November 21, 2012

Seascape Is Exquisite Backdrop for Spiritual Survival Tale

DO NOT FORSAKE ME IN MY HOUR OF NEED: Pi Patel (Suraj Sharma) prays in desperation to his three religions to ask for help in surviving this terrible natural catastrophe which leaves him stranded in the middle of the Pacific ocean with a Bengal tiger. Pi and his parents were en-route to Canada with their family’s zoo, when their cargo ship capsized in the terrible storm which hit them.

Pi Patel (Suraj Sharma) was raised in the Hindu faith before converting to Catholicism and Islamism all on his own. The 16-year-old’s parents reacted differently to the changes in the boy’s unorthodox behavior which included going to church and praying facing east five times a day.

His frustrated father (Adil Hussain) warned, “You cannot follow three religions at the same time,” while his more tolerant mother (Tabu) told him that “Science cannot teach what is in here,” touching her heart. Both shrugged it off as probably just a passing phase, since they were busy planning the big move of the family household and zoo from India to Canada.

However, tragedy strikes en route, when their cargo ship capsizes and sinks in the middle of the Pacific, leaving Pi, the sole human survivor, in a lifeboat with a zebra, an orangutan, a hyena, and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Will the religious believer remain true to his lofty ideals while playing out the faith-testing hand he’s suddenly been dealt?

That’s the pressing question posed in Life of Pi, a visually captivating tale of spirituality and survival. Directed by Oscar winner Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain), the movie was shot against a series of exquisite seascapes that look like glorious, hand-painted, pastel panoramas.

After the occurrence of the shipwreck, the picture is a one-man show, similar to Tom Hanks in Cast Away (2000). However, in this film the protagonist has to figure out how to coexist peacefully in very close quarters with a tiger who’d probably prefer to make him its next meal.

The burden of carrying the film falls on the shoulders of first-time actor Suraj Sharma, who does a magnificent job of conveying the existential angst of the beleaguered, ever-exasperated title character.

This richly textured adaptation will undoubtedly be a hit with fans of the Yann Martel best-seller upon which it’s based, as well as with audience members of any age who are looking for an entertaining movie. Of interest is that during an opening sequence of this flashback film, the audience is told that what is about to unfold is a story that will make you believe in God.

For all its religious overtones, however, the thrust of the production is less about an attempt to convert disbelievers than around Ang Lee’s brilliant use of the screen as a cinematic canvas to narrate a compelling story. The film is a critic and crowd pleaser that will be impossible to forget when Academy Award season comes around.

Excellent (****). Rated PG for mature themes and scary action sequences. In English, French, and Japanese with subtitles. Running time: 127 minutes. Distributor: 20th Century Fox

Deer Management Program Underway in Township Parks

It’s mating season for white-tailed deer, and Princeton Township’s deer management program is underway for the twelfth consecutive year. Mark Johnson, the Township’s Animal Control Officer, said that United Bowhunters of New Jersey are culling the deer population in six of the 12 Township parks. Once they complete their hunting, White Buffalo Sharpshooters come in to “net and bolt,” or net the deer and pick them up.

All of the carcasses are donated to Norwescap, the community action partnership that fights poverty and hunger, Mr. Johnson added. The hunting began around November 5, while no date has been set so far for the next part of the process.

The deer population has been steadily increasing, creating problems and dangerous situations on local roadways. “This is the busiest roadkill time of year, and the roadkill number has been steadily rising,” Mr. Johnson said. “For the past three or four years, we’ve had between 60 to 80 a year. But this year, we’re already at 90, which means it will probably go over 100. We’d like to keep it in the double digits.”

While there used to be certain “hot spots” where deer could be counted on to appear, the situation has changed. “I really can’t say that anymore,” Mr. Johnson said. “They’re scattered all over.”

Volunteers Work in Princeton’s Preserves After Devastation of Superstorm Sandy

CLEARING THE TRAILS: The fury of Superstorm Sandy caused considerable devastation at Princeton’s natural preserves. Volunteers, led by Princeton Friends of Open Space Trailblazers, have been working since to restore the trails and clear the areas of brush and debris. Shown here are Dana Oley and Brian Rosener of Blue Ridge Mountain Sports, who are among those who have helped with the effort. (Photo by Eric Tazelaar)

Since the destruction of Superstorm Sandy, anyone attempting to walk the paths of Princeton’s preserved woods and natural areas hasn’t gotten very far before encountering a fallen tree trunk. The record-breaking storm left its mark on Witherspoon Woods, the adjacent Mountain Lakes Preserve, and Community Park North, making paths normally strolled by nature-lovers and dog-walkers impassable.

But almost daily since the storm passed, volunteers have been working in the woods with chain saws and brush-clearing equipment to help bring the area back to normal. The Friends of Princeton Open Space Trailblazers, joined by other helpers, are opening up or rerouting paths affected by the fallen trees.

“It’s a pretty remarkable group of people,” said Fred Spar, a board member of Friends of Princeton Open Space. “They have been out there, keeping the trails clear, for a number of years on a regular basis. But since the storm, several people have been there almost daily and a fairly large crew comes out on weekends, six or eight people at a time. Some are from Blue Ridge Mountain Sports, and others who just heard about it show up to help. It’s been a huge help.”

Those who don’t frequent the woods may not realize the extent of the damage. “It’s pretty bad,” Mr. Spar said. “There are areas where it was just like dominoes — one tree fell, and the next one, and then the next one followed, and so on. Just beyond Mountain Lakes House, there’s an area where there were mostly conifers, and it’s just devastated. It’s all gone. There are many places where you start out following a trail, and then you have to stop.”

The cleanup continues, and more volunteers are needed. “The storm caused the loss of access to some beautiful natural areas that a lot of people in the community have come to enjoy,” Mr. Spar said. “It’s sad to see all these great trees fallen and paths obstructed. We still need help, and we welcome anyone who wants to volunteer.”

To join the effort, contact info@fopos.org.


Public Schools Fared Well During Storm; Board Hears Valley Road Building Proposal

The focus was on buildings and grounds at last week’s Board of Education meeting.

Superintendent Judy Wilson and other members of the Board reiterated their thanks to the community for passing a September referendum that will support $10.9 million in infrastructure repairs and upgrades to district schools. At the same meeting, which had originally been scheduled for October 30, Ms. Wilson reported that school buildings and playing fields came out of Hurricane Sandy relatively unscathed. The meeting concluded with the presentation by Kip Cherry of a proposed resolution focusing on the disposition of the old section of Valley Road School building.

In her comments about the recent storm, Ms. Wilson described Borough Administrator Robert Bruschi as “tireless, steady, and accurate” in fulfilling his role as “key communicator” between the schools and the public.

The Princeton Public Library was also acknowledged for providing a haven in the days during and after the storm. “Hundreds of our children were sitting on the library floor reading and chatting,” Ms. Wilson reported. “What a sight it was.”

Custodians and maintenance staff, under the leadership of Director of Plant/Operations Gary Weisman, were recognized for putting in as many as 50 hours at a stretch at school buildings over the course of ten to twelve days. “They made a huge difference in our ability to open again,” Ms. Wilson noted.

The only damage sustained by any of the schools was to the roof of the gym at Princeton High School, where repairs are already underway.

Repairing the Valley Road School Building was the subject of Ms. Cherry’s presentation. “I’m not expecting you to vote on it tonight,” she said as she distributed copies of the proposal prepared by by Valley Road Community Center, Inc. “Consider it a draft for your future support.”

Ms. Cherry noted that portions of the building are “in dire need of repair” and “will become an eyesore or safety hazard if not addressed.” The proposal to create a “Valley Road Community Center” is not a new one, but Ms. Cherry reiterated some of its specifics, including the creation of affordable spaces for non-profit theater and arts organizations which will work together in a synergistic environment. Ms. Cherry was careful to note that the purposes of the Center would be consistent with the Princeton Public School’s mission, and that environmental issues would be met in creating it.

