January 1, 2025

Juried Photography Exhibit At Gallery 14 in Hopewell

“AUTUMN GLORY”: This work by Valerie Chaucer Levine is featured in the “Annual Juried Photography Exhibition” on view January 11 through February 2 at Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography in Hopewell.

Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography presents its “Annual Juried Photography Exhibition” January 11 through February 2. An awards ceremony and meet the artists reception with light refreshments are on Saturday, January 11 from 1 to 3 p.m.

There were 33 artists accepted into this exhibition with 50 images to be displayed in the gallery.

Gallery 14  Fine Art Photography is a co-op gallery located at 14 Mercer Street in Hopewell. It is dedicated to the promotion of photography as a fine art form. Its members work in all photographic styles.

Gallery hours are Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. or by appointment. To make an appointment, email galleryfourteen@yahoo.com. For more information, visit gallery14.org.

“Mark Sfirri: The Flower Show” Exhibit at Michener Museum

“THE FLOWER SHOW”: Turned wood botanicals by Bucks County artist Mark Sfirri  are featured in an exhibition at the Michener Museum in Doylestown, Pa., through May 4.

Bucks County artist and woodworker Mark Sfirri’s first solo exhibition at the Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, Pa.,  displays an all-new springtime series, resulting from a two-year obsession with turned wood flowers. This garden of botanical creations is on view through May 4.

The concept for “Mark Sfirri: The Flower Show” emerged when the artist learned that his son’s wedding venue, the Museum for Art in Wood in Philadelphia, did not allow cut flowers at events in order to protect its collection from potential bugs, pests, and pollen. Sfirri decided to make the wedding flowers himself, creating a bouquet for the bride and a boutonniere for the groom. The preoccupation continued for years as he incorporated different exotic woods, painted elements, and produced more elaborate compositions. more

Setting Goals and Improving Sports Skills is Mission of The Better Athlete Program

WORKING OUT: “In our program, we work on the importance of health, stress reduction, and relationships, as well as helping the students improve their athletic skill and performance. I try to help build physically resilient and mentally strong athletes on and off the field.” Alana Asch, owner of The Better Athlete sports program, enjoys demonstrating workout techniques to her clients.”

By Jean Stratton

Alana Asch’s mission is to help young athletes improve their performance on the field or on the court, and at the same time boost their self confidence in all areas of their life.

Owner of The Better Athlete program, Coach Asch brings special skills to her new endeavor. more

PU, Local High School Teams Made 2024 a Topsy-Turvy Year, Creating a Slew of Highlights Along with Postseason Drama

FINAL PUSH: Princeton University women’s basketball player Ellie Mitchell pushes past a foe in a game last season. Power forward Michell was named the Ivy Defensive Player of the Year for the third time in her career and was a second-team All-Ivy choice. She ended her Tiger career with 1,125 rebounds, the most-ever at Princeton for either a men’s or women’s player. Mitchell’s gritty play was a key factor in Princeton’s success last winter as it went 25-5, winning both the Ivy regular season title and the league’s postseason tournament. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Over the course of 2024, Princeton University athletic teams and local high school sports programs produced a number of highlight moments along with some dramatic postseason near-misses.

In the winter season, the Princeton University men’s basketball team appeared to be building on the success it experienced during its magic ride to the NCAA Sweet 16 in March 2023, getting off to a 24-3 start on the way to winning its third straight Ivy League regular season crown. Things went awry, though, in the postseason as the Tigers were stunned by Brown in the Ivy tournament semis and then lost to UNLV in the first round of the NIT. The Princeton women’s hoops squad won the Ivy regular season title and tournament and seemed poised for an NCAA run. Facing West Virginia in a first-round contest, the Tigers rallied to trail by seven late in the game but ended up falling 63-53 to end the winter at 25-5. The Princeton women’s squash team brought a 12-2 record into the College Squash Association (CSA) Howe Cup final but fell short of a national title as it lost 6-2 to Trinity.

