March 27, 2024

Herrontown Woods Celebration Features Dragons, Lanterns, Community Bonding

WOOD DRAGONS AND LANTERNS: Herrontown Woods recently hosted a Lantern Festival and year of the wood dragon celebration, welcoming more than 200 visitors for a dragon parade, traditional Chinese songs and games, a tea party, and a festive community gathering in nature. (Photo by Kristin Ohrt for Herrontown Woods)

By Donald Gilpin

Danni Zhao, Montgomery resident and founder of United Moms, was a frequent visitor to Herrontown Woods with her young family. Inge Regan, Friends of Herrontown Woods (FOHW) board member, often joined them and they chatted as they strolled through the woods.

“As we walked together we got this idea,” said Zhao. “2024 is the year of the wood dragon, and this is the perfect time and Herrontown Woods is the perfect place to celebrate the dragon year in the woods. And Inge suggested we organize this event together.” more

March 20, 2024

PPS Seeks to Extend Foster’s Contract

By Donald Gilpin

Acting Superintendent Kathie Foster will be leading the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) through June of 2025 if the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) agrees to waive a state law and allow an extension of her employment time.

Foster, who has served as acting superintendent of PPS since November, has agreed to extend her tenure, and the PPS Board of Education voted 10-0 on Monday to request permission from the NJDOE to keep Foster at the helm for the next 15 months. more

Graduate Hotels Acquired by Hilton For $210 Million

By Anne Levin

Graduate Hotels, which is planning to open a hotel in downtown Princeton this spring, has been acquired for $210 million by global hospitality company Hilton Hotels.

The news that Hilton had bought the brand from Adventurous Journeys Capital Partners (AJ Capital) was released last week, specifying that AJ Capital will continue to own the more than 35 operating and soon-to-open Graduate properties.

So what does this mean for Princeton? more

Young Women’s STEM Conference Features Experiments, Networking, and Lots of Fun

A HAIR-RAISING EXPERIENCE: The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory’s (PPPL) Van de Graaff generator causes the experimenter’s hair to stand on end from the effects of static electricity. Almost 900 young women in grades seven through ten enjoyed hands-on experiments, chemistry demos, presentations, and extensive networking as they participated in PPPL’s Young Women’s Conference in STEM held at Princeton University last Friday. (Michael Livingston/PPPL Department of Communications)

By Donald Gilpin

Nearly 900 aspiring scientists gathered at the Frick Chemistry Laboratory at Princeton University on March 15 for the Young Women’s Conference in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL).

Hands-on activities, small group presentations, chemistry demos, a keynote address, and networking throughout the day introduced the young women, seventh to tenth graders, to many practicing engineers and scientists and a variety of STEM careers. more

“Celebration of Black Music” Festival at Rider Honors Composer Julia Perry

CENTENNIAL OF A COMPOSER: The Westminster Jubilee Singers and the Westminster Chapel Choir will take part in special concerts devoted to the music of Westminster alumna Julia Perry this weekend.

By Anne Levin

When Westminster Choir College of Rider University Professor Vinroy D. Brown Jr. began thinking about holding a second annual “Celebration of Black Music” festival with the Westminster Jubilee Singers, it didn’t take long for him to come up with a focus.

Monday, March 25 marks the centennial of the late Julia Perry, a groundbreaking composer considered to be one of Westminster’s most distinguished alumni. Centering the second festival around her was kind of a no-brainer. more

Princeton Fire Department Responds To Three Fires in Town in Recent Weeks

By Donald Gilpin

The Princeton Fire Department has been dispatched to three different fires in Princeton in the last two weeks, with some significant damage occurring and several residents displaced from their homes, but no injuries reported.

The fires, noted by Department of Emergency and Safety Services Director Michael Yeh, included an apartment fire on March 5 at Redding Circle, a gas line fire at a PSE&G work site on Nassau Street in front of the Princeton University Store and Labyrinth Books on March 12, and a house fire on Spruce Lane on March 13.

The Fire Department reported that upon their arrival at the Redding Circle complex at about 7:30 a.m. on March 5, a fire was venting from a rear second floor window and extending into the attic. Crews extinguished the fire in the second floor bedrooms and the extension into the attic.  more

Updated Outdoor Dining Ordinance Passed by Princeton Council

By Anne Levin

At its March 14 meeting, Princeton Council voted in favor of an “Outdoor Dining” ordinance that replaces the “Sidewalk Cafes” ordinance dating back to 1974. The new measure recognizes changes brought on by such factors as the widening of sidewalks on Witherspoon Street, and the increased demand for outdoor dining that was particularly strong during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ordinance addresses such issues as the width of pedestrian passageways, control of trash, seating, fee structure, furnishings, design guidelines, and the maintenance of the dining areas. It was voted in after removing the allowance of retractable awnings. more

March 13, 2024

Candidates Gearing Up for High-Stakes Primary

By Donald Gilpin

National politics has been constantly in the news in this 2024 election year, and closer to home the political heat is rising, with the June 4 New Jersey primary on the horizon and the March 25 candidates’ filing deadline less than two weeks away.

