To the Editor:

The modification of the Joseph Hornor House at 344 Nassau Street, one of New Jersey’s 10 most endangered historic buildings, has already sprung copious discussion. The recent presentation of the project at Witherspoon Hall on May 14 was like a university lecture on urban planning. It was burdened by endless details of architectural designs attempting to replicate the historic setting of the house without a genuine concern for the local community. Various architectural drawings of the house with comical multi-level roofs, and walls choked by windows, made me think of an opulent wedding cake in which a novice chef tries to prove that he has mastered the trade. More is not better! Where is the architect’s judgement? If anyone stopped to see the back facade of the Hornor House from the Whole Earth parking lot, proposed to be demolished and expanded, they would discover a serene place perfectly fitting the historic setting.     more

To the Editor:

Our congresswoman, Bonnie Watson Coleman, is  running for reelection and needs our vote in the June 4 primary. She is the daughter of legendary state legislator John S. Watson, and her service in Congress continues the family legacy of fighting for the economically and socially disadvantaged populations, but without neglecting all the others.

She wrote: “When I came to Congress I did so with the goal of doing the most good for the most people. I remain committed to that philosophy.” I can always trust her judgment on the issues because she is an independent and nuanced thinker, and a skilled and informed legislator. I am very happy to have her as my representative.

Deborah Robbins
Windrow Drive

To the Editor:

I am honored to support the reelection of Bonnie Watson Coleman, who has served our district since 2014 as the first African American woman to represent New Jersey in Congress. Her work there, and before that for eight terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, continues a family legacy of public service.

She fights for women, for populations that are economically and socially disadvantaged, and for other vulnerable groups in the U.S. and elsewhere. She is informed on the issues and votes her conscience rather than following scripts written by sponsoring organizations. As an American Jew, I appreciate her support for substantive solutions to the rising threat of antisemitism instead of symbolic gestures that only inflame tensions. In the Middle East, her support for a diplomatic path to a two-state solution based on peace and accountability shows me that her political judgment is thoughtful and nuanced.  She focuses on resolving conflicts for the long term rather than on scoring partisan political points in the short term.

Please vote for Bonnie Watson Coleman in the Democratic primary, and please encourage your friends to do so as well.

Sherry Rosen
Clover Lane

To the Editor:
After two days of a special meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC), the HPC on May 14 recommended to the Planning Board against the developer’s application for major site development at 344 Nassau Street and denied the application for demolition of the rear of the Hornor House, a cornerstone building of the Jugtown Historic District and recently recognized by Preservation NJ as one of the 10 most threatened historic buildings in New Jersey.

The HPC correctly decided based on the historic preservation ordinance and the affordable housing overlay ordinance. At the HPC meeting, members of the Princeton community expressed strong support for the Save Jugtown Coalition’s opposition to this development. more

To the Editor:

I am writing to encourage your readers to support and vote for our incumbent Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman in the June 4 Democratic primary, where she is being challenged by a conservative ex-Republican.

As a congresswoman, Bonnie has been an indefatigable fighter for the people of our state, and especially for its most vulnerable groups. She is a fair and thoughtful legislator, aiming to ensure that millions of Americans, and New Jerseyans in particular, do not live below the poverty line nor experience permanent financial fallout from a single unexpected crisis. She has worked tirelessly to rectify the environmental inequalities found in poor neighborhoods where environmental violations often go unpunished. She is also a member of the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues, and founder and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls, fighting for women’s rights and equality. Before her tenure in Washington, she was the majority leader in the New Jersey Assembly, where she championed pioneering legislation for prisoner rehabilitation and re-entry programs, earning praise from the New York Times as “a model for the rest of the nation.” more

To the Editor:

Much has been written about the proposed four-story addition to the historic Horner House at the corner of Harrison and Nassau streets. Let us add just one additional piece of information.

Recently we received from our municipal police department their accident reports for this intersection for the past three years  During the period, 22 accidents occurred requiring police presence at this location: 17 were for two-car vehicle accidents, two for hit-and-run accidents, two for single car crashes, and one for a three-car crash. This information is just one more tile in the mosaic of why this project should not be allowed to go forward.

To add a 15-unit residential building with a garage emptying onto Harrison Street just a few yards away from this intersection is a recipe for disaster unless one hopes to raise the annual accident total above double figures.

Lydia and Walter Frank
Riverside Drive

To the Editor:

Over the next 10 years, Princeton appears fated to lose nearly all of its beech trees. A new disease, called beech leaf disease, is sweeping through our nature preserves and neighborhoods. It’s caused by nematodes — a worm tiny enough to overwinter in the beech’s long, coppery buds, causing contortions and curious stripings in the emerging leaves.

