January 15, 2025

Community Welcomes New PPS Superintendent

By Donald Gilpin

Michael LaSusa

Last week’s special meeting of the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education (BOE), which has grappled with more than its share of difficult issues over the past few years, was unusual in both tone and content.

“Everybody is smiling,” said BOE Chair Dafna Kendal as she opened the meeting. “It’s my ninth year as a Board member, and I’ve never had a meeting like this. Thank you all for indulging me.”

The upbeat mood continued for the full 33 minutes of the meeting as the BOE unanimously appointed Michael LaSusa as the next PPS superintendent before adjourning for celebratory cake and refreshments with the group of about 50 enthusiastic supporters gathered in the Valley Road administration building conference room. more

Preservation Commission Endorses Proposal for Witherspoon Project

By Anne Levin

Following a review by Princeton’s Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) that stretched into two sessions last week, Hillier Properties LLC was given approval to take its application for restorations and construction of several properties in the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood to the next step.

The proposal will go in front of the Planning Board at a Zoom meeting on Thursday, January 23 at 7 p.m., where there will be an opportunity for more public comment.

Witherspoon Hall was nearly two thirds full at the initial HPC meeting on January 8. Architect J. Robert Hillier, publisher of Town Topics newspaper, gave an overview of the project, which involves the restoration of several houses and other buildings he owns — 15 on Witherspoon Street and one on Quarry Street — and construction of new buildings behind them. The goal is to preserve the architectural character of the existing buildings; the newer structures, which will contain apartments, would be in a more contemporary style. more

Service Opportunities, Cultural Events, Religious Services, and More on Tap for MLK Jr. Day

By Donald Gilpin

Next Monday, January 20 is a federal holiday honoring the life and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., a civil rights leader and renowned proponent of nonviolent resistance in his quest for racial equality and justice. Many events and service opportunities will be held in the area, as Princeton and the U.S. celebrate King’s life, work, and beliefs.

“As we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we are reminded that the dream he shared was not merely aspirational — it was a call to action,” Princeton Councilman Leighton Newlin wrote in a January 13 email. “Today, in the face of profound division, fear, and uncertainty, his words, and his work, demand more of us than ever before.”

He continued, “Dr. King’s legacy teaches us not to surrender in the face of adversity but to rise above it. We shall overcome — not because it is inevitable, but because we are determined. We are winners. more

Princeton University Center For Human Values

Kingston Historical Society Hosts Talks On Different Aspects of Town’s Heritage

SMALL BUT SIGNIFICANT: One of the oldest communities in Central New Jersey, Kingston — depicted on this early map — is the subject of three events taking place at the Kingston United Methodist Church. The first is on January 19 at 2:30 p.m.

By Anne Levin

Thinking about what might engage history-minded members of the public during the winter months, members of the Kingston Historical Society (KHS) came up with a new idea.

“Tea Time Talks” on three winter Sundays — starting this Sunday, January 19 at 2:30 p.m. — are 15-minute lectures at the Kingston United Methodist Church, each with a different focus. Afterward, there is time for tea and conversations with the presenters. more

Resolution Approved at Council Meeting is First Step in Renovation of Community Park South

By Anne Levin

A resolution authorizing an agreement with a consulting company for the revamping of Community Park South was among the actions taken at a brief meeting of Princeton Council on Monday evening, January 13.

Council voted unanimously to give The Bowman Consulting Group $709,201.50 for the first phase of the initiative, which involves renovation of the 26-acre expanse bordered by Route 206, Birch Avenue, Community Park School, and Community Park Pool. The project has been on Princeton’s “to do” list since the mid-1980s, officials said.

The contract with Bowman is for the entire three-phase program, but the town can’t afford to do it all at once. more

Henry “Hank” Pannell Devoted His Life to Serving His Princeton Community

By Donald Gilpin

Henry F. Pannell

Henry F. Pannell, who died at his home on December 21, 2024 at the age of 85, is remembered in many tributes over the past weeks as “an activist and visionary, who spent his life giving back to the community that raised him as a child,” as stated in his official obituary published on legacy.com by Campbell Funeral Chapel of Trenton and originally delivered as a eulogy by Kathryn Watterson.

“Henry ‘Hank’ Pannell was not just a man of Witherspoon-Jackson; he was Witherspoon-Jackson — a cornerstone of our neighborhood, a keeper of its stories, and a builder of its future,” Councilman Leighton Newlin told the congregation gathered for the December 31 funeral at the First Baptist Church of Princeton.