The suggestion, this time, that the Board “partner” with the Valley Road Community Center, Inc., may have been a new one. “You haven’t been with us,” Ms. Cherry commented, noting that a partnership would enhance fund-raising opportunities and garner support for the project from the Planning Board and new municipal Council.

Thanking Ms. Cherry for a “thoughtful proposal,” Ms. Wilson reminded everyone about the Board’s “time frame” for considering what to do with the Valley Road building. Since they were committed “to go to work on this issue after the first of this year,” she said, she did not expect “any public discussion on this in next six weeks.”

Ms. Cherry expressed the hope that things would move a little faster, since water is currently leaking into the building. “The building can’t be reused if the water situation is not stabilized,” she noted.

Ms. Wilson responded by saying that Township officials are aware of the water situation.

In non-building related discussions, the Board approved a revised policy that addresses all tobacco use by students. Curriculum changes were made to “align with state requirements,” reported Student Achievement Committee Chair Andrea Spalla, and, at the teachers’ request, A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be taught to sixth graders this year.


HomeFront Rallies, Despite Demands Due to the Effects of Hurricane Sandy

“Our commitment is to make sure no one is hungry, and no one is homeless in Mercer County,” observed HomeFront Founder and Executive Director Connie Mercer. “The storm just made it harder.”

While many families had to to throw away the contents of a single freezer after days-long power outages, HomeFront lost the content of several industrial-sized freezers in their headquarters at 1880 Princeton Avenue in Lawrenceville.

And, although many people missed one or more days of work because of the storm, most paychecks will remain the same. At HomeFront, where many of the women are hourly employees, the loss of time means the loss of income. “These are the working poor,” said Ms. Mercer. “They live from paycheck to paycheck.” Ms. Mercer reported that she has a list of “a lot of big employers” like the State government, that are not paying hourly employees for time missed because of the storm.

HomeFront has experienced a 20 percent increase in homeless families needing help, and a 40 percent increase in requests for food as a result of the storm. In the meantime, the 20-year old organization’s programs to intervene and prevent homelessness; to offer children’s programing — including academic help; and its job readiness training, keep going. The organization’s commitment to literacy — the waiting room is stocked with books for clients to take home — is also going strong.

At the Mercer Street facility, HomeFront accepts donations of food, personal hygiene items, appliances, furniture, household goods, books, and more, to support its clients as they transition from need to self-sufficiency. On Monday afternoon, workers were unloading a truck full of Thanksgiving baskets donated by Bloomberg. At holiday time and throughout the year, HomeFront food packages focus on proteins, fresh produce, cereal, and other healthy foods. Donated goods are sorted by volunteers, a mainstay of the organization’s existence. More than one person, however, mentioned the facility’s overriding need for diapers.

Seasoned staff members like Brenda Whitaker, who runs Huchet House, HomeFront’s residence for homeless women pregnant with their first child, are always one step ahead of her clients. The contract that young women sign upon entering Huchet House is an exacting one that ensures they will keep doctor appointments, make good nutritional choices, and refrain from using drugs and alcohol during their pregnancies. Once their babies are born, baby sitters are in place so the young women can go back to work or to a new job obtained because of HomeFront preparation. “You must be self-sufficient before you get pregnant again,” Ms. Whitaker tells these young women in any number of “heart-to-heart” discussions.

One initiative that brought HomeFront up a little short is their “Kinship” program, which assists grandparents to assume responsibility for their grandchildren when the need arises. These returning caretakers lose senior housing apartments in the process, and require more medical care than participants in other HomeFront programs.

HomeFront’s Women’s Initiative will be hosting its third annual “Share, Shop, Give” event on Thursday, November 29, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Greenacres Country Club in Lawrenceville. The event “will be an opportunity for women to network, holiday shop, and enjoy an evening out,” said Initiative member Denise Taylor. “Approximately 15 to 20 vendors representing great ideas for holiday gifts will be set up and open for business.”

“Our goal is to support HomeFront and the wonderful work they do in our community,” said event organizer Faith DeJean. “We also want to encourage anyone who may not know about HomeFront to come and learn more. It is a great organization which has a proven track record of providing a comprehensive network of services for the poor and homeless in Mercer County.”

To learn more about “Share, Shop, Give,” contact Denise Taylor at gl4denise@yahoo.com, or Ms. Dejean at faithdejean@hotmail.com.

For more information about HomeFront, visit homefrontnj.org, or call (609) 989-9417.


Township Unanimously Approves Environmental Consultant

At its Monday evening meeting, Township Committee unanimously supported a proposal to hire an outside environmental consultant to review documents associated with AvalonBay’s plans to develop the former site of the Medical Center at Princeton. In a split vote last week, Borough Council did not approve the plan (see related article).

Township Committee’s vote authorizes the payment of not more than $2,999 to Sovereign Consulting, a New Jersey-based environmental consulting and remediation firm. Although not finalized, it was agreed to proceed under the assumption that Sovereign’s fee would come out of AvalonBay’s escrow account. AvalonBay attorney Anne Studholme had suggested that the fee be borne by the municipality.

Township Committee member Bernie Miller, who is also a member of the Planning Board, noted that there was “considerable concern” about environmental issues at the site, and suggested that it was important to proceed. Township Engineer Bob Kiser thought that the review could be done “fairly quickly” and would be “consistent with the current schedule.”

Mr. Kiser spoke about the importance of removing or “properly decommissioning” abandoned tanks at the site, noting that there are at least four that “will probably need to be removed,” although current AvalonBay plans do not provide for their removal. The site straddles both the Township and Borough, and there are abandoned tanks in each; Mr. Kiser suggested that they are so “intertwined,” it would be difficult to separate a response to them.

“I feel pretty strongly that this is something that we should do,” added Deputy Mayor Liz Lempert, who chaired the meeting in Mayor Chad Goerner’s absence. “We want to make sure that we are doing our due diligence.”

In other business Monday evening the Township approved a proposal to expand First Aid and Rescue Squad headquarters at 237 Harrison Street. Expansion costs will be paid by the Squad, which already serves both the Township and the Borough.

Other agenda items included the reading of a proclamation declaring Saturday, November 24 as “Small Business Saturday.” Small businesses, the proclamation said, “create jobs, boost economy,” and “preserve neighborhoods.”

Chief Financial Officer Kathy Monzo explained a resolution extending the due date of real estate taxes to November 21 because of Hurricane Sandy. She said that the Borough would be passing a similar resolution with the same date.


In Split Decision Council Votes Against Consultant

A special convening of the Princeton Regional Planning Board on November 12 had members of Borough Council, in their meeting the following evening, questioning whether proper protocol was followed because of an item added to the agenda.

The Board voted November 12 to recommend that the Council hire a private environmental consultant to evaluate documentation of the former site of the University Medical Center at Princeton, where developer AvalonBay is contracted to build an apartment complex. But in a split decision, members of Council voted not to hire the Trenton firm, Sovereign Consulting.

They cited the fact that AvalonBay was not informed of the meeting, and questioned whether the consultation was necessary. “What other applicant have we required this of?” asked Councilman Kevin Wilkes. “None.”

Sovereign Consulting was recommended at a cost of $2,990, which would be paid for through AvalonBay’s Borough escrow account. A separate, lesser amount would be paid by the Township, where a smaller portion of the site is located.

“What obligations do we have to enforce remediation strategies on the applicant?” asked Wilkes. “A whole state protocol is in place for these issues. Why do we need to create our own review process when the state statute covers this?” Questioning the timing of the addition of the item to the Planning Board’s agenda, he suggested “shady behavior.” “I don’t support it,” he said. “I don’t think it was properly noticed.”