The main attention-grabbing political item locally and throughout New Jersey has been the battle between Congressman Andy Kim and Tammy Murphy, wife of N.J. Gov. Phil Murphy, for the Democratic nomination to the U.S. Senate seat likely to be vacated by Sen. Robert Menendez, who is currently under federal indictment on corruption charges and has not filed for reelection. more

Penn Medicine Princeton Proposes New Cancer Center For Plainsboro Campus

By Anne Levin

Penn Medicine Princeton Health is planning a new cancer center at its Plainsboro campus. The proposed 195,000-square-foot facility includes more than 40 exam rooms, over 30 infusion chairs, and two radiation oncology linear accelerators.

The estimated cost of the project, which includes a six-level parking garage and a 31,000-square-foot imaging center for outpatients, is $401 million, according to a Penn Medicine spokesperson. The proposal is currently in the early stages of the approval process in Plainsboro Township. more

Booklet Considers the History of Jugtown as Development Pressures are Looming

CROSSROADS OF A VILLAGE: The house at 342 Nassau Street originally had its kitchen wing on the east side, but it was moved to the west side of the building in a widening of North Harrison Street. This and other historical facts are the focus of a new publication on the history of Jugtown. (Photo by Clifford Zink)

By Anne Levin

Clifford Zink is a longtime resident of Princeton’s Jugtown section. During one of his regular walks down Nassau Street, he began to wonder about two small remnants of its past — a flat, brownstone slab in front of No. 343, and an upright, granite post topped with a hook at No. 361. A historian and author, Zink put his researching skills to work.

The slab, he found, was a block for horse and carriage mounting. And the column of granite was a hitching post for horses. These discoveries were the beginning of Zink’s new booklet Jugtown/Queenston, Princeton’s 18th Century Crossroads Village. The 48-page publication about Princeton’s third-oldest neighborhood is illustrated with then-and-now photographs of houses; pictures of jugs made in the area’s potteries, which closed in the mid-1800s; and historical maps. Zink, who is leading a walking tour of the area this Saturday, March 16 (sponsored by the Historical Society of Princeton and sold out), shot all of the photos himself. more

Charter School Wins Regional Science Bowl, Will Compete for National Middle School Title

SCIENCE BOWL CHAMPS: The Princeton Charter School team will be going to the National Science Bowl for the sixth time next month, after winning the regional competition. Standing in front of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory model stellarator are, from left, Angelica Feng, Asa Fleischer-Graham, Aaron Wang, Rohan Srivastava, Joshua Huang, and Coach Laura Celik. (Photo by Michael Livingston/PPPL Department of Communications)

By Donald Gilpin

Princeton Charter School (PCS), for the sixth time in seven years, has won the regional competition for the National Science Bowl  and will compete in the National Science Bowl National Finals in Washington, D.C., from April 25 to 29.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science, the National Science Bowl brings together thousands of middle and high school students from across the country to compete in a fast-paced question-and-answer contest where they solve technical problems and answer questions from a range of disciplines including biology, chemistry, Earth and space sciences, physics, and math. more

Fare Hikes on NJ Transit Could Be Implemented This Summer

By Anne Levin

Come July, riders on NJ Transit trains may be paying $18.40 to travel one way between Princeton Junction and New York’s Penn Station, up from the current $16. Public comment ended last week for fare increases proposed by NJ Transit earlier this year to close a budget shortfall of $106.6 million.

Since the onset of the pandemic, ridership has returned to approximately 80 percent of pre-COVID-19 levels, with many peak period trips at or exceeding pre-pandemic levels, according to a January 24 press release from NJ Transit. But the system is entering the fifth consecutive year of ridership that will be below pre-COVID-19 levels, meaning a loss of nearly $2 billion in revenue. Federal COVID-19 relief funding ends at the end of June 2025. Rising fuel costs, operational costs, wage increases, and health care costs have also contributed to the shortfall. more

MCCC Horticulturalists Win Gold Medal for “Two Cities” Urban Garden Display

“TWO CITIES, ONE GARDEN”: Mercer County Community College’s urban gardens display at the Philadelphia Flower Show won a gold medal for the second straight year and the fourth time since 2017. (Photo courtesy of Mercer County Community College)

By Donald Gilpin

Mercer County Community College (MCCC) horticulturalists have brought home a gold medal from the Philadelphia Flower Show for the second year in a row.

