Town Topics | Town Topics

August 9, 2023

HomeFront Needs Help to Provide School Supplies for Hundreds of Kids

READY FOR SCHOOL: HomeFront’s Back to School Drive is aiming to provide backpacks, school supplies, and necessary clothing items for more than 1,000 area children. The start of the school year is approaching, and HomeFront needs sponsors to contribute and donate supplies by August 18. (Photo courtesy of HomeFront)

By Donald Gilpin

Many Mercer County children need school supplies, clothing, and shoes to start the new school year, and HomeFront’s Back to School Drive is calling for widespread community support to ensure that those students are well prepared for the opening day.

“Feeling and looking their best is really important to most kids, especially on that first day of school,” said Chris Marchetti, director of HomeFront’s Joy, Hopes, and Dreams program. “The Back to School Drive aims to help our parents provide youngsters with new clothes, shoes, book bags, and supplies, so they can feel on top of their game, ready to learn and prepared for the year ahead.”

The HomeFront Back to School Drive, which is now in its 30th year, will run through August 18 with a goal of meeting the needs of 1,500 students. Last year’s drive successfully outfitted more than 1,350 local children, while helping to foster a sense of enthusiasm for learning and empowering the next generation to thrive on their educational journey, according to HomeFront. more

August 2, 2023

Full Steam Ahead

Hay rides were among the many activities at the Mercer County 4-H Fair and Wheat Threshing last weekend at Howell Living History Farm in Hopewell Township. Attendees share what they liked best about the fair in this week’s Town Talk on page 6. (Photo by Grace Roberts)

Five Candidates in Race for Three BOE Seats

By Donald Gilpin

Beth Behrend and Michele Tuck-Ponder will be running for reelection in the November 7 election, and Adam Bierman, Eleanor Hubbard, and Rene Obregon Jr., will be competing with them for three seats on the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education (BOE).

BOE member Jean Durbin, the third incumbent whose term is up at the end of the year, had not filed for reelection by the July 31 deadline and could not be reached for comment. more

Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver Dies at 71; New Jersey Politicians Pay Tribute

Sheila Oliver

By Wendy Greenberg

Sheila Oliver, lieutenant governor of New Jersey, died on Tuesday, August 1, her family announced. A statement on Gov. Phil Murphy’s website calls her a “trailblazer” and someone who “brought a unique and invaluable perspective to our public policy discourse and served as an inspiration to millions of women and girls everywhere, especially young women of color.” She was 71.

Murphy is out of the country, and Senate President Nicholas Scutari (D-Union County) is acting governor, according to the rules of the state constitution. Oliver had been serving as acting governor. more

Joint Effort Safe Streets Begins Friday, Celebrates Princeton’s Black Community

By Donald Gilpin

Joint Effort Safe Streets 2023, a 10-day celebration of Princeton’s Black community, will be opening on a festive note on Friday, August 4 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at Studio Hillier on Witherspoon Street.

Featured events in Friday’s kick-off program will include a special salute to Mamie Oldham and the late Barbara Hillier, recipients of the Jim Floyd Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award; presentation of the Mildred Trotman Community Service Award to Princeton Public Schools Superintendent Carol Kelley; and recognition of Witherspoon Jackson resident and four-time recipient of a Joint Effort Book Scholarship Hailey Young, who graduated from Brown University in May and will be traveling to Botswana in January on a Fulbright Program grant. There will also be remarks by Princeton Mayor Mark Freda and other local officials; acknowledgements of the ancestors and angels by Princeton Councilman Leighton Newlin and Witherspoon-Jackson Historical and Cultural Society President Shirley Satterfield; and a vision for the future of Witherspoon Street presented by architect and Studio Hillier principal Bob Hillier (a Town Topics shareholder). more

A Garden Grows at Mercer Street Friends and Becomes a Neighborhood Showplace

IN FULL BLOOM: Ira Lackey, right, is joined by fellow residents of Trenton’s Mill Hill neighborhood in the community garden they are tending outside the old Quaker meeting house occupied by Mercer Street Friends. Flowers planted by Lackey have passersby gawking and taking photos on their phones. (Photo by Jeffrey Tryon)

By Anne Levin

Along a stretch of Mercer Street in Trenton’s Mill Hill neighborhood, bright pink petunias and sweet potato vines cascade through a wrought iron fence, gently resting on a brick wall below. Above them, sunflowers, coleus, lariope, Dutch bulbs, ostrich fern, hostas, and numerous other varieties surround and intermingle with raised beds that are tended by a group of nine neighborhood residents.