The Planning Board made their recommendation after suggestions by the Princeton Environmental Commission that a consultant be hired. In addition, the Princeton Regional Health Commission had referred the issue to the Planning Board.

Before voting on the recommendation last Tuesday, the Council allowed for public comment. “The environmental impact studies had very serious errors,” said Dodds Lane resident Jane Buttars, who is part of the group Princeton Citizens for Sustainable Neighborhoods. “They need to be looked at by an independent consultant.” She added, “There are public health issues at stake. No one here has had experience in decommissioning a hospital, and guidance would be helpful.”

In a memo sent to Borough Council after the meeting, Matt Wasserman, chair of the Princeton Environmental Commission (PEC), requested that the Council reconsider its decision. He said that the PEC would make a financial contribution if the cost of hiring the consulting firm is at issue.

“We were very dismayed to learn that the Borough Council did not authorize an independent environmental consultant to review the voluminous amount of environmental documents associated with this application, and to consider whether additional sampling would be required, as requested by the Planning Board and the PEC. This review should include all documents submitted to the record of this application,” the memo reads. “The potential impact of this property is so important that to make a less than fully informed decision could risk the health and welfare of the future residents of this development and the surrounding community. We believe this review is vital to making a responsible decision on the application.”

Discussions of the AvalonBay proposal continued at the November 15 Planning Board meeting (see related story).

Mr. Wilkes was also critical, at the November 13 Council meeting, of a request to increase the budget for legal work by Hill Wallack, its regular law firm, and Stephen Barcan, a special attorney hired primarily to handle issues related to the issue of moving the Dinky terminus. “How did we exceed our legal budget with Hill Wallack by 40 percent this year?” Mr. Wilkes asked, referring to the request to raise the cap on the firm’s contract from $175,000 for 2012 to $245,000.

Council members were not clear as to whether the requests had to do with previous legal work, on issues related to the transition to consolidation, or were for work that has yet to be covered. Ultimately, the Council decided to put off acting on the two separate resolutions until the return of Borough Administrator Bob Bruschi, who was not present at the meeting.


Planning Board Sets Three More Meetings On AvalonBay Project

Testimony on the rental community that developer AvalonBay is contracted to build at the former site of the University Medical Center continued on November 15 at a meeting of the Regional Planning Board. Postponements caused by Superstorm Sandy and a glitch in the recording equipment at the previous meeting, requiring some rehashing of testimony, slowed down the proceedings.

And time is of the essence. The Board has until December 15 to rule on the application, a deadline that AvalonBay senior vice president Ron Ladell has said will not be extended. Meetings on December 6, 10, and 13 will be devoted to further discussion of the proposed development, the Board decided at the packed gathering last week.

Many residents have expressed concerns about the environmental impact and design standards of the 280-unit development [see related stories on this page]. As described by Mr. Ladell and architect Jonathan Metz of the firm Perkins Eastman, the four-to-five story building is designed to have two courtyards, one of which is open to the public and the other which would be closed off for security reasons.

“We looked at the building as sitting in a garden,” said Mr. Metz. “One of our aims was to restore green space, to make the building interact with green space.”

Critics of the plan have said that it creates a gated community. At the previous meeting, Planner Marvin Reed said that original discussions about the site with the hospital administration provided for at least two parks to be part of the development. Mr. Ladell cited safety issues with the pool that is part of the design as a reason for making the second park private. “This is the only area the public isn’t allowed into,” he said.

Mr. Reed reiterated his point. “We had a lot of discussion about open space, where residents and neighbors would intermingle,” he said. After asking the architect to show the dimensions of the public courtyard — 96 by 110 feet — he said, “There seems to be a discrepancy between my imagination and the ordinance. I thought there would be more open space. Somehow what we thought was going to happen didn’t get codified.”

Asked by Planning Board vice-chair Gail Ullman how this development differs from others that AvalonBay has built across the country, Mr. Ladell said none have courtyards and this much open space. He added that the company has not previously had an opportunity to purchase a site with an existing parking garage, which this one has.

Mr. Metz described the apartment building as 48 feet at its highest point on one side, and 32.5 feet high on the other. “In every category of the bulk zone regulations, it exceeds or complies,” he said.

Princeton Citizens for Sustainable Neighborhoods (PCSN), which has its own attorney and environmental consultant, has many questions and concerns about the project and AvalonBay’s resistance to hiring an independent environmental consultant.

“AvalonBay has not followed its own consultant’s recommendation for a subsurface investigation of sewer discharges, including those from the old septic system, and PCSN strongly believes that this testing should be done,” said PCSN member Alexi Assmus in an email this week. “The only soil and groundwater testing that Avalon has performed is adjacent to the five underground tanks.”


Fired Up

Princeton University students enjoy the bonfire that lit up Cannon Green last Saturday evening to honor the Princeton football team’s wins over Harvard and Yale this fall. Thousands of students, alums, and community members were on hand to observe the Princeton tradition emblematic of a “Big Three” football title. It was the first bonfire since 2006. For details on the football team’s finale against Dartmouth, see page 30. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

November 14, 2012

Planning Board Should Deny AB Application If Sovereign Cannot Responsibly Complete Report

To the Editor:

As I write, the Planning Board has just voted to ask Borough Council’s agreement to retain Sovereign Consulting to review the AvalonBay (AB) Environmental Impact Statement and related documents. That EIS contains serious misrepresentations, as indicated by Aaron Kleinbaum, legal director of the Eastern Environmental Law Center, on behalf of Princeton Citizens for Sustainable Neighborhoods, in a series of letters to the Planning Board and the Princeton Environmental Commission.

To its credit, the Planning Board understands the public health issues at stake. But if the review does no more than evaluate the documents thus far submitted, it will be inadequate. Mr. Kleinbaum has called for an independent investigation of the MRRO site, including soil samples that test for contaminant leakage and sewer overflows, before construction — not simply a review of documents to date. Mr. Kleinbaum has recommended sampling throughout the site, including testing underneath the garage. Steve Miller of the Princeton Environmental Commission has noted that the technology exists to test soils underneath concrete, and he supported such testing of the garage at its meeting on October 24 2012. The shortcoming of the Princeton Environmental Commission’s recommendation to the Planning Board is that it recommends “independent testimony … regarding whether the testing was adequate” (not new testing), and “To the extent that it is concluded that the testing was inadequate, we recommend that you request adequate testing from the developer.” The developer? — AvalonBay? hardly an independent party.

Indeed, Avalon is so lax in its environmental practices, and so glib on its website about supposedly sustainable measures (13 pages of fluff) — that AB’s corporate leadership has been called to task. On April 11, 2012, the Office of the Comptroller for New York City, which manages pension funds for its employees, issued a memorandum to AvalonBay shareholders setting forth substantive reasons why AB has “lagged behind” its peers in the commercial rental market: inadequate reporting on greenhouse emissions, water conservation, waste minimization, energy efficiency, and other environmental and social impacts (full text available from Daniel A. Harris).

We don’t know the scope of work the Planning Board requests, nor what Sovereign Consulting will recommend. We must hope that its proposals insist on an absolutely clean building site and that any further consideration of AvalonBay’s application by the Planning Board be postponed until such a clearance is given. Indeed, Sovereign will not be able to complete its work prior to November 15, when AB will demand that the Planning Board approve their site plan for the garage. But the Planning Board has ample legal grounds to deny this minor site application on the basis of insufficient evidence (as well as New Jersey case law upholding the rights of municipalities to deny developer’s applications on the basis of concerns about public health). Next step: if Sovereign cannot responsibly complete its report until after December 15, when the supposed “clock” for a Planning Board decision runs out, then the Planning Board will be absolutely within its legal rights to deny AvalonBay’s application on the grounds of inadequate and insufficient information.