On the high school scene, the Princeton High girls’ swim team produced a dominant winter, rolling to its third consecutive Mercer County Championships title. Going for their second straight state crown, the Tigers won the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Group B sectional title and then topped Shawnee in the Group B state semis before getting edged 89-81 by fellow powerhouse Chatham in the state final. The Princeton Day School girls’ hockey went 7-3 down the stretch, winning the Librera Cup and advancing to the NJSIAA state tournament semis. The Panthers led 3-1 early in the third period against Immaculate Heart in the semifinal contest, only to fall 4-3. The PDS boys’ hockey team won their NJSIAA Non-Public first round contest and then nearly pulled the upset of the tournament as they battled eventual state champion St. Augustine tooth-and-nail before falling 3-2 in overtime. more

Overcoming Injury to Emerge as a Stalwart for PU Wrestling, Senior Star Stout Primed to End Tiger Career on a High Note

SUCCESS WITHIN HIS GRASP: Princeton University wrestler Luke Stout, top, controls a foe earlier in his Tiger career. Senior star and co-captain Stout is primed to end his final Princeton season on a high note as the Tigers get into the 2025 portion of their schedule. Princeton, now 2-4 in duals, hosts West Virginia on January 4 at Jadwin Gym. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Justin Feil

Luke Stout can appreciate his achievements in his first three years for the Princeton University wrestling team.

The senior at 197 pounds has been a steady contributor in the Tigers lineup since freshman year and qualified each season for the NCAA Championships. more

Tall Raises Her Game with Double-Double As PU Women’s Hoops Tops Middle Tennessee

TALL TALE: Princeton University women’s basketball player Fadima Tall looks to pass through the ball in a game earlier this season. Last Sunday, sophomore guard/forward Tall recorded a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds, both career-highs, as the Tigers rolled to a 64-51 victory over Middle Tennessee State. Princeton, which improved to 8-4 with the win, was slated to host LeMoyne on December 31 and then start Ivy League play by hosting Cornell on January 4. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Fadima Tall realized that she would have to raise her game this winter for the Princeton University women’s basketball team when star guard Madison St Rose went down for the season in November due to a knee injury.

“Personally, I know that I have to contribute more, not only rebounding-wise but offensively,” said sophomore guard/forward Tall, a 6’0 native of Silver Spring, Md. “That is just finding my shot throughout the game and being more of a distributor, looking for those assists and those points on offense.” more

David Xu Helps Key Rally for PHS Boys’ Swim Team As it Edges WW/P-South to Remain Undefeated at 6-0

BREATHLESS PACE: Princeton High boys’ swimmer David Xu takes a breath during the breaststroke leg as he placed first in the 200 individual medley to help the Tigers produce a dramatic rally in edging WW/P-South 86-84 on December 19 in their last action before the holiday break. PHS, now 6-0, starts the 2025 portion of its schedule by hosting WW/P-North on January 9. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

David Xu was primed to give his all for the Princeton High boys’ swimming team as it looked to rally past WW/P-South in a battle of unbeaten squads in the final meet of 2024.

The Tigers found themselves behind the Pirates 82-74 heading into the 400-yard freestyle relay, the final event of the December 19 clash between the rivals. more

With Senior Chorba Excelling in Distance Events, PHS Girls’ Swim Team Produces Strong 5-1 Start

GOING THE DISTANCE: Princeton High girls’ swimmer Elizabeth Chorba heads to a third-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle as PHS faced WW/P-South on December 19 in its last meet of 2024. Chorba took second at the 500 free in the meet as the Tigers fell 91-79 to the Pirates. PHS, now 5-1, starts 2025 action by hosting WW/P-North on January 9. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Although the Princeton High girls’ swimming team ended 2024 by losing 91-79 to WW/P-South to suffer its first loss in a regular season dual meet since December 17, 2019 (a 93-77 defeat to South), Elizabeth Chorba saw no reason for the Tigers to hang their heads.

“Seeing the score at the halfway mark, some people were a little disappointed,” said senior star and co-captain Chorba reflecting on the December 19 meet. “After that, we shifted our focus to yeah we want to try to get points, but it is also OK if we lose, so just swim for fun and enjoy it. Have a good time.” more

Fueled by Romain’s Emergence as a Star, PHS Girls’ Hoops Looking Formidable at 4-1

HARD DRIVING: Princeton High girls’ basketball player Sephora Romain drives to the hoop in recent action. Last Saturday, junior guard Romain scored eight points and had three rebounds as PHS fell 50-47 to Delaware Valley in the semifinals of the WW/P-South Tournament. The Tigers, who dropped to 4-1 with the loss, were slated to play Somerville on December 30 to wrap up action in the WW/P-S event and then play at Nottingham on January 3 before hosting Hopewell Valley on January 7. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Princeton High girls’ basketball team trailing Delaware Valley 20-10 after the first quarter last Saturday in the semifinals of the WW/P-South Tournament, Sephora Romain went into overdrive.

“I feel like we needed to move more,” said junior guard Romain. “I tried to take it and pick it up. I just took it and went to the hoop.”

