrusher by Eisa Davis. Princetonlibrary.org.

Friday, August 25

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

7-9 p.m.: “We All Scream for Ice Cream, a Storytelling Event,” at West Windsor Arts, 952 Alexander Road. $20-$25. Westwindsorarts.org.

8-9:30 p.m.: Outdoor Dance Party at the Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. Held in the parking lot (if it rains, moved inside to the Solley Theater) for all ages. $5 donation. Artscouncilofprinceton.org.

Saturday, August 26

10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Fiddlin’ on the Farm at Howell Living History Farm, 70 Woodens Lane, Hopewell Township. Children’s craft : tambourine (11 a.m.-3 p.m.). Howellfarm.org.

10 a.m. “Army Meets Town: 3rd Annual Reenactment of the 1781 Encampment of Continental and French Armies in Trenton,” at the Trent House, 15 Market Street, Trenton. Family-friendly event including crafts and a scavenger hunt. Free. Williamtrenthouse.org.

12-2 p.m.: Summer Music Series on the Palmer Square Green with Electric Stingray. Palmersquare.com.

12 p.m.-5 p.m.: On the Fly performs at Terhune Orchards’ Winery Weekend Music Series, 330 Cold Soil Road. Terhuneorchards.com.

2-4 p.m.: Swap Party, hosted by Sustainable Princeton’s STAR Neighbors, at 1 Monument Drive.

Swap “gently loved” household items. Email star@ sustainableprinceton.org to RSVP.

Sunday, August 27

10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Reenactors of George Washington and his African American valet Bill Lee will ride in Griggstown on the anniversary of the march to Yorktown. Canal Road will be closed to cars and open to pedestrians. Millstonevalley.org.

12 p.m.-5 p.m.: Allan Willcockson performs at Terhune Orchards’ Winery Weekend Music Series, 330 Cold Soil Road. Terhuneorchards.com.

1 p.m.: Noah Kravitz plays the Princeton University carillon at the Graduate School, 88 College Road West. Listen from outside, rain or shine. Free. Arts.princeton.edu.

1:05 p.m.: The Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum and the Somerset Patriots present the inaugural Negro League tribute baseball game at TD Bank Ballpark, Bridgewater. The Patriots play the Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies). Ssaamuseum.org.

2 p.m.: People and Stories holds “Try It” With Writing, with Charlotte Friedman, at Lawrence Community Center, 295 Eggerts Crossing Road. Peopleandstories.org.

3 p.m.: “Make Me Smile: The Music of Chicago,” tribute by the Einstein Alley Musicians Collaborative, on Palmer Square. Princetonlibrary.org.

7:30 p.m.: Voices Chorale NJ Summer Sing, Social, and Auditions, at 225 Pennington Hopewell Road, Hopewell. Voiceschoralenj.org.

Monday, August 28 Recycling

Tuesday, August 29

9:30 and 11 a.m.: Read & Pick Program: Apples. Hands-on farm activity for children from preschool to age 8, followed by stories and craft activity, at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Terhuneorchards.com.

Thursday, August 31 10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Princeton Farmers’ Market is at Hinds Plaza. Organic produce, pasture-raised meat and eggs, bread, empanadas, pickles, flowers, and more. SNAP/EBT accepted on eligible purchases. Free parking for one hour in Spring Street Garage. Princetonfarmersmarket.com.

Friday, September 1 5-8 p.m.: Sunset Sips and Sounds at Terhune Orchards Vineyard and Winery, 330 Cold Soil Road. Music by Kindred Spirit Duo. Terhuneorchards.com.

PU Sports Roundup

PU Football’s Johnson, Travis

Named Preseason All-Americans

Princeton University football stars Liam Johnson ’24 and Jalen Travis ’24 were recently named as Phil Steele FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) Preseason All-Americans.

Linebacker Johnson, a 6’0, 220-pound native of Moorestown, was named as a fourth-team Preseason All-American. He co-won the Bushnell Cup for Ivy Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, rank ing fourth in the Ivy League in tackles (90). Offensive lineman Travis, a 6’7, 310-pound native of Minneapolis, Minn., was tabbed as a second-team Preseason All-American. He was a Second-Team All-Ivy selection in 2022.

The Phil Steele magazine also released its Preseason All-Ivy honors with eight Tigers making the list, including: Blake Stenstrom ’24, quarterback, second team; John Volker ’25, running back, third team; Travis ’24, offensive lineman, first team; Johnson ’24, linebacker, first team; Ozzie Nicholas ’24, linebacker, second team; Mason Armstead ’25, defensive back, third team; Jalen Newman ’25, defensive back, third team; and AJ Barber ’25, kick returner, third team.

Princeton, which went 8-2 last fall and was picked second in the Ivy Preseason Media Poll, opens it 2023 campaign by playing at San Diego on September 16 and then hosting Bryant on September 23 in its home opener.

Princeton Men’s Track Program

Names Vigilante as Head Coach

Jason Vigilante has been named as ninth head coach in the history of Princeton University men’s track and field program.

A five-time Ivy League Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year, Vigilante assumes the role after the retirement of Fred Samara following a 46-year career as head coach of the Tigers. Since joining Princeton in 2012, Vigilante has served

as the head coach of the men’s cross country team and as an assistant with the track and field program where he oversaw the distance contingent.

During his dozen years with the Tigers, Vigilante has coached Princeton to six Ivy League men’s cross country championships (2012, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022) and been a key cog in four Heps Triple Crowns (2014-15, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2021-22). In all, Vigilante has been part of 20 Ivy League championships during his 12 years with the Tigers.

He has guided 18 individuals and two relays to a total of 24 Heps championships, and his athletes have accounted for 13 NCAA AllAmerican finishes — highlighted by Princeton’s 2013 NCAA championship in the indoor distance medley relay (DMR).

On the track, Vigilante has guided Princeton athletes to All-American honors in a multitude of events. In addition to the NCAA title from the DMR in 2013, he coached the DMR to indoor All-American honors in 2022. This past season, he guided Sam Rodman to AllAmerican distinction in the indoor 800.

Outdoors, he has worked with eventual All-Americans in the 800, 1500, 5K, 10K, and steeplechase. Four of those All-Americans have come the last two years, including three in 2022 (Sam Rodman in the 800, Sam Ellis in the 1500, and Ed Trippas in the steeplechase.)

Trippas continued the lineage of Olympians coached by Vigilante when he represented Australia in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. He also coached 2012 Olympic silver medalist Leonel Manzano to a spot on Team USA in 2008 and helped Robby Andrews qualify for the 2016 Olympics where he reached the semifinals.

Before joining the Princeton program in 2012, Vigilante spent three years as the director of track and field at the University of Virginia where he coached Robby Andrews to NCAA championships in the 800 both indoors (2010) and outdoors (2011). He coached 30 ACC

champions at Virginia, and totaled 32 All-Americans while guiding the Cavaliers to the 2008 ACC men’s cross country title.

From 1999 to 2008, Vigilante was on staff at the University of Texas, spending the final three seasons as head coach of cross country and associate head coach of the track and field teams and winning a dozen Big 12 team championships along the way. He coached six NCAA champions with the Longhorns, racking up wins in the 800, 1500, mile, and DMR. Along the way, he coached 39 NCAA AllAmericans in Austin, had 20 Big 12 champions, and a 2008 indoor world record in the DMR.

A decorated coach from the United States Track and Field & Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCA), Vigilante was twice named National Assistant Coach of the Year, earning the honor in 2005 (outdoor) and 2008 (indoor) while at Texas. He has been named regional Cross Country Coach of the Year four times, and was twice honored as Regional Assistant Coach of the Year.

A 1996 graduate of N.C. State, Vigilante was a threetime letter winner for the Wolfpack and earned AllACC honors as a senior. After graduation, he coached as an assistant at UNC Wilmington during the 1996-97 season before returning to his alma mater as a graduate assistant from 1997-99. Vigilante and his wife Jenifer have six children.

Princeton Women Fencers Excel at University Games

Competing at the World University Games in Chengdu, China, the Princeton University women’s fencing program made quite an impact in the competition which took place from July 27-August 8.

A trio of Tigers won silver with the U.S. women’s saber team while Kasia Nixon ‘21 won earned a bronze medal in the women’s individual é p é e.

Nixon, who posted three victories to make the semis, adds the medal to her 2018 NCAA women’s individual é p é e title, earning All-American honors that season while earning two

first-team All-Ivy League honors during her Princeton career.

The top seed, Nixon ran into eventual champion and fifth-seeded Kaylin Sin Yan Hsieh of Hong Kong in the semifinals with Hsieh winning 15-8.

Incoming freshman Tatiana Nazlymov and recent grads Chloe Fox-Gitomer ’23 and Alexis Anglade ’23 won their team saber silver with three victories before France won the gold-medal match 45-34. The U.S. defeated India 45-21 in the round of 16 with the three Tigers fencing all the bouts, had a 45-41 win over South Korea with Nazlymov and Fox-Gitomer in the lineup, and a 45-44 win over Uzbekistan in the semis with all three Tigers competing. Team USA went into the final bout down 4039 before Fox-Gitomer outtouched her opponent 6-4 to get the win.

In the individual competition in their respective weapons, Nazlymov placed eighth, Fox-Gitomer finished 18th and Anglade took 34th.

