October 9, 2019

Fueling Station at PFARS Site Continues to Concern Residents

By Anne Levin

The fate of the fueling station located at the nearly completed new headquarters of the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad (PFARS), at 2 Mt. Lucas Road, is still undecided.

Responding to neighboring residents’ complaints about the safety, aesthetics, noise, and other aspects of the station, which was moved from one side of the site to the other as part of the construction process, Princeton Council is considering whether to relocate it to one of three other sites, or keep it in place and make adjustments.

Cameras tracking traffic flow at sites identified by a subcommittee of the Site Plan Review Advisory Board (SPRAB) are in place, according to municipal engineer Deanna Stockton. But the data has not yet been posted for public viewing. Being considered are the parking lot of the municipal fleet service facility on Harrison Street, the area adjoining the Princeton Police Department parking lot across from the PFARS building, and a site at the Valley Road School property, owned by the Princeton Public Schools and currently used for school bus parking. more

University League Nursery School To Close in June After 70 Years

“ENTHUSIASM FOR LEARNING”: University League Nursery School has served the families of the Princeton area and Princeton University over the past 70 years, but will be closing at the end of the 2019-2020 school year because of low enrollment and the changing needs of the community. (Photo courtesy of University League Nursery School)

By Donald Gilpin

University League Nursery School (ULNS), one of the area’s oldest preschools, having served the families of the Princeton area and Princeton University for 70 years, announced last week that it will be closing at the end of 2019-2020 school year.

The board of trustees of ULNS, a nonprofit, non-sectarian, cooperative preschool, voted not to offer classes after the current school year because of “the changing needs of the community and the insurmountable financial consequences due to low enrollment.” more

Reversing “Nutritional Ignorance” Is Message of Campbell’s Talk

By Anne Levin

At a gathering in the Unitarian Universalist Congregation on Cherry Hill Road last Sunday, renowned biochemist and Cornell University professor emeritus T. Colin Campbell challenged a rapt audience to revisit the way they think about food, nutrition, and the health of the planet.

More than six decades of research have convinced Campbell that a plant-based diet can prevent, suspend, and cure a range of diseases, from cancer and heart ailments to lupus and type 2 diabetes. The co-author of The China Study and the inspiration for the documentary Forks Over Knives, Campbell’s appearance in Princeton was organized by his brother and sister-in-law, who are members of the Unitarian congregation, and his former student, Princeton resident Rachel Rivest.

“Almost everyone else in the field stands on his shoulders,” Rivest said the day after the event. “It was huge that he was here.” more

University Prison Teaching Initiative Awarded $5.2M Shared Grant to Promote STEM Careers

By Donald Gilpin

Princeton University’s Prison Teaching Initiative (PTI) is one of five organizations to receive a $5.2M collaborative National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to create pathways to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers for people who are or were incarcerated.

The STEM Opportunities in Prison Settings (STEM-OPS) alliance has a vision of making educational programming for STEM careers and college study commonplace, accessible, and rigorous in United States prisons and reentry programs.

The alliance is the second phase of work begun under a pilot grant, “STEPS to STEM,” held by PTI under the leadership of principal investigator Jannette Carey, Princeton University chemistry professor.

Along with PTI, the federal grant has been awarded to Education Development Center, a global promoter of education, health, and economic opportunities; From Prison Cells to PhD; Operation Restoration, supporting women and girls impacted by incarceration; and the Initiative for Race Research and Justice at Vanderbilt University. more

Singing Along With Ray Davies and the Kinks on John Lennon’s Birthday

By Stuart Mitchner

The first and only time I heard John Lennon’s “Beautiful Boy” was on the car radio the night he was killed and the news was still raw. I had to turn the radio off after he sang the line, “Before you cross the street, take my hand: life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” What happened to me, what caught me by the throat, was realizing that at the same time John had been seeing a son through his first five years of life, so had I.

Fifteen years later, Ben is standing beside me at the Westbury Music Fair on Long Island singing “Autumn Almanac” along with the composer, Ray Davies, and three thousand Kinks fans of all ages, including numerous other fathers and sons, mothers, sisters, and brothers. The entry in my journal for August 1, 1995, begins,”Tonight was like a fantasy come true, almost as good as seeing the Beatles playing live, up close.”

Actually, it was better, because only in your wildest dreams are you going to see and hear John, Paul, George, and Ringo up close, unless of course you were on the rooftop of 3 Saville Row when the Beatles gave what would be their last public performance, January 30, 1969. And even that wouldn’t equal the one-on-one excitement of sharing a song you love with the man who wrote it.  more

New Trenton High School Celebrated with Festival

MUSIC FOR A NEW HIGH SCHOOL: The Princeton Symphony Orchestra, led by Rossen Milanov, is among the performers at a free music and arts festival at Trenton Central High School’s new building on October 24.

