September 8, 2021

Knecht’s Danceworks, Relocated in Pennington, Offers Complete Range of Dance Instruction

EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE: “In addition to instructing students and introducing them to all aspects of dance, a huge part of our program is building relationships. We’ve had some students since they were 3 years old, and who have continued to come over the years. We offer a wonderful program for students of all ages and levels of ability.” Elise Knecht, left, and her daughter Ashlee, co-owners of Knecht’s Danceworks, are enthusiastic about their current program, which is on site and in person.

By Jean Stratton

For more than 60 years, the Knecht family has been sharing its dance expertise with students, audiences, and all those who love the dance in all its forms.

Established in 1959 by Fred and Joanne Knecht, Danceworks (then known as Knecht Dance Academy) has been a dynamic force in dance instruction, and it is a true family operation.

Their daughter Elise is now co-owner of the studio with her daughter Ashlee, who is the third generation to be actively involved. Both women also serve as instructors.

After many years in Bucks County, Knecht’s Danceworks moved to the Pennington Square Shopping Center on Route 31 in Pennington last year. Formerly the location of Karen Martin’s Dance Works of Mercer County, the spacious setting offers two state-of-the-art dance studios, featuring sprung and Marley floors, which are easier on the legs and feet and overall body health, points out Elise Knecht. more

Former PU Track Star Bird Exceeds Expectations, Placing 9th In Steeplechase at Tokyo Olympics

BIRD IN FLIGHT: Lizzie Bird flies over a hurdle in a 3,000-meter steeplechase race during her career with the Princeton University women’s track team. Last month, Bird ’17, competing for Great Britain, took ninth in the women’s steeplechase in the Tokyo Olympics, setting a new British national record of 9:19.68 in the process. (Photo provided by Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)

By Justin Feil

Lizzie Bird felt that she could run better after graduating from Princeton University, but even she was surprised by the level of her recent success.

The 2017 Princeton graduate and native of St. Albans Herts, England, set a new British national record of 9:19.68 and placed ninth in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in August.

“I wouldn’t have expected this three or four years ago when I just graduated,” said Bird. “I feel like the progression since 2018 has been steady.”

Bird closed her racing season by taking 12th place in the women’s steeple at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore., after the Olympics, and shifted attention to starting law school.

Given her recent success, Bird has no plans to stop racing, but the build-up will look different while she studies and trains quite fortunately in the running mecca at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

“I know not being full-time, I won’t be able to train at the same rate,” said Bird.

“I can’t do two-a-days. I think I still have a lot more in me. I think I can still improve. At the Olympics, just seeing I was third European, maybe I can be challenging for a medal at Europeans or Commonwealths and that can be a pretty cool thing for this year. I have to be realistic that by taking on law school at the same time it will be more challenging and I might not improve at the same rate; but this is a decision I made that I’m ready to do something else on the side that’s a little less of a selfish pursuit.” more

Diaz-Bonilla Shows Progress in Return to Action As Tiger Men’s Soccer Falls to Rutgers in Opener

ON HIS TOES: Princeton University men’s soccer player Daniel Diaz-Bonilla, right, battles Nico Rosamilia of Rutgers for the ball last Friday night in Princeton’s season opener. Junior forward Diaz-Bonilla generated a number of chances for the Tigers in a losing cause as Princeton fell 1-0 to the Scarlet Knights. Princeton was slated to play at Vermont on September 7 before heading to Colgate on September 12. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Daniel Diaz-Bonilla and his teammates on the Princeton University men’s soccer team were bound to be a bit rusty as they hosted Rutgers last Friday night in their season opener.

Princeton hadn’t played a game in nearly two years with the 2020 season having been canceled due to COVID-19 concerns and had a brief preseason in preparing to play a battle-tested Scarlet Knight squad.

“This team has only been together for two weeks after two years off and that team had a season in the spring,” said junior forward Diaz-Bonilla. “They have already had two games and a month together.”

But with the shifty Diaz-Bonilla displaying some dazzling footwork, the Tigers were able to put Rutgers on its heels several times outshooting the Scarlet Knights 8-7 in the first half as rivals played to a scoreless draw over the first 45 minutes of the contest.