Making several forays to the basket, Romain scored eight points as the Tigers outscored Del Val 13-11 in the second quarter to keep PHS in the contest.

Continuing to battle back, the Tigers drew to within 40-37 heading into the fourth quarter. Putting together a 10-3 run, PHS forged ahead 47-46 with 1:33 left in regulation. The Terriers, though, responded by draining four free throws in the waning moments of the contest to pull out a 50-47 win. more

Sparked by Davidson’s 4-Goal Outburst, PHS Girls’ Hockey Ends 2024 with 1st Win

By Bill Alden

Taylor Davidson didn’t waste any time setting the tone for the Princeton High girls’ hockey team as it hosted Newark East Side in its last action of 2024.

Racing up the ice at Hobey Baker Rink, sophomore defender Davidson blasted the puck into the back of the goal to give PHS a 1-0 lead 1:50 into the December 20 contest.

About 11 minutes later, Davidson struck again, tallying her second goal as the Tigers doubled their lead to 2-0. more

December 25, 2024

The Finishing Touch

Creativity was on display at the Gingerbread House Decorating and Family Night event last week at Morven Museum & Garden. Attendees share their favorite holiday traditions in this week’s Town Talk on page 6. (Photo by Sarah Teo)

Council Approves PILOT for Seminary Site

By Anne Levin

At a meeting of Princeton Council on Thursday evening, December 19, the governing body voted to approve an ordinance granting a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement to the redeveloper of the former Tennent-Roberts-Whiteley campus of Princeton Theological Seminary.

Herring Properties plans to build a 238-unit apartment complex, with 20 percent designated affordable, on a 4.8 acre site. The PILOT agreement exempts the developer from taxes for 30 to 35 years, during which 95 percent in special payments are made to the municipality, and 5 percent to Mercer County.

In a letter to Council earlier in the day, Princeton Board of Education President Dafna Kendal asked that money from those payments be shared with the public schools.  more

Panelists Discuss “New Era for Syria” and the Middle East

By Donald Gilpin

On the morning of December 8, Islamist rebel troops entered Damascus, Syria’s capital. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia, ending his 24-year regime, which had followed his father’s 29-year rule. Ahmed al-Shara, leader of the rebel faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which was formerly linked to Al Qaeda, has called for their terrorist label to be removed and for the U.S. and others to lift all sanctions on Syria. Many other countries, in addition to Iran and Russia, which withdrew their support for Assad shortly before the coup, are involved in Syria with various conflicting agendas.

“We don’t know how that will end,” said one of the experts at a December 17 panel discussion on “A New Era for Syria,” sponsored by Princeton University’s School for Public and International Affairs. That was a sentiment that all could agree on.

Offering a wide range of knowledge and perspectives, the panelists included Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs Dean Amaney A. Jamal, who also moderated the discussion; Deborah Amos, Princeton journalism professor and a longtime international correspondent at National Public Radio and elsewhere; Zaid Al-Ali, a visiting research fellow and lecturer at Princeton and the Senior Program Manager on Constitution Building for the Arab Region at International IDEA; and Marwan Muasher, who is vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the former foreign minister (2002-04) and deputy prime minister (2004-05) of Jordan. more

Robeson House Restoration Near Completion; Construction, Cultural Plans Move Forward

By Donald Gilpin

The Paul Robeson House of Princeton (PRHP) is preparing to open its doors to the public in time to celebrate in April of 2025, the 127th anniversary of Robeson’s birth.

Restoration and reconstruction of the house at 110 Witherspoon Street where Robeson was born is approaching the final stages, and the board of directors of the Robeson House is currently launching a campaign to raise $600,000 to help complete the project.

“From foundational work to the completion of essential walkways, entrances, and gallery windows, each step forward is a testament to the enduring strength of our community,” the board wrote in a recent letter to supporters. more

Despite Opening Just Before the Pandemic, The Martin Center for Dance has Thrived

CELEBRATING AN ANNIVERSARY: The Martin Center for Dance is marking its fifth anniversary with a special open house on January 17. Pictured from left when the school opened are Mary Barton, Maria Youskevitch, Mary Pat Robertson, and Kirk Peterson. Douglas Martin is seated in front. All are still affiliated with the school.