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is headed to Trenton on Thursday, October 24 to top off “An Evening of Magic,” a free music and arts festival to be held at the new Trenton Central High School from 5-8 p.m. more

Princeton Symphony Orchestra Presents Fiery and Powerful Soloist in Concert of Russian Music

By Nancy Plum

Princeton Symphony Orchestra turned its attention to music of Russia in the second performance of the ensemble’s Classical Series this past weekend. Guest Conductor Bernhard Gueller and the Orchestra successfully delved into music of 19th-century Russian titans Mikhail Glinka, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in a pair of concerts featuring guest pianist Natasha Paremski. Saturday night’s concert at Richardson Auditorium (the performance was repeated Sunday afternoon) not only showed Paremski’s virtuosic and dynamic technical skills and expressiveness, but also the lush orchestration and chromatic harmonies of 19th-century Russian symphonic music.

The central piece of Princeton Symphony’s concerts this past weekend was the second piano Concerto of late 19th-century Russian composer Rachmaninoff, bracketed by a spirited opera overture by Glinka and a monumental symphony of Tchaikovsky. Composed between the fall of 1900 and spring of 1901, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18 was premiered in its entirety in November 1901, and coincidentally earned the composer the prestigious 500-ruble Glinka Award, named for the composer whose Overture to Ruslan and Lyudmila opened the Princeton Symphony program. In this work, Rachmaninoff followed the classical concerto form, but augmented it with sumptuous orchestration and a full exploitation of the piano’s Romantic capabilities. Featured as piano soloist in these performances was Moscow native Natasha Paremski, who has been playing professionally since the age of 9. After earning a degree at New York’s Mannes College of Music, Paremski embarked on an international career which has brought her musical passion and technical virtuosity to all corners of the world. more

Witherspoon Presbyterian Names New Music Director

WITHERSPOON WELCOMES GITTENS: The historic Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church has announced the appointment of Michael Raymond Gittens as its new music director.

Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church (WSPC), 124 Witherspoon Street, has named Michael Raymond Gittens as the new music director for the historic church, which is one of the oldest African American Presbyterian congregations in New Jersey.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Gittens has over 30 years experience performing in churches, recitals, and concert halls. He studied music at the Juilliard School of Music and at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music at Oberlin College. He has performed organ recitals throughout New York City, including St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and at St. George’s Episcopal Church. Gittens has also appeared in solo performances at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center. more

Painter and Photographer Explore “Skeptical Realism”

“PLATE TO PLATELET X”: The works of painter Mia Brownell, seen here, and photographer Martin Kruck are featured in “Skeptical Realism,” on view at the Hunterdon Art Museum through January 5.

A painter and a photographer who manipulate artistic traditions to explore reality through a skeptical lens are featured in a new exhibition at the Hunterdon Art Museum.

“Skeptical Realism,” running through January 5, spotlights the paintings of Mia Brownell and the photography of Martin Kruck. The show’s title is derived from philosophical texts debating the truth and falsehood of things. The artwork of Brownell and Kruck are both visual meditations on perceptions of the artificial and real. Using still life (Brownell) and landscape (Kruck) these artists are reflecting on the current skepticism that has emerged in our political climate and culture by creating altered and ambiguous spaces. more

“Your Inner Space” Joint Exhibit at ACP

“YOUR INNER SPACE”: Sculptures by Mira DeMartino and paintings by Ifat Shatzky will be featured in a joint exhibit at the Arts Council of Princeton’s Taplin Gallery October 12 through November 16. An opening reception is Saturday, October 12 from 3 to 5 p.m.

The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) presents “Your Inner Space,” a joint exhibit featuring paintings by Ifat Shatzky and sculptures by Mira DeMartino, on view in the Taplin Gallery October 12 through November 16. An opening reception will be held on Saturday, October 12 from 3 to 5 p.m.  more

“The Eternal Feast” At PU Art Museum

“ARRANGING AN OUTDOOR BANQUET”: This coffin box panel from the Liao dynasty, 10th–early 11th century, is part of “The Eternal Feast: Banqueting in Chinese Art from the 10th to the 14th Century,” on view October 19 through February 16, 2020 at the Princeton University Art Museum.  The exhibit features more than 50 objects from the Liao, Song, and Yuan dynasties of China.

The feast has existed at the core of culture in China for thousands of years and remains a vital part of life in East Asia today. As an important social and ritual activity, feasts commemorated major life events, served as political theater, and satisfied religious obligations.

