December 28, 2016

Changing Character of Princeton Defines 2016

AS IT HAPPENS: This is how the site of Princeton University’s Arts & Transit complex looked last January. Much progress has been made on the buildings designed by architect Steven Holl, and the project is still scheduled to be completed in 2017. (Photo by Emily Reeves)

The rapid pace of teardowns and the often out-of-scale houses that replace them was an issue that dominated discussions in Princeton throughout 2016. The town’s changing character was the theme in the platforms of nearly every candidate who ran for local office in 2016. Midway through the year, moved to take action by the presence of bulldozers all over town, Princeton Council formed a Neighborhood Character and Zoning Initiative. more

December 2, 2016

Princeton Tonight Welcomes Iconic Musician Art Garfunkel

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Art Garfunkel

Art Garfunkel, one of the most celebrated voices in American music, will perform at Princeton University’s Richardson Auditorium on Tuesday, December 13 at 4:30 p.m.

Garfunkel, along with his former partner Paul Simon, has received numerous awards and critical acclaim for his music, including 5 Grammy awards, the prestigious Britannia Award, Rolling Stone’s Best Album of the Year notation, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. more

November 23, 2016

Arts Council of Princeton Names New Executive Director

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ARTS ADVOCATE: Taneshia Nash Laird is the new executive director of the Arts Council of Princeton, replacing Jeff Nathanson who is stepping down after 11 years. Ms. Nash Laird was executive director of the Trenton Downtown Association and co-founded MIST Harlem, a cultural and entertainment center.

The Arts Council of Princeton announced Tuesday that, after a national search, the organization has selected Taneshia Nash Laird as its new executive director. A regionally and nationally recognized leader in arts and economic development, Ms. Nash Laird will serve as the ACP’s third executive director since the organization’s founding in 1967. more

Weekend Fires Damage Two Princeton Properties

Two separate fires on Sunday caused extensive damage to three shops on Witherspoon and Spring Streets and an office building at 601 Ewing Street. There were no injuries reported, according to Princeton Police Lieutenant Chris Morgan.

Fire departments from Princeton and eight surrounding communities responded to a two-alarm fire at 12:57 p.m. on Sunday at the Village Silver Shop, More Cafe, and Sakura Express in downtown Princeton. Witherspoon Street was closed for about two hours.  more

November 9, 2016

Dems, Lempert, Clinton Dominate Local Vote

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Liz Lempert

Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert was elected to a second four-year term in Tuesday’s race over Republican challenger Peter Marks. Ms. Lempert, a Democrat, earned 7529 votes, while Mr. Marks got 2709, according to unofficial results at press time.

In addition, voters elected Democratic Councilwoman Jenny Crumiller and newcomer Tim Quinn, also a Democrat, to two Council seats. Ms. Crumiller and Mr. Quinn, who were unopposed, will serve three-year terms. more

October 27, 2016

Princeton President William Bowen Dies

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William G. Bowen, who died last Thursday at his home in Princeton at the age of 83, not only shaped Princeton University, where he served as an economics professor, provost, then president for 15 years, but also the world of U.S. higher education, which he wrote about and influenced significantly throughout his long, productive career.

Mr. Bowen was Princeton University’s 17th president during an often tumultuous period from 1972 to 1988, overseeing the first admission of women and major expansions in academics. From Princeton he moved to the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, where he served as president from 1988 to 2006, leading its support for the humanities, undergraduate and graduate education, the arts, and culture.  more

October 12, 2016

No Bomb Found After High School Evacuation

Princeton High School was evacuated Tuesday morning after Princeton Police received a call threatening that there was a bomb inside the school. The threat, which came from an unknown male, was called in about 10:15 a.m., and officials immediately emptied out the building and brought in bomb-sniffing K-9 dogs. No device was found. more

October 5, 2016

Haldane Wins Nobel Prize in Physics

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BUSINESS AS USUAL?: F. Duncan Haldane, teaching his first class as a Nobel Laureate, was greeted with loud cheers and applause from his students at his Tuesday session on “Electromagnetism: Principles and Problem Solving.”  Mr. Haldane had received a call at 4:30 that morning from the Royal Swedish Academy, notifying him that he had won the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics. (Photo courtesy of Princeton University Office of Communications, Denise Applewhite)

Princeton University professor F. Duncan Haldane has been awarded the 2016 Nobel prize in Physics for revealing secrets of exotic states of matter, such as superconductivity, discoveries that could lead to new applications in material science and electronics.  more

Multiple Vehicle Break-Ins/Thefts Reported Last Week 

Police report four cases where parked vehicles were entered and items stolen, two on Parkside Drive, one on Paul Robeson Place, and one on Derwent Drive.

