October 23, 2024

Election Day Approaches, Voting Has Begun

By Donald Gilpin

Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, is less than two weeks away with high-profile races on the ballot for U.S. president and vice president, U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, and a heated local battle for three seats on the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education (BOE).

Early voting starts this Saturday, October 26 and continues through November 3, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday at any one of seven Mercer County locations, including the Princeton Municipal Building at 400 Witherspoon Street.

Vote by mail ballots have been mailed to all voters who have requested them, applications continue to be processed, and drop boxes to return those ballots are open throughout the county. Visit the Mercer County clerk’s website at mercercounty.org for locations and further information on the election and ways to vote.  more

Superintendent Search Is Underway at PPS; Job Description Posted

By Donald Gilpin

The search for a permanent superintendent of the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) was officially launched on Thursday, October 17, with School Leadership LLC consultants advertising the position in numerous outlets, as well as reaching out to target organizations and implementing additional recruitment strategies.

“The consultants have said that they are seeing interest in the position,” the Princeton Board of Education (BOE) reported in a statement Tuesday.

The hiring process, a rolling search with applications submitted online, is expected to continue into the winter with a candidate and contract approved by March. Interim Superintendent Kathie Foster will continue to lead the district through June, with the new superintendent stepping into the position on July 1, 2025.  more

Princeton Future Invites Community to Explore Housing Possibilities

By Donald Gilpin

Seeking to encourage “housing that’s affordable for schoolteachers and other middle-income families,” an assortment of experts and ordinary citizens under the auspices of Princeton Future will gather in the Theron Room of the Princeton Theological Seminary Library at 25 Library Place on Saturday, October 26, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. to discuss possibilities.

This particular Princeton Future forum will focus on North Tulane, a small block between Wiggins and Spring streets, and “the question for all of us,” according to Princeton Future cofounder and administrator Sheldon Sturges, is, “What would be the best thing for this community?” more

Internationally Known Choir from South Africa Joins Princeton University Glee Club Concert

CHORAL COLLABORATION: The Ndlovu Youth Choir, familiar to many from its appearances on the television show “America’s Got Talent,” is being hosted by the Princeton University Glee Club on Saturday, October 26 at Richardson Auditorium.

By Anne Levin

Each fall, Princeton University’s Glee Club presents a concert at Richardson Auditorium with the glee clubs of either Harvard or Yale. It was Harvard’s turn this year, but the date — October 26 — conflicted with another event the Cambridge, Mass., club had on its schedule.

Gabriel Crouch, a professor of music at Princeton and the director of the glee club, found out about the conflict last summer. more

Princeton Awarded $245,590 Grant to Expand Food Scraps Collection Program

By Anne Levin

Thanks to funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Princeton households will be able to recycle food scraps at an expanded number of drop-off sites.

The municipality has been awarded a $245,590 Compost and Food Waste Reduction grant to expand its food scraps recycling program, currently serving 223 residents at two sites, 400 Witherspoon Street and Monument Hall. The town plans to add 10 locations to be determined, which will serve about 1,200 households. The program is free for all Princeton residents.

Princeton Council approved the pilot program for two sites in May 2023. The goal, which aligns with the town’s Climate Action Plan, is to divert food waste from landfills. This helps reduce methane and carbon dioxide emissions, two potent greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. more

Proposal for Expansion of Institute Library to Go in Front of Princeton Planning Board

RESTORATION AND EXPANSION: A rendering of the design by Kimmel Bogrette Archi-tecture + Site for the Historical Studies-Social Science Library at the Institute for Advanced Study. (Illustration courtesy of Kimmel Bogrette)

By Anne Levin

At a special meeting on Thursday evening, October 24, the Princeton Planning Board is scheduled to consider a proposal by the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) to add a second level to its existing main library.

Designed by architecture firm Harrison & Abramovitz and dedicated in 1965, the modernist library was built at the request of former IAS Director J. Robert Oppenheimer. Wallace K. Harrison was known for his work on New York City’s Metropolitan Opera House, Rockefeller Center, and the United Nations building. He also designed Jasna Polana, the estate of J. Seward Johnson and his wife, Barbara Piasecka Johnson, on Route 206. more

October 16, 2024

Council Approves Second Ordinance Related to Westminster

By Anne Levin

At a meeting Monday evening, October 14, Princeton Council approved the bond ordinance to finance the town’s acquisition of the former Westminster Choir College campus. The second of two ordinances related to authorization of the acquisition, it would appropriate $50 million and authorize the issuance of $49.5 million in bond or notes.