Jane Buttars

Dodds Lane

Liz Lempert Thanks Voters, Team, Will Listen to, Represent “Everyone”

To the Editor:

I want to thank the people of Princeton for electing me as your mayor. And I especially want to thank my amazing campaign team, including Walter Bliss, Sue Nemeth, Chad Goerner, Doreen Blanc Rockstrom, Helen Heintz, Bob and Betty Fleming, Peter Wolanin, Dan Preston, Jon Durbin, Anne Burns, Sarah Lewis Smith, John Cashman, and the newly elected members of council: Jo Butler, Jenny Crumiller, Heather Howard, Lance Liverman, Bernie Miller, and Patrick Simon. I also want to thank my opponent, Dick Woodbridge, who has a long record of service to the community and who ran a strong campaign. Now that the election is over, it is time for us to come together for the benefit of the community. As mayor I will listen to everyone and represent everyone.

Consolidation presents us with a tremendous opportunity to both save money and improve the job we do. I look forward to working with the new council and the community to seize upon these opportunities and to tackle the challenges that lie ahead.

We are still collecting applications for our volunteer boards and commissions. Volunteering as a commissioner or board member is a great way to give back to our town, and the work will be especially interesting and rewarding in the coming years in light of consolidation. For an application and more information, go to: www.princetonnj.gov.

Liz Lempert

Meadowbrook Drive

In Spite of the Storm, Princeton Got to Polls, Again Proving Itself an Engaged Community

To the Editor,

I am writing to thank the voters of Princeton for voting in the recent election. Despite the difficulties caused by the storm, Princeton once again proved itself an engaged and involved community by still making it out to the polls. I appreciate the support I received and will be honored to serve on the new Princeton Council. I look forward to working with the community to achieve the promise of consolidation: fiscal savings, enhanced services, and a more efficient government.

To that end, I encourage all those interested in participating in the consolidated government to apply to serve on one of the municipal boards, committees, and commissions, all of which will be reconstituted in the New Year; applications can be found at www.princetonnj.gov.

Heather Howard

Aiken Avenue

To the Editor,

I want to thank Princetonians for electing me to the new Princeton Council. It is an honor to serve you. Our new beginning presents a golden opportunity for positive change. With our new mayor and fellow council members, I will work diligently to fulfill the promises of our united Princeton.

Jenny Crumiller

Library Place

Friends of Princeton Open Space President Grateful for Support on Ballot Question

To the Editor:

On behalf of Friends of Princeton Open Space, I want to thank the citizens of Princeton for their support of the open space tax ballot question in our recent election. The outcome was compelling: almost 77 percent voted “yes” for a blended open space tax of 1.7 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, which will continue to raise the same amount of annual funding, post-consolidation, as the two municipalities together raised before.

The open space tax has already helped us to preserve almost 290 acres of land, as well as to develop athletic fields at Smoyer Park. Friends of Princeton Open Space looks forward to working with the town of Princeton, the state Green Acres fund, our non-profit partners, and generous individual donors to put the open space tax funds to good use protecting land in the future.

We are grateful to live in a community that is so supportive of open space preservation.

Wendy L. Mager, President

Friends of Princeton Open Space, Inc.

Expressing Appreciation to Princeton University For Assistance and Hospitality on Election Day

To the Editor:

On behalf of the district election workers whose districts were moved to Jadwin Gym on Nov. 6, I would like to express sincere appreciation to Princeton University and, in particular, to Kristen Appelget and her staff for their very generous assistance and hospitality.

They helped in a number of important ways. They set aside plenty of parking for workers and voters, and had people there in the wee hours of the morning to guide us. They arranged all of the voting machines and furniture into a well-organized set-up for the seven districts. And, most importantly because of this year’s redrawn districts and because of the storm, they had complete lists of registered voters and guided them to the correct voting places. They even supplied generous nourishment for the tired election workers.

Our heartfelt thanks!

John Schivell

District Election Judge, Princeton District 20

Co-Founder of Abstinence Group at PU Responds to Issue in Recent Article, Letter

To the Editor:

I was very interested to read both Anne Levin’s piece (“Five Year Strategic Plan Outlined at Sexuality Education Fundraiser,” p. 7, Oct. 17) and the co-authored reply proposing a public debate on sex education (“Supporters of Abstinence Education Dispute Claims in Recent Article. Ask For Public Debate,” Mailbox, Oct. 24). While a student at Princeton University several years ago, my classmates and I founded a student group that aimed to enrich the University’s sexual health programming by providing additional resources on building healthy relationships and on the benefits of sexual abstinence. The students we represented and served came from a variety of educational, ethnic, socio-economic, and religious backgrounds, and some did not practice any faith at all. But all shared the same frustration. The sex education they had received prior to college and continued to receive while at Princeton was failing them. My peers found that they struggled to understand the role of sex within the greater context of human intimacy, and that their education – and the habits and attitudes that spawned from it — left them ill-equipped when pursuing more significant romantic relationships.

From my undergraduate and professional experience, I know the importance of educating young men and women to be confident in and responsible with their sexuality. And I have seen the effect their sexual education can have on their ability to relate to others in a meaningful and deeply personal way. I enthusiastically support the proposal for a public debate on sex education, because it is essential that we — as parents and as a community — honestly evaluate our programs and how it prepares our youth to be confident men and women who are able to develop successful and stable relationships down the road.

Cassandra Hough

Loetscher Place

Police, Fire, Rescue, Municipal Workers Surpassed Job Descriptions After Storm

To the Editor:

I want to take this opportunity to thank the Emergency Management Team, the Police and Fire Departments, Rescue Squads, and all of the municipal employees for their tireless work on behalf of the residents of the Borough and Township. Not only did they do yeoman’s service in preparing us all for the devastating storm that was predicted to hit our town, but they were on the job during and in the immediate aftermath of the storm. In more than one instance, these folks had personal situations related to the storm that were set aside in order that they could do their jobs bringing our town back to life as quickly as possible.

I have worked with many of our municipal employees over the past few years and I know that they are dedicated and hardworking and have the interests of the residents at heart. But their dedication to duty during the storm and in its aftermath far surpasses anything written in their job descriptions. Thank you one and all!

Barbara Trelstad

President, Princeton Borough Council

Princeton Theological Seminary Thanked For Hosting Run to Combat Riverblindness

To the Editor:

At this year’s UFAR 5K to Combat Riverblindness, more than 100 runners helped to keep people from going blind in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We are grateful to the Princeton Theological Seminary for hosting the start and finish of this race, which goes through some of Princeton’s loveliest scenery. Our sponsors also included Merck, Princeton United Methodist Church, Princeton Eye Group, Sight Savers International, Road ID, Rocky Hill Inn, Songbird Capital, Trader Joe’s, and Princeton Fitness and Wellness Center.

All runners received T-shirts, and we were able to give nine prizes, thanks to the generosity of these donors: Blue Ridge Mountain Sports, Anthony Rabara Pilates Studio, Rocky Hill Yoga, Forest Jewelers, Princeton Running Company, Landau of Princeton, and the Optical Gallery of Princeton. Race results and photos are posted at www.riverblindness.org.

UFAR is the African-inspired, Lawrenceville-based nonprofit charitable organization that aims — in partnership with other organizations — to eradicate onchocerciasis, known as riverblindness. This is a horrific disease that causes severe itching and, eventually, leads to blindness by the age of 40. It afflicts more than 13 million people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). According to the World Health Organization, the disease can be eradicated by 2020. The medicine for riverblindness is provided free by Merck & Co., but distributing it to remote villages is difficult yet only costs 58 cents per person per year for 10 years.

