22 minute read
Town Talk
OUR RESTAURANTS ARE NOW OPEN FOR OUTDOOR DINING.
BE SURE TO MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS!
Princeton: 154 Nassau Street (609) 924-1353 West Windsor: 64 Princeton-Hightstown Road (609) 799-0688 Ewing: 938 Bear Tavern Road (609) 493-4495 Robbinsville: 19 Main Street (609) 772-4755 Kingston: 4581 Route 27 (609) 921-2778 Jacobs Music
Continued from Preceding Page So many participate in band, and band instruments aren’t as safe right now. Also, the piano is a very satisfying in strument to play solo.”
Rinaldi plays a little, but “but not very well,” he said. “I coach my daughters’ soc cer.” His father owned Jacobs Music from the early 1980s until his death five years ago. The business is now operated by Rinaldi and his brother Chris Rinaldi. The store sells Steinway pianos as well as a large se lection of used instruments from manufacturers around the world and Roland digital pianos.
Rinaldi hopes the new lo cation will be able to house a recital hall that can seat more than the 85 to 90 ac commodated in the Lawrence store. “We will absolutely have a recital hall, because that’s vital to the community,” he said. “We host more than 100 live per formances a year. That has kind of stopped, for now, but it will be a part of our future. We have to make plans to do that. Beyond being a retail er, we are a member of the musical community here.”
—Anne Levin
Virtual Field Trips To
Crosswicks: 2 Crosswicks Chesterfield Road (609) 291-5525 Old Barracks Museum Pennington: 7 Tree Farm Road (609) 303-0625 The Old Barracks Museum is bringing history online. Due to COVID-19, the Old Barracks Museum is offering “Connecting to the Revolu tion” virtual field trips to allow students to experience an interactive history lesson Princeton: 354 Nassau Street (609) 683-9700 with a costumed historical interpreter from the dis
Visit getforky.com for menus and new hours due to COVID19 tance of their desks. School administrators are developing plans to keep students safe from the spread of COVID-19 while still providing a structured and engaging approach to education. Of the many ex periences that students will miss this year, whether they spend the entire school year in the classroom, at home, or a mix of the two, is the annual field trip. Normally, nearly 10,000 New Jersey students visit the Old Barracks Museum every year. The virtual field trips weave together live conver
Get back into the SWING of things with essential flexible eyewear! In Practice since 1997 Dedicated to providing sations with historical interpreters, videos, and images of artifacts to immerse students in 18th century history. Multiple programs can be combined to expand the classroom all the way back Get back into the SWING of things with essential flexible eyewear! quality eye care, eyewear and service. to 1777, all without students leaving the safety of their desks. This program is es pecially popular with fourth and fifth grade students, as it ties directly into their cur riculum and satisfies many Core Curriculum Standards. Pre- and post-program ac THANK YOU for voting for us! tivities are available to en hance the experience. Programs are 45 minutes THANK YOU for voting for us! Wishing you a long, available for classrooms of up to 30 students, and will be administered via Dedicated to Quality and Service Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2018! Dedicated to Quality and Service Happy and Healthy 2018! Google Classroom or Zoom. Alternate platforms may be available upon request. The first program is $150; ad ditional programs are $125 each. There are eight program options to choose from, including “Meet the Past,” “New Jersey Divided,” Montgomery Center • 1325 Rt. 206 609-279-0005 • www.mecnj.com Dr. Mary E. Boname Lic #27OA00529800 Cert #27OM00032100 Benedict A. Fazio Lic #D00164000 Montgomery Center • 1325 Rt. 206 609-279-0005 • www.mecnj.com Montgomery Center • 1325 Rt. 206 609-279-0005 • www.mecnj.com Dr. Mary E. Boname Lic #27OA00529800 Cert #27OM00032100 Benedict A. Fazio Lic #D00164000 Montgomery Center • 1325 Rt. 206 609-279-0005 • www.mecnj.com Home of WB Tolley Eyewear, private label eyewear line exclusively at Montgomery Eye “On His Majesty’s Service,” and “Fighting for my Free dom.” Visit barracks.org/virtualfieldtrips to learn more about these programs. To book a program, email groups@barracks.org or call 1-888-BARRACK.