By Anne Levin

Just a few months after opening the Martin Center for Dance in Lawrence five years ago, longtime dancers/choreographers Douglas Martin and Mary Barton were hit with what could have been the worst news possible: the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the couple, who are married, were quick to realize the possibilities of online teaching. As a result, the fledgling school has not only survived — it has thrived. more

SPIA Speaker Andre Barnes Calls for Tighter U.S. Policies on Immigration

By Donald Gilpin

Andre Barnes

Immigration policy was a decisive issue in the recent election, as it has been a widely debated issue around the world and is certain to be a controversial topic in Washington and throughout the country when the Trump administration takes office in the new year.

Andre Barnes, the HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) engagement director for Numbers USA, spoke to a group of about 25 at Princeton University’s School for Public and International Affairs (SPIA) earlier this month, discussing how mass immigration impacts Black Americans. NumbersUSA describes itself as “a nonpartisan public policy organization,” though its restrictive position on immigration is strongly favored by conservatives.

Barnes stressed his focus on “the humanitarian dilemma in immigration policy.” He noted, “Helping one category of person deserving compassion can undermine another category also deserving compassion,” claiming that “domestic humanitarian concerns” can clash with “international humanitarian concerns.” more

Producer of Popular Podcast “Inconceivable Truth” To Discuss Search for Family with Fellow Journalist

By Anne Levin

Growing up on Long Island with his mother and stepfather, Matt Katz had little contact with his biological father — or the man assumed to be his dad.

It was later in life, when his future wife took him to meet her grandmother, that he started to wonder. The grandmother commented that Katz, who like his fiancé was raised Jewish, actually looked Irish. Katz was, by then, a well-known journalist. His curiosity was piqued.

He decided to take a home DNA test. The results were shocking. He was half Jewish, and half Irish. Since his mother’s first husband, the man thought to be his father, was Jewish, it didn’t make sense. more

Scott Fitzgerald and Jimmy Stewart Give a Princeton Touch to Christmas 2024

By Stuart Mitchner

One of my most vivid memories is of coming back West from prep school and later from college at Christmas time.

—F. Scott Fitzgerald

My preferred Santa of the moment is the one trudging up the Union Square subway stairs on the cover of the December 16 New Yorker, a heavy red bag slung over his shoulder, one hand on the railing, snow falling. I like the noirish urban darkness of Eric Drooker’s image, the way the Con Ed building is framed, the fading portrait of a beloved city against a blank sky. I also like the touch of mortal menace. Will Santa make it to his next stop before he’s mugged or run down by a drunken driver?

The Poetry of Gatsby

The epigraph I’ve used here comes from F. Scott Fitzgerald and may sound routinely autobiographical, but is actually crucial to The Great Gatsby, which will celebrate its centenary next year. Nick Carraway’s line about coming home from college at Christmas sets the stage for the concluding reference to Gatsby’s dream, “which must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night.” That’s where the poem that is The Great Gatsby truly ends; the two short paragraphs that follow, about the “orgastic future” and “boats against the current,” are prosaic and workmanlike by comparison.  more

Princeton Pro Musica Rings in Holidays with “A Feast of Carols”

By Nancy Plum

Princeton Pro Musica pulled out all the stops recently for a performance of international music for the season, much of which was arranged by the ensemble’s Artistic Director Ryan J. Brandau. The concert on December 15 attended by a festive full house at Richardson Auditorium brought together chorus, orchestra, and two vocal soloists for an eclectic afternoon of music spanning the globe, multiple centuries, and languages.

Brandau has established a deserved reputation as an arranger and orchestrator, and a significant part of Pro Musica’s program showed off his talents. “Mash-ups” of two or more musical numbers put together are popular in the choral world, and Brandau included several of his own in the performance. The concert opened with a combination piece of “O Come Emmanuel” and “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” as set by Brandau. With supertitles and Pro Musica’s trademark precise diction, Brandau’s composition moved seamlessly between the medieval chant and the 17th-century English carol. Introduced by solo cellist Melissa Meell and delicately accompanied by harpist André Tarantiles, the two selections well demonstrated Pro Musica’s blended choral sound. more

Stepping and Other Styles At Step Afrika! Performance

DANCE, SONGS, AND MORE: Step Afrika! Brings traditional dances, music, and audience participation to State Theatre New Jersey on January 17. (Photo by Sandi Horvat)

State Theatre New Jersey presents Step Afrika! on Friday, January 17 at 7:30 p.m. The production blends percussive dance styles, traditional African dances, stepping, and contemporary dance and art forms. Much more than a dance show, Step Afrika! also integrates songs, storytelling, humor, and audience participation. Tickets range from $29-$99.

