August 14, 2024

Next “Sustainable Minds” Session Explores Concept of 15-Minute Neighborhoods

By Anne Levin

Since holding its first “Sustainable Minds” presentation virtually two years ago, the nonprofit Sustainable Princeton has presented experts on such topics as stormwater management, community solar, and zero-energy buildings. Next in the series, on Wednesday, September 11 at 7 p.m., is “15-Minute Neighborhoods,” which the public can attend live in Princeton Public Library’s Community Room, or online.

Planner Jon A. Carnegie and policy analyst Alex Ambrose will discuss how living within 15 minutes of social services, parks, gathering places, and various amenities creates a more sustainable, resilient, healthy, and equitable neighborhood — the way many towns used to be. Carnegie, the executive director of the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University, recently lead a two-year study of the concept. Ambrose is a transportation and climate policy analyst. more

Princeton Author Margery Cuyler Debuts New Book Series

By Wendy Greenberg

Margery Cuyler

Addy McBean is a math whiz and a problem solver. She “loves anything and everything to do with numbers, from counting her dog’s tail wags to guessing how many books are scattered by her mom’s bed or how many stars are in the sky,” according to the book jacket of Addy McBean, Numbers Queen.

Addy is one of latest characters created by Princeton author Margery Cuyler, who was inspired to write about a female math whiz after visiting a second-grade classroom and seeing how creatively math is taught today.

Addy McBean, Numbers Queen, released on July 23, is the latest of Cuyler’s books, and the first in a planned chapter book series for ages 7 and 8, published by Aladdin Quix, an imprint in the children’s publishing division at Simon & Schuster, A chapter book, said Cuyler, fills the gap between a picture book and novels for children over the age of 8. more

Weird and Wayward: Taylor Swift, Wim Wenders, and the Macbeth Curse

By Stuart Mitchner

The long strange trip of this column includes a world-famous 34-year-old singer songwriter from West Reading, Pa.; a 79-year-old film director from Düsseldorf, Westphalia, born August 14, 1945; and a Scottish king slain in battle against his first cousin and rival Macbeth on or around August 14, 1040 — but then Shakespeare had a more productive fate in mind for King Duncan when he wrote Macbeth.

Who’s Afraid?

When the news aired about the terrorist shutdown of Taylor Swift’s Vienna concerts that led to thousands of disappointed Swifties singing her music in the streets of Vienna, I put the Tortured Poets Department into my car’s CD player. I was thinking of the 22 fans killed by terrorists at the May 2017 Ariana Grande concert in Manchester as Swift let it all out, “So I leap from the gallows and I levitate down your street, crash the party like a record scratch as I scream — ‘Who’s afraid of little old me?’ And you should be, you should be, you should be!” To paraphrase the song rocking my car, “If you wanted her dead, you should’ve just said so because nothing makes her feel more alive.”  more

Cirque de Paris Debuts at MarketFair

ONE-RING SPECTACLE: Cirque de Paris performs in a tent at Princeton MarketFair starting August 22. Among the major attractions is Reinaldo Monteiro, who performs his “Rola-Bola” act balancing boards stacked on cylinders.

Cirque de Paris presented by Anouchka Bouglione makes its Princeton area debut under the Big Top at MarketFair, 3535 U.S.1, from August 22 through September 1. The cast includes aerialists, jugglers, tightwire dancers, a twirling hula hooper, and clowns. Beyond the ring, audience members of all ages can get involved at a pre-show and intermission with activities and treats.

“When presented with the opportunity to host Cirque de Paris at MarketFair, we were both intrigued and thrilled to be the first city in New Jersey to offer these spectacular shows,” said Anthony Palino, general manager of MarketFair. “We’re proud to present this one-of-a-kind experience to our community, marking a notable and exciting chapter for MarketFair.” more

Fiesta Latina Events Set for Mercer County Park

Mercer County’s 2nd Annual Fiesta Latina, which celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month, will take place Saturday and Sunday, September 7 and 8, in Mercer County Park’s Festival Grounds. The event will feature live music, craft vendors, children’s activities, and more.

“Mercer County is enriched by our diversity, and the Latino community forms an integral part of our county and our culture,” said Mercer County Executive Dan Benson. “I’m thrilled for the Fiesta Latina to return this year. Open to all, this is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy lively music, dance, food, and fun.”