The attacking unit of senior Kevin O’Toole, sophomore Walker Gillespie, senior Frankie DeRosa, and junior Ryan Clare along with Diaz-Bonilla was in sync despite the long hiatus from game action.

“We trust each other,” said Diaz-Bonilla. “We are always fluid, we are moving, we are getting off each other. I could play on the right, Kevin can play on the left and Walker can drop down. It is super fluid. We have got Frankie coming off the bench and Ryan sometimes goes up for us. We have a lot of options.” more

Although Princeton Field Hockey Starts 0-2, Freshman Yeager Makes Immediate Impact

FRESH APPROACH: Princeton University field hockey player Beth Yeager, center, races upfield past two North Carolina defenders last Friday in Princeton’s season opener. The 13th-ranked Tigers fell 4-1 to top-ranked UNC and then showed progress in losing 3-2 in overtime to No. 5 Louisville two days later. Freshman star Yeager notched her first college goals in the loss to the Cardinals, tallying both scores for Princeton in the defeat. In upcoming action, the Tigers host No. 12 Duke on September 11. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

It didn’t take long for Beth Yeager to make an impact for the Princeton University field hockey team last weekend in her collegiate debut.

After the highly touted striker generated five shots on goal but was held scoreless in a 4-1 loss to top-ranked and three-time defending national champion North Carolina on Friday, Yeager tallied both goals for No. 13 Princeton in a 3-2 overtime loss to fifth-ranked Louisville two days later.

While Yeager was disappointed by the defeat to the Cardinals, she saw positives coming out of the setback.

“We were excited to come out today and work on a few things,” said Yeager.

“Even though it was a disappointing result, there was a lot of progress that we made. It is a long season, there is lots to build on.”

Yeager was excited to notch her first collegiate goal, which came on a penalty stroke midway through the first period to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.

“I was just aiming for the spot, trying to keep calm, not focus on all of the noise around me and do my best,” recalled Yeager, a 5’7 native of Greenwich, Conn., who has competed for the U.S. U-17 and U-19 outdoor junior teams.  more

Jumping Into It

Princeton High football player Jaiden Johnson, center, leaps for the ball in a game last fall. Last Saturday, Johnson and the PHS kicked off the 2021 campaign by falling 26-7 at Overbrook High. Senior receiver Johnson scored the lone Tiger touchdown in the game on a 27-yard reception from quarterback Jaxon Petrone. Johnson made nine catches for 140 yards in the contest with Petrone completing 14-of-35 passes for 189 yards. The Tigers will look to get on the winning track when they host Haddon Heights (1-0) on September 11 in their home opener. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Despite Losing 14 Seniors to Graduation, PHS Boys’ Soccer Reloading, Not Rebuilding

KEY MAN: Princeton High boys’ soccer player Richard Wegman dribbles the ball in a contest last fall. Junior Wegman should be a key offensive threat this fall for PHS. The Tigers start their 2021 season by hosting Robbinsville on September 8. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Over the years, the Princeton High boys’ soccer team has proven that it is one of those programs that doesn’t rebuild, it reloads.

After losing 14 seniors from a squad that went 9-3-1 last year and advanced to the Central West Group 4 sectional final, the cupboard is far from bare as PHS opens its 2021 season by hosting Robbinsville on September 8.

“We have a really good nucleus of senior players, five of whom have been on the team a while; this is their third year,” said PHS head coach Wayne Sutcliffe, who is in his 25th season at the helm of the program and guided the Tigers to 2009 and 2012 Group 3 state titles in addition to several sectional and county crowns and passing the 300-win milestone in 2016.

“The preseason has been great. There is a sense of excitement at the prospect of some normalcy here.”

PHS tested itself in the preseason, scrimmaging such formidable foes as Scotch Plains-Fanwood, Christian Brothers Academy, and Gill St Bernard’s, among others.