“The Eternal Feast: Banqueting in Chinese Art from the 10th to the 14th Century” traces the art of the feast through more than 50 objects from three dynasties – the Liao, Song, and Yuan. Focusing on a rare group of surviving paintings from the period — along with ceramic, lacquer, metal, and stone objects as well as textiles — the exhibition reveals the singular influence China’s culture of feasting had on the formation of the artistic traditions of China.

The exhibition will be on view at the Princeton University Art Museum from October 19 through February 16, 2020. It is curated by Zoe Kwok, assistant curator of Asian art at the Museum. more

Delicious Treats from Milk & Cookies Please the Palates of Princetonians

COOKIE CRAVINGS: “Everything is made from scratch, with fresh ingredients, and special recipes. We also have many gluten-free cookies, and we are nut-free.” Lauren Ariev Gellman, owner of Milk & Cookies, the popular Princeton cookie shop, center, is shown with daughters, Rose, left, and Audrey.

By Jean Stratton

The word is out. Milk & Cookies is a happy place!

Located at 14 Chambers Street, this delightful cookie shop offers an array of delicious cookies, brownies, and other treats guaranteed to tempt the taste buds.

Owner and baker Lauren Ariev Gellman is busy every day baking 200 to 300 cookies, all with fresh ingredients, and often incorporating her own special recipes.

“I’m always creating new cookies and flavors,” she reports. “Many of the cookies have crisp edges and soft middles. It’s personal taste as to the preferred texture — whether people like soft or crispy cookies. Tastes can be generational too.” more

Junior Eaddy Thriving in Role as Featured Back, Starring as PU Football Tops Columbia in Ivy Opener

GETTING THE CALL: Princeton University running back Collin Eaddy heads upfield last Saturday against Columbia. Junior star Eaddy rushed for 60 yards and a touchdown and had 52 yards receiving with a TD catch to help Princeton defeat Columbia 21-10. The 19th-ranked Tigers, now 3-0 and riding a 13-game winning streak, host Lafayette on October 11. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Coming into this fall, Collin Eaddy was fully prepared to be the featured running back for the Princeton University football team.

“It has been a cool experience, I got groomed into it playing behind Charlie [Volker], I was able to learn a ton from him and I really appreciate that,” said Eaddy, a 5’11, 210-pound native of Raleigh, N.C., who gained 663 yards last year as an understudy to the now-graduated Volker.

“Quigs [senior Ryan Quigley] is also an older guy so it was learning from those guys and spending a lot of time in the offseason working on various little aspects of my game.” more

Following in Footsteps of Older Sisters, Donovan Making Impact for PU Field Hockey

BREAKING THROUGH: Princeton University field hockey player Claire Donovan gets ready to hit the ball in recent action. Last Friday, sophomore Donovan notched the first two goals of her college career, helping Princeton rally to a 4-3 win over Yale in overtime. The Tigers, who overcame a 4-1 deficit to defeat No. 2 Duke 5-4 in overtime last Sunday to improve to 7-4, host Columbia on October 12. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Claire Donovan started going to Princeton University field hockey games when she was in elementary school.

With older sisters Kaitlin ’10, Amy ’13, and Annabeth ’19 having all starred for the Tigers, Donovan has been around the program for a long time.

When Donovan emerged as a field hockey standout in her own right for Unionville High (Pa.) a few years ago, she toyed with the idea of playing somewhere else in college but ended up following in the footsteps of her sisters and came to Princeton. more

Horan Siblings Break into Major League Baseball, Landing Front Office Jobs with Yankees, Tigers

FAMILY BUSINESS: Jasmine Horan, left, and Beau Horan meet up at Yankee Stadium this summer as they took a break from their Major League Baseball front office duties. Jasmine, a 2019 Amherst College grad who went to Princeton High, works as a Baseball Operations associate for the Yankees while her older brother, Beau, a Princeton Day School alum who graduated from Williams College in 2016 and earned his MBA and Masters in Sports Management from the Isenberg School at UMass-Amherst, is with the Detroit Tigers as Baseball Operations analyst for the club.

By Bill Alden

Jasmine Horan soared as a diver for Amherst College while her older brother Beau Horan thrived as an infielder for Williams College baseball team.

While the siblings followed different directions athletically in heading to rival colleges, their career paths have converged on the diamond as they now both work in Major League Baseball front offices.