On September 27, at 4:15 p.m., it was reported that sometime between 10 p.m. on September 26 and 1 p.m. on September 27, someone entered a vehicle parked on the 100 block of Parkside Drive and stole items. Two days later at 1:12 p.m., it was reported that between 5:30 p.m. on September 26 and 8 a.m. on September 27, someone entered an unlocked vehicle, parked on the same block of Parkside Drive, and stole items.  more

University Tax Exemption Case Could Go To Court This Week

Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber is expected to be the first witness in a property tax case scheduled to go to court in Trenton this week. The University is being sued by Princeton residents who are challenging the tax exempt status of several of its properties.

The issue is being watched closely by educational institutions and non-profits. The lawsuit, which dates back four years, says the University should pay taxes on the buildings it rents out for private functions. The suit also maintains that the school shares profits with professors on some of the patents they receive and the research they conduct. Lawyers for the school have argued that the buildings serve its educational mission and should therefore be exempt. more

September 21, 2016

Community Responds To Student’s Death With Deep Grief, Support

Owen Bardzilowski, 14-year-old ninth grader at Princeton High School who took his own life at his family’s home on Henry Street last Thursday, has been remembered and mourned by many different people in many different ways during the past week. more

September 7, 2016

Step One of YMCA Project Nears Completion

The Princeton Family YMCA on Paul Robeson Place is just six weeks away from completing the first step in a three-part “refresh” project designed to brighten up several key facets of their facility, to use their space to the greatest advantage, and to bring the building into the 21st century.  more

August 31, 2016

PHS Athletic Director John Miranda Dies

JohnMirandaOver the last two weeks, Princeton High athletes have been gearing up for the upcoming fall season, undergoing grueling practice sessions from the Valley Road complex to the turf field on campus.

But as last Monday morning dawned sunny and clear, a pall was cast over the school and fields as the news that John Miranda, the district’s popular Athletic Director and Supervisor of Health and Physical Education, had passed away.

In a statement issued Monday on the Princeton Public Schools website, it was revealed that Mr. Miranda, 57, died “suddenly” on August 28. He had taken a leave of absence this past spring due to health issues.

The stocky, silver-haired athletic director was a constant presence on the sidelines of PHS games, chatting affably with players, coaches, and officials alike as he oversaw the action. more

No New Information About Swimmer’s Death At Community Park Pool

Since the August 20 death of 24-year-old Colin Simonelli of Princeton, who was found “unresponsive” at 2 p.m. in the shallow part of the main swimming pool at Community Park, the most pressing question has been how this could have happened on a busy Saturday afternoon with 12 lifeguards on duty, two at the main pool. According to the town’s spokesman, municipal administrator Marc Dashield, the matter is currently under investigation by the Princeton Police Department. more

Hughes Urges Residents To Prepare for Emergencies

National Preparedness Month, and Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes is taking this opportunity to advise county residents and businesses to plan and prepare for hazards, natural or manmade, that could affect them.

“As we move into this year’s storm season, it’s a good time to remind people that we all need to be ready for a severe weather event or other type of large-scale emergency,” Mr. Hughes said. “Don’t put yourself or others at risk by waiting until the last minute to prepare.”  more

August 3, 2016

Through the Looking Glass

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Saturday’s flood created the illusion of an upside-down world in the lobby of the library. (Photo Courtesy of the Princeton Public Library) 

Princeton Gets Drenched by Saturday Storm

The afternoon rain storm that soaked the Princeton area last Saturday paralyzed traffic and closed roads in several areas of town. But by Tuesday, most everything was back to normal.

