August 1, 2018

Hamilton Jewelers, Longtime Princeton Mainstay, Welcomes Fourth Generation to Family Business

FAMILY TRADITION: “I wanted to be part of the family’s legacy and the company’s legacy. It means everything. I am so proud to be here and to be able to learn from my grandfather and father, and the best people in the industry.” Andrew Siegel (right), shown with his grandfather Martin Siegel (center) and father Hank Siegel, represents the fourth generation of the Siegel family to be part of Hamilton Jewelers’ operation.

By Jean Stratton

Hamilton Jewelers is a Princeton treasure. A longtime Princeton establishment, it opened its doors here in 1986. Its history extends well beyond that date, however.

Founded in 1912 in Trenton, it was purchased by Irving Siegel in 1927. He laid the foundation on which his son Martin, and later his grandson Hank, built the thriving business that Hamilton has become today.

Irving Siegel’s commitment to excellence continued when Irving’s son Martin joined his father in 1955, bringing his own insight and business skill to broaden the merchandise assortment and open additional locations in the market. more

Malcolm Bray Paintings At Galerie Stockton

“HEBRIDES 8”: Artist Malcolm Bray presents a new series of paintings on paper opening August 10 at Galerie Stockton in the Stockton Market. The works are from his “Hebrides” series, inspired by the coastline of Scotland.

Opening August 10, Malcolm Bray presents a new series of paintings on paper at Galerie Stockton in the Stockton Market at 19 Bridge Street. Bray, who was born in England and now lives in the Stockton area, will present a group of large works from his “Hebrides” series, inspired by the coastline of Scotland. Bray writes, “Tucked away on the North West side of Scotland this fractured coastline is littered with islands, some drifting away from history. Celticness is everywhere, superimposed beyond memory…” more

“Loss Event” Exhibit at MCCC Gallery

“LOSS EVENT”: Ryann Casey’s photography exhibit, based on the U.S. National Park system, is at the James Kerney Campus Gallery at Mercer County Community College’s Trenton Campus through September 7. Each of her photos features two prints side by side that explore the intersection of personal loss and environmental degradation through the filter of memory and grief.

Mercer County Community College’s (MCCC’s) James Kerney Campus Gallery (JKCG) in downtown Trenton has announced the opening of “Loss Event,” an exhibit by photographer Ryann Casey, who has created a series based in the U.S. National Park system. The show runs August 1 through Friday, September 7. A community reception and artist’s talk will be held Thursday, September 6 from 5 to 7 p.m., with the talk to start at 6 p.m. more

Princeton University Summer Chamber Concerts Closes Season with Sold-out Performance

By Nancy Plum

Princeton University Summer Chamber Concerts has celebrated its 51st season with innovative programming this year.  The series closed its 2018 season last week by reverting to its classical roots with a return visit from the Daedalus Quartet, an ensemble with a strong performance and recording history of both 19th century and contemporary music. Violinists Min-Young Kim and Matilda Kaul, violist Jessica Thompson, and cellist Thomas Kraines presented a very recent American piece sandwiched between two pillars of the Classical period in Richardson Auditorium last Wednesday night, mesmerizing a sold-out house with sophisticated and refined playing.  more

Celebrating 50 Years of “Hey Jude”

They still represent the twentieth century’s greatest romance. — Derek Taylor, introducing The Beatles Anthology 3.

By Stuart Mitchner

Fifty years ago today the Beatles completed the recording of “Hey Jude” at Trident Studios in St. Anne’s Court off Wardour Street.

I first heard “the Sistine Chapel of Rock and Roll” while driving a ‘62 Chevy Corvair along Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge well before the record’s official August 26th release. I’d been about to turn off the radio because the reception was breaking up (no wonder, if you believe Ralph Nader, who declared the Corvair one of the “most dangerous cars in history”) when out of a storm of static comes “Hey Jude” loud and clear, as if by magic, no build-up, no hype, no DJ preamble, just Paul McCartney calling me to attention, for in the shock of the moment, it sounded like “Hey you!” I swerved to the right, parking at a crazy angle in a no-parking zone, listening and listening and listening, three, four, five, six, seven minutes, but who’s counting when McCartney’s riffing in an ecstasy over a 40 piece orchestra and a chorus of thousands right there in my poor defamed Corvair. more

School Matters: Week of August 1, 2018

Five Candidates To Compete for School Board

First-time candidates Mary Clurman, Daniel Dart, and Brian McDonald, and incumbents Betsy Baglio and Dafna Kendal, will be vying for three seats on the Princeton Public Schools Board of Education (BOE) in the November election, the Mercer County Clerk’s Office reported at Monday’s filing deadline. 