In response to concerns that Councilmembers have heard from the public about the impact this would have on Princeton’s ability to respond to other needs, Municipal Administrator Bernie Hvozdovic said the town’s bonding capacity is almost $330 million “There is still plenty of capacity to us after this purchase,” he said. more

Despite Controversy, Witherspoon Statue Will Stay at University

COMPLICATED LEGACY: The Princeton University Board of Trustees has decided not to remove the statue of founding father and former University President John Witherspoon from its prominent place in Firestone Plaza, despite Witherspoon’s ownership of slaves and opposition to abolition. (Photo by Princeton University, Denise Applewhite)

By Donald Gilpin

In 2022 more than 300 petitioners called for removal of the large statue of John Witherspoon that stands atop a pedestal in front of East Pyne Hall and towers over Princeton University’s Firestone Plaza, but after more than two years of ensuing debate and deliberations on campus, the University’s Board of Trustees has decided that the statue will remain.

Witherspoon, who made many significant contributions to Princeton University (then known as the College of New Jersey) as its sixth president (1768-1794) and to the country as a founding father and signatory of the Declaration of Independence, also owned slaves and spoke out against the abolition of slavery. more

Coalition for Peace Action Issues Voter Guides, Prepares for Upcoming Events

By Donald Gilpin

As the weather cools and Election Day approaches, the Coalition for Peace Action’s (CFPA) efforts are heating up.

The Princeton-based organization is culminating its 2024 Peace Voter Campaign in the coming weeks; co-sponsoring the Sunday, October 20 Supreme Injustice Rally at Hinds Plaza; and preparing for its Multifaith Service for Peace and Afternoon Conference for Peace on November 17. more

Departure of Princeton University Arts Program Head Is “a Significant Loss,” But He Will Stay Connected

MOVING ON: Lou Chen, founder of Princeton University’s Trenton Arts Program (TAP), standing, will soon be relocating to Connecticut for a job as CEO with another community-oriented nonprofit.

By Anne Levin

Nine years ago, Princeton University sophomore Lou Chen started a youth orchestra pairing fellow University musicians with students from Trenton High School. The University hired Chen full time after he graduated, and it wasn’t long before he expanded the music program to include singing, theater and dance.

The Trenton Arts Program (TAP) has grown and flourished — so much so that Chen feels comfortable leaving to pursue the next chapter in his career. He has accepted an offer to be the CEO of INTEMPO, a nonprofit in Stamford, Conn., that engages immigrant families through classical and inter-cultural music education. His last day at TAP is November 15. more

Documentaries In Upcoming Film Series Share Common Theme of “Critical Biography”

FATHER FIGURE: The relationship of Nathaniel Kahn, left, with his father, famed architect Louis Kahn, is the focus of his documentary “My Architect,” one of three in a series screening at the Institute for Advanced Study.

By Anne Levin

A new film series debuting Friday afternoon at the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) originated in a chance encounter that took place in the hills of Tuscany. It was there that filmmaker Nathaniel Kahn was an artist in residence at Villa I Tatti, Harvard University’s Center for Italian Renaissance Studies, working on a screenplay.

Kahn met a member of the IAS faculty, and the two got to talking about film. Fast forward a year, and Kahn is a visitor at the IAS School of Historical Studies. He and Historical Studies Professor Maria Loh have created the S.T. Lee film series, which begins with a screening of Kahn’s 2003 film My Architect, followed by a panel discussion. Admission to the event in Wolfensohn Hall is free and open to the public (reservations are necessary). Next in the series are a.k.a. Mr. Chow on November 1, and The Hunt for Planet B on November 15.  more

Larry Fuller Trio to Perform Locally

The Larry Fuller Trio will appear at 4 p.m. on Sunday, October 27, at Hillman Performance Hall located on Westminster Choir College campus at 101 Walnut Lane. Although a Princeton resident, Fuller rarely appears locally.

A pianist, Fuller learned his craft the “old school” way — on the bandstand, where he played with jazz greats including vocalist Ernestine Anderson, drummer Jeff Hamilton, guitarist and vocalist John Pizzarelli, and bassist Ray Brown.