Jasmine, a 2019 Amherst grad who went to Princeton High, is now taking a deep dive into the numbers, feeding data to the New York Yankees in their playoff run as a Baseball Operations associate for the storied franchise. more

Fueled by Rougas’ Play in Central Midfield, PHS Girls’ Soccer Competing at a High Level

CENTRAL CASTING: Princeton High girls’ soccer player Lauren Rougas goes after the ball in a game earlier this season. Last week, senior star central midfielder Rougas scored a goal on a brilliant free kick to help PHS defeat Hamilton West 6-0 on October 1. The Tigers, who fell 2-0 to Hopewell Valley last Monday to move to 7-4-1, play at Lawrence on October 10 before hosting Notre Dame on October 14. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Lauren Rougas emerged as the heart and soul of the back line for the Princeton High girls’ soccer team last fall.

This year, senior Rougas has been moved up the field to central midfield and has been playing her heart out in her new spot, displaying superb finishing in addition to her customary defensive prowess.

In a 4-1 win over Ewing on September 26, Rougas scored three goals to spearhead the PHS offense. more

Sparked by Gilmore’s Positive Approach, PHS Girls’ Cross Country Running Happy

By Bill Alden

Charlotte Gilmore and the Princeton High girls’ cross country team are running happy this fall.

It’s a goal they set after a disappointing ending last year for PHS in the sectionals. It’s a goal that they have gone back to over and over, although it’s hard to quantify.

“We went to a running camp for a week in the middle of summer training,” said Gilmore, a junior who has paced the Tigers this season.

“All of the teams there were saying, qualify for nationals and all these huge goals. Our main goal was to run happy which was funny because of the juxtaposition between that and going to nationals. I think by focusing on that goal we didn’t expect for it to come together this well and we still have work to do, but after the first dual meet when we all crossed the line and we had all PR’d by a lot and had a pretty good pack forming, we were all pretty surprised, but excited. We had some injuries and little dips in the past couple weeks, but it’s all coming together and we’re still excited and working for that.” more

With Steady Bornstein Emerging as Frontrunner, Revamped PHS Boys’ Cross Country Making Strides

By Justin Feil

Jacob Bornstein has taken big jumps in each cross country season and this year’s leap has landed him at the top of the new-look Princeton High boys’ cross country team.

The junior was 20th in the Varsity C race at the Shore Coaches Invitational at Holmdel Park on Saturday to lead the Little Tigers to a seventh-place finish with 208 points in a division won by Ridge with a score of 37.

“I felt I had a good race,” said Bornstein, who finished in a personal-record 17:09 over the challenging 5,000-meter course.

“Conditions were perfect – nice weather, 60 degrees. The team had a great day. We all did a great job and took advantage of the downhills and raced smart going uphill. (Coach Jim) Smirk was happy about what the team did.” more

With Pompliano Providing Spark Off the Bench, PHS Boys’ Soccer Rallies to Top Hightstown in OT

COMING TOGETHER: Members of the Princeton High boys’ soccer team celebrate after scoring a goal in a recent game. Last Thursday against visiting Hightstown, junior Ian Pompliano tallied two goals as PHS rallied from a 1-0 halftime deficit to win 2-1 in overtime. The Tigers, who lost 1-0 in overtime at Hopewell Valley last Monday to drop to 10-3, are scheduled to host Lawrence on October 10 before playing at Notre Dame on October 14. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Ian Pompliano isn’t always in the starting lineup for the Princeton High boys’ soccer team but he is developing into one of the squad’s top finishers.

Last Thursday against visiting Hightstown, the junior forward came off the bench and scored two goals as PHS rallied from a 1-0 halftime deficit to pull out a 2-1 win in overtime and improve to 10-2.

Heading into the second half, Pompliano and his teammates knew they had to be more aggressive around the net to overcome the Rams.

“We just tried to send a few more numbers forward, considering that we were down,” said Pompliano. “Once we made the switch, we were just dominating.” more

With Freshman Huff Providing Offensive Spark, PDS Field Hockey Maintaining Positive Attitude

HUFFING AND PUFFING: Princeton Day School field hockey Jadyn Huff, right, fights for the ball in recent action. Freshman forward Huff has provided a spark for the PDS offense in her debut season. The Panthers, who defeated Springside Chestnut Hill (Pa.) 4-0 last Monday to improve to 5-5-3, start play in the Mercer County Tournament this week, where they are seeded sixth and will host No. 11 WW/P-South in a first round contest. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Jadyn Huff kept pressing forward for the Princeton Day School field hockey team even as it fell behind a powerful Hill School (Pa.) squad 4-0 in the first half last Wednesday.

PDS freshman forward Huff got loose on a breakaway and fired the ball past the Hill goalie to cut the deficit to 4-1 with 9:35 left in the half.