“We just kept getting better at everything which is encouraging,” said Sutcliffe. more

Kosa Taking the Helm of PHS Girls’ Soccer, Determined to Maintain Program’s Winning Ways

SO READY: Princeton High girls’ soccer player Sophia Lis boots the ball in a game last fall. Senior star forward Lis, who has committed to attend Lehigh University and play for its women’s soccer team, is primed for a big final campaign for PHS. The Tigers start the 2021 season by playing at Robbinsville on September 8. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Dave Kosa has been exposed to a lot of outstanding high school girls’ soccer squads over the years.

Growing up, Kosa sent a lot of time in the stands as his late father, Louis Kosa, enjoyed a legendary career coaching the East Brunswick High girls’ soccer team, guiding the program to a 527-63-22 record, capturing eight state championships, and a No. 1 ranking in the nation in 1992. 

Over the last six years, Kosa has served as an assistant coach for the successful Princeton High girls’ soccer program, also leading the JV squad in five of those seasons.

This fall, Kosa will look to help PHS continue its winning ways, taking the helm of the program, succeeding Val Rodriguez, who stepped down last fall after coaching the Tigers to a 9-3-1 record in 2020.

“I am really excited and happy to continue the tradition of the girls’ soccer program that Greg [Hand] had and passed on to Val,” said Kosa, who also serves as the head coach of the PHS girls’ basketball team.

“It is a really good bunch. They are really good kids and good people; that is the most important thing. They have taken to working hard and just trying to get better. We want to play the best soccer at the end of the season. We have a lot of great talent. It is my job to mesh then and work them hard. We are really looking forward to that.” more

Featuring a Crew of Battle-Tested Veterans, PHS Field Hockey Looking Like a Powerhouse

WEIR ON A TEAR: Princeton High field hockey player Olivia Weir, right, brings the ball up the field in a game last year. Senior star Weir, who has committed to attend Rutgers University and play for its field hockey program, has emerged as the go-to finisher for PHS. The Tigers begin their 2021 season by playing at Allentown on September 9. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

The players on the Princeton High field hockey team started laying the groundwork for a big 2021 season well before they hit the field for preseason practices in mid-August.

“We have been playing all summer, we really never stopped so this is just another part of our season,” said PHS head coach Heather Serverson, noting that her players have played pickup at school two days a week and have also played pickup at Centercourt Sports in Lawrence and competed for various club programs.

“They are such a close-knit group and we only graduated three people. It is kind of just like getting the band back together. One of the biggest plusses about this team is that they are all extremely familiar with playing with one another.”

There will be plenty of familiar faces on the field for the Tigers as the squad boasts a stellar senior group.

“We have seven seniors and they have been doing a great job, trying to set the standards in practices and at games,” said Serverson, whose team went 8-2 last year and begins its 2021 season by playing at Allentown on September 9.

“They are great leaders in general, they really make an effort to reach out to the younger girls. They make sure that everyone feels included and welcome. It is great environment.”

The forward line features a great player in senior Olivia Weir, who has committed to attend Rutgers University and play for its field hockey program.

“Olivia is looking good, she is healthy, she is happy,” said Serverson. “She is a creative player too. She is a good team player and that is why she helps make us look good as well as herself. She would rather someone else would have the goal almost than herself.” more

PDS Field Hockey Excited For a Busy Fall, Facing New Challenges in Joining NJSIAA

HALE STORM: Princeton Day School field hockey player Haley Sullivan heads to goal in a game last fall. Senior star Sullivan figures to be a key weapon on the forward line for PDS this fall. The Panthers open their 2021 campaign by hosting WW/P-North on September 8. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

After having an abbreviated season in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns, the Princeton Day School field hockey team is looking forward to being busy this fall.

“There is a sense of excitement,” said PDS head coach Heather Farlow, who guided the Panthers to 5-4-1 record last season.

“We have joined the other state association (the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association) so that means that we are averaging three games a week, which is a lot.”

PDS boasts some exciting performers in the forward line in senior Ally Antonacci, senior Haley Sullivan, sophomore Tessa Caputo, senior Kacey Fisher, and senior Gabriella Thomas.

