MORE TO OFFER: Thanks to a recent upgrade of its museum, the Thomas Clarke House, central to the Battle of Princeton, covers more information about the pivotal victory that set the American Revolution on the road to success.

By Anne Levin

The 250th anniversary of the American Revolution is more than two years away, but the Princeton Battlefield Society (PBS) is well into preparation mode. A major focus has been the upgrading of the museum inside the historic Thomas Clarke House.

While an invitation-only grand opening is scheduled for Friday, September 8, the Clarke House is currently open to the public and the exhibit is on view.

“The Thomas Clarke House is the only surviving structure from the era of the Battle of Princeton,” said Todd Quackenbush, a board member of PBS. “It is historically important not only because it was a field hospital, and the place where General Hugh Mercer passed away. Over the years, it has been a place where we’ve displayed things to inform people about the battle. It has been many, many years since we’ve had a major upgrade to the displays and materials.” more

By Anne Levin

At a meeting on Monday, August 28, Princeton Council passed resolutions related to possible improvements to Hinds Plaza, Princeton’s deer management program, and parking in the Westminster lot, among other topics. Council also introduced an ordinance related to floodplain management, which will be given a public hearing at the next meeting on September 11.

The resolution authorizing a professional services agreement for conceptual design development of improvements at Hinds Plaza is for the consultants Arterial LLC, not to exceed $32,500. The company has previously provided expertise for the Witherspoon Street Improvement Project in 2020.

Opened in 2004, Hinds Plaza now requires maintenance in its concrete and brick surfacing, among other areas, Municipal Engineer Deanna Stockton wrote in a memo to the governing body. She praised Arterial’s practice of soliciting comments from the public as part of their process. Councilwoman Michelle Pirone Lambros expressed similar praise before the unanimous vote was taken. more

By Anne Levin

Princeton Mayor Mark Freda has been named as a defendant in a lawsuit related to a fatal crash that took place on Route 27 in November 2021. Freda, who is president of the Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad (PFARS) and is a volunteer firefighter, was allegedly involved in a chase that took place before the fatal collision.

A teenager from Newark and a woman from Kendall Park were killed in the crash, which involved a Jeep Grand Cherokee, stolen from a home in Pequannock Township and driven by 15-year-old Damajia Horner; and another vehicle driven by Jodi Marcou, a 61-year-old fundraising coordinator at Rutgers University. Both drivers died after the Jeep crossed the yellow lines and collided head-on into Marcou’s Acura near Carnegie Drive. A 14-year-old boy in the Jeep sustained severe injuries. more

LEARNING THEIR CRAFT: Through the Trenton Youth Theater, Trenton Central High School students meet weekly at Princeton University to develop their skills at acting, directing, design, and other aspects of theater-making. The program is part of Trenton Arts at Princeton (TAP), encompassing theater, dance, and music.

By Anne Levin

On Saturday mornings during the school year, 10 students from Trenton Central High School board a bus bound for Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts. For two hours — including breakfast and lunch — these participants in the Trenton Youth Theater (TYT) immerse themselves in all aspects of theater.

Student coaches from the University work with the aspiring actors, directors, and designers to develop their skills. The weekly rehearsals will culminate in a showcase next spring at Richardson Auditorium, marking the fifth anniversary of the Trenton Arts at Princeton Program (TAP), of which Trenton Youth Theater is a branch.

Heading TYT is Faith Iloka, who has the unique distinction of being an alumnus of both Trenton High in 2017, and the University in 2021. Her background, which includes playwrighting and mental health counseling, led TAP to appoint her as artistic director, succeeding former director Jamie Goodwin. more

By Anne Levin

Inspired by the film Oppenheimer, currently playing at the Princeton Garden Theatre and in cinemas across the world, interest in J. Robert Oppenheimer’s years heading the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) has inspired local recollections about the famed physicist, his family, and people affiliated with him.

Among the most recent is a remembrance of Verna Hobson, Oppenheimer’s secretary at the IAS from 1954 to 1966. Hobson and her husband, Wilder Hobson, were friends of the mother of Princeton resident Hank Fairman through much of the 1950s till 1964. The Hobsons lived on Valley Road at Jefferson Road, and the Fairmans lived nearby on Mt. Lucas Road.

“As a young boy, I remember them coming to my mother’s house for evenings of dinner and jazz,” noted Fairman, a novelist and poet who formerly wrote a column on environmental issues for the Princeton Packet. “Verna, a slim, attractive woman, played, surprisingly, the tuba. Wilder played the trombone, and several others, including professional trumpet player John Dengler, joined to perform popular and jazz pieces in the living room of my mother’s house, where she was hostess and gourmet cook.” more

By Anne Levin

Members of Princeton Council took part in a work session Monday night about a proposal for a new public art master plan. James Steward, director of the Princeton University Art Museum, and Adam Welch, executive director of the Arts Council of Princeton, who have been working on the plan for several years, delivered the report at the Council meeting.