“I just knew it was my ball, I just kept going and I went as quick as I could,” said Huff. “I was just trying to get in there. I just wanted to get a shot on net.” more

Racheting Up Energy To Overcome 1-4 Start, Hun Boys’ Soccer Primed for Big Finish

CATCHING FIRE: Hun School boys’ soccer player Amar Anand goes after the ball in recent action. Last Saturday, junior star Anand scored the winning goal as Hun edged the Blair Academy 2-1. The Raiders, who topped Northern Burlington 2-1 last Monday to improve to 4-4-2, host the Hill School (Pa.) on October 11 before starting play in the Mercer County Tournament. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Struggling to a 1-4 record by late September, it was looking like the Hun School boys’ soccer team might be heading to a forgettable season.

But having gone 3-0-2 in its last five outings, Hun has righted the ship and appears to be on the way to a memorable campaign.

While the team’s run started with two frustrating ties, a 1-1 draw with Episcopal Academy on September 26 and a 3-3 stalemate with George School (Pa.) five days later that saw it squander early leads, Hun head coach Pat Quirk believes his players learned some lessons from the draws.

“I was talking to one of my parents and he said ‘you know what, you have to learn how to not lose before you win,’” said Quirk. more

October 2, 2019

Damien Chazelle’s Homecoming

Roger Durling, left, interviewed Academy Award-winning filmmaker and Princeton High School graduate Damien Chazelle at Nassau Presbyterian Church last Thursday evening at an event in support of The Petey Greene Program. The nonprofit program, founded at Princeton University in 2008, trains university students to tutor incarcerated students in one-on-one sessions. (Photo by Kevin Birch)

BOE Votes 6-3 to Hire Planning Firm

By Donald Gilpin

At a four-hour meeting last week, the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education (BOE) voted 6-3 to approve the hiring of the educational consulting firm Milone & Macbroom (M&M) to help develop a plan to address the challenges of growth and overcrowding.

Based in Cheshire, Connecticut, M&M specializes in working with school districts on short- and long-term planning and has been cited by BOE members and others as being especially effective in engaging the whole community in the planning process. They will work with the district to develop a plan over the next seven months at a total cost not to exceed $143,605.

BOE President Beth Behrend praised the BOE decision, citing the need for experienced assistance with the complex planning challenges ahead. “I’m excited to have this resource in place to assist the district in dealing with the growth issue,” she said.

Recalling extensive controversy over last year’s facilities referendum, which was eventually scaled down and approved in December 2018, Behrend continued, “Last year the community spoke loud and clear is saying that we need to validate our claims and get the community involved. M&M will help us do that. They will help us in collaborating so that we plan in a way that’s forward-looking and sensible and within the means of the community.”

She went on to point out the urgency of the situation, noting that “overcrowding is impacting the education programming already. We’re trying to be proactive.” more

Installation Exploring Mixed Wilson Legacy Has Been Completed

By Donald Gilpin

Double Sights, a large installation presenting both positive and negative views of Woodrow Wilson, has been completed on Scudder Plaza next to the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs on Washington Road.

Almost four years after the 33-hour occupation of Nassau Hall by Black Justice League students and their supporters in protest against the University’s representations of Woodrow Wilson’s legacy on campus, Princeton University is marking its ongoing progress in confronting a past that includes deplorable as well as admirable chapters.

A public discussion, titled “Woodrow Wilson’s Legacy: Wrestling with History,” with the installation’s designer, artist and 2019 MacArthur Fellowship winner Walter Hood, and University Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity Michele Minter, will take place this Saturday, October 5 at 3:15 p.m. in McCosh Hall 50, followed by a formal dedication of the work. more

Restoration is On Track For Wars Memorial Bench

By Anne Levin

Back in 1925, public donations initiated the installation of the Princeton Wars Memorial Bench that sits in the small park at the intersection of Nassau and Mercer Streets. Nearly a century later, a new round of donations, this time from The Garden Club of Princeton, the Princeton Daughters of the American Revolution, and Princeton University, is funding some needed repair and restoration of the local landmark.

Members of the organizations presented checks totaling $29,200 — $24,200 from the two clubs, and $5,000 from the University — to Princeton Council at a meeting of the governing body on September 23. “It is fitting that restoration of the monument is to be funded by a similar community collaboration,” said Rosemary Kelley, first vice regent of The Garden Club of Princeton, upon presentation of the checks.

Earlier in the day, Mayor Liz Lempert praised the restoration project, which will include the bench and steps. “This is a very visible entryway into the central business district, so we want to make sure it lasts,” she said. more