More than seven inches of hard-driving rain flooded Hinds Plaza and sent water rushing into the Community Room of Princeton Public Library, raised water to unprecedented levels at Princeton Junction train station in West Windsor, and flooded Princeton High School’s boiler room and the orchestra pit in its performing arts center.  more

July 22, 2016

Princeton Cooling Stations Open During Extreme Heat Warning

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Princeton’s cooling station will be open Friday, July 22 through Monday, July 25 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. to ensure Princeton residents have a safe place to stay cool during the expected high temperatures. Residents, especially senior citizens, are strongly advised to take advantage of these cooling stations if needed. Cooling stations are air conditioned facilities where Princeton residents can find relief from the heat. Free water is accessible at all stations. more

July 21, 2016

PSE&G to Upgrade Aging Cast Iron Gas Facilities

Public Service Electric & Gas Company (PSE&G) will be working in Princeton to replace approximately 1 mile of older gas pipes with new, durable plastic and/or coated steel piping – ensuring a continued safe, clean and reliable gas system well into the future.

Linden Lane, Guyot Avenue, Franklin Street, Murray Place, Nassau Street, Prospect Avenue, Russel Road, Winant Road End, Tee-Ar Place, Clearview Avenue, and Franklin Avenue will be affected. more

July 20, 2016

Local Police Respond to Tense Climate 

Three police officers were killed and three others wounded last Sunday morning in an ambush in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Ten days earlier, five officers had been shot dead and 12 injured during an otherwise peaceful protest in Dallas, Texas. more

July 13, 2016

Avalon Princeton Plans to Open Next Month

Avalon Princeton, on the former site of Princeton Hospital on Witherspoon Street, is looking forward to welcoming its first residents next month, with construction to complete the 280-unit rental community scheduled through next spring.

The new development will include studio apartments starting at $2258 per month, one-bedroom apartments at $2735, two-bedroom apartments from $3135, as well as three-bedroom apartments and two- and three-bedroom townhouses. (There are additional fees for application, amenities, security, parking, pet rent, and storage.)  more

June 22, 2016

Kiser Leaves Legacy of “Going Above and Beyond”

Come July, you might find Princeton’s municipal engineer Bob Kiser driving a tractor across the fields of a farm he owns in Hunterdon County. Mr. Kiser is retiring next week after 33 years on the job, and he is looking forward to spending time with his family С especially his six-and-a-half-month-old granddaughter С and cutting the grass with that tractor. more

After Steadying the Helm in Interim Role This Spring, Madalon Named Head Coach of PU Men’s Lacrosse

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ON THE JOB: Matt Madalon is all smiles during a lighter moment this spring as he took the helm of the Princeton University men’s lacrosse team as interim head coach in the wake of Chris Bates being dismissed after a sideline incident in a game against Brown. Madalon guided the Tigers to a 3-2 record down the stretch after a 2-6 start, culminating with a dramatic 7-6 win over Cornell in the season finale. Last week, Madalon was elevated to permanent head coach of the Princeton program. (Photo by Robert Goldstein, Courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)

Matt Madalon is all about moving forward.

After being named the interim head coach of the Princeton University men’s lacrosse team in the wake of Chris Bates being dismissed after a sideline incident in a game against Brown, Madalon focused on righting the ship. more

June 17, 2016

Multi-Faith Gathering, Rally and Vigil for Orlando

On Tuesday, June 21, a series of events will pay tribute to those killed in the Orlando shootings.

“A Multi-Faith Gathering for Orlando and Beyond” begins with a multi-faith service from 7-8 p.m. in the sanctuary of Nassau Presbyterian Church, 61 Nassau Street. The Gathering is presented by the Princeton Clergy Association and the Coalition for Peace Action. more

June 15, 2016

Coalition for Peace Action To Plan Possible Vigil

The Coalition for Peace Action’s gun violence prevention group, Ceasefire NJ, invites members of the public to its monthly advocacy committee meeting on Thursday, June 16 to discuss a possible vigil or public witness in response to the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida. The meeting, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton, will start at 7:30 p.m. more