In the women’s team é p é e competition, Nixon and Team USA finished seventh, defeating India 45-33 in the round of 16 before a 45-31 loss to China in the quarterfinals. In the placement rounds, South Korea defeated Team USA 43-34, and in the seventh-place match, the Americans defeated Ukraine 45-37.

As for the Tiger men’s fencing team, rising junior Ronald Anglade placed 61st in the men’s individual saber. In the men’s team saber competition, Anglade and the Americans fell 45-43 to Japan in the round of 16.

ON THE RISE: Andrei Iosivas leaps to make catch during his career with the Princeton University football team. Star receiver Iosivas, who was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round in the 2023 NFL Draft in late April as the 206th choice overall, made a solid preseason debut last Saturday as the Bengals fell 36-19 to the Green Bay Packers. Iosivas made four receptions for 40 yards in the contest. Iosivas, a 6’3, 212-pound native of Honolulu, Hawaii, collected four All-American honors following his 2022 season at Princeton after leading the Ivy League in receptions (66), receiving yards (943) and touchdown catches (seven) while being ranked ninth in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in receiving yards and 14th in receptions per game (6.6). Iosivas ended his Princeton career with two All-Ivy selections and ranked sixth all-time in program history in receiving yards (1,909), 12th in receptions (125), and third in touchdown catches (16). (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Dr. Jared Levin was locally born and raised in Lawrenceville, NJ. He graduated from The College of New Jersey in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biopsychology. He went on to receive his Doctor of Dental Science degree from NYU College of Dentistry in 2022. He completed his General Practice Residency in June, 2023 at Newark Beth Israel Hospital. Dr. Levin prides himself on providing comprehensive dental care to both adult and pediatric patients. When he is not providing dental care, Dr. Levin enjoys attending sporting events, traveling, playing golf, and taking trips to the Jersey Shore.

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After Culminating Stellar Career for Columbia Baseball

Former Hun Standout Blake Playing in Angels System

Andy Blake has spent his baseball career proving himself, and now he is trying to make the most of his chance at the highest level. Upon graduating from Hopewell Valley High, he took a postgraduate year at the Hun School in 2018-19 that helped him to land at Columbia University. After getting named the Ivy League Player of the Year this past spring at Columbia in his final season with the Lions, Blake had his car packed to head to Duke for his final two years of college eligibility when the Los Angeles Angels signed him away to a minor league deal as an undrafted free agent.

“It’s a total dream come true,” said Blake from the Arizona Complex League, a rookie-level Minor League Baseball league that operates in and around Phoenix.

“As a kid growing up, every young kid’s dream is to play pro ball for an MLB organization. So when the Angels gave me a call, I was headover-heels happy, just so ready to get out here and get to work. It’s been a dream come true. I’m just ready to keep going and keep working hard. Hopefully everything goes well and I play well, and I’m excited to see what the future holds.”

It hasn’t taken Blake long to prove himself at the Angels’ rookie league level. After going 0 for 4 in his pro debut, he hit safely in the five games to raise his batting average to .318. His first home run and run batted in came in just his third game.

“As of now, it’s lived up to every expectation that I had,” said Blake. “It’s been a great time out here working and playing for the Angels.”

Blake’s hot start in Arizona got him promoted in early August to the Tri-City Dust Devils, who are based in Pasco, Wash., and play in the Northwest League, a High-A affiliate of the Angels. So far, he is hitting .200 with one RBI in three games for the Dust Devils.

Just over four years ago, Blake was finishing up his high school career at Hun. An extra year of seasoning under coaches Tom Monfiletto and Steve Garrison helped attract Columbia to Blake and propel his career.

“I think that was the greatest decision I made was to go to Hun for a fifth year,” said Blake. “Coach Mono and coach Garrison and the staff at Hun are amazing. They helped me so much to get where I’m at today. Without their help, I don’t think I’d be here. Getting that fifth year was huge for me.”

Blake got to play only two seasons at Columbia due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but his two years were impactful. Blake helped Columbia win the 2022 Ivy League championship, the Lions’ fi rst since 2018. This year, star shortstop Blake was honored as the Ivy Player of the Year after a recordsetting season. He set the Columbia program with 75 hits, one of seven offensive categories in which he led all Ivy players. He reached base in all 43 of Columbia’s games this season, and put together 20 multiple-hit games as he hit a team-high .366.

“What’s going to carry on is the legacy you leave at your school and the championships,” said the 6’4, 200-pound Blake.

“We won an Ivy League in one of the two years that I was there. Especially this year being Ivy Player of the Year was super cool. I was just happy I was able to help my team in every way that I could. I’m glad everyone recognized it. It’s a super cool honor and something no one can take away from me at the end of the day. Being Ivy Player of the Year was a really cool honor for me. I’m super excited to come out here and do what I did in the Ivy League basically and play my game, and play the best I can to help my team win and try to help my teammates grow as well as them help me grow.”

It was the 11th hour when Blake decided to start his professional career to cap a busy month. After graduating from Columbia in midMay as a political science and statistics major, he stayed in the game by heading north to play in the prestigious Cape Cod League.

“Coach (Kelly) Nicholson gave me the opportunity in Orleans to go up there and play with the best players in country,” said Blake. “Cape Cod is a dream for every kid also along with playing pro ball, to go up there and play with the best and I got the opportunity to play there. I played when the season ended, I went up to the Cape. I played 15 or so games.”

Blake left to prepare for the draft that was held July 9-11. He also packed his car to be ready to head to Duke the day after the draft to start in Duke’s Fuqua School of Business. He was prepared to go to Durham when the Angels made him an offer, then upped the offer later in the day.

“It was the next morning I was going to get up and go,” said Blake. “It was interesting. After I signed, I unpacked the car, and I had a few days to get ready to fly out here to Arizona. It was close, which was so funny.”

Blake had had a number in mind to sign, and the Angels hit it. That was enough to persuade Blake that he should turn pro.

“I couldn’t really turn it down even though it was a tough decision,” said Blake.

“I might only get this opportunity once in my life because you never know what could happen. The opportunity came and I had to jump on it, I had to accept. I was super excited to get down to Duke, but at the same time every kid’s dream is to play pro ball and I got the opportunity in front of me to sign and play pro ball.”

The signing put Blake in a familiar situation. He is preparing to prove that he can play at this level despite not being drafted, just as he wanted to prove how prepared he was for the college level by taking a post-graduate year, or prove that he was among the best players in Columbia history, or show that he could contribute in the Cape Cod League. His attitude through each challenge has been the same.

“I always have a chip on

my shoulder,” said Blake.

“I grew up with a chip on my shoulder. I always feel I have to go out there and prove myself and prove my worth. I think that’s a good thing for me. I like being the underdog to go out there and turn some people’s heads. I have a chip on my shoulder that I want to be the best.

I’m going to go try to turn some heads and prove why I should have been drafted. At the end the day, that’s in the past. I wasn’t drafted but I’ll go out with a chip on my shoulder and show them they got the right guy and all I need is an opportunity.”

Despite a number of successful products, there seem to always be questions about the level of competition faced by players coming out of the Ivy League. Blake doesn’t put any stock in those doubts.

“It doesn’t matter where you came from,” said Blake. “It doesn’t matter if you came from high school, or a big SEC school. If you can play baseball, you can play baseball. There are good baseball players all over the place, and especially in the Ivy League. The Ivy League has had some great players come out of there and play well in pro ball. I’m just hoping to add to that list.”

Blake had to wait just over a week to get his first chance at the pro level. The Angels put their rookie league players up in apartments and spent a few days evaluating every player to see what they had. Days were long with the Angels picking their players up in the morning as early as 8 a.m. and holding workouts and meetings until 7 p.m.

“It’s been long days, but I love it,” said Blake. “I think it’s great. I love baseball, so being around it so much is just awesome for me. Hours wise, it’s pretty long, but I don’t dislike any of it because it’s what I love to do. The time flies while I’m here and at the field.”

think about what’s going to happen next and think about the game and how I can help win,” said Blake. “My hitting ability is really good. I’ve had good statistics at Columbia and I’ve faced great pitchers. I’m trying to carry that into the pro season and see the ball well and put a good swing on the ball. Hitting, you can’t really control where the ball goes, but if you hit the ball hard, good things happen. I just have to go out there and play good defense like I always have. It’s the same game at the end of the day. It’s a kids’ game. I’ve been playing it since I was 4 years old. It’s the game. Maybe it’s a little faster. I’m good at adjusting and I’ll adjust to it hopefully pretty quickly. I’ll try hard and play at 100 percent of

my effort and play like every day could be my last day, so I’ll give everything I have.”

The Angels have assured all their rookies that it doesn’t matter where they were selected, everyone will get a chance and all have equal opportunity to prove themselves. The organization emphasized that it is looking for players that will help it win. Blake has been a contributor for winners at every level, and sees this chance no differently.

“I just have go out and play my game and play the best I can, and show that I can belong and I’m good and I can do what maybe other people can’t do,” said Blake. “I have to play my game and play good and be loose and relaxed and have fun. With the opportunity I got, the

way I’m looking at it is I have nothing to lose. If I go out there and don’t play tense and play relaxed and have fun, that’s the best way I can play. If you play tense and stuff builds up on you, that’s not the way I look at it. Even if I was drafted first round, it’s just an opportunity. You still have to go out there and play.”