This community garden, in a lot next to the nonprofit Mercer Street Friends, is especially vibrant this summer. Responsible for the flowers and the garden’s design is Ira Lackey, a Mill Hill resident and a realtor with Callaway Henderson Sotheby’s in Princeton. “He’s our fearless leader,” said Liesl Schubel, who grows vegetables and flowers in one of the beds. more

Council Welcomes Ridgeview Conservancy, “Emerald Necklace” Model for Smart Growth

COLLECTING LOGS: Ridgeview Turtles Trail Stewards collect logs to line the trails at the Ridgeview Conservancy. Area students meet in the forest every Sunday with Conservancy Director of Stewardship Patricia Shanley and work to restore the woods and foster connections with nature for all. (Photo courtesy of Ridgeview Conservancy)

By Donald Gilpin

Conserving Princeton’s forests and wetlands, fostering connections with nature — especially for youth — and providing equitable access to nature for all were the themes last week, as Ridgeview Conservancy Founder, Board Member, and Director of Stewardship Patricia Shanley spoke to the Princeton Council.

In a 30-minute presentation accompanied by 16 illustrative slides and joined at the end by two young Ridgeview Conservancy volunteers (Ridgeview Turtles Trail Stewards), Shanley urged Princeton to embrace the health and community benefits of green space.

Describing Shanley as “an inspiration,” Councilwoman Michelle Pirone Lambros applauded Shanley’s presentation. “Of all the things we’re doing on Council, I would say nothing that we’ve done is more important than conserving those acres,” she said. “There’s no going back, and we couldn’t do it without your inspiration and leadership.” more

New Home for Princeton Youth Orchestra on Westminster Choir College Campus

By Anne Levin

The Greater Princeton Youth Orchestra (GPYO) has announced an agreement with Rider University to establish a home base on the campus of Westminster Choir College. The three-year agreement allows the GPYO to hold rehearsals and training, and set up administrative offices in Westminster’s Cullen Center, including Hillman Hall, the Robert Annis Playhouse, multiple rehearsal rooms, and office space in Williamson Hall.

Following in the footsteps of American Repertory Ballet and Music Together, the GPYO is the latest cultural organization to make use of the Westminster facilities. The campus has been mostly empty since Rider, which merged with Westminster three decades ago, moved the choir college to its Lawrence Township location in 2020. Westminster Conservatory, the community music school, has remained on the campus since the choir college was moved. more

July 26, 2023

Street Design Consultants Report to Council on Study of Nassau Street

By Anne Levin

At a meeting Monday night, Princeton Council held a work session on a proposed plan for upgrades to Nassau Street from the Montclair-based street design firm Arterial, consultants on the project. The improvements would stretch from Bayard Lane to Moore Street.

The project has been ongoing since 2016, and has included a series of public outreach meetings. The most recent presentation was held June 14 at Princeton Public Library, followed by an online survey to which more than 200 people responded to questions about Nassau Street, said Arterial designer James Ribaudo. more

Veterans in Warrior-Scholar Project Prepare for Transition to Classroom

By Donald Gilpin

Helping veterans to sharpen their study skills and prepare to transition to an academic environment, Princeton University is currently partnering with the Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP) for a Humanities and STEM Academic Boot Camp on campus July 16-28.

Thirteen veterans are participating in this year’s WSP at Princeton, making a total of more than 80 participants since Princeton first hosted the program in the summer of 2017. WSP’s first boot camp took place at Yale University in 2012, and since then the program has expanded to 23 of the country’s top schools, giving more than 2,100 veterans a boost on their way to higher education. more

Public Television Series on Country’s 250th Birthday Focuses Lens on Princeton’s Role in the Revolution

PRINCETON ON CAMERA: Filming a segment last week for her PBS series about Princeton’s contribution to the American Revolution, Darley Newman, left, learned some history from Princeton Tour Company’s Mimi Omiecinski in front of Princeton University’s FitzRandolph Gate.

By Anne Levin

Considering which towns to feature in “Revolutionary Road Trips,” her PBS (Public Broadcasting System) series about the 250th anniversary of the United States, host Darley Newman knew she wanted to do a segment about Princeton. What she didn’t realize, until spending two days here last week, was just how much of a role Princeton played in Revolutionary War-era history.

