Volume LXX, Number 47
www.towntopics.com
WWS Experts Debate Uncertain Future for Trump Presidency
Nassau Street Wins People’s Choice Award As “One of the Great Places in America”. . . . . . . . . 8 In His Big New Book, Bruce Springsteen Goes One-on-One with the Reader . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Princeton University Concerts Presenting Complete Beethoven String Quartet Cycle. . 18 Princeton Football Earns Share of Ivy Championship. . . . . . 32 PHS Boys’ Cross Country Runs to MOC Title. . . 37
Taneshia Nash Laird Is the New Executive Director of the Arts Council of Princeton. . . . . . . . . . . 7 Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Cinema . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Classified Ads. . . . . . . . 44 Mailbox. . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Music/Theater . . . . . . . 18 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . 42 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . 44 Religion. . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Topics of the Town . . . . . 5 Town Talk. . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Holiday Section Pages 24-31
The three Princeton professors conducting Monday’s panel discussion before a packed house at the Woodrow Wilson School’s Dodds Auditorium found themselves facing a different, far more difficult challenge than the one they had originally prepared for. The future under Donald Trump’s administration is full of uncertainty and extremes of possibilities, they agreed, and each ventured their “best guesses” as to what might happen. “Where Do We Go From Here? Policy Priorities for the Trump Administration” was the title of the forum, and the answer was a resounding, “we’re not sure.” “How much will Washington shape Trump? And how much will Trump shape Washington?” asked Brandice CanesWrone, professor of Politics and Public Affairs and vice dean of the Woodrow Wilson School. Commenting on foreign policy and some of the extreme statements Mr. Trump has made on his America-first policy of protectionism and nationalism, Professor of Politics and International Affairs Helen V. Milner observed, “Whether he’s actually going to do these things is a different matter.” The speakers seemed to agree that there are at least three levels of uncertainty in speculating on what lies ahead: what Mr. Trump says he will do, what he ends up trying to do, and what actually happens amidst the constraints of domestic and international politics. Ilyana Kuziemko, professor of economics and co-director of the Center for Health and Wellbeing, echoed her colleagues in discussing the future of health care and the Affordable Care Act, which both president-elect Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan have promised to repeal. “It’s one thing to say you’re going to do it,” she said, “and another to actually take away people’s insurance.” Though the theme of uncertainty prevailed, with occasional notes of optimism, the prevailing tone was pessimistic, and occasionally fearful. Ms. Milner, who is director of the Niehaus Center for Globalization and Governance, warned that the early appointments — Michael Flynn as national security advisor and others — indicate that “Trump is going to be militaristic. He’s appointing people who have deep Continued on Page 14
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Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Weekend Fires Damage Two Princeton Properties
Two separate fires on Sunday caused extensive damage to three shops on Witherspoon and Spring Streets and an office building at 601 Ewing Street. There were no injuries reported, according to Princeton Police Lieutenant Chris Morgan. Fire departments from Princeton and eight surrounding communities responded to a two-alarm fire at 12:57 p.m. on Sunday at the Village Silver Shop, More Cafe, and Sakura Express in downtown Princeton. Witherspoon Street was closed for about two hours. The fire, apparently caused by a still lit cigarette butt in a plastic bucket, was extinguished in about an hour, and Witherspoon Street was closed for about two hours. The fire, starting on the steps of More Cafe on the Spring Street side of the building, had burned through the bucket and ignited the floor boards. It spread from the steps to the hallway and the basement. Additional smoke damage was reported to three apartments on the second floor, and the tenants were displaced. The fire is under investigation by the Princeton fire inspector’s office. In addition to Princeton Fire Department; Lawrenceville, Rocky Hill, Princeton Junction, Plainsboro, Princeton Plasma Physics Lab, Montgomery, and Kingston responded to the call; with Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad,
PSE&G, and the municipal fire inspector in attendance. Another fire occurred earlier that morning at 2:29 a.m. in office building C at 601 Ewing Street. Fire officials, alerted by a smoke detector, arrived to find flames coming from shrubbery on the front side of the building, according to Mr. Morgan. As they attempted to extinguish the fire, they saw more flames inside and extensive smoke in the foyer area.
The Princeton Fire Department — assisted by Hopewell, Montgomery, and Princeton Plasma Physics Lab, with Princeton and Montgomery First Aid and Rescue Squads, PSE&G and the fire official in attendance — extinguished the fire in about 20 minutes, according to Bob Gregory, director of emergency management. Mr. Morgan reported that the building Continued on Page 21
University Officials and Faculty Respond To Student Demands for Immigrant Rights In response to the recent election and its aftermath, with fear and uncertainties that prompted a demonstration by hundreds of University community members last Thursday, Princeton faculty members and key administrators have issued separate statements of support for students’ rights and diversity, and against racism and discrimination. Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber, who had issued a statement to the Princeton community on November 11, asserting “our steadfast commitment to embrace people of all ethnicities, religions, nationalities, genders, and identities and our equally fundamental com-
mitment to foster the free and vigorous exchange of ideas,” has also signed a statement, along with over 100 other college and university presidents, calling for the continuation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protects eligible undocumented students from being placed in removal proceedings and grants them authorization for employment. The faculty statement released last Thursday, signed by more than 300 people, declares that, amid reports of hate crimes on campuses, the Princeton professors and lecturers “firmly emphasize our belief that all members of our Continued on Page 21
DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF MORVEN: Morven Museum & Garden was shining bright on Thursday’s opening night reception for the new exhibit, “Bruce Springsteen: A Photographic Journey.” His best-selling memoir “Born to Run” is the subject of this week’s book review. (Photo by Charles R. Plohn)