TOWN TALK © A forum for the expression of opinions about local and national issues. Question of the Week:
“What is your favorite summertime memory?” (Photos by Weronika A. Plohn)
“I love going to the Wildwood Boardwalk. I love the beach, the rides, and the games. We go every summer with my family but, unfortunately, we have not gone this year because of the virus. I hope to go there next year.” —Maya Warner, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Micah: “My favorite memory was driving across the country. We stopped at Mount Rushmore, mountains, deserts. It was really great.” Heidi: “The trip took place last year. We were helping a friend deliver a car to Portland. We traveled for two weeks, stopped at places, and visited family members we had never met before. It was such a special event.” — Micah and Heidi Wachtin, Hopewell
“Summer is my favorite season, and every year I kick off the first day of summer at the beach, regardless if it is rainy or sunny, and treat each day of the season as a blessing.” —Kecia O’Brian, South Brunswick
Olivia: “Renting a beach house on LBI every summer for a week with my family. We would always go to Kohr Brothers and get ice cream.” Jeff: “I think it would be spending time with the kids and the family at our lake house at Lake Wallenpaupack in the Poconos. We love it there and spend timeboating, fishing, and just relaxing.” —Olivia Intartaglia, Princeton with Jeff Antell, Newtown, Pa.
Caroline: “From the time I was 6 years old until I turned 22, I spent every summerat the Sandy Cove summer camp in the Poconos. What makes it even more special is that I also met my husband there! Unfortunately, the camp closed last year after being in business for 69 years.” Laura: “My family is from San Marino, Italy, and we used to go there every summer to visit. I loved the beaches of Rimini and playing in the water there.” —Caroline Richardson, San Diego, Calif., with Laura LaSpisa, Westchester, N.Y.
continued from page one
Nassau Street on Saturday afternoon, August 1, handing out about 200 free face masks. Of the 246 people who passed in front of the Princeton Garden Theatre between 3 and 3:30 p.m., 211 (85.77 percent) were wearing a mask. Between 4:30 and 5 p.m. on Saturday, 229 people passed with 149 (65.07 percent) wearing a mask.
Princeton Press and Media Communications Officer Fred Williams noted that many of the people not wearing masks were in groups of people, family, or friends, and others had taken their masks off while consuming a recentlypurchased drink. The next mask distribution date will be August 11, possibly in Palmer Square.
Public Health
Shortcomings
Grosser discussed the status of public health nationally and the impact of public health failures on the local pandemic response. “Public health infrastructure in the United States and New Jersey needs help,” he wrote in an email Tuesday. “New Jersey public health ran into this pandemic unprepared due to lack of funding and resources from minute one. Local public health was asked to assist hospitals and long-term care facilities with facility management, which has never been an expertise or requirement of our department.”
Grosser went on to cite the inability of state and federal government to provide personal protective equipment, along with local shortages of staff in the face of increasing numbers of COVID-19 patients overwhelming the local health departments in April and May.
“With every step forward, we have been taking a few steps backwards,” Grosser said. He pointed out that now his department is working to assist businesses, schools, and other community facilities with the reopening process, but state guidance is lacking and his department does not have enough staff to consult effectively with these groups on their return-to-operations plans.
Public health funding nationally and in New Jersey has been “depleted to the point that many local health departments are shells of what they once were,” he added, but noted that in Princeton, the mayor, Council, and municipal administration have identified these deficiencies and enlisted a full-time public health nurse whose primary job is to oversee communicable disease outbreaks in Princeton. “We are very fortunate in Princeton, but in other places where cases are surging and contact tracing just isn’t getting done, those communities have a long way to go,” Grosser said.
School Reopenings
The Princeton Health Department has been meeting with heads of schools
and their leadership teams to discuss what return to school might look like following the recent COVID-19 surge. “Presently, what holds many districts back in New Jersey is what to do with a symptomatic student/staff member or a positive COVID-19 case,” Grosser said.
He continued, “What hinders the decision-making here is the fact that many testing laboratories are backlogged five to seven days or more. So essentially, before there is any clear scientific evidence on COVID-19 in a classroom, we must wait a week or more to find out what is happening.” He noted the added challenges of cases in more than one school, sibling exposure, and coordination of a responsible outbreak response.
Governor’s Response
As coronavirus case numbers and transmission rates rose this week to the highest level in months, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy put reopening plans on pause Monday in the middle of stage two, announcing that limits on indoor gatherings would be scaled back from 100 to 25, with some exceptions for weddings, funerals, religious, and political events. Indoor house parties, Murphy noted, had created a number of COVID outbreaks in the state.