Hours of the festival are 12-7 p.m. both days. On Saturday, Grammy Award nominee and musician Toño Rosario will take the stage along with the salsa group Puerto Rican Power. The day’s celebration will be hosted by comedian Joey Vega, supplemented by a blend of sounds from DJ Ralph Mercado. On Sunday, the music stylings of cumbia, merengue, mariachi, and more will be heard. Headlining will be three-time Grammy salsa and Latin jazz composer and performer Jeremy Bosch, accompanied by Jose Tabares’ All Star Band. more

American Repertory Ballet Announces 2024-25 Season

BACK ON STAGE: Emily Cordies-Maso is among the dancers who will be performing as part of American Repertory’s upcoming season, which includes works by Lar Lubovitch, Antony Tudor, Stephan Martinez, Luis Napoles, and Artistic Director Ethan Stiefel. (Photo by Harald Schrader)

American Repertory Ballet (ARB) has announced its 2024-2025 season, a celebration of classic repertoire alongside new works.

A founding resident company of the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC), ARB presents three programs of dance at its home venue with “Wonderment” in October 2024, the world premiere of Spirit of the Highlands in March 2025, and “Pasión” in May 2025. The Nutcracker will return for the holiday season in November and December 2024 in Princeton, Red Bank, Trenton, and New Brunswick. more

Points of View Art Show Marks 10 Years

“RITA’S DISHES”: This oil painting by Jeanne Chesterton is part of the 10th annual Points of View Art Show, on view August 23, 24, and 25 at the Saw Mill at Prallsville Mill in Stockton. An opening reception is on Friday, August 23 from 5 to 8 p.m.

The first Points of View Art Show was in September 2014. Ten years later, Jeanne Chesterton and Ilene Rubin will host their 10th Points of View Art Show beginning with a reception on August 23 from 5 to 8 p.m. The show continues Saturday, August 24 and Sunday, August 25 from 12 to 5 p.m. each day at the Saw Mill at Prallsville Mill, 33 Risler Street in Stockton.

Showcasing their art this year will be Chesterton and Rubin, along with artists Cheryl Bomba, Jill LeClair, Mike Mann, and Beth Schoenleber. All art is for sale.  more

New Mural at JP

Members of the Parent Teacher Organization at Johnson Park (JP) Elementary School recently collaborated with the Arts Council of Princeton and others on new artwork featuring the JP Pledge. Melissa Kuscin, left, and Lisa Peck of the Arts Council are shown painting the colorful mural in the cafeteria at the school.

Grounds For Sculpture Awarded $288,890 Grant

Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) has been awarded a $288,890 grant by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (NJSCA). This new level of annual support, which can be anticipated for three years, will enable GFS to maximize its role as a leading cultural institution in New Jersey. This funding will help support general operations, and bolster Grounds For Sculpture’s mission to be more accessible to a diverse array of New Jerseyans while presenting a strong calendar of programming, which includes arts, wellness, and horticultural experiences.

“We are honored to be among the cultural organizations that the State Council on the Arts has awarded this generous operational funding,” said Gary Schneider, executive director of Grounds For Sculpture. “The incredible support the state has contributed to the arts not only provides us vital resources to fulfill our mission, but also helps expand our offerings to engage with a broader, more diverse community.”  more

Honors and Awards at Phillips’ Mill Art Show

“MOMENT OF LIGHT”: The Crystal Springs Farm Award for a Work in the Style of the Pennsylvania Impressionists was given by Kathy and Ted Fernberger to Dot Bunn for her painting in the 2023 “Juried Art Show at Phillips’ Mill.” This year’s show begins on September 21.

Honors and awards have been a component of the annual “Juried Art Show at Phillips’ Mill” for decades, recognizing some of the finest work by area artists, as well as honoring people important to the Phillips’ Mill Community Association and its patrons. This year’s show, the “95th Juried Art Show at Phillips’ Mill,” will be held at the historic Mill and online September 21 through October 27, and will feature a wide variety of awards. Art lovers interested in establishing new awards for this year’s show can do so now through August 25.

In addition to an Honored Artist and Signature Image artist, who are selected by the art show committee, a full roster of awards for works juried into the show are bestowed each year. Which works will receive these awards is determined by the art show’s panel of jurors and are funded by patrons of the show, individuals, businesses, and sometimes families who enjoy supporting the Mill, the show, and the artists in this unique way.  more

PU Lax Star Dora Going on Another International Jaunt, Playing for U.S. at Women’s U20 Worlds in Hong Kong

DORA THE EXPLORER: Haven Dora heads to goal this past spring in her sophomore season for the Princeton University women’s lacrosse team. Star attacker Dora, who tallied 20 goals and team-high 49 assists in the 2024 campaign for the Tigers, will be competing for Team USA in the Women’s U20 Championships from August 15-24 in Hong Kong, China.