“Hank was a true gentleman and a mentor to me all my life,” said longtime Princeton resident and former Councilman Lance Liverman. “I’ve known him all my life. You could always learn from him, and not just one thing, but many things.”

 more

Dylan’s Idiot Wind: Still Blowing, From the Fires of L.A. to the Capitol

By Stuart Mitchner

Blowing through the buttons of our coats / Blowing through the letters that we wrote / Idiot wind / Blowing through the dust upon our shelves….” The next lines, and the last, of Bob Dylan’s song are “We’re idiots, babe / It’s a wonder we can even feed ourselves.”

If the Dylan of Rough and Rowdy Ways truly contains multitudes, “we’re idiots” means everybody. In his 2004 memoir, Chronicles: Volume One, Dylan claims that his 1975 album Blood On The Tracks was “based on Chekhov short stories,” a reference that resonates in the Chekhovian sensibility behind that line. It’s said that Dylan’s revised the lyric over the years, but however you read it, the wording covers a lot of beautiful and unbeautiful universal ground, not just the relationship between the singer and his wife.

Meanwhile the idiot writing this column has been busy for days on an article about the new film A Complete Unknown. Besides being fixated on New York in January 1961 when the city was buried in snow and you could ski on lower Fifth Avenue, I’ve been staring over my shoulder at the devastation the idiot winds of Santa Ana have inflicted on my wife’s Pacific Palisades homeland. more

Winter Ensemble Concerts By Youth Orchestra of NJ

GUEST FLUTIST: Patrick Williams, associate principal flutist of The Philadelphia Orchestra, will perform with the Youth Orchestra of Central Jersey on January 19 at Kendall Hall, The College of New Jersey, Ewing.

The Youth Orchestra of Central Jersey (YOCJ) will hold its Winter Large Ensemble Concert on Sunday, January 19 at 8 p.m. with YOCJ’s Symphonic Orchestra featuring soloist Patrick Williams, associate principal flutist of The Philadelphia Orchestra, at Kendall Hall, the College of New Jersey, Ewing.

The YOCJ’s Saxophone Choir will also perform at that concert. Earlier in the day, at 3 p.m., the Wind Symphony, Sinfonietta String Orchestra, and Pro Arte Orchestra will play. more

The Crossing Performs Work by David Lang

David Lang
(Photo by Peter Serling)

On Tuesday, February 4 at 7:30 p.m., The Crossing, a three-time Grammy Award-winning chamber choir, performs David Lang’s poor hymnal at Richardson Auditorium. The concert is presented by McCarter Theatre.

In poor hymnal, Lang wonders “if the hymns of a community that did not want to forget our responsibilities to each other, and that wanted to make our responsibilities to each other the central tenet of our coming together, might be different from the hymns that we are singing now.”

Premiered in December 2023 in Philadelphia, the concert-length work immediately entered The Crossing’s canon. Lang is a winner of the Pulitzer, Grammy, Bessie, and Obie awards, and an Academy Award nominee. A co-founder of the Bang on a Can collective, his work has been performed at concert halls and theaters around the world, including numerous times at Lincoln Center.

Tickets are $43-$68. Visit Mccarter.org.

Happy Birthday

With his friend violinist Leila Josefowicz by his side, Princeton Symphony Orchestra Music Director Rossen Milanov was surprised by a birthday cake rolled on stage at the start of his 60th birthday concert at Richardson Auditorium on Saturday, January 11. Before starting the program of music by Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky, the orchestra and Josefowicz also performed “Happy Birthday” with the audience joining in.

ACP to Host Art Workshop In Honor of MLK Jr. Day

ART MAKING AT ACP: The Arts Council of Princeton will honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day with an art-making workshop led by artist Tamara Torres on Monday, January 20 from 1 to 3 p.m. The event is free and open to all ages.

The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) will honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day with an art-making workshop, food drive, and community gathering, free and open to all ages.

In this workshop, artist Tamara Torres will lead participants to explore color’s varying effects on emotions and, together, discuss ways to express feelings through abstract art. Participants will spend 10 minutes to create freely on a sheet of paper, allowing themselves to express their feelings without the constraints of perfection, rules, or judgment. Afterward, they’ll be challenged to tear up their paper and use the pieces to create a new collage that represents a different perspective, transforming it into something new. This exercise encourages conversations about changing perspectives and looking at things in a fresh way.  more

Works by Charles David Viera Coming to Trenton City Museum

“ON A SHORT LEASH”: This acrylic painting is featured in “Charles David Viera: Selected Works 2006-2025,” on view January 24 to March 30 at the Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie. An opening reception is on January 25 from 4 to 6 p.m.

The Trenton City Museum at the Ellarslie will present “Charles David Viera: Selected Works 2006-2025,” on view January 24 to March 30. The exhibition will feature works selected by Joan Perkes and Janis Purcell from Viera’s paintings and drawings created from 2006 to the present. The public is invited to an opening reception on Saturday, January 25 from 4 to 6 p.m.