Founded in 1994 by C. Brian Williams, Step Afrika! is the world’s leading authority on the artform of stepping. Under Williams’ leadership, stepping has evolved into one of America’s cultural exports, touring more than 60 countries across the globe and ranking as one of the top 10 African American Dance Companies in the U.S.  more

“Next Forever” Artist Commissions Announced by Lewis Arts Center

Kate Douglas
(Photo by Stephanie Crousillat)

Princeton University’s High Meadows Environmental Institute, Lewis Center for the Arts, and The Civilians, a New York City-based theater company, have announced the 2024-25 artists of their collaborative initiative, The Next Forever, Kate Douglas and Kate Tarker. The Next Forever is a partnership that seeks to create new stories for a changing planet, exploring how dynamic storytelling can engage vital environmental subjects and provide the vision and inspiration society needs to navigate the challenges of our planet’s future — the “next forever.”

The two artists will spend time on the Princeton University campus as guest artists, engage with faculty and students across disciplines, and participate in an ongoing series of public events and performances over the course of a year-long residency and two-year commissioning agreement. They join last year’s inaugural artists Kareem Fahmy and AriDy Nox, who are continuing to develop the works they began during their residencies last year.

Douglas is a writer, performer, and composer. Her recent work includes The Apiary, nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award; Tulipa through New York Stage and Film; and hag with co-writer Grace McLean through The New Group. She has been awarded residencies at SPACE on Ryder Farm, Swale House on Governors Island, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, Millay Arts, and Goodspeed Musicals, among others. Her upcoming projects include Centuries starring opposite her co-writers Matthew Dean Marsh and Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez at Ancram Center for the Arts. She holds a certificate in sustainable garden design from New York Botanical Garden. more

African American Spirituals To Be Sung by Keith Spencer

The Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum (SSAAM) will ring in the new year with “Lord, Write My Name – The Gospel and African American Experience in Spirituals,” featuring baritone Keith Spencer and award-winning composer/pianist Peter Hilliard.

This concert at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Titusville at Washington Crossing on Saturday, January 18 at 3 p.m. will weave together iconic African American spirituals and powerful narratives, poetry, and letters written by enslaved and free Black historical figures

SSAAM is Central New Jersey’s only museum telling the rich local and regional stories of African Americans from the time of the transatlantic slave trade to the present day. With the support of the Preserving Black Churches grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the organization is honored to continue this important work with its first special event of 2025.   more

Hearing Mendelssohn’s Music In a Unique, Unexpected Way

On Saturday-Monday, January 11-13, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the Princeton University campus, Princeton University Concerts (PUC) presents an opportunity for audiences to continue getting to know Felix Mendelssohn’s music in a unique way with a new “Future Presence” program in virtual reality and spatial sound developed by Mahler Chamber Orchestra (MCO).

This interactive experience brings participants on a journey through several selections from Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 61, including the famous “Wedding March.”

“Last year, the North American premiere of this novel experience was wildly popular and elicited such unexpectedly emotional reactions,” said PUC Director Marna Seltzer. “Of course this is not a replacement for live concertgoing; rather it is an entirely new and exciting way to experience music in an interactive, immediate, immersive, and truly beautiful way. I am excited for this season’s version to take participants through musically narrative excerpts of Felix Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The theatrical nature of this score is thrilling to experience in this new medium.” more

Gourgaud Gallery to Present Works by Maguire Morolda

“GLAD, HAPPY MEETINGS”: Paintings by Kathleen Maguire Morolda will be featured at the Gourgaud Gallery in Cranbury January 4 through January 26.

Gourgaud Gallery in Cranbury will present a collection of artwork by board member and local professional artist Kathleen Maguire Morolda January 4 through January 26.

Color is the key to Maguire Morolda’s paintings. Inspired by the natural beauty of the environment, she draws most of her creative energies from the natural beauty of her home state of New Jersey. Maguire Morolda awakens the imagination of the observer through the creative manner in which she blends shape and color.  more

“Art and Nature” Exhibit Coming to Trenton Library

“BELL’S WOODLANDS”: This work by Jean Burdick is featured in “Art and Nature,” on view at the Trenton Free Public Library January 11 through March 8. An opening reception is on January 11 from 5 to 7 p.m.

The Trenton Artists Workshop Association (TAWA) and the Trenton Free Public Library will present the exhibition “Art and Nature” at the Trenton Free Public Library from January 11 through March 8. This a continuation of the art series that showcases the talent of area artists that is slated to continue as an ongoing series. An opening reception is set for Saturday, January 11, from 5 to 7 p.m.

Artists featured in the exhibition include Jena Burdick, Mary Allessio Leck, and Bonnie Christina Randall. more