Their “Two Cities, One Garden” display of urban gardens at the Pennsylvania Convention Center March 2-10 was inspired by “the vibrant community gardens” of Trenton and Philadelphia, according to project overseer Amy Ricco, professor and coordinator of MCCC’s Horticulture, Plant Science, and Sustainability program. more

March 6, 2024

Flu Numbers Remain High; COVID, RSV Decline

By Donald Gilpin

As spring and the likely end of the season for high numbers of respiratory diseases approaches, influenza activity locally and throughout the state remains high, but health officials are hopeful that this year’s numbers may have peaked in February.

“The trajectory for influenza has decreased in the past week,” wrote Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center Epidemiologist David J. Herman in a March 5 email. “If this pattern holds, we may have seen the peak of this year’s influenza season.” He noted that flu activity remains high in all New Jersey counties, but he pointed out that a tripledemic — flu, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) — “was not apparent, since all three viruses did not peak at the same time.”

He added, “COVID-19 cases continue in a slow decline both locally and statewide.” more

Hotel Construction Issues Keep Chambers Street One-Way Until May 16

By Anne Levin

Following a prolonged discussion, Princeton Council voted at its February 26 meeting to allow the Graduate Hotel to maintain the work zone on Chambers Street through May 16, which is more than two months longer than previously scheduled. That means the street will remain one-way going north until the hotel opens for business on that date.

Much anticipated, the hotel’s opening is delayed due to structural issues in the front part of the hotel, an existing building at 20 Nassau Street. Opening up the street to two-way traffic was not considered a viable alternative at this point, since it would likely entail periodic closures. more

Citizen’s Police Academy Registering Participants for its Second Season

LEARNING ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT: Last year’s participants in the Princeton Police Department’s Citizen’s Police Academy included Princeton Councilwoman Leticia Fraga, at far right. The group was immersed once a week, for eight weeks, in the methods and operations of the department.

By Anne Levin

At the beginning of the six-week Citizen’s Police Academy held by the Princeton Police Department last spring, one of the 16 participants — a man in his seventies — told Sgt. Dan Federico that he had never really trusted the police. By the end of the program, “I think we opened his eyes on a few things,” said Federico. “He actually referred three people for this year.”

Getting the Citizen’s Police Academy up and running was a goal of Chief Jon Bucchere when he took over the top spot in October 2022. The success of the inaugural program last spring has prompted the department to schedule a second series, which begins April 18 and runs on Thursday evenings through June 6. Spots are still available for the 20 slots. Participation is free. more

McCarter’s Production of “Dreamgirls” is About More Than Glitz and Glam

FROM OBSCURITY TO SUPERSTARDOM: The award-winning musical “Dreamgirls” is onstage at McCarter Theatre through March 24 in a production directed by Lili-Anne Brown. (Photo by Diane Sobolewski)

By Anne Levin

A video on McCarter Theatre Center’s website takes viewers on a behind-the-scenes tour of the set and costume shops as they prepare for the opening of Dreamgirls. With some 3,000 square feet of shimmer panels adorning the set, the musical, which is on stage at McCarter’s Matthews Theater March 6 through 24, is big on flash and glitz.

But there is more to Dreamgirls than glamour and sequins. “I love the story. I think it has a better book than it gets credit for,” said Lili-Anne Brown, director of the show, during a break from rehearsals this week. “I have always felt that while it was very glitzy and very much about that life, with really showy singing, that’s just one of the many parts of that story. It’s a generalized story about the music business, and also about womanhood and friendship, and how these things can be exploited in a business that’s supposed to be about people’s talent.” more

Visitors From Italy Bring Rich Culture, Education, Lasting Friendships to PHS

ITALY-PHS EXCHANGE: Laura Francolino, Princeton High School (PHS) Italian teacher and organizer of the recent PHS exchange visit with 35 students from Carpi, Italy, prepares for last month’s “History of Pizza in New Jersey” event, which took place at PHS for the students and their host families. (Photo courtesy of Princeton Public Schools)

By Donald Gilpin

Learning another language is a worthy endeavor, but Princeton High School (PHS) students who participated in an Italian exchange program — travel to Italy last fall and hosting a return visit last month by students from Italy and their teachers — were able to add several dimensions to the educational experience.

“I greatly appreciated the opportunity to stay with another family in Italy and to host two of my friends that I made on the trip here in Princeton,” wrote PHS eleventh grader Max Mazo in an email. “Living with an Italian family for a week gave me not only the opportunity to explore and learn the language, but also to temporarily integrate myself into the beautiful daily life and traditions of Carpi.” more

PU Public Affairs School Spotlights Children’s Health Equity and Justice

By Donald Gilpin

The photograph on the overhead screen showed a touching image of a loving parent and child, as Dr. Renee D. Boynton-Jarrett, a practicing pediatrician, social epidemiologist, Princeton University graduate, and associate professor at Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine, asked for responses from the overflow gathering of about 80 in the Princeton University School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) Robertson Hall lecture room on Friday afternoon, March 1.