By Justin Feil

She may not need a map, but Haven Dora is quite the explorer.

Dora was in Italy on the Princeton University women’s lacrosse team’s overseas trip last fall, just months after traveling to London. Now lacrosse will take her to Hong Kong, China, to compete for Team USA in the Women’s U20 Championships from August 15-24.

“It’s really exciting,” said Dora, who will be a junior at Princeton this fall. “I’m honored to be on the team and represent the USA. I think it’ll be really fun to be able to play with a lot of the players that we play against in college and that I’ve played with growing up. I think it’ll be a really awesome experience to go over to Hong Kong and compete against all the other countries.” more

Capping Historic Run for PU Olympians at Paris Games, Rowing Gold Medalist Mead Serves as U.S. Flag Bearer

FLAG DAY: Nick Mead competing for the U.S. men’s four this spring. Former Princeton University rowing standout Mead ’17 helped the U.S. boat take gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics. It marked the first time the Americans had won the event since the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. Mead was later named as one of the two flag bearers for Team USA at the Closing Ceremony along with nine-time Olympic gold medalist women’s swimming star Katie Ledecky. (Photo by Row2k, provided courtesy of USRowing)

By Bill Alden

Capping a historic run at the Paris 2024 Olympics for current and former Princeton University athletes, U.S. rowing star and gold medalist in the men’s four, Nick Mead ’17, served as one of the two flag bearers for Team USA at the Closing Ceremony of the Games last Sunday.

Mead was joined by nine-time Olympic gold medalist women’s swimming star Katie Ledecky leading Team USA into Stade de France to close out a memorable Games. more

Combining Depth, Strong Work Ethic, Focus on Fun, CP Bluefish Produce Another Dominant Campaign

SOCKING IT TO THEM: Natan Wysocki competes in a meet earlier this summer for the Community Park Bluefish swim team. Wysocki helped the Bluefish place first in the team standings at the Princeton-Area Swimming and Diving Association (PASDA) championship meet last month. Wysocki finished first in the 50-yard freestyle and second in the 50 backstroke at the meet. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Kelsey Schwimmer saw a greater intensity around the Community Park Bluefish swim team this summer than in the past.

“One of the things that stood out to me was how much participation and involvement we had,” said Bluefish co-head coach Schwimmer. “It is always pretty high, but we were seeing huge turnouts at our morning practices. Usually that first hour is a little less well attended because it is earlier, but it was full every single day. I think that really just goes to show how hard our coaching staff was working and how much the kids were enjoying it and excited to come out and swim and be with their friends.” more

After Excelling as a 4-Year Starter for PDS Girls’ Soccer, Salzano is Aiming to Make Similar Impact for Monmouth

BALLHAWK: Adriana Salzano, left, controls the ball in a game last fall during her senior season for the Princeton Day School girls’ soccer team. Salzano, who helped PDS win the first New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public A title in program history in 2023, is currently in preseason training with the Monmouth University women’s soccer team. She is looking to make an immediate impact when the Hawks play at Temple on August 15 in their season opener. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Adriana Salzano emerged as a star right away during freshmen season for the Princeton Day School girls’ soccer team in 2020, scoring a team-high nine goals as the Panthers went 10-1 in a season curtailed by COVID-19 concerns.

This fall, Salzano is aiming to be a major contributor from the outset as she starts her career with the Monmouth University women’s soccer team.

“I definitely want to come in there and make an impact as early as possible just like I did in my freshman year in high school,” said Salzano, who started preseason training earlier this month as the Hawks prepare for their season opener at Temple on August 15. “I went into PDS, I had a goal to start and help the team in any way that I could. That is my same goal for Monmouth. Another big one is that I want to be the CAA (Coastal Athletic Association) Rookie of the Year. I know it is a big one to reach for but if I work hard, there is no limit to that.” more

Coming Up Big in His One Season for PHS Boys’ Soccer, Carusone Primed for Debut with Rochester Men’s Program

ROCK ON: Pasquale Carusone, right, goes after the ball last fall in his senior season for the Princeton High boys’ soccer team. Carusone scored a team-high 28 goals last season to help PHS win the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 4 state championship. Carusone is heading to the University of Rochester this week to start preseason train for his freshman campaign with Yellowjacket men’s soccer team. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

A dream is coming true for Pasquale Carusone this week as he starts preseason training for his freshman season with University of Rochester men’s soccer team.

For Carusone, who starred last fall as the Princeton High boys’ soccer team won the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 4 state championship, his rise up the ladder in the sport has been motivated by the goal of someday being a college player.