“We have only had one scrimmage against Florence and we won 6-3,” said Farlow, whose team opens its 2021 campaign by hosting WW/P-North on September 8. “Ally, Haley, and Tessa have stood out, they are finishers.”

In the midfield, the Panthers will rely on a quartet of standouts in junior Jadyn Huff, senior Maggie Zarish-Yasunas, senior Franny Gallagher, and freshman Charlotte Mullen. more

Emphasizing Competitive Fire on a Daily Basis, Talented Hun Boys’ Soccer Primed for Strong Season

By Bill Alden

With the Hun School boys’ soccer team boasting skill all over the field, its daily practice sessions have turned into a pitched battles.

“From top to bottom, it is one of the most talented teams that I have had,” said Hun head coach Pat Quirk, whose team went 1-5 last fall in a season abbreviated by COVID-19 concerns and will start its 2021 campaign by playing at the Germantown Academy (Pa.) on September 10.

“It is going to be tough, that is the culture that the kids want it to be. It needs to be competitive every day in practice, maybe even more competitive than when we get into games. If a kid is off one practice, we have kids who can fill the role.”

A quartet of forwards, junior Mass Verduci, sophomore Joey Bucchere, junior Will Zeng, and senior Hector Suriel, should provide the firepower to keep Hun competitive.

“Those are our main guys up top, we will mix and match them,” said Quirk.

“We scored 11 goals in a scrimmage against Nottingham and we scored three goals against Hopewell in a scrimmage. I think we are going to see some goals. Those guys are going to be finishing but they are going to be set up by the midfield.” more

September 3, 2021

Devastating Storm

The remnants of Hurricane Ida caused major problems in the Princeton area, including flooding, downed trees, and multiple road closures. The Princeton Police Department, Fire Department, and the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad were involved in several water rescues. (Photo by Melissa Bilyeu)

September 2, 2021

Storm Causes Widespread Flooding

By Anne Levin

The remnants of Hurricane Ida have caused major problems in the Princeton area, including flooding and downed trees. As of Thursday afternoon, September 2, most of the main roads into town remained closed, and people were being advised to stay home. Those who do venture out can expect significant delays.

Among the roads closed as of Thursday afternoon were Quaker Road, Alexander Road, Rosedale Road, Harrison Street, and Stockton Street. Washington Road was closed for several hours, but reopened Thursday around 10 a.m. Kingston was hit especially hard, with flooding on Mapleton Road and elsewhere.

Local streams and rivers have overflowed. The Delaware River is expected to crest Thursday night. The Millstone River is continuing to rise, and Canal Road in Rocky Hill and Franklin Township were still flooding as of Thursday afternoon.

There are numerous photos on social media showing cars abandoned or submerged, in towns including Hopewell, Pennington, and Lambertville. The Princeton Police Department, Fire Department, and the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad were involved in several water rescues.

Trenton’s Island neighborhood, which borders the Delaware River, was scheduled to be evacuated by 8 a.m. Thursday.

Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency on Wednesday night. While more than 5,000 households in the local area were without power Wednesday night, most was restored by Thursday morning.

Police are urging people to avoid the roadways, and to turn around instead of driving through flooded streets.

September 1, 2021

Hello Princeton

Cyclists head to the Princeton Family YMCA field on Saturday after completing the first leg of the 125-mile East Coast Greenway Alliance Ride from New York to Philadelphia. About 400 riders spent the night in Princeton, many camping in tents at the Y, before continuing on to Philadelphia the next morning. Participants share what they liked best about the ride in this week’s Town Talk on page 6. (Photo by Weronika A. Plohn) 

Schools Prepare for September 9 Opening

By Donald Gilpin

As teachers, staff, parents, and more than 3,800 students of the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) prepare for the first day of school on Thursday, September 9, the district remains committed to in-person, full-day school for all.

“The past two school years have been unprecedented for schools everywhere,” new Superintendent Carol Kelley wrote to PPS families on August 20. “This three-pronged crisis (health, financial, and social) has been overwhelming for families, students, and staff. Yet I am encouraged and optimistic about the school year ahead.”

