October 5, 2016

University Tax Exemption Case Could Go To Court This Week

Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber is expected to be the first witness in a property tax case scheduled to go to court in Trenton this week. The University is being sued by Princeton residents who are challenging the tax exempt status of several of its properties.

The issue is being watched closely by educational institutions and non-profits. The lawsuit, which dates back four years, says the University should pay taxes on the buildings it rents out for private functions. The suit also maintains that the school shares profits with professors on some of the patents they receive and the research they conduct. Lawyers for the school have argued that the buildings serve its educational mission and should therefore be exempt. more

September 21, 2016

Community Responds To Student’s Death With Deep Grief, Support

Owen Bardzilowski, 14-year-old ninth grader at Princeton High School who took his own life at his family’s home on Henry Street last Thursday, has been remembered and mourned by many different people in many different ways during the past week. more

September 7, 2016

Step One of YMCA Project Nears Completion

The Princeton Family YMCA on Paul Robeson Place is just six weeks away from completing the first step in a three-part “refresh” project designed to brighten up several key facets of their facility, to use their space to the greatest advantage, and to bring the building into the 21st century.  more

August 31, 2016

PHS Athletic Director John Miranda Dies

JohnMirandaOver the last two weeks, Princeton High athletes have been gearing up for the upcoming fall season, undergoing grueling practice sessions from the Valley Road complex to the turf field on campus.

But as last Monday morning dawned sunny and clear, a pall was cast over the school and fields as the news that John Miranda, the district’s popular Athletic Director and Supervisor of Health and Physical Education, had passed away.

In a statement issued Monday on the Princeton Public Schools website, it was revealed that Mr. Miranda, 57, died “suddenly” on August 28. He had taken a leave of absence this past spring due to health issues.

The stocky, silver-haired athletic director was a constant presence on the sidelines of PHS games, chatting affably with players, coaches, and officials alike as he oversaw the action. more

No New Information About Swimmer’s Death At Community Park Pool

Since the August 20 death of 24-year-old Colin Simonelli of Princeton, who was found “unresponsive” at 2 p.m. in the shallow part of the main swimming pool at Community Park, the most pressing question has been how this could have happened on a busy Saturday afternoon with 12 lifeguards on duty, two at the main pool. According to the town’s spokesman, municipal administrator Marc Dashield, the matter is currently under investigation by the Princeton Police Department. more

Hughes Urges Residents To Prepare for Emergencies

National Preparedness Month, and Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes is taking this opportunity to advise county residents and businesses to plan and prepare for hazards, natural or manmade, that could affect them.

“As we move into this year’s storm season, it’s a good time to remind people that we all need to be ready for a severe weather event or other type of large-scale emergency,” Mr. Hughes said. “Don’t put yourself or others at risk by waiting until the last minute to prepare.”  more

August 3, 2016

Through the Looking Glass

page1

Saturday’s flood created the illusion of an upside-down world in the lobby of the library. (Photo Courtesy of the Princeton Public Library) 

Princeton Gets Drenched by Saturday Storm

The afternoon rain storm that soaked the Princeton area last Saturday paralyzed traffic and closed roads in several areas of town. But by Tuesday, most everything was back to normal.

More than seven inches of hard-driving rain flooded Hinds Plaza and sent water rushing into the Community Room of Princeton Public Library, raised water to unprecedented levels at Princeton Junction train station in West Windsor, and flooded Princeton High School’s boiler room and the orchestra pit in its performing arts center.  more

July 22, 2016

Princeton Cooling Stations Open During Extreme Heat Warning

Clara Martha Burton CP Pool Opening 2012

Princeton’s cooling station will be open Friday, July 22 through Monday, July 25 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. to ensure Princeton residents have a safe place to stay cool during the expected high temperatures. Residents, especially senior citizens, are strongly advised to take advantage of these cooling stations if needed. Cooling stations are air conditioned facilities where Princeton residents can find relief from the heat. Free water is accessible at all stations. more

July 21, 2016

PSE&G to Upgrade Aging Cast Iron Gas Facilities

Public Service Electric & Gas Company (PSE&G) will be working in Princeton to replace approximately 1 mile of older gas pipes with new, durable plastic and/or coated steel piping – ensuring a continued safe, clean and reliable gas system well into the future.