“I feel like playing in college is really important for me,” said Carusone, noting that he started shooting for that when he got into the game as a youngster. “When I played the sport, it was always to move to the next level. I started at PSA (Princeton Soccer Academy) and then my dad said if you want to take it to the next level, you should go to PDA (Players Development Academy). I moved to PDA and worked my way up to the MLS Next team. That was probably the best spot to get recruited at. I got my looks and stuff like that.” more

August 7, 2024

Butterfly Day

Children rush to the next activity at The Watershed Institute’s 24th Annual Butterfly Festival on Saturday. Attendees share what they learned at the event in this week’s Town Talk on page 6. (Photo by Grace Roberts)

Princeton Celebrates Evan Gershkovich’s Release

ON THE TOWN: Evan Gershkovich, on left, Michael Van Itallie, in foreground, and friends enjoyed a day visiting the High Line in New York City in 2012, just two years after graduating from Princeton High School. (Photo courtesy of Michael Van Itallie)

By Donald Gilpin

Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter who was brought up in Princeton and graduated from Princeton High School (PHS) in 2010, returned to the U.S. late last Thursday night, freed in a 24-person prisoner swap after 16 months in a Russian prison.

Michael Van Itallie, who also grew up in Princeton and has been a best friend of Gershkovich since they first met when they were 8 years old playing Princeton Youth Soccer, described watching the rapid sequence of events unfold last Thursday.

“I felt relief and joy,” said Van Itallie. “I was so happy for him and his family. It was incredible. Something that we had looked for for so long, but we had hardened ourselves to the reality that it might not come for a long time.”

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Five New Candidates, One Incumbent Compete in PPS School Board Race

By Donald Gilpin

In just three months, on November 5, Princeton voters will select three names from a slate of six —five new candidates and one incumbent — to represent them for three-year terms on the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education (BOE).

BOE members Brian McDonald, who is running unopposed for a seat on Princeton Council, and Betsy Baglio will finish out their terms on the Board on January 1, 2025 and are not running for reelection. Mara Franceschi is the one incumbent running for reelection.

New candidates, all with children in PPS, include local business leaders Ari Meisel, Chris Santarpio, Lisa Potter, and Shenwei Zhao and nursery school director Erica Snyder.

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South Brunswick Holds Second Reading on Redevelopment of Princeton Nurseries Site

By Anne Levin

A redevelopment plan for the former Princeton Nurseries site that runs along Route 1, Ridge Road, and Mapleton Road is scheduled for a second reading at a meeting of South Brunswick Township Council on Wednesday, August 7 at 6 p.m. The ordinance will be considered as part of a work session.

The ordinance, which is for 119 Mapleton Road, 987-1001 Ridge Road, and 4405 Route 1, was unanimously approved by the Township Council on its first reading three weeks ago. It creates three separate districts, each with its own permitted use, on approximately 160 acres. The proposed development is bordered by Route 1 to the east, Ridge Road to the north, and the Mapleton Preserve to the west, as well as parcels owned by the Trustees of Princeton University and Plainsboro to the south. It is one of the biggest remaining undeveloped land parcels with frontage along Route 1.

If adopted, the plan will have a Gateway District, Flex/Light Industrial District, and Transitional/Office District. Permitted uses in the three districts include professional, executive, and corporate offices; medical offices; research laboratories; hotels; retail; indoor and outdoor recreational facilities; and more.

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Two Sourland Region Nonprofits are Partners in Preservation

FULL CIRCLE: The True Farmstead, a landmark in the history of the African American community of the Sourland region, is now fully owned by the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum in Skillman.

By Anne Levin

Thanks to a collaboration between the Sourland Conservancy and the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum (SSAAM), the museum is now the full owner of the historic True Farmstead in Skillman.

The Conservancy had partnered with the SSAAM in 2022 to purchase the property with support from the Somerset County Cultural Heritage Commission and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP) Green Acres Program. This past May, an agreement was signed making the SSAAM the full owner. The Farmstead will house the offices of the SSAAM and the Sourland Conservancy, and will serve as an interpretive space for African American culture and history.

“By transferring its co-ownership of the historic True Farmstead entirely to SSAAM, Sourland Conservancy restores an important cultural and ecological landmark to the African American community,” reads a release from the museum.

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After Years in the Making, “Memoir” is Set for Release

A MOTHER’S WORDS, A SON’S MUSIC: A new CD by composer and Princeton University Professor Steven Mackey, right, narrated by actor Natalie Christa Rakes, left, is about to be released. “Memoir,” inspired by Mackey’s late mother Elaine Mackey, drops officially on August 16.

