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Three-Year-Old Finds Princeton "Cool" After Evening at Hulfish Street Fair

NICO ELLIS
Patton Avenue

University Medical Center Benefit Will Help Fund Breast Health Center

KAREN FEIN-KELLY
JODY ERDMAN

Confusion Over Two College Roads Deemed Potentially Life-Threatening

SARA GILLESPIE
College Road West

If Arts Council Plan Is Approved, Building Should Honor Paul Robeson

HERBERT W. HOBLER
Passport Communications
North Tulane Street

Township Committee Candidate Thanks His Supporters for Their Confidence

LANCE LIVERMAN
Democratic Candidate for Princeton Township Committee

Area Mayors Voice Their Opposition To Route 92, Citing Unproved Need

FRANK GAMBATESE
Mayor, South Brunswick Township
VANESSA SANDOM
Mayor, Hopewell Township
BRIAN NOLAN
Mayor, Rocky Hill Borough
BRIAN LEVINE
Mayor, Franklin Township
DAVID NETTLES
Mayor, Borough of Hopewell
ANDREW BONETTE
Deputy Mayor, East Amwell Township

Princeton YMCA Thanks Volunteers And Sponsors for Successful Outing

EDWARD SHEHAB
Chair, Princeton Family YMCA Golf Outing Committee

First-Time Visitor to Parking Garage Finds Experience a Pleasant Surprise

LORALEE STRAUSS
Governors Lane

Three-Year-Old Finds Princeton "Cool" After Evening at Hulfish Street Fair

To the Editor:

My name is Nico. I am three and a half. I live on Patton Avenue. On Friday night I went with my parents to the street fair on Hulfish Street and then the outdoor movie at Palmer Square. I got to stay up late. There were lots of kids there with their Mommies and Daddies. There were all kinds of people and I heard all kinds of languages.

At the movie I met my friends Charles and Christina who live on Bank Street, and I made a new friend, Isabella.

After the movie we walked home, but I don't remember that because I fell asleep. But I do remember the movie. It was called The Iron Giant. In the movie the boy and the giant become friends and the boy cries at the end because he misses the giant.

Princeton is a cool place to live. Two of my favorite places to go in town are Jazams and Thomas Sweet, and they made the fair and the movie possible, to celebrate something called the sauce-tice.

Thank you, Thomas Sweet! Thank you, Jazams!

NICO ELLIS
Patton Avenue

University Medical Center Benefit Will Help Fund Breast Health Center

To the Editor:

The 51st Annual June Fete was a financial and educational success at the Football Stadium. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were raised to help the University Medical Center at Princeton establish their new Breast Health Center.

But the June Fete is so much more than a financial machine. The success of this year's Fete was the result of hundreds, perhaps a thousand, volunteers putting their minds and hearts together. We thank our 60 area co-chairs and hundreds of their volunteers, Betsy Sands and all of the Auxiliarians, our 35 steering committee members, Barry Rabner, Carol Norris, Ed Gwazda and Barbara Allen; Karen Woodbridge, Karen Malek, Jeff Graydon and Don Reichling.

Without contributions by Bob Buchanan and Mark Emann, David Nathan and Stephen Distler, Neville and Princeton's Quadrangle Club, John Miller and the Princeton Amateur Astronomers, Dave Long and Long Volvo of Princeton, Jud Henderson and the Princeton Real Estate Group, Phyllis Marchand, Jillian Kalonick, Matt Hersh, Christian Kirkpatrick, Matt Smith and Bart Jackson; without LaVerne and LDH Printing, Pam Garbini and Bovis Lend Lease, Steve Kay and Princeton Fitness and Wellness, and hundreds of others, this wonderful event would never have taken place. This event is more than handing over a check to the University Medical Center of Princeton. It is a celebration of people coming together to make a better future for our world.

A huge thanks from the Rocket Fete co-chairs.

KAREN FEIN-KELLY
JODY ERDMAN

Confusion Over Two College Roads Deemed Potentially Life-Threatening

To the Editor:

Several years ago I wrote you a letter saying that two College Roads in Princeton was one too many. We are 15 minutes from each other and again, nurses and medical suppliers are out on Route 1 and cannot find us.

I ask again, does someone have to die before this problem is addressed?

I got no reply last time from anyone – police, politicians, or healthcare officials. Won't someone, anyone, do something?

SARA GILLESPIE
College Road West

If Arts Council Plan Is Approved, Building Should Honor Paul Robeson

To the Editor:

A letter by Mary Farrar Bonotto (Town Topics, June 9) suggested there is a need for a Paul Robeson Center where the Arts Council should move out to the Shopping Center area to be near a Library branch proposed by many others.

My principal undergraduate activity at Princeton University in the early forties was providing leadership to youngsters 12-13 years old at the Negro YMCA, now the building used by the Arts Center. A number of them remain friends after 60+ years and some live in the Arts Council neighborhood.

About three years ago I proposed that the new library should be built on the site of the old school on Witherspoon Street (then Township Hall), and that the Arts Center become part of a complex there. Since some 75 percent of library users have to drive to the library it would have made good planning sense while leaving the present library site to be rebuilt for commercial tax purposes.

I do not know if the Princeton Regional Planning Board will finally approve the latest Arts Council plan. If they do not, I would heartily endorse speaking to the needs of the community in relocating the Arts Center and in some way create a joint venture with an extension library in the Shopping Center area.