Kelley, who took over as superintendent two months ago, was scheduled to meet parents on September 2 on the front lawn of the Valley Road administrative building from 9 to 10 a.m. and again from 6 to 7 p.m. The event was postponed due to the local flooding.

She continued, “In terms of the health and safety of our students, we have a strong foundation to build on. Last school year, we had zero COVID cases transmitted in our schools. To date, we are fortunate that 77 percent of people (over age 12) in our Princeton community have been vaccinated. Through the safety protocols we have in place, we hope to maintain this record once we reopen school in September.”

Kelley highlighted the dedication of educators, parents, and community supporters and emphasized, “we are prepared to foster a school culture that’s welcoming and affirming for all, which is even more critical during this time. For the first time in over a year, our students will engage in full-day learning, five days a week in their respective school buildings.” more

Delta Variant Surge Continues; Boosters Are Coming Soon

By Donald Gilpin

On Monday, August 30, the Princeton Health Department reported 17 new cases of COVID-19 in Princeton in the previous seven days, 31 cases in the previous 14 days. Princeton Health Officer Jeff Grosser noted that the recent surge, with the spread of the Delta variant, has been about 50 percent as big as the COVID-19 surge Princeton experienced last winter.

The Delta variant is “a much more contagious strain that has spread on a much different scale from what we saw with the Alpha variant,” he said. “With Delta, it felt as if once someone from a household was infected it was a waiting game for everyone else in that house. There was certainly vaccine protection in situations where households were not completely infected, but in low vaccination-rate households infection rates neared 100 percent of the dwelling’s inhabitants.”

Grosser emphasized the need for mask-wearing, social distancing, and vaccinations as the way to reduce transmission of all strains of the virus.

The Princeton vaccination rate, as of August 24, was 79 percent (ages 12 and over) and 98 percent for residents 65 and over. The vaccination rate for Mercer County (age 12 and over) is 65 percent, 75 percent for 65 and over. For New Jersey it’s 72 percent (12 and over), 85 percent for 65 and over, and for the United States as a whole, the vaccination rate is 61 percent (ages 12 and over) and 82 percent for age 65 and over. more

PU-Led Innovation Hub Receives $15M From National Science Foundation

By Donald Gilpin

A new Princeton University-led regional innovation hub, seeking to promote entrepreneurial startups based on fundamental science and engineering research, has received $15 million in funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The consortium will focus on transforming scientific discoveries into technologies that improve everyday lives, through the fields of health care, energy and the environment, computing, artificial intelligence, robotics, advanced materials, and other areas — and enhance diversity in research opportunities and entrepreneurship.

With the University of Delaware and Rutgers University as partners, Princeton University will be the principal institution in the Innovation-Corps (I-Corps) Northeast Hub, which will also include New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rowan University, Lehigh University, Temple University, and Delaware State University (a historically Black college or university) as initial affiliates. The hub will expand, adding new affiliates each year.

The Northeast Hub is one of five new innovation corps hubs announced by the NSF last week, “a diverse and inclusive innovation system throughout the USA.”  With $3 million funding per year over the next five years, the Northeast Hub will provide entrepreneurial training, mentoring, and other resources to enable researchers to form startup companies that take ideas from the laboratory to the marketplace.  more

New Artists’ Cooperative To Open in Shopping Center

“RED BALL”: A work in watercolor and pencil by Heloisa dos Devanelos, one of the 25 local artists who are part of Princeton Makes, a new cooperative debuting September 18 in Princeton Shopping Center.

By Anne Levin

As the former interim executive director of the Arts Council of Princeton, Jim Levine has long been aware of a lack of sufficient studio space for artists in the area. Since stepping down when permanent director Adam Welch was hired last year, Levine has been intent on remedying the situation.

His persistence has paid off. Starting September 18, 12 local artists in different media will be creating in studio space at what was formerly Blue Ridge Mountain Sports in Princeton Shopping Center. A retail store in the front will sell work by members of the cooperative, which includes another 13 artists who work outside the studio.