In his programming, Fuller includes the Great American Songbook, jazz, blues, pop standards, and originals, bringing his own take to a variety of music.  At Hillman Performance Hall, expect to hear anything from Stevie Wonder to Oscar Peterson, Wes Montgomery to Ray Brown, George Gershwin to Joni Mitchell.

Completing The Larry Fuller Trio is Hassan “JJ” Shakur on bass (Monty Alexander Trio, Duke Ellington Orchestra) and George Fludas on drums (Ray Brown Trio, Diana Krall).

Fuller has appeared at Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops, Symphony Hall with the Boston Pops, Hollywood Bowl, Kennedy Center, Grand Ole Opry, Shanghai Center Theater, Blue Note (Milan, Tokyo, NYC), Auditorio Ibirapuera with Symphony Orchestra Brazil, and many more.

Visit larryfuller.com/events for tickets.

October 9, 2024

PU’s John Hopfield Wins Nobel in Physics

By Donald Gilpin

John Hopfield
(Princeton University; Office of Communications; Denise Applewhite,1999)

John Hopfield, a Princeton University professor emeritus in the life sciences and molecular biology with associated faculty status in physics and neuroscience, has won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics “for foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks,” according to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which announced the award on Tuesday, October 8.

Hopfield, 91, who shares the award with Geoffrey E. Hinton of the University of Toronto, has made contributions that “have fundamentally changed the world,” said Princeton University Molecular Biology Department Chair Bonnie Bassler, as quoted in a Princeton University Office of Communications press release. Their discoveries in machine learning paved the way for current rapid advancements in artificial intelligence.

The prize amount is 11 million Swedish kroner, about $1 million, which the two prize winners share.

“John Hopfield’s brilliant scientific career has transcended ordinary disciplinary boundaries, enabling him to make lasting contributions to physics, chemistry, neuroscience, and molecular biology,” said Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber. “His pathbreaking research on neural networks, for which he is honored today, exemplifies beautifully the power of curiosity-driven research to advance the frontiers of knowledge and create new tools for addressing some of the world’s most profound challenges.” more

Ruha Benjamin Wins  “Genius” Award Amidst Gaza War Controversy

By Donald Gilpin

Ruha Benjamin
(John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation)

Princeton University Professor Ruha Benjamin has been awarded a MacArthur Fellowship, widely referred to as the “genius” grant, worth $800,000, and she emphasizes the need to see this honor in the context of her support for the pro-Palestinian University students “who are calling for the University to divest from organizations supporting Israeli state violence against Palestinians.”

Benjamin, the University’s Alexander Stewart 1886 Professor of African American Studies, who describes herself as a transdisciplinary scholar and writer focusing on the relationship between innovation and inequity, was cited by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for “illuminating how technology reflects and reproduces social inequality and championing the role of imagination in social transformation.”

The Foundation’s announcement of the Fellowships went on, “By integrating critical analysis of innovation with attentiveness to the potential for positive change, Benjamin demonstrates the importance of imagination and grassroots activism in shaping social policies and cultural practices.”

In a post to the social media platform X on October 1, the day of the MacArthur announcement, Benjamin described how her phone call from the MacArthur Foundation telling her she’d won the award came on the morning after “a tense call with Princeton University officials investigating my support of students protesting the genocide in Gaza.” Benjamin was a faculty observer for the 13 University students who were arrested during a pro-Palestinian sit-in at Clio Hall on April 29 and are currently preparing to face trial in Princeton Municipal Court. more

Supreme Court Ethics Reform Rally Will Urge Attendees to Take Action

By Anne Levin

Speakers at the “Supreme Injustice” rally set for Sunday, October 20 on Hinds Plaza plan to encourage those in attendance to actively oppose recent decisions issued by the U.S. Supreme Court in the areas of health care, environmental protections, and gun safety laws.

New Jersey State Sen. Andrew Zwicker, the Rev. Robert Moore of the Coalition for Peace Action and Ceasefire New Jersey, and representatives of Empower NJ, Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey, and the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice are among those who will speak at the 2 p.m. gathering “to oppose far right extremist and corrupt decisions issued by the U.S. Supreme Court,” reads a release about the event. more

Nassau Inn One of More Than 300 Hotels Inducted Into Historic Hotels of America

WHO KNEW?: A pool behind the Nassau Inn? This photo, which provides proof, is part of the hotel’s collection of memorabilia that helped qualify it as a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Historic Hotels of America program.