Daniel Shungu,

Founder, UFAR

Charles Phillips and Liz Meggitt,

Race co-chairs

Time to Have a Community Discussion About Putting Utility Wires Underground

To the Editor:

We need to have a community discussion about our unreliable utility system and the possibility of putting utility wires underground over a 5 or 10 year period. I’ve been told it’s too costly. The threat to public health and life, the economic loss to our businesses and to residents who cannot get to work, is also very costly. With climate change and increasing numbers and severity of destructive weather events likely in the future, we should get ahead of the situation rather than being in reaction mode with each event. That is also very costly in staff use, and time and equipment.

New developments here and elsewhere have underground wires. We can start the process in currently developed areas of Princeton and move gradually over a period of years as necessary. But we need to get started in early 2013 in discussing this issue and see what can be done and not allow it to fade as this latest emergency gets dimmer in our memories.

We need local leadership in getting this discussion started soon with our engineering and other technical staff as well as with PSE&G and knowledgeable and interested residents.

In the larger context, such infrastructure improvements will also create much needed jobs and help our overall economy.

Grace Sinden

Ridgeview Circle

Obituaries 11/14/12

Hjordis M. Olsen Mortensen

Hjordis M. Olsen Mortensen, 103, died Friday November 9, 2012 at Park Place Care Center in Monmouth Junction.

She was born in Lillesand, Norway and came to Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1909 where she lived until moving to Griggstown in 1955. Hjordis was a secretary for The Norwegian Seamens Church in Brooklyn and then became a writer for Nordisk Tidende. She was a member of the Griggstown Reformed Church.

She was predeceased by her husband John Mortensen, her brothers Mac, George, Arne, and Peter Olsen, and a sister Gertrude Carlsen. She is survived by a sister-in-law Esther B. Olsen of Griggstown, eight nieces and nephews Kevin, Richard, and David Olsen, Randi; Sara, Karen DeKok; Wayne Olsen; Julie Dunham and Lori Sletta; and many great nieces and great nephews.

Funeral Services will be held 11 a.m. on Wednesday November 14 at the Griggstown Reformed Church, 1065 Canal Rd., Princeton.

Calling hours will be held Wednesday from 10 to 11 a.m. at the church.

Burial will be in Griggstown Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Griggstown Reformed Church, 1065 Canal Rd., Princeton, N.J. 08540.

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Kurt James Rhoda

Kurt Rhoda, a longtime resident of Skillman passed away on November 6, 2012. Kurt was born on May 18, 1961 in Staten Island, New York to Susan and Douglas Rhoda. He graduated from Montgomery High School in 1979. He attended Trinity Western in British Columbia, Canada and then attended and graduated from the Colorado School of Trades with a degree in Gunsmithing in Lakewood, Colorado. He moved back to New Jersey where he owned and operated Hillsborough Shooting Center. Kurt enjoyed shooting, hunting, fishing, traveling, and spending time with his family.

Kurt was preceded in death by his father, Douglas and brother, George. He is survived by his wife, Sharon of Skillman; son, Matthew of Otisfield, Me.; daughter, Hannah of Skillman; mother, Susan of Princeton; brother and sister-in law, Erik and Brenda of Naples, Fla.; nieces, Kaitlyn of Boca Raton, Fla. and Whitney of Boulder, Col.

A memorial service was held on November 10, 2012 at 1 p.m. at Montgomery Evangelical Free Church, located at 246 Bellemead Griggstown Road in Belle Mead, NJ. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Kurt’s honor to Camp Orchard Hill, 640 Orange Road, Dallas, Pa 18612.

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Affordable Solutions for Life’s Problems Offered by Vanguard Counseling of Princeton

FEELING BETTER: “It’s more acceptable to go to therapy today, to see it as a path to find a solution to problems. It’s more normalized, nothing to be ashamed of. And many people can be helped.” Ashley Paul Wright, LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) and certified psychoanalyst (left) and Robin Fein, LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) and pyschotherapist are partners in Vanguard Counseling of Princeton.

“The biggest challenge is to get the person to make the first call,” states Ashley Paul Wright LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) and certified psychoanalyst.

Adds Robin Fein, LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) and psychotherapist, “When you find the right therapist, it can be life-changing.”

Mr. Wright and Ms. Fein are partners in Vanguard Counseling of Princeton, their psychotherapy and psychoanalysis practice. Both have practiced in Princeton for more than 20 years, with a goal of helping clients resolve problems in a way that provides them with a more hopeful view of the future.

For people struggling with emotional and mental health issues, reaching out for help is so important, points out Mr. Wright, who previously served as director of clinical services for AAMH (Association for the Advancement of Mental Health) in Princeton and also as director for Early Intervention Support Services in Cherry Hill.

Hopeful View

A certified psychoanalyst, he strongly believes people can change their lives for the better with the help of a concerned, compassionate, experienced therapist. “Earlier in my career, I became interested in psychoanalyst Karen Horney’s theories on psychoanalysis. She had a very hopeful view of human growth, and believed you are never too old to change. I was trained at the American Institute for Psychoanalysis-Karen Horney Center in New York.”

“We can help people grow,” points out Ms. Fein. “The relationship we develop with the client creates the mechanism for this. It’s how you do the therapy and the quality of the therapy that makes the difference.”

It is crucial that an individual finds a therapist with whom he or she can build a solid relationship based on trust, she adds. “It is so important to find the right therapist for you.”

Ms. Fein’s practice emphasizes older adolescents, including high school and college-aged patients, 17 and up. Before coming to Princeton, she trained in psychodynamic therapy at the Postgraduate Center in New York, and also worked at Mt. Sinai Medical Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital in the early development of services for sexually abused women.

Mood Disorder

Other focuses in her practice include mood disorder (depression, anxiety, and bi-polar disorder), life transitions, such as separation and divorce, aging, and also chronic illness, and grief.

“A special interest for me has been psychological trauma — Holocaust survivors, and those who have suffered sexual abuse, including rape and incest.”

Depression and anxiety are frequent conditions that both Ms. Fein and Mr. Wright see in their practices. Addictions of various kinds are other issues that bring patients to seek their help.

When an individual has taken the first — often momentous — step of making an appointment, he or she wants to feel respected by the therapist, explains Mr. Wright. “Patients want to be respected and valued, and feel wanted. I let them know that I respect them and want to help them. Trust is built between the client and therapist.

“People are often unhappy with themselves and with their lives,” he continues. “They feel they haven’t lived up to their potential. Also, people frequently repeat the wrong solutions. I try to help them develop an acceptance of what they have experienced. They need to develop compassion for themselves and forgive themselves. I want to help them find a new path and develop a present-mindedness. The only place to live is in the present moment. Most people live in the past or look to the future.

“They limit their lives that way. They may think it’s more comfortable and safe; I want them to be able to experience a fuller and ultimately happier life. I want to help them identify their values and set goals for themselves, and be comfortable with present-mindedness.”

Men’s Issues

Mr. Wright also focuses on men’s issues, including helping men develop their strengths as individuals and in relationships. Helping them deal with the problems associated with aging, including social, psychological, and physical loss, is another area of concern. “It is important to develop psychological flexibility to deal with the changes that come,” he points out.

And, as Ms. Fein explains, “All the losses that come with aging can be hard to face; and certain stages of life are more difficult — retirement, illnesses, losing friends. And the society is so focused on youth and being productive that people may feel they don’t matter any more.”

Both Ms. Fein and Mr. Wright work with individuals and groups. “In a group, not only do patients interact with the therapist, but with each other,” they note.

Their patients are primarily from the Princeton area, and vary in age — from teens to retired persons. Sessions for individuals are 50 minutes, and are usually scheduled once a week. The overall length of time a person is in therapy can vary from a month to several months to years, depending on the goals of the patient.