Blake feels ready for his opportunity with the Angels. He’s been dreaming of a professional chance for as long as he has been playing, and now that it is finally here he is ready to show he deserves it.

“I can’t control the results,” said Blake. “But I can control my attitude and how hard I play. Hopefully they’ll see that. I’m super excited to give everything I have.”

— Justin Feil

Best Pizzeria

Blake’s first chances to prove himself have not come at shortstop where he grew up playing and excelled at Columbia. He has been slotted at third base for his first game action, and that’s gotten his bat into the lineup. It’s early, but Blake feels good about his chance to play at this level.

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“Everybody is talented,” said Blake. “I have confidence in myself that I could go out there and play with anybody. It doesn’t matter where someone was drafted, or since I was a non-drafted free agent signing, I feel like I could go out there and play with anybody. It’s a confidence thing. If I didn’t have the confidence, I don’t think I’d be in the right mindset. I think I can play with anybody. I can go out there and just compete. You might not have the most talent or whatever, but if you work hard, good things happen.

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I’m excited to go out there and show what I could do.”

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.

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We could not have reached these 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.

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Blake feels good about the skill set and attitude that he brings to the Angels. His top traits have served him well at every level, and he anticipates leaning on them again to impress Los Angeles.

“My baseball IQ is very high; I just go out there and

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.

We could not have reached this accomplishment without our dedicated employees and customers.

STEPPING UP: Andy Blake makes a play in the infield this past spring for the Columbia University baseball team. Star shortstop Blake, a former Hun School standout, was named the 2023 Ivy League Player of the Year and recently signed a minor deal with the Los Angeles Angels signed as an undrafted free agent. He has started his pro career by playing for the Angels squad in the Arizona Complex League. (Photo by Mike McLaughlin / Columbia University Athletics)

After Coaching Stops at 4 Division III Programs, Taylor Bringing College Mentality to PDS Boys’ Lax

Upon wrapping up a superb college lacrosse career at Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham in 2008, Nick Taylor was planning to leave the game.

“After FDU, I went to American University and earned a master’s degree there,” said Taylor. “I was really intent on taking a stab at the public relations side. I have a degree in public communications.”

But while studying for his master’s degree, Taylor was pulled back into lacrosse, doing some volunteer coaching for the Catholic University men’s program. Realizing that he could make a career out of the game he loves, Taylor ultimately became an assistant coach at Catholic from 2009-12.

From there, he served as an assistant at Cabrini from 2013-14 and then became a head coach at Arcadia from 2014-18 and moved on the Haverford College where he guided the program for the last five years.

Looking to get off the college carousel, Taylor is bringing that extensive background at the next level to the Princeton Day School boys’ lacrosse team, having succeeded Joe Moore as the program’s head coach.

“In short, it was definitely a family decision. I have a young family,” said Taylor, 37, who has two children — a daughter, Wyatt, 3, and a son, Tate, nine months — with his wife, Kelly, a nurse.

“As much as college lacrosse is rewarding and

exciting, you are just away from home so much. I really felt in meeting with Katie Fay, the athletic director here, that they were really interested in bringing in someone with college experience to help PDS.”

As a middle schooler growing up in Newark, Delaware, Taylor found a home in lacrosse.

“I was a hockey player and a baseball guy, but when they started throwing curveballs I needed a new sport,” said Taylor with a laugh.

“Eighth grade rolls around and I pick up a lacrosse stick and I just fell in love with the sport. I think it is a really common story. If you are a good athlete and you work hard at the specifics of the sport, the stick skills and stuff, you can really take off pretty quick. That was truly my story. From that point on, from eighth grade through college, I had a stick in my hands.”

Taylor headed to New Jersey for college, matriculating to FDU-Florham and joining its men’s lacrosse team.

“FDU ended up being the right fit, and I had a really successful career there,” said Taylor, who was a four-year member of the FDU men’s lax squad, serving as a captain his last two seasons and being named a first-team All-Middle Atlantic Conference defender in 2008.

“I think it is the people. A lot of sports will talk about a brotherhood, but there is

something about lacrosse that is so niche and so close knit. The guys you play lacrosse with end up being your lifelong friends and they end up in your wedding. Those are things you don’t think of when you are in college, but it is super rewarding.”

In joining the staff at Catholic, then head coach Brooks Singer played a key role in getting him on the coaching career path.

“Brooks brought me on; 2008-09 was a tough time to get a job,” said Taylor. “Brooks was like, ‘Listen, let me get you a job in admissions, come work in the college and you can coach.’ I started to figure out that hey, this could be a career. I do think what I was so fortunate for was balancing roles in advancement and admissions when I was an assistant coach.”

Moving on to Cabrini University, Taylor served as the top assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, honing his skills in the process.

“At the time I was joining the program, it was ranked in the top 5 in Division III, legitimately competing for a national championship every year,” said Taylor.

“We had a ton of success, we were ranked second in the country. We were 17-2 one year. I coached the DIII player of the year and 15 All Americans. When we talk about the highest level of Division III lacrosse — that was that experience at Cabrini. It was so formative to my experience.”

In 2014, Taylor got his first head coaching gig, taking the helm of the Arcadia University men’s lacrosse program.

“At Arcadia, I definitely understood the task at hand; I was the third head coach in their third year of existence,” said Taylor, who helped the team move up in the MAC Commonwealth standings, leading it to a 6-8 campaign in his final season there.

“I knew that the goal there was to lay the foundation. It was going to be heavy recruiting. It was going to be building a program from the ground up and not for nothing it took some time for us to really get going. I am really proud of the work that we did there.”

Moving on to become the head coach at Haverford College in 2018, Taylor was confronted with an off-field challenge, leading the program through COVID-shorted seasons.

“You had to be really creative at times; there were so many restrictions and seasons being canceled that it really tested your culture and your system,” said Taylor, whose team played only six games in 2020 and just one in 2021. “I tell you, there wasn’t a better group that we could have gone through that with. Haverford lacrosse players are so selfmotivated and disciplined. It just takes a certain person to be really successful there, whereas I know other coaches and colleagues had a lot of different challenges with COVID. I really felt like during that time I could march with my team. We were still making progress.”

Over his five-year stint at Haverford, they defeated several top-20 foes as the Fords went 16-36.

“Every single year, we maximized the potential within our roster,” said Taylor. “So much credit goes to the guys that I coached. I felt like by the time we were in year three, year four, we were speaking the same language and all moving in the right direction. In three full seasons, I think I left with five top-20 wins. It helped put Haverford lacrosse back in that conversation of being nationally competitive. That was a goal of mine from the beginning. I have always been a rebuilder in my time as a head coach. I have taken on some projects that have been challenging at times. I think ultimately that is really rewarding for me.”

Taylor is excited for his new project at PDS, taking over a program that is coming off a 2023 superb campaign which saw it go 15-7, winning the Prep B state crown and making the final of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public Group B tourney.

“They are very good, they had a great season,” said Taylor. “I think the vision of lacrosse at PDS is truly to run a college-like program. I just feel like I will be the next guy to take the lead here. Joe did such a phenomenal job. You look back at coaches that have meant a lot in terms of Rich D’Andrea and Pete Higgins, guys that are absolutely legends in New Jersey lacrosse. It is about leaning into the things that have always been good here and just putting on your own stamp.”

As Taylor went through the interview process at PDS, he felt a comfort level with the school.

“The community really spoke to me, I felt that same vibe as a small liberal arts college,” said Taylor. “The student athletes are playing multiple sports and involved in all of the different clubs and organizations. They are great academically. They are willing to help each other and they are all hard workers. Those type of traits in terms of my vision of lacrosse and running a program really resonate with me.”

In addition to coaching lacrosse, Taylor will have additional roles in the PDS community as he will be working in the school administration.

“I couldn’t leave a full-time college coaching job without a full-time job here on campus,” said Taylor. “I was really lucky and fortunate. I will be working in events and rentals in the school year and in the summer, I will be managing some of their summer programs. When we talk about implementing a lacrosse program and a culture and running it like a college program, it is important that I am here every day and that I am in house. You can meet with families who are interested in PDS, you can have guys stop by and give support in so many ways.”

This summer, Taylor has been on campus as he has presided over the school’s camps.

“It has been great to get to know the staff. Getting

to know the logistics of the place is going to allow us to hit the ground running in the fall, which is great,” said Taylor. “As the students start, I won’t be new. I will have this period of time where I have had an introduction to PDS. I think that will allow us to hit the ground running.”

In addition, Taylor has been introducing himself to his new players.

“We started to do some individual meetings; I have had a chance to meet with a number of families,” said Taylor. “Everyone seems really excited and energized. That is the beauty of it. When you look at last year’s team and the success they had, they were led by a big group of seniors. Any year that a team turns over to graduation and leadership changes, there is always an opportunity. We have to find out who we are and how best to go about it. What I love about it is that it is clear that the guys on the team are committed and that the families are committed and united.”

Utilizing connections developed over his coaching career, Taylor is starting the process to find new players who will fit into his vision for PDS lacrosse.