The artworks chosen include a variety of paintings and pastel drawings from this versatile artist,  some of which have never been exhibited locally before and several acquired from personal collections.  more

12th Annual “Youth Art Exhibition” at Phillips’ Mill

“YOUTH ART EXHIBITION” Anagha Kannurpatti of Council Rock High School North in Newtown, Pa., took First Place in the Works on Paper category for “Illumination” in last year’s student exhibition at the Phillips’ Mill Community Association.

Twelve years after its debut, the “Youth Art Exhibition” at Phillips’ Mill Community Association continues to showcase the artwork of area high school students. It will be on view at the historic mill on weekends January 26 through February 16, from 12 to 4 p.m. The show can also be viewed online at www.phillipsmill.org/art/youth-art-exhibition.

Art teachers at 24 area high schools curate the artwork, submitting paintings, works on paper, photography, digital art, and 3-dimensional work. The schools participating this year are Central Bucks High School East, Central Bucks High School West, Central Bucks High School South, Council Rock High School North, Council Rock High School South, Ewing High School, George School, Hillsborough High School, Holy Ghost Preparatory School, Hopewell Valley Central High School, Hunterdon Central Regional High School, Neshaminy High School, New Hope-Solebury High School, Notre Dame High School, Pennsbury High School, Princeton Day School, Solebury School, Stuart Country Day School, The Hun School, The Pennington School, Upper Dublin High School, West Windsor-Plainsboro North, West Windsor-Plainsboro South, and Villa Victoria. more

“Splendid By Design”

This oil painting by Mike Mann is featured in “Trio,” his joint exhibition with Judith Marchand and David Horowitz, on view through March 3 at the Green Building Center, 67 Bridge Street, Lambertville.

PU Women’s Hoops Edges Harvard in Dramatic Fashion As Chea’s Buzzer-Beater Makes the Difference in 52-50 Win

BUZZER-BEATER: Princeton University women’s basketball player Ashley Chea looks to unload the ball in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, sophomore guard Chea drained a buzzer-beating shot to provide the margin of victory as Princeton defeated Harvard 52-50. The Tigers, now 11-4 overall and 2-0 Ivy League, host Dartmouth (8-7 overall, 2-0 Ivy) in January 18 before playing at Columbia (11-4 overall, 2-0 Ivy) on January 20. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

The fans at Jadwin Gym rose to their feet last Saturday afternoon as Ashley Chea’s last-second shot flew through the air with the Princeton University women’s basketball team locked in a 50-50 tie against Harvard.

While many in the crowd of 1,961 held their breath, Princeton sophomore guard Chea and the rest of the Tigers had no doubt that her step-back jumper would be good. more

PU Men’s Basketball Overcomes Injuries, Illness In Edging Harvard 68-64 to Open Ivy Campaign

OPENING STATEMENT: Princeton University men’s basketball player Xaivian Lee soars to the hoop for a layup in recent action. Last Saturday, junior star guard Lee scored a game-high 22 points to help Princeton defeat Harvard 68-64 in the Ivy League opener for both teams. The Tigers, now 12-4 overall and 1-0 Ivy, play at Dartmouth (7-7 overall, 1-0 Ivy) on January 18 before hosting Columbia (11-3 Ivy, 0-1 Ivy) on January 20. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Justin Feil

Road games in the course of an arduous Ivy League men’s basketball campaign are never easy.

Add in some injuries and illness and the Princeton University men’s hoops team had a test of its toughness, making it pleased to get out of Boston with a 68-64 win at Harvard in its Ivy season opener last Saturday. It marked Princeton’s seventh straight win over the Crimson. more

After Being Sidelined for 2 Months Due to Injury, Rubin’s Return Giving a Lift to PU Men’s Hockey

BACK IN ACTION: Princeton University men’s hockey player Tyler Rubin, left, chases down the puck in a 2022 game. Last Friday, junior defenseman Rubin scored a goal in a losing cause as Princeton fell 4-2 to Quinnipiac. The Tigers, who lost 3-0 to Quinnipiac on Saturday in the second game of a home-and-home set to move to 6-8-1 overall and 3-5-1 ECAC Hockey, host Cornell on January 17 and Colgate on January 18. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Tyler Rubin wasn’t fazed even though the Princeton University men’s hockey team found itself trailing Quinnipiac 3-0 in the second period last Friday night.

