March 16, 2022

Pear Trees on Witherspoon Street To Be Replaced by Hardier Varieties

SAY GOODBYE: The Bradford pear trees that bloom on Witherspoon Street in early spring are about to become history as the Witherspoon Street Improvement Project begins. (File photo by Charles A. Plohn)

By Anne Levin

For the past few decades, spring in Princeton has been unofficially ushered in by a graceful canopy of blossoming trees on Witherspoon Street. These Bradford pear trees between Nassau and Green streets turn the thoroughfare into a kind of white fairyland that lasts a week or two at most.

Those days are about to end. Starting next week, Princeton Public Works will be removing the trees as part of the Witherspoon Street Improvement Project’s first phase. Plans are to replace them with four different species. It turns out that the Bradford pear is as destructive as it is beautiful.

“When we have projects like these, if the trees are desirable species we do our best to minimize the damage,” said Taylor Sapudar, Princeton’s municipal arborist. “But these are really self-destructive trees. They are very invasive, and are on the [Princeton] Environmental Commission’s do-not-plant list.”

Princeton’s Shade Tree Commission has given its approval for removal of the trees. “They agree that they are a nuisance, and at the end of their life cycle,” said Sapudar. “And the work to repair and replace them would destroy their root systems.” more

March 9, 2022

BOH Weighs In on Cannabis in Princeton

By Donald Gilpin

A proposed resolution generated by a three-member committee of the Princeton Board of Health (BOH), scheduled to be discussed at last night’s March 8 BOH meeting (after press time), recommends that any action to approve retail sales of cannabis in Princeton be deferred pending extensive additional planning and preparations to minimize possible negative effects.

At its last meeting on February 8, the nine-member BOH held a discussion — first among BOH members, and then with participants from the general public — to consider the health impacts of recreational cannabis legalization and the specifics of the Princeton Cannabis Task Force’s November 23, 2021 report to Princeton Council, which recommended that the town permit a maximum of three retail dispensaries in town. A BOH work group was scheduled to present its findings and any recommendations at last night’s meeting.   

Princeton voters overwhelmingly supported the November 2020 state referendum to legalize the sale of recreational cannabis in New Jersey, but the question of retail sales in Princeton has given rise to increasingly heated debate at public meetings, in the press and social media, and elsewhere.

The BOH workgroup — Meredith Hodach Avalos, internist at Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center; George DiFerdinando, general internist and longtime public health program director; and Rick Strauss, a pediatrician — created a 12-page research report including background on cannabis and health impacts, and sections titled “Use Trends: General and Among Higher Risk Populations,” “Actions That Are Likely to increase or Decrease Youth Cannabis Use,” and “Predicting
Local Health Impacts of Recreational Cannabis Legalization and Sale.”

A two-page draft resolution follows with 16 points, the last five suggesting specific actions that the community should take either immediately, prior to implementation of retail cannabis sales in the state in general, or in the short- or long-term future before opting for the opening of a dispensary in Princeton. more

Princeton Residents Come Together in Solidarity With Ukraine as War Continues

By Donald Gilpin

As the war in Ukraine continues, different segments of the Princeton community struggled to understand, to take in the scale of the tragedy, and to create a meaningful response, with actions that might have positive effects.

More than 200 people gathered at 5 p.m. on March 3, at first in Palmer Square’s Tiger Park on Nassau Street, then spilling across the street to the Nassau Presbyterian Church, for a Peace in Ukraine vigil sponsored by the Coalition for Peace Action (CFPA).

CFPA Executive Director the Rev. Robert Moore was overwhelmed by the size and diversity of the crowd, more than four times larger than he had expected. “People were spreading the word,” he said. “It kept growing and growing. There were people of all ages and backgrounds including a lot of Ukrainian Americans.”

Moore pondered the significance of coming together to show support for the Ukrainian people. “Part of the big challenge when you’re facing the violence and the deep, deep challenges that Ukraine is facing now is that you want to know that people around the world are standing in solidarity with you,” he said. “That counts for an awful lot.”

He continued, “We all need to be in solidarity at a time like this. That to me is a potent anti-war force, that solidarity.”

Participants chanted “No War in Ukraine,” “What do we want? Peace. When do we want it? Now,” and many held blue and yellow Ukrainian flags or waved posters attacking Russian President Vladimir Putin and supporting Ukraine. more

WJNA Meeting to Discuss April ARTS, Trees, Witherspoon St.

By Donald Gilpin

“Thirty Days of Creativity” in April, Princeton’s urban forestry program, and the Witherspoon Street corridor from Green Street to Franklin Avenue are all on the agenda for the next meeting of the Witherspoon-Jackson Neighborhood Association (WJNA) on Saturday, March 19 at 1 p.m. at the Arts Council of Princeton (ACP).