If the Arts Council plan is approved, I suggest that it should be called the Paul Robeson Arts Center, not only to honor the man who was born nearby, but because the building location is in an integral part of many minority and ethnic homes. It would then speak loudly about what Princeton is or should be all about.

HERBERT W. HOBLER
Passport Communications
North Tulane Street

Township Committee Candidate Thanks His Supporters for Their Confidence

To the Editor:

I want to personally thank all of the voters who cast their vote of confidence behind my candidacy. I am totally aware of the responsibility, respect, and trust that has been delivered with this vote. Many of you know that I am one of the last true Princeton "dreamers." I can imagine a day when property taxes are tolerable; a day when all economical social classes feel that Princeton is truly home for them; a day when Princeton's public education system is ranked number one for SAT scores but also number one for reaching the minority achievement gap deficiencies; a day when the streets in Princeton are paved and the potholes are eliminated; a day when the new Princeton Public Library has achieved its goal and every child in Princeton has a library card.

I want all citizens in Princeton to begin to dream of having faith in local government. I will do my best to make your dreams a reality.

LANCE LIVERMAN
Democratic Candidate for Princeton Township Committee

Area Mayors Voice Their Opposition To Route 92, Citing Unproved Need

To the Editor:

Despite the claims of mayors who would like to see Route 92 built (Town Topics, May 26), the current Draft Environmental Impact Statement does not prove a need for this road. In fact, despite the writer's clear bias for the Route 92 project, the traffic analyses don't contain enough information to prove Route 92's need, and the information that is presented is inconclusive. For example, out of 14 local intersections studied, 11 will still be very congested (receiving an F, the lowest traffic flow grade possible) during the morning rush in 2028 if Route 92 is built.

If Route 92 is so critical to the region, why don't these mayors propose a realignment that would place the traffic burden closer to their towns?

During the recent Route 92 hearing, only ten people testified in favor of Route 92, and upwards of 70 testified against. A ballroom filled to near capacity responded in unison that they did not feel that their concerns were addressed by the Army Corps of Engineers or the Turnpike Authority.

Our communities and citizens have been fighting this project for decades, and are prepared to do so for decades more, if necessary. However, wouldn't it make more sense for our communities to work together to examine multiple options to create the best solution to our regional traffic burden? This process has worked before in the fight over the proposed Penns Neck Bypass, and it could work again here.

We all agree that there are traffic and transportation problems facing our region and that something must be done. Rather then continue to fight over Route 92, an expensive project which doesn't solve our problems, why don't we all work together to ease congestion and improve mobility?

FRANK GAMBATESE
Mayor, South Brunswick Township
VANESSA SANDOM
Mayor, Hopewell Township
BRIAN NOLAN
Mayor, Rocky Hill Borough
BRIAN LEVINE
Mayor, Franklin Township
DAVID NETTLES
Mayor, Borough of Hopewell
ANDREW BONETTE
Deputy Mayor, East Amwell Township

Princeton YMCA Thanks Volunteers And Sponsors for Successful Outing

To the Editor:

On June 14, the Princeton Family YMCA held its Fourth Annual Golf Outing, "Big Kids Playing for Little Kids." This year's Outing committee accepted the challenge to raise needed dollars to help fund the YMCA's distribution of financial assistance for day camp, childcare and other programs. In 2004, the YMCA will raise and distribute $100,000 to those in need of YMCA program subsidies.

The Golf Outing exceeded our expectations due to the energy and leadership of the organizing committee – Tina Clement, John Gianacaci, Fritz Marston, Nadine Roth and John Stahl. On their behalf, a heartfelt thank you is extended to our generous sponsors: Community Liquors; Edgebrook Property Development LLC; Johnson & Johnson; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Cust, Dori & Benick; Mason, Griffin & Pierson; King Interests; Nassau Street Seafood; PNC Bank; Princeton Nassau Conover; Hamilton Supply/Marvin Windows; and the many others who provided the needed support to make the Outing an unprecedented success.

Following an afternoon of golf, the golfers' families and other guests joined us for a family barbeque making the day most rewarding for all. It has been a gratifying experience to work with so many committed volunteers for a tremendous cause such as this.

We congratulate the foursome from Community Liquors for taking first place in the corporate challenge and West Windsor Township for first place in the municipal challenge.

EDWARD SHEHAB
Chair, Princeton Family YMCA Golf Outing Committee

First-Time Visitor to Parking Garage Finds Experience a Pleasant Surprise

To the Editor:

Having read a number of negative letters I ventured, with a bit of trepidation, to Princeton's new downtown garage for the first time yesterday. It was around 11 o'clock, a beautiful day, and the streets were loaded with traffic. There was no available on-street parking and cars were circling around the surface lot on Spring Street.

I pulled in to the garage where I was immediately helped by a nice gentleman who briefly instructed me on the three payment choices available. All three options are simple and I chose to use a credit card. The entire first floor was full and I proceeded to the second floor which was approximately three quarters full. I was pleasantly surprised to see how open and well lit it was, and how large the parking spaces are – unlike parking garages I have used in other towns and cities.

It was a pleasure spending two hours shopping in town, something I have done more and more infrequently because of the frustrating shortage of parking spaces and the high cost of the Hulfish garage. Not once did I worry about racing back to check my meter.

When I returned to the garage I simply popped my credit card back in the machine as I exited. A receipt was printed (all of two bucks!) and I was on my way.

I'm sure that the merchants appreciated my visit as much as I enjoyed it. Forget about the critics and give it a try. You won't be sorry!

LORALEE STRAUSS
Governors Lane

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