BOE President Patrick Sullivan will be stepping down at the end of the year after more than six years on the Board. Seeking a second term, both Baglio and Kendal were elected to the BOE in 2015. more

A Student’s Lie Disrupts Her Teachers’ Lives in “The Children’s Hour”; Princeton Summer Theater Offers a Bold Production of Lillian Hellman’s Play

“THE CHILDREN’S HOUR”: Performances are underway for Princeton Summer Theater’s production of “The Children’s Hour.” Directed by Maeli Goren, the play runs through August 5 at Princeton University’s Hamilton Murray Theater. Teachers Karen Wright (Lydia Watt, left) and Martha Dobie (Allison Spann) face the calamity that is caused by a student’s malicious lie. (Photo by Aaron Olkin)

By Donald H. Sanborn III

The Children’s Hour is an edgy drama set in an all-girls boarding school. One of the students tells a malicious lie that disrupts the school, as well as the lives of the two women who run it. Another student is portrayed by a doll, manipulated by the actor who plays the fiancé of one of the teachers. Directed by Maeli Goren, Princeton Summer Theater’s bold production emphasizes the theatricality inherent in Lillian Hellman’s 1934 play. more

Taking 2nd in Single Sculls at U-23 Worlds, PU Crew Star Kallfelz Continues Rapid Rise

SILVER STREAK: Emily Kallfelz competes in a race in the Princeton University women’s open varsity eight this spring. Last weekend, rising senior Kallfelz took second in the single sculls at the U-23 World Championships in Poznan, Poland.(Photo provided courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)

By Bill Alden

Emily Kallfelz enjoyed success in rowing before she ever got on the water.

Making her debut as a high school junior in the sport by competing in the 2014 Crash-B, an indoor rowing event based on ergometer times, Kallfelz placed eighth.

“I did a bunch of sports beforehand, soccer, swimming, sailing, and I did some triathlons when I was younger,” said Kallfelz, a native of Jamestown R.I., who was a multi-sport star at St. George’s School. more

After Superb Career with PU Field Hockey, Caro Finding Niche with U.S. National Team

NATIONAL PRESENCE: Cat Caro, right, goes after the ball in the fall of 2016 during her senior season on the Princeton University field hockey team. After earning Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year honors and getting named as a first-team All-American that season, Caro joined the U.S. Women’s National Team shortly after her graduation in June, 2017. This year, she has made 11 appearances for the U.S. squad, notching her first goal for the squad against Chile in a test series this April. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Over her career with the Princeton University field hockey team, Cat Caro patiently worked her way up the ranks of the squad.

In her first three seasons with the Tigers, she scored a total of 18 goals in gradually gaining a bigger role in the team’s offense. As a senior in the fall of 2016, she emerged as the focal point of the attack, scoring 18 goals on the way to being voted as the Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year, getting named as a first-team All-American, and helping the Tigers advance to the NCAA Final 4. more

Hun Junior Star Angelini Steps Up in Clutch, Helping PDA Team Win National Club Title

CROWNING MOMENT: Nicole Angelini kisses the trophy after her Player Development Academy (PDA) South ’02 16-U girls’ squad won its age group at the US Club Soccer NPL (National Premier Leagues) National Championship last month in Aurora, Colo. Rising Hun School junior midfielder Angelini scored on a penalty kick in the final as PDA topped GPS (Mass.) 5-0 to earn the national title.

By Bill Alden

By the time she was 10 years old, Nicole Angelini decided that she was ready to make a deeper commitment to soccer and joined the high-powered Player Development Academy program in Somerset.

“I was on a travel team in Hamilton, but I wanted to step it up,” said Angelini, now a rising junior at the Hun School. “My dad asked me if I wanted to play more seriously and how much I actually liked it. I wanted to take it up a notch and PDA was pretty close. It was a different level.” more

Using Skill, Unity to Make Dream Come True, PFC Boca U16 Boys’ Team Wins U.S. Club Title

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH: Members of the Princeton Football Club (PFC) Boca U-16 (2002) boys’ team show off the medals they earned for winning their age group at the U.S. Club National Cup in Aurora, Colo. PFC Boca defeated FC Cardinals Man City (N.C.) 3-1 in the final. Pictured in the front row, from left, are Xavier Guerreiro, Connor Staples, Aron Szoke, Brandon Sagbo, Jose Rodriguez-Chacon, Silvio Aparicio, Ian Cabrera, Noah LaPoint, Daniel Ingersoll, and Herbert Ramirez. In the back row, from left, are head coach Yordan Hristov, Jared Bell, Andres Argueta, Simon Sheppard, and Ian Pompliano.