By Anne Levin

Among the many artistic endeavors that were derailed by the pandemic, and are finally coming to fruition, is a musical work by composer and Princeton University music professor Steven Mackey. Memoir, a 75-minute piece for a narrator, the Dover String Quartet, and the percussionists known as arx duo, is about to be released as a CD.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Mackey said of the work, which is based on an unpublished memoir by his late mother, Elaine Mackey. “The original premiere date was supposed to be May 2020. So obviously that couldn’t happen. But now we’re ready to go.”

As director of the Edward T. Cone Composition Institute at Princeton and a member of the composition faculty at Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music, Mackey is a Grammy Award-winning composer of works for chamber ensemble, orchestra, dance, and opera. His music has been performed by the BBC Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, among others. He and the musicians took Memoir on the road before making the CD.

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PPS Ramps Up Energy Efficiency, Implementing Multiple Green Initiatives

By Donald Gilpin

Princeton Public Schools (PPS) is focusing on a greener future and has been working on a number of sustainability initiatives, including white roofs, heat pumps, energy-efficient HVAC systems, and new high efficiency boilers.

The district reports that by the end of the summer five of the six PPS schools will have almost 100 percent white roofing, which reflects more sunlight, absorbs less heat than traditional black roofs, and reduces the need for air conditioning. PPS began the transition to white roofs five years ago.

“These changes represent significant cost savings and underscore our dedication to being stewards of the environment,” said Acting Superintendent Kathie Foster, as quoted in a PPS press release. “We are committed to providing students and staff with healthy buildings and environmentally conscious learning spaces.”

PPS will be installing heat pumps at all of the elementary schools as part of the PSEG Direct Install Program, providing heat in the cold months and cooling in the warm months. In addition to the heat pumps, three energy-efficient gas boilers will be installed at each of the four elementary schools and electric HVAC systems at Littlebrook and Johnson Park elementary schools.

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Writer and Scholar Presents Jane Austen Talk at Morven

Jane Austen scholar Juliette C. Wells delivers an illustrated lecture and discusses her most recent book, A New Jane Austen: How Americans Brought Us the World’s Greatest Novelist, on Saturday, August 17, from 2 to 3 p.m. at Morven Museum & Garden.

The free event is sponsored by the Princeton Public Library, the Jane Austen Society of North America – New Jersey Region, and Morven Museum & Garden.

Pre-registration is required, and can be completed at princetonlibrary.libnet.info/event/11125006.

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Weirdness Unbound with J.D. Vance, Taylor Swift, and “Babylon Berlin”

By Stuart Mitchner

Well, it’s been pretty damn weird…. But the train ride through crazy town shows no sign of slowing…. Again, I refer to that word: weird. It’s just all so weird.
—J.D. Vance

I don’t live by all these rigid, weird rules that make me feel all fenced in…
—Taylor Swift

In my rush to finish J.D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy I missed that triple-weird crazy-town run from the 2018 afterword, which my wife marked with an OMG! in the margin as she finished the book. Thanks to her catch, I went back to the chapter about his time at Ohio State, in which he says, “In my entire life I had oscillated between fear at my worst moments and a sense of safety and stability at my best. I was either being chased by the bad terminator or the good one.” In the same context, he admits “Poker was in my blood,” as he goes on to describe how he made $400 playing poker online, money he gave to his grandmother (“Mamaw”) for her health insurance, which she took after saying she didn’t understand the f-ing internet and warning him not to “pick up a gambling habit” that would lead to “booze and women.” As for his reference to the bad and good terminators, he and Mamaw both “loved Terminator 2” and “probably watched it together five or six times. Mamaw saw Arnold Schwarzenegger as the embodiment of the American Dream: a strong capable immigrant coming out on top.”

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Culture and Crafts at HEART Festival

TAPPING IN: Tap dancer Omar Edwards is among the performers at the upcoming New Brunswick HEART Festival on Saturday, August 10.

State Theatre New Jersey, New Brunswick Cultural Center, New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC), and I Am D. Muse present the 5th Annual New Brunswick HEART Festival on Saturday, August 10, from 2 to 6 p.m.; hosted by New Jersey Radio Hall of Famer Bert Baron and Sharon Gordon, founder of TSO Productions.

This free, family-friendly festival celebrates the arts and history of New Brunswick and Middlesex County, featuring live music and dance performances; free dance classes for kids; food, craft, and art vendors; arts and crafts for kids; and free face painting, caricatures, balloon animals, and more. The festival will take place in downtown New Brunswick on Monument Square, 2 Livingston Avenue.

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