Gyms, movie theaters, bars, and restaurants (indoors) remain closed, and 34 states are now under quarantine with people visiting or returning from those states asked to quarantine for 14 days. The state health commissioner has expressed particular concern about an increase in cases among 18- to 29-year-olds. “The focus of the leadership within the municipality is on rate of transmission, the safe reopening of our schools, and public compliance with COVID-19 safety measures,” Williams stated on Monday. “Our local businesses have benefited from the re-tooling of our downtown area to support outdoor dining and curbside pick-up for shoppers, and our residents have had access to the Community Park Pool and other recreational programs through the efforts of our recreation department and high compliance with required safety measures.”
Noting the signage around town encouraging compliance with COVID safety measures, Williams emphasized, “Compliance is key,” and he added, “The end of summer is now shifting our focus towards traditional end-of-summer activities like Labor Day getaways and events.”
In looking ahead in the ongoing battle, Grosser reflected, ”What is going to get Princeton through this pandemic is exactly what has conquered previous historical crises: innovative thinking, community cohesion, and the understanding that no individual or institution is larger than the cause.”
—Donald Gilpin
Available for Lunch & Dinner Mmm..Take-Out D&R Greenway Recognized As Accessibility Model
When Greenway Meadows park was created and named in 2002, the former paved driveway to the General Robert Wood Johnson estate was repurposed to invite people of all abilities into this natural setting. From two Rosedale Road parking areas, visitors — including those using a cane, walker or wheelchair; parents with strollers; and bicyclists — are invited onto a paved trail to enter the beauty of the park. In summer, fields of wildflowers, full with butterflies in the day and fireflies at dusk, create an experience of being one with nature.
The national Land Trust Alliance [LTA] has chosen D&R Greenway, from land trusts throughout the country, to feature in their Summer 2020 Saving Land magazine article, “Interpreting the Land: Helping More People Benefit from Conservation.” D&R Greenway’s use of TravelStorys audio tours for Greenway Meadows and other preserves was showcased as a model for enabling broader access to nature.
In addition to its Greenway Meadows tour, D&R Greenway has created tours for its St. Michaels Farm Preserve in Hopewell, and the Abbott Marshlands nearby Trenton for which a Spanish translation is available. The same article features land trusts in Michigan, Indiana, California, and Montana, which have built boardwalks and ramps to difficult-to-reach locations, and some who have installed signage in Braille. During the COVID pandemic, an important feature of D&R Greenway’s TravelStorys tours is that they can be viewed on the organization’s website from the comfort of one’s home.
Recognizing D&R Greenway’s work, the Land Trust Alliance article states, “When it comes to telling a preserve’s story, sometimes a sign isn’t enough. The story’s too complex, and many hikers would rather move than stand and read anyway. As one solution, the accredited D&R Greenway Land Trust in Princeton, New Jersey, turned to a device that hikers are rarely without: their smartphones.”
For more information, visit www.drgreenway.org.
Attendance is “Forbidden” At Womanspace Fundraiser
Womanspace will hold its First Annual No Show Event Fundraiser. The entrance fee to this ongoing event, which ends August 15, is whatever you can donate, and attendance is “strictly forbidden.”
In order to maintain social distancing, this fundraiser was designed to be enjoyed from home. Participants are urged to stay in their coziest pajamas or yoga gear, and help raise funds for the organization.
During quarantine, Womanspace has continued to operate its Emergency Safe House, Transitional Housing, and hotlines. The funds raised through the No Show Event will be used for these programs and more. No physical donations can be accepted at this time, but people are encouraged to donate to the event through www.womanspace.org.
Womanspace’s Administrative Office remains closed. For administrative matters, phone messages will be checked regularly and emails can be sent to info@womanspace. org, which will be checked regularly. After the installation of a state of the art filtration system and enhanced cleaning techniques, the Womanspace Counseling Office has reopened part-time. Clients may choose to attend in-person counseling or continue to be counseled through other secure means.
Founded in 1977, Womanspace is a leading nonprofit organization serving the greater Mercer County area and the state of New Jersey by providing a comprehensive array of emergency and follow-up services to individuals and families impacted by domestic violence and sexual assault.
Rider Furniture
“Where quality still matters.” 4621 Route 27 Kingston, NJ 609-924-0147 riderfurniture.com
Mon-Fri 10-6; Sat 10-5; Sun 12-5
Serving the Princeton area for over 20 years Residential & Office Cleaning Fully Insured Renata Z. Yunque, owner/manager 609-683-5889 cleanhousehappyhouse@gmail.com www.cleanhousehappyhouse.com For immediate attention, call the Princeton Renata for all your housecleaning and organizing needs.
REFINED INTERIORS
HELPING FAMILIES AT HOME SINCE 1991
PERSONAL PAPERWORK
SOLUTIONS...AND MORE, INC.