“If it’s a crisis, we may be able to solve the problem in a few sessions,” says Mr. Wright. “To accomplish long-term change to enable people to manage problems in the future can take longer.”

“When people have experienced a traumatic event, I try to help them find equilibrium and to recalibrate, notes Ms. Fein. “This can be a longer process.”

Good Listener

Both therapists agree that being a good listener is essential to being a good therapist. “I feel there is almost something sacred in the connection and trust that develops between patient and therapist,” says Ms. Fein. “The openness and communication can be very powerful. It helps the individual feel understood and cared about, and then they can consider how they want to change. It’s relational therapy. We are relational creatures.”

Mr. Wright also works with families, and whether he is with a family, treating individuals, or leading groups, he finds it extremely fulfilling. “What I do is full of creativity. It’s not work to me. In a sense, I feel as if I am playing — in a serious way. I feel I’m in the moment — exploring and learning, and having this encounter with patients. In the course of the therapy, we both change. I impact the patient, and the patient impacts me. It’s learning and interacting, and it’s fascinating and enriching.”

As Ms. Fein points out, “People are unique and so complicated. This work is never dull. There is always something new. I have always had curiosity about people, and I have always wanted to be of service and to do something of value with my life. I want to continue to be of service.”

Because she and Mr. Wright want to make therapy available to a wide range of individuals, they have established an affordable payment plan, based on a sliding scale. “We offer affordable solutions for life’s problems.”

They also offer flexible hours. For more information, call (609) 480-6415 or contact vanguardcounseling@gmail.com.


Investing in “Breaking Bad” — A Matter of Life and Death

I believe in Walter White, his family and his friends. They aren’t just objects of interest and curiosity and occasional sympathy …. I actually care deeply about whether they live and die.

—Ross Douthat

Ross Douthat’s June 15, 2010, New York Times piece turned up during an online fishing expedition baited with the tag, “Breaking Bad/Dostoevsky.” It’s not that I’m looking to put a Dostoevskian spin on Vince Gilligan’s AMC series about a cancer-stricken high school science teacher turned methamphetamine overlord; it’s just that Breaking Bad has elements and characters that the author of Crime and Punishment would find fascinating. Same for Balzac and Poe and Hawthorne, and don’t forget Robert Louis Stevenson, since anyone watching Walter White cooking up batches of crystal blue meth is sure to visualize Dr. Jekyll in his lab and the macabre fate he meets when the chemically induced Mr. Hyde takes complete possession of the good doctor’s soul.

I came late to Breaking Bad. No one tugged at my sleeve and said, “Don’t miss it.” I was unaware until recently that Bryan Cranston had won the “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series” Emmy three years in a row. One thing for sure, if I’d read somewhere of Vince Gilligan’s concept for the show — to turn his central character from protagonist to antagonist, from Mr Chips to Scarface — I’d have jumped on board a year or two sooner. The concept, not to mention the acting, writing, and cinematography used to explore it, is what makes Breaking Bad superior to any series since HBO’s Big Three, The Wire, Deadwood, and The Sopranos. HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, which recently launched its third season, is an impressive production but not in the same league as Breaking Bad, which will end its five season run next summer.

Breaking Through

My online search took me to a short essay by Corey Pung quoting Dostoevsky (“Without God, anything is possible”) on Walt’s reaction to the death sentence he receives in Breaking Bad’s opening episode. While his primary motive is to provide for his family (wife pregnant, baby’s arrival imminent, teenage son with cerebral palsy), as soon as he’s told he may have only months to live, he begins to challenge the reasonable, responsible limits that have ruled his life, struggling to make ends meet teaching high school science while moonlighting in a car wash. Most good providers (and Walt becomes a good provider with a vengeance) would still observe the limits, pursuing medical treatment (as Walt does), setting their house in order (this too), or looking for moral support in religion. Religion? Not Walt. He takes the anything-is-possible route. The spectre of death releases the genius seething inside him.

More Than Adrenaline

Writing on Good Reads, a blogger from India wants to know if there is any novel “as adrenaline pumping as the Breaking Bad TV series?” So far the only book that comes close, he says, is Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment. He finds the thriller writers like Patterson, Grisham, and Ludlum wanting because “they seldom really make the scenes absolutely memorable along with keeping me on the edge of my seat.” He wants an experience that “stays with” him “long after” he reads it: “Just like Breaking Bad is doing to me.”

That says it: you don’t just watch Breaking Bad; it does things to you, it stays with you, stirs you, moves you, haunts you, and makes you care about the characters as life-and-death intensely as Ross Douthat suggests when comparing the show to AMC’s other hit series, Mad Men.

The Moment of Truth

At this point it’s necessary to announce a modified spoiler alert, since the scene I’m about to focus on concerns the death of a character, a sad, ugly, needless death that occurs late in the second season and could have been prevented. The sequence, in its subtle but stunning way, is one of the defining moments in this savage series where violence explodes, bloodily, outrageously, gruesomely, sometimes with gory black comedy overtones (like the notorious raspberry slushie sequence in the first season). Not to worry, nothing’s going to blow up in your face in this small, hushed room where a young couple lies cuddled together, spoon style, deep in a heroin stupor on a mattress at Walt’s feet. He intends them no harm. There’s even a sense that as he looks down on these two kids, he’s touched, briefly bemused, and a bit embarrassed to have invaded their privacy, for they really are like two children, innocent, helpless, vulnerable (“Shades of Romeo and Juliet,” was Gilligan’s comment in an interview about the scene).

Then the female, the Juliet, turns over on her back and begins softly coughing. She’s choking, and he knows that if he doesn’t do the right thing, the simple obvious human thing anyone else would do, she might die. Yet he’s hesitating, holding back, you can see the pressure of the thought closing in on him as he realizes that a solution to the problem that brought him to this place is at hand: a threat to his enterprise is about to be nullified. If he allows it. This death will be to his advantage. So he thinks, he hesitates, allows it, and watches, in pained amazement, as death happens. It takes less than 30 seconds. As he watches, he has to press his hand over his mouth to keep from crying out, tears spring to his eyes, he’s torn, hurting, because what’s left of the father, the teacher, the good provider is appalled and ashamed and sick with sympathy, as if he’s been standing by and watching, allowing, the death of his own child.

Why You Care

I found the loss of this character, this Juliet, truly hard to accept even after I’d moved on to the third season. This is the “caring deeply” that Douthat’s talking about. The loss hurts not just because you liked her, cared about her, and even valued her as a rare glimmer of sweetness and light in her lover’s life, but because you know her death is going to devastate if not destroy a character you care about a great deal more — Walt’s partner in meth cooking, Jesse Pinkman, who is played with an intensity second only to Bryan Cranston’s by Aaron Paul (winner of two Supporting Actor Emmys). By this point in the second season you can’t help but share some of Walt’s quasi paternal/fraternal feelings for this seemingly hapless loser, the F student forever even though he’s earned his half of a fortune, survived brutal beatings and unthinkably dire near-death dilemmas with the science teacher who flunked him years ago. One of the most lovable things about this series, which may be the most bizarre buddy movie ever made, is that after all they’ve been through together, Jesse still calls Walt “Mr. White.”

The repercussions from this same scene are immense, and it’s here that Breaking Bad does what great shows do, it transcends probability, defies reason, takes an already shameless coincidence (a meeting in a nearby bar between Walt and his victim’s father) one giant step forward. With the wound of that silent death scene still smarting, the consequences of Walt’s moment of deadly hesitation explode like an action-movie version of God’s wrath writ large on the bright blue sky as a passenger plane collides with a private plane, hundreds die, and all of it, the bodies and body parts and personal odds and ends in effect descend on the man who stood by while someone’s child died, and in case you doubt that he’s culpable, you’re taken up to the sky, to the point of impact, and sent down down down with the debris of the explosion, the target below a small blue rectangle: the swimming pool in the Whites’ back yard where the man responsible is standing, staring upward, once again watching death happen.