“What I have been able to do in a short time here is leverage a lot of those relationships I had through college recruiting,” said Taylor. “I am getting a better pulse of what the club game is like right now in New Jersey and what kids in Central Jersey might be interested in a place like PDS. We have the facilities, we have the support and the coach is full-time on campus. These are the things that, when you are looking at schools, will make us a little bit different and hopefully a little more attractive.”

But no matter what level he is coaching, Taylor is all in, all the time when he steps on the field.

“I have a deep passion and love for this game,” asserted Taylor. “I want guys who can match that shared passion and energy. I want guys who love to work and that the best part of their day is being on the practice field. I share that same sense.”

—Bill Alden

NICK OF TIME: Nick Taylor makes a point during his tenure as the head coach of the Haverford College men’s lacrosse team. Taylor left Haverford this spring to take the helm of the Princeton Day School boys’ lacrosse program. (Photo by David Sinclair Photography)

Nassau Swim Club Lemmings Staying Afloat, Enjoying Another Successful PASDA Campaign

While the Princeton Area Swimming and Diving Association (PASDA) has shrunk in recent years with such powerhouse teams as the Cranbury Catfish and West Windsor Whalers having folded, the plucky band of the Nassau Swim Club Lemmings has stayed afloat despite limited numbers.

With a squad of around 50 swimmers, the Lemmings went 4-2 in PASDA Division 2 dual meet action this summer and ended up taking seventh overall and second among Division 2 teams at the PASDA championship meet in late July.

Nassau co-head coach Maggie Hernan, who was in her first year with the program, quickly gained a sense of what has kept the Lemmings going strong.

“It was great, it is a smaller team than my old team that I coached,” said Hernan, a native of Catonsville, Md., who guided the squad along with longtime Lemming and fellow Bryn Mawr College swimmer Rachel Adlai-Gail.

“It is nice because the kids are all so close. They all love Nassau so much, which was nice to see. I know on some summer teams sometimes the kids don’t really care that much. There were multiple days where Rachel and I would come back in the afternoon and there would still be kids there running up and saying hi even though we said goodbye hours ago.”

Adlai-Gail, a former Lemmings standout who starred at WW/P-North before heading to Bryn Mawr, cares deeply about the club.

“Nassau spirit is a distinct feeling,” said Nassau co-head coach Adlai-Gail. “Nassau is just such a special pool, nestled in the middle of the woods. It is a very nice small, close-knit community.”

The Nassau squad made a special effort at the PASDA championship meet.

“We had some really awesome swims, we had some very fast swimmers,” said Adlai-Gail. “We placed second at champs in our division. I think the only team from our division that we lost to was the Hamilton Hurricanes.”

The Lemmings got some awesome swims from their 8U boys at the PASDA Championships as Vladimir Yanovsky took second in the 25-yard breaststroke, fifth

in the 25 backstroke while Henry Robinson placed 15th in the 25 breast and Alexander Baytin took 15th in the butterfly and 20th in the 25 freestyle.

“Vladimir has been dominating this whole season — he swims with kids in practice who are like five, 10 years older than him,” said Adlai-Gail. “He is just a beast in the water. He has just got this great attitude of like he will do anything we ask him to do. We love the Baytins, Alexander is just as competitive as his older brothers [Stephen and Daniel] are. He has that drive to win — he had some really great races this season. Henry had also been improving so much. He is one of our swimmers who just swims in the summer but every year he comes out and he improves so much over those couple of months.”

Another 8U boy, Toviah Wong, who placed 16th in the 25 fly and 35th in the 25 free, emerged as the program’s most improved swimmer this summer.

“He contributed to our third place win in the 8-andunder free relay at champs,” said Adlai-Gail. “He went from barely able to do a third of a lap to doing full laps and learning all of the strokes. He is still working on butterfly and breaststroke, but he has improved tremendously. We are very proud of him.”

Adlai-Gail was proud of the Lord twins, who starred for the 10U boys as Hammond “Ned” Lord placed 11th in the 25 free and 16th in the 25 breast while Copley “Lee” Lord took 14th in the 25 back and 19th in the 25 breast.

“They have also been great this season, they are another one of those families that just comes for the summer,” said Adlai-Gail. “I have been encouraging them to swim during the year. I know that their main thing is soccer, but they have some really great potential in swimming.”

Hernan sees that potential as well in the Lords. “I think that they are friendly competitive with each other,” said Hernan. “They are really good sports about everything, cheering each other on. They are good about pushing their lane mates too in practice.”

The pair of Stephen Baytin and Daniel Yanovsky

push Yanovsky to greater heights.

“I think Vinnie didn’t real -

starred for the 12U boys as Baytin finished first in the 50 free, first in the 50 breast, and first in the 100 individual medley while Yanovsky placed seventh in 50 free and fifth in the 50 back.

“Stephen did win all of his races; he is a very tough competitor,” said Adlai-Gail.

“He has got that Baytin drive in him — he has definitely taken after his big brother. He has been doing great this whole season. Daniel is one of the Yanovskys, they are another one of those families where after champs you hand them a super heavy bag of medals. Daniel has been doing awesome; he is 11, so he is on the younger end of his age group but has really gotten after it. He has adjusted well to being in that older age group.”

As for the 14U boys, Gabriel Colon proved to be a standout, taking fourth in the 50 fly, fourth in the 100 IM, and fifth in the 50 free.

“Gabriel started with us last summer and improved so quickly,” said Adlai-Gail. “I don’t think he knew all of the strokes and by the end of the season, he had pretty competitive times. This past year, he has been swimming for a club team and he has totally taken off. He is swimming year-round now.”

The one-two punch of recently graduated Princeton High star Daniel Baytin and Vasily Yanovsky piled up points for the 18U boys as Baytin placed first in the 50 free, the 50 breast, and the 100 IM with Yanovsky taking sixth in the 50 free, fifth in the 50 breast, and fifth in the 100 IM.

Baytin’s performance marked the end of an era for the Lemmings.

“It is Daniel’s last year, we are so sad. He has been on the team since he was 5,” said Adlai-Gail. “I remember his first day of practice, looking at this very tall 5-year-old. He definitely has the Nassau spirit and always makes a big effort to come to all of our meets even though he has got all of this other stuff going on. This whole summer he was feeling very sentimental about it being his last season. During his last meet we had a little talk about how he has just contributed so much to the team and we are really going to miss him next year.”

Baytin’s excellence helped

“Vasily is another one of our club swimmers,” added Adlai-Gail. “He has got a great presence on our team. He is one of those fierce competitors. He has been swimming against Daniel for sure and that is a very good challenge. He is the leader of the Yanovsky pack. We are very lucky to have him.”

Nassau was lucky to have Emmy Ferraro competing for its 6U girls as she took 22nd in the 25 back and 23rd in the 25 free at the PASDA Championships.

“Emmy came in, this is her first year at 5 years; she started off not being able to do a full lap, “ said Hernan. “She improved a lot. She ended up learning breaststroke and butterfly. She would also come to the 6-and-under practice in the morning and then she would come to our stroke clinic in the middle of the day. She swam a lot and put a lot of effort into it.”

As for the 8U girls, Siona Sood made a solid contribution, finishing 22nd in the 25 fly, 37th in the 25 back, and 45th in the 25 free.

“Siona is one of those kids who last summer did not know how to swim at all and you wouldn’t believe it now because she is doing all four strokes,” said Adlai-Gail. “She has just been improving so much and has been building up her endurance. She spends her full day at the pool. Nassau has a full day aquatics program and she is one of the kids that has been there all day, every day all summer. She has got a great spirit about her, she is very enthusiastic.”

Annie Snively was busy for the 10U girls at the PASDA meet, taking 18th in the 25 free, 15th in the 25 back, and 21st in the 25 fly while Isabel Colon finished eighth in the 25 breast and 22nd in the 25 back.

“This is Annie’s first year. She was very fast; she came in and wasn’t too sure of herself,” said Hernan. “In practice she did great, she kept up with everybody. In the meets, she was so fast. It was the same with Isabel. The Colons are a great family. Isabel puts a lot of effort in — she is always working extra on her strokes extra after practice.”

The Nassau 12U girls boasted a strong group as Julianna Yanovsky took second in the 50 breast, second in the 100 IM, and third in the 50 free while Uma Jain placed 12th in the 50 back and 16th in the 50 breast, and Lavinia “Vinnie” Lord came in 12th in the 50 breast and 14th in the 100 IM.

“Julianna had a good meet. She is another one of the ones who swims during the year,” said Adlai-Gail. “She is a breaststroker and she always makes that pretty clear. She has had a really great season — she is at every practice. She is always showing up and putting in the work. Uma and Lavinia are two of our swimmers who really only swim during the summer. They always come in and get after it. I think they both really made improvement in their stroke technique this year.”

Hernan, for her part, was impressed by Lord’s improvement.

ize how fast she was at the beginning,” noted Hernan. “I was looking at her times at the meets towards the end of our season. I went up to her and said, ‘Do you realize how fast you went in the meets. You need to be swimming at the front of the lane.’ She is great, she always listens. I can always tell that she is actually taking it in.”

Juliet Wei came up big for the Nassau 14U girls with three Top-10 finishes, taking eighth in the 100 IM, ninth in the 50 back, and ninth in the 50 fly.