ACP Executive Director Adam Welch will be telling the WJNA gathering all about April ARTS, which begins on April 1 with the launch of the Princeton Piano Project and a happy hour kick-off at the ACP, and culminates with the Princeton Porchfest on April 23.

“While Communiversity provided a fun afternoon for Princetonians and visitors alike, April ARTS will allow us to celebrate for an entire month,” said Welch. During the Porchfest event, locals and visitors will walk and bike around town from 12 to 6 p.m., enjoying live music at more than 10 different porches.

“Porchfest, though not original to us, is handmade for Princeton,” Welch added. “This is truly an opportunity for our town to embrace the creativity and hospitality of our community.”  A schedule of performers and their locations will be available at artscouncilofprinceton.org.

As part of the Princeton Piano Project, seven pianos have been donated by community members and will be transformed by local artists, Welch said.  On Friday, April 1, the pianos will be placed throughout town for the community to enjoy. Dozens of arts and cultural events will be presented by ACP and local businesses and organizations throughout the month.

In a March 7 email, Welch commented further on April ARTS. “It’s local-friendly and the perfect way to usher in a new season of creativity and possibility,” he wrote. “And, of course, we thank Princeton University, whose support has made April ARTS possible.”

Also featured at the March 19 WJNA meeting will be a presentation by Princeton Deputy Administrator and Municipal Engineer Deanna Stockton on the right of way improvement plans for the Witherspoon Street corridor.  more

“Ma Bell” Exhibit at Morven Traces History of Bell System in New Jersey

WHO’S CALLING?: Before becoming an actress and civil rights activist, Ruby Dee worked at Western Electric Company’s Kearny Works in the 1940s. This image is among the artifacts at the upcoming exhibit “Ma Bell: The Mother of Invention in New Jersey,” at Morven. (Photo courtesy of AT&T Archives and History Center)

By Anne Levin

Before 1965, phone calls to points overseas were routed through Lawrenceville – specifically, the Pole Farm at Mercer Meadows. The fact that this familiar expanse was the largest radio telephone station in the world, before undersea cable, is just one of the curiosities of “Ma Bell: The Mother of Invention in New Jersey,” an exhibition opening Sunday, March 13 at Morven Museum and Garden.

The show explores the 100-year history of the Bell Telephone System in New Jersey, from the inception of the telephone in the late 19th century to around 1984, when the Bell System monopoly divestiture created the seven “Baby Bells,” known as the Regional Bell Operating Companies.

Included are artifacts and photographs loaned from the Historical Society of Princeton, AT&T Archives and History Center, MIT Museum, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Monmouth County Historical Association, Telesat Canada, and other private lenders.

Curators Elizabeth Allan and Jesse Gordon knew they wanted to include personal stories of people who had either worked for the Bell System, or had family members who had. A crowdsourcing campaign last summer drew about 50 respondents, eager to share their memories. more

New Hydroponic Vertical Garden Lets Students Plant Year-Round

GARDENING GROUP: Members of Send Hunger Packing Princeton have established an indoor vertical farm in the lobby at Littlebrook Elementary School so children can grow produce throughout the winter months.

By Anne Levin

In the lobby of Littlebrook Elementary School, two white, vertical fixtures will soon be covered with green. They are part of a recently installed hydroponic garden, designed to allow students who tend the raised bed gardens outside to continue their efforts indoors, during the winter months.

The installation is a pilot program of Send Hunger Packing Princeton (SHUPP), which founder Ross Wishnick hopes to expand. “We’re hoping it works well, so we can buy more for the other elementary schools,” he said.

Now in its 10th year, SHUPP is a nonprofit that distributes weekend food packs, provided by partner organization Mercer Street Friends, to children in the Princeton schools and Princeton Nursery School. According to its website, SHUPP has distributed more than 100,000 meals in its efforts to eliminate food insecurity with its Weekend Backpack Initiative, its partnership with the Arm in Arm food pantry, and community-wide summer support.

The indoor garden at Littlebrook is part of an ongoing collaboration with Princeton Public Schools. Students will be able to study, experiment, and maintain a gardening pod that has the potential to grow as much as 300 pounds of produce throughout the year. more

Permit Parking Task Force Presents Reworked Plan at Special Council Meeting

By Anne Levin

Following a March 1 work session in which numerous residents raised objections to plans by Princeton’s Permit Parking Task Force to help regulate disparate parking rules, Princeton Council agreed to pass along the recommendations to administrative and legal staff for review.