Painted white by some of the members over two Saturdays, the large, airy space is being divided into individual areas. Each member works eight hours every two weeks, either in their studio or in the retail store. “So there will always be an opportunity for people to talk to an artist and maybe watch them work,” said Levine. “Whenever we are open, there will always be someone working here.”

The grand opening is Saturday, September 18 from 2 to 6 p.m., and will include plein air painting in the courtyard, artist demonstrations, open studios, and live music. Admission is free. more

Virtual Program on Affordable Housing Is a Joint Project of Three Synagogues

By Anne Levin

Three local houses of worship are collaborating on a program that explores affordable housing.

On Sunday, October 3 at 5 p.m., The Jewish Center Princeton, Har Sinai Temple of Pennington, and Congregation Beth Chaim of Princeton Junction will jointly present an online discussion that delves into issues of exclusionary zoning and its history in New Jersey.

The Mount Laurel decisions of 1975 and 1983 declared that municipal land use regulations that prevent affordable housing opportunities for the poor are unconstitutional.

The subject is particularly relevant to the Jewish faith because of its emphasis on welcoming and hospitality. “To me, it’s very much of a piece with the Jewish value of treating strangers,” said Peter Buchsbaum, who will moderate the event. Buchsbaum is a former New Jersey Superior Court judge, of counsel to Lanza and Lanza in Flemington, and court master in six Mount Laurel cases.

Speakers will include Carl Bisgaier, who was the lead counsel in the first two Mount Laurel cases and is a real estate and affordable housing attorney; Princeton University sociologist Douglas Massey, lead author of Climbing Mount Laurel: The Struggle for Affordable Housing and Social Mobility in an American Suburb; and Dietra Chamberlain, a resident of Ethel R. Lawrence Homes in Mount Laurel since December 2004.

The Ethel Lawrence Homes are named for the Mount Laurel activist who organized a 1969 petition to the Mount Laurel zoning board to permit the development of affordable garden apartments and was a plaintiff in both cases, but died in 1994, six years before the first units were completed. more

Remembering Charlie Watts (1941-2021)

By Stuart Mitchner

A smile relieves a heart that grieves.

—from “Waiting On a Friend”

It’s July 1981, I’m walking down St. Mark’s Place in the East Village when I see Mick Jagger standing in the doorway of Number 96 and pretty soon here comes Keith Richards smoking and smiling his way through the sidewalk crowd. After a clumsy hug, the two head for St. Mark’s Bar & Grill on First Avenue, where Ron Wood, Bill Wyman, and Charlie Watts are waiting, everything’s cool, it’s time to play, and for some curious reason, no one knows the Rolling Stones are in the house and about to deliver a free performance. The way the video for “Waiting On a Friend” spins it, these five guys are only neighborhood musicians. The folks at the bar take no notice and could care less that the character looning about as if he were Mick Jagger really is Mick Jagger.

This East Village street-life fantasy began with last week’s news of the death of drummer Charlie Watts. Making the rounds of obits, remembrances, and videos, I learned it was thanks to Watts that tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins agreed to play on “Waiting On a Friend” and two other songs on the Tattoo You LP. “My love for Sonny goes a long way back,” Watts says in an “American Legends” article in the January 23, 2010 Guardian. “I first saw him in 1964 at the original Birdland club on 52nd Street, playing with a trio. To sit there and watch Sonny Rollins, my God! In those days he did this fantastic thing: he used to start playing in the dressing room with no band, then walk out and go around the stage, using the room to bounce the sound off. It was amazing. I’d never seen anyone do that.”

Neither had I when I saw Rollins two blocks up St. Mark’s Place at the Five Spot. That night he started playing in the kitchen, warming up amid the rattle of glassware, plates, and cutlery. When the giant with the mohawk haircut pushed through the swinging door, he had a garland of bells around his neck jingling and tinkling as he strolled among the tables lifting and dipping his tenor sax like a divining rod.  more

New Anthology on Music Is a Collaborative Effort

By Anne Levin

Approaching the 125th anniversary of Princeton University Concerts (PUC) a few years ago, staff and board members of the music performance series began thinking about how to best mark the significant milestone. Among the original ideas was a coffee table book.