By Anne Levin

The Nassau Inn has become part of Historic Hotels of America, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation that recognizes hotels “that have faithfully maintained their historic integrity, architecture, and ambiance,” according to the National Trust.

With the designation, the Nassau Inn joins such establishments as the Algonquin Hotel in Manhattan, the Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston, and the Hotel Du Pont in Wilmington, Del. more

Institute for Advanced Study Welcomes New Scholars and Initiatives for 2024-25

By Donald Gilpin

The Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) combines a heavy dose of tradition with a continuing emphasis on innovation as it welcomes 267 visiting scholars from 35 nations and more than 130 institutions to work alongside its 26 permanent and 22 emeritus faculty in the 2024-25 academic year.

All of the scholars are based in one of the Institute’s four Schools — Historical Studies, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social Science — but collaboration among disciplines is “a pillar of Institute scholarship,” an IAS press release states, and creative, unconventional, pioneering work is ubiquitous at IAS.

The IAS October 2 press release highlights, for example, four visiting scholars who “represent a unique cross section of this year’s class.”  more

October 2, 2024

Sustainable Princeton Reports Progress on CAP

By Donald Gilpin

Sustainable Princeton, working with municipal officials to meet the demands of Princeton’s Climate Action Plan (CAP), delivered a progress report at the September 23 Princeton Council meeting, zeroing in on two specific actions: evaluating, and implementing a plan for, waste streams; and reducing emissions in the built environment.

CAP, adopted five years ago, includes five different categories, 13 objectives, and more than 80 actions to be taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, preserve environmental quality, and enhance public health and safety.

The Sustainable Princeton presenters, Executive Director Christine Symington and Program Managers Jenny Ludmer and Alex Dill, pointed out significant progress achieved in working towards the CAP goals. more

Local Events Educate and Raise Funds to Fight Breast Cancer

By Anne Levin

When it comes to breast cancer, the statistics tell the story. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, one in eight women in the U.S. will be diagnosed in her lifetime. In 2024, an estimated 310,720 women and 2,800 men will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer.

But there is hope. The five-year survival rate for breast cancer diagnosed at the localized stage is 99 percent. Thanks to better screening, increased awareness, and improving treatment options, breast cancer rates have slowly gone down since 1989 — an overall decrease of 43 percent through 2020.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Local efforts to combat the disease include Let’s Talk About Breast Cancer on October 14 from 4-6 p.m. at the Witherspoon Hall parking lot, sponsored by the Princeton Health Department, Princeton Human Services, and Move Over Breast Cancer; and the 7th Annual Beyond Pink Art Show fundraiser on October 24 at MarketFair, sponsored by the YWCA Princeton’s Breast Cancer Resource Center (BCRC). Artworks from that event remain on view through October 27. more

Hispanic Heritage Month in Princeton Offers Cultural and Educational Events

HISPANIC HERITAGE: Princeton Middle School (PMS) students Camila and Nathalia Araizaga have created two bulletin boards honoring their Hispanic heritage. They stand in front of their display at PMS honoring the Hispanic athletes who participated in the 2024 Summer Olympics. (Photo courtesy of Princeton Public Schools)

By Donald Gilpin

National Hispanic Heritage Month extends from September 15 to October 15, a time to “celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of those living in America whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America,” as stated in a September 9 Princeton Council proclamation. Princeton and the surrounding area offer many opportunities to join the celebrations.

The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP), the Princeton Public Library (PPL), McCarter Theatre, Princeton University, and local schools, as well as the Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund (LALDEF) in Trenton, are presenting a variety of entertaining and edifying activities to engage the community and respond to Princeton Mayor Mark Freda’s “call upon the people of Princeton to join in this special observance by seeking out celebrations, educational programs, and community activities to learn more about the role Hispanic and Latino Americans have played in our nation’s history.” more

Survival of Railway Club in Rocky Hill Depends on Sale of Washington Street Home

DANGER OF DISMANTLING: The future of the Pacific Southern Railway club’s extensive system of miniature trains and more could be in jeopardy if the club cannot find a buyer for the house in which it is located who is willing to keep it in operation.

By Anne Levin

For the past eight years, the basement of a four-bedroom Cape Cod house at 26 Washington Street in Rocky Hill has been the headquarters of a sprawling model railroad system. This 5,000-square-foot miniature world boasts trains, buildings, bridges, mountains, rivers, and even a circus train. A dispatcher, a trainmaster, three tower operators, and 15 engineers operate the system on a rotating basis.