“Juliet has been on the team since she was 4 or 5, she is on the diving team as well,” said Adlai-Gail. who also got some other good swims from her 14U girls as Sonya Kearney placed fifth in the 50 breast and 14th in the 50 free while Anoushka Jain took seventh in the 50 breast, 16th in the 50 back, and 26th in the 50 free.

“She comes to our meets and she just kills it every time. She is actually from New York. She and he sister Kimi come to Princeton for the summer. They make that really long trek to Nassau every summer because they both care about the team so much.”

The older Wei went out with a bang in the PASDA championship meet, coming in fifth in the 50 fly and sixth in the 50 breast.

“Kimi and I had a moment right before her last race; it was, ‘Oh my God, this is the end,’” recalled Adlai-Gail. “She has contributed so much to the team over the years and she just loves it so much. She is one of the quieter people on the team, but she just totally has the Nassau spirit. She is going to be missed dearly for sure.”

Adlai-Gail vows that Nassau will be back next year to make noise. “We are doing our best to stick around as long as we can,” said Adlai-Gail. “Most of the kids on this team just have this feeling that they have to stick with Nassau and support Nassau. They want to do everything they can for Nassau.”

In Hernan’s view, the collective effort around the club bodes well for the future.

“The thing that stuck out to me was how much they all love Nassau, not even just the kids,” said Hernan. “There were so many great parents that I saw who were putting in so much work to help out with the pool and the swim team. They were all very welcoming to me for being my first year. It is nice to see people care about a pool that much.”

—Bill Alden

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Helene Cody 5K Race Set for September 9

The 15th annual Helene Cody 5-kilometer race and 1-mile fun run is taking place on September 9 with the start and finish line at Heritage Park in Cranbury.

The fun run begins at 8:15 a.m. and the 5K starts at 9 a.m. The 5K is chip-timed and USATF-certified with water stations throughout the course.

Trophies will be awarded to the top three male and female finishers overall and in each age group for the 5K. Every fun run finisher will receive a medal and trophies will be awarded to the top three boys and girls. The Cranbury Day celebration will begin immediately after the race on Main Street.

Additional race information and on-line registration is available at helenecody. com/5k-and-1-mile-runwalk. html.

This event is the main fundraiser for the Helene Cody Foundation, whose mission is to inspire youth to volunteer, to better their communities and themselves. Prior to her death in 2008, Helene Cody, a Princeton High student, planned to revive the Cranbury Day 5K, a community event that had been discontinued in 2006, as a way to combine her love of distance running and community service for her Girl Scout gold award project.

When she passed away, a classmate organized the first Helene Cody Cranbury 5K in memory of Helene for his Eagle Scout project. Every year since, the Helene Cody Foundation has used the event to bring the community together and use the proceeds to sponsor youth service projects and provide scholarships. All proceeds go directly to the Helene Cody Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity.

Princeton Athletic Club Holding Trail Run Sept. 23

The Princeton Athletic Club (PAC) is holding a trail run and walk at the Mountain Lakes Preserve, 57 Mountain Avenue, on September 23.

The event will start at 9 a.m. and consists of a 5-kilometer-plus trail run and walk.

The course is comprised of about 10 percent paved park trail, 30 percent unimproved service right-of-ways, and 60 percent single track including moderately technical rocks, roots, logs, and whatever else nature has wrought in the woods. Due to the technical nature of the trail, parents should consider whether this event is appropriate for young children. The race is limited to 200 participants.

“Where quality still matters.”

4621 Route 27 Kingston, NJ 609-924-0147

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Mon-Fri 10-6; Sat 10-5; Sun 12-5

Online registration and full details regarding the event are available at princetonac. org. The entry fee is $33 through September 1, including a T-shirt. The fee from September 2-20 is $38 with a T-shirt on an as-available basis. Sign up at the event will be $48 and is credit card only, subject to availability.

The PAC is a nonprofit, all-volunteer running club for the community that promotes running for the fun and health of it, and stages several running events each year.

IN FORM: Stephen Baytin of the Nassau Swim Club Lemmings displays his freestyle form in a race this summer. In late July, Baytin came up big at the Princeton Area Swimming and Diving Association (PASDA) championship meet, taking first in the 12U boys’ 50-yard freestyle, first in 50 breaststroke, and first in 100 individual medley. Baytin’s heroics helped the Lemmings take seventh overall at the meet and second among Division 2 teams. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

How to say goodbye and honor a cherished companion animal who is now gone? Some people might write a poem or a little story; others display photographs, perhaps a special dog collar or meaningful cat toy.

temperament, making us a harbor of hope for the most desperate.

“Love and grace characterize our interactions with everyone who enters Tabby’s Place, feline or otherwise. We strive to treat each person and cat with respect, compassion, and generosity of spirit. The phrase ‘Tabby’s Place Family’ is not a cliche; our donors, volunteers, staff, and cats are a true community of love.”

One-of-a-Kind

immediately took her to Tabby’s. But no sooner did she survive her initial trauma than she tested positive for FeLV.”

All Cats, Including Those With Special Needs, Are Welcome at Tabby’s Place: a Cat Sanctuary IT’S NEW To Us

Jonathan Rosenberg chose to do something very different. When his 15-yearold cat, Tabby, succumbed to cancer, Rosenberg established Tabby’s Place: a Cat Sanctuary. This was to become a haven for special needs cats and those desperate for care, who otherwise faced terrible circumstances and probably would not have survived.

As he explains, “In April of 1999, my wife and I learned that our beloved cat Tabby had untreatable cancer and only months to live. The painful realization of Tabby’s impending death gave me pause to think, ‘What was I doing with my life? Was I really making a difference? How could I honor Tabby, who had spent 15 years with us?’

“I resigned from my job, and committed myself to creating Tabby’s Place: a Cat Sanctuary, in memory of our boy. Four years later, Tabby’s Place officially began its mission.”

Energy and Resources

A former CEO in the corporate world, he redirected his energy and resources to this new enterprise. Located at 1100 Route 202 in Ringoes, the site was chosen with his particular intention in mind, and he also designed the building according to his specific plans.

“I wanted the location to be easy to find on a major road, and in a building where the cats can thrive and be happy,” says Rosenberg. “I believe this is the only cat sanctuary like ours in the area.”

Accordingly, the 12,000-square-foot building offers a totally cat-friendly format in a bright open area. Filled with perches, ramps, elevated tunnel-type passages to outside solariums, and a variety of suites for eight to 15 cats to be together, it is currently home to 100 felines.

They are all ages, from kittens to older seniors, many with a number of medical conditions, as well as those that are completely healthy. All may be adopted, but if they are not, they will always be cared for at Tabby’s Place, explains development director Angela Townsend.

“The cats are all individuals with unique components and personalities,” she says. “We offer unconditional love for them. They can be animals who are too difficult to place anywhere else, who are forgotten and without care. We are advocates for them. They are the center of our world, and they will always have a home with us.”

The Tabby’s Place mission statement reinforces this view. “We embrace the neediest cats regardless of age, most medical issues, or

The environment is truly one-of-a-kind, where cats have room to roam, always under the watchful eyes of attentive staff and volunteers.

A number of cats, who live in the lobby, are those with special needs or new to Tabby’s, and who benefit from extra supervision. Others are in sites with perches, even bunk beds, and numerous friendly accoutrements, including blankets and toys.

One of the unusual aspects of Tabby’s is the expanded opportunity for the cats to be together for socialization and interaction. This is also true for those with special needs, notes Townsend.

“Forty percent of our cats are special needs, with conditions like diabetes, heart disease, blindness, and paraplegia,” she says. “We currently have eight paraplegic cats, and they can be together with the others. Although their rear legs are paralyzed, they can propel themselves forward with their front legs and upper body strength. This is not painful, and they move about very well.”

Reading Program

All are cared for with personal attention, and a variety of programs are available for the cats, says Townsend, who has been with the organization for 16 years. These include visits to nursing homes with docile, friendly cats who are welcomed by the home’s residents.

“We also have a stroller program in which we take some of the cats outside for a ride. A number of the cats really enjoy this. We also welcome children who come to read to the cats. This is really a program for the kids to practice their reading and who enjoy spending time with kitties! We do have a lot going on.”

As she points out, most of the cats at Tabby’s are adopted, including those with special needs. Even those with the often fatal feline leukemia virus (FeLV) have been adopted.

The facility has recently added a new section, Quinn’s Corner, for cats with this affliction. Since the disease is highly contagious, these animals must be isolated from the other cats.

Quinn’s Corner has a special story, explains Townsend, and is another example of the devoted care all the animals receive at Tabby’s.

It begins as follows, according to the organization’s report: “No one would have looked upon a tiny kitten frozen in the snow and declared, ‘She is going to change the world.’

“Quinn was that snowbound kitten. A good Samaritan found her, and

The staff quickly established an isolation room for her, and then a woman arrived, wanting to adopt a cat that “no one else wanted.” She immediately chose Quinn, even knowing that her illness, which suppresses the immune system, could end her life within a few months.

Generous Pledge

Remarkably, Quinn lived to be a healthy, active cat for many years. As the story continues, Quinn’s adopter, knowing that many other cats like Quinn would not be so fortunate, came again to Tabby’s Place, and made a generous pledge to help provide a new expanded section specifically to house these very vulnerable cats.