During these challenging times we are actively supporting our clients providing the following services as “your virtual home office.”
www.ppsmore.com Our expert services include:
• Personal accounting
(Bill payment/check writing) • Household financial management • Tax preparation
(Assembly & analysis of financial information for tax purposes) • Income & expense management • Healthcare cost administration
To talk with us about our services and how we can help you or your loved one during this challenging time please call (609) 371-1466 or email us at info@ppsmore.com. Specialized Services for Seniors and Their Families, Busy Professionals
Community policing, public safety, police violence, defunding the police in the context of the fight for Black lives, and hopes for Princeton’s future were all topics up for discussion in a July 26 dialogue between Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert and Princeton Police Chief Nick Sutter. Lempert will be stepping down as mayor at the end of the year after her second term (eight years) in office, and Sutter will retire on October 1 of this year after 25 years of serving the community, the last six as police chief.
In a 90-minute virtual conversation sponsored by the Princeton Civil Rights Commission, moderated by Councilwoman Leticia Fraga, and attended by about 80 participants, Sutter emphasized the importance of change in policing and in the Princeton Police Department (PPD).
“I embrace change,” he said. “Our department and its culture embrace change. More departments nationally should do that. A culture in a police department that embraces and accepts
change will be progressive and more successful.”
Sutter commented on the biggest change he has seen during his career in policing. “When I began in policing 25 years ago the police told the public what was good for the community,” he said. “Thankfully what has changed is that we now listen to the community. In Princeton we’ve made an effort to engage the community, to listen and to see what’s needed for the community. We’ve tried to address the expectations, needs, and wants of the community from the community’s perspectives.”
He added that he sees more drastic change coming in the near future, with local police increasingly engaging in conversations with the public, listening, “and making the changes that the community sees the need for.”
Praising the PPD and its chief, Lempert added, “When it’s functioning well, they are an arm of the community. They need to reflect the community’s values.”
A significant change that both Sutter and Lempert emphasized as crucial to future growth and improvement in policing is for police departments to be more thoroughly supported by social services and mental health professionals, with more funding for crisis intervention teams and professional help in responding to individuals who are experiencing crises.
“To flourish as a community we have to take some of that responsibility back upon ourselves, not just think of the police as the answer to that, but think of it more holistically,” Lempert said. “We need to have a broader view and not rely on the police to solve all the problems in the world. We have to make sure we’re making important investments across the board. Affordable housing is one crucial piece to help make fundamental changes for the better.”
Sutter noted that current call to “defund the police” means different things to different people but that in general he does not see defunding the police as a legitimate proposal. “I have
AN EVENING WITH Skip Robinson
Co-Hosted by HarborChase of Princeton and Akin Care.
Wednesday, August 26 | 4pm to 6pm
You’re Invited to HarborChase of Princeton for an exciting evening of entertainment with a live performance by special guest, Skip Robinson. Experience Skip’s incredible renditions of Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley that he made famous on the national Broadway tour of Million Dollar Quartet. Enjoy complimentary cocktails and chef-prepared Hors d’oeuvres. You may even take home a prize! To RSVP for this relaxing “socially distanced” event, call (609) 917-9985.
HARBORCHASE OF PRINCETON ASSISTED LIVING AND MEMORY CARE RESIDENCES 4331 US-RT 1 | Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852 www.HarborChase.com
no good alternatives to answering 911 calls,” he said, and stated that a more legitimate discussion would focus on reallocating resources to meet needs.
“We have to engage in crisis intervention teams,” he said. “These are resources that we need to help our citizens.”
He explained some of the kinds of support the police need. “Police are not trained to help people with mental health problems,” he said. “We’re first responders. We try to get someone help then we move on, and that’s not solving the problem. We need mental health experts who are second responders. We need a concept of second responders for family crises, mental health crises, juvenile crises. This is an idea for real change, for something beneficial for the community.”
Sutter noted that the problem of homelessness is another example of an area where the police need help. “We’re limited,” he said. “We need people who are trained with the resources, time, and capacity to give people true help. We respond in emergencies. We’re good in emergencies, but we’re not good in the follow-up. That’s not what we were trained in, not what we’re set up for.”
Lempert agreed, and added that the municipal government is “looking for areas where we can use experts, professionals to support the police and serve the community more effectively.”
In commenting on her hopes for Princeton during her last five months in office and beyond, Lempert reflected on the challenges posed by the pandemic. “It’s my hope that we get through this difficult period and emerge from it in a way that’s better and more equitable, and that we’re stronger than we were back in February of 2020,” she said.