The task force, which has been working on the issue since 2019, has refined its proposals to include only the Witherspoon-Jackson and Tree Streets neighborhoods, where parking is particularly problematic. The task force dropped previous recommendations for some paid employee parking in the Murray Place/Princeton Avenue area. Plans for non-resident permit parking in the Western Section and high school neighborhoods had already been removed from the proposal.

Recommendations call for employee parking permits to be made available at underused on-street meters and at the Maclean Street and Westminster Choir College lots. “For all residential neighborhoods with moderate parking demand from nearby uses (whether such uses be commercial, private institutional, or public school), institute a two-or three-hour time limit for parking available to all,” the plan reads. One free residential 24-hour permit should be issued for residents without off-street parking. Those residents, and those with a single-car driveway, can also get a paid, 24-hour permit for $240 a year.

The task force also addressed overnight parking throughout town, and parking on Bank Street. Further details of the plan are available at princetonnj.gov.

There was heated criticism from residents of the neighborhoods that are currently exempt. One Western Section homeowner accused the task force of corruption. Another made charges of conflicts of interest and a lack of transparency, and called the terms of the proposal deliberately vague. A Library Place resident said she has lost trust in local government, and that task forces are inherently flawed because they allow special interest groups to take over the town. A Hawthorne Avenue resident said meetings are kept secret. more

March 2, 2022

Council Approves Special Improvement District

By Anne Levin

Princeton Council voted unanimously in favor of creating a Special Improvement District (SID) at its meeting Monday night, February 28. The vote came after a few hours of comment from several members of the public — several opposed; fewer in favor — and discussion by members of the Council.

The SID, of which there are nearly 100 in New Jersey, is a defined area authorized by state law and created by a local ordinance to collect an annual assessment on businesses in that area. A nonprofit, separate from the municipality, collects the assessment, which goes toward improving the economic, physical, and social values of the district.

The nonprofit overseeing the SID will be known as the Princeton Business Partnership. The steering committee that has crafted the ordinance will cease to exist. “There is room for any property owners or business owners and residents to join,” said Councilmember Michelle Pirone Lambros, who has been instrumental in creating the SID. “It will be run and managed by the business community. All business partners will be stakeholders.”

Most of the comments by those opposing the SID came from business owners who operate outside of the central business district, do not rely on visitors and walk-ins, and don’t feel they should be assessed.

“There is nothing this SID could do for me, ever,” said Chip Crider, whose scientific instrument company operates outside the central business district in an area included in the ordinance. “I see the majority of these folks who are pushing this SID are interested in monetizing every aspect of Princeton for their gain. You’re giving a private, unrepresentative group the ability to do tax rates. If you want to help businesses in Princeton, stop meddling. I oppose this.” more

Princeton Responds In Shock, Distress To War in Ukraine

By Donald Gilpin

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continued into its second week, the Princeton community, along with the world, looked on in shock, distress, apprehension, and anger.

More than 100 Princeton University students, faculty, and community members joined a demonstration in front of Nassau Hall on Friday, February 25 to support Ukraine and to demand freedom for the Ukrainians and an end to the war. The Princeton-based Coalition for Peace Action (CFPA) has announced plans for a “Peace in Ukraine” vigil in Palmer Square on Thursday, March 3 at 5 p.m. and has strongly condemned the recent actions by Russia and its President Vladimir Putin.

On February 25, four Princeton University experts on Russia and Ukraine gathered online for a Zoom conference, sponsored by Princeton’s School for Public and International Affairs, to discuss the start of the war in Ukraine and to consider how it might progress in the future.

None of the conference participants had expected that Putin would actually invade Ukraine.

“Many of us were saying, up until Monday night [February 21], that the massing of troops was a bluff. It was designed to increase Russia’s leverage on a bunch of demands it had been making for some time,” said Professor of Sociology and International Affairs Kim Lane Scheppele. “Many people in Ukraine, many people in Russia, and many people who have been experts on these two countries for a long time saw this as a bluff and didn’t think an invasion was going to happen.”

Noting that she has many friends in both Russia and Ukraine, she continued, “Everybody is in shock, because this was not anticipated. Ukraine and Russia are friends. The largest ethnic group in Russia is Ukrainians and vice versa. There are many family ties, many connections. The idea that Russian soldiers would go in and kill Ukrainians to this degree is a shock on both sides.” more

Parents, Students, School Officials Wonder: “To Mask or Not to Mask?”

By Donald Gilpin

With the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updating its  COVID-19 guidelines on February 25 and New Jersey on March 7 lifting its mask mandate for schools and child care centers, school officials, parents, students, and indeed the general population will be wondering in the coming weeks if, when, and where to wear a mask.