By Bill Alden

As his Princeton Football Club (PFC) Boca U-16 (2002) got ready to start play in the U.S. Club National Cup in Aurora, Colo. last month, Yordan Hristov urged his players to savor the experience.

“I said, ‘guys look where you are, we are at the highest stage; you had a dream and this is where we are at the moment,’” said PFC Boca head coach Hristov. more

PHS Alum Black Finally Captures Crown, Helping LoyalTees Win Summer Hoops

LOYALTY REWARD: Davon Black of LoyalTees, right, puts the pressure on John McArthur of NJ Spiritwear last week in the opening game of the best-of-three championship series in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League. Former Princeton High star Black helped LoyalTees earn the title as it defeated NJ Spiritwear 76-60 in game three of the series last Friday night at the Hun School gym.(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Davon Black sensed early on that his LoyalTees squad could be something special this season in its second campaign in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League.

Coming into the summer, former Princeton High boys’ hoops star Black, the player/manager for LoyalTees, added some key pieces to augment the team after its league debut in 2017. more

With Davidson Going Into Attack Mode, LoyalTees Fought Back in Summer Hoops

NICK OF TIME: Nick Davidson of LoyalTees grabs the ball in action last week against NJ Spiritwear in the best-of-three championship series in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League. Davidson helped LoyalTees win the series, scoring 29 points as the team defeated NJ Spiritwear 76-60 in the third and deciding game last Friday at the Hun School gym. Davidson was named as the winner of the league’s Foreal Wooden Playoff MVP award. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

After Nick Davidson and his LoyalTees teammates fell to NJ Spiritwear in the opening contest of the best-of-three championship series in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League, they brought a scrappy approach into game two.

“In the first game we came out a little lackadaisical; we were trying to feel them out a little bit and they ended up pouncing on us,” said Davidson, reflecting on the team’s 70-67 loss in the opener on July 23 at the Princeton High gym. more

July 25, 2018

Changing the Game

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”37″ gal_title=”7-25-18 Special Olympics”]

Athletes at Camp Shriver participated in a basketball game and other events on Friday at the Special Olympics New Jersey Sports Complex in Lawrenceville. The Complex also hosted its Change the Game Day Open House, marking the 50th anniversary of the organization.  (Photos by Charles R. Plohn)

Schools, Community Look to Nov. Referendum

By Donald Gilpin

“It’s going to be a hotly debated item on the November ballot,” said Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert, commenting on the planned $129.6M Princeton Public Schools facilities bond referendum. The debate continues in various forums, public and private, throughout the Princeton community.

“I applaud the school district,” Lempert said at a Monday press conference. “They’ve been out there in the community holding forums.” Declining to take sides, Lempert added, “The most important thing about this is that it’s going to be a community vote. There are challenging issues here. To not invest comes with a cost too. it’s an important process. I’m glad there’s a high level of community involvement.” more

Princeton AlumniCorps Gets Grant To Restore Historic Headquarters

By Anne Levin

Princeton prizes its buildings designed by 19th-century architect, carpenter, and developer Charles Steadman. Thanks to a recent historic preservation grant, the Steadman-built house at 12 Stockton Street is about to receive some TLC.

Princeton AlumniCorps, which is headquartered in the building, has received $15,000 from The 1772 Foundation, which partnered with the New Jersey Historic Trust to distribute $293,786 this year to 12 organizations. Princeton AlumniCorps, which purchased the building 18 years ago, received the maximum grant amount, designated for repair and restoration of its exterior. more

Council Looks Ahead, Prepares Next Step In Bike Lane Experiment

By Donald Gilpin

After reviewing the mostly positive public responses to last month’s Beta Bike Lane experiment, including 432 completed surveys, Princeton Council will consider an engineering study proposal from WSP, formerly Parsons Brinckerhoff Engineering and Design Firm.

Councilman Tim Quinn and Municipal Engineer Deanna Stockton presented the results of the survey to the Council Monday night, and more than 20 members of the public weighed in with comments about their experiences during the period when the bike lanes along Wiggins Street and Hamilton Avenue were in use and their opinions about making the bike lanes permanent. more

Mary Moss Playground Renovation Gets Pre-Opening Finishing Touches

ALMOST FINISHED: The renovation of the Mary Moss Playground at John and Lytle streets is nearly ready for children to romp through its sprayground, while older residents of the neighborhood will be able to relax on its new benches and picnic in its pavilion. The official re-opening is scheduled for August 8. (Photo by Erica M. Cardenas)

By Anne Levin

Counting on the weather to cooperate, Princeton is planning an official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the renovated Mary Moss Playground on Wednesday, August 8 at 11 a.m. The park named for the late Mary Moss, who worked at a local nursery school and was an important figure in the Witherspoon-Jackson community, is at John and Lytle streets.