The railroad is run by the Pacific Southern Railway (PSRY) club, which holds meetings for members and visitors on Wednesday evenings. On October 19 and 20, the club will hold its annual family-friendly train show at the house. The popular event will include hourly demonstrations between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. As has been the case for several years, all of the $10 donations support the Rocky Hill Rescue Squad and Volunteer Fire Company. more

PHS Scholarship Fund Receives $110K from Estate of Art Teacher Dave Mackey

By Donald Gilpin

Dave Mackey (Photo courtesy of Hopewell Museum)

The 101: Fund, which for more than 50 years has been providing need-based college scholarships to Princeton High School (PHS) graduates, recently received a bequest of $110,000 from the estate of Princeton Public Schools (PPS) art teacher Dave Mackey, who died at age 89 in May 2023.

Mackey and his wife Becky, a PHS physical education teacher and coach who died in 2000, are well remembered by many PHS graduates and repeatedly described as two of PHS’s most beloved teachers.

“The 101: Fund is incredibly honored and thankful to receive this generous gift from and in memory of Dave and Becky Mackey,” said 101 President Anthony Klockenbrink. “Becky was a previous board member of 101. The gift will enable the 101 to support more PHS students and to support more meaningful scholarships going forward. It is also our hope to establish a named scholarship in their memory.” more

Documentary About Brian Eno is One-Time Event at Garden Theatre

By Anne Levin

The career of innovative musician and producer Brian Eno is the subject of a documentary to be screened on Tuesday, October 8 at the Princeton Garden Theatre. What makes this one-night-only event unique is its use of the latest AI technology, which means it will never be seen the same way twice.

Eno premiered in January at the Sundance Film Festival. Landing the screening, which is underwritten by the Princeton Record Exchange, is a coup for the Garden. Kyle Stenger, the theater’s outreach director, thinks it is the only movie house in New Jersey to have the honor.

“It’s a brand-new concept called ‘generative documentary.’ The director, Gary Hustwit, developed this AI software specifically for this movie, and it is re-edited for every showing so it’s different every single time,” said Stenger. “You’re never going to get a version of it that has Eno’s whole life in it. You might get his time with David Bowie in Berlin, or with David Byrne in Talking Heads. That’s what makes it so exciting. It’s a radical concept that is also meant to reflect the experimental process of Eno himself.” more

September 25, 2024

Council Passes Ordinance to Acquire Westminster Campus

By Anne Levin

An ordinance that could determine the future of the 23-acre property formerly occupied by Westminster Choir College was the subject of several comments during a public hearing at the meeting of Princeton Council on Monday evening, September 23. The ordinance, which was introduced on September 9, authorizes the acquisition of the site “by negotiation, purchase, condemnation, or eminent domain.”

At the close of the public hearing, Council voted unanimously in favor of the measure. Council President Mia Sacks, who led the meeting since Mayor Mark Freda is on vacation, called it “a historic evening for all of us.” To those who expressed concerns that the Westminster Conservatory of Music and the Westminster Community Orchestra would not be a part of the future plans for the site, Sacks said that the municipality is aware of their history and importance to the cultural life of the community.

The Conservatory and Orchestra are among the cultural organizations that operate on the Walnut Lane campus. Westminster Choir College was located there from 1935 until it was moved to the campus of Rider University in Lawrence Township in 2017 following Rider’s failed attempt to sell it to a Chinese company (Rider merged with the Choir College in 1991). more

PPS Welcomes New Food Service Supplier, Food Systems Coordinator

By Donald Gilpin

Shannon Barlow

Princeton Public Schools (PPS) is starting the 2024-25 school year with a new food systems literacy coordinator, Shannon Barlow, and a new food service supplier, Pomptonian, that offers unlimited servings of fruits and vegetables to accompany each meal.

Those changes at PPS signal a whole new perspective on the significance of food, its role in school, and its role in the lives of the school community, according to PPS Science Supervisor Joy Barnes-Johnson.

“These paired developments will, over time, fundamentally change the way that all of us at the district — students, parents, faculty, staff, and administration — understand and use food for curriculum, health, wellness, community, and for the good of natural systems that are prerequisites to all life,” said Barnes-Johnson, as quoted in a press release from Princeton School Gardens Cooperative, Inc. (PSGC), which is collaborating with PPS to use campus resources to illustrate and amplify curriculum. more