Information online is not encouraging. Since first being discovered 12 years ago near Holden Arboretum in Ohio, it has spread quickly, extending thus far south to Virginia and east to Maine. Though I had heard rumblings of some sort of disease affecting beech trees, I managed to keep my head in the sand, basking innocently in the beauty of the great tree’s smooth gray bark, admiring its dramatic root flare and towering canopy. In the Institute Woods, there’s a massive beech with a split trunk you can walk through. more

To the Editor:

I noticed with dismay that we can now get another yellow recycling bin here in Princeton, and I assume throughout Mercer County. This doubles down on an inefficient and illogical program as the Mercer County Improvement Authority has actively banned the use of standard, wheeled, and covered blue recycling bins. more

To the Editor:

Princeton Active Circle (PAC), a Princeton nonprofit organization, successfully hosted the recent AAPI 5K Run and Walk event which took place on May 11 at the Carnegie Center. With over 200 enthusiastic participants from various ethnic backgrounds, the AAPI 5K brought together individuals of all ages and walks of life to promote mutual understanding and appreciation. It was heartwarming to witness the spirit of inclusivity in the event, as people of different cultures came together to support a common cause. more

To the Editor:

I “attended” the two Master Plan sessions of the Princeton Planning Board, and though it was nice to invisibly gobble a snack during the Zoom session, I found it very much wanting — and bordering on undemocratic — in its elimination of the live element. Others felt frustrated by this, too.

With a Zoom-only format, there’s no way to “take the temperature” of the room, and no way to communicate approval or disapproval of what members of the public say.  Equally bad, you can’t know who’s there, and you can’t interact with them afterwards. The COVID-19 pandemic has been over for a while now, and our public meetings should be true meetings of the public again.   more

To the Editor:
Dan Dart is challenging Bonnie Watson Coleman in the Democratic primary for U.S. Congress, and I heartily endorse his candidacy.

Dan is socially progressive and fiscally responsible. He is open-minded and willing to seek compromise for the betterment of all New Jersey 12th Congressional District constituents and the country at large. Go to danieldart.com to learn more about why Dan is running. more

To the Editor:

I was disheartened to read all the letters sent into Town Topics and other local publications lamenting about the impending closure of Nassau Swim Club (NSC). I am hoping that Princeton University reverses its decision so that people can continue to enjoy NSC, especially those families who have had generations of members attending NSC over the years.

I have not had the pleasure of swimming at NSC, but from what I know of the pool, it seems very similar to Broadmead Swim Club (Broadmead) in Princeton, to which my family and I have been members for the past several years. Small, quaint, neighborhood-focused pools are wonderful summer destinations in Princeton, and both NSC and Broadmead provide immense value to the University and overall town community. I truly feel for NSC members who are faced with losing their neighborhood pool, as I would feel the same way if Broadmead had to close. more

To the Editor:

Belatedly, we recently learned that a consultant has working on a plan to “refresh” Hinds Plaza, the small square of public space created by the design and construction of the new Princeton Public Library and dedicated for the use of all Princetonians 20 years ago. The library has grown into our community’s living room, and the plaza has become its equally valued front porch.

On May 2, the town Council will unveil the consultant’s proposal for refreshing this beloved community asset. Let’s go beyond surface updates and make the most of this opportunity to increase the benefits this central common space brings to all of us. more

To the Editor:

This past Saturday, the Arts Council of Princeton proudly presented the third annual Princeton Porchfest. If the past three years have proved anything, it’s that Princeton is not only an incredibly talented community, it sure knows how to have fun!

We want to thank each of our porch hosts for welcoming us to your homes and each performer for your contributing your skills. Most importantly, we want to thank every Porchfest-goer who turned up to exemplify exactly what makes Princeton so special. Familiar faces and new friends alike turned out to support and enjoy the show.  more

To the Editor:

The English Tea given in support of the Trinity Church Choirs’ 2026 trip to England was a wonderful event on April 21. Guests enjoyed a traditional English tea of sweets and savories, followed by a beautiful choral Evensong service in the church.

The combined Trinity choirs will be singing daily services for a week at both Ely Cathedral and Westminster Abbey in 2026. We thank all of you who joined us and enjoyed this afternoon with friends and our choirs.

Pegi Stengel
Prospect Avenue

Sylvia Temmer
Hamilton Avenue
Co-chairs

To the Editor:

When I was growing up, I did not have many opportunities to swim and consequently, I never learned how to swim. When I had children, it was so important to me that they learn to swim so that they can learn to love the water and not be afraid of it. With so many reports of children drowning, one takes for granted the importance of this life-saving skill.

Nassau Swim Club made recreational swimming accessible to me and my family. When we moved to Hamilton several years ago, I was looking for a local community pool and was disappointed to learn that it had closed some years ago. Nassau Swim Club was open to all and attracted members from the wider Princeton area, many of whom, like me, work at the Institute for Advanced Study or Princeton University. Nassau provided an ideal, safe environment for my young kids to learn to swim, plus a sense of community and belonging. It saddens me to think my children and many other children like them will no longer have this opportunity. The Nassau Swim Club was perfect for our family, not only in terms of affordability, but convenience as well. I am not a resident of Princeton, so the alternatives have higher non-resident rates that are not within our budget and are also much farther away. more

To the Editor:

I moved to Princeton with my family as a child nearly 70 years ago, and though I’ve been a member of this wonderful community for so long, I don’t think I’ve been to the Nassau Swim Club more than once or twice, if that. So I have no stake whatsoever in Princeton University’s decision to terminate the lease with the club for financial reasons.