“We were in the same situation last weekend and we have a lot of belief in ourselves in how we compete and our detail,” said Princeton junior defenseman Rubin, referring to a rally by the Tigers against New Hampshire on January 4 which saw them claw back from a 3-0 deficit to knot the game at 3-3 before losing 4-3. more

With Junior Guard Bess Emerging as Top Scorer, PHS Boys’ Hoops Making Progress Despite 2-7 Start

RISING STAR: Princeton High boys’ basketball player Michael Bess Jr. floats with the ball in a game last season. Junior guard Bess has emerged as the go-to scorer for the Tigers this winter, averaging a team-high 20.0 points a game. PHS, who moved to 2-7 with a 60-44 win over Pioneer Academy last Saturday, plays at Robbinsville on January 16 and at WW/P-North on January 21. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Michael Bess Jr. was part of the supporting cast last winter in his sophomore season for the Princeton High boys’ basketball team.

Making his varsity debut, Bess was the third leading scorer for the Tigers behind senior stars Jahan Owusu and Jihad Wilder. more

Stewart Comes Up Big on his Senior Night, Helping PDS Boys’ Hoops Edge Willingboro

TURNING THE CORNER: Princeton Day School boys’ basketball player Adam Stewart, left, looks for room along the baseline last Friday as PDS hosted Willingboro. Senior star Stewart scored eight points in the game to help the Panthers edge Willingboro 36-35. PDS, who improved to 4-5 with the win, plays at South Brunswick on January 16 before hosting Trenton Central on January 21. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Adam Stewart beamed as he was introduced last Friday on his Senior Night for the Princeton Day School boys’ basketball team.

With posters of Stewart and fellow senior Abdoulaye Seydi on the wall in the gym and joined by his parents, Stewart soaked in a loud ovation from the crowd packing the stands. more

Senior Goalie Donoghue Comes Up Big As Hun Boys’ Hockey Ties Notre Dame 1-1

By Bill Alden

Patrick Donoghue and his teammates on the Hun School boys’ hockey team were primed to get off to a good start in 2025 when they hosted Notre Dame last Wednesday in their first action of the new year.

“We were ready,” said senior goalie Donoghue. “We had practice yesterday and were fired up for our first game. We came in guns blazing.”

In the first period, Donoghue was on fire between the pipes, making 12 saves as Hun jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a goal from Bailey Cook assisted by Ezra Broomer and Andrew Darst. more

January 8, 2025

Fire Away

More than 50 reenactor regiments participated in the 2025 Experience the Battle of Princeton event on Sunday morning at Princeton Battlefield State Park on Mercer Road. Attendees share what brought them to the reenactment in this week’s Town Talk on page 6. (Photo by Sarah Teo)

Mike LaSusa To Be New Schools Superintendent

By Donald Gilpin

The Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education (BOE) voted on the appointment of School District of the Chathams Superintendent Mike LaSusa as the next superintendent of PPS at a special board meeting on Wednesday, January 8 at 5:30 p.m.

Kathie Foster has been serving as acting/interim superintendent since November 2023, following former Superintendent Carol Kelley’s resignation after just over two years at the helm. Foster will continue to lead the PPS until July 1, when LaSusa will take over to serve a term of a minimum of three and a maximum of five years.

An Ad Hoc Superintendent Search Committee launched the superintendent search in August, held numerous forums, and conducted a community survey in collaboration with a search firm in the following months, and has been reading applications and confidentially interviewing candidates over the past two months. more

RSV Levels Rising; Local Health Officials Assess the Situation

By Donald Gilpin

Runny noses, coughing, sneezing, fever — respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases are on the rise, with cold-like symptoms that are often mild but can cause severe illness in some people, including babies, older adults, and the immunocompromised.

RSV is the leading cause of childhood illness and hospitalization in infants, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which also recently reported that more than half the counties in New Jersey have a “very high” percentage of emergency department visits for RSV. Emergency room visits for RSV in Mercer County were described as “moderate.”

Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center Emergency Medicine Chair and Faculty Medical Director Colleen Marchetta, DO, FAAEM, reported, “Post-holiday, we have already seen a significant increase in patient visits to our Emergency Department for respiratory illnesses.”  more

After Nearly Two Years of Chats, Leighton Newlin is Still Listening

By Anne Levin

During his first run for a seat on Princeton Council in 2021, Leighton Newlin spent a lot of time walking through every neighborhood in town, talking with people about issues that were on their minds. He was halfway into his first term on the governing body when it struck him that few of those people were showing up at Council meetings to ask questions or air their concerns.

“I realized that some people felt intimidated by Council meetings,” he said. “And I thought, if people have questions but are reluctant to ask them, maybe I’ll go out and try to talk to them at a different place every week, and see what the response is.”

That was in April 2023 — the official debut of “Leighton Listens.” On almost every Wednesday since, Newlin has visited a local gathering spot to do just that — listen. Since the first session at Hinds Plaza, at which five people showed up, Newlin has been hearing about issues of concern from a range of people, some of whom have become regulars. more