Linden Lane, Guyot Avenue, Franklin Street, Murray Place, Nassau Street, Prospect Avenue, Russel Road, Winant Road End, Tee-Ar Place, Clearview Avenue, and Franklin Avenue will be affected. more

July 20, 2016

Local Police Respond to Tense Climate 

Three police officers were killed and three others wounded last Sunday morning in an ambush in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Ten days earlier, five officers had been shot dead and 12 injured during an otherwise peaceful protest in Dallas, Texas. more

July 13, 2016

Avalon Princeton Plans to Open Next Month

Avalon Princeton, on the former site of Princeton Hospital on Witherspoon Street, is looking forward to welcoming its first residents next month, with construction to complete the 280-unit rental community scheduled through next spring.

The new development will include studio apartments starting at $2258 per month, one-bedroom apartments at $2735, two-bedroom apartments from $3135, as well as three-bedroom apartments and two- and three-bedroom townhouses. (There are additional fees for application, amenities, security, parking, pet rent, and storage.)  more

June 22, 2016

Kiser Leaves Legacy of “Going Above and Beyond”

Come July, you might find Princeton’s municipal engineer Bob Kiser driving a tractor across the fields of a farm he owns in Hunterdon County. Mr. Kiser is retiring next week after 33 years on the job, and he is looking forward to spending time with his family С especially his six-and-a-half-month-old granddaughter С and cutting the grass with that tractor. more

After Steadying the Helm in Interim Role This Spring, Madalon Named Head Coach of PU Men’s Lacrosse

sports1

ON THE JOB: Matt Madalon is all smiles during a lighter moment this spring as he took the helm of the Princeton University men’s lacrosse team as interim head coach in the wake of Chris Bates being dismissed after a sideline incident in a game against Brown. Madalon guided the Tigers to a 3-2 record down the stretch after a 2-6 start, culminating with a dramatic 7-6 win over Cornell in the season finale. Last week, Madalon was elevated to permanent head coach of the Princeton program. (Photo by Robert Goldstein, Courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)

Matt Madalon is all about moving forward.

After being named the interim head coach of the Princeton University men’s lacrosse team in the wake of Chris Bates being dismissed after a sideline incident in a game against Brown, Madalon focused on righting the ship. more

June 17, 2016

Multi-Faith Gathering, Rally and Vigil for Orlando

On Tuesday, June 21, a series of events will pay tribute to those killed in the Orlando shootings.

“A Multi-Faith Gathering for Orlando and Beyond” begins with a multi-faith service from 7-8 p.m. in the sanctuary of Nassau Presbyterian Church, 61 Nassau Street. The Gathering is presented by the Princeton Clergy Association and the Coalition for Peace Action. more

June 15, 2016

Coalition for Peace Action To Plan Possible Vigil

The Coalition for Peace Action’s gun violence prevention group, Ceasefire NJ, invites members of the public to its monthly advocacy committee meeting on Thursday, June 16 to discuss a possible vigil or public witness in response to the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida. The meeting, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton, will start at 7:30 p.m. more

June 8, 2016

Crumiller, Quinn, Are Top Vote-getters in Council Race

Incumbent Jenny Crumiller and newcomer Tim Quinn won the most votes in Tuesday’s Democratic primary race for two Princeton Council seats, beating out fellow contenders Leticia Fraga and Anne Neumann. These are unofficial results.

According to the Mercer County Clerk’s Office, Ms. Crumiller earned 2,587 votes, or 31.42 percent of the vote, while Mr. Quinn received 2,168, or 26.33 percent. Following closely behind, Ms. Fraga got 2,124 votes, which is 25.80 percent, and Ms. Neumann earned 1,348, or 16.37 percent. more

Nathanson to Leave As Arts Council Director After 11 Years at Helm

1NathansonJeff Nathanson will be stepping down as executive director of the Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) at the end of 2016, the ACP announced yesterday.