It saddens me, however, that the University has made this decision given the benefits that the club provides to members of this community, so many of whom are children and teenagers and so many of whom are also affiliated with the University itself. It’s my understanding that approximately 20 percent of club members are University students and staff, and that well over a third of the members are associated with either the University or with the Institute for Advanced Study. (While I understand the there is no formal link between the University and the Institute, the two enjoy a close, collaborative relationship.)

It is unarguably true that the swim club has fallen significantly short of fulfilling the financial requirements of its lease with PU. A significant reason for that is because the lease requires the club to reimburse the University for the approximate $20,000 per year property tax it pays to the municipality.  more

To the Editor:

As your readers know by now, Princeton University has decided to bulldoze the humble and beloved Nassau Swim club, nestled in the woods near the Institute for Advanced Study.

You have received many letters to the editor, detailing the far-reaching impact Nassau Swim Club has had on so many people throughout the world.

And yet, Princeton University won›t budge. Its reaction has been to continue with its plans to dismantle this humble summer haven. This is heartbreaking as Princeton could make such an important, humane difference by choosing to fund Nassau or, at the very least, giving its members/board another chance. more

To the Editor:

Our current garbage disposal system needs improvement because it does not provide adequate service for situations in which more than typical weekly trash needs to be collected. I recently completed a general house cleaning, and my single bin was not adequate for amount of discards I accumulated. I compost, recycle, reuse, and donate as much as possible. I donate respectfully. I do not use our local charities as disposal facilities for worn and unusable clothing and linens, broken kitchen gadgets and appliances, a well-used cat litter box, or games and puzzles with missing parts or pieces. These items are simply trash.

The solution for the problem of additional trash due to house cleaning, holiday celebrations and large extended family dinners is to add bagged garbage to the items accepted for weekly bulk waste pick-up.

It is ironic that our officials are promoting over-development of our community without providing the basic municipal service of adequate trash pick-up for current residents. However, my solution will eliminate a common, recurring problem.

Maryann Witalec Keyes
Franklin Avenue

To the Editor:

As an avid fan of the Princeton Public Library, I read the April 17 article about the 20th anniversary celebration of “the new building” with pleasure [“Celebrating a New Library for a New Era,” page 1].

It’s worth noting that the artist Faith Ringgold, who died just last week, was present at the 2004 library reopening to unveil her mosaic of the “story quilt” on the cover of her Caldecott-winning book, Tar Beach. Ringgold’s recent obituary in the New York Times notes that her work “is in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture . . .  and other institutions.”  How wonderful that our library is one of those “other institutions!” Visitors to the library will surely want to go up to the library’s third-floor haven for children to admire this captivating work of art.

Last week’s Town Topics article, by the way, does a fine job of describing how the planners’ hopes for greater community engagement and the desire to create welcoming spaces informed their vision of the “new” library. That those hopes have been realized beyond expectation is a tribute to a very remarkable, hard-working staff.

Ellen Gilbert
Stuart Road East

To the Editor:

it is difficult to put in words the emotions I feel as Nassau Swim Club (NSC) is shut down by Princeton University. From age 7 to 17 (1975-85) the NSC community was my summer family. It sounds like the community support has not allowed this hallowed institution to continue. Shame on Princeton University for not supporting this place that was a summer home of so many of their staff and families over past 60+ years. There are some things that are more important than money and this is one of them.

I remember waiting anxiously for summer to start every year to see and catch up with everyone. One of my best summer friends was Marc Nystrom, who was the son of longtime coach Bruce Nystrom. They lived in Richmond, Va., and came up every summer and lived in Institute for Advanced Study housing. My older sister and I would literally ride our bikes 10 miles every day early in the morning to start the day with running laps, swim practice, then diving practice for me, maybe a hotdog and chips from Wawa, and back to the pool for games. more

To the Editor:

I grew up in Princeton in the late 1970s and 80s, but it may be more accurate to say that I grew up at Nassau Swim Club. My family joined Nassau when I was 10, and it was an enormous part of every summer of my life (first on the swim team, and later coaching and lifeguarding) for the 10 years that followed. The culture of the place, as well as its location, were a little off the beaten path — a reflection of Bruce Nystrom, the manager and face of the pool for so many years.

It was a welcoming place where I learned the importance of sportsmanship and hard work. I also learned the value of levity amid both. I looked up to my coaches, and later became one. I eyed the record board with awe, before claiming one, then watching it fall to someone I had coached. The circle of life. more