“She was determined to work with us to change the world for these wonderful cats. Now, we can care for these special kitties in a safe, protected area,” points out Townsend.

Eighteen staff members, including a veterinarian and three vet technicians, care for all the animals at Tabby’s. Cats are typically brought to the facility once a week (depending on available space) by animal control officers. In addition, while most arrive from the local area, they come from public animal shelters around the U.S., and also from organizations overseas. Tabby’s is also involved in an area trap, neuter, return (TNR) program in which feral cats are spayed and neutered in order to control their population.

“Once they are part of our TNR program, they receive diligent feeding and close attention, so if any of them seem unwell, they can come to Tabby’s Place for treatment. And we also try to find homes for kittens born in the feral colonies,” reports Townsend.

When a new animal arrives, it is examined by the vet for injuries or diseases, and then quarantined for three weeks to make sure there are no infections.

Once the quarantine time has expired, depending on their condition, they will join the other cats or be isolated in case of FeLV, or if they have other special needs to be addressed.

3,000 Pounds

A healthy diet is important, and Townsend reports that Tabby’s provides numerous prescription diets to its residents based on their needs. “We also go through 3,000 pounds of kitty litter every month, and each cat is weighed and its nails trimmed once a month.”

An X-ray room is available, and depending on the medical condition, surgery can be performed on the premises in the sterile surgical suite. If more extensive care is needed, the cat will be taken to an emergency clinic that has the necessary resources for more comprehensive treatment.

Adoptions, regardless of age and medical condition, are encouraged at Tabby’s. Those wishing to adopt can

other cats.

consult the website for specific information. The cats can be viewed online before prospective adopters visit in person to meet with an adoption counselor. A $135 adoption fee is charged, but there are often discounts and promotions available.

“Pairing the animal with the right person is very important,” points out Townsend. “Our adoption counselor helps in finding the right match.”

Tabby’s is supported by donations from individuals and corporations, which provide matching gifts, or even double the gifts from their employees. An annual fundraiser is also held.

“This year it is the Linda Fund Matching Challenge,” says Townsend. “Named for a critically injured kitten we received in 2011 (who made a full recovery), this annual fund drive raises money for the emergency and specialty care of our cats. Through September 8, all donations up to $150,000 will be matched. Further information is on the website.”

Sponsorship Programs

“Other opportunities for those wishing to donate include sponsorship programs,” she adds. “Donors may sponsor a special needs cat or donate in honor or memory of a loved one.”

In addition, Tabby’s is very glad to receive in-kind donations, and current needs are listed on the website.

All donations are appreciated, and as Rosenberg says, “I would like people to know that we are grateful for each and every donation we receive. And, of course, we are

happy when a cat is saved by any organization.”

The opportunity to provide such a welcoming and healing facility for cats in need at Tabby’s Place is a source of great pride for him and Angela Townsend.

As he points out, it is truly a team effort. “The pride I feel is not personal but collaborative. With that in mind, I am proudest of the way in which Tabby’s Place has been true to its mission of ‘saving cats from hopeless situations’ while also serving as a place of comfort and healing for people.”

“This is such an amazing place, a strong community of love, with tenderness toward the most vulnerable. No one here ever gives up on anyone,” emphasizes

Townsend. “There is a surprise every day. We constantly witness how wide and open the human heart can be; in a million different ways, people give selflessly to these animals.”

Its mission statement describes Tabby’s Place as “a harbor of hope,” and indeed, this unique organization is surrounded by hope. It is everywhere — with the staff, those willing to adopt the neediest, and with the environment pervading Tabby’s. As was said when Quinn’s Corner was established, “Hope can be as quiet as the sunrise as a new day dawns.”

For more information, call (908) 237-5300. Visit the website at tabbysplace.org

—Jean Stratton

SPECIAL ATTENTION: Arthur, this handsome fellow with tuxedo-style markings, is a favorite “senior” at Tabby’s Place: a Cat Sanctuary. He is shown in Quinn’s Corner, the new expanded section for those like him, living with feline leukemia virus (FeLV), who must be apart from

BEST FRIEND: Jonathan Rosenberg, founder and executive director of Tabby’s Place: a Cat Sanctuary, is shown with Erin, a former longtime resident with special needs. They are hanging out together in the lobby of this special home for cats. always

Stan Waterman died on August 10, 2023 at home in Lawrenceville, NJ, with his wife of 73 years, Susy Waterman, close by. Stan was 100 years old.

One of the first pioneers of diving in America, his career spanned eight decades. Its unlikely beginning after Naval service in WW2 was in a frigid glacial pond in Maine but one which took him eventually across most of the world’s oceans. His gift as a writer and raconteur started with his studies under poet Robert Frost at Dartmouth College.

He taught himself photography and filmmaking, built his own underwater camera housings, and had the first dive boat operation in the Bahamas aboard his custom built Zingaro where he made one of diving’s earliest films, Water World, in 1954.

He traveled the backroads of America on the “gumshoe circuit” — long before television — showing his early, hand-spliced films, which he narrated live while managing music on a small tape recorder. When the projector on occasion stalled and his films caught fire, his skills of amusing anecdote, wellsprinkled with poetic reference, were called upon to complete the evening.

Among his many other films, the most successful was The Call of the Running Tide in which he packed his entire family off with him to Tahiti for a year. It became a National Geographic favorite and later, in 1992, the Discovery Channel featured Stan and his family in a two-hour special, aptly named The Man Who Loved Sharks. The September 2005 issue of Sports Illustrated featured a profile of Stan, also recalling his first appearance on its January 1958 cover.

His 1968 collaboration with Peter Gimbel on the extraordinary documentary epic, Blue Water, White Death , was released in 1971 after nearly two years of filming. It was some of the first great white shark footage ever presented and was unforgettable. He was also co-director of underwater photography for The Deep,

Stan’s later years were spent hosting dive trips around the world where he continued pursuing mantis shrimps and entertaining his guests aboard with nightly “bijou entertainment.” When he finally hung up his fins at 90 years old he retired to his office where he smoked cigars, wrote, and published his two anecdotal books: Sea Salt and More Salt, reminiscing of his adventures as a father, a filmmaker, and a poet philosopher.

His children were lucky enough to have a father who took them with him on many of his adventures, and those shared memories have proved lasting ones that bind them to this day.

a book and screenplay written by his close friend Peter Benchley with whom he went on to do many years of television production.

Arranged along his bookshelves are many awards and plaques, now covered in layers of dust. Nearby, an old Seibe Gorman diving helmet is surrounded by rare shells, stuffed shark toys, cigar boxes, and his much loved copy of Kenneth Graham’s Wind In The Willows, from which he often quoted.

He leaves behind a wrecking yard of flooded camera housings as well as a host of good friends and loving family. Some of their kind thoughts have been included here verbatim as their eloquence could hardly be improved upon. A charismatic, engaging person, Stan was always self-effacing and had requested long ago that there be no flowers sent or donations to worthy causes, just a glass to be raised when next you’re gathered with family and friends.

He wished his epitaph to be his favorite lines from Masefield’s Sea Fever:

“I must go down to the sea again, for the call of the running tide is a wild call And a clear call that cannot be denied.”

He is survived by his wife Susanna; three children, Gordy, Susannah, and Gar; as well as six grandsons and two great-granddaughters.

An environmental litigator, activist, and scholar, Edward Lungren Lloyd III, passed away Saturday morning, August 5, 2023 just nine days shy of his 75th birthday (1948-2023). Ed was the director of the Environmental Law Clinic at Columbia University Law School from 2000 to 2022, and was the Evan M. Frankel Professor of Environmental Law there. He taught and trained hundreds of law students in the Clinic, giving them real-life experience representing nonprofit clients advocating for clean water and air, wetlands preservation, endangered species, “smart growth,” contaminated site remediation, and better transit options in the National Environmental Policy Act process. Professor Lloyd was also a member of Columbia University’s Earth Institute’s Practice Committee.

Before joining the Columbia Law School faculty, Ed served for 15 years as the founding director of the Rutgers University Law School Environmental Law Clinic in Newark, where he also

Sundays

supervised students on leading edge cases, establishing several administrative and environmental law precedents. He was previously staff attorney and executive director of the N.J. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG). Ed Lloyd was often invited to testify before Congress and the State Legislature on environmental bills and enforcement matters. His numerous affiliations include being appointed by Governor McGreevey to serve on the New Jersey Pinelands Commission, where he outlasted attempts to replace him for stands taken against incursions to the Pinelands’ pristine aquifers; Litigation Review Committee of the Environmental Defense Fund; board member of the Fund for New Jersey; co-founder and co-director of the Eastern Environmental Law Center, the sole public interest environmental law firm in New Jersey; chair of the board of Environmental Endowment, a grant-making institution; and member of the New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on Environmental Litigation (appointed by then Chief Justice Robert Wilentz). He taught environmental law at Judicial College for state court judges.

Prepared at Gilman School in Baltimore, where he won the Princeton Area Alumni math prize, and graduated from Princeton University in 1970 with a degree in chemistry, Ed then attended law school at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Ed returned to New Jersey and was admitted to the bar in 1974, at which he practiced for almost 50 years.

Ed’s love for Princeton University was unbounded.