The Arts Council on Witherspoon Street has experienced a significant transformation in the 11 years since Mr. Nathanson took the helm in 2005.

“Jeff successfully led the Arts Council through an exciting time of tremendous growth for the organization,” stated Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert. “He’s been an effective and effusive champion for the role of the arts in building community. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have worked with him, and am very sad to see him move on.”

ACP Board of Trustees President Ted Deutsch echoed the mayor’s praise, describing Mr. Nathanson as “an outstanding leader not just for the arts community, but for the Greater Princeton community as a whole. His in-depth experience in arts program development and management helped the organization dramatically expand and improve its arts-related offerings over the past decade. At the same time he has kept the ACP focused on its historic mission to serve the local community through free, accessible and inclusive events and scholarship programs for children and families.” more

May 25, 2016

University Promotes Diversity on Multiple Fronts

1024px-Nassau_Hall_Princeton

As Princeton University alumni return for Reunions this weekend, many will remember an institution very different from the Princeton of 2016. It was 1909 when Princeton President Woodrow Wilson wrote to an African American applicant that it would be “altogether inadvisable for a colored man to enter,” but more recently, alumni from 70 years ago will recall a college that would not graduate an African American student until 1948.  more

May 11, 2016

Council Votes to Adopt $61.9 Million Budget

Following a special May 2 workshop on the 2016 municipal budget, Princeton Council voted Monday to adopt the proposed figure of $61.9 million.

The proposal had originally called for an amendment raising taxes in order to increase the town’s surplus by $150,000, but that amendment was tabled in favor of changes recommended by the Citizens Finance Advisory Committee and municipal staff. Those changes include some cuts, as well as putting off the purchase of a police car and delaying a hire for the Sewer Operating Committee, among other measures. more

Institute for Advanced Study Rejects Request to Meet On Building Project

The Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) has rejected Senator Kip Bateman (R-16) and Assemblyman Reed Gusciora’s (D-15) request to meet with representatives of the IAS Board concerning the Institute’s faculty housing project, “to discuss alternatives and a possible resolution of this controversy.”

Institute director Robbert Dijkgraaf, in his response Friday, stated that the legislators’ letter “seems to be part of a larger publicity effort to discredit the Institute and mischaracterize its project.” more

PPD’s 2016 Plans Include Contact, Education, Prevention, Communication

Images of police in the news media and in the public imagination are often negative С depicting at best enforcement and at worst brutality. Think Baltimore, Chicago, New York, Ferguson С and so many other conflict locations throughout the country.

Princeton Chief of Police Nick Sutter sees vast changes in the nature of police work in the 21st century and the need for new approaches to the job.  more

Bank of Princeton Merging Into Investors Bancorp of Short Hills

In a deal announced last week, The Bank of Princeton is being merged into the Short Hills-based Investors Bancorp. The agreement provides a combination of stock and cash with a value of $154 million for Bank of Princeton stockholders. more

May 4, 2016

University Removes Wilson Dining Hall Mural

 

RECONSIDERING WILSON’S LEGACY: A mural depicting Woodrow Wilson throwing out the first ball at a 1915 Washington Senators baseball game was removed on Saturday from Princeton University’s Wilson College dining hall, in accordance with the decision of Wilson College Head Eduardo Cadava and the recommendation of an undergraduate student committee. (Photos by Donald Gilpin)

A large mural depicting the image of Woodrow Wilson was removed Saturday from the dining hall of Wilson College at Princeton University, at the behest of Wilson College Head Eduardo Cadava.  more

School Board Seeks State Review Of PARCC Graduation Requirements

As New Jersey public school students completed the 2016 PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) exams last week, the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education passed a resolution urging the New Jersey Department of Education (DOE) to “withdraw its pending graduation requirement proposals.” more