Gustavo Dudamel

That concept has evolved into something very different. Ways of Hearing: Reflections on Music in 26 Pieces is an anthology that asks prominent musicians, poets, visual artists, scholars, and others — from conductor Gustavo Dudamel to late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg — to share thoughts on their favorite music and how it has influenced their lives.

Published by Princeton University Press, the book debuts with a virtual book launch on Wednesday, September 29 at 6 p.m., taking place at the Politics and Prose Bookstore in Washington, D.C. Princeton’s Labyrinth Books is taking pre-orders for the volume until September 15.

“This was such a nice collaboration between the three of us,” said PUC director Marna Seltzer, who edited the book with University Professor Emeritus Scott Burnham and Labyrinth co-owner Dorothea von Moltke, both of whom are board members with the presenting organization. “We all have different strengths. The idea just evolved and blossomed in a way that I don’t think would have happened if we hadn’t come together.”

The collection of essays, poetry, interviews, visual art, and more spans different styles and subjects. Violinist Arnold Steinhardt shares his thoughts on Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge. Ginsburg, who was a noted opera fan, talks about what she considers the sexiest duet in the genre. Writer Pico Iyer offers meditations on Handel. more

“Constant Repeating Themes” Photo Exhibit at Arts Council

“CONSTANT REPEATING THEMES”: The Arts Council of Princeton will present a collection of works by New Jersey photographer Aubrey J. Kauffman from September 11 through October 9. An opening reception will be held on Saturday, September 11 from 3 to 5 p.m.

The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) will exhibit “Constant Repeating Themes,” a collection of photography works by Aubrey J. Kauffman, in its Taplin Gallery from September 11 through October 9.

The themes of urban landscape and man’s impact on the environment have long intrigued Kauffman as a photographer.

“I witness this in constructions as simple as building façades in a strip mall to the deserted athletic fields in parks and playgrounds,” said Kauffman. “Through my viewfinder I seek to contrast and compare the interactions of natural and man-made elements. I tend to seek out landscapes that speak to a certain stillness. In the buildings and structures that I photograph, I emphasize their architectural quality in the space that they exist. Geometry, shadow, and light play major roles in my image making. I consider my work to be informed by traditional landscape photography. My interpretation reflects a sense of solitude that I wish to convey onto the viewer.”  more

Adama Delphine Fawundu Works at Art@Bainbridge

“BLACK LIKE BLUE IN ARGENTINA”: This work by Adama Delphine Fawundu is part of “Gathering Together / Adama Delphine Fawundu,” opening September 4 at the Princeton University Art Museum’s downtown gallery space, Art@Bainbridge, 158 Nassau Street. It will be on view through October 24.

A selection of works by multimedia artist Adama Delphine Fawundu that explore cultural inheritance and collective creation through photography, fabric-making and video will be on view in “Gathering Together / Adama Delphine Fawundu.” The installation will include 10 works by Fawundu acquired by the Princeton University Art Museum earlier this year. The exhibition’s title simultaneously alludes to Fawundu’s artistic practice, which gathers together multiple strands of history; to the installation, which assembles several bodies of her work across a range of media; and to this shared moment as we begin to gather together again.

“Gathering Together” will be on view September 4 through October 24 at Art@Bainbridge, the museum’s gallery project in Bainbridge House (1766), one of the oldest buildings in Princeton. The installation is organized by Beth Gollnick, curatorial associate, with Mitra Abbaspour, Haskell Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Princeton University Art Museum.

“Adama Delphine Fawundu’s extraordinary multisensory work reminds all of us of the power of experiencing compelling works of art in the original in time and space,” said James Steward, Nancy A. Nasher–David J. Haemisegger, Class of 1976, director. “We are honored to showcase this artist’s work — work that is part of a more pluralistic story of global art making — first in our downtown gallery space and later in our collections galleries in the new, David Adjaye–designed Museum scheduled to open in late 2024.”  more

Quilt Show Features Work by Area Quilter

“HE LOVES ME NOT”: This quilt by Gay Bitter of Princeton has been selected to compete in the 2021 Great Wisconsin Quilt Show’s 100 Years of Art Deco Challenge. Virtual attendees can vote for their favorite quilt September 9 to 11 at quiltshow.com/vote.