Investments

By the time a dead child’s stuffed dog falls from the fiery collision into Walter’s swimming pool — the charred toy, one eye out, an image that has been flashed ominously forward from the first episode — you’ve been hammered by explosions, shootings, stranglings; you’ve been dazzled by the cinematographer Michael Slovis’s artistry; you’ve enjoyed the sleazy ingenuity of one of the most charming shyster lawyers you’ll ever see, Saul “Just Call Saul” Goodman (Bob Odenkirk). You’re half in love with Skyler, Walt’s beautiful resourceful wife (Anna Gunn) and handsome disabled son (RJ Mitte); you have an insider’s knowledge of his extended family, including his blustery Drug Enforcement Administration brother-in-law Hank (Dean Norris) and Skyler’s ditzy kleptomaniac sister Marie (Betsy Brandt). For four seasons, you’ve been horrified, shocked, touched, and amused by these people and the things they do. To quote Douthat again, from his column explaining why he thinks Vince Gilligan’s creation outranks Mad Men as the best show on television (and why I think it ranks with the best shows ever), “what’s struck me watching Breaking Bad is how much more invested I am in its characters as human beings.”


Theatre Intime Revives 1966 Thriller, “Wait Until Dark”; Resourceful Blind Woman Battles Three Deadly Criminals

DEADLY DECEPTIONS: Terrorized by three con men in her Greenwich Village apartment, Susy (Sarah Cuneo, right) uses her blindness to advantage and teams up with her young neighbor Gloria (Anna Aaronson) to foil the villains’ plans, in Frederick Knott’s 1966 thriller “Wait Until Dark,” currently playing at Theatre Intime on the Princeton University campus.

If, after Halloween and Hurricane Sandy, you still have an appetite for breathtaking moments and frightening drama, for tense periods of waiting and surprisingly long stretches of darkness, then Frederick Knott’s classic 1966 thriller, Wait Until Dark, currently playing at Theatre Intime on the Princeton University campus, might be just the show for you.

There is something reassuring about dealing with such matters in a fictional setting, in the confines of a theater, and murder mystery enthusiasts will especially enjoy this intricate, high-suspense thriller. Wait Until Dark starred Lee Remick and Robert Duvall in its original 374-performance Broadway run, then Audrey Hepburn and Alan Arkin in the acclaimed movie adaptation a year later (1967).

An ingenious set-up, some interesting character development, and no fewer than three formidable, contrasting and complementary villains here enrich the proceedings. The build-up to the central clash between a blind woman, aided by a young girl neighbor, and the ruthless con men looking for a mysterious doll filled with heroin is at times overly complex and confusing, at times lacking in verisimilitude. But the wild finale, when utter darkness levels the playing field for a duel between this blind woman and her adversary, provides abundant suspense and entertainment. The audience response of shocked terror was audible last Saturday night during the climactic scene, which, at least in the screen version, has been ranked tenth on Bravo’s list of 100 Scariest Movie Moments.

Under the thoughtful, capable direction of Princeton University sophomore Michael Pinsky, Intime’s production of Wait Until Dark delivers an interesting, engaging evening with what Mr. Pinsky describes in his director’s note as a challenging, “technically adventurous piece of theater.” The undergraduate cast is generally strong, especially so in the villain department.

Misha Semenov’s sturdy, functional, detailed set — complete with period refrigerator and telephone, photography equipment for the protagonist Susy’s husband Sam, a safe, Venetian blinds — along with Collin Stedman’s lighting design, sound by Ben Schaffer and props by Jack Moore, successfully creates the 1960s Greenwich Village basement apartment and brings all the requisite details together for fulfillment of the complex plot.

Sarah Cuneo, in the central role as Susy, projects both beauty and strength, vulnerability, and an intrepid spirit, as she gradually realizes she is being conned, then struggles to concoct and carry out her plan to outwit her ruthless adversaries. Believable throughout as the blind woman trapped and terrorized, Ms. Cuneo displays a wide range of emotions and readily wins the audience’s sympathies, despite occasional lack of clarity in action and word, especially during her most panicked moments.

Mark Walter as the icy cool Roat leads the criminal trio. In black leather jacket, with a chillingly sing-song voice and a smooth, detached, sinister demeanor, this psychopath commands the stage, and his two henchmen, with authority. From start to finish the character leaves no doubt of his deadly determination to get what he wants.

Cody O’Neil as a smooth-talking, charming Mike, and David Drew as the physically imposing, slow-witted Carlino are both convincing in joining the team of crooks looking to get rich by finding the heroin-stuffed doll, which is supposedly in the possession of Susy and her husband Sam. As Sam, absent during most of the terrifying proceedings, Mike Freyberger is adequate, though there is little development or three-dimensionality to the Susy-Sam marital relationship.

Anna Aaronson’s Gloria, the young girl neighbor from upstairs, contributes some humor and proves crucial to thwarting the villains’ plot, though the age stretch — Gloria was written to be nine years old, and Ms. Aaronson must be at least twice that — is problematic and confusing in distorting both tone and characterization here. Blake Edwards and Mitch Shellman provide effective support as patrolmen, arriving at Susy’s apartment in the final moments of the play.

Wait Until Dark and Dial M for Murder (1952) are Frederick Knott’s two masterpieces in the thriller genre. For carefully calculated plot twists and roller coaster rides of fear and intrigue, they are hard to beat.


Portraying Princeton History and More, Jean Lareuse Embraces Past and Present

AT THE BATTLE MONUMENT: Artist Jean Lareuse’s 1998 ceramic with portraits of Generals George Washington and Jean Baptiste Rochambeau, is at the foot of Princeton’s Battle Monument.

Artist Jean Lareuse was born in 1926 to Catalan parents in French Guiana, Africa, and while his career has been international in scope, he has left his particular stamp on one of Princeton’s favorite historic sites: the Princeton Battle Monument adjacent to Morven and Borough Hall.

A ceramic frieze created by Mr. Lareuse in 1998 and located at the foot of the Monument, commemorates the August 31, 1781 meeting in Princeton of the army of King Louis XVI, commanded by General Rochambeau, and the army of General Washington, during their march to victory in Yorktown. The work was commissioned by the American Society of Le Souvenir Français, and French officials were present at its dedication. Mr. Lareuse’s wife, Caroline, was included in the day’s celebration, having been invited to join the Honorary Committee of the French Consulate in New York City.

Longtime residents of Princeton, the Lareuses live in an art-filled house on Shadybrook Lane. Chagall, Mr. Lareuse’s favorite painter, is well-represented along with Miró and Picasso, who was friends with Mr. Lareuse’s father. Other shelves are lined with sets of books handed down by Ms. Lareuse’s family, which included several Princeton alumni.

Mr. Lareuse continues to paint — at an admittedly slower pace — in a well-lit, back room of the house. An area of the garage has been designated for packing and mailing paintings, as well as copies of Mr. Lareuse’s books. These include a heavily illustrated catalog, Jean Lareuse: Le Plus Catalan des Peintres Américains (The Most Catalan of all American Painters); a tribute to his adopted country called L’Amérique, la magnifique (in French); and a children’s book, Devils in the Castle (in English). The artist is looking forward to a new show of his paintings in Toulouse, France, this spring.