“I knew the University, of course, but I didn’t realize the depth of the history there,” said Newman, the creator, producer, and star of the long-running PBS series “Travels with Darley,” as well as “Revolutionary Road Trips,” “Look Up,” and the former series, “Equitrekking.” Her shows are also broadcast on Amazon Prime and other services. more

Paul Chapin, Former Princeton Educator, Is New Leader of Capital Harmony Works

Paul Chapin

By Donald Gilpin

Paul Chapin, longtime music teacher, then acting principal at Riverside Elementary School in Princeton, and then head of the Newark Boys Chorus School for the past four years, took the reins last week as president and CEO of Capital Harmony Works (CHW), a music education nonprofit that provides instruction and performance opportunities for young people of Trenton.

Chapin emphasized the importance of youth development through music. “Putting kids together to work together, to grow together, to live together towards a noble end, creating art for the community through music, is an essential component of our work,” he said.

Princeton’s Newest Native Meadow Transforms Plot of Grass with Color

FLOWERS ARE FLOURISHING: Thanks to the joint effort of neighbors, Caldwell Park is now home to a meadow of native plants.

By Anne Levin

A relatively forgotten patch of lawn in a park surrounded by Caldwell Drive, Bertrand Drive, and Herrontown Road is a newly flourishing meadow of colorful, native plants. A group of residents who participated in Sustainable Princeton’s STAR (Sustainable Together and Resilient) Neighborhood program spent the past three years transforming the grassy area in Caldwell Park into something that is visibly pleasing and helpful in battling flooding issues. more

July 19, 2023

It’s Coming Along

The transformation of the former office building at 20 Nassau Street into the Graduate Hotel continues, with new construction on Chambers Street, where the entrance will be located. Rebuilding of the Nassau Street sidewalk between Bank and Chambers Street is set to begin as soon as Thursday, July 20. Part of a chain of hotels in college towns, the Graduate is targeted to open in early 2024. (Photo by Charles R. Plohn)

Joint Effort Safe Streets Begins August 4

By Donald Gilpin

“Reflections on Princeton’s Black Community” is the theme of this year’s Joint Effort Safe Streets program, which on August 4 will kick off 10 days of celebrations, salutes, community discussions, and sports activities centered in the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood. more

Safety Officials View Last Weekend’s Storms As the “New Normal”

By Anne Levin

The fast-moving downpour that left at least five people dead in Lower Makefield Township, Pa. this past weekend was not as destructive in Princeton. But with 3.6 inches of rain falling on already saturated ground in less than an hour, the area was not without incident.

According to Michael Yeh, Princeton’s director of emergency services, the storm’s impact was centered on the north end of the town. There were two water rescue responses — one at Route 206 and Mountain Avenue; the other at Christopher Drive, just off Rosedale Road.

“They weren’t critical. The water was just fast-moving and it disabled their vehicles,” Yeh said of the rescues, which involved the Princeton Fire Department and Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad. But while the area escaped devastating impact, Yeh cautions that a life-threatening scenario could occur at any time. more

Mosquitoes are Here Until October, But We Have Ways to Fight Back

ITCHY BITES!: Mosquitoes might seem more aggressive than ever this summer, but there are strategies that can help you to avoid them and protect yourself against them.

By Donald Gilpin

It’s mosquito season, and the rains this summer, along with the warm weather, have increased the population of this already-prolific creature that torments New Jerseyans who like to spend time outdoors.

Mercer County sent out a warning bulletin on Facebook last week. “While our crews can help mitigate the nuisance, mosquitoes are a backyard problem, and community involvement is crucial for success in controlling them, “ said Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes. “I urge our residents to take some simple measures, such as eliminating standing water in and around their homes, to protect themselves and their families from mosquitoes.” more

Two Local Arts Organizations Team Up To Offer Classes for Parkinson’s Community

THE MIRACLE OF MOVEMENT: Participants in a Dance for Parkinson’s class, where the focus on aesthetic movement rather than physical therapy yields remarkable results for people with Parkinson’s Disease. (Photo by Amber Star Merkins)

By Anne Levin

A new partnership of Princeton University Concerts (PUC) and American Repertory Ballet (ARB) will explore the role that dance and music can play in helping people who have Parkinson’s Disease move more freely. more

“Caminos Princeton” Heads to Ecuador; Cultural Immersion for 14 MS Students

CAMINOS PRINCETON: Fourteen middle school students and two adult leaders, Alessandra Clemens-Lores (left) and Queta Alban (in Caminos Princeton tee shirts in front row center), gathered in Princeton Sunday before heading off to Quito, Ecuador for a 10-day immersion experience with the language, culture and people of the country.