Princeton Deputy Administrator for Health and Community Services Jeff Grosser sees this moment as a significant one in the timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic, but he is not encouraging Princeton residents to put away their masks. “We must keep in mind that the masks are one of our forms of defense against respiratory disease spread,” he wrote in a March 1 email.

He continued, “There may be a time where it is recommended, encouraged, or mandated to have individuals mask up again. And as a community we will need to continue to support one another when and if that happens.”

The health department has been working closely with Princeton schools in anticipation of next Monday’s lifting of the mask mandate. “Our guidance will continue to support utilizing community transmission data, along with hospitalization data and updates on emerging variants,” said Grosser.

He went on to point out that Princeton schools are all in different situations based on their case counts and the timing of spring break and other large-scale school events. A common denominator

for schools in determining their mask policies is the overall community transmission rate, which now stands at moderate by New Jersey Department of Health standards and low on the CDC scale.

The new CDC guidelines list eight New Jersey counties at medium rates of transmission and the other 13 counties, including Mercer, are all at low transmission levels. Masks are no longer recommended for people in low and medium transmission counties, according to the CDC. more

Longtime Sourland Mountain Resident Is Celebrated as Living History

NANA BROOKS: To mark the 101st birthday of Evelyn Brooks, the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum in Skillman premiered a special interview that is accessible on the museum’s website and YouTube channel.

By Anne Levin

Evelyn “Nana” Brooks has had 11 children, 24 grandchildren, 45 great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-grandchildren. The youngest of the brood just turned 1.

But the longtime Sourland Mountain resident, who turned 101 February 27, is more than the matriarch of an expansive family. “Over the course of the last century, Mrs. Brooks has lived through the Great Depression, World War II, the civil rights movement, and all of the change and turmoil of modern politics,” reads a release from the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum (SSAAM) announcing a new video interview with Brooks on the museum’s YouTube channel. The video is part of the museum’s 2022 Black History Month programming.

Brooks was interviewed and filmed at her home by SSAAM Executive Director Donnetta Johnson, along with Brooks’ granddaughter Catherine Fulmer-Hogan, who is on the museum’s board. She speaks candidly about raising Black children in a predominantly white community in the 1940s-50s, on marriage and true partnership, and on living well and longevity. She talks about staying involved in daily life. As she answers questions, she crochets. She likes to be busy.

“That was a lot of filming,” said Fulmer-Hogan. “And she is incredibly sharp — actually sharper than she comes across. I keep hoping, fingers crossed, that this is genetic.”

Born in 1921, Evelyn Dunn Brooks grew up in Bronxville, N.Y. She recalls enjoying musical acts at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem, including seeing a young Ella Fitzgerald perform at the beginning of her career. She was 19 when she married Ira Brooks, whose family lived in Hopewell. In 1948, the couple bought a 10-room house on a 28-acre plot of land on the Sourland Mountain, one of only three families then living on Mountain Church Road. more

Rider Faculty and Students To Protest Outside Board Meeting

By Anne Levin

A group of Rider University faculty members and students are planning to gather today, March 2, between 12 and 2 p.m., to express their dissatisfaction over the board of trustees’ continuing support of President Gregory Dell’Omo and his policies. The protest is to take place outside the University’s Bart Luedeke Center, where the board is supposed to be attending a luncheon as part of a two-day meeting.

The faculty are members of Rider’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), which sent a resolution February 8 asking for the removal of Dell’Omo, citing a $20 million deficit and a 19 percent decline in enrollment under his watch. A response from Board Chair John Guarino expressed full confidence in Dell’Omo.

“We have heard only from Guarino, not from any other members of the board,” said Barbara Franz, a professor of political science and the AAUP chapter president. “The letter expressed extreme satisfaction with Dell’Omo’s fundraising, integrity, fairness, and especially, his equanimity. He is clearly more impressed with his ‘coolness’ than with the fact that he has led the school to a financial precipice.”

The students include graduate students from Rider-affiliated Westminster Choir College, which was moved from Westminster’s longtime Princeton campus to Rider’s Lawrenceville location in 2020. They have expressed dissatisfaction with Dell’Omo’s response to a petition they sent in December, complaining of inadequate practice spaces, acoustics, and declining enrollment, among other concerns related to the move.  more

Divest Princeton Files Legal Complaint, Seeking End to Fossil Fuel Investments

By Donald Gilpin

Divest Princeton — a coalition of students, faculty, staff, and alumni — filed a legal complaint against Princeton University to the New Jersey Attorney General on February 16, calling for an investigation of the University’s investments in the fossil fuel industry.