Until the last decade, he rarely missed a Princeton home basketball game, where his father Ed Lloyd, Jr. (Class of 1942) had been captain of the team. He never missed a reunion until 2022. Ed was proud to march in the Prade (with son Alexander in the “pede”), then relax with classmates and family including sister Pamela Lloyd Coulter (Class of 1972), and before her untimely passing, cousin Barbara Price Krumland (Class of 1975), at Cloister Inn, where Ed lived as an undergrad and was treasurer. Ed leaves his wife of 41 years, Janine G. Bauer, and two children, son Alexander Edward Lloyd, who graduated from Columbia Law School in 2019 and is a member of the New Jersey and New York bars, and daughter Abigail Elizabeth Lloyd, a social worker at Bellevue Hospital and Northwell Hospital in New York, sister Pamela Lloyd Coulter, Princeton University Class of 1972 (John V. Coulter), sister-in-law Sherry Ziegenbalg, brotherin-law Bruce Bauer (Frances), brother-in-law Jamie D. Bauer, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews of the expended Lloyd, Fanget, Driver, Price, Bovino, Wert, and Bauer families for whom he tried to be a role model, and succeeded. Ed was predeceased by his parents, Edward L. Lloyd, Jr. and Catherine Fanget Lloyd, and his brother, Robert G. Lloyd of Baltimore.

Ed will be sorely missed. A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, August 16, 2023 at the Nassau Presbyterian Church, 61 Nassau Street, Princeton. Burial in Princeton Cemetery was private. Continued on Next Page

Stan Waterman

Ed Lloyd

Continued from Preceding Page

Yngve Lennart Gustafsson

Yngve Lennart “Len” Gustafsson — our beloved husband, father, grandfather — passed away peacefully on August 4 in Princeton after a short illness.

Born and educated in Sweden, Len considered himself a citizen of the world at an early age. During summer vacations as a teen, he took hire on Swedish ships delivering goods to foreign ports, exploring most of Europe. These voyages opened his eyes to new lands and fed his lust for travel and exploration. They also reinforced his national and cultural pride in Sweden and his hometown.

After earning degrees in engineering and economics he started his career with the Swedish-based Sandvik Steel, an international company with subsidiaries in many countries. His strong ambition and desire to grow his experience led him to push for a foreign post, and soon he was destined for a position in Dusseldorf, Germany, working and traveling all over Europe. This opened up further international opportunities, and he soon was on his way to the United States, settling in Glenrock, NJ, with his young family. He loved the freedom and non-bureaucracy of working in the American market and his initial three-year appointment turned into a lifetime in the States. Working closely with both Sweden and the USA, he traveled extensively.

Len had a lifelong passion for serving his hometown and his home country to the extent that in 1978 the Swedish Government appointed him Swedish Trade Commissioner and Vice Consul to the USA, based in Detroit, Michigan. Having one foot in both countries suited him well and gave him the opportunity to bring Swedish know-how to the auto industry and other industries. His experience and interest in both marketing and mergers and acquisitions came in handy to help many Swedish com -

panies get a foothold in the United States. It also gave him a deep sense of satisfaction to serve and support the Swedish organizations in the Detroit/Bloomfield Hills area.

Len was always interested in what was in the forefront in business and joined the new exciting robotics industry, heading up a new Industrial Robotics Division for ASEA Inc. in Michigan.

After retirement from his corporate business adventures, he started his own consulting business.

Len was very civic minded and was a member of several organizations such as Odd Fellows, Rotary International, and served as president of the Princeton Rotary Club. He co-founded a Swedish supplementary school in New Jersey and served as its first president; he was a member of the Royal Roundtable of the Swedish Council of America; board member and lifetime member of the American-Swedish Historical Museum in Philadelphia, PA; Ambassador of Lidkoping (his hometown); an active member of Leif Ericson Viking Ship Organization; and sailed and worked on a replica of the Kalmar Nyckel tall ship in Wilmington, DE, combining his interest in history and boating.

Len was an avid sailor and was never as happy as when he was behind the steering wheel sailing one of his boats. He even planned to take his boat Makulu on a world tour but was stopped by Superstorm Sandy, which left his boat battered and piled up among many other boats in the harbor of Atlantic Highlands. Undaunted, he worked on repairing and lovingly restoring the boat over the next several years. During that same time, he worked with a team of young sailors who were interested in taking the boat on an educational world tour on which Len planned to partake.

Len loved sports and staying active. In his youth he played Bandy (a fast sport on skates) in his hometown, he had a mean backhand in tennis, he enjoyed ice sailing and downhill skiing, and he frequently played golf and once had a hole-in-one. In his later years he kept active with swimming, visits to his gym, and long walks with his wife.

Len looked forward every year to spending summers at his childhood summer house on a small island in lake Vänern, Sweden. There he could jump into his sailboat for a day trip or spend hours cruising around the archipelago. He topped it off each evening by watching the sunset right outside the dining room window.

Len is survived by his loving wife Elly; his three sons and their families: Bjorn and Tammy of Atlanta, GA, Erik and Debbie of Naperville, IL, Carl and Stephanie of Manhattan and his grandchildren Anna and Alexander; and friends and family in both Sweden and the Americas.

Len will be laid to rest at the church closest to his beloved summer home in Sweden.

A Celebration of Life will be planned at a later date.

Donations in his memory may be made to the American-Swedish Historical Museum, 1900 Pattison Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19145.

James Adler Levy

James Adler Levy, 82, of Yardley, Pennsylvania, died at his home there on August 14 after a battle with several ailments.

Known as Jim or Jimmy, he was born in Trenton, New Jersey, in 1940. His family moved to Yardley in 1944 to a street called Alton Road, and with few gaps in time over the next 78 years, he lived his entire life on that street — first at his parents Charles and Elinor Levy’s house with his brother Paul, and then raised his own family at the house his parents built next door to his childhood home.

He was the son of Charles Levy, a businessman in Trenton and an owner of S.P. Dunham and Co. department stores, and his mother Elinor, an artist.

His wife of 37 years, Rebecca “Becky” Deitz Levy, pre-deceased him in 2004. She was his first love and a woman he not only idolized but who he called “the person with the most common sense of anyone he had ever known.” Becky and Jimmy built a wonderful life together in their community and loved playing golf and traveling together, and truly just being together. Becky was his rock and emotional head of what became his own family with his two loving and devoted children, Jonny and Rachel.

Jim attended Newtown Friends School, The Lawrenceville School, and graduated from Proctor Academy in Andover, New Hampshire. He graduated from The University of Pennsylvania in 1963. He started his career at Sears Roebuck as a young business trainee. He then joined his father at Dunham’s where he worked for many years. He learned how to be a businessman from his father who, along with Jim’s own brother, Paul, were his role models in life. Jim served in the Air National Guard.

At the age of 40, Jim set forth on a new career as an investment advisor at Smith Barney where he worked for 36 years. He was on the Board of Directors at Greenwood House for the Jewish Aged in Trenton, a Board Member of Har Sinai Temple of Trenton, and he served on The Newtown Friends School Board.

Jim was lucky in love not once, but twice. Jim’s daughter Rachel set him up on a blind date with Carol Sole of Michigan and Florida and Carol was Jim’s devoted companion since 2015. Jim and Carol shared much in common — love for travel, the arts, and for their own children and grandchildren.

Jim leaves behind a son Jonathan “Jonny” Levy and

his wife Jill Nusbaum of Princeton, NJ, and a daughter Rachel Levy Lesser, and her husband Neil Lesser of Newtown. Jim was the proud grandfather to three adoring young adults, Joseph “Joey” Lesser, Rebecca Lesser, and Max Levy.

Jim is also survived by his brother, The Honorable Paul Levy and his wife Linda Levy of Lawrenceville, NJ, his sister-in-law, Joanne Hochman of Savannah, GA. and many loving nieces, nephews, and grand-nieces and nephews.

Funeral services are Wednesday, August 16 at 11 a.m. at Har Sinai Temple, 2421 Pennington Road, Pennington, New Jersey.

Burial will follow at Greenwood Cemetery, 1800 Hamilton Avenue, Hamilton, New Jersey.

Shiva will be observed at the Lesser residence in Newtown, PA, immediately following the burial, and from 5:30–9 p.m. on Wednesday, August 16 and on Thursday, August 17 with minyans at 6:30 pm.

The family respectfully requests memorial contributions in his memory be offered to Greenwood House, Har Sinai Temple, Mill Hill Child & Family Development Center, or to a charity of the donor’s choice.

Funeral arrangements are by Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel. For condolences please visit OrlandsMemorialChapel.com.

A talented graphic designer, Anne worked at Pentagram and later established herself as a self-employed designer, working with organizations including the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, 101: Fund, and Sustainable Princeton. Anne also brought her designer’s eye to thoughtful event invitations and inventive birthday cards for friends and family. In 2022, Anne’s design was proudly featured nationwide on the ALS Association’s Walk to Defeat ALS shirts.

After living in Aix-enProvence for a year during college, Anne kept up her French language through conversation groups and later took up Spanish. Anne delighted in theater, music, good quality television, and travel. She would insist on taking a photo of her tour guide following any cultural tour. She loved food and cooking and nurtured this passion through relentless study and experimentation.

