Volume LXXII, Number 12
New Businesses On Pages 12-14 Safe Streets Honors W-J Community . . . . . . . . . 5 Council to Discuss Affordable Housing . . . 9 Sustainable Princeton Outlines Climate Action Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Vocal Ensemble Tenebrae at PU Chapel . . . . . . . 24 Crowns Returns to McCarter Theatre . . . . 29 PU Women’s Hoops Falls to Maryland in NCAA Opener . . . . . . . . . . . 31 PDS Hockey Star Auslander, Stuart Hoops’ Spaulding Get Nod as Top Winter Performers . . . 34
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Williamson and Niedergang Score Highest on Ballot Placement Vote for Council
In Monday night’s ballot placement vote by the Princeton Democratic Municipal Committee (PDMC), Dwaine Williamson and Eve Niedergang were the highest ranked candidates for the two open seats on Princeton Council. This means that Scotia MacRae, chairman of the PDMC, will recommend to the chair of the Mercer County Democratic Organization that they be ranked in that order — first and second — on the June 5 primary election ballot. Williamson and Niedergang also received the most votes from the Princeton Community Democratic Organization (PCDO) at its Local and County Endorsement Meeting on Sunday evening. Niedergang earned more than 60 percent of the vote (77.7), meaning she gets the PCDO’s endorsement. Williamson got over 40 percent (42.5), so he gets the support. The PDMC and PCDO are two distinctly different organizations. The PDMC is the official arm of the Democratic party. Members are elected and serve two years. They also become members of Continued on Page 4
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Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Gunman’s Death Ends Standoff With Police A four-and-a-half-hour standoff between police and an armed gunman at Panera Bread on Nassau Street ended shortly before 3 p.m. Tuesday when the man was fatally shot by police. The man entered Panera Bread on Nassau Street with a handgun around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday and made threats as customers and employees fled. Police secured the perimeter of the restaurant. The immediate area of Panera was evacuated, and Nassau Street between Witherspoon Street and Washington Road was closed for most of the day. The Princeton Police Department, state police, and the FBI were all at the scene, attempting to negotiate with the man and persuade him to surrender peacefully. Police quickly reported that the situation was contained within the restaurant with no threat to public safety. The public was advised to stay away from the area until further notice. At press time, the identity of the deceased man was being withheld pending notification of family members. No further details of the shooting were released due to the ongoing investigation by the Attorney General’s Shooting Response Team.
Two Princeton University campus buildings closest to Panera, Henry House and Scheide Caldwell House, were evacuated as a precaution. Few students are around, as University classes are not in session this week of spring break. Princeton Public Schools (PPS) remained in a shelter in place mode throughout the day, according to PPS Superintendent Steve Cochrane, but the police reported that there was no danger to students, so afternoon dismissal and activities took place as usual.
Princeton Public Library was on lockdown throughout most of the day, but the lockdown was lifted in the late afternoon. One Nassau Street resident reported seeing a stretcher carried into the restaurant at about 3 p.m., but it was carried out empty within an hour. According to tweets, customers and staff at stores on Tulane Street, including Princeton Record Exchange and Princeton Barber Shop, were told to stay inside. —Donald Gilpin —Anne Levin
Institute for Advanced Study to Donate $500,000 to Princeton Public Schools The Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) has announced that it will donate $500,000 to the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) over the next five years, beginning with the 2018-19 school year. “The Institute for Advanced Study is proud to be an engaged partner in the Princeton community and greatly values its superb public schools,” said Institute Director Robbert Dijkgraaf. “The Institute and the Princeton Public School District share a common commitment to education and pursuit of knowledge. Our gift will
support the Princeton Public Schools as they educate our children to lead lives of joy and purpose in a global society.” The number of IAS children in PPS varies from 20 to 40 year to year, with about 30 currently enrolled, according to school officials. “We are extraordinarily grateful for this contribution,” said PPS Superintendent Steve Cochrane. “It comes at a crucial time in the life of the district as we plan for rising enrollments, and it will truly make Continued on Page 10
Celebrating Princeton’s Part in Bach’s Birthday 18 Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Berkshire Hathaway Fox & Roach Realtors . .22, 23 Books . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . 27 Cinema . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Classified Ads. . . . . . . 38 Mailbox . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Music/Theater . . . . . . 28 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . 37 Police Blotter . . . . . . . . 6 Religion . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Service Directory . . . . 39 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Topics of the Town . . . . 5 Town Talk . . . . . . . . . . . 6
MARCH MADNESS: Members of the Princeton University men’s hockey team celebrate after they defeated Clarkson 2-1 in overtime in the ECAC Hockey title game last Saturday in Lake Placid, N.Y. The Tigers, now 19-12-4, are headed to the NCAA tournament where they are the fourth seed in the Midwest Regional and will face top-seeded Ohio State (24-9-5) in a first round contest on March 24 in Allentown, Pa. For more details on the ECACH title run, see page 30. (Photo Courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)