The complaint alleges that the University’s continued investments in the fossil fuel industry violate the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act, which states that universities must invest in consideration of their “charitable purposes.” The complaint further argues that the degradation of the climate caused by the fossil fuel industry, and the consequent damage to ecological and human health as well as injury to environmental and social equity conflicts with the University’s educational purposes and mission. 

“Universities have a duty to promote the public interest in exchange for their tax-exempt charitable status, and that duty is incompatible with fossil fuel investments,” said Alex Marquardt, a staff attorney at Climate Defense Project, which assisted Divest Princeton in preparing the complaint.

On the same day as Divest Princeton’s action, student-led campaigns for fossil fuel divestment at Yale University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and Vanderbilt University all filed legal complaints with their states’ respective attorneys general. Students at Harvard University, Cornell University, Johns Hopkins University, Boston College, Marquette University, and the University of New Mexico have recently filed similar legal complaints. more

“The Groundskeeper”

 This watercolor by Beatrice Bork is part of “Awakenings,” an exhibit also featuring works by Jane Adriance, Debbie Pisacreta, and Richard Harrington. It will be on view March 10 through April 3 at Artists’ Gallery, 18 Bridge Street, Lambertville. For more information, visit LambertvilleArts.com.

February 23, 2022

Charting “New Normal” as Case Numbers Drop

By Donald Gilpin

With COVID restrictions and mask mandates being lifted across the country and New Jersey schools and child care centers scheduled to remove their mask mandates on March 7,  millions of people are looking forward to a “new normal” as the pandemic continues into its third year.

Princeton Deputy Administrator for Health and Community Services Jeff Grosser, in a February 22 email, pointed to the sharp decline in new COVID-19 cases in the state, from more than 30,000 new cases each day during the height of the Omicron surge to just 681new cases on Monday, February 21.

“Princeton COVID-19 cases have decreased on a similar trajectory,” he said. “During the height of the surge Princeton was experiencing between 50 and 55 cases a day, and we are now averaging around five-six cases a day.”

Grosser noted that the Princeton Health Department has been working with Princeton schools to address the question of mask-wearing following the March 7 termination of the state mandate.

“Strategies include monitoring transmission rates in New Jersey, as well as keeping up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations,” he said. “When in high transmission, the Princeton Health Department will continue to recommend that individuals wear a mask in public settings or high risk settings.”

The daily average for new cases in New Jersey on Monday was down 38 percent over the past 14 days, according to the New York Times, and totals for COVID-related deaths and hospitalizations were also down sharply. In Mercer County the 14-day change was down 52 percent. Numbers have fallen to the level they saw in early December before the recent Omicron surge.   

The transmission rate for New Jersey on Sunday was 0.63, with any number lower than 1 indicating each new case leading to fewer than one additional case.  more

County Taking Steps To Improve Safety At Rosedale Crossing

By Anne Levin

At Princeton Council’s virtual meeting on February 14, some members of the public voiced their frustrations about a lack of action to improve safety at a pedestrian crossing on Rosedale Road. It was at this crossing, between the access driveways to Greenway Meadows and Johnson Park School, that 82-year-old Pinghua Xu was fatally struck by a vehicle last August.

Aware that the roadway is under the aegis of Mercer County, as opposed to the municipality, the residents implored Council to implement traffic calming, and use influence at the county level to speed improvements. Deanna Stockton, Princeton’s deputy administrator for engineering, responded that the town has been in touch with the county, and was hoping to have some information about safety improvements in the near future.

Worry about this crossing is nothing new. In 1999, then-Princeton Township Mayor Phyllis Marchand met with Johnson Park’s principal and officers of its Parent Teacher Organization to talk about the dangers of the intersection. Nearly six years ago, it was flagged as an area of concern in the New Jersey Safe Routes to School report.

Asked this week whether any progress has been made, Stockton referred the question to Mercer County Director of Communications Julie Willmot. Willmot said in an email that representatives of the county watched the meeting, and want to assure residents that County Executive Brian Hughes’ engineering office has been working on a solution for Rosedale Road since last year, along with design consultant Traffic Planning and Design (TPD).

The consultant submitted to the county a design solution of roundabouts at the intersection with Elm Road, General Johnson Drive, Province Line Road, and Carter Road, and a changed speed limit through the corridor. This proposal was forwarded to the municipality on
January 26.  more

Sustainable Princeton Teams With PPS To Improve Schools’ Energy Efficiency

By Donald Gilpin

In terms of energy efficiency the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) are underperforming, but help is on the way in the form of a partnership with Sustainable Princeton (SP). The two entities have developed a variety of plans for progress on multiple fronts.