“We’re very pleased with it. We hope the community feels the same way,” said Municipal Engineer Deanna Stockton. Work started on the $700,000 project in April. The small wading pool on the upper tier was removed, replaced by a sprayground with 14 spray features. Other improvements include new playground equipment, a covered pavilion with picnic tables, new landscaping and added trees, a stone boulder embankment with slides, new benches, bike racks, a drinking fountain, and other amenities. more

Enforcement of Ordinances Questioned By Residents at Council Meeting

By Anne Levin

Princeton’s enforcement of ordinances related to the treatment of trees during teardown and construction projects was challenged by some area residents at the Monday, July 23 meeting of Princeton Council. Hawthorne Avenue resident Galina Chernaya, who has been involved in a dispute over trees with RB Homes since the developer began dismantling the property it owns next door to her, told Council that the town is remiss in its handling of protective ordinances.

Chernaya cited “serious and very clear gaps that exist in the engineering department process for approval of the demolition and construction permits as well as monitoring construction sites,” she said. She claimed that Council is ignoring the issue, “which is damaging to neighborhoods. Princeton neighborhoods are under assault by developers.” more

Susan Conlon, PPL Youth Services Head; “There Are So Many Things Happening Here”

“BOUNDLESS ENERGY:” Susan Conlon, head of Youth Services at the Princeton Public Library, finds her days full of surprises, cultivating creativity, growing ideas, and juggling multiple events and responsibilities. There is “no expectation of silence” on the third floor of the library. (Photo Courtesy of Susan Conlon)

By Donald Gilpin

From her first day of work at the Princeton Public Library (PPL) 19 years ago in July 1999, Susan Conlon realized she was in the right place. “I knew this was the place where I wanted to work. It’s hopping. There are so many things happening here.”

A “day’s work” for Conlon? Impossible to predict. “No day is ever the same as any other day,” she said. “It’s exciting and dynamic.” And with Conlon now leading the Department of Youth Services with a staff of 12, there’s more going on than ever before in her third floor realm. more

New Dialing Procedures For Local Phone Calls

Mercer County reminds residents that starting August 18, callers will have to dial the area code plus telephone numbers for calls within the 609 area code region. This means that all calls within the 609 area code that are currently dialed with seven digits will need to be dialed using 10 digits: the area code + telephone number. more

Special Honor Announced For Princeton-Blairstown Center

Princeton-Blairstown Center’s Summer Bridge Program has won the National Summer Learning Association’s 2018 New York Life Foundation Excellence in Summer Learning Founder’s Award.

The Excellence in Summer Learning Award and Founder’s Award recognizes outstanding summer programs that demonstrate excellence in accelerating academic achievement and promoting healthy development for low-income children and youth between pre-kindergarten and 12th grade. more

Carrier Clinic to Host Walk of Hope, Awareness

Carrier Clinic will host its annual Walk of Hope and Awareness on Saturday, September 15, in support of the many programs at its Belle Mead campus to battle mental illness and drug addiction. The public is invited to take part.

“Carrier’s Walk of Hope and Awareness has been responsible for raising tens of thousands of dollars to fund key therapies that assist at-risk patients from New Jersey and beyond,” said Don Parker, president and CEO of Carrier Clinic. “And our mission has never been more important than it is today, given the increasing suicide rates around our nation and the scourge of opioid drugs that are tearing apart families. Please walk to aid Carrier in this important cause.” more

Holding Shakespeare’s Mirror to the Light in a Dark Time

By Stuart Mitchner

Shakespeare will go on explaining us, in part because he invented us. — Harold Bloom

For relief from the post-Helsinki reality of July 2018, a time of chronic stress leading to sleepless nights and a condition that for lack of a better word could be called trumpache, I recommend 600 mgs of Shakespeare at bedtime. Love’s Labor’s Lost has done wonders for me; no more ringing in the ears from the blowhard echo of the Montana Trump rally where the Philistine-in-Chief heaped scorn on “a thousand points of light,” his predecessor George H.W. Bush’s ghostwritten metaphor for public service, possibly the only piece of poetry ever associated with the 41st president.  more

It’s Pretty, But

The Spotted Lanternfly, seen recently in Warren County, is a highly destructive invasive pest. The Sourland Conservancy urges homeowners to watch out for mature Spotted Lanternflies as well as eggs and nymphs, recommending not moving firewood. If you see one, kill it immediately and email pictures to SLF-plantindustry@ag.nj.gov or call the New Jersey Spotted Lanternfly Hotline at 1 (833) 223-2840 (BAD-BUG-0) and leave a message detailing your sighting and contact information. (Photo Courtesy of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture)