Volume LXX, Number 7
Summer Camps Pages 21-28 Princeton Professor’s Study Suggests Positive Peer Pressure Helps Counteract Bullying . . . 7 Encounters with Shakespeare, Mark Rylance, Fellini, and James Dean on the Road to Oscar Night . . . . . . 16 PU Women’s Lax Looking to Take Next Step . . . . 30 PDS Boys’ Hoops Advances to Prep B Finals . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Forty-Year Princeton Resident Mary S . Cross, Whose Photography Books Spanned the World from Cairo to the Great Wall, Dies at 79 . . . . . 39 Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . 19 Cinema . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Classified Ads . . . . . . . 40 Clubs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Music/Theater . . . . . . 17 Mailbox . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . 39 Real Estate . . . . . . . . 40 Religion . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Topics of the Town . . . . 5 Town Talk . . . . . . . . . . . 6
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Beloved Educator Riverside Principal Bill Cirullo Dies Bill Cirullo, principal of Riverside Elementary School for 30 years, died Monday after complications from a stroke. A graduate of the Princeton school system and an elementary and middle school teacher for 19 years before being appointed principal, Mr. Cirullo was “at once both deeply humble and larger than life,” stated Princeton Schools Superintendent Steve Cochrane. Born and raised on Humbert Street, Mr. Cirullo taught sixth grade at Community Park School, which he had attended as a boy, then sixth through eighth grades at John Witherspoon Middle School, where he was also chair of the social studies department. After working for the district for a year on curriculum development and instruction in the elementary schools, he taught fourth grade at Riverside for three years before his appointment as principal 30 years ago. “Bill understood that what he was doing was going to have an impact for decades,” stated Mimi Omiecinski, Princeton resident and parent of a Riverside graduate. “The guy really knew how to lead. He created a sense of community. You knew kids were safe. He had a flair for humor, personality, and charisma. There was not a kid at that school that he didn’t touch in a personal way. He always brought out the best in the kids and the parents.” His inspiration spread far. Alexis Watson, who grew up in Princeton and currently works as a special education teacher in New York City, described how Mr. Cirullo “became a teacher, mentor, and role model for me as I was starting my teaching career. Throughout my college career, Mr. Cirullo invited me into his school with open arms, which allowed me to gain hands-on experience working with students and teachers in a loving and respectful community. Mr. Cirullo’s passion for education shone through everywhere he went and in every word he spoke to students, teachers, parents and guests. HIs creative spirit spread through the hallways and classrooms.” Describing Mr. Cirullo as “a commanding presence in the classroom or on the lacrosse field,” Mr. Cochrane said, “He was also simple and self-effacing enough to don a cape, a cowboy hat, and a pair of goggles to delight the children of Riverside Elementary School as Captain Dismissal!” Continued on Page 8
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Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Prosecutor Sanctions Police Handling of Perry Arrest
The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office has determined that Princeton police acted properly in the arrest of Princeton University professor Imani Perry, who was stopped last week for speeding on Mercer Street and subsequently arrested on an outstanding warrant for unpaid parking tickets and an expired driver’s license. Ms. Perry, who is the University’s Hughes-Rogers Professor of African American Studies, wrote on social media following the arrest that she was treated “inappropriately and disproportionately” by the officers involved in the arrest. The police department has since released a video from the officers’ dashboard camera showing much of the incident. “This is an internal affairs investigation that has thus far consisted of reviewing all relevant video evidence, police reports, and court documents,” a statement reads. “Based upon that review, the officer’s conduct is to be commended, not criticized. Unless Perry comes forward with additional evidence, the case will be closed by a finding exonerating the officer.” The statement goes on to say that a meeting was scheduled with Ms. Perry for last week, but she cancelled. “If she does not reschedule in the near future,
we will close our investigation. Although she stated that she would reschedule, we have not yet heard from her. In the meantime, the video was released.” Ms. Perry was stopped by local police on Saturday, February 6 for driving 67 miles per hour in a 45-miles-per-hour zone. When one of the two officers in the squad car ran her license information, he discovered that Ms. Perry had unpaid Princeton parking tickets from 2012 and was driving on a suspended license. Because of these factors, there was an
outstanding warrant for her arrest. Following policy and state law, she was arrested, handcuffed, and taken into custody, where she remained handcuffed until she paid her fines and was released. After Ms. Perry complained on social media about her treatment, Princeton Police Chief Nicholas Sutter turned the matter over to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office. Ms. Perry, who is black, closed her Twitter account last week because of Continued on Page 2
Working Mothers Urge Council to Pass Ordinance Allowing Paid Sick Time Paid sick days, a concern that had been brought to Council in the past, arose again last week as a group of mothers who work in Princeton urged the Council to pass an ordinance that would guarantee the right of all private sector workers to earn paid sick time. “The Princeton Mothers for Earned Sick Days” said that allowing workers to earn paid sick time would keep local families and communities healthy, and make Princeton a fairer place to live and work.
“The issue of earned sick days is one of equity,” stated Council member Jenny Crumiller. “Everyone gets sick. The cost of employee sick days is a cost of doing business.” The MIDJersey Chamber of Commerce, representing a number of business interests in the area, has expressed its opposition to a similar push in the State Senate in the form of proposed Senate bill 799, which would impose a mandatory Continued on Page 4
CUPID’S CHASE: The Saturday before Valentine’s Day they’re off and running in the 5K Cupid’s Chase sponsored by Community Options . Inc . In this week’s Town Talk, some participants talk about their favorite places to run . (Photo by Charles R. Plohn)
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