Working together for the past five months, PPS and SP have created a  “sustainability timeline” for the PPS facilities department, focusing on energy, transportation, natural resources, materials management, and resiliency.

“We’re thrilled to be working with the district to help them achieve their sustainability goals,” said SP Program Manager Jenny Ludmer at a February 16 Zoom webinar devoted to sustainability in the schools. “Our mission is to inspire the community to develop and implement solutions that positively impact the environment.”

In a 30-minute presentation Ludmer outlined what is currently known about PPS buildings through a benchmark and carbon footprint analysis; plans for the future, including the sustainability timeline, plans for solar and greater energy efficiency, and workplace charging potential;

and progress on updating Sustainable Jersey certification for schools. A question-and-answer session followed. more

Gary Mount Publishes “A Farmer’s Life,” Stories From a Half Century on the Farm

“A FARMER’S LIFE”: Gary and Pam Mount have owned and operated Terhune Orchards for almost 50 years. Gary will be reading from his new book, “A Farmer’s Life,” and signing copies on March 5 at 1 p.m. at Terhune Orchards on Cold Soil Road in Princeton. (Photo courtesy of Gary Mount)

By Donald Gilpin

At Terhune Orchards on Saturday, March 5, at 1 p.m., Gary Mount will be reading from his new book and signing copies. A Farmer’s Life: Notes from Terhune Orchards is the book’s title, and Mount, who, along with his wife Pam, has owned Terhune since 1975 and has been farming for more than 50 years, knows what he’s talking about.

“I’m one of the luckiest people,” Mount said in a February 17 phone interview. “I get up in the morning and still look forward to work every day. On the farm I’m doing something that gives a lot of satisfaction.”

Mount described some of the changes in farming in the past 50 years. “People are really interested in the farm,” he said. “We have 700,000 people a year come here. We’re just after Princeton University as a popular destination in Mercer County. It’s all changed. The whole nature of a farm has changed and people’s relationship to farms and where the food comes from.”

Mount was born in Princeton Hospital and, except for three years when he and his wife served in the Peace Corps in Micronesia, he has lived in the Princeton area his whole life. He grew up on his father’s farm on Route 1 in West Windsor, and he’s the ninth generation of his family to be a farmer in this area. His two daughters, who live nearby with their families, are fully involved in the operations of the farm and are preparing to continue the tradition. more

A Sunday Spot For Tea or Coffee At the “Barden” in Herrontown Woods

A CAFÉ AT A CLEARING: Accompanied by their dogs Benjie and Ziggy, Joanna Poniz, left, and Nicole Bergman welcomed visitors to May’s Barden Café on a recent Sunday. The spot for coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and home-baked pastries is open again on Sunday, March 6 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Proceeds go toward the renovation of the Veblen House and The Cottage.

By Anne Levin

During a weekend visit to New York’s Hudson Valley, Nicole Bergman went on a hike along the 7-mile stretch known as the Rail Trail. Along the way, she stopped for coffee at the Rail Trail Café, which is nestled in the woods. And she got an idea.

“It reminded me so much of Herrontown Woods, which I have been going to for years,” said Bergman, who lives with her family in the neighborhood near the nature preserve along the Princeton Ridge. “This little café was so nice. There was a spot for performances and music, even a wood-fired pizza oven. I got inspired.”

Bergman proposed the idea of a café in Herrontown Woods to Stephen Hiltner, president of the board of directors of Friends of Herrontown Woods. Hiltner and fellow board members gave Bergman the go-ahead to give the café a try. In collaboration with neighbors Joanna Poniz and Liz Barbosa, May’s Barden Café was launched last November at the Barden (short for Botanical ARt garDEN) in the woods. It has been open since on the first Sunday of the month, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

With coffee and tea from Small World Coffee, hot chocolate for children, and pastries baked by Bergman (the former purveyor of Simply Nic’s shortbread) and others, the café has become a popular gathering spot. Proceeds help fund renovation of the Veblen House and The Cottage, focal points of the woods. more

February 16, 2022

Johnson Property Donated to D&R Greenway

By Anne Levin

Just outside Hopewell Borough, a turn off of Route 518 leads to an idyllic 800-acre property with sweeping views of the Hopewell Valley. It is Hillside Farm, longtime home to the late philanthropist Betty Wold Johnson, who counted land conservation among her biggest priorities.