“It epitomizes a lot of what I’ve focused my career on,” she said. “How can we create a world where all children are safe and loved, with caregivers and families that feel supported by their environment, and their society provides this nurturing with warmth and safety?” more

February 28, 2024

Council Hosts Eisgruber for Annual Talk

By Anne Levin

At a meeting on Monday, February 26, Princeton Council held its annual discussion with Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber on the relationship and collaborations between the University and the municipality. The gathering allows members of the governing body to ask Eisgruber about specific areas of collaboration with the University, while giving him an opportunity to speak about the state of the University, its priorities, and higher education in general.

On January 30, the University announced its plan to contribute more than $50 million over five years to the municipality, community organizations, and lower- and middle-income residents to support mutual community interests including college access, sustainability, diversity and equality, mass transit, municipal infrastructure, safety, and emergency services. The plan provides for contributions of $39.5 million to the municipality. more

Eateries with Diverse Culinary Traditions Participating in Restaurant Week 2024

By Anne Levin

For retailers and restaurateurs, post-Valentine’s Day is a traditionally quiet time of year. What better time, the creators of Princeton Restaurant Week thought four years ago, to jump-start the local culinary scene with seven days of special menus and reduced prices?

The first Princeton Restaurant Week debuted in 2020 with a few participating eateries. Then the pandemic hit, putting the concept on a two-year hiatus. The event returned last year under the aegis of Experience Princeton, the nonprofit formed in 2022 as the Princeton Business Partnership, a Special Improvement District (SID) dedicated to promoting and marketing the town. Some 40 restaurants signed on. more

Environmental Impact, Resiliency, Sustainability Underpin Town Projects

By Donald Gilpin

“Sustainability,” “resiliency,” “stormwater control,” and “flood mitigation” are words appearing with great frequency in current media and engineering studies, and a look at descriptions of infrastructure projects underway in Princeton reveals the predominance of these environmental concerns.

The February 26 Municipality of Princeton newsletter reports on plans to replace six old and out-of-date storm drains (culverts) in town. The project is in the early design stages and may take a year or two before it is completed.  more

Theatrical and Cultural “Magic” is On Tap at PPS in Coming Weeks

“BEAUTY AND THE BEAST”: Princeton High School (PHS) students are rehearsing for their upcoming musical production, running March 14 to 16 at the PHS Performing Arts Center. (Photo courtesy of Princeton Public Schools)

By Donald Gilpin

Princeton High School (PHS) and Princeton Middle School (PMS) are offering a rich assortment of performing arts and cultural enrichment in the coming weeks, starting next weekend with Mary Poppins JR. at PMS March 7 to 10, the 17th Annual Asian Festival at PHS on March 8, and Beauty and the Beast at PHS the following weekend, March 14 to 16.

The Asian Festival, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the PHS New Gym, is a collaboration of the Mandarin and Japanese language classes, the Asian American Club, Chinese Club, Korean Club, Japanese Club, Bollywood Dance Club, and Chai Club. more

Princeton Polestar to Donate Fire Blanket To Help PFD Combat Dangerous EV Fires

By Donald Gilpin

This Friday, March 1, the Princeton Fire Department (PFD) will be adding a valuable piece of equipment to its toolkit of resources used in fighting fires. In a 10:30 a.m. presentation at the Princeton Firehouse on Witherspoon Street across from the Municipal Building, Polestar of Princeton, a Swedish electric vehicle manufacturer, will be donating an electric vehicle fire blanket to the PFD and demonstrating how to use it.

“This looks like an excellent tool to safely extinguish an EV vehicle fire,” said Princeton Department of Emergency and Safety Services Director Michael Yeh. “When an EV vehicle is on fire, firefighters would cover the vehicle with the blanket, effectively covering the vehicle and depriving it of air while smothering the fire.” more

This Year’s Pi Day Observances Focus on Signature Events

By Anne Levin

A few weeks ago, Mimi Omiecinski was dropping off some posters for Pi Day Princeton at the front desk of Princeton Public Library when two teenaged boys who were walking by stopped to comment. “Oh, Pi Day,” one of them said to the other. “We have to do the Pie Eating Contest.”

Omiecinski, whose Princeton Tour Company started the annual Pi Day celebrations in 2009, was pleasantly surprised. “I said to them, ‘You know Pi Day?’ And they said, ‘Of course! We’ve done this since we were kids.’ It hit me then,” Omiecinski said. “This is a thing.” more