Anne is survived by her children, Eamon and Byrne; her mother Margaret Cowin; her sister Elizabeth Roth (George Roth); her brothers Tom Cowin and James Cowin; and niece Olivia Anne Roth; as well as her Fahey siblings-inlaw and her partner David Myers. A memorial will be held at 12 p.m., Sunday, September 10 at Eno Terra in Kingston, NJ.

Anne Cowin Fahey

Anne Cowin Fahey, 64, a longtime Princeton resident, died peacefully at home on August 4.

Anne will be remembered for her remarkable selflessness, her knack for nailing the little things, her humor, and her resilience. She took a stoic, glass-half-full approach to life through the tragic death of her husband, Kevin, in a car accident in 2006 and through her courageous three-year battle with ALS. Although her life was marked by deep lows, she chose to live a life filled with gratitude for the gifts life presented her: her children, her family, her friends, travel, and the arts. Behind a modest demeanor, Anne was exuberant, loyal, and loving, and determined to make the most of life. She will be deeply missed.

Born and raised in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, to Margaret and Lawrence Cowin, Anne studied French at the University of Michigan and graphic design at Pratt Institute. She lived in Detroit and New York City before settling in Princeton, New Jersey. In 1988, Anne married her high school sweetheart, Kevin, after an epic, 11-year long-distance relationship. She had met Kev at age 10, when they were castmates in a Cleveland Play House Youth Theater production. Nineteen years later, they returned to the Play House for their wedding. They had two children, Eamon and Byrne.

of evolution (this was West Texas in the 1950s) which led her to move on from this job to graduate school at University of Texas Austin. There she met and married Henry Wood in 1964, moved with him to Rochester and Brooklyn, NY, then to Princeton, NJ. Together they had four boys. After Henry passed away in 1979, Molly married Carl Faith who turned out to be the love of her life. They loved traveling and spent many summers (and winters and falls) in Barcelona.

Molly taught Latin for many years at Steinert, Hamilton, Rutgers Prep, Flemington, and Ewing High Schools. Her love of the language continued after her retirement with her participation in a Latin translation group, taking on translation of previously untranslated classics, and translating English works into Latin. She was a longtime member of a local reading orchestra, and in retirement tutored young children in reading in the Grand Pals program. Molly was a longtime dancer. For decades she studied dance in many styles: flamenco, belly dancing, and ballet, as well as practicing yoga and aerobics. In retirement she drove friends to exercise classes.

Molly Sullivan

Molly Sullivan, 84, died on Friday, July 14, 2023 at the Princeton Care Center, in Princeton, NJ. Born in Abilene, Texas, on April 27, 1939, she will be remembered for her wit, her rebellious and mischievous spirit, and her love of music and cats.

Molly took up violin from an early age and played in her high school orchestra, where she excelled in Latin, was a member of the Classics Club, and was a cheerleader. After graduating from San Angelo High School, she attended San Angelo College where she got her B.A, and started teaching Latin at the high school level. As a teacher, she was known for her quirky and distinctive teaching style, however she underestimated the popular rejection of the theory

Left to honor Molly and remember her love are her four children, Zeno (Jill Dowling) Wood, Japheth (Mariel Fiori) Wood, Malachi (Jhilam Iqbal) Wood, and Ezra (Simi Hoque) Wood; and 10 grandchildren, Indrid Griffin Wood, Leila Rae Yorek Sundin, Tarquin Wood, Maya Wood, Doria Iqbal Sharif, Daphne Wood-Fiori, Lihuel Wood-Fiori, Vesper Woodhoque, Esme Woodhoque, and Quinn Woodhoque. Molly was predeceased by her husband Carl Clifton Faith and her parents Denny and Dorothy Sullivan. She had many, many cats over the years, among them Gray Cat, Black Cat, Chichen Itza, Rambam, Avicenna, Ms. Moo, Puddin, Kit Lee, and Tiger and Mischief. A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, September 3 at Kimble Funeral Home, 1 Hamilton Avenue, Princeton, NJ 08542. There will be a gathering for guests from 10 to 11 a.m. with speakers beginning at 11 a.m. Afterwards, attendees and other friends and family are invited to join us for a reception at 199 Longview Drive. The family would like to extend our gratitude to all the kind and caring staff at the Princeton Care Center and Ennoble Care Hospice. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to Planned Parenthood and the ACLU in Molly Sullivan’s name.

Rider Furniture

HANDYMAN–CARPENTER:

Painting, hang cabinets & paintings, kitchen & bath rehab. Tile work, masonry. Porch & deck, replace rot, from floors to doors to ceilings. Shelving & hook-ups. ELEGANT REMODELING. You name it, indoor, outdoor tasks. Repair holes left by plumbers & electricians for sheetrock repair. RE agents welcome. Sale of home ‘checklist’ specialist. Mercer, Hunterdon, Bucks counties. 1/2 day to 1 month assignments. CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED, Covid 19 compliant. Active business since 1998. Videos of past jobs available. Call Roeland, (609) 933-9240. tf

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

Employment Opportunities in the Princeton Area

TERHUNE ORCHARDS, FAMILY FARM, PRINCETON, NJ

Seeking office administrator to assist in the day-to-day operations for our retail business. Qualifications: detail-oriented, strong communication and organizational skills, customer service experience. Experience in accounts payable and receivable and office management. Part-time position. Email tmount@terhuneorchards.com.

MORTGAGE LOAN COMMITMENT

In the journey towards homeownership, understanding key terms is vital, and "mortgage commitment" is one such crucial concept. A mortgage commitment is a formal promise made by a lender to provide the borrower with a specific loan amount and terms for purchasing a home. This commitment signifies that the lender has thoroughly reviewed the borrower's financials, credit history, and property appraisal, deeming them eligible for the specified mortgage.

Unlike pre approval, a mortgage commitment holds more weight as it indicates the lender's dedication to fund the purchase. It's a pivotal step before closing, ensuring a smoother transaction. However, it's essential to note that conditions such as maintaining financial stability and not making significant credit changes must be met until closing. This commitment streamlines the final stages of buying a home, granting buyers the confidence to move forward and make their homeownership dreams a reality.

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 tf

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

EXPERIENCED ELDER CARE for your loved one. Compassionate caregiver with 16 years experience will assist with personal care, medication, meals, drive to medical appointments, shopping. Many local references. Call or text (609) 9779407.

WHAT’S A GREAT GIFT FOR A FORMER PRINCETONIAN?

A Gift Subscription!

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

CLEANING, IRONING, LAUNDRY BY WOMEN WITH A LOT OF EXPERIENCE. Excellent references, own transportation. Please call Inga at (609) 530-1169 and leave a message.

09-20

LOOKING TO SELL YOUR CAR?

Put an ad in the TOWN TOPICS

CLASSIFIEDS to get top results! Call (609) 924-2200 ext. 10; classifi eds@towntopics.com

DEADLINE: Tues before 12 noon

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

LOLIO’S WINDOW WASHING & POWER WASHING: Free estimate. Next day service. Fully insured. Gutter cleaning available. References available upon request. 30 years experience. (609) 271-8860.

TERHUNE ORCHARDS, FAMILY FARM A UNIQUE WORK EXPERIENCE - FRIENDLY CO-WORKERS AND CUSTOMERS NOW HIRING FARMSTORE AND SEASONAL STAFF

Full-time, part-time and weekend only. Flexible schedule. Retail & customer service experience a plus. Great for people who like to work outdoors in a fun environment. Great for students (high school, college, grad student) looking for hours around classes. Great for wine lovers wanting to share their knowledge and pour wine on weekends. Weekend only workers must be: - 16 years or older - have availability at minimum for fall season Email tmount@terhuneorchards.com.

ADVERTISING SALES

Witherspoon Media Group is looking for an Advertising Account Manager, based out of our Kingston, NJ office, to generate sales for Town Topics Newspaper and Princeton Magazine

The ideal candidate will:

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For additional info contact: melissa.bilyeu@ witherspoonmediagroup.com

• Establish new sales leads and manage existing sales accounts for both publications

• Develop industry-based knowledge and understanding, including circulation, audience, readership, and more.

• Collaborate with the advertising director and sales team to develop growth opportunities for both publications

Track record of developing successful sales strategies and knowledge of print and digital media is a plus.

Fantastic benefits and a great work environment.

Please submit cover letter and resume to: charles.plohn@witherspoonmediagroup.com

Introducing: Westcott Road

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Maura Mills: 609.947.5757 callawayhenderson.com/id/QH9P8Y

Introducing: Woosamonsa Road

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Grant Wagner, Merlene K Tucker: 609.331.0573 callawayhenderson.com/id/SY3WQB

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Introducing: Teak Lane

Lawrence Township, NJ | $1,300,000

Susan Hughes: 609.213.5556 callawayhenderson.com/id/YG6SKG

Heather Lane

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Introducing: Chelsea Court

Lawrence Township, NJ | $985,000

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Montgomery Township, NJ | $925,000

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Introducing: Donovan Road

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West Windsor Township, NJ | $700,000

Jane Henderson Kenyon: 609.828.1450 callawayhenderson.com/id/VSS2FF

Introducing: Lexington Drive

Hopewell Township, NJ | $595,000

Deborah W Lane: 609.306.3442 callawayhenderson.com/id/8F8ZYX