Thanks to a gift to Princeton-based D&R Greenway Land Trust, the farm — forests, meadows, wildlife habitat, and agricultural land with a tributary stream to the Stony Brook — has been added to the nonprofit’s more than 22,000 acres of land preserved in New Jersey. Johnson’s sons Robert Wood Johnson, former United States ambassador to the United Kingdom and owner of the New York Jets football team; and Christopher Wold Johnson, Jets co-owner and businessman, have donated the property in honor of their mother, who died at age 99 on May 5, 2020.

“We are pleased and proud to donate this special property in honor of our mother,” the two brothers are quoted in a joint statement. “She loved Hillside Farm as much as she loved the Hopewell area, and she would be thrilled that the land will be preserved for future generations to enjoy.”

Linda Mead, D&R Greenway’s executive director, said the brothers first reached out to the organization last summer. “I almost fell off my chair,” she said. “They wanted to know, what would D&R Greenway do with the property if they gave it to us? They wanted to do something fitting with who their mother was.” more

After AAUP Resolution, Rider Trustees Respond In Support of President

By Anne Levin

Reacting on February 8 to a resolution by Rider University’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), asking the University’s board of trustees to remove President Gregory Dell’Omo, the board issued a statement in his support.

“Although the voices of all members of the Rider community are important, please know that the board of trustees is profoundly disappointed by this action, and reaffirms its support of President Dell’Omo and his leadership team,” reads a letter signed by John M. Guarino ’82, board chair.

“The board has the utmost confidence in the administration’s ability to successfully lead Rider through the unique set of challenges facing our University and all of higher education. Further, we support President Dell’Omo’s efforts to ensure Rider’s long-term financial sustainability while fulfilling the University’s mission and vision and its commitment to its students.”

The AAUP’s resolution, which 86 percent of the faculty voted to support, said Dell’Omo’s policies — including attempts to sell Rider-affiliated Westminster Choir College — have weakened the University’s financial condition, including a $20 million deficit and a 19 percent decline in fulltime enrollment, “reducing Rider’s enrollment to its lowest point in over 20 years.”

Guarino’s letter reads, “The board of trustees is extremely satisfied with his performance and appreciates his unwavering, steadfast leadership during these challenging times. Record fundraising success, including increasing the number of endowed scholarships, safely navigating the uncharted challenges brought on by the pandemic, substantially improving University facilities, and building a strong leadership team are just some of President Dell’Omo’s accomplishments noted by trustees. Trustees also noted his integrity, fairness, authenticity, and especially his equanimity as he confronts circumstances beyond his control.” more

COVID Cases Continue Decline in Princeton, As State and National Infections Also Drop

By Donald Gilpin

On Monday, February 14, the Princeton Health Department reported 34 new COVID-19 cases in Princeton over the previous seven days, down about 30 percent from the week before, and 83 cases in the previous 14 days, down about 37 percent from the two preceding weeks.

Princeton University’s Campus Risk Status was reduced from “High” to “Moderate to High” on February 8, with indoor gatherings now permitted to include food and attendees allowed to remove masks when eating or drinking. Also, students are no longer limited to 20 guests in dormitory suites or rooms.

The University COVID-19 Dashboard reported a 0.32 percent positivity rate from February 5 to 11, down from 0.36 percent the previous week and 1.05 percent the week before that.

Princeton Public Schools reported 27 new COVID-19 cases for the week ending February 11, three more cases than the previous week, but well below the numbers for the six weeks before that.

With New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s announcement last week that the statewide mask mandate for schools and child care centers will be lifted on March 7, Princeton

Deputy Administrator for Health and Community Services Jeff Grosser discussed current guidance on mask wearing and his thoughts on when masks should still be worn and when to consider taking them off.

“Mask wearing is still recommended in public settings, particularly where physical distancing is not possible,” said Grosser. “If cases continue to trend this way, it’s likely that we will see masks being optional in those same places.” He stated that if transmission rates drop to “Low” throughout the state more places would most likely make mask-wearing optional.  more

Princeton Future Offers “Walk to Coffee,” New Format for Connecting, Conversing

“I WALK TO COFFEE”: Princeton Future, seen here at a 2018 public gathering, is inviting anyone interested to join them outside on Sunday, February 27, for a walk from The Hun School on Edgerstoune Road to Sakrid Coffee on Nassau Street. This first of a series of walks will be led by Marina Rubina, a local architect and Princeton Future council member, accompanied by Hun School “neighborhood ambassador” and writer Eve Coulson. (Photo courtesy of Princeton Future)

By Donald Gilpin

On February 27, Princeton Future will be hosting “I Walk to Coffee,” the first in a series of events that promise to be quite different from its traditional public meetings arranged to explore issues of concern to local residents.