Dozens of quilters submitted their best work for judging in this year’s Great Wisconsin Quilt Show quilt challenges. Gay Bitter of Princeton and her quilt “He Loves Me Not” have been selected to compete in the 2021 Great Wisconsin Quilt Show’s 100 Years of Art Deco Challenge.

Every quilt has a story, and Bitter fashioned her quilt from an Art Deco era illustration. “I chose my inspiration image because of the lovely lines of this woman in her Art Deco inspired dress and furnishings,” she said in her artist’s statement. “It’s hard to detect exactly what she is up to, but once you look closely, you know there is a story behind her actions.”  more

West Windsor Arts Presents “Well-Being Ourselves” Exhibit

“LUCID”: This work by Arushi Patel is part of “Well-Being Ourselves: Reflect, Reimagine, Connect,” on view through October 23 at West Windsor Arts in Princeton Junction and Whole World Arts in the MarketFair mall on Route 1. An opening reception is September 12 from 4 to 6 p.m. at West Windsor Arts.

West Windsor Arts presents a multimedia exhibition of the work of 22 diverse artists in “Well-Being Ourselves: Reflect, Reimagine, Connect,” on view through October 23 in the galleries at West Windsor Arts, 952 Alexander Road, Princeton Junction, and at the new Whole World Arts in MarketFair mall on Route 1. The opening reception will be in person at West Windsor Arts on September 12 from 4 to 6 p.m.

For this exhibition, artists were invited to explore well-being in a time of growing awareness around mental health, including emotional, psychological, and social aspects. According to West Windsor Arts, our shifted context has led to the potential for a revision of well-being. This caused us to ask, “How have conventional concepts reflected this shift for your lived experience? Has this impacted ways you have been able to sustain yourself, your challenges and resilience?” Recent social justice tides have brought sweeping momentum, action, and calls to reimagine justice and movement building. Intersecting legacies of injustice and trauma can impact mental health and well-being. West Windsor Arts wanted to know how artmaking reflects interdependence of communities and intersectional identities. They sought art that could envision new ways of being that are relational, fight stigma, dismantle ableism, and uphold disability justice.

The jurors for the show are Chanika Svetvilas and Gwynneth VanLaven, whose works explore mental health issues with engaging and thought-provoking art through installations, videos, mixed media, and photography.

Exhibiting Artists include Kelly Becker, Terrance Cummings, Jayme Fahrer, Guga, Joseph Goldfedder, Nancie Gunkelman, Barry Hantman, Margaret Kalvar-Bushnell, Ray Kopacz, Nelly Kouzmina, Eleni Litt, Claire Moore, Sara Niroobakhsh, Avani Palkhiwala, Arushi Patel, K. Rose Quayle, Anandi Ramanathan, Joy Sacalis, Rooma Sehar, Aurelle Purdy Sprout, Chanika Svetvilas, Gwynneth VanLaven, Susan Winter, and The-0.

For more information, call (609) 716-1931 or visit westwindsorarts.org.

Longtime Volvo Cars Princeton, Long Motor Co. Is Now Affiliated With Polestar Electric Vehicles

ELECTRIC FOOTPRINT: “I believe electric cars will be competitive with gasoline-fueled cars in two to three years,” says Nicholas Long of Polestar Princeton, Long Motor Company. “We look forward to seeing more electric cars on the road, and having our footprint there.” He is shown next to one of Polestar’s new electric models, the Polestar 2.

By Jean Stratton

It is actually not a new idea, but one that has lingered on the fringes of the automotive world for more than a century.

Developed in the mid-1800s, the electric car was a definite factor in the initial development of the automobile. It was an important focus in the early 20th century, only falling out of favor in the 1920s, when the internal combustion engine (ICE) took over.

Now, however, it is surely an idea whose time has come. The electric vehicle (EV) is moving to the forefront on the highways — and quickly.

With the promise of less pollution and price savings, sales are up all over the country, and charging stations are appearing at numerous locations. more