She continued, “Princeton’s a great place, but there’s also a lot we can improve on. There’s been both a national reckoning and a local one too, and there’s an opportunity for us to come together as a community to help each other through this difficult period. It’s challenging right now, and the next several months to a year are going to be incredibly difficult with the pandemic and its economic and social effects. We have to lean on each other and come together as a community. This is a real test for Princeton, but it’s an amazing community.”
Sutter noted that his biggest hope “comes through the lens of the police department.” He explained, “I’d like to see the department continue to progress and change and get out in front of all this national turmoil and be a leader in transformational change, real change.” tected.”
—Donald Gilpin Princeton Medical Center Rated Highly Once More
For the sixth year in a row, Princeton Medical Center (PMC) was recognized as a Best Regional Hospital in central New Jersey and ranked among the top hospitals statewide and across the New York metropolitan area by U.S. News & World Report.
The magazine’s 2020-21 Best Hospitals ratings, published online July 28, named PMC as the No. 9 hospital in New Jersey and No. 24 in the metropolitan region. PMC also was rated high performing in one specialty — orthopaedics — and three common procedures or conditions: hip replacement, knee replacement, and heart failure.
The ratings are based largely on data related to clinical outcomes and patient safety, as well as patient satisfaction surveys and indicators such as whether a hospital holds Magnet® status, the highest institutional recognition available for nursing excellence.
“Ratings like this reflect the high-quality, compassionate care that our physicians and staff provide every day,” said Barry S. Rabner, president and CEO of Penn Medicine Princeton Health. “We view this as a total team effort. Providers and employees throughout Princeton Health support the care provided at the hospital, and we all share in this recognition.”
Allegra Marketing Honored With Multiple Awards
Allegra Marketing Print Mail of Cranbury was recently honored with multiple awards from marketing, print, and graphic communications franchise network Alliance Franchise Brands.
The annual awards recognize excellence in sales and customer service. Allegra has been providing resources to help local businesses reopen safely and quickly as restrictions are lifted.
“We are all in this together, contributing to the reopening and comeback for our business community,” said David Kovacs, owner of Allegra. “This recognition reminds us that no one does it alone. Our loyal customers are the ones we honor, and we share this award with them.”
Kovacs and his team were recognized for their outstanding sales. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Allegra quickly moved to support local businesses and continue to serve the community with signage solutions.
A s P r i n ce ton work s to reopen amidst local restrictions lifting, Allegra has created resources for businesses, including reopening guidelines that offer a comprehensive checklist methodology. Allegra can also provide all necessary graphics and signs needed to reopen swiftly and easily, creating a safe environment for customers and employees.
Located at 6 Corporate Drive, Allegra is a professional services business serving the digital and print marketing communications needs of small- and mediumsized organizations – direct mail, advertising, website development, email marketing, signs, and branding.
Allegra is independently owned and operated and is a member of the Alliance Franchise Brands network, linking to more than 600 locations throughout North America.
For more information about Allegra, visit allegra princeton.com.
Five New Members Named to Rider Board
This summer, the board of trustees of Rider University elected five new members, three of whom are alumni of the University. Their terms began on July 1.
The new trustees are Julio Abreu ’75, the president and owner of A+ Media; Bill Kurtz ’79, an interim CFO/ CCO, strategic advisor and/ or board member to four companies; Jill Canastra ’72, a retired elementary school teacher and middle school guidance counselor; Joe Maggio, a dentist and dental director at Aetna Better Health of New Jer sey; and Annmarie Woods, a director and senior wholesaler for New York Life Investments.
“I’m personally grateful that these individuals have chosen to contribute their experience and expertise to help guide the University during a moment of tremendous change,” said Board Chairman Robert S. Schimek ’87. “I believe deeply in the mission and vitality of this institution and welcome their partnership as we work toward a thriving future for Rider University.”
In addition to the newly elected members, four trustees retired from board service on June 30 following the completion of three consecutive three-year terms each, the maximum allowed. They are Bob Christie ’76, Molly O’Neil Frank, Tom Marino
(609) 683-8900 242 Nassau Street, Princeton www.pizzadenprinceton.com
Where Every Hour is Happy Hour 609.921.8555 248 Nassau St. • Princeton
He added, “I’d like to see the department be somewww.IvyInnPrinceton.com Since 1966 Where Every Hour is Happy Hour thing that all members of the community feel com609.921.8555 • 248 Nassau St. • Princeton www.IvyInnPrinceton.com Specialists fortable with and are proud of, as they feel safe and pro
’69, and Chris Nikolich ’9.