“In these uncertain times for indoor gatherings, going on a walk could be a fun and safer way for meetings and personal connections,” states Princeton Future’s flier promoting the event. “How far would you walk to get a good cup of coffee? What if you walk with friends? What if you are exploring secret paths or scenic routes while making new friends?”

The February 27 inaugural walk to coffee, meeting in front of The Hun School at 176 Edgerstoune Road and proceeding to Sakrid Coffee on Nassau Street (and back), will be led by Marina Rubina, a local architect and member of the council of Princeton Future. She will be joined by Hun School “neighborhood ambassador” Eve Coulson, who is a writer, Princeton Zoning Board member, longtime supporter of Sustainable Princeton, and an avid walker.

Rubina said that the origins of the walk-to-coffee idea began some time ago when she attended a Princeton Future talk by Alain Kornhauser, Princeton University professor of operations research and director of the Program in Transportation, in which “he put into words what I already subconsciously knew: driving kids to school is incredibly unsustainable.” Reality being what it is, however, she “continued to drive and feel guilty.”

Then this fall she decided to try something new. “I left my car at the Princeton Shopping Center near the school and walked to my office at TigerLabs on Nassau Street,” Rubina wrote in an email. “It turned out to be a 15-20 minute walk. I couldn’t believe how pleasant it was. When I arrived at my office, Small World was right there. So here I was on my first ‘walk to coffee.’” more

Demonstrators in Palmer Square Urge U.S. Action to Combat Afghan Famine

END AFGHAN FAMINE: A small group of demonstrators, under the leadership of the Coalition for Peace Action, gathered in Palmer Square on Monday evening, February 14, to urge the Biden administration to do more to help Afghanistan avoid widespread famine. (Photo by Patricia A. Hall)

By Donald Gilpin

A small, hardy band of demonstrators gathered in 20 degree temperatures at Palmer Square at 5 p.m. on Monday, February 14, calling on the United States to increase aid to Afghanistan and to end asset freezes and sanctions policies that are exacerbating famine conditions and contributing to the crisis in Afghanistan.

Participants in the hour-long Valentine’s Day vigil, sponsored by the Princeton-based Coalition for Peace Action (CFPA), held signs saying “End the Famine,” “End Afghan Sanctions,” “Unfreeze Afghan Funds,” and a Valentine’s message, ”Send Love to Afghanistan.”     

As the sun set, the demonstrators traded their posters for battery-powered candles, which they held for the last 15 minutes of the vigil “to demonstrate our care and compassion by
asking policymakers to extend some love and support to the people of Afghanistan,” a CFPA press release stated.

CFPA Executive Director the Rev. Robert Moore emphasized the urgency of the current crisis in Afghanistan, where more than a million Afghan children under age 5 are in imminent danger of dying from starvation.  “Our harsh economic sanctions, freezing of the government’s assets, and cut-off of aid have left the Afghan people in dire straits. Nearly 23 million people are facing potentially life-threatening starvation this winter.”

He added, “We’re encouraging members of Congress to press the administration to change course and ensure that aid gets to Afghans and the Afghan economy has the liquidity it needs to stay afloat.” more

Council Votes to Take Another Look At a Handicapped Parking Ordinance

By Anne Levin

Following a public hearing for an ordinance establishing a restricted zone for handicapped parking at a residence at 51 Hawthorne Avenue, Princeton Council voted 5-1 at its Monday, February 14 meeting not to approve the measure. Instead, plans are for the ordinance to be reintroduced after a more detailed set of criteria is created.

Council approved an ordinance closing a loophole related to stormwater regulation, and took part in a work session on Phase 2 of the Witherspoon Street Improvement Project, which covers Green Street to Franklin Avenue.

Bruce Lawton, who lives at 51 Hawthorne Avenue with his wife, who needs the handicapped parking designation, told Council that the topography of the property makes it especially difficult to get in and out. Several of his neighbors wrote letters to Council in favor of the passing the ordinance. The couple already have traffic cones and signage in front of their house, but it is not official and the space is often taken, Lawton said.

While all of the Council members sympathized with the couple’s request, some expressed concern that the ordinance could set an unfavorable precedent. “I certainly wish no harm to them, but I think they already have their designated parking place in front of their house,” said Councilmember Leighton Newlin. “It seems clear to me that if we adopt this ordinance that will identify a particular home and parking space, we should be prepared to set ourselves up for many, many requests for the entirety of the town of Princeton. I’m just cautioning the people who are going to make this decision not to look for a problem that already has a solution.”

Councilmember David Cohen said, “In certain neighborhoods, there are large numbers of residents who do not have on-street parking. Will residents see that as an opportunity to get a reserved space on the street, which has never been possible before?” more