Steward chaired a public art committee created in 2018 under former Mayor Liz Lempert, but it lacked funding that would have allowed it to work proactively, he said. He and Welch suggested that a newly-formed committee could be funded by levying a 1 percent fee on the cost of commercial and commercial residential capital projects to be paid into a public art fund, with some exceptions including affordable housing, individual residential projects, and nonprofits. more

DOUBLE MILESTONE: This season, the Princeton Singers celebrates its 40th anniversary and 25th year under the direction of Conductor/Composer Steven Sametz.

By Anne Levin

With a repertory that spans aboriginal ritual music to medieval chant and beyond, The Princeton Singers has built a reputation for tackling just about any kind of vocal composition.

The coming season marks the 40th anniversary for the group, which was founded by John Bertalot, then the choirmaster and organist at Trinity Church. Also being celebrated is the 25th year of composer Steven Sametz’s association with the group as artistic director.

“It’s our versatility,” said John Cloys, the organization’s executive director, in a phone conversation this week. “We can sing anything from chants to gospel to stuff specifically composed for the group. When you come to our concerts, there is something there for everyone.” more

By Anne Levin

Sustainable Princeton has two goals in mind for the August 26 “Swap Party” being held at Monument Hall: keeping “gently loved” household items out of the landfill, and encouraging residents from its STAR Neighborhoods program to interact with one another.

The Saturday afternoon event from 2-4 p.m., the first of its kind in Princeton, takes its cue from similar get-togethers held in other towns. Participants must bring at least one item to swap. Categories include home, appliances, landscape equipment, books, games, fitness equipment, and more.

“Becca Goldman, our operational coordinator, had attended parties like this before,” said Lisa Nicolaison, Sustainable Princeton’s project manager. “So it was her idea. We thought it would be an event we could do with our STAR Neighborhoods program, and we’re putting our own little spin on it.” more

By Anne Levin

Recently announced staff layoffs, cabinet restructuring, and possible faculty layoffs this fall have led Rider University’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) to once again urge the board of trustees to replace University President Gregory Dell’Omo.

In a Zoom meeting for faculty and staff on July 27, Dell’Omo discussed his three-year-plan, known as “The Path Forward,” to help return the financially distressed University to stability. Dell’Omo announced that eight staff members had been laid off, and more than 20 positions were being eliminated. Rider’s contribution to the retirements of non-union employees will go from 5 percent to 2.5 percent.

“Our basic position is that the board of trustees needs to make a change at the very top,” said Jeffrey Halpern, a professor of social science and the AAUP chapter’s chief grievance officer and contract administrator. “The president keeps announcing new paths forward. At each iteration, our financial situation becomes worse and worse. He cannot keep denying some responsibility for this. The board needs to take action to rebuild every element of the institution, beginning with staff and faculty morale. His plans effectively are nothing but trying to cut, cut, cut, and we’ve seen the effect of that.” more

NEW KITCHEN, OLD HOUSE: The 19th century house in Kingston known as Heathcote Farm, or the Withington Estate, boasts a fully equipped family kitchen, a collaboration of Lasley Brahaney Architecture + Construction and Christopher Peacock that pays tribute to the building’s architectural roots. (Photo by Tom Grimes)

By Anne Levin

A mansion in Kingston that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places has recently undergone renovations by Lasley Brahaney Architecture + Construction. The Princeton firm designed renovations to the kitchen and powder room of Heathcote Farm, an area fixture since the 1850s.

During its 170-year history, the building was first an elegant country house, and later a four-family residence before sitting vacant for several years. The current owners saw through the neglect and purchased the home, with plans to bring it back to its original architectural splendor.

“Heathcote Farm has a rich history and beautiful architectural detailing,” wrote one of the owners, who preferred not to be named, in an email. “The yeoman’s work for the house’s restoration to a single-family residence began with the prior owners, David and Paula Sculley, who repurchased the four condominiums in the late 1990s. Further, because of the condominium renovation from the 1980s, many traditional old house plumbing and electrical concerns had been largely resolved.” more

By Anne Levin

Jill Barry

Looking back on her seven years as executive director of Morven Museum & Garden, Jill Barry is confident that she is leaving the organization in good hands.

“The most gratifying thing has been how the institution has really come together,” said Barry, who announced her departure last week. She is relocating to Texas to become CEO of the Houston Botanic Garden. Her last day at Morven is September 1.

“The staff is really strong,” she continued. “And quite frankly, we’ve done a lot. When I say ‘we,’ I mean that I’ve done none of these things myself.”

During Barry’s tenure, Morven built the Stockton Education Center, a project that had been in the making for a decade. The building, which opened on the grounds in 2018, added program space, a classroom, new offices, storage space, and more.

“That was one of the first charges when I got here,” she said. “They needed more space, and we were able to get it done. Building a building is always a nice achievement.” more