By Donald Gilpin

Early last fall Alessandra Clemens-Lores, an architect, born and raised in Peru, who has worked for the past seven years as an aide in the dual language immersion (DLI) program at Community Park Elementary School (CP), received a phone call from a friend, the mother of a CP student Clemens had taught many years before.

The woman was sad that her eighth grade son missed participating in DLI and was finding nothing exciting to look forward to in the coming school year. more

July 12, 2023

Pool Time

Community Park Pool was busy on Saturday as poolgoers enjoyed some summer fun. The pool is open seven days a week through September 4. Residents and visitors share what they do to beat the heat in this week’s Town Talk on page 6. (Photo by Weronika A. Plohn)

PPS Seeks New PHS Principal by Aug. 31

By Donald Gilpin

Princeton Public Schools (PPS) has embarked on an accelerated search for a permanent principal for Princeton High School (PHS), “in an effort to move forward and provide stability for the high school community,” according to a July 7 press release.

Eager to put the Frank Chmiel controversy behind them, PPS is focusing on a comprehensive search process with the hope of hiring a new principal by the end of August. Kathie Foster, who has been serving as interim principal at PHS since April, shortly after Chmiel’s dismissal from the position, will remain in the interim role through August 31.

Rules for Outdoor Dining Discussed at Meeting of Princeton Council

By Anne Levin

A work session on a proposed ordinance for outdoor dining dominated a meeting of Princeton Council Monday night, July 10.

While no action was taken on how to regulate the tables and chairs, pedestrian passageways, licensing, and other aspects of the practice, which became especially popular on Witherspoon Street during the pandemic, Mayor Mark Freda and Council members heard a report from Assistant Municipal Engineer Jim Purcell, and offered suggestions on how to proceed. more

With Affirmative Action Gone, University Ponders Other Means to Promote Diversity

By Donald Gilpin

On June 29, the U.S. Supreme Court, in two historic decisions, ruled against affirmative action, prohibiting colleges and universities from taking race into account in the admissions process.

Proponents of affirmative action have vowed to find and pursue other means to promote diversity and equity on college campuses, but the impact of the June 29 decisions will be significant, on higher education and the society as a whole.

“While today’s decision will make our work more difficult, we will work vigorously to preserve —and, indeed, grow — the diversity of our community while fully respecting the law as announced today,” Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber wrote in an email to the University community just hours after the decisions were announced.

Appellate Court Decision Renews Possibility of Westminster One Day Returning to Princeton

ENCOURAGING DECISION: Westminster Choir College’s campus could eventually come alive again thanks to a recent court ruling. (Photo by Charles Plohn)

By Anne Levin

The reversal last week of a 2020 ruling made in Mercer County Superior Court has given new hope to faculty, students, and alumni of Westminster Choir College intent on returning the music school to its former campus in Princeton.

A unanimous decision by the New Jersey Appellate Division reversed Judge Robert Loughy’s dismissal of a suit seeking to block the closing of the campus by Rider University, which merged with Westminster in 1991, and moving it to Rider’s campus in Lawrence Township.

“This means we go back to trial court. Our case is still active in the court system,” said Constance Fee, president of the Westminster Foundation, which is among the more than 70 plaintiffs in the suit.

“Holding that the plaintiffs adequately pleaded ‘bad faith’ and ‘arbitrariness’ against Rider University for its attempts to ‘monetize’ Westminster for Rider’s financial benefit, the three-judge panel reversed Judge Loughy’s dismissal and ordered the case returned to the trial court,” reads a statement from the Foundation.

Architect of New Princeton University Art Museum Won’t Be Removed from Project

By Anne Levin

Despite recent allegations of sexual misconduct against celebrated Ghanaian/British architect Sir David Adjaye, designer of the reconstructed Princeton University Art Museum, the project is too far into the construction stage — past Adjaye’s involvement — to distance itself from his contribution.

“We find the nature of the accusations enormously troubling,” said James Steward, director of the museum, in a statement. “With construction so far advanced, most of our work with Adjaye is behind us. We have a responsibility to all the people involved in this project and all those who will benefit from it to see it to completion, and we remain committed to shaping a museum that is welcoming, engaging, and educational for all.”

Last week, Adjaye stepped back from numerous roles and projects after London’s Financial Times reported on July 4 that three women, who were previously employed by Adjaye, had accused him of sexual harassment. Knighted in 2017 and awarded the Royal Institute of British Architects’ gold medal in 2021, Adjaye is known as a “starchitect” with a firm of more than 200 employees and offices in London, New York, and Accra.