Mr. Lareuse’s subjects cast a wide net. His early youth was spent near the Longchamp Racecourse in France, and scenes of jockeys tensely poised above their competing horses is a favorite theme, along with depictions of well-dressed men and women watching in the stands. A later childhood experience, growing up among priests to whom he was sent after his mother’s death, is reflected in a variety of religious images, and include work in stained glass. Still later, the colors used by Impressionists appealed to Mr. Lareuse’s Catalan sensibility. A recent cataract procedure has restored his passion for bright color after an interval of painting darker pictures.

Mr. Lareuse reported that he actually began painting at the age of 13, and studied in the south of France. He eventually attended the École des Beaux Arts in Paris. His first one-man show, in 1948, was in Paris at the Galerie Ariel, and his second, also in Paris, at the Galerie Drouant-David in 1952. Since then, he has taken part in many group shows, including the Biennale de Menton and the salon d’Automne. His paintings hang in galleries in London, Caracas, New York, Montreal, and Washington, D.C., among others.

There’s sadness when Mr. Lareuse talks about his mother’s early death (he was six), and when he talks about publishing his children’s book — which is actually related to his mother’s death. While he was sent to a school run by priests, Mr. Lareuse’s sister was sent to a convent school, and Devils in the Castle was inspired by her experiences there. Unfortunately, he said, when it was published in 1979, critics suggested that his images of uniformed girls were based on Ludwig Bemelman’s Madeleine stories. Since the stories that inspired it took place long before Madeleine, perhaps, Mr. Lareuse suggests, Bemelemans copied him.

Mr. Lareuse will be appearing at Labyrinth Books next spring at a time to be announced. In the meantime, signed copies of Jean Lareuse: Le Plus Catalan des Peintres Américains are available by calling Labyrinth at (609) 497-1600.


A Large Variety of Skillfully Sung Music At Westminster Choir’s Home Concert

The Westminster Choir spends much of its time on the road, and Princeton concerts of the select chamber ensemble from Westminster Choir College are rare treats. Conductor Joe Miller and the 40-voice chorus presented a diverse concert this past Sunday afternoon in their home base of Bristol Chapel on the Choir College campus. This year’s roster of the Westminster Choir showed that the ensemble is as precise and well-balanced as ever and showcased some talented soloists, but also showed that the vocal power of the chorus may be outgrowing the acoustics of Bristol Chapel.

November 22 is the feast day of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music, and Dr. Miller chose as a tribute one of the best settings of Cecilian texts in Benjamin Britten’s Hymn to St. Cecilia. As Dr. Miller explained in his introductory remarks, the tripartite piece reflects Britten as organist, choral composer, and orchestrator, and the Westminster Choir conveyed all three of these musical personalities well. The women’s sections were well-tuned from the start, with pure octaves between sopranos and tenor on the “Blessed Cecilia” refrain which divides the sections.

This piece includes five solos, the most extensive of which was sung by soprano Madeline Apple Healey with a clear sound floating above the soprano and alto parts. Soprano Anna Lenti had the honor of singing the highest solo, lightly reaching up toward high “Cs” with ease. Bass Brandon Waddles and alto Mary Hewlett sang with confidence and assurance, and tenor Jeffrey Cutts displayed an impressive body of sound. Throughout Britten’s Hymn, the chorus showed precision in text and nice dynamic touches, although the bass sectional sound was just a bit unrefined in the lower registers compared to the other sections (this sound smoothed out in later selections on the program).

The Westminster Choir warmed up for the Britten on pieces well within the ensemble’s choral wheelhouse. An emphasis on consonants and well-matched soprano sections marked Tomas Luis de Victoria’s “Kyrie” from Missa Alma Redemptoris, which flowed seamlessly into Gustav Holst’s Nunc Dimittis. The highest notes of the Holst piece were sung with such vocal force that one got the impression that maybe the choir could use a venue with more spacious acoustics (certainly one with more seating, based on Sunday’s turnout). The choir’s performance of Bach’s motet Der Geist hilft unsrer Schwachheit auf sustained a nice flow, aided by John Hudson playing the continuo part on the piano.

Despite all the professional engagements of the Westminster Choir, these are college students, and students like to have fun. Dr. Miller gave the singers a chance to let their hair down in a set of French pieces which provided opportunity for a bit of acting. In the set of six French songs by four diverse composers from different ages, the choir created a storyline, dividing themselves into three different groups and interpreting the text with humorous characterization. Sung from memory, all of these pieces were performed with well-tapered phrases and crisp diction, with the Lauridsen “En Une Seule Fleur” and familiar Renaissance “Mon Coeur se recommande à vous” smoothly performed. In the closing Jean Rivier piece (arranged by Dr. Miller), Myles Glancy provided a suave baritone to convey the 16th-century text. The choir closed the set with a lively arrangement of a 1920s cabaret tune.

Westminster Choir programs tend to close with very upbeat selections, geared toward leaving tour audiences something high-spirited with which to go home. The most unique of the closing selections on Sunday was Haitian composer Sydney Guillaume’s “Kalinda,” a rousing song designed to incite the crowds to dance. Haitian choral arrangements tend to include a great deal of text and instrumental effects and the choir demonstrated both effectively. Most impressive about the last number on the program was its composition by a Westminster student; Brandon Waddles’ Ride in the Chariot was an uplifting and spiritual arrangement sung with great enthusiasm to audience response akin to a football game. Tenors Kyle von Schoonhoven and Justin Su’esu’e led the chorus with full and rich voices to close the concert in a more than upbeat mood.


Compassionate Drama Chronicles Human Spirit’s Indomitability

HI, MY NAME IS CHERYL AND I’M HERE TO HELP YOU: Professional sex surrogate Cheryl (Helen Hunt) has agreed to help Mark O’Brien (not shown) explore his sexuality and become able to develop a full relationship with a woman. As a child he was paralyzed by polio and has had to spend most of his time in an iron lung in order to breathe, with only brief periods outside of it when he can use a portable respirator.

Mark O’Brien (John Hawkes) was left paralyzed from the neck down by the polio he’d contracted as a child. Consequently, he can only breathe with the assistance of an iron lung, although he can use a portable respirator for a few hours at a time.

Nonetheless, the condition has never stopped him from having sexual fantasies, such as about his attractive attendant Amanda (Annika Marks), who quit when he expressed his desire for her. The sexually frustrated 38-year-old decides that the only way he’ll probably ever lose his virginity is by paying a woman to sleep with him.

However, there are the physical challenges presented by quadriplegia and, as a devout Catholic, he has to resolve a major moral issue because Catholicism forbids fornication outside the sanctity of marriage. So Mark decides to consult his parish priest for a special dispensation.

Armed with the surprisingly sympathetic Father Brendan’s (William H. Macy) blessing, Mark retains the services of Cheryl (Helen Hunt), a professional sex surrogate. Over the course of a half-dozen, romantic rendezvous, the sensitive therapist gradually helps her patient conquer his problems.

The Sessions’ subject matter might strike some as salacious, given the film’s frequent nude scenes. But the movie actually is a compassionate tale that explores a variety of themes, including faith, friendship, relationships, and the indomitability of the human spirit.

Written and directed by Ben Lewin, himself a polio victim, the movie is based on Mark O’Brien’s (1950-1999) life story as chronicled in his autobiography How I Became a Human Being: A Disabled Man’s Quest for Independence. The late author was also the subject of Breathing Lessons, a biopic which won an Academy Award in 1997 in the Best Documentary category.

The movie resists the temptation to follow a Hollywood style formula in favor of a realistic plot that Mark undoubtedly would have appreciated. As a journalist and longtime civil rights advocate, he never looked for pity but lobbied for legislation and equality on behalf of the handicapped.

Co-stars John Hawkes and Helen Hunt generate an endearing chemistry and turn in virtuoso performances that deserve serious Oscar consideration.

Excellent (****). Rated R for graphic sexuality, nudity, and frank dialogue. Running time: 95 